From Mike W - 28mm Irish Foot (Dark Age through Elizabethan) (120 Points, Squirrel, Caprica)

These figures are from the new Gripping Beast Dark Age plastic boxed set, that I acquired over the Xmas Holiday as a present. The aim is to paint these up to join my existing Irish collection, that I use for both Dark Ages / Medieval Saga type games and also allow these to be used in Elizabethan period games as well.

All 20 of the Irish Warriors

The Gripping Beast figures come 5 to a frame, with a selection of heads, weapons and shields.

Those in the know will spot that I have only built 20 of the 25 figures in the boxed set, there are two reasons for this...

The first five Irish Warriors, I've gone with the smaller shield option as this allows
me to use them in later periods, and I have stuck to a muted colour scheme. The guy with the raised axe is the only one I have equipped with a large shield.

First I only started on Monday with a frame of these as a tester, whilst in between other figures that I have on the workbench but I enjoyed making up these figures and painting them so much that on Tuesday I made-up and painted another five.

Wednesday evening  upped the ante and made 10 more figures before painting these and completing their washes and varnishing on Thursday. Almost a definition of a true squirrel project.

Cloaks are optional on figures, there are three per frame supplied with the set

Oh and for the second reason - I held back five figures as I want to model these with muskets and or cross-bows to give them a more specific Elizabethan usage.

The figures are virtually flash free and to add variety I used some other Gripping Beast heads and arms from the spares box.

I swapped around heads from the spares box, there is a Victrix Anglo-Dane head and a Gripping Beast Dark Ages Warrior head here. I also gave the guy wit the raised sword an arm from the Conquest Games Norman set - to give a better quality Sword for him to be waving around

All figures were undercoated white, I used a predominantly yellow ochre type colour scheme for these men - to fit in with others in my collection but added more colours in their additional layers of clothing and cloaks. 

All got a watered down black ink wash and a varnish before being based.

The last set of five figures in this batch.

A Squirrel Point is claimed for Irishness of the group in Dark Ages / Elizabethan times

I'll also claim a Bonus for visiting Caprica, the Irish were doomed as a fighting force against the overwhelming power of the invading Normans and English throughout this period.

POINTS

20 x 28mm Foot Figures = 100 Points

Caprica Bonus                 = 20 Points

TOTAL                             = 120 POINTS

I think we have now run out of Mike posts...and it's good to end on an up note.  I was curious about these plastic Irish and now I think I'll have to get a box or three.  They have come up nicely indeed.  For the Elizabethan era ones, I suggest adding arms from the Perry European Mercenaries or Light Cavalry from their WotR ranges.