Promising and Problematic Plastic Quar

As I said last week, this arrived last Monday. 24 plastic Coftyrans,  24 plastic Crusaders, 2 siocast Coftyran officers, and 3 siocast Crusader Anti-tractor grenade launchers. 

My order was from an early batch of the siocast and not as flexible as they were supposed to be. But the warheads glued back on with superglue after some accelerator, patience, and appeals to the Ancestors. 

Eek!

Warheads fixed

Comparing with older metal

Later batches of the siocast figures will include the plastic bases, but I'm okay with using fender washers so these guys don't bounce around in the box.

Coftyran officers

Comparing siocast with metal. Height is fine. Chubbier, and bigger heads.

After experimentally assembling a few figures I decided to lay out all my sections to help me visualize what I needed to build.

Crusaders need a variety of types. Assistants to the Torpedo launchers, Ryshi gunners for the 4th section, a couple of NCOs.

This helped me realize that I mainly needed section leaders and LMGs for the Royalists. 

This also helped me realize that I've got a good start on Support Weapons for a second company for each side.

Trying a few conversions. Gave myself a nasty cut working on Mr Armless, so I decided that I should go watch Star Trek. 

Coftyran bombers, Cryfen LMG gunners, and Yawdryls with Doru SMGs.

Had the inspiration to use metal bits to accessorize the plastics. The Bombers are suitably burdened with extra grenades

Ryshi gunners get some extra magazine pouches 

I like the extra magazine pouches so much I should retrofit some to my metal Ryshi gunners

Any of the rifle firing or carrying poses were a real pain to get both arms glued on and the left hand gripping the weapon and things oriented in an appropriate direction before the glue set. Fortunately I learned a while ago to glue the head on last so you can have him sighting along the barrel, or at least close enough.

Made a Medic for the Coftyrans. Crusader small packs become medical bags

Another view of Coftyran Medic. He's looking rather pugilistic. 

I was trying to make a Coftyran gunner holding a heavy shell, but it was a complete, glue covered, bodge. A suitable right arm being lacking, unlike the Crusader sprue that has a right arm with enough room to convincingly put an artillery shell in there. I think it was originally holding a ryshi heavy automatic ryhfle.

I managed a shell carrying gunner for the Crusaders

Coftyran gunners, without packs. Or shells.

Crusader Yawdryl waving troops forward.

I was trying to make a Yawdryl gesturing. I was hoping to have him doing the "knife hand" gesture, but didn't like the result. So I repositioned the left hand and put a pouch under it as if he's reaching for a magazine.

A nice detail on the Coftyran sprue is a pack with baguettes sticking out. Don't worry, the Crusaders got one of the baguette packs too. 

Coftyran Yawdryls pointing and gesturing. Although lined up it looks like their rehearsing for Alwyndvision.

Of course I always see people doing amazing conversions of plastics on Social Media, but it seems my vision for chopping, swapping, and gluing is limited. Or I just don't have enough spare bits? Of course, swapping arms and torsos and weapons between different medieval kits to make a cool Middle Earth hero is perhaps more reasonable than hoping some WW2 arms might work for Quar. 

Zombiesmith are doing 3d print .stls for extra arms, bodies, heads, and equipment that couldn't fit on the sprues, so I'll compose myself and wait for them to go on sale. They will be available printed out or as .stls.

I have 10 plastic Crusaders, along with 2 metal mortar quar, and 9 Coftyrans left over, waiting.

For now I'll paint what I've assembled, which should get me enough figures for assaulting the Battery at Brequar Manor.