Got some Fire Forge Scandinavian Ledung minis today :)

Today I got some pre-release samples of the new plastic minis from Fire Forge, the Post-Viking Scandinavians or as you all know they are Swedish Ledung Crusaders :)

This release have I really looked forward to as I was contacted by FireForde about 18 month ago and was asked if I thought their plastic Medieval Russian minis would be possible to be fielded as Scandinavians and if so, could I help out to suggest new weapon, shields and heads for them, the bodys needed to be the same.

I thought the bodys worked good as Swedish as well as  Danish/Norwegian post viking ledung soldiers. Chainmail are generic and the lamell armour was used in scandinavia to due to all contact with Novgorod, Bysan and the Baltic area.

I put together some background text and a bunch sample pictures and sent it to FireForge and during Salute last year we had a meeting and decided which to use. So really nice to have a chance to influence a set of minis representing minis from my region, thank you very much Fire Forge:)

As Scandinavia was a backwater much arms, armour etc was old style so a mix of Viking and Medieavl equipment as well as influenced by eastern style, like lamell armour work well. They fought in Shieldwalls with support archers in the back of the formation. As well as skirmish archers on the flanks. Bow used was Longbows, some men would also have had crossbows, especially if Danes as they hired german crossbowmen as mercinaries.

The main weapon used was the spear as it was cheep to produce and the main hand weapon would have been an Axe as Swords was quite expensive so most soldeirs probably would not have had one, also was twohanded axes and other polearms used due to the power of them and relativly low production cost.

Below you can see some of the pictures I sent to FireForge,  you can probably reccognise some of the parts on the sprue:)  The pictures are a few from museums, but most are Scandinavian reenactors pictures, mainly from Gotland.

my suggestion... from the Swedish mini tv-serie Arn

Box art... :)

TYW 1626, The Pikeman´s Lament AAR

Here are some pictures and a short AAR from a playtest game of The Pikeman´s Lament. Jesper comanded his Danes and my son David commanded my Spanish and of 32 points each.
The minis are all multibased at 28mm FoGr bases, i.e 60mm width.

OOB Danes
1 Pike @ 4 points
2 Shot @ 4 Points each
2 Elite Trotters @ 6 points each
2 Trotters @ 4 points each

OOB Spanish
2 Veteran Pike @ 6 Points each
4 Shot @ 4 points each
1 Field gun @ 6 points

The Spanish deployed all their troops on a line with the Field guns in the center covering the bridge. The Danes was advansing in along the two roads to the bridge...

Danish Pike ans Shot...

...decide to leave the road and advance forward the stream to cross it in the the field on the opposite side...

The best of the best in the Danish company, Elite Trotters...

...already taking heavy fire from the Spanish Field Gun...

The Spanish Infantry makes a general advance...

The Danish Trotters advance behind the Elite Trotters and they all seems to awoid the bridge... 

The Spaniards contiue their advance and on their right flank they reach a good defensive possition at a fence... just to let the Danes advance in to the killing ground...

...might there be a Spanish field gun intimidating them...

The Danish Pike and Shot crossing the stream

The Danish Elite Trotters at last manage to cross the stream... 

...despite facing the Spanish field gun the Danish Trotters decide to take the quick rout across the bridge...

...overfald drenge! dræbe onde katolikker...

some how the Spanish commander decided it was a really good idee to leave the defencive possition at the fence and advance in to the open field...

...at least they got the chance to fire of their first salvo at long range...

...not even a hit in the Danish banner...

...better luck for the Spanish Shot by the bridge that manage to decimate one of the Danish with 50% ...

...so they started to run back to the bridge..."mom redde mig!"

a solid Spanish Defence...

...The Spaniards in teh field seems to have made the right decission as due to their long range fire they have stalled the Danish advance across the stream...

...the Spanish shot even manage to get a few hits...

On the Spanish left flank the Pike form close order as the Danish Elite Trotters are caracoling at the Spanish shot...that had advanced a bit to much to be propperly protected by the pikes...

...unfortunate for the Danes their pistol powder seems to have been wet when crossing the stream...

The Danish Pikes form Close Order and plan to attack one of the Spanish shot units that are shooting at the Spanish Trotters by the bridge...

...of course the Danish plan are detected by the Spanish Pikes...

Both of the Danish Trotters are on the run, the Elite Trotters are depleated and the Spaniards havent taken much casualties at all...

The Danish Pikes decide that it is a good ideea to charge the Veteran Spanish Pikes in Close Order...

The Spanish Veteran Pike manage to do as much more damage to the Danish Pikes that they start to flee... with 12 points of the Danish Company out of the battle the danes decided to retreat to save their remaining troops...

This was a very entertaining game, both commanders made some mistakes but non of them had yet played to many games of The Pikeman´s Lament at the time.

Happy gaming !