Another Plog

[Another Richard]

A friend with a similar number of unpainted projects on the go suggested a series of 500pts skirmish type games as a break to the normal fantasy games and to help encourage us to try new armies.

So contrary to previous promises here is some other stuff I got to working on at the weekend. As some of you may know I have a few (lots) of pirates (and the ships they rode in on) made from the Empire militia sprue and I have been thinking of making them into a coherent force. Shoehorning in cavalry and more elite troops to a force that is currently militia and gun crew heavy may be a little tricky thematically and then I hit on the idea of Conquistadors. Not exactly original but in keeping I felt.

Here are some test heads made with... heads, plasicard and greenstuff.







In the back ground is some horse amour I have been working on; I dislike the undersized empire knights but love the new pistoliers. Anyhow, like, dislike? what can I do to improve them?


This is a test for a mounted conquistador. Legs and body from the pistoliers, knight arms, conquistador head and a skeleton shield. For some reason I couldn't help adding a little beard and big mustache to this model.



The ruff round the neck is also a bit of a test, what do people think?  Looking at it now the folds are not frequent enough but conceptually I think it's right to have it.

The chap in the background is another test this time for a great swordsman. Turns out I have ten of these sets of arms harvested from the Empire militia sprues I had; seems a shame not to use them. Again the current head was pressed into use so I could have another go at making a ruff. It would also be a feature to join together the models in the unit without conquistador heads.

I am really after feedback on this one, firstly thematically and then on adjustments to the conversions, what might work better etc.?

[fatolaf]

Loving it so far, the helmets must have been really fiddly..

As far as ideas, lets have some nice long pipes in their mouths...

The ruff looks fine so far, I think a test painted version would show it up better ....

[cunningmatt]

They look amazing - ruffs, mostaches, theme and all! Sorry that's not very helpful feedback, but it is what I think.

[Mike]

One day Richard, one day.... i'll invent a thing-a-me-bob that'll allow me to syphon off your talent, bottle it and sell it on ebay.....

one day.

Until that day... keep feeding my nest egg... erm I mean Keep up the amazing work.  Always a pleasure to see you're bitz and bobs (and I mean his warhammer bitz you filth mongers!)

[Ron Burgandy]

Revenge of the conquisdores ()

[maelzch]

Surprise attack brilliance! Thematically the conquistadors fit into the army ok, given they're the 'elite' unit, fluffwise they could be the ones paying the pirates to fight?

Model-wise, they're ace! Your talent for converting/sculpting always impresses!

[Dave]

Really awesome, I hope there will be spanish inquisition. (so in this case somebody does expect them!)

[Veldemere]

Richard, so good to see you back and with new ideas!!!! I love the look of the conquistadors i agree that the ruff needs to be a bit more ruff. Can we hope to see a Cortez or Phillip II as good as your Napoleon?

[Another Richard]

Thanks for the comments guys. The ruffs need to be more ruffed, but I will paint this guy up and try get a sense of how much more.

The helmets aren't that fiddly, having done a few I think I could production line them and bash out 20-30 one weekend (when Kathryn next has a deadline).  Though if anyone knows of someone who can make moulds I could do a handful completely out of GS and that would be a big time saver. Long clay pipes (hobbit pipes) would be funny, perhaps once I have enough common/ generic guys, but a Cortez or Phillip II may be some time off yet.

[Draig]

Nice stuff Richard, very Estalian. Came across this the other day which might be perfect linky. Basically its a reusable mould.