For the Lady!

Well, here’s a big one… more than a year in the making. But I finally finished painting my Bretonnia army for Saga! Behold!!!

This is something to sing for the minstrels and bards alike! Here are men and women of great valor… and their villeins! Ready to protect their lands, for the realm, for the grail, for the Lady!!!

After many hours roaming the dark side of Ebay and FB, avoiding scammers, dodging recasters, I finally managed to gather almost the integral range of mid 90’s bretonnian from 5th ed Warhammer. Painting them was even harder! This many colors, those heraldries, that amount of horses… But that quest worth everything I got to give for, just to get a chance to see these proud (and pompous) knights ride to battle, to victory, to death!!! (Ok I may have gone a bit far role playing it at tournament)

After a while, I finally get a chance to play them. Even in a Saga tournament. I collected and painted this whole project with Saga the Age of Magic in mind (and I think they’ll do great proxies in Age of Crusades or even more… Chivalry). Not a strong list, but rather at least one of each units from this range, and with as many different sculpts as I can grab.

So this time, no earthy tone, no natural colors and grim look. I wanted this project to be a citation of early medieval fantasy, Citadel red era, and even give a sense of faery tales to the whole set. Citadel Contrast range helped me a lot achieving bright color and horses skins. The rest was done using my usual technics, adding just an extra step of highlight to every tones. I spend extra time on faces, as most of these are by far parts of my favorite sculpts from this era. I also came to conclusion that, while wanting bright and strong colors, they’re is no way any horse galloping would be exempt of dust or dirt. So I went on tidying every one of them, and I think I’ll apply it to every cavalry unit I paint from now on. Lastly, the commoners were paint using the livery of various knights, rather than having standard uniform. In my head this force is composed of each knights bringing his followers and people to the field!

So now, lets check on them! Take care, for this is a long ride…

Long live the king! Here’s lord Jehan de Peinstre, duke of Falquet, protector of the realm! This mini is truly one of the best from mid 90’s 5th ed of Warhammer. The iconic stance, the beautifully sculpted monster, everything fits right in.

But I needed a more… grounded version. So here’s the very same on a less winged steed. I tried to replicate the very same paintjob on both. It’s sad but this version is more likely to hit the gaming board as I prefer to play him on a horse in Saga.

Another great iconic sculpt , the Green Knight of Vovray county. This mystical hero can endorse many roles in my armies, general, lieutenant or great paladin. I would love to try and paint another one one day.

Here’s some lords and ladies to follow! The Perilous Wing, an unbound travelling hero, Margoton Jacquemaille, presumably a virgin, and Geoffroy de l’Aive, lord of Noirecriniere. Again many options in Saga as warlords and lieutenants.

More brave heroes, with Jeanne Marc Figuier, great game warden of the realm and close friend of the commoners, Hebert Guillon, count of the cold lands, Johanne Revanot, lord of Fontaine and master of the gates, and finally Regis Lemaistre, father and survivor of many vicious wounds. The hunter is one of the only conversions I achieved in this army.

One of the finest trio of the woods, inhabitants of Vovray and defender of the oppressed. I’m thinking about making them a commune scenic base to play them as Lord of the Wild warlord or lieutenant.

More faery feel with the high ladies of the realm, Anna de Castel and Odeline Pernod, damsel of the lake, company of Marion Lemestre, great enchantress, queen to the lord Peinstre, along with her pet Merlin.

The finest, many great deeds, more songs about them even, here’s the knights of the grail. Elite cavalry count as hearthguards. Lead by Guillemot de Bringe, and his fellow companions Léo de Dole, champion, Jean le Baptisme, standard bearer, and Baptiste de Pouille, hornblower.

Maybe my favorite unit, although I’ll never grab all the various sculpts, the Questing Knights. They’re lead by the fierce Grégoire de Licitre, marching to the sound of Guy Toutgentil trumpet, under Lexandre Valais white standard.

The biggest unit of the force, its main core, the Knights of the Realm. At their head is the dreaded (mostly in taverns) Jean de Gassille, holder of the door, boar crested. The great standard of the realm is bear by Simeon Dumats, brother of the king and boats master.

And finally the last knights order, the youngest, but maybe the bravest, eager to make proof of their valor, the Errant Knights, youth of the chivalry. to their head is Nicholas Jacquemart, first to leave. They ride under Valentin Laburette great flag, and march to the sounds of Fabion Duhameau clairon and Léopold Mathois’s songs.

Some might sometimes agree to fight on the ground, in order to protect a holy chapel or a sacred woods, a specific sword in the stone even…Jean Baptême Pesteplomb can sometimes fight like a peas…, like this…, but in a honorable way!

There’s also low borns who knows how to ride a horse (if given the right). Here’s my first unit of mounted yeomen, using spears an bows, this is the lightest cavalry you can field. Also some of my favorite minis in there! They bear colours of the garrison, as opposed to the other unit.

The garrison in itself. Brave commoners fighting alongside their lords and ladies, keepers of the walls. At the start I wanted only one unit of these, but hey, two complete HQ later…

This allows me to field them as two warriors unit, or one big levy with some spares. It’ll also represent a convincing militia in any Project Dungeon related stuff, might it be Frostgrave or RPG.

More dynamic are the halberdiers. No doubt twelve ruffians using two handed weaponry will do countless acts of valor… or at least die trying. And that’s a sacrifice that I’m willing to make!

No to fight without honor… is still fighting. Longbowmen can hold any fortified positions (mostly ruins in Saga). I deeply love the faces of these sculpts, great work from the Perry brothers.

Then again, two units for one. Great Kingdoms need to field many shooting range unit. Plus you got to paint extra flags, which is a real treat in this army…

Fire breachers, bombards and ribaudequins, lets bring mayhem to their ranks. Technically not from the same edition, I search for one of these, ended up with three, always good to have.

The second unit of yeomen, in a more wooden attire. I selected the one without helmets, and bearing hoods and fur hats. They go along with the next unit, and will form the core of a more wild sub faction.

Scouts woodsmen, game wardens of the Falquet forest once again excellent sculpt for these. I think I can still collect a few of the foot Bretonnians for little warbands such as in Frostgrave, they look so good even by alone.

These mystic beasts are not part of the range, but I needed a few magical creatures. Reaper Miniatures got a sweet selection of monsters and such, and it’s the only brand where I could find three consistant sculpts. I really enjoy painting wild beasts, no heraldry nore symmetry involved…

At last, there it is for this force! Around maybe twenty eight points for a game played with eight… that should allow me some versatility. Although this project is based around collecting the whole range rather than planning strategies. I might add a few things though, maybe a few crossbowmen, and even one unit of hearthguards riding pegasus. Also plan to paint a few tent to represent some terrain to go along. But in the end I can call this one done.

Cheers pal, and go paint your minis!!!

Jean Peinture