Brettonian Warband WIP

Here are some photos of my Brettonian warband WIPs. I had an entire brettonian army and now all I play is Mordheim so it was time to dismantle it and start from scratch. Not that I am a tree huger but recycle recycle recycle.

Anyway here is a group of Men-at-arms. Basically primed with some old paint. I will be working on changing out weapons, and figuring a color scheme for these gents.


Here are my two archers. Yep. Standard brettonian plastics. One with a slight upgrade to his bow arm. Gives him character.


Three squires...Squire 1. Brettonian archer body Mordheim arms and a shield. I will fill in the gaps, trim the mold lines and paint him up.


Squire 2. Brettonian archer body, new sword and dagger arms, and a bow slung across his shoulders. He will get greenstuff, and maybe a helmet upgrade.




Squire 3. Brettonian archer body, new sword and bow arms, and quiver on his hip. I will probably lengthen his surcoat and add a hood with greenstuff.



Knights Errant 1. Added Mordheim claymore sword, greenstuff surcoat lengthened, armored knee and ankle plates. I will add a shield to his back, and remove the shield knob on his left arm. Used the upper torso of a metal knight errant and plastic brettonian archer legs. (my those come in handy)




Knights Errant 2. Lengthened his surcoat (greenstuff) added knee plates, and shield. I actually carved his feet into greeves and armored boots, we'll see how he turns out. You guessed it....brettonian archer legs.




Questing Knight Leader. Lots of greenstuff, including armored legs (brettonian archer), feathered dispaly over his right shoulder to match the metal modeled one on the back, new arm with hammer (there is something about a knight weilding a hammer in battle that adds that gruesome effect. Maybe its the thought of splattered brains. Also added a sword to his hip...as backup.




Thanks for looking, comments welcome...

COOL STUFF! The Men at Arms, Archers, & Squires are fine looking minis that are appropriately out classed by the SPLENDID looking Knights. The Lads look like they'll be an enjoyable Band to paint up...have FUN!

Very cool-looking warband! I'd say you're off to a great start, and you've certainly put those old Brets to good use. I'll be keeping tabs, can't wait to see these guys painted up!

I have finished painting the questing knight. He looks cool. I wanted to paint him up first so that I could match the rest of the gang up to him. I think he turned out pretty good. (Sorry about the hair in the pic....didnt realize it was there until I posted. Product of a shepard/chow mix.)

I went with a blue and white patchwork theme, and then added in red details to straps, belt etc. I did my best on the feather head-dress, and worked off a pic of a peregrine falcon I found on the internet.



The blues I worked up from Hawk Tourquoise through blue wash, then Regal Blue, and finally a drybrush of Hideous blue. I used a bit of lightning bolt blue as well, just to bring out some different colors in the cloth.


The white patches were based in white, then washed with flesh wash, bleach bone and finally drybrushed in white again. I outlined them with black ink, to make them pop.


The reds I started with scab red, and then washed with flesh wash, then highlighted with red. Black inked the outlines and wallah!



The feathers were the toughest part. I started with white, then outlined with black ink to pick up the details. I then drybrushed in order, snakebite leather, bleached bone, (vermin fur in some spots for dark areas), and then touches of sunburst yellow and white as a top highlight effect.





One of my co-workers said that the pattern on his scabbard looks like a tartan, I think he is right.


For the shield, I decided to do a shield swap, so I had to rip off the old one and glue prime and glue on a second. I like this one better, looks more knightly I think. For the painting, I mimicked the color use and then filled the "sword marks" with beastial brown (for the wood showing through) and highlights of mitril silver around the edges and slash marks.





As for the metal plating, I started with a black undercoat, and then drybrushed boltgun metal, and picked hightlights with mitril silver. I then splattered some chestnut ink in some spots to represent dirt or rust. I also dirtied up his tunic hem as well in the same fashion. I had plans to pick out the wood on the hammer, but I think I like the "all metal" look of it. Not sure if it is representative of real ones of the time. Let me know what you think. (I justify it by saying he is a knight and could of had a smith make it for him special.)
Here is before and after....


