"Dux Bellorum 10mm army painting - source material?" Topic

I recently picked up a copy of the Dux Bellorum rules and it seems like a good way of easing my way back into the hobby after a 30 year sabbatical.

I have heard good things about wargaming in 10mm and especially the ranges from Pendraken and Magister Militum.

Although I really don't care for overdoing the historical accuracy, it would be good to create something that was at least representative of the period and armies in question. I was considering pitting a Northern English army against the Northumbrian invaders. In DB army terms would this be Welsh v Saxons?

Are there any good reference guides to help decide which models to buy and then some rough idea of colours, weapons and shield designs?

I cant help you with your question, but I can certainly vouch for 10mm from Pendraken. Great stuff!!!

If you can get hold of a copy of the WAB supplement it has plenty of info along the lines you are looking for.

If you are just looking for something quick, easy and cheap, then Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon wars. Artwork is by Angus McBride. link

That is really all you need.

Seconding the WAB book!

Ospreys book is a good call but if the OP has Dux Bellorum, I believe all of the colour plates from the Osprey book are included already.

HalfMan: I went through a lot of online research, sample purchases and acquisition of books to get my armies right. They are a mix of 10mm Magister Militum and Pendraken. I will be adding some Eureka into them as well. You can find pictures of my armies on my blog: link

For Irish I used MM Irish and Welsh and Numidians, as well as Pendraken Welsh.

For Saxons I used MM Dacians, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings and PP Saxons, Anglo-Saxons, Late Romans and Vikings.

My Romano-British are entirely Pendraken Late Romans.

Send me an email: lecoqfou at gmail dot com for a list of book and online references…

I believe all of the colour plates from the Osprey book are included already.

True but not the text and archaeological photos etc.

You might also like to take a look at the Kallistra range- these are a bit bigger than Pendraken ( billed as large 10 mm!, really 12mm+). They do Saxons and Vikings, as well as the Romano- Brits.
link

I have also used some figures from their Medieval Wars of the Roses range, such as " Welsh Spearman" to represent the less well equipped soldiers.
I find these easier to paint than some of the Pendraken ranges, although Pendraken do have some nice figures and I have their Wars of the Roses and Renaissance armies. I don't have Magister Militum figures for this era, but the Crimean War ones I have are distinctly bigger than Pendraken- slightly taller, but much chunkier- possibly a better match with Kallistra than with Pendraken?
As for books; WAB already mentioned is good, I also like Ian Heath's Armies of the Dark Ages ( but out of print and may be hard to get), Osprey titles such as "Saxon, Viking and Norman"by Terrence Wise and David Nicolle's "Arthur and the Anglo- Saxon Wars"are useful. Tim Newark's "Warlords" has some useful pictures and a more scholarly book with helpful illustrations is " The Vikings" by Chartrand, Durham and Harrison-Heath.
I generally go for a fairly neutral palette of colours for the bulk of warriors- dyed and u dyed wool, so Browns, tans, beiges, off whites etc with the higher ranking warriors in brighter colours such as blues, green, reds etc. if you were to choose an Irish army there were, apparently, very strict rules about the colours to be worn by different classes.
Your question about a " northern English army against invaders" really suggests Saxons against Vikings, although you could go back a few centuries and have Saxons as the invaders (Sea Raider army?) against " British", which could be Romano- British, Strathclyde Britons or " Welsh". Depending on where the invaders are coming from you could have Northumbrian Saxons against Picts. Lots to choose from.
As for the rules you are looking at, Dux Bellorum are great; one of my favourite sets.
Have fun!

Thanks all. Some very useful suggestions here.

Prince Albert, your blog has some great stuff. I've set my painting bar much lower than that, but there are some excellent tips.

SD47, I was thinking about the area around Saddleworth/Oldham, E Lancs./W Yorks. (where I'm originally from). According to Wikipedia was part of the Britonnic Kingdom of Elmet. They got overrun by the Northumbrian Angles in 616, which is why I thought it might be Welsh v Saxons. Perhaps it should be Romano-British v Saxons. I need to do a lot of background reading I think. I have been relying too much on my junior school history and games of Britannia!

HalfMan: I would recommend "As Told in the Great Hall": TMP link

It is am awesome resource for those interested in gaming Dark Age Britain. Lots of background history, scenarios, estimated troop numbers and deployment, etc.

Check this blog:

irregularwars.blogspot.co.uk

Scroll down to the right and hit Dux Bellorum. You be amazed!

@HMHF- you may find this interesting re Elmet:

link

I think it would definitely be Romano-British types versus Saxons invading from the east. There are certainly a lot of Roman remains in the area. Not sure that Elmet extended as far as Lancashire, possibly that would have been part of Rheged or Craven, both " British" kingdoms. My sketchy knowledge of this period would suggest that there might have been Irish raids into the West of this region, and quite a lot of "civil war" between rival British tribes/groups. Should give you plenty of scope.

Some frighteningly good painting. Perhaps I should go for 3mm, where there is no real possibility of detail to show up my shoddy technique.

Good book suggestions too.