Between all the great conversions and discussion on pikemen, and the availablility of pikemen in the Crisis In Marienburg army list for Marienburg, I've finally been motivated to get back to mine. I thought I'd share some comparison photos.
Apologies in advance for the black basecoat. When I eventually finish painting some of these, I'll post a revised photo.
The first two photos show a group of 9. The two outside files are Foundry landsknechts, the center file is made of three converted GW plastic figures using the old multi-piece 5th ed state troops, inspired by some of the other conversion posted in the B&P. For the pike, I've used 18 gauge (US) uncoated florist wire on most of them. This is approximately close to the size of the halberd shaft. The two first rank Foundry figures were assembled many years ago using a slightly thicker 20 gauge wire, which is closer to the plastic Empire spearmen spears from 6th ed.
The figures are very similar in appearance (all sculpted by the Perry brothers, so they should be.) The GW figures are just slightly bulkier, with not quite as crisp detail. Painted up and mixed into the same unit, I don't think you'd notice. I feel they'd mix well.
The next photo is of two of Mirliton's fantasy humans, which come from the old Grenadier Fantasy Warriors range sculpted by Mark Copplestone. Next to them is a row of Old Glory Flemish Pikemen from their Wars of the Roses range. They're similarly sized, though the Mirlirons look a bit skinnier. The Old Glory are not quite as well sculpted, but not bad, especially considering they're the cheapest of all the figures. To me, they look more like Hundred Years War era Low Countries/Flemish pike, rather than Wars of the Roses era.
The pikes on the Mirliton figures are once again 18 gauge wire. They were simple to glue into place with epoxy, since they balance perfectly in the figures hands even without adhesive. The Old Glory have smaller hands than all the other figures (probably more like real-life scale), so I used a smaller 20 gauge wire. As with most OG figures, the hands had to be drilled out, but the extra work pays off in that they will stay attached rather well.
The OG figures contain lead, but the Mirlitons seemed to be mostly lead. These are actually from the original Grenadier line, so they're quite old. I think they must be mostly lead, as I noticed the marks they left on the paper on which I was working. They actually made a decent (if frightening) writing instrument! Mmmm... tasty tasty lead. (Yes, I wrote that on paper with the figures.)
The last photo shows all 4 figure lines mentioned above, plus a Front Rank armoured pikemen from their Wars of the Roses Range. The figures are crisp, well sculpted and clean-up and paint-up pretty easily. They look to be th largest of the figures, but still not abnormally so. I'm not sure they'd mix in the same unit with the Mirlitons, but I think they'd look OK in the same army/game.
Other figures I'd like to add to the review are the Old Glory landsknect pikemen, Old Glory Swiss pikemen, Foundy Medieval pikemen, and Foundry Swiss pikemen. I'm not currently interested in buying entire packs of figures just to review them, but if anyone has any single figures they'd like to donate to the cause, I'd be willing to accept. Also, I'm open to any other suggestions for manufacturers of 15th and early 16th century European pikemen figures.