Somehow it seems when I take photos of the fig, the brushmarks and fine details make the whole thing look sloppy...I am not sure how to eleviate that issue, if anyone has a solution I would be willing to listen.

Overall I am pleased with this one, he took me about four hours to paint, that means I have another 30+ hours for the rest of the warband...jeesh!

I think he looks great, the checkered sword scabbard looks cool and the batterd shield is perfect for a battle hardned knight a long way from home. You've done really well to discuise the archer legs especially with the green stuffed bits of armour around his ankles.
I'm not a particularly good painter so am a bit hesitant to comment but I only use drybrushing for fur/hair and chainmail. Do you water down your paints?
All in all he looks cracking! Very dynamic.
If you've allready stuck him to thebase than doing the base like Dreng Tromm did in his warband would work really well with your modules.

https://boringmordheimforum.forumieren.com/t4399-my-witch-hunter-warband?highlight=witch
What were you planning on doing?

I will try watering them down more...see if that works. I didnt really even think about bases yet. He is temporarily mounted on that one. I have to work on my basing skills.

I will check out the link.

Thanks for the great comments.

One of the problems with close ups on minis is that every little miscue will be dramatically enhanced...I think you did a FINE job on a VERY COOL mini. Your color choices & the heraldic details are GREAT. WELL DONE!

Well I worked on a Squire today, and got him pretty much done. I still have not decided what to do with the bases, but I wanted to show progress here.

Here he is...






I used the same pattern as I did for the Questing Knight, so that I could get some unit cohesiveness.


I battle aged the shield the same as I had before, but I have not gotten the dirt and mud splatter on yet.


Here are both of them together... I actually think I need to model a large pack at the Squire's feet and maybe a lance, just to show that he is the "pack-mule" for the knight...let me know what you guys think.


Thanks for looking and for all the great comments.

I'm really digging your knight conversions. Great to see such a unique warband!

I respect the serious attempt at making the old plastic archers look ok, but I think it's a lost cause. The material you have to work with there is just gone too far down the ugly road

Thanks for the comments. I know what you mean about the archers, If I can find a few cheap upgrades, maybe I will grab them. Really though, I dont mind working with the older stuff. I really dont want to buy a whole set of archers, as I dont play WHFB any more (no-one local to play, and I have pretty much parted out my army.)

Nice work on your warband, both painting and modelling. I hope you do the basing soon, it will make the models look finished, and twice as good.

VERY NICELY DONE! The Good(?) Knight & his Loyal(?) Retainer work WONDERFULLY together. Keep up the GOOD work!

I really like the way you converted old archers!

I'll join in with the choir, pretty imaginative use of the old archer bodies! Great GS work and good painting, I'm looking forward to more

mavfire wrote:

Thanks for the comments. I know what you mean about the archers, If I can find a few cheap upgrades, maybe I will grab them. Really though, I dont mind working with the older stuff. I really dont want to buy a whole set of archers, as I dont play WHFB any more (no-one local to play, and I have pretty much parted out my army.)

I've stopped playing Warhammer but I have a hard time getting rid of my old stuff. I keep thinking of the scenarios I could use things for...

You have done wonders with the old archers. I have dozens of them lying around from 5th edition, now they might be useful... Thanks for the inspiration!

Great stuff, I'm especially liking the battle-damaged shields, I'm trying to do the same on the shield for my freelancer but not as successfully as you!

@Eliazar: Thanks alot...The choir seems to be singing now....guys have all posted far better things, so I am greatful for the nice comments.

@Von Kurst: I know what you mean....I got sick of seeing them laying around...I know the Brets are not an "official" warband, but I dont plan on playing any high-mucky-muck battles with Toumas Pirenen!!

@5Pointer: All I did for the shields was take my knife and angle it slightly one way and then the other taking out a triangular chunk...Then for painting I splashed some beastial brown for wood showing through and a bit of black ink for darkness, and then edged the brown with a bit of mithril to show the thin layer of steel. You can do it I have faith!!

