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Author Topic: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers  (Read 2147 times)

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« on: October 06, 2016, 12:05:19 AM »
Into new territory for me here. As BTD's Zulu War Cavalry are no longer available I bought the ones from AW miniatures. I like them, they have a lot of character and the horses are very nice but for me there was a problem with one of the poses, the ones with levelled lances. The arm is badly sculpted and they do not even hold the lance. I looked at them for a long time and thought whether I could ignore it and use them as is but in the end I could not.
I am going to have a go at sculpting them new right arms.
I have no experience of sculpting but I have a cunning plan.
The first step was to cut off the right arms at the shoulder and drill a hole into the body. I superglued a length of paperclip into the hole. This is to act as the armature for the new arm. I took a photo of this but seem to have lost it.
Second stage I did tonight. I bent the paperclip wire to form an elbow and then made a loop where I thought the hand should be to hold the lance. This should give it a lot of strength. The first one went surprisingly easy.
I took a few photos from different angles







 I have to do 5 altogether so here they all are. I put a tiny spot of superglue on the lance where it is held in the wire to stop it wobbling about.



I have used the cast lances because I liked the detail, but I realise it is a decision I might regret later. I will have to be very careful of them.
Of course the hard part is yet to come, the sculpting.
Any comments and feedback welcome.
I am going to build a wargames army, a big beautiful wargames army, and Mexico is going to pay for it.

2019 Painting Challenge :
figures bought: 500+
figures painted: 57
9 vehicles painted
4 terrain pieces scratchbuilt

Offline traveller

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3742
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2016, 04:00:04 AM »
Interesting!

Help me, what does AW stand for?

Offline Drunkendwarf

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 540
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2016, 07:52:02 AM »
Interesting!

Help me, what does AW stand for?

Had the same question as I am also looking for lancers for the Zulu war; found this site:
http://www.awminiatures.co.uk/

@ vodkafan: how do they size up with BTD british?

DJ

Offline Eric the Shed

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4200
    • The Shed Wars Experience
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2016, 08:14:45 AM »
Hi Folks

I bought some of the AW Lancers - as you say good figures at a great price 12 for £30

I just drilled out the hands to hold the lances

Here's my painted unit



AW Miniatures are running a kickstarter at the moment -

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1615843621/fire-at-will-zulu-war-1879/comments



Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2016, 08:29:41 AM »
Had the same question as I am also looking for lancers for the Zulu war; found this site:
http://www.awminiatures.co.uk/

@ vodkafan: how do they size up with BTD british?

DJ


Hi Drunkendwarf They will go fine with BTD and Redoubt, being on the larger side. 

Offline Drunkendwarf

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 540
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2016, 08:32:16 AM »
Hi Drunkendwarf They will go fine with BTD and Redoubt, being on the larger side. 

Great! will order some.

DJ

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2016, 08:37:45 AM »
Hi Folks

I bought some of the AW Lancers - as you say good figures at a great price 12 for £30

I just drilled out the hands to hold the lances

Here's my painted unit



AW Miniatures are running a kickstarter at the moment -

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1615843621/fire-at-will-zulu-war-1879/comments




I like your unit, Eric, fine body of men there.....I have no doubt I will soon wish I had just drilled out the hands too   >:(

Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2016, 08:36:38 PM »
My terrain project has been keeping me away from both my general painting and this little sculpting project. But today I finally got the time to get down to it. Here is my first attempt making a new arm:


This is after a serious hour of pushing the green stuff about. I am mentally exhausted. I am not very happy with it.
I have 4 more to do so I hope I will improve with each one, if so I will wait till the end and redo this one and any others that need it till I get it right.

Couple of other views:




I used up the excess trying to make the 1871 valise equipment for an AW infantryman, as they have the wrong packs.

But I pretty much made a pig's ear out of that too.

 >:(

Offline Eric the Shed

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4200
    • The Shed Wars Experience
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2016, 07:42:25 AM »
looks good

Online Romark

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Galactic Brain
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  • Posts: 4472
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2016, 10:17:16 AM »
Yep,looks good to me  :)


Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Improving The AW Zulu War Lancers
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2016, 11:08:39 AM »
Thanks chaps, but I know I can do better with practice. Will do another lancer arm tonight after work and add the straps to the great coat and valise on the infantryman, that might improve that little chap.

 

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