The battle of Hastings, 1066 in 20mm size for Impetus Rules

[@AyebeeMk2]

Another wow from me! A terrific slice of history in 20mm. I was involved in the first large size re-enactment of hastings, the date also fell on the correct day, Sunday 14/October/1990. A day I will never forget. The mass effect of the models is more effective than many would realise, shoulder to shoulder utter chaos. Historical point Harold was King of Wessex, while William's title was still Duke of Normandy at the battle. Many of the Norman infantry would have been Dismounted Knights due to the lack of transport for their horses. I think the figure sculptor missed a trick by not dipicting William with helmet raised, which he did to convince his men that he had not fallen.

[@joaopeixoto5249]

Thanks. Didnt know about the missing horses. Having William with his face showing crossed my mind but was a bit tricky to do.

[@NSYresearch]

Lovely figures sir....

[@philRminiatures]

A great looking game for a famous battle...Impressive!

[@joaopeixoto5249]

Thanks Phil, the diffterences between the two armies help a lot.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Awesome conversion work on the Norman knights. You must have the patience of a monk!

[@joaopeixoto5249]

I´m not a believer :) but yes I have some patience.

[@michamalinowski8015]

Looks amazing.

[@richardbradley2335]

HOLY CRAP !!!!! These are lovely....great to see 20mm plastic in such a lovely collection. I think your figs would look better in a coat of matt varnish.

[@joaopeixoto5249]

Thanks. I always liked the gloss shine of ancient periods as it reminds me old toy soldiers.

[@martinaaron609]

Absolutely fabulous! How many more periods do you have?!!

[@NSYresearch]

I'm not sure if you said Stirling Bridge but the battle Harrold fought was at Stamford Bridge just outside York. The forced match to meet Duke Wiliam was a feat of arms, and probably contributed to the defeat of the Saxons

[@joaopeixoto5249]

Absolutely right. My mistake. Thanks for the correction..

[@robertgraves8843]

The story leading up to the battle has to be one the most fascinating dramas in European history. The end of one power structure and the beginning of another, with enormous im plications thereafter. Was Harold a hero of the English or a man who didn't recognise when his time was up? I read somewhere that many of the fyrdmen drifted away back to their farms and homesteads after Stamford bridge. Whether their absence made much difference, who knows? Anyway, your figures look wonderful as usual.

[@joaopeixoto5249]

Yes, read the same about the missing fyrd. William gambled a lot attacking uphill a superior force but got away with it with some luck.

[@wgeffoxdo9719]

looks great

[@goforitpainting]

Really cool. 🏇

[@josemendes9535]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@joaopeixoto5249]

És e vais ser sempre o primeiro

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

I’ve always had problems with depictions of how the Anglo-Saxon army was deployed. Doesn’t make sense that you’d have both wings of a shieldwall hanging free in the air when facing a cavalry army.

[@joaopeixoto5249]

Apparently there was boggy terrain/small curses of water on both sides of the saxon shield wall which forced the Norman heavy infantry and cavalry to attack head on.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@joaopeixoto5249 - There’s nothing (as far as I know) about boggy land or water in the written accounts of the battle. Also the geography of the “accepted” battlesite has no such terrain. Either the shieldwall was deployed in a horse-shoe shape or the battle took place at a different site where there was indeed boggy land on either flank.

[@joaopeixoto5249]

@@sirrathersplendid4825 From the History press: "Battle Hill is no mountain, but it is an imposing position and one well suited to an infantry defence of the shield wall. At its top is a fairly flat plateau, some 800 metres long and about 150 metres deep. It is protected on its flanks and rear by a number of streams and areas of marshy ground that fall away, sometimes pretty steeply, giving an attacker little choice but to go for a frontal assault up the slope that stretches away below the ridgeline for 400-500 metres. This is no easy option, with more streams and boggy ground to negotiate at the base of that same slope, before an army then has to struggle up the incline to the summit itself." This kind of statement is found in several publications. If they are true or not can´t say for sure as there is a dispute over the exact place of the battle (Senlac Hill, Caldec Hill, etc) but its normal for ancient and medieval armies, when on the defensive, to look for an area with covered flanks.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@joaopeixoto5249 - That’s interesting. I’ve not been to the battlefield myself (really should go some time!). But from topographical works based largely on modern Ordnance Survey maps, my impression was that there are no streams or boggy areas to the flanks of the accepted battlesite. There’s a very good episode of the archaeology TV programme Time Team, which suggests a more convincing site for the battle - on a spur of land astride the main road from the coast. Worth watching here on yt.