I Am Harald Hardrada the "MERCILESS"

"I Am Harald Hardrada the 'Merciless' and the throne of England will be mine! Since the age of 15, I have fought and killed for my rights."Those who oppose me I crush without hesitation or compassion."

"As Harald III King of Norway it is my right to claim the true kingship of England that was freely offered me by Tostig Godwinson, rightful Earl of Northumberland."

"Today I sail with 300 longboats and 10,000 battle-hardened 'Viking' warriors to take York and march on London to crush the usurper Harold Godwinson false King of England." "1066, will be long remembered as the greatest day of the Norsemen when I unite once and for all the lands of the North and England into one unconquerable kingdom." "Now to WAR!"

Unfortunately for Harald his initial victory at the Battle of Fulford, 20 Sept. 1066, was quicky followed by his overwhelming defeat, and death of both himself and Tostig, at the Battle of Samford Bridge, 25 Sept. 1066. The victor, King Harold Godwinson, would himself die at the Battle of Hastings, 14 Oct. 1066 at the hands of the forces of William, Duke of Normandy-"land of the Norsemen" (future King William I "the Conqueror" of England). With Harald's death, the age of the "Viking" onslaughts and power in Northern Europe came to an end.

Harald is a plastic piece I painted in July.

Norseman Raider-that's Viking to You

The dreaded cry the "Vikings are coming" was enough to empty any Middle Ages village of its inhabitants as they took to countryside to escape the terrible raiders. For hundreds of years these fearsome men for the North plundered the coast lines of Europe.

But this Norseman, Karl Karlson, could have told their victims that "Viking" was not a nationality-it was a job description. To go "Viking" meant to go raiding. 

These "Viking"" raiders could be Norse (Northmen /Normans), Swedes, Danes or Friesians but none were from a land called Viking.

Karl here is a plastic piece from Monolith's Mystic Battles that I painted in 2021.

Horn of Roland

Ready for the last stand that will earn them immortality,
the French knight Roland and a standard bearer call for help
as they prepare to hold off the invading Islamic Army.

A Viking I Will Go

Oldof Shieldsmasher is ready to go on another Viking raid. And no real Norseman raiders never wore horns on their helmets.

This is an old 25mm metal piece from Grenadier that I painted in the late 1970's.

The Last Archer

Amid the ruins of his Lords fortress, Alric Oakson sends shot after shot into his enemies.  He is the last archer and will sell his final moments dearly in a fight few will remember, but duty and honor require no less.

Alric is a metal 25mm piece from Minifig that I painted in the 1970's.  He was among my first Middle Ages soldiers and saw a lot of action in both historic and fantasy battles until he was retired in the mid 1990's.

2-Handed Killer

In battle, Sven uses his powerful two handed swing to cleave his way his enemies.

Sven is a Viking warrior (although there is no evidence that Vikings actually wore horns on their helmets) bent on looting his way to the wealth he needs to afford a wife and farm in the land of the Norsemen.

Sven is a metal 25mm  figure from Ral Partha.  I painted him in the late 1970's.

Willam of Normandy is My Lord

Rufus the Red is one of the knights of William Duke of Normandy. He has just heard of his Lords plan to claim his rightful place as King of England.

Armed with his battleaxe and longsword, Rufus stands ready to assist his Lord in his righteous quest, and gain a new fief in England for his service.

Rufus is a 25mm metal piece from Ral Partha, designed in the late 1970's.

Dragon Warrior from the North

Standing in the ruins of yet another church he has ransacked, Sven Redbeard is one of the dreaded Viking raiders from the North. The dragon on his shield is the last sight that many a victim ever sees.

Sven is a metal 25mm piece that I painted for my Grandmother for Christmas 1976. I just found him in a box where he has been hiding since she passed away in the early 1980's.

We Chop, Chop, Chop, All The Live Long Day

These four housecarls of the last Saxon king of England, Harold II, are experts with their two handed battle axes.

Proving their skills in battle by defeating the Vikings at Stamford Bridge, they felt more than capable to handle the upstart Norman invaders under Duke William at Hastings.

At Hastings they fought well, and died with their king, and William earned a new title-"the Conqueror."

I painted these 25mm metal pieces from Minifig in the mid 1970's. They saw stellar action in many D&D campaigns and Medieval battles. They were finally retired from action in the early 1990's when I moved on to the larger scaled Games Workshop figures for my Medieval/Fantasy Armies.

Noman Archers - long range power for the Duke

Four Norman archer men-at-arms give the Duke of Normandy long range killing power to enforce his will.

These are 25mm metal pieces from Minifigs that I painted with Testors paints back in the 1970's. Some of them show a bit of damage from the heavy wargame and D&D use they received over close to twenty years of fun gaming.

Horn of Roll-land the Not So Ready

Etel-Unready and Roll-land, two valiant but rather unlucky warriors stand ready to do their lords bidding.

Etel-Unready and Roll-land, were two of my early D&D figures that I painted in the 1970's. They are 25mm metal pieces from Grenadier.

Going Clubing-Saxon Style

The men of a Saxon Fyrd were expected to supply their own equipment when called to do battle by their local lord. This warriors equipment is nothing more than his day to day clothing, a large shield and his club. The blood and gore on the latter would imply he knows how to use it to good effect.

This guy was one of my very first attempts at 25mm metal figures. I painted him as one of a group of figures for my Grandmother, Dec. 24, 1976. I used Testors oil based paints,hence the high gloss look. The pieces were all Minifigs as those were the only 25mm metal figures sold in the area back then.