I'll just leave this here...

A little teaser........:)

Dark Ages and Britain's Rivers

I have just had accepted a Dark Age Hail Caeser supplement by those delightful if somewhat crazed chaps at Warlord Games.

It struck me when I wrote the book how important the waterways were in Dark Age Britain. One is struck by how many battles took place near rivers, probably for reasons of logistics and navigation.



But it goes deeper; the kingdoms formed in river basins and of you ignore the rivers and draw imaginary lines between them from coast to coast then you start to see the shadowy outlines of the kingdoms themselves.

Review: Original Laser Designs - Dark Age Longship

While at Cavalier, I came across a new laser-cut woodkit manufacturer -  new to me, anyway - with lots of goodies on show. I was particularly taken with the 28mm Dark Age Longships as I am currently working on a Dark Age contract.

Here's a closer shot of one of the two ships on offer for the princely sum of £25.

Obviously, I had to purchase one for, err, review purposes. The above picture shows what you get in the box: a preformed hull and decking with various optional accouterments such as shields, benches, oars etc.

The hull is incredibly strong, the photo shows the bottom, with the sides already prebent (by steaming?) and stuck fast to the main base.

The great thing about this ship is that you could use it straight out of the box. The flat wide deck is perfect for standing models upon so it is more than just a scenery piece: the ship could be used for skirmish naval battles.

This photo shows what the ship looks like if you add the interior bits and pieces that you get with the kit.

And this one what can be achieved with a lick of paint in useful places.

Highly recommended and two shapes means that you can have two fleets: Vikings versus Alfred's navy, anyone?

You can buy the kits here.

In the Bowels of the British Museum

Deep in the bowels of the British Museum something unholy has come to life.....

The Commission has been alerted.

Episode VII: The Saxons, the Saxons

My first SAGA army is complete and it, as befits a son of Wessex such as myself, is Saxon: I use the Anglo-Danish Battleboard.

It is a standard 6 point SAGA army with:
3 Hearthguard units (left front) of four models each,
2 Warrior units (right front) of eight models each,
1 unit of cannon fodder  (rear) of twelve models, and
the Warlord himself (centre front).

I took them out for a trial on Sunday and was soundly slaughtered by the Vikings.

Saxons

The gens Lambshead comes from South Devon, Ilsington on the edge of Dartmoor to be precise, since at least the late 15th Century. The paterfamilias of the Lambshead clan has often been called John. A John Lambshead is buried under the pulpit in Islington Church and another John lambshead took the loyal oath for his hundred after the Restoration. Although, I have to confess that I come from the branch of the family that emigrated to London.

All of which is a long-winded way of introducing the fact that I am a West Saxon and so have decided to build a Saxon warband for Dark Age Wargaming. First twenty off the 'ole production line shown above.