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Post by Mike Blake on Dec 30, 2021 15:20:08 GMT
The new Chintoy TTM/CG have taken my fancy and I plan to do something with them - but not as per Dumas.
I loved a trilogy by Pierre Pevel set in the same time period but with the CG as the heroes (well some of them - the elite Cardinal's Blades) up against the usual villains (including the King's Musketeers!) and as an added complication which will not appeal to all - dragons!!
I started it in 75mm Papo but ran out of steam. Reckon it should be more magageable in 60mm - except for the dragons perhaps!
So - this is the question - sources of 54mm-60mm dragons? Papo are in the main too big - there will be scope for some 'specials' but many of the creatures in the books are man-size and wear ordinary clothes - so head swaps will work if I can find the heads...
Thanks for any and all ideas.
And all the best for 2022.
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Post by 79thpa on Dec 30, 2021 15:43:10 GMT
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Post by gonefishing on Dec 30, 2021 17:33:22 GMT
Hi Mike, Everybody seems to have their own ideas of what dragons should look like, and how big they should be, but you might take a look at the Schleich dragon: www.happyhentoys.com/papo-39025-winged-green-dragon-with-flame.html He is on the smaller side (actually a little diminutive for the Schleich/Papo scale figures, I think), and so might work for your project. He comes in green, red or gold... Happy New Year to you as well! Daryl
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Post by gonefishing on Dec 30, 2021 18:20:04 GMT
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Post by spiritofethandune on Dec 30, 2021 22:36:42 GMT
Mike,
I have a Britain's dragon that came in a set with Deetail knights. It is made of rubber (I think) and is green with small wings. I have used it for 54mm Song of Blades and Heroes games and it looks fine with 54mm figures (it's about the size of a 54mm elephant, or slightly smaller).
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Post by Mike Blake on Dec 31, 2021 11:53:13 GMT
Thanks all - will follow up your ideas. I did have Schleich and Papo and Bully dragons for my 75mm idea but got rid! Heigh Ho! I need to reread the books now to reaquaint myself with characters and the part the dragons actually play - from memory for 'full size' ones it is quite small and infrequent - and very dramatic. The mansize dracos appear more often as varients on the stock character thugs.
Here in the UK Steve Weston has the figures on order and will ship them to me as soon as he gets them. If the sculpting is as goodas the Zouaves (and there's no reason it shouldn't be) they will be super. I will probably replace rapiers with sewing needles, as they are usually over-thick on the Chintoy/EB figures IMHO. Does mean you need to be careful moving and picking the figures up though!
I am rather looking forward to this project as being very different to what I have been doing and much more self-contained.
There are some fighting nuns too - If anyone has any ideas for figures, please share.
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Post by Mike Blake on Jan 5, 2022 12:35:20 GMT
Went into the garage looking for some WB Indians for Mike L and failed but spotted a box lable and hauled it out - Dragons! Apparently I hadn't got rid - I'd hung on to them. So I now have a couple of Schliech (I think) I can use as full size ones, and some humans with dragon heads. Unfortuately the heads are too big to use on 54mm so its back to the drawing board for Dracs. Found some drawings done for the Cardinal's Blades boardgame which are excellent - Dracs heads are quite varied in style from pure dragon to mythic monster. Looking at some LOTR Orks I think they have potential - right bulk/size and ghastly appearance bodies with new modelled heads based on the drawings. Have the figures so I can get started on these whilst waiting for the Chintoy sets. Also have sketches of the main protagonists too (but don't let that stop anyone making suggestions) and am working on profiles. When complete I'll send them to pal Chris Swan to give them TODD (our rules set) profiles - he's better at it than me. C17th coach??? They look quite different to the OW ones, more upright and angular. Any ideas of a possible source?
Buildings - to solve the storage problem I have decided to go fully Hollywood on these - 2D Frontage film sets! Something like the table in 4 quarters, each a different set, each 2 sides only: 1) cobbled town square/market place with removable 3D fountain,3D market stalls, and 3D scaffolding for repairs/rebuilding. 2) inn courtyard with outside of inn, stables, midden etc. 3) small quay, some water and removable 3D rowboat, piles of goods, barrels etc. 4) interior with furniture and a movable internal wall with door(s) What I need is a wargames MDF buildings maker who would up-scale the fronts only of some of their 3D period buildings just for me! Anybody know of a likely maker offering bespoke services like they do now with printed figures???
