Sunday 11 May 2014

3 Viking Characters

Introduction

Today's post will be a quick one; I'm running out of time (again!).  A combination of trying to do a bit more painting and also spending a little more time with the kids has resulted in me not spending much effort on blogging in the last week.  I'm still reading everyone else's posts, but sometimes I don't get round to commenting; please don't take this as a sign of  lack of interest.

Viking Characters

As well as all the other loot that I brought home from Salute 2014, there was a packet of Vikings from Wargames Foundry.  I'd been thinking of adding some larger-than-life figures to my Saga warbands for some time and Svava's Warrior Heroes fits the bill nicely.

First up is the eponymous Svava.  I wanted to have a shield maiden in my collection and this is one of the more plausible female armed Vikings amongst Foundry's offerings.  I've no idea whether a woman warrior was at all likely in the Dark Ages, but SAGA has a mythic quality to it so I don't feel at all constrained by historical accuracy!  Like all my SAGA models, she's been given an authentic name: I'll be calling her "Helga".

"Freki" is next.  He's a big lad; easily a head taller than most of my other 28mm figures.  Personally I think he looks rather gormless as well, but I don't think there are many who would say that to his face!

"Drott" is somewhat unusual for a Viking since he isn't wearing any shoes or trousers.  He's also armed with a very large hammer, so perhaps he is a fan of Thor, the thunder god.  Anyway, he looks very strong and quite ferocious!

The Svava's Warrior Heroes pack contains a total of 6 figures.  So far I've only finished these 3; they're probably the models I like best.

So, that's enough for now - I've got to get dinner ready, paint some scenery, spend quality time with the spouse, think about how to convert harpies and so on (not necessarily in that order, though...)

29 comments:

  1. They have come up very nicely. My favourite Male Saxon name is "Mildread", You could have "Orc" which in old English meant Jug, so probably a nick name! "Littleman" was also a name! Oh the uses you find for misspent years of dark age re-enactment!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm, I already have "Lytelman" on my list of Saxon names, to use for future figures in my Anglo-Dane/Saxon warband. Perhaps I should add "Mildread" as well?

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Thanks, Bob. If only everything I did turned out so nicely :-) !

      Delete
  3. You've done a great job painting them, Hugh. Don't apologise for spending time with your family. They should always come first.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funny, isn't it. I use the blog, painting and gaming to *escape* from real life. But without family, none of that would have much meaning...

      Delete
  4. Nice job mate. Life is just busy sometimes. I often just read blogs these days and don't comment just because I follow so many lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hah, I still see you commenting on so many different things. Or at least, I seem to remember that...

      Delete
    2. I'm interested in a lot of things. I just have better will power on some periods lol

      Delete
  5. These look great Hugh,
    These make me want to dig out n paint some of my old Viking models

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For me, it helps very much to have a game in mind - even if I know that many of my figures won't see much use. A couple of years ago I didn't have any Dark Age stuff, then along came SAGA...

      Delete
  6. Love these, bags of character.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Michael. I like the first and the last ones best, myself.

      Delete
  7. Replies
    1. Thanks, Dave. I am quite pleased with the way they've turned out.

      Delete
  8. They're looking great - some larger than life miniatures are always nice. I'm not too fond of the last sculpt (but I love war hammer as a weapon :P), but other two look great. Paintjob is just fantastic on all three - the second guy's expression really pops out.

    As for female warriors, I'm sure there was more than one Joan in the past :P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Mathyoo. I know that female warriors are not unusual in mythology (Valkyries, Amazons &c) and I'm happy enough to have a female Viking on that basis :-) .

      Delete
  9. Great personality on the figs, very well done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These figures certainly stand out a bit from my more "serious" Gripping Beast Vikings!

      Delete
  10. Replies
    1. Thanks, Hobbyworker. Now all I need is to use them in a game...

      Delete
  11. They really do stand out as hero-types, you've done an excellent paint-job on them.
    Time is our greatest resource and has to be spent wisely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Joe. Ah, if only I had more time! Then I could waste even more of it on trivial things...

      Delete
  12. Very nice minis. Family all ways comes first

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, SK. Family must come first, of course.

      Delete
  13. Replies
    1. Thanks, David. I do have some other Viking characters that I'm painting right now; maybe I'll show them as well...

      Delete
  14. "Gormless" excellent usage describing the big Viking lad, since gorm is an old Scandinavian rooted word meaning alert.Hence gormless - popular in the old Danelaw and points north.

    Gorm is now also a line of Ikea storage units.
    I've not bought any, and wonder how that reflects on me.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hmm, are you suggesting that the Vikings' purpose in coming to Britain was to force us to buy cheap furniture?!

    ReplyDelete