Author Topic: Hagen's Heroes - UPDATE 06-24 "The Generalissimo's new face" (Read 28180 times)

Hagen_von_Loewenstein · « **on:** April 16, 2009, 05:27:47 PM »

"...they came transformed in iron, they came glittering."

Ever since the first Old Worlders set foot on Lustrian shore and returned with tales of its untold riches, adventurers from all over the world felt tempted to try their luck and seek their own fortune deep in the dense jungles of the "New World". This will become the story off some of these daredevils...

My Estalians have been a long-time project which somehow always got delayed because of other ideas (which then got delayed because of other ideas, which in turn got delayed because of other projects etc. pp.), but after a 2 1/2-year hiatus from the wargaming-hobby in general and getting a few priorities straight, I'll give them another try. The main ideas are to a.) have them "7th edition-free" and b.) not having them look TOO tidy and pompous (like the 4th ed. empire swordsmen, for example), but rather somewhere between "Aguirre" on the one side and the overboarding looks of some of the Lustria-/Estalia-related artworls in various books. I have bought some of Pirazzo's men already to get some "masters" to GS-copy morion-helmets from (there's an abundance of bearded heads in my bitzbox, they just need some new headgear to go with the theme), although I'm not gonna do them "morion-exclusive", but will incorporate other periodic helmets such as cabacetes or especially burgonets (see the first of the knights). I will most likely give modern art minis a try as well, their morion-heads look really good and fitting.

Plans right now see me building a warband first, which will then get slowly expanded to 1000, later 1500 and maybe even 2000 points (but that's way off in the very distant future). Troops included will be knights (lancers), pistoliers, spear-/pikemen (I might even do these completely with Pirazzo's guys) and of course some handgunners, cannons, halberdiers and swordsmen. Free company might be done in a way to resemble ships crews rather than professional soldiers, I'm also considering actual war hounds as well (Eureka minis got a nice set). I will very likely have a few questions to ask about army composition some time in the near future, too.

But enough of the mushy stuff, here's some first *WIP* pictures of my first two knights (overhauled swordsmen following soon).

Notice the added "puffiness" on the shoulders and the burgonet with visor. Pose is still a little awkward, though.

And here's the other one, who will most likely function as a hero, general or first knight depending on the points used. I might save the horse for a completely different character altogether as well.

Again, I added some puffiness and I tried to give him a "ruff"-collar, but that didn't turn out too well yet.

Swordsmen will follow some time soon.

Silvero · « **Reply #1 on:** April 16, 2009, 06:01:01 PM »

Very interesting conversion, great greenstuff work.

I wish to see them painted.

patsy02 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 16, 2009, 06:11:43 PM »

This looks quite promising, looking forward to seeing more.

King · « **Reply #3 on:** April 16, 2009, 06:46:52 PM »

Yay at last the Conquistador craze is kicking off with some beautiful conversions here on this forum

Kriegspiel · « **Reply #4 on:** April 16, 2009, 07:45:08 PM »

We can all be our own worst critics Hagen - I think the figures look good .

Look forward to seeing more .

As for your General - well as you mentioned " Aguirre " - surely he should look like everyone's favourite crazed German actor
Klaus Kinski ?

wissenlander · « **Reply #5 on:** April 16, 2009, 07:59:22 PM »

There's something about a general model that seems a bit light if it doesn't have a cloak. It's kind of weird in that regard, because the knights themselves don't need it. I guess it's just to make him stand out a bit more he needs that garish statement?

I think they look great, and you're off to a fine start.

Valetus · « **Reply #6 on:** April 16, 2009, 09:37:03 PM »

Like the second last mouted figure a lot there, especially the way you have made the barding a bit more interesting. Cant wait to see these guys painted. Just make sure that you get the scaling of sculted parts correct.

Hagen_von_Loewenstein · « **Reply #7 on:** April 16, 2009, 11:39:16 PM »

Quote from: wissenlander on April 16, 2009, 07:59:22 PM

There's something about a general model that seems a bit light if it doesn't have a cloak. It's kind of weird in that regard, because the knights themselves don't need it. I guess it's just to make him stand out a bit more he needs that garish statement?

