Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Genre/Period Discussion => Ancients to Renaissance (3000BC - 1680) => Topic started by: Wkeyser on 09 October 2023, 07:30:26 AM

Title: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Wkeyser on 09 October 2023, 07:30:26 AM
Hi I am putting together some armies for Dux Bellorum and was wondering if anyone knows what to use for 10mm Dark Age Saxon Cavalry? I cannot use the Normans as they have the kite shield and am pretty sure the Saxons would have used a round shield.

Thanks
William
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: fsn on 09 October 2023, 07:57:35 AM
Have a look at the Later Romans in the Ancients.
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: fsn on 09 October 2023, 07:58:41 AM
Maybe the Picts?

Depends upon your interpretation of Saxon Cavalry.  :-\
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: DecemDave on 09 October 2023, 08:20:45 AM
Tricky.  For the earliest period I've used some figures from the late roman range as Saxons were often foederati or had served Rome before with some unarmoured types like the numidians acr7.  More adventurous gamers will probably do head or top body swaps from even more diverse ranges. 
If you do not already know, the Late Roman range has other figures suitable for C5 or early C6 DB Saxon armies. Also take a look at the Dacian range as some in each pack might suit.

For later types I was forced in desperation to turn to other sources like Lancashire (Welsh) or Baggage Train (goth cavalry) but you may need to put such in separate units due to compatibility. [and easier to swap out when Pendraken do produce a comprehensive set of Late Rome enemies]
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Orcs on 09 October 2023, 08:40:52 AM
AGA 6 Gallic cavalry might suffice
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Ithoriel on 09 October 2023, 09:35:06 AM
I would use 10-NML14 (Horses, saddled) and AS2 (Huscarls) on the grounds that all my reading suggests those Saxons with horses rode to battle but dismounted to fight! Though they do seem to have mounted up again on occasion to pursue a routing enemy, to be fair.
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: mollinary on 09 October 2023, 09:46:06 AM
Have you had a look at the Arab Heavy Cavalry in the Dark Ages Range?  I know it sounds unlikely, but they might do?
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Raider4 on 09 October 2023, 09:55:36 AM
QuoteDepends upon your interpretation of Saxon Cavalry.  :-\
And "Dark Age". Post-Roman Anglo-Saxon invasion? Alfred vs the Great Heathen Army? 1066 and all that?
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 09 October 2023, 04:43:05 PM
Later Roman unarmoured cavalry fill that role in several of my dark age armies
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Big Insect on 09 October 2023, 08:49:12 PM
Early Saxon Cavalry probably looked a lot like a ragged mix of unarmoured dark age 'types' (the Picts might do, but Saxons wore trousers & Picts tended to be bare-legged) with rounded shields and armoured & helmeted Carolingian types (again with round shields) both with short spears & long swords.

The Gauls tend to have oval shields, as do the Romano-British, so are not ideal.
Moravian Franks are probably the closest match, if you cannot find any actual Saxon Cavalry.
Also, the amount of Saxon cavalry as a % of an army would probably be quite small. Even the mounted Huscarls of the Anglo-Danish era (Hastings) were probably not really very good at fighting on horseback either.
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Wkeyser on 11 October 2023, 05:59:32 AM
Thanks Guys will have to check out all the suggestions. It would only be 8-16 figures so not a lot of figures needed so some modifications would not be too big of a task.
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 11 October 2023, 11:00:58 AM

QuoteHave you had a look at the Arab Heavy Cavalry in the Dark Ages Range?  I know it sounds unlikely, but they might do?
I came here to suggest the same (Code AB9).


You may feel the need to adjust the helmet a little.
(Do people head-swap 10mms).
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Corso on 17 December 2023, 08:16:43 PM
Quote from: DecemDave on 09 October 2023, 08:20:45 AMwhen Pendraken do produce a comprehensive set of Late Rome enemies

Tell me this is so...
Title: Re: Dark Age Saxon Cavalry
Post by: Leon on 18 December 2023, 02:14:46 AM
Quote from: Corso on 17 December 2023, 08:16:43 PMTell me this is so...

Not planned just yet I'm afraid!