RFCM

Morning, looking at going outside my comfort zone with my quest to have some ECW siege engineers. No compatible ready made options unfortunately. Blue Moon make a pack, but they aren't exactly 15mm are they? Magister Militum have a pack but clothing is too modern for ECW.

Unarmoured engineers not a problem as they can simply be sourced from lots of places (I've got my eye on AWI 'happy workers' man with spade). Tricky bit is the armoured siege engineers.

I'm looking at basing my conversions on empty handed pikemen, with lobster pot head swaps. (Siege armour examples on display at Leeds  and Newark both have elongated lobster pot helmets with shoulder  supports - but at 15mm a simple lobster pot swap should suffice.) All pretty easy so far.

Now the tricky bit: these chaps are really going to need tassets (for those not familiar, skirt like armour extensions). I'm thinking green stuff or Milliput. Both of which I've only really ever used to replace broken plumes on shakos, fill holes, that sort of stuff. Anything I really need to know? Any top tips?

Siege tools: again, greenstuff time? Or does anyone know of any readymade siege/gardening tools that I could employ? Or any that could easily be butchered from elsewhere? So far my Google-Fu has drawn a blank.

Thanks, in advance.

I would definitely go with Greenstuff rather than Milliput. It is easier to handle and more malleable. If you dunk your sculpting tool in water from time to time you can get a really smooth finish, then mark in the lames with a sharp tool. To be on the safe side:
1. remove the original head first, drill the appropriate hole and try out the head swap fit. When happy leave to one side;
2. now model the tassets and leave for a good few days for the Green stuff to set hard;
3. finally fit the head and it should be ready for painting.

Thanks, guess that order makes sense. (Plus could save me a head if I mess the tassets up).

You'll find Silicone shapers work well with green stuff.

Royal Sovereign Soft Colour Shaper. Come in various sizes, chisel and round ends.

Thanks I'll have a look out for some.

Well I've had a go at a test figure, need to put a pic of the finished conversion on the blog, but you can see the work so far... (And thanks for the tips gents)

http://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2018/09/siege-engineers.html?m=1 (http://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2018/09/siege-engineers.html?m=1)

He's looking very good and should paint up well.

Paint went on surprisingly well (and quickly  :) )
Not so sure about his tool though, looks a bit too thick. Might replace it with some slimmer wire.

(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9mmBq9OyFnk/W5VR-LNV6WI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/A-MHaEGQruYRE2BbXgaVTbfuT-PjVsEqgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180909_175547.jpg)

Only just based him, so PVA still very wet!

Looks very good. Why not give him some timber or something else.

That looks like a very effective conversion - those tassets look as though they were part of the original sculpt - nice work!

Timber? Excellent idea. Could be a quick repaint of his caber tomorrow.

Thanks, quite pleased with the tassets for a first go. I wanted to leave a little bit of coat visible below the tassets, left hand side (as we look at the pic) is much better than the right. Not a particularly good straight edge to the right tasset either. But, as it's my first go at adding something other than just missing shako plumes/filling holes with green stuff, I'll take it as a win.

Boss result there - congrats  :)

Thanks. Done the rest of them...

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1pP-YLzeawA/W5ZxsyJzRiI/AAAAAAAAA3I/3Sg388YPbFUa6iPAgWFo3Xf1GmJlALlzwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180910_142542.jpg)

Great looks like it will be a cracking set of engineers!!

Just out of interest will you be modelling something along the lines of Basing House or some sort of sconce?

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEHhszEkNAc/W5lVdCHLBoI/AAAAAAAAA3U/nZkDbkrkvGIi6Tts2W0K6MkH1BLGP8PYwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180912_185941.jpg)

Here they are painted up. Ran out of bases though. Bum. I'll finish the basing all in one go.

I think a sconce is in order, otherwise those siege engineers won't have anything to do... ::) ;)

Great set of engineering figures, are you going to do any equipment, wagons, wheel barrows and any special terrain bases?

 Thanks. Hadn't thought that far ahead... guess I should really. Be rude not to.

If you're feeling brave you could have a go at converting the chap with the wheelbarrow from the WWII civilians. The engineers are looking really good.

Excellent work Radar, topnotch conversions I for one can only only aspire to.

Thanks Mike. If someone as cack handed and ham fisted as I can do it, anyone can.
Not actually that difficult. Hardest part was working out what to do. Headswap - simple. Green stuff was initially scary, but follow the rules - make it, leave it to go off for a bit, keep your implements wet. I didn't actually do that much tbh. I am now, even more in awe of people like Martin who sculpt our toys in the first place.

Leman - I can't continue not-painting™ harquebusiers any longer. Please don't distract me with talk of wheelbarrows ;)

(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yJp7suf9Z7w/W6KJqrv4j-I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/YP966acfb9QEwFB_v_B6DdROofMVpOGIwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180919_182832.jpg)

Completed! Now to paint cavalry. :(
But when I have finished the cavalry, I've promised myself a star fort. :)

Well, those turned out rather well!

You probably owe yourself a Star Fort now :)

The finished units look fantastic. Where did you get the bases from?

Thanks for the kind words people.
Bases are from Warbases. Penny sized bases with 4×2 movement tray.