Modifying Empress USMC?

[NickNascati]

All,
      I am very tempted by the Empress USMC, and would like to use them for modern skirmish.  However, I am turned off by the large brimmed hats.  Has anyone tried sanding/cutting the brims down to more of a boonie hat?

                                                                                  Nick

[Wyrmalla]

You mean these guys? The heads come separate (so they can be used in their helmeted form too). Do you could just swap them out for another set of heads (like the Warlord Games head sets). If you wanted authentic boonies though you'd have to remove the entire brim and resculpt it so that the cloth was a bit uneven, but the heads on those models look like they're wearing fine hats already to me. Just trimming down the edge of the hats whilst their still on the sprue is a simple alternative though if you're fine with that though. I know that a company makes boonie hats, but I don't think they're in the right scale (Empress is on the realistic side of 28mm, whilst there's are more "heroic"). The Assault Group may have something more suitable in their Ultra Modern range if you're just looking for modern US marines (though Empress are of a higher quality).

[Arrigo]

well you can modify them but...

1) the hat is done this way in real life at least before too much use...  complain against the commandant (saw him three weeks ago... no joke, he was visiting Sandhurst with an USMC delegation I was there for a meeting with the acting head of the war studies department) and he does not strike me with someone you can argue with... he is big... big...

2) if you touch an empress miniature this way probably the Furies will come to take you down to tartarus in the night... just a warning... 

[carlos marighela]

They look a bit too regular to me too. Maybe the USMC issues hat boxes for their troops these days. 

I'd consider swapping a couple for the non- microphone wearing heads from the Eureka Force Recon or the bush hatted heads from their Rhodesian range. I doubt TAG heads would work too well, very different style of sculpt, as already pointed out.

The bloke on the left in that photo must have a good war story to tell, he has managed to bend the stock of that IAR in quite a dramatic fasion.

[NickNascati]

I suppose the logical answer is to stick with helmeted figures or Special Forces guys.

[Sparrow]

Perhaps. I'm missing something but why would you want to change the heads if they are correct? Having looked at quite a few photos of the USMC of late these figures are remarkably accurate. Remember this range is based on the appearance of the USMC today, not a decade ago.

I suppose you could use Eureka heads but the sculpting style is very different and the casting certainly not as clean as Empress. It may look a bit odd.

See what works for you I suppose? One thing's for sure. Plenty of variety out there now for the 28mm Modern Gamer.... No bad thing!

[carlos marighela]

Actually the Eureka heads will work quite well. Never had any flash issues on heads with Eureka. As for the look, well just do a random google for boonie hat and you'll quickly see that hats worn in the field tend to be a little less formal. Not surprising as they get crushed up and stowed in packs, pouches and pockets.

Helmets probably are the way to go if you want regular marines in combat.