Building a Carolingian Franks Armoured Infantry Warband

Quick answer

Build a Carolingian Franks Armoured Infantry warband by assembling a core of armoured infantry from the Victrix set, focusing on shieldwall formation and mixed weapon options.

Step-by-step assembly guide

1. Plan your warband composition: Decide how many spearmen, swordsmen, and command figures you want. A typical 28mm Dark Ages warband of 24–30 infantry works well – you can save the extra figures for future units or casualties. Common mistake: assembling all figures as spearmen, which limits tactical flexibility.
2. Clean and dry-fit parts: Remove mould lines with a hobby knife and dry-fit each figure before gluing. Check that arms and shields align properly – some poses need a specific arm angle to hold the shield naturally. Common mistake: gluing arms without dry-fitting, resulting in awkward shield positions.
3. Build the shield wall core: Assemble 12–16 figures with shields and close-order poses to form the front rank. Use overlapping shields and forward-leaning bodies to create a convincing shieldwall look when based together. Common mistake: placing all figures in static upright poses, which loses the shieldwall effect.
4. Add command and specialists: Build a standard bearer, a horn blower or officer, and a few figures with two-handed weapons or javelins. These break up the line and give you in-game options for morale or flank attacks. Common mistake: skipping command figures, which reduces the warband's visual and gameplay impact.
5. Base for movement trays: Mount each figure on a 20mm or 25mm round base. Use a movement tray to keep the shieldwall formation intact during play – this is essential for Dark Ages wargames where unit cohesion matters. Common mistake: basing on individual bases without a tray, making it hard to maintain formation.
6. Paint in batches: Prime all figures in a dark brown or grey. Paint armour, shields, and tunics in batches to save time. Use a simple three-color scheme – base, wash, highlight – to finish the warband in a few sessions. Common mistake: painting each figure individually, which slows progress and leads to inconsistent tones.

Product facts

• Carolingian Franks Armoured Infantry: This set contains 36 highly detailed armoured Carolingian warriors from the 8th to the 11th centuries, with a wide variety of armour styles, weapons, shields and head options. You get enough figures for a full warband in one box, with enough variety to avoid a uniform look.