We Ulfhednar give Berserkers a Run for Their Gold

Beware the Ulfhednar on the hunt...

for their goal is to out berserk the Berserker's in blood and terror.

Fearless, immune to all but the most fatal of injuries, Ulfhednar in the heat of "Bloodlust" are near unstoppable.

Being less famous than the bearlike Berserkers only fuels the Wolf-Brothers lust for more glory through ever more daring/crazy exploits.

So, when you see a group of crazed Ulfhednar warriors run!

For if you wait 'till they close it is way too late...

These Ulfhednar are plastic pieces that I painted earlier this month.

Huscarls, Guardians of the Jarls & Kings

Huscarls Bijorn Olafsen, Harald Gerybackk, Egill Ragnarson and Leif Rustberd have spent their adult lives fighting at the side of the lords in countless battles.

As elite members of their lord's household troop, Huscarls form the backbone of any combat force when the call goes out to muster the warriors of the noble's land for battle.

The number of Huscarls was in direct proportion to the fame and power of the king or jarl (earl in Britian). Yet as an elite force they usually made up less than 10 percent of and army.

At all times the Huscarls were the bodyguards of their lords as well as enforcers of their lords' laws, even as tax collectors.

 

The great loyalty of the Huscarls was rewarded by their lords in honor, wealth, maintenance of their appropriate lifestyle, and the right to a portion of the loot from any raid or battle. As time marched on the class of Huscarls morphed into or were replaced by the rising social/military classes of knights and formalized nobility titles.  

These Huscarls are plastic pieces I painted this week.

"BERSERKERS-Flee For Your Lives"

BESERKERS! A cry and scene that can freeze the heart of even brave warrior. Having sworn their lives to Oden, Berserkers, worked themselves into such a battle frenzy that they became near immune to pain to such an extent that it took massive body damage to stop them. Wounds that would incapacitate a normal warrior seemed to only furth enrage these crazed warriors. 

This band of three Berserker's under the command of Viggo Bjornblod can easily slash their way through 10 or even 20 times their number.

Mikkel. himself. cut down 12 opponents in his last battle. Although it took him all winter to recover from his wounds.

Joren, as the survivor of more than 20 raids, has lost count of those who have fallen under his blades when he has been und the red eyed mist of his battle frenzy.

Knowing that only death can stop a Berserker in full frenzy has led to many warriors simply fleeing for their lives when the Berserker's are released to into battle.

Only the bravest, or fools, try to stop one of the crazed warriors whose blood thirsty reputation is founded in all too gory facts.

I finished these plastic pieces this morning for my Ragnarök game.

We Will Die to Protect the King

The elite Varangian Guards were renowned for their bravery and deadly skill in battle.

From the Norse lands to the Eastern Roman Empire (often incorrectly referred to as the Byzantine Empire MARCH of HISTORY by Richard Wall: Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) (middleagesprof.blogspot.com)), the Varangian Guards became the mercenary bodyguards of kings and emperors alike.

These Norsemen so impressed the rulers of the Eastern Roman Empire that they were the Emperors personal bodyguards for 300+ years (11th-14th centuries).

As elite warriors, the Varangian Guards were often critical to the success of Easter Roman forces in battle.

These are plastic pieces I painted in January.

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.