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Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Alan, I broadly agree with your comments, but perhaps the axeman is caught at the moment his axe is splitting open a Norseman or a Norman. And I see the germ of a shield wall, so maybe the spearmen are reaching over the shields in front of them.

I think this set is looking good and hopefully it sells well enough that a 2nd will be made with more of a shield wall.

Off topic: I've just started reading Warriors of the Storm by Cornwell. What's Uhtred going to do this time!

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

I like the sculpts but I am still hoping to see some Huscarls with long mail hauberks, kite-shaped shields and armed with spears,swords and long axes. The last figure is a great pose for the spear and shield but he appears to be unarmored.

BTW I agree that spears were probably not often thrown in battle but kept for the close in fighting. Of course it would be hard to pass up a great target if it came your way. I have read that norse/german warriors were known to begin a battle with some chieftain throwing a spear over the heads of their enemy's shield wall to symbolically sacrifice them to Odin.

Thanks Strelets for adding to this range. I have plenty of the older sets but I know many folks are hoping to see these released again as well. Good work.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Russ
Thanks Strelets for adding to this range. I have plenty of the older sets but I know many folks are hoping to see these released again as well. Good work.


Yes, variety is the spice of Dark Ages' life.

I like my SYW figures (for instance) to be in uniform poses but I need as many different poses as possible for my SAGA warbands. Head swops and bending limbs only go so far.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Glad I hadn't painted my previous ones these are so much better.

Archers always seem to be a problem with most manufacturers. Too much imagination and too little observation*.

The left wrist guard is to protect your wrist from the bowstring not to lay the arrow on. The arrow(shaft)shouldn't be touching the left arm at all only the left thumb and index finger(outer edges). The left arm should be a gentle curve and thus the bowstring will miss it when loosed and funnily enough a relaxed arm is stronger than a locked one. The arrow should be longer and drawn to the chin not the sternum.

I have shot bows many times but I have not chopped anybody up with an axe or speared anybody so I will keep out of those pose issues..

David

* a later period but the basics are similar
Signor Rava gets it right on the Italeri box but the archer figures(set 6027)inside are very weird. Zvezda get the 4 archers about right in their set 8060 though a pity there is not one loosing the arrow.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

David O'Brien
Archers always seem to be a problem with most manufacturers. Too much imagination and too little observation*.

.


David, I'd be happy to hear your opinion on Caesar archers eg:
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1181

I love the figures so I wonder if their archery "skills" are at all realistic.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Alan,

I don't agree with your underarm spear technique: it's not very easy to do that in a shieldwall unless all you want to do is tickle you opponent's knees and trip up the bloke behind you. I wouldn't recommend it in single combat either: it's too passive and too slow.

I reckon spears are thrust overarm so that you can get some weight behind it, and, more importantly, get behind your opponent's shield without moving yours and give them a nasty jab in the face. Indeed, if you have a look at the Bayeux tapestry, that's precisely what the English are doing, and exactly what the Normans are doing in return.

I don't have an issue with the axeman: he's clearly a Fyrdsman rather than a skilled, trained huscarl, who would have had a mail byrnie and helmet to go with his Dane Axe.

Well done Strelets, Keep up the good work.

Cheers, steve

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Steve , while I accept your points, and stabbing down while in a shield wall would be logical, fighting with a spear raised above your head in any other situation would leave you at risk and tire your arm out pretty quickly, especially if like the two poses here your holding the spear away from it`s center of gravity. Over head works offensively, while underarm works both offensively and defensively ie you can protect yourself by deflecting the other guys weapon pointed in your direction.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Alan, you're right! Maybe what we 'need' are sets such as "Saxons in open order combat" and "Saxon Shield Wall".

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Dear PDA,

in this case we are running the risk of making more Anglo-Saxons, than there were in reality.
We were thinking about yet another 1066 big box set for battle aftermath but, quite honestly, how many people would be interested in this period/episode? After all, what we see, is that this series is being actively discussed by very few people, whereas we need, at least, few hundred to make a set viable.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Strelets, I am the proud owner of all your Anglo Saxon sets, and will buy the above figures too. After battle ? what have you in mind. Sales I am very confident that more will buy them than are discussing them here.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Dear Alan,

we meant immediate battle aftermath: KIA, wounded, plundering, victory celebration, etc.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

That sounds like a good plan, although spare us Harold being gelded by four Norman knights

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

More likely being carried dead from battlefield by a couple monks.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

count me in for as many saxons sets as i can get.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

I can live with Harold post op in the hands of monks. Having gone through a vasectomy twenty five years ago, I know you would never be able to portray the fear on Harolds face as a Norman knight grabbed his genitalia in one hand while wielding a very sharp knife in the other....besides I could never paint it way too much sympathy going on .

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Not having read much about Hastings nor having any vasectomy experience but hopefully understanding something about knives I think Harold would have feared even more if he saw that very guy damaging the knife first on purpose to make sure it's not going to be sharp at all...

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Strelets

We were thinking about yet another 1066 big box set for battle aftermath but, quite honestly, how many people would be interested in this period/episode? After all, what we see, is that this series is being actively discussed by very few people, whereas we need, at least, few hundred to make a set viable.

Best regards,

Strelets

Me for sure!!!!
They could be used for a wide range of other purposes and Settings apart from the aftermath of just Hastings..Stamford Bridge springs to mind straight away not to mention a lot of other earlier and later battles, factual or made up (as a few others have already mentioned in the thread)
If there´s to be dead and wounded in the set then they could be easily added to the hastings set.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

I haven't posted posted here before, but I just wanted to pop in and say that my dark age armies contain a great deal of Strelets and I would definitely purchase these if produced. Thanks for continuing to produce quality miniatures in a variety of interesting periods.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

With the new sets being released in the big boxes, and all the interest being shown, I think Strelets would be wise to re-release their Norman, Anglo-Saxon, and
Viking shield wall sets. People who buy the big boxes will want more of these sets
to fill out their armies.

Re: Hastings Anglo saxons

Britsfan
With the new sets being released in the big boxes, and all the interest being shown, I think Strelets would be wise to re-release their Norman, Anglo-Saxon, and
Viking shield wall sets. People who buy the big boxes will want more of these sets
to fill out their armies.


i think these sets will be included in the big boxed sets.but id like to see them released on their own as well.