Well, you know me and my minis and my crazy ideas.
My last whim was to start to create a Bret mercenary regiment to use as spearmens in my Empire army, so I could make use of my 16 Bretonnian men-at-arms as they where.
However, late yesterday evening, I started thinking about why I originally bought the box. The reasons where they where on sale and I belived I could turn them into a shabby looking farmer militia.
Well, I had not realized the brets came as whole bodies with half arms, so suddenly it looked more daunting.
Now, however, I decided to try again.
I have already put 1 Bret inside my first scarped together free company detachment of 9, so I figured that..."Heck, you need to save cash man. You will not start a bret force in years! Convert them!"
So I decided that if I made 9 more into something a more akin to Free company, and mixed with the Empire minis, having some keeping their polearm and arming some with swords and whatever I had to my best ability, aswell as trying to find some useful left arm stuff, and giving some Empire heads, while other kept their kettlehats, I would make them truly looking like a free company.
After fiddling with some Dark Omen, I also figured they would be part of a Border prince formation, maybe from a place under Empire influence but originally settled by a bretonnian population. I decided that Grissburg was such a place, even if officially it is not. That is where Count Jacob is hanging out at least, in my view of things!
So the free company will be parts of the infamous Grissburg irregulars, who is regulary north of the mountains to earn some shillings working for the counts or others willing to hire some muscle. They are zealous bunch, having suffered at the hands of the undead, so they willingly work for anyone, like Mathi Alfblut, who has a grudge against the undead aswell.
In time, if I get a militia box and later two, a full independent unit will emerge, carrying the colours of the Grissburg irregulars!
The bretonnian archers I know will come form the Dunkelwald, milita, a small Stirland township, suffering all the usual predations form undead, orcs, goblins and random you name it. A hardened people, the Dunkelwalders are used to fight for themselves, and for archer militias, as well as spear armed militia units.
You will hear of them in the future.
Well, why this rambling? hmm... I just want to give you my mind, hear your inputs in my thinking, and maybe give people some ideas about how you can diversify your Empire force, even if you are not adding DoW, and how it can still be made a legal army.
The Free company is a great charte blanche to create some really awesome conversions of your own pet cutthroats and neŽerdowells. With two hand weapons and no armour, they are most likely some of the most badass Empire dudes there is when it comes to attitude.
I wonder if anyone will show the greatness to become a candidate for my future greatswords? Time will tell...
