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... :)
Neat!
ReplyDeleteTempting tempting...
Jonas you know you need at leasat one box of them, your lovely Skägglavefantasy projekt need some of them to mix up with the GB vikings:)
DeleteNice loooking sprues. I've got some Fireforge mongols (to use as 17th cent. Tatars), and I'm very pleased with them. It's particularly nice to see you taking Swedish history to a wider audience. Nice one!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteIndeed,indeed...
ReplyDeleteGreat to see these in production after all of your hard work:)
ReplyDeleteThanks matey ! Not to hard work for me, i just had a bunch of opinions ;)
DeleteNice looking figures 😀
ReplyDeleteAnother fabulous contribution to our hobby world, well done Michael.
ReplyDeleteLovely work .. I like FireForge. Their figures have a chunkiness which gives them presence on the table and
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about Arn for a long while now :0)
Very tempting for a little Lion Rampant project.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Michael, excellent input and very nice looking miniatures.
ReplyDeleteI love these chaps. They should be good for a Lion/Dragon Rampant project or two I bet.
ReplyDeleteNow we just need Perry to make some Metall Allmoge militia for their 1450-1500 range. :D
Not metall... like plastic beter so some plastic generic pesants with a allmoge influense would be good and would probably work for all europe to:)
DeleteYeah, I'd really prefer a plastic perry box as well and for the same reasons, but what's the odds for that? The odd metall set seems like a bit more realistic hope...
DeleteThey look really cool!
ReplyDeleteSplendid work, Michael, and some excellent re-enactment pics as well!
ReplyDeleteI see these being very useful addition and a bit different from the usual European figs. Nice photo's BTW
ReplyDeleteReally like the looks of them and planning to get some. Well done.
ReplyDeleteReal nice report Michael and this is something I have been waiting for.In plain swedish: så djäkla kul! When do Fire forge plan to release this product on the market?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteRelease at Salute, So in two weeks :)
Very cool! Have fun in Salute!
ReplyDelete