Early Saxons?

[Ithoriel]

Are you serious?  If it can be seen you can bet that somebody will notice 

John, you clearly play the wrong people, most of my group couldn't tell an Anglo-saxon from an angle grinder!

[Techno II]

You mean those aren't the same, Mike ?

Cheers - Phil.

[FierceKitty]

In fairness, you can probably grind Saxons and Angles with the same tools.

[Techno II]

Only if they've been dipped in liquid nitrogen.

Cheers - Phil 

[mmcv]

Accuracy is nice and all, but if you get close enough to the general look it's grand. I have crusades armies that can see battlefields from the first to the last crusade, and I don't stress too much if there's a helmet in the mix that is a few decades too early for that particular battle. Just depends how deep the obsession goes! I'll try and be accurate where I can, but often, especially in the ancient side of things, a lot of what we know is guesswork and extrapolation anyway so there's room for fudging.

[steve_holmes_11]

Are you serious?  If it can be seen you can bet that somebody will notice 

Those people are easily dismissed as "pedants" and blocked.

I then repeat the motto.

[John Cook]

Those people are easily dismissed as "pedants" and blocked.

I then repeat the motto.

In that case we only need one type of Sherman tank and one type of generic French Napoleonic infantry, indeed, one figure for all periods from, say 1600 to 1900.  It will make Leon's life very simple indeed.

[John Cook]

John, you clearly play the wrong people, most of my group couldn't tell an Anglo-saxon from an angle grinder!

I am playing the wrong people?  I haven't played anybody for over a year thanks to COVID.

[Leman]

I have used all the following for early Saxons, and they work well - AS 1, 3, 4, 6; NO 1, 2, 3, 4; DAX 1 - useful figures for both sides. You may also find some useful figures in other manufacturers 10mm Goth ranges.

[Elliesdad]

The 5th & 6th century invaders / colonists / "expats" generally travelling light.
Several rulesets suggest they fought "Warband style", as opposed to the later "Shieldwall style".
I believe archeology hints at smaller shields and less armour.
Of these, smaller shields may be a factor for you.

From what little I know I agree with Steve's comments above.
Early Saxons carry small(ish) shields and fight in a "war band" style. By c.700 - what DBA calls the Middle Anglo-Saxon period - the shields get larger, as the warriors switch to "shield wall" fighting.
For Early Saxons only the very rich can afford swords, everyone else would have the seax - from which the Saxons took their name.
Of course, they're your figures so you can do whatever the heck you want.
I reckon AP3 Sassanid Persian javelin men would be a decent fit, with a little judicious use of paint. And, it would probably be good to also get a variety of figures carrying a javelin from the various ancient and dark ages ranges. The GRE5 Greek peltast pack has a guy with a round shield that would be suitable if painted with trousers.
Good luck,

Geoff

[Jonny]

Thanks again for the advice and figure suggestions, I appreciate it!

I'll have a browse through all those ranges

[Macsen Wledig]

just to add grist to the mill....

I have done a similar project to yourself and used a wide range of figures for Saxons and not just 'Saxons'. Its the early period and dont forget there will be Romanised Saxons/Germanics and and also 'free range' Saxons for the period. Use of Late Roman figures is not forbidden!

[steve_holmes_11]

It's probably worth repeating that none of the different invasions of Britain resulted in a complete genocide *.

The usual result was a new ruling structure, ruling class and their elite soldiery.
These often mixed with the upper echelons of the former ruling class.
The new lords over a settled population of farmers and craftsmen, who frequently provided local militias.

In this context, It's credible to include some late Roman militias among the forces of a settled Saxon lord.


* The closest to a genocide was the Norman elimination of the Anglo/Danish lords between 1066 and 1086.
    Documented in the two Domesday Books.
    Also attested by upswing of "Saxon bands" serving foreign kings - notably the Byzantine emperors.

[Big Insect]

If somebody does them in 10mm - later medieval Pagan Slavs are probably acceptable to mix in - also some of the more 'furry' early Dark Age gothic & frankish types.
But avoiding two-handed axes (single handed axes are ok), too much armour (& even helmets) and definitely avoiding kite shields is probably a good way forward.

I once played against a 28mm Early Saxon army and it was basically an entire army of the same pose plastic figure ... in fact the might have been 1:72nd scale converted Airfix Robin hood figures -  against my large 28mm Foundry Late Romans - which all seemed very unfair - but they were a tough opponent as they have some 10 more units than my smaller elite army and I only won by the narrowest of margins.