Siege Engineers (again)

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Regular readers (hello all seven of you), will hopefully have seen my previous post about siege engineers and will be familiar with the artefacts in museums across the country, and my attempt at creating some figures.

As PP still do not make a pack of siege engineers, and not being 100% happy with my previous attempts, I decided to have another go.

First off an easy conversion, to remind me how to use greenstuff. 

Top tips: 

  • Patience. 
  • When mixing greenstuff twist rather than knead the two parts together.
  • Let it go 'off' slightly before trying to work with it.
  • Build stuff up in layers. A little and often is better than a lot all in one go.
  • More patience. 
  • Trim out and discard the little bit in the middle of the strip where the two colours have been in contact with one another.
  • If you are remotely happy with what you have done, stop! Don't do anymore. You can add to it once it is dry. 
  • Keep wetting your tools (but not too much). 
If you have never used greenstuff before, there are some pretty useful online guides around written by people who, unlike myself, actually know how to use the stuff. Whilst Frothers UK has a 'bit of a reputation' for being quite a sweary and forthright place, there are some very good threads in the sculpting lounge forum. Don't expect responses as the whole forum is on its last legs, but there is some really good knowledge hidden amongst the expletives.


Couple of figures from the 45 pike open hand pack (pack 15) were the donor figures: a simple headswap to give them 'lobster pots', greenstuff siege tassets, and axes from Donnington Miniatures.

Next up a slightly more serious conversion. Pikes vertical, open hand (pack 11) contributed the figures. I've used this figure as a basis for my armoured engineers before, but this time I fancy something a little more adventurous.

As with previous engineers I started with a  headswap for a 'lobster pot', greenstuff siege tassets, and then his right arm was carefully amputated.

Cleaned up around the armpit then drilled into the body. I used a piece of 1.5mm rod to create an armature. I roughly measured my own arm - roughly 30cm for my upper arm, and 30cm for my lower arm. Which I reckoned translated to 3mm upper and 3mm lower for the figure.

Let the fun and games begin. If you are wondering about the presence of BluTack - it makes a really good vice to hold things whilst you drill and cut

I tried to give a slight bend in the elbow, then glued it in place. Fleshed the armature out with some greenstuff, then let it dry. 

With hindsight, 1mm brass rod would be much more suitable, but 1.5mm steel was what I had

Once dry I used Milliput to create a hand, and tidied up the arm. Left this to dry, then fitted an axe (from Donnington Miniatures), and used some more putty to create fingers around the head of the axe. Quite pleased with the proportions, but I don't think the commercial figure sculptors have anything to worry about.

Looks a bit ropey, but remember a) this isn't my day job, b) the figure is true 15mm, and c) paint can hide a lot of mistakes

Splashed on some paint, and I think it hides my sculpting weaknesses quite well.

Obviously, two more siege engineers for each army, will require a rethink on basing - easily solved by going from a 4×2 movement tray to a 5×2.

Of course, anyone familiar with my army recruiting practices will be aware that what happens for one army, happens for the other. So here's the other set of engineers.





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Thanks.

Comments

  1. Codsticker31 January 2022 at 16:41

    I love these kind of figures. Even of they have no part in the battler being played they add so much to the table.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Radar2 February 2022 at 17:20

      Thanks for your kind words Codsticker. I think we, as wargamers, approach the Wars incorrectly. We are, understandably, drawn to the Marston Moors and small skirmishes that took place. However, so many engagements were sieges - Basing House, literally any castle in the country, Newark, Chester, York... This is how I justify the need for siege engineers, petards, grenadoes, harquebusiers on foot.

      Delete
  2. Dex McHenry2 February 2022 at 17:16

    What arcane sorcery is this? I had not previously realised I "needed" siege engineers for my Civil War armies but the oversight seems so obvious now! What's next!? You're building the Queen's Sconce somewhere aren't you!?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Radar2 February 2022 at 17:24

      Already had a dabble at the Queen's Sconce using two Magister Militum half star forts (it's already up on here somewhere). Good size, great proportions, but... it's a bit too Vaubanesque for Newark.

      Waiting for some better weather so I can go outside and cut bits off with my Dremel, rebase it and turn the stone walls into earthen banks.

      Delete
  3. Steve-the-Wargamer17 February 2022 at 13:33

    PP released a set of figures for one of their gamettes that featured in 15Mil magazine issue #2 that might be useful to your purposes.. an ECW Petard set.. it's not listed anywhere on the catalogues apart from in the descritpion of the magazine, here.. https://www.peterpig.co.uk/the15MILL.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Radar17 February 2022 at 13:43

      Hi Steve, thanks: the petard party was/is a revamped pack 52 (breach parties) with an extra officer thrown in. You can see pack 52 https://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2021/02/assault-parties-again.html , and https://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2020/05/assault-parties.html . An unadulterated officer from the gamette pack https://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2020/02/colonel-james-holbornes-regiment-of-foot.html .

      Delete
    2. Radar17 February 2022 at 13:47

      If anyone fancies the pack it is here: https://www.peterpig.co.uk/the15MILL.html the officer looks very similar to one from the command pack for dragoons on foot.

      Delete

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