...and still looking for fighting nuns ideas...
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Post by 79thpa on Jan 5, 2022 15:43:07 GMT
Over the years I have seen some roughly 54mm coaches in the girl's toy section at stores. It might be a princess coach, or a My Little Pony coach, or whatever. It is really hit or miss based on whatever the toy companies are making.
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Post by Mike Blake on Jan 5, 2022 16:19:40 GMT
Thanks. I remember something similar too now - but I didn't want one then!!! I'll try the girls toys sections of various websites and see what I get. I also wondered if Playmobile or Lego ever ventured in that direction...
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Post by aducknamedjoe on Jan 7, 2022 6:45:59 GMT
Playmobile has a 19th century coach from their Wild West sets I know, but that may require too much conversion work for your project...
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Post by Mike Blake on Jan 7, 2022 10:59:12 GMT
Playmobile has a 19th century coach from their Wild West sets I know, but that may require too much conversion work for your project... Yes, but as you say it is very Old West, so I don't think it would work. I need a fairy coach - Cinderella-like almost. Have trawelled through pages and pages of girls dolls so far to no avail. Found a jewellery box which would have been ideal but checking measurements it was too small. Shame as it was cheap and really BLING.
Made some progress with the scenics though. Found a number of drawings/paintings of street facades and blown them up to A3 and printed - the best look good just as they are!
The others are more cartoony but will serve as templates I think.
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Post by tradgardmastre on Jan 7, 2022 12:22:44 GMT
Excellent scenic ideas. I use old Advent Calendars with 28mm figures as backdrops of German looking towns.
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Post by Mike Blake on Jan 9, 2022 11:53:16 GMT
In looking for some figures someone on the forum wanted I found some smaller dragon-like heads! They came from the Fantasy 'big tube' and I had completely forgotten them. Tried one quickly on a LOTR Ork and it works fine. Have enough to do all the Dracs I need really but will probably do a couple more based on the drawings I found as they are very unusual - they can be Spanish Dracs.
Ah, yes, confession time. The intention was to stick strictly to The Cardinal's Blades (TCB), using the settings and characters from the 3 books only... Then whilst rereading Vol 1 the part played by Spain became greater than I rembered. And checking on the Spanish Royal Guard musketeers etc - they wore a uniform very very similar to the French tabards - but in yellow, purple and white! OMG they look so pretty. So - gonna have to do some conversions of the Chintoys - doubling my order to 2 sets of each.
Looked at the Chintoy Spanish Warriors set to - I had a set for review but sent it back when I gave that task up - and I think a set of these too to provide some NPCs - thugs, 'spear-carriers' etc. They look a little 'early' but these dregs would be behind the times in fashion and weaponry I imagine?
And still looking for Fighting Nuns!
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Post by Mike Blake on Jan 10, 2022 10:28:06 GMT
In TCB the nuns are of the order of The Sisters of St Georges and wear white robes etc over breeches and sturdy knee boots with a leather belt for sword and scabbard around the waist when on active service. Without checking I am wondering about a LOTR Gandalf with new head and legs?! Will be a hoot if it works.
They are escorted by the St Georges Guards, all black uniforms inc boots, gloves, belts and scabbards, half-cuirass, black hats with black plumes. I may take a liberty and give them blackend steel helmets to make them a little different. Another reason to look at the Spanish Warrior set.
Steve W has the sets in now and I caught him in just time to double the order and add the Spanish.
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Post by Mike Blake on May 20, 2022 13:57:25 GMT
HELP WANTED This is all coming along slowly, with some vanilla (except swords replaced with needles) Chintoy Musketeers and Guards and they do seem to paint up nicely. Next though I decided to do some Dracs, which are the human/dragon cross-breeds which have human bodies but drgon heads. Doing them from LOTR Orcs with new various odd heads from a tube of fantasy figures with minor changes...These critters had a black mist swirling around their feet, which could reach out and envelope a human opponant and hinder/slow/confuse them in a melee. Now the challenge - how to do this whispy black miasma? ? Ideas please - I have never been successful with creating flames/smoke, which I imaging would be the nearest thing?
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