Apache! :: UD 23/10 - starting on the mounted alternates

[Silent Invader]

Thanks Rui, I'll bear that in mind  

For the Sidney Poiter character, I have a DMH Ely Ferguson on the way  

http://www.greatescapegames.co.uk/deadmanshand/dead-mans-hand-fergus.html

Go with the Hollywood option, mate.

No button counting that way.
You have enough realism to deal with as it is with Tommy and Fritz.
A bit of 'fantasy' will be good for the soul.
 

Paul, you are 100% on the mark! The Tommy And Fritz game is somewhat ''serious' and I do see this as a more play-about alternative.

Edit: Nick, it doesn't take you long to get into dress-up mode, does it 

[Malamute]

Edit: Nick, it doesn't take you long to get into dress-up mode, does it  

 

Lets not go there again

[Silent Invader]

A little progress with this 'side project'

The wagon is getting closer, with some polishing to do ..



..... the driver is magnetised, as are the horses (at their throat) to lift the draw bar. One thing I have yet to resolve is the reins/traces as they can't be attached to the horses or driver and need to be sufficiently flexible to allow the draw bar about 90 degrees of movement.

The wrecked version is pretty much there now, and will hold 3 minis:



I'm also working on the conversions to some of the minis. The big chap in the middle is by DMH, the rest of the men are Artizan and the two ladies are Hasslefree.

[Malamute]

Very impressive Steve

[Mason]

Nice work, sir!
 










(This is not helping me resist finishing off my own wagons, though...... ).

[Silent Invader]

Thanks chaps.  

I think I have solved the reins problem. I've cut them as one piece from 0.25mm plasticard that I've skimmed with GS. One end will be glued to the cross piece at the front of the draw bar, then GSed to look like it comes from the horses' bits. I've put a small magnet into the top edge of the driver's foot brace then a piece of magnetised sheet styrene (from an old cheap L plate) has been glued to the reins. I can't be sure until I assemble it all but if it works the reins should secure for when a driver is seated and yet drop with the draw bar when the horses are removed.

Edit: I could use a similar approach to add the traces (correct word?) that connect the horse to the front of the wagon but I think they'd be much more vulnerable to breakage so will probably just omit them.

[Yggdrasil]

Very nice conversions!
The green-stuffed canvas looks great 

Thanks for sharing 

[Constable Bertrand]

Great problem solving there Steve! The wagon looks the part, (one of the best I've seen)

Cheers
Matt

[rumacara]

Before you putt GS on the reins you can heat them to shape and then GS and glue on them.
Therefore you mold the shape first and then by placing the GS and glue you make them more sturdy.

[Mason]

Thanks chaps.  

I think I have solved the reins problem. I've cut them as one piece from 0.25mm plasticard that I've skimmed with GS. One end will be glued to the cross piece at the front of the draw bar, then GSed to look like it comes from the horses' bits. I've put a small magnet into the top edge of the driver's foot brace then a piece of magnetised sheet styrene (from an old cheap L plate) has been glued to the reins. I can't be sure until I assemble it all but if it works the reins should secure for when a driver is seated and yet drop with the draw bar when the horses are removed.

Edit: I could use a similar approach to add the traces (correct word?) that connect the horse to the front of the wagon but I think they'd be much more vulnerable to breakage so will probably just omit them.

And you sometimes wonder why we think you are mad....?
 

[Silent Invader]

Thanks for the comments folks.

Basically, I did as detailed above, though I also pulled the plasticard between two fingers to precurve it (essentially what Rui suggested but using heat/pressure from finger tips).

So did it work? Yep, I think so but with a little more tidying to do.

The drawer bar resting on the ground with horses unhitched and driver dismounted:



Wagon rolling:

The metal rod (paper clip) attaches to the magnets in the horses' throats while the driver end of the reins attaches to the magnet in his footrest.



Oooooh, magic  The wagon driver's party trick - the levitating draw bar.

Actually, just to show that it's pretty 'safe' for the reins when the wagon is moved as the horses just slip out, with the wagon being realigned with them in the new location.



I've just finished the pedestrian conversions of 11 figures and I might be able to put them up later, though more work will have to await painting of some WW1 Germans, for which this side project is upping my mojo! 

[Constable Bertrand]

 

You clever devil! 

Cheers
Matt

[Silent Invader]

Why thank you! 

Have completed this first group of conversions. The project will start with 30 characters (so actually 60 minis, as each has a pedestrian and mounted version) with 12 in this update. In addition to the 12 here, I am told that 6 more Apache, 3 more civilians and 9 Cavalry are incoming pressies (yay!).

First up the wagon. Canvas added to an MDF kit though I have to say I prefer working with resin: perhaps surprisingly the MDF doesn't seem as robust and I snapped various bits while converting it.





With the horses hitched and driver seated:



The driver is from the Northstar Africa range with added shotgun and the horses are conversions from the Perry late medieval wagon train.

Close up of the driver who, along with the reins, is held in place by magnets.



The horses unhitched and the driver dismounted:



The driver uses the top half of a second copy of the Northstar Africa figure that is married with the legs from the Native whipper who also comes with the pack.

There won't be a horse-mounted version of the wagon driver (he can't ride since he broke his hip!)





A second version of the wagon, this time converted to a wrecked form (which was probably easier to do with MDF, which was why I went down that route):





And with three minis inside, benefitting from the all-round hard cover:



A paired set of mounted and pedestrian minis converted from the Artizan Pony Express rider.  Changes include rotating the hand and adding a rifle plus some decent saddlebags/rope to the mounted version, and a rifle and bigger pistol for the pedestrian.





While the Cavalry will come with mounted alternates, the rest of the minis will require conversion of a duplicate mini married with a DMH riderless horse. I've yet to do the mounted versions of the characters that follow though the following image gives an idea of how it will be done.



The first three Artizan Apaches. One has an added bow/quiver (the collie dog in Ulzana's Raid should look away now), another has had bare legs covered with loose trousers (Charles Bronson in Chato's Land is a look I want to avoid) and the third required some facial reconstruction.





Next up are a mixed bag. A Hasslefree converted to the 'Jane Russell' love interest (straw hat from Warlord Games ECW plastic sprue), an Artizan 'old fella' with added carbine, a DMH former slave (huge in comparison but his size suits the intended character), and another Hasslefree converted into an Apache maiden for more love interest.





The final three in this phase. A Tejano converted from the Native whipper by Northstar Africa, an Artizan renegade (with added rifle) who will be attached to the Cavalry as their native scout, and an Artizan Mexican with added rifle.





Still a long way to go but this is really my 2016 project so plenty of time yet.

[Malamute]

Lovely conversions, they all work really well.

[Silent Invader]

Lovely conversions, they all work really well.

Thanks Nick -  can't deny I'm pleased with how they've come out. I won't be painting them until I have the mounted pairs  

Ps: the extra weapons are proving most useful, thanks