An In-CID-ious development

I blame Jon.  I have been meaning to get some 28mm Normans in the hopes of finding someone to play Saga against.  I bought the rules to figure out the hype, and because I was intrigued by the rule mechanic.  Jon has been talking about collecting some "El Cid" era armies for the reconquista....  Black Tree Design had one of their many sales....  So now I am painting 28mm early medieval knights.

After painting thousands of 6mm figures, I have forgotten the fine art of 28mm it seems.  (I am a former GW afficianado)  I decided to change up my old style of Base coat, shade, highlight and try to Army Painter dip style.  These were done using the "Plate Mail Metal" spray primer and pigments from the Army Painter's Saga paint set.  I block painted the primary colors, applied the Dark Tone dip.  (Note I don't dip, but brush on.)  After they dried I went back and did highlights using lighter tones.

I am least happy with the shields.  I completely painted the figures first, then attached and painted the shields.  I used an acrylic ink on them, but they are not as smooth as I wanted.  Nothing to do for it, but practice....

I am trying to keep the designs fairly generic with a bent towards  those I found for El Cid's force in Wargames Illustrated 283.  They are temporarily based on 1" squares until I get the rest of them painted.  Jon is basing his stuff for Impetus, so I will match him in the long run.  I only have enough figs for a small Saga force right now, but I will grow the group over the next several months.  I have another 10 Knights, 12 Cavalry and 8 Crossbows to go with this set.  After that, I am looking at trying some of the Conquest Games plastics.