Anglo-Danish Huscarls

Just completed these Anglo-Dane Huscarls for my SAGA games which means I have one half of my small warband ready and by mid May I will have enough Vikings and Anglo-Danes to hit the table with. 

I tried to tie the unit together with whites, reds and yellows while remaining a bit random by using different hues of those three core colors and putting some other colors into the mix. 

I  probably left the Dane axe a little long(the four in the blister pack need to be clipped down...they are about 9 scale feet in length)...but  I took the creative liberty of modeling a longer axe just for visual appeal.  The figures of from Gripping Beast and are metal.  I am not new to metal by any means, but these are my first ones for SAGA after doing a bunch of GB plastic figures.  The only letdown was in the faces as the plastic sculpts better have more defined facial features. 

I have really been struggling with my painting lately.  My main issue is that when I ever I see someone else's figures I like their painting style much more than my own.  I have waffled forever between the photo-realistc blending tecnhiques of American and Eastern European pro painters and what I call the U.K.-style...one of broad strokes and super highlights(see Kevin Dallimore's stuff at Wargames Foundry).  I usually end up somewhere in between, with a mix of the two styles as I waffle on approach...and I am often, appropriately, displeased with the final result.  I think I am finally leaning towards the "British" style...there is something refreshing about the "impressionist" approach that many Brits take to painting wargames figures.  This batch of figures is still an "in between" style, but I am resolved to change with my next group of figures.

Still too much on deck to be painted...more Anglo-Danes, specifically more hearthguard and slingers.  I also have Viking archers to do as well as more warriors.  Additionally, I preordered the Gripping Beast plastic Dark Ages warriors set...not sure when we'll see those arrive over here in the United States but hopefully pretty soon.

Wish I could attend Salute in England...that looks like a blast!

Thanks for viewing,
Gareson