The Conquest Continues

   I called this post the conquest continues because it features the plastic Normans from Conquest Games and a quick review of what I thought about them as the end result is very different to the Gripping Beast figures I've been using for my Normans up until this point.

   The first unit is a couple of sprues of Norman Knights that I bought separately from Conquest Games instead of buying a full box*. I've got a review of the infantry further down the page, but the knights I have much less to say about, figure wise they are absolutely fine with very little I'd change, except that the horses are much too big compared to what the Normans would have actually used, being little bigger than ponies in real life.

*I just couldn't face another 12 horsemen

   Next up is a unit of plastic Conquest Games Norman infantry. The Gripping Beast order had already sorted my needed 3rd unit of infantry out, but as I was buying a whole box of infantry to use as the base of the forth coming Anglo-Norman/Anarchy army I had spare figures, so they went into bulking up my Norman army.

The review part: 

Good points - the shields and bodies are properly nice. My mate Neil's Norman army is entirely made from Conquest plastics and it looked so good on the table - as you'll see in the end of year post. There are less armoured bodies than you normally see, which I don't think is a bad thing and the poses are dynamic without being silly. I also really like the bare head on the sprue as it screams Normans with the haircut.

Bad points - only 5 heads for the 5 bodies gives a lack of real options. One more head on the sprue would have made a big difference - for example the chainmail body will always have the chainmail head as you can't use it on any other body. The weapons are my biggest problem with this set - 5 bodies per sprue but only 3 spears, 1 sword (and all the bodies have sculpted on swords in scabbards that are hard to remove) and 2 great axes. I would have preferred more spears even if they came on the command sprue in the box, as it was I've raided my knights sprues for a couple more swords**.

**leading to a few guys with 2 swords each

Overall, I really like the infantry, its just a real shame they didn't just add another head option and spear to the sprues***.

***also do a deal with Battle Flag and put the shield decals they sell for this set on your website to save me doing two orders.

I have used up every bit of space in my Norman storage box so anything new in the future will need to spill into a second box, which always gives me pause for thought.

Thanks for reading