Anyway, I completed one of my Knights Errants. I went with the same blue/white/red theme but for the Knights Errants I am picking one other color for them and their personal squires. I chose green for this guy, and I think he turned out well. (Here is a sneak peak at the "blue bridge" as well...I may get around to posting shots of it in the scenery before too long.)







I also decided I would choose a different blaze for each of the Knights Errants...as they probably wouldnt bear the same cross as the Questing Knight. I chose a simple star for this guy.




Here is a close-up of the battle damaged shield.


And one of his face...


Here is the standard before and after...so you dont have to scroll all the way up....



Here are the two finished knights...


And one of the knights with a squire...they just entered mordheim under the blue bridge and see their quarry...


Again thank you for all the great comments....they help me keep going!! Thanks for looking.

VERY NICELY DONE! The heraldry is OUTSTANDING. I rather like the second Knight better simply because his face is visible, AND well painted. You're making FINE progress on the Beasty.

I'm still mightly impressed with your brets and how you've got such different character with the knights using the same archer legs.
Looking forward to the knight with the 2 handed sword.
Have you got a story for these guys?

Thanks for the great comments as always I am humbled...

@smokezombie: I have not worked up a background yet...I think it will come to me though as I go along.


Here is the latest Squire...








A facial close-up...


A close look of the blaze to match his lord, it is on the back of his hood...


Here is a closer look at his arms with the armguards painted in...




And a pic with him and his Lord....


A couple of shots with the four that are painted (sans bases....)




And the before and after shots... I added the hood, quiver and longer tunic with greenstuff...



Thanks for looking...

That's quite a dramatic change. Each new mini has their own unique character &, while they all are somewhat different, they work together perfectly. EXCELLENT WORK!

Here is the latest installment....

Another Knights Errant. I chose an orange and black diamond pattern for him. I think I could have done better, but he is playable.








And a few close ups of the details...








Here is the whole gang so far....still no bases...I will get to them eventually.


And a shot of the three knights


And here is the before and after shots...

The Knightly addition turned out TERRIFIC...his expression matches his weaponry. I like the diamond device...having the other three suits represented would be COOL. VERY WELL DONE!

They are looking great! Will look even better with the bases done

Well after a few days hiatus I decided to work with some GS. I learned alot from this forum, so thank you for, those of you who are experts!!

I have one Brettonian Archer in a squating positon. I actually hacked and shaved and filed those plastic legs down, and filled the cracks with GS. Then I merged his skirting, and added a quiver. I am thinking of adding a large shield infront of him. But we will see.


Here you can see some of the chainmail modeled in to fill the gap at his groin.




I am rather proud of the GS modelling of the foot and knee on this particular leg....it was a royal pain in the @$$ but I think it turned out well....the true test will be the paint.


For the final squire, I decided to replace the head with an "empire milita" helmeted one, The helm looks plain, but I am not sure what I can do to it to make it have the Brettonian feel. Any suggestions would be great.




I also added a sword arm, and a dagger into one of the "empire militia" arms. I added a scabbard, which used to be a sword, and GS'd some details there. I think it turned out ok. I also GS'd a hilt and pomel on the dagger.


For the first Man-at-arms, I built one of the "empire militia" hacked the blunderbuss out of one of the hands, turned and turned the wrist to accept the spear. I then hacked the left hand off, tilted it and hollowed out the grip to accept the spear as well. The head is from a mounted metal Brettonian Squire. After a ton of filing I was able to get the look I wanted. Onto the GS. I wanted to extend the "padded/quilted" armor look on over his legs so I added GS and then used a knife and modelling tool to add in the pads.







The rolled up sleeve may go, I am not sure I like the look of it.

His back is a bit plain, and I think he needs another hand weapon, but I am stumped as to what would look good. Any suggestions would be great.




After looking at the pics here, it looks like I have a lot of mold lines to clean up yet!!
Again thanks for looking and all the great comments.