Renewed Normans!

The Norman Reinforcements and Renovation project has gone faster and easier than anticipated. I worried that I would fnd myself come mid-November, surrounded by debris and scattered figures, filled with self-loathing and despair as the massive rebasing bogged down.

But since my last post I bashed on, finished the final two batches of cavalry and then started sorting the cavalry into new squadrons, trying to mix shield colours and mixing new figures in with the older figures where I could.

Removing the old bases made from heavy card (I did find one still based on a piece of balsa wood which I haven't done in 30 years I think!) proved easy. So after they were all glued down I started rebasing the infantry. All the infantry. So many infantry....

The mostly Old Glory infantry have the usual weird discordant mix of poses. Fellows swinging two-handed axes in with fellows standing with spears. So I took the opportunity to regroup figures into more active posed units and less active unts. Lion Rampant has an "Expert Foot Sergeant" (or "Offensive Heavy Foot" in Dragon Rampant) upgrade who have a better attack value. So now I can deploy two 12 figure units of chaps swinging axes and hacking with swords who can be easily distinguished as "Expert/Offensive" from the chaps standing around leaning on their spears.

Waking up with a sore throat on Friday, and with new Covid Protocals at work, I called in sick and used my sick day very productively to smash on with The Great Rebasing and got all the bases painted brown and flocked.

I have found myself short a few kite shields to finish one command group and a couple of characters, so that squadron is behind in the rebasing and flocking scheme. But Pasha Dan has investigated his spare parts inventory and has some for me when next he passes this way.

So the final tally is:

• 3x squadrons of unarmoured mounted Yoemen
• 9x squadrons of armoured knights/sergeants
• 6x mounted characters
• 3x 12 figure companies of yoemen
• 6x 12 figure companies of foot sergeants
• 3x 12 figure companies of crossbowmen
• 1x 6 figure unit of Bidowers with crossbows

I also rebased my scruffy, ugly, second hand and highly notorious mercenary unit The Black Company while I was at it. They've been fighting for the Necromancer in Middle Earth a lot lately. But they've been sorted into

• 1x squadron of heavy cavalry
• 2x characters
• 2x 12 figure companies of heavy infantry/sergeants
• 1x 12 figure company of offensive heavy infantry/expert sergeants

They've been looking for some skirmishers for several decades. When they're in Middle Earth they just employ goblins, but that's not really an option in Normandy or Aquitaine is it? I may just need to buy the Gripping Beast Dark Age archer set. My Anglo-Normans and Goths/Rohirrim could do with run of the mill, bog standard archers anyway. Until then my super busy Ral Partha archers will do yoeman service.

While sorting everyone into regular stands I culled out a nice little handful of figures that I might add a few others to as I find them and make a small 12 figure "castle garrison unit" with a mix of knights, sergeants, crossbows and archers.

I think I shall clear off the table reward myself with a battle! Watch this space.