Aberlemno Stones |
I have a unit of 12 Pictish spearmen this week. Most of the figures are from the Gripping Beast plastics Pict box set. There are two metal GB command figures and some a bits from the Victrix Late Roman Infantry kit. The GBP picts use the same torsos was the GBP Irish (and the Welsh although I've not seen these in the flesh) with appropriately Pictish heads and odd shaped shields.
The metal horn blower is a bit of an awkward pose. I added a shield slung on his back but I am happy that he's a back ranker. |
As I've talked about before, the Picts are a rather shadowy people from beyond the outer fringes of civilization. They've left no written record, we don't know what language they spoke or if they ever had a written language. Most of what they left us is enigmatic rock carvings. But these carving give us a decent idea of what their warriors looked like, as shown above. I love these carved images, there is some meat to go on but also a lot of mystery. they are look very Tolkienesque.
The wargaming convention tends to give the Picts spearmen, reasonable light cavalry and archers (some with crossbows). This gives an army with a different flavour than their contemporary Scots-Irish and Saxon allies and/or foes.
Unlike Ray, I like my unit labels to stand out from my bases. The Blue background will differentiate Picts from Green Scots/Irish and White Romans. |
I've kept up with giving my units a unified shield base colour, red oxide in this case with white Pictish or Celtic squiggles. I've decided to name my Picts units with tribal labels based on animals, in the case the Deer people. This follows on the tribal names used by the Epidii in Rosemary Sutcliffe's Eagle of the Ninth.
The flag and shields are hand painted. the flag is not my best one, but I am out of practice and it looks good enough for the table top. I'm not all that happy with the plaids but they look ok when squinted at from a distance.
From TeemuL: The miniatures are not exact copies from the carvings, but close enough. They do look much better in colour, lots of colours, in fact. Labeling the bases in highly visible has advantages regarding gameplay, but might break the immersion. One of the balances we all seek and find in different places.
Edit: I'll give you 10 points for the shields and banners.
Very nice Peter - which rules set are you using these fellows for?
ReplyDeleteThanks Greg. We’ve been playing To The Strongest, gives a fast fun game and rewards historical tactics mostly.
DeleteThanks very much Teemu. The photos do look a riot of colour, but believe it or not I actually started out trying to mute down the colours!
ReplyDeleteThe biggest advantage with labels that stand out is that i5 makes for more organized set up and take down. I need any organization help that I can get!
DeleteAnd cheers for the unexpected extra points
DeleteYes, I understand the need of clear labels, necessary with smaller scales.
DeleteFab work Peter. Picts..... an army that I have longed to do for decades! One day!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Darrell. You should do Picts. Id love to see what you could do with the plaids and they’d fit in with your collection.
DeleteNice Pictoi, Peter! :)
ReplyDeleteCheers Tamsin
DeleteGreat stuff Peter -- love the cute flag and the labels really work for me, especially with the uncial font
ReplyDeleteThanks Simon. Cute wasn’t quite what I was aiming for, bu5 glad that you like it. I had fun going down the Celtic font’s rabbit hole
DeleteNice warband. I have also these guys in my lie of sight for a futire Saga related project
ReplyDeleteThanks Benito. It’s a good kit, lots of head and arm options, plus mixing and matching from other kits.
DeleteVery nice, Peter! You may be glad that the horn blower is a back ranker, but I wonder if the guy in front of him can appreciate the musical contribution. At least he isn’t playing bagpipes. But a creative conversion/ solution!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Martijn.
DeleteReally nice Picts
ReplyDeleteGlad that you like them
DeleteGreat work Peter! I look forward to seeing these fellows on the tabletop in a future game.
ReplyDeleteThanks Curt. I need more of them first
DeleteFab work Pete!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ray
DeleteNice work, Peter! I like the colors very much and the shield icons and flag look very fine!
ReplyDeleteThanks David. Different tribes from a different part of the world
DeleteExcellent work. Shields and banner are great
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Bruce
DeleteGreat PICTs Peter, they are a great army for Impetus
ReplyDeleteThanks very much. Not tried Impetus to date.
DeleteNice shields and basing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Barks
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