'Slice & Dice'

A Flintloque Modelling Article by Steve Blease.

A classic article about converting miniatures from the early days of Flintloque.

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This article was originally published in 1995 when Flintloque, and it's associated minatues range, was not as well rounded as it is today. - Craig, Ed

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Now in this day and age it is admittedly somewhat anachronistic to be talking of converting miniatures, given the volumes of quality fantasy and science fiction miniatures available to the gamer. However given the rather different nature of Flintloque, the need to resurrect the old arts seems worth considering.

Of course the easiest way of converting a figure does not involve any cutting, filing or application of putty. The easiest way is just to apply a different paint job to the norm.

Dark Elf Regular Infantry

The best example of this has to be Dark Elf Regular Infantry, which are currently not available in the Flintloque range. The simple solution is to pick up a pack of High Elf (31882) Chasseurs of the Gardes and paint them up as Dark Elves. The uniform design is very similar to the Chasseurs and if you paint them up in the colours given on page six for the Regimenta de Rosémonta y Inquisitato you've got yourself some Dark Elf Regulars.

As a personal preference I differentiate my Dark Elves from the High Elves by painting their facial features up as albinos with black hair, compared to the High Elves fair complexions and blonde hair - this works very nicely.

'Colonial' Orcs

Another painting conversion that might interest American gamers is to paint the Orcs of the Line packs (34881/2) up in blue coats instead of red, as the basic uniform whilst based on a British style is also very similar to the US style of 1812.

This opens up some whole new possibilities for Flintloque games in the rebellious colonies of Eastern Valon , with Orc colonists rebelling against Albion etc.

Orcs of the Line

My first major conversions involving cutting actual figures up, were to the Orcs of the Line. Initially all I had in mind was to give one of the advancing Orcs a clay pipe hanging out of the side of his mouth.

This was quite straight forward and involved digging out my indispensable Black and Decker mini drill (a purchase that has proved its weight in gold many times over the years), drilling a small neat hole into the side of the mouth, gluing in a small length of 10 amp fuse wire with its end up turned to make a small L. This was then coated in a
thin spread of silver grey Milliput and et voila!

Inspired by my success I then added the bottoms of a pair of trousers to one of the firing figures so they hung outside the bindings and cut the shako off another with a junior hacksaw blade, building up the head with Milliput so I had a bald orc private.

My final conversion was even more elaborate as I cut the arm off the figure standing arm outstretched and turned it so it hung down the side of the body (building up the gap with wire and Milliput), before affixing a musket to be held horizontal at the side. I also cut off the shako and added a tam o'shanter, first by building up the base and then adding the top part and finally the pom-pom. When completed this figure looked so unique I promoted him to corporal!

My next project involving these figure are to make up some Orc sailors for an old plaster fantasy submarine I've had for many years to be used in a scenario involving the redoubtable Sharke's Rifles on the shores of Amorica, more on this as and when...

Dark Elf Guerrillas

Given the civilian and irregular nature of the guerrillas, the last thing I wanted was them all looking the same, yet bar the commander figure, all the guerrillas in the first blister (31801) were nearly identical.

Never fear, Milliput to the rescue and the addition of a front to back bicorne hat on one Elf and a top hat on another, does make them look quite different. Another Elf ended up with a side to side bicorne and a slung musket which needed a slightly fiddly, but worth the effort musket sling over his shoulder.

Guinalean Rebels

Of course you need not just restrict yourself to figures from the Flintloque range to convert into suitable gaming pieces.

Digging through Alternative Armies back catalogue is well worth the effort as you'll discover the old (but much loved) Fantasy Warlord range. Many of the figures were open handed and designed to carry pole arms horizontally. This is perfect for muskets and I have converted some of the excellent big Orcs sculpted by Chas Elliott into Guinelian Rebels.

The old traditional fantasy look with odd additions look quite effective and I've got one just carrying a musket, with another holding a dwarf musket in his left hand and rummaging in a Milliput cartridge pouch with his right.

The addition of other more Napoleonique accessories such as tam o'shanters and bicornes work very well and overall the figures are extremely pleasing, and with the addition of some suitably converted Orcs of the Line (lose the shakos, and file down the cuffs, shoulder wings and jacket braid) you have the makings of a unique and fun Guinelian Rebel group.

When looking at rebel/guerrilla groups such as the Guinelians, don't be afraid to equip some of them with old style weapons as well as some muskets. After all, black powder weapons would be hard to come by for some rebel groups and a crossbow is just as effective in many instances (and don't forget to string some 5 amp fuse wire across it which looks really flash!).

Ogre Provosts

Now this wasn't the easiest of things to do and probably most gamers would be happy to wait for Alternative to bring out the real thing later next year. However their (VNT-18) More 'Orrid Ogres pack can be successfully converted with a little work.

If you spread Milliput over the bare legs, chests and arms to provide a semblance of the Orc style uniform, but tailor it so it looks like to goes under the traditional fantasy style breech cloth and bits of chain and fur they already wear, you get a quite interesting figure. The swords and bone (possibly) need replacing and the less animated Ogre holds a musket quite effectively. Optionally also give the figures large front to back bicornes.

The end product is visually very striking once painted and the more experienced figure converter may find the challenge appealing.

Me? I'll just hold on a unit at the moment!

Hopefully you've found this piece both of interest and inspirational. No matter how good you paint miniatures, there is just something that little bit more special about fielding your own unique different figure...

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Webmaster's Notes

Originally published in Orcs in the Hills Issue 1 in the Winter of 1995, and reprinted here with permission from the author. It was published on Orcs in the Webbe on the 10th December 2007 as part the 2007 Advent Calendar. It is presented in it's original form as a point of historical note. Alternative Armies' have released quite a few of the miniatures in the intervening years. 

It was absent for several years due to a prior regeneration of the website not transferring everything over correctly, the wrong has now been righted and it returned on the 10th November 2014 as part of Orcs in the Webbe's ongoing Flintloque Archive Project.

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