Raw materials

Now I am two figures into my Anglo-Scots Wars project and still enthused by it, the time has come to add to the stuff I have so far painted.

The Fireforge Games Teutonic Knights box has been my starter for ten. For around £18, you get twelve circa 1250 to 1350 knights on caparisoned horses. Simply remove the odd horns and such from the helms and away you go. I would give the set 8 out of 10 - a very good start.

Pro's:

1. Value for money.
2. Decent variety of such fittings as weapons and helms (if you carve off the horns, etc., as above).
3. Four different rider figures which, with the weapon and helm options, give numerous different figures from the same box.
4. Usable for all sorts of basic projects from later Crusader (Damietta, Acre, etc) to Baron's Wars to East Prussia to Courtrai to Scots' Wars........
5. Overall good fit to the parts.

Con's:

1. Limited horse variety.
2. Need to fix them together, which does not suit everyone (me included).
3. The way the horses are fixed to the sprue as clipping off within the saddle leaves a lot of annoying carving to do to get rid of the remains to properly seat the rider.
4. Moulded on sword scabbards means carving off hilts if you equip the rider with a sword. Separate scabbards would have been better.

G

The basic rider sprue - four riders, numerous heads, weapons, shields, etc.

The reverse of the above. The sharp-eyed will notice that some of the shields have arms attached. Separate arms are supplied for the others, increasing rider variety.

Teutonic helms. Simply remove horns and file/ sand/ trim as necessary. It is harder to do this with some (the two central, horned ones, for example) than others.

Weapon options. I will probably cut off the lances, should I choose that option, and replace them with metal versions for strength. There is also a version of this basic sprue with musician arm, flag and cross options, to add a command element.

And with bits stuck together.

Another completed build, with horns carved off this particular helm.