Shield Maidens

       Shield Maidens, or female Vikings, are most definitely a non-historical creation, borne out of a combination of fantasy literature, mythological archetypes and modern feminism.   Nonetheless, these Foundry Shield Maidens can make a neat addition to a dark ages skirmish.

One of the Vinland sagas relates a story in which attacking Skraelings (Native Americans) were scared away by a screaming and topless Norse woman.  I haven't found a model to represent that yet...

  

While any scenario involving female warriors on a Viking raid may be considered fantastic, it is not out of the realm of possibility to include women as defensive fighters at a homestead.  Stories from the Viking age testify to the bloody feuds that drew whole families into combat.  

Further Reading:  My second favorite story arc from Brian Woods' often brilliant series Northlanders is titled, appropriately, "Shield Maidens." It creates a plausible scenario that pits three Norse women against a party of vengeance minded Saxons.  It is included in the collected graphic novel, Northlanders Vol.3: Blood in the Snow.