I have a love for the warriors of Dark Age Britain, especially the legend and lore of Arthur. So it was an exciting opportunity when this guy walked up to my table at one of the HMGS East conventions and asked if I could sculpt 15mm Romano-British for his new company. After a short conversation about my basic working conditions and my desire to use Bernard Cornwell's Arthurian series as inspiration, I was hired for the job. That guy was David McBride, and that company was Splintered Light Miniatures.
Many years and many more miniatures later, I was looking back on a fairly sizeable body of work. I sculpted most of David's Dark Age Britain lines and parts of several others. Each project pushed the limits a little bit further, and all were interesting, but the Romano-British remain one of my three favorites.
Sometime in 2010, I decided to start painting them to play Warrior Kings from Two Hour Wargames. There were also Saxons in the collection, but I wanted something more mythic with a fantasy twist. Some 25mm Ral Partha ogres just happened to look great as giants when arrayed next to 15mm humans. So the Arthur vs. the Giants scenarios were born.
I managed to play a couple of games of Warrior Kings before being distracted by other projects. Then, in 2012, Daniel Mersey and Osprey Games released Dux Bellorum. This rekindled my desire to play with the Romano-British and Giant forces.
Units were given stats, terrain was laid out, and a couple of games were played. But once again, other interests and obligations got in the way. The armies were shelved, this time for several years and one house move.
It is now sixteen years after those first battles. Starting to attend local conventions again has allowed me to meet some new people who run other events, and they've invited me to attend those as well. The last was a flea market on October 19th. The next is a game day in Butler on October 24th.
The organizer of this event offered to let me set up as a vendor and also asked if I wanted to run any games. Cruel Seas was my first choice since it would be portable and easy to set up, but there was already someone running that. There were several other historical games scheduled, so he asked if I had something with a fantasy flavor. Arthur and the Giants fit the bill. It's 15mm, so it's portable and easy to set up since all of the units are on single stands.
A couple of evenings with Charlotte (see my previous blog post) and the scenario was designed, the rules were adapted for four players, monster unit values were set, and some variant victory conditions were chosen. Two more units would need to be painted, and the game playtested two or three times before the actual event.
A Deed Worth Singing: Arthur vs. the Giant King
A monstrous host led by a fearsome Giant King and the orc chieftain Gorlas One-Eye descends upon a small Romano-British settlement, intent on sweeping aside its defenders. King Arthur and his trusted warrior Derfel muster their forces to defend the village, holding a strategic river crossing and the high ground overlooking the approaches.
As shieldwalls clash with orcs, trolls, and towering giants, each commander must balance the demands of battle against the chance to perform deeds worthy of legend. Victory belongs to the army that best accomplishes its objectives, but the greatest glory may fall to a hero on the losing side; for even a doomed stand can inspire a song that outlives the battle.
I'll report back on how the game went after the game day next week. If you're in the area and have the time, stop by to play some games, shop a bit, or just say hello.
It's been sixteen years since I first put these armies on the table, and I'm looking forward to seeing them in action again. Hopefully, this will inspire a few of you to dust off some of those figures that have been sitting on your shelves and enjoy some great gaming of your own.
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