Been a while since i've updated this, so here's an update to show what I'm working on.
I'm in the cavalry zone right now - I've got some wild ideas about rebasing all my cavalry, but I think i'll stay quiet about it until (if) it gets done. I'm building up the cavalry numbers first, and once that's done I will think long and hard about how to re-organise and re-base what will be over 100 horses!
Usually when I paint cavalry I do them in batches of four, the horses first and then the riders. I thought I'd go about it differently this time - paint up loads of horses first with no plans as to which riders they will be given, and once i'm all horsed-out do all the riders, choosing which horses to put them on as I do them.
I know most people loathe painting horses, but I've come to really enjoy it!
Here's a bunch of horses awaiting riders....
But that's all plastic horses for plastic riders.
When it comes to metal riders I attach them to the horses first and paint them all as one. So I've got a few of these finished already, most of which are converted in some way or another - let me take you through them!
These first two are Perry metals on plastic Perry horses. The one on the left is going to be given a flag. The one on the right has also had a plastic headswap.
The next three are also metal riders on plastic horses. All three have been given headswaps (the rider on the white horse's new head is actually from the Foundry WOTR range). The standard bearer might look odd with his cut-down flagpole currently, but that's because he will be used for different swap-able flags. Funnily enough this is the first time i've used the Italian horse bard from the Perry kit - I've saved it up for an impressive looking unit leader! Also the two chestnut horses are me trying out a new colour, using the Foundry paint triads for the first time (Chestnut).
The next two are coverted from the old Wargames Foundry WOTR range. They are noticeably smaller than the modern Perry range, but that is mostly due to their little stunted legs - the riders can be made to sit on the larger Perry horses by giving them new plastic leg transplants. This is very easily done on the riders with convenient cloth coverings on their armour, probably not so easy on the ones in uncovered armour (I haven't tried). These two in livery jackets are basically wearing the same outfit as one of the bodies from the Perry cavalry plastics, but a little variety in posture and cut of the jackets goes a lone way! They also have great heads, including some nice kettle hat and bevor combos. The one on the left has had his lance-arm replaced with a Perry plastic part. The one on the right is riding a metal horse, and will get a flag in the future.
And here's another two Foundry-Perry conversions. The one on the left has had the plastic leg swap, and also a new right arm. The one on the right I kept the original legs of - see how little they are? I put him on one of the slightly smaller metal Perry horses so it's not so noticeable. He is also awaiting a flag.
And finally, a slightly converted Steel Fist 16th century Gendarme, put on a Perry horse. I realised this body could be slightly altered to make it look more 15th century - in fact Oliver from Steel Fist seems to have done the same thing himself, as one of his late medieval man-at-arms sculpt seems to be based on this one with a few alterations! It has a raised lance though, and I wanted the lowered couched lance.... What I did was reshape the feet so the sabatons are pointed not square-toed (mostly just done with a file), and scraped off the 'stop-rib' on the breastplate. I left the breastplate plain, though someone more ambitious could have sculpted a plackart. And of course I gave him a suitably 15th century headswap. Though one 16th century feature that remains is the 'gorget' or whatever this sort of neck armour is called, though it is mostly covered by the sallet and bevor.
You won't see these based up in their units until sometime in the new year....
25 January 2014, 08:31:28 PM
