"Best 28mm Normans?" Topic

A nice easy question.

I am going to be buying a Norman warband for the new Gripping Beast Saga Rules. I will be buying from scratch so i don't really care whether they are compatible with other ranges.

I am only buying about 50 so i don't care if they are a bit expensive.

I DO want to be able to put shield transfers (like those sold for Gripping Beast).

There seem to be a surprising number of models available.

Are any of them as good or better than Gripping Beast Normans?

Ta

Andy

I've been looking at these (good price too) but not got any yet. I have GB foot.

link

I have, and like,
the Crusader Miniatures Normans,
Perry first crusaders,
and the Conquest Games plastic mounted normans.

They all work well together. Not sure about suitability for shield transfers.

Here are some pics of some of my stuff.
link

The Perry first crusade stuff is very nice. I have painted quite a few of those over the years.

I also really like the Conquest Games plastic ones. I got a boxed set of those to convert to Gocharra cavalry for my Anglo-Sikh war project and was so taken with them that I decided to build a Norman army too.

I like Crusader infantry as they feature a number of sculpts with quilted armor. (I hold that this type of armor may have been nearly as common as chainmail armor.)

A similar question from the TMP vault TMP link I have Crusader (had the OG Army memberhsip at the time); they're nice, but I wish some of them had that square thingee on their chests (like in the tapestry). BTD Normans have those thingees. Dean

Most of my stuff was Crusader which I think is tops. Foundry has a new line that I have not seen in person.

Crusader minis look good.
Conquest games plastic knights look good.

No one use Gripping Beast??

Andy

I have mostly GB. I think the Crusader infantry is better. All my cavalry is GB. I think there are a lot of viable options for cavalry. GB makes good infantry.

Crusader are very good sculpts indeed, but the casting quality is variable.

On recent purchases, I've had to do a lot more trimming and filing of flash and block-off than I would expect.

I have a bunch of Black Tree Design cavalry, from back when BTD could be relied on to fulfill an order. I wouldn't recommend ordering from them these days.

If I was starting from scratch? Perry.

If I was starting from scratch I would go for Crusader with a few Perry mixed in. They go well together and are gorgeous!
Ordering from North Star is reliable too – no probs with orders or delivery. (PS- like Norman D Landings -I am in the UK)

Conquest games plastic knights, my top recommendation. You actually get more knights than horses, although sourcing compatible mounts is an issue.
The shields do not have bosses, easier to paint and apply transfers, but this may be an issue.
These figures alone tempt me to build a Norman army.

I have Essex, Perry, Crusader, Old Glory, Conquest Games, Amazon (QT), and Gripping Beast Normans. I like the Perry and Crusader figures the best. I also like the look of the Irregular Normans on their website but I don't actually have any of them. Wargames Foundry also recently released a new range of Normans, but they are some of the most expensive figures on the market. Looks like you have lots of choices!

irregularminiatures.co.uk Irregular Miniatures

link Foundry

Thanks guys I am going to buy Crusader infantry and conquest miniatures knights.

All with Little big men transfers on the shields. I presume LBM transfers fit the conquest knights. Should i order ones designed for Gripping beast or Crusader normans to get best fit?

Andy

Wait and see, Cpt.

If you'll be getting the Crusader-fit transfers anyhow, for your infantry, then you'll be able to see if they fit the Conquest shields too.

Conquest have free shipping (this month), they have separate horse sprues, and a nice range of ecclesiastics. Check out their site.
link

Anyone know how the Conquest plastics fit in with Crusader/Foundry Normans? The sculpting and mix of figures in the box looks very good just don't want buy a pack and find they don't mix.

You have a rich field to chose from, best get some samples from a few different manufactures. My Normans are mainly Crusader's with the older horses, now you get Ebob horses. If I was starting fresh today, more than likely it would be The Perry s miniatures range!

Love Crusader but only with the old horses and I will get the Foundry ones as soon as a suitable sale comes up.

Conquest have just said the plastic infantry are now a go!

I really like the mounted models and I am really lloking forward to the infantry.

My 1st box of Conquest Norman Knights arrived a couple of days ago. I have assembled and primed 4 of them.

I am a good painter, though pretty poor modeller. I did not have any undue problems assembling them, they go together reasonably well and look very nice when assembled.

I will try and post a pic of them painted next week…

Has anyone tried the BSM ones in my link above? I'm curious about how they'd go with GB.

Cacnel my last, if I had a brain I'd be dangerous…..BSM have comparisons on their site. <slaps self about head and neck>

I know this is a late reply, but my vote is for the Conquest Games figures. They are some of the best (Infantry and Cavalry) 28mm plastic Normans out there. My only gripe is that the cavalry shields lack the boss, but that can be fixed.

Perry and Newline.