Gripping Beast Viking Bondi

Painting 44 plastic Hirdsmen is all well and good, however it will be hugely unlikely I will ever be able to field them all whilst playing Saga. To complete my force I have started painting Viking Bondi, bought as ever from the chaps at Gripping Beast.

As ever, the figures are painted with Citadel paints. I decided not to use shield transfers for the Bondi and hand painted them instead - I actually prefer the finished effect!

Next on the paint table, more Bondi, four Berserkers and a Command section.

Gripping Beast Plastic Viking Hirdsmen (last of)

The Christmas holidays are here, which for a wargaming primary school teacher means only one thing... time to catch up on the painting!!

Below are my final group of Gripping Beast plastic Hirdsmen. The figures are all painted with citadel paints and the shields are finished with Little Big Man Studio transfers.

Coming soon, Gripping beast metal Bondi, Berserkers and fatigue markers for the Saga rules system.

Viking Archers

It seems like an absolute age since I posted on here, but work has been a nightmare and i've hardly put brush to metal! The following pictures are all 28mm Artizan un-armoured archers. They are a bit stockier than the Gripping Beast plastics, but mixed in nicely during my first game of Saga (which is excellent by the way).

As ever, the figures were painted with a mix of vallejo and (predominantly) Citadel paints.

Next on the paint tray are the last 11 Gripping beast plastics and then Gripping beast Bondi and Berserkers.

Menorcan 'Martello' towers

For years now my family and I have spent summer holidays in Menorca. I was delighted to discover on my first visit ten years ago that the island is dotted with old military installations. These range from 18th century up to the Spanish Civil War. Over the years I have made a point of visiting and photographing the sites (and breaking my ankle at one!)

The British built 12 Martello Towers between 1798 and 1802 and then made use of three towers built by the Spanish earlier. The photos below show two of the Spanish built towers, constructed by Captain Francisco Ferdenandez de Angulo in 1781.

The Tower at Alcufar

My wife Elizabeth and our girls Grace and Tilly sitting in the shade of the tower at Alcufar, halfway through a 6km midday, 37 degree hike.

The view from Alcufar towards Fort Marlborough near Mahon.

San Del Xanso tower in Punta Prima.

Another view of San Del Xanso.

If this post was of interest, you should check out my earlier posts from last years expedition. Right, time to crack on with the Vikings I started before the hols!

More Gipping Beast Vikings

Another batch of Gripping beast plastic Vikings - once again painted with Citadel and Vallejo paints and washes. It has to be said that Little Big Man Studios transfers are fantastic! But enough gushing - here are the pics...

Halfway there... another 22 to go!

Gripping Beast Plastic Vikings

Well all it took was a chance comment at Evesham Wargames club that I'd be teaching year 5 children about Vikings next school year; followed by Paul letting me know that Gripping Beast were about to launch a new set of dark ages skirmish rules and before too long I had a box of Gripping Beast's new plastic Vikings.

£17 on Ebay gets you 44 multi pose plastic models. The range of poses and weapons available gives you a good range of completed figures, all of which are well moulded and highly detailed.
I decided to give myself an easier paint job by leaving off a lot of the tiny add ons - belt pouches and daggers, but I don't think it detracts from the finished model.

The pictures below shop the first 11 off the paint bench, they have been painted using a mix of Citadel and Vallejo paints and finished off with shield transfers from Little Big Man Studios.

Only 33 more to go....

British 14th Army in Burma (2)

Following on from my last post, here are the photographs of my next six forgoten 14th. The figures are from The Assault group and the paint scheme is as per the first batch.

More of these to follow in the future, but for now i'm heading back ino the dark ages to paint some Gripping Beast Vikings.