Someone has just asked on TMP what a GB Byzantine looks like on an A&A horse. So here it is.

Archer Comparison: Gripping Beast and Crusader

Inspired by the man from Battlegames I have brought the remainder of the Byzantine unit forward on my workbench, now that my first unit of Sudan Beja are finished (although I am still working on the Mahdi!).

I bought a small group of Crusader Archers off Mark Sims on e-bay to see what they are like. As you can see they are very short and stocky compared with the GB ones. Not compatible at all for me. I will probably paint them up and sell them on e-bay unless someone at Guildford wants them.

Standard Bearer

The second figure is finished. Not bad: two figures in nine months! Maybe I don't love them! The figures are a bit basic. Interestingly, I have painted 8 Carolingians in the last six weeks so obviously enjoy painting them more.

I have just read issue 3 of Battlegames where a rather pompous man is showing off that he painted a whole Byzantine army in a month!

This GB figure has a huge nose and looks rather like Parker from Thunderbirds, I think...

Spear Colours

I have always painted my spears plain brown (based largely on the handle of my garden rake!) but a post today on The Minatures Page got me thinking about it and I found this photograph in Kim Siddorn's book Viking Weapons and Warfare. A fair old collection of shades and I think I might mix them up a bit and go rather yellower as a result.

First Completed Figure

Here is the first Gripping Beast infantryman. Not bad to paint although the lamellar armour was a little indistinct and I am not happy with it on this one which was done under artificial light. Hopefully the next one will be a bit better. The Little Big Man studios shield transfer is wonderful, of course.