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Re: Replacing French Pikes

"I have one box of the Strelets French Pikemen, and other than three of the command figures I still do not know what to do with them...."

Well, at least I know what I'm trying to do with mine!

Re: Replacing French Pikes

Graham Evans
"I have one box of the Strelets French Pikemen, and other than three of the command figures I still do not know what to do with them...."

Well, at least I know what I'm trying to do with mine!
At least you do!:relaxed:

I'll probably end up playing around with the cuirass and re-modelling it to create a coat, much as you have suggested, and promote them all to standard bearers....with broom bristle standard poles of course.

Re: Replacing French Pikes

Minuteman
Graham Evans
\"I have one box of the Strelets French Pikemen, and other than three of the command figures I still do not know what to do with them....\"

Well, at least I know what I\'m trying to do with mine!
At least you do!:relaxed:

I'll probably end up playing around with the cuirass and re-modelling it to create a coat, much as you have suggested, and promote them all to standard bearers....with broom bristle standard poles of course.
Best of luck using the bloke at push of pike as a flag bearer.

Re: Replacing French Pikes

Graham Evans
Best of luck using the bloke at push of pike as a flag bearer.
Not every plastic soldier is cut out for greatness, and the 'push of pike' pose will either find himself face down in the 'mud' of Blenheim, Ramillies etc as a casualty marker...or will lose his head and join the ranks of 'un-useable' figures who have given up their heads for the greater good.

But come to think of it, one or both of the 'wrong way round' receiving poses may go the same way.

Re: Replacing French Pikes

As a more causal wargamer that likes to minimalize assembly as much as possible (and also as somebody that still moves living spaces quite often), have to say I disagree with the above and appreciate the effort of making complete one piece pikemen. Naturally this effort was not 100% perfect, but the scores for this set are much higher on my chart than the RedBox ones or HaT's phalangists, MiniArt's Swiss, etc.

I just state this to ensure that Strelets knows the opinions on this are mixed, not 100% negative. Naturally the free hand poses have their advantages as you guys have stated. Ring figures would be cool, although the length of the shaft might make this unpractical? Just guessing on the final point there.

Either way, hope to see more attempts in the future. Pre-1783 AD times are a rough place to operate for 1/72 companies, so I appreciate the efforts regardless. Except for Lucky Toys' Huns, I have no idea what to do with them! :joy: :sweat_smile:

Re: Replacing French Pikes

Graham, I think your solution looks excellent in every way....

Unfortunatly ring hands would not be possible without the actual hand holes being straight on to the tool face, I would suggest solid hands in which you can drill the holes through to take the pikes, this way it doesn't matter so much how the figures are oriented in the tool, and you can get more realistic poses and a firmer grip...

This would be my preference in any case... even the Zvezda pikemen which are otherwise good have really poor pikes, it just doesn't translate into injection moulding very well...
Always best to have seperate pikes from an extruded material...

:wink:


Re: Replacing French Pikes

While you guys are here, I was perusing the WoSS line and wondering: did grenadiers have their own command uniforms, or did they use line officers/standards/drummers/etc. at this point?

Re: Replacing French Pikes

ironsides
Graham, I think your solution looks excellent in every way....

Unfortunatly ring hands would not be possible without the actual hand holes being straight on to the tool face, I would suggest solid hands in which you can drill the holes through to take the pikes, this way it doesn't matter so much how the figures are oriented in the tool, and you can get more realistic poses and a firmer grip...

This would be my preference in any case... even the Zvezda pikemen which are otherwise good have really poor pikes, it just doesn't translate into injection moulding very well...
Always best to have seperate pikes from an extruded material...

:wink:


I think I said I'm not sold completely on ring hands. I'm happy with grooves.

I recognise that putting in your own pikes isn't for everyone, so I don't know what the best compromise option is. Alas for theses figures - as for many others - they simply don't look like they're holding pikes. There was a manufacturer that used to put strips of plastic rod in packets so that they didn't have to cast a sprue of pikes. Can't think who it it was.

Re: Replacing French Pikes

Lengths of plastic rods of a stiffer sort to the men, possibly with a point at one end, would be a great idea!! I'd be all for it.

So long as the hands hold the lance/pike securely, with some glue helping rather than being the only thing keeping them in place, im happy with a ring hand or groove.

Re: Replacing French Pikes

Roger W
Lengths of plastic rods of a stiffer sort to the men, possibly with a point at one end, would be a great idea!! I'd be all for it.

So long as the hands hold the lance/pike securely, with some glue helping rather than being the only thing keeping them in place, im happy with a ring hand or groove.
The rod I saw was like the broom bristles I use. Sharpening them or making spear points is easy. You squeeze the end flat with a pair of pliers then snip the sides off the flat bit with a pair of nail clippers. There's a link in the blog post above which shows you how it is done.

As for those who like not to do any assembly...I'd say putting spears in open hands doesn't take much longer than taking the flash off a cast one.

Re: Replacing French Pikes

Dear Graham,

Mars put lengths of plastic in their boxes (the Austrian infantry and Polish infantry (Sobieski's) at least). They are fabulous. Longer than required, given in large numbers, can be 'sharpened' at the business end. Hands are proper hands not rings and the pikes fit well. They are just the business for mine.

Regards, James