I'm not so sure about a cloak. I feel I'm already stretching the "expedition"-part of the title by having so much metal-armour (something else besides a cloak you wouldn't really want to wear in tropical climate). Maybe when I finally decided on who's gonna be the general, this character will get a cloak, but for now, he'll be fine without one, I think

Hmmm, a few ponchos here and there, maybe? They work for Pizzaro's boys...

Quote from: Kriegspiel on April 16, 2009, 07:45:08 PM

As for your General - well as you mentioned " Aguirre " - surely he should look like everyone's favourite crazed German actor
Klaus Kinski ?

A Kinski-lookalike will definitely be part of this army, and I already started scavenging fitting bitz (the "wide-eyed-crazed-stare" and "mouth-frothing-teethgrind" are quite popular with a lot of the 6th Ed. plastic empire heads

) and doing some GS-work, although some of his outfit will prove difficult to duplicate/emulate I fear. I won't make him my general though, since that would dictate the theme of the army too much. I'm yet undecided if he'll become a hero or just a regular commander of one of the infantery units.

EDIT @ Valetus: Not quite sure what you mean with "scaling"...?

wissenlander · « **Reply #8 on:** April 16, 2009, 11:45:07 PM »

I know what you mean, it's just a personal preference of mine. He still looks good!

Henerius · « **Reply #9 on:** April 17, 2009, 01:09:40 AM »

A fellow Estalian!

Your conversions are great. I don't understand one thing though. The first horse, has the champions head, the one with plume. You went to so much trouble to remove the plume (as I did on my cav) but you've missed the mould line on his armour plate on his forehead and the one on his foreleg.

WIP I guess?

the horsehead of the second model? where is that from? I don't recognise that one. And those Lion heads

brilliant.

Ad A Dglgmut · « **Reply #10 on:** April 17, 2009, 01:14:33 AM »

I love the foot straps (sorry the proper name is coming to a blank to me at the moment) you added to the knights. Seeing how simple yours looked to be created, I will probably attempt the same to added them to my knights. Good looking conversions so far.

Soren · « **Reply #11 on:** April 17, 2009, 06:36:12 AM »

SWEEEEEEEEEET, you need to add those to the "show us your knights" thread. I need to steal some of those ideas.

warhammerlord_soth · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2009, 09:17:34 AM »

Great greenstuffing !

Now paint !

Beastlord Karankawa · « **Reply #13 on:** April 17, 2009, 08:22:10 PM »

Excellent work - very much like the attention to detail (stirrups, etc)!

Slick · « **Reply #14 on:** April 17, 2009, 10:37:27 PM »

Excellent work, looking forward to seeing more!

WallyTWest · « **Reply #15 on:** April 18, 2009, 04:18:42 AM »

As a Blazing Sun kinda guy, mind explaining how you got that sun on the horse? Also how did you transfer the shield icon to the horse?

Fantastic work.

Rule #1 about greenstuff, dont judge it until you paint it.

Soulcaresser · « **Reply #16 on:** April 18, 2009, 04:59:11 AM »

I like both models. The pose on the general model is excellent!

The repositioning of the horselegs is great.
Indeed as others said the greenstuff work is as um. Like the helmet and you're idea

Hagen_von_Loewenstein · « **Reply #17 on:** April 18, 2009, 11:25:20 AM »

Thanks for all the comments so far.

@ Henerius: It's actually not even "his" horse (it's from another "project" for myrmidian knights, hence the sun-symbol, although it fits Estalians as well), but I actually didn't miss the mold line on the head - it's just that I got this head off ebay and it was already prime-coated, so when I trimmed down the mold line, the actual plastic became visible again - that's why it looks even more prominent on the picture.

