So I've decided to add some variety to my army and convert some Araby handgunners.  I'm using the guns from the new handgunners sprue and the highelf archers bodies and legs.  I was going for a kind of janissary type feel but I don't know what kind of head to use or how to convert them.  I have (obviously) the highelf archer heads, and some militia heads lying around.  Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

sharkyrockon

 :happy:Nice :happy:

Wood Elves with the hooded heads might work, especially if they have the cloth covering their face.

I've just been looking across GW sites for the old 6th edition soldiers sprue with no luck.  :icon_rolleyes:

However there was a head on there with a helmet witha wreath/band around the top - the face also has a moustache - that might be suitable.

Alternatively, and probably the best solution, use a variety and then sculpt on a simple turban or 'wrap' style headdress.

I must admit I quite like some of the conversions I've seen using elven bodies.

the Elf archers bodies are ideal for a start into an Araby themed unit , perhaps mixing some actual Middle Eastern figures ? I have some 28mm historical Turkish Pirates from Eureka Miniatures mixed into a handgunner unit , the handguns are so similiar and size wise they match perfectly .
That helmeted Empire head with the turban wrapped around would look good for soldiers of Araby , and also Estalian troops , its very reminiscant of a Spanish helmet with the Moorish influence from Nth Africa .
Have you looked at other types of headgear for Ottoman troops ? they wore huge turbans , and the Janiserries wore a very distinct looking headcloth , if you could model this on your handgunners it would look most impressive and so different to the usual turbans we see on Araby themed figures .
Even a Fez would look the part , perhaps with a tassle hanging down .
You might allso  want to use some feathers , they tended to wear one single plume on the front of their headress , coming up from the forehead .

cheers tom

How about something like this.
Dwarf bits with bretonnian bits and the empire head

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/MF3000/MY%20ARMY/ottorifle.jpg

sj

Soju , that is very nice indeed ,

i wish i had more plastic bits  that i could play around like that

i think ill have to start searching Ebay again for some Bretonian and dwarven bits , so far ive only been collecting purely Empire stuff , those Bret bodies look ok for Empire too

cheers tom

Quote from: Midaski on September 04, 2007, 05:42:50 PM
However there was a head on there with a helmet witha wreath/band around the top - the face also has a moustache - that might be suitable.

That famous head is also reproduced in new Hellblaster/Hellstorm kit. If you could afford ten or more... :blush:

Quote from: Stolzeuhu on September 05, 2007, 09:29:34 AM

Quote from: Midaski on September 04, 2007, 05:42:50 PM
However there was a head on there with a helmet witha wreath/band around the top - the face also has a moustache - that might be suitable.

That famous head is also reproduced in new Hellblaster/Hellstorm kit. If you could afford ten or more... :blush:

Are you saying you want 10 Stolzeuhu, or suggesting he buys 10 kits.  :roll:

The one I meant is exactly the one used in soju's link above.

The bits swapping threads in the Trading Post were meant for exactly this sort of thing.
I am sure I could find a few towards the cause. 

Quote from: Midaski on September 05, 2007, 02:17:27 PM

Are you saying you want 10 Stolzeuhu, or suggesting he buys 10 kits.  :roll:

Thats great idea! sharkyrockon could buy 10 HBVG/HSRB kits and take the heads, then he could send me other useless bits... :engel:

thanks for the comments guys!  I especially intrested in Soju's pics.  That bretonian body looks idea for some araby pikemen!  btw, does anyone know where i could get some 6th ed state troops sprues online w/ shiping to the US?

There ARE shops that still hold on to the 6th edition stuff and haven't updated their range.. but these are NOT GW stores ... and again you gotta ask the shop manager nicely if they're holding on to any ... because what usually happens is that months before the 7th edition were released, the stores swap credit/products for the updated minis. BUT there are stores that stock some of the old minis because they are NOT hobby stores, and to them the miniatures don't matter if they're the latest minis...

But again that's like, once in a blue moon sort of thing that you find stores like that.

I recommend:

Ebay is your best bet... and if you ask nicely around other empire forums (I only know of this one sorry... lol) then you could probably get some.

sj

Quote from: sharkyrockon on September 04, 2007, 04:26:23 PM
I was going for a kind of janissary type feel but I don't know what kind of head to use or how to convert them. Any ideas?

How about these? http://ca.games-workshop.com/storefront/store.ca?do=Individual&code=99110214006&orignav=13

If you're going for the jannisary look, HE archer bodies would be most suitable. Be sure to remove any hearts(keep the half moons though(for obvious reasons)) and replace their pointy slippers with some heavy boots. You'll need alot of feathers as well. I'd also make sure you didn't use any elf heads, only rugged, bearded empire heads  :roll:

have a look at my araby army, where i found it quite easy to turn a little bit of greenstuff into a headress....

http://www.fragilearmytransportbag.justinhillauthor.com/sultan%20marhaba's%20araby%20army.htm



with duelist's fez's simply pieces from plastic spru

 :icon_eek: look how pretty! That araby army (and the rest of your figures for that matter) are AMAZING! :eusa_clap:  I wish I could just come half as close to making models like that!   How did you do the green stuffing so smoothly?  Whenever I try, it always gets stuck to my blade even if i wet it first  :oops:

Those araby guys are nice!

"with bitch"

nice

Wow! Great looking army. Love it!

That's a beautiful army... I love how the preachers turned out so effectively...

Lucky you for having so many araby cavalry!

The slave cannon is also a marvelous piece.

I love the heroes and the knights in general... they look grand!

sj

That my friend deserves some major league kudos  :mrgreen:

Have a pint and P.I.O.M.T  :::cheers:::

cheers guys: the trick with greenstuff, and I'm sure there are a lot of people with a ton more knowledge than me - is to keep everything wet.  If you want a smooth surface tons of spit and a smoothing finger works great. 


The other trick that what looks crappy when you do, looks a million times better when you've painted it up - so don't be too harsh on yourself!

take a look at The Assault Group miniatures page, they do a fine range of renaisance figures including ottomans

Wow! That is one of the most beautiful armies I have ever seen justin. It's really awesome. Muchos kudos!

Wow!

I guess I should have searched before A3 started!  Great looking army Justin!  Do you play in campaigns?

For arab handgunners I use foundry figures but heldorado has some excellent sculpts in a more warhammer scale.

Janissary hats should be pretty easy to make wit greenstuff, even if you don't have a whole lot of experience with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Yenieri-aturkishjanissary-gentilebellini.jpg


You could make use of a number of heads from empire, militia, etc. by making your own hats.