Norman Update

I'm almost halfway towards the 6th February deadline for completing my Norman army and it's time to take stock. I have decided to reduce the number of archers and crossbowmen in a unit to seven reducing the number of figures I need in total to 105. To date I have painted 10 Knights and 26 infantry, that means I have just over a month to paint the remaining 19 cavalry and 50 infantry. Quite a challenge.

In addition to the figures painted so far I have ordered a Saxon church to represent the army's camp. I know it's not Norman but I needed something that was ready to go as I won't have time to paint anything else. I also still need to assemble the unpainted cavalry and 25 spearmen. Whilst my initial concern was putting together the Knights I have actually found putting the spearmen together more difficult as the cast have in most cases closed over the open hand resulting in detailed filing and gluing to attach the spears.

Apart from that the figures have been a joy to paint. I have not painted a lot of 28mm since my teens but they are not much more work than 15mm. I am seriously considering doing a whole period in them, perhaps American War of Independence, though storage is an issue as this small army is taking up two box files.

I am confident of finishing them in time, hopefully bases flocked as well, though I may have to take a couple of days off work. I would ideally like to get them usable a few weeks in advance to get some practice in but that maybe to much to ask.

In order to keep me motivated I have been reading The Normans: The Conquests that changed the Face of Europe by Francois Neveux. This however got me so excited that I almost pre-ordered Gripping Beast's new plastic Saxons. A glance at the growing pile of unpainted lead managed to rein in that urge, for the moment!