@ WallyTWest:
It's one of my favorite techniques as far as modeling goes, I call it "Green Stuff copies". Basically, you pick a motif or piece you'd like to transfer or copy, apply a thin layer of some detergent (I use watered down washing liquid), then you press a piece of Green Stuff Onto it and let it dry. When it's dried out, you got a mold that you can use in the same way (using some detergent an putting lumps of Green Stuff into the mold). In this case, I not only copied the lion face/sun symbol, but I also used some extra GS to make the copy "blend" better with the actual model I applied it to.
Of course it's won't work very well with fully modeled pieces or pieces with lot of "undercutting".

Well, back to the project. Today my first 4 "Lost Legionaries" arrived... seems like they won't mix & match with 6th. ed-plastics very well, even the helmets might prove to be too small to be used for GS-copying...

So it's either Micro (not "modern") Art-heads or more self-modelled helmets for my army. Thinking about keeping the "bigger", selfbuilt heads for mounted troops and just buy lots of Micro Arts-heads for the rank & file troops later on.

If someone is interested in 4 Lost Legionaries with Crossbows, just keep an eye on the trade forum, they might pop up there soon enough if I don't find another purpose for them.

On the positive side, I think I found the perfect dog-miniatures to represent my Free Companies:

They're also dirt cheap and this manufacturers also offers a "cargo mule"-model that will come in handy sooner or later. I was considering some "hounds of Orion" to keep it "GW-legal", but since they'd only fit on cav-bases and with 8 pounds for a pair, GW can lick my salty epididymis.

It may also occur that this army won't be ABSOLUTELY 7th edition-free anymore, since I'm pondering about getting a box of the new pistoliers from the UK (the weak pound/strong Euro make them dirt cheap right now, and many of the pieces look actually quite nice - and I'd get me some new horsies

).

In other news: Don Lope de Aguirre is coming along quite nicely, but it seems like my brother still has the recharge-cable for my digi-cam, so no new pictures for now. Same for the swordsmen, but I'll just add some older pics from a few days ago, although the helmets are not at all representative anymore (quite some cutting, filing and trimming has been done with all the trims and edges, making them look more to scale and realistically):

Justin Hill · « **Reply #18 on:** April 18, 2009, 01:07:00 PM »

looking great: very impressive sculpts

GamesPoet · « **Reply #19 on:** April 18, 2009, 02:18:16 PM »

I'm feeling like the crests of the helmets on those infantry guys look a little it high.

But the knight look very impressive!

Hagen_von_Loewenstein · « **Reply #20 on:** April 18, 2009, 02:28:47 PM »

Quote from: GamesPoet on April 18, 2009, 02:18:16 PM

I'm feeling like the crests of the helmets on those infantry guys look a little it high.

Quote from: Hagen_von_Loewenstein on April 18, 2009, 11:25:20 AM

Same for the swordsmen, but I'll just add some older pics from a few days ago, although the helmets are not at all representative anymore (quite some cutting, filing and trimming has been done with all the trims and edges, making them look more to scale and realistically)

GamesPoet · « **Reply #21 on:** April 18, 2009, 02:32:40 PM »

King · « **Reply #22 on:** April 18, 2009, 09:47:38 PM »

Hagen_von_Loewenstein these are all very nice indeed & I agree with you on the hounds counting as free company. By the way if you ever want to get rid of those 4 lost legionnaires pm me me please as I would be interested

Von Kurst · « **Reply #23 on:** April 19, 2009, 12:30:27 AM »

Very nice green stuff work! I'm stealing the dogs as Free Co idea. (Something to do with my old hunting hounds and warhounds from my Witch Hunters!)

Gustavus Magnus · « **Reply #24 on:** April 19, 2009, 06:12:26 PM »

Brilliant work. The stirrups for the mounted figures are fantastic. I am looking forward to seeing this army finished.

Any plans to put a boat up in a tree for a terrain model?

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Author Topic: Hagen's Heroes - *UPDATE 06-24* "The Generalissimo's new face" (Read 28180 times)

Author Topic: Hagen's Heroes - UPDATE 06-24 "The Generalissimo's new face" (Read 28180 times)