War of the Rings project in plastic

[area23]

I chop up all sorts of stuff for orcs, no GW, staying right away from GW..don't much  like them at all..

Excelent! I just got this idea to mix GB plastic saxons with Mantic ghouls to build realistic orcs....

Please show more of your stuff!

[Conrad Hawkwood]

mix WF orcs with WF Saxon, Viking, Japanese etc..

[Blackwolf]

Lovely work there old chap!

[Conrad Hawkwood]

Lovely work there old chap!

ta mate more to come..

[P_Clapham]

I started with GW LotR stuff back when it was cheap.  Since it's gone up I've been using Wargames Factory for the most part.  Very keen on seeing your Orcs.   

I am using all non GW myself..

[sukhe_bator]

Lovely figures...
As a historian I find the kite shield too much of a signature look for Normans, but that is just me. If I hadn't plumped for a later feudal C12-C13 look I'm pretty sure I would have gone for these figures too, but probably with round shields and a more Byzantine look. The overall effect you have managed to achieve is awesome. With so much good stuff out there, especially in plastic historicals to convert etc, who needs fantasy? well maybe for the fellbeasts, trolls etc etc. but you get my point! They represent excellent value for money and have alls sorts of useful bits for conversions...
I have 60 Perry Miniatures beja tribesmen for my Harad army in the paint shop -and I can thoroughly recommend them for arrow-fodder

[Conrad Hawkwood]

round shield for Rohan. lott;e kites for Gondor bigger kites for Dol Amroth. Yes Beja for Harad..Zulus for Far Harad.Schleigh elephanr with   green stuff armour

[sukhe_bator]

I know I went down the armoured elephant route but strictly speaking armour is never mentioned. However it was in keeping with my choice of proxy figures and was a way of making smaller elephant models look more striking and intimidating. Ultimately though it depends how closely you want to stick to the books...

If you wanted to stick to a more Classical look, you could model a cloth barding and head and ankle armour and still remain more faithful to the books than I did.

[Conrad Hawkwood]

what make of  elephants are they? I am mighty impressed..from the book reading   the oliphant  thing is pretty open ended..

[sukhe_bator]

They are Schleich plastic nellies for the most part with balsa howdahs and copious amounts of modelling putty/green stuff to make the caparisons and armour - approx. 25hrs work each 

[P_Clapham]

Fell Beasts could be adapted from plastic Pteranodon toys.  You could leave the as is, or snip the crest off and do a little putty work to get the heads right.

[sukhe_bator]

I DO like the idea of using Pteradons, converted or otherwise, but the Lee/Howe conceptual designs for the Fellbeasts are still pretty awesome...

[P_Clapham]

I just started mixing my leftover WF orcs bits with the Persian set.  The hooded and eye patch orc heads work really well.  I plan on using them as Uruk-hai scouts/ skirmishers.

mix WF orcs with WF Saxon, Viking, Japanese etc..

[sukhe_bator]

WF Orcs and Persians -that I must see! sounds an intriguing idea for Uruk Hai scouts... can't wait to see the results

[Vermis]

Nice start to the project.  I'm looking forward to see it's progress.

For fellbeasts, what about Grenadier's take on the subject?  I've always liked that model, especially the sense of movement; and - when the price is converted into pounds, at least - you can get two and a half for the cost of one GW plastic fellbeast.