With the WotR collection out for the first time in a handful of recent games, it may come as little surprise that I pushed some more WotR figures into the painting queue. Not very surprising at all that these games sparked inspiration and motivation to bring some more figures to the painting desk. Besides, at least one box of Perry Foot Knights remained unopened with a second box only partially used.Mustering out today are two bodies of Men-at-Arms. While there are no more boxes of Perry Bow and Bills left to form a complete ward, these foot knights will be used to augment standing wards when some extra punch is called for in a scenario. Figures are 28mm plastic Perry figures. After finishing these knightly fellows, I sat down and started in on glueing together Perry mounted Men-at-Arms.
There is one annoyance I have with the Perry plastic foot figures. That annoyance stems from the many extra arms and weapons left over after all of the bodies are used. I am creating a small pile of surplus arms and heads that could be put to good use if only I had some more headless and armless bodies. If Perry offered a sprue of only bodies, I would happily order a few. Anyone else suffer from this problem?
Next WotR game is slated for Friday when I put away the hexes and play the Solden Hill battle upon open ground. We will see how no grids slow play at all.
Will be very interested to see the comparison on the grid / no grid games.
ReplyDeleteThis will be an interesting test.
DeleteJudging by results, the Lancastrians need them! ☺
ReplyDeleteNeil
I agree but then I was the Lancastrian commander in both games.
DeleteOne of my secret weaknesses in gaming and modelling is a spares box. It can be traced to those youthful readings of Airfix magazine when all conversions featured the author's spares box, so I felt I needed one too. The oversupply of arms and heads in Perry boxes has worked to my advantage in that I have a large box of these spares bought on eBay. Shame about the bodies. Steel Fist do spare bodies for the period to use with Perry bits but import costs would perhaps be prohibitive.
ReplyDeleteAnthony, thanks for the tip on Steel Fist bods! I may look into that.
DeleteThe men at arms certainly look like they are charging into action and will be a useful addition to your WotR forces. As for all the spare parts it always seems a waste.
ReplyDeleteAll of the extra arms and weapon seems a waste to me too.
DeleteOne step forward, two steps backward? Locally we have a clearance drawer, take one leave one.
ReplyDeleteI reckon finding spare bods in the Clearance Drawer would be a rarity.
DeleteI would agree. Maybe some 3d printed outfit comes to the rescue?
DeleteMaybe.
DeleteI have a giant pile of sprues that I need to ruthlessly purge one day, but it's always tempting to keep them just for bits and bobs. These fellows look splendid. I wonder, when did surcoats go out of fashion? How does one unit of tin cans know who the other unit is?
ReplyDeleteWhile we may not be able to discern who is who, tin cans can often spot the difference. This is especially true if the tin can is swinging an axe in his direction!
DeleteVery nice looking unit Jon, they look great. Looking forward to the next instalment of the Solden Hill, be very interested to see how the non grid plays out compared to the gridded games.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I look forward to a return to the open table as well. The return may take a turn or two to knock the cobwebs out.
DeleteNice looking MAA, Jonathan. I also really like the Perry WotR sets, including the European Mercenaries.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dean! I have a few boxes of European Mercenaries that I have yet to tackle.
DeleteFor ‘tin cans’ they look rather scary and impressive. Unfortunately I got attacked by one of their brethren last week (he had a tuna emblem on his surcoat).
ReplyDeleteChris/Nundanket
Chris, you need to explain yourself! Were you on the losing end of a tuna can opening clash?
DeleteEven more embarrassing. I was crushing a can prior to putting it in the recycling.
DeleteActually, now the PTSD has faded I remember it was baked beans not tuna.
The horror!
Ouch!
DeleteGreat looking additions Jon. I agree about the left overs from all plastic figure sets, I hang onto them too...I find some of the cavalry particularly "wasteful", as they often include two of everything for the riders, due to uniform changes eg British Light Dragoons....so you end up with lots of left potential over cavalrymen. The Perry's DO let you buy sprues of horses only, but the kicker is, buying enough horses for all the extra figures costs basically the same as just buying another full box of figures 🙄
ReplyDeleteOne thing I have done is use spare headgear, weapons and drums etc to "decorate" the bases....so some Napoleonic British might have a couple of discarded French shakes on the ground at their feet, for example....
Thanks, Keith! Good tip on using the extras as base decoration. Not sure I want a bunch of arms lying about, though!
DeleteThat may be a tad too gruesome, Jon....but with all those 🪓 swinging, not completely unrealistic?? Lol 😆
DeleteGreat looking men at arms, I've got a late Roman Prince August mould that I can cast 25mm figures in, that I can add plastic arms and heads to using left over lead from bought figures and roof flashing, I've also cast up some horses and added spare Perry plastic horse heads and necks, I was thinking of making casualty figures using some of the arms for legs and a bit of green stuff as you get loads of spare torso's as well with the 100 years war mounted plastic knights!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks, Iain! More good tips but I am not a caster.
DeleteSuper men at arms Jonathan. Looking forward to the gridless report.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Richard! If the gridless game works out, I will try to drag you back to the table for a test.
DeleteGreat work Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciated, Michal!
DeleteThey look great Jonathan, and nothing like a few exciting games to provide motivation to get stuck into some additional figures. I have kept all my boxes of spare Perry bits as well, but mainly just in case bits fall off my existing figures at some point in the future.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lawrence! I agree that it is very useful to have a ready supply of safety stock standing by when parts fall off or go missing. Still, I would like to see a sprue of bods only.
DeleteThey look very menacing, nice job Jonathan.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Phil!
DeleteOften I find it true that I will paint what I am playing. It's the fun that never ends. Nice job of the Men at Arms. 😁
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stew! Yes, the fun that never ends...
DeleteNice looking unit Jonathan. I'm never bothered by the extras, just thankful for all the options they pack in. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jason! You are definitely a glass half full fellow! I hate waste.
DeleteAnother excellent unit there Jon! I'm sure the spare items issue is a result of both the desire to be able to field many options/poses for the skirmish games crowd, as well as the cost of making a tool, so bung in as much as you can. Good luck on the non-grid game for the next outing of the rules.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steve! I am an optimizer at heart, wanting to get the most out of a purchase. Hmm. That seems to run contrary to having a large Lead Pile!
DeleteGood idea to surf the wave of current interests to create new units.
ReplyDeleteStephen
Cannot argue with that!
DeleteNicely done and look forward to seeing them on the table. As for bodies, there are probably a few 3d printing options,
ReplyDeleteThanks, Neil! 3D options were not on my RADAR. Good thought.
DeleteCrackin looking figures Jon, are they going to be 1 unit per side, or are you gonna leave them generic?
ReplyDeleteI was gonna suggest Steel Fist Dollies as well, They'd probably cost you an arm and a leg (get it?) in import taxes now, but there must be a company that makes 3D printed dollies out there in the void?
Thanks, Ray! I picked liveries (what little can be seen) for units that could join either army. Another 3D suggestion! Good! Now, I need to find a solution although I know nothing about 3D printing. I would gladly trade a few arms and legs for some bodies!
DeleteVery nice heavy foot.
ReplyDeleteGlad you approve!
DeleteManly looking men-at-arms, indeed! My only foray into medievals has been jousting--but seeing your reports does shift the breeze and tempt the butterfly...perhaps you might be able to pick up some torso sprues on ebay?
ReplyDeletePerhaps expand your Medieval endeavors, Ed? Any spare Perry sprues with torsos also includes loads of arms, and heads. I would gain no ground!
DeleteGreat looking figures Jonathan.
ReplyDeleteThey are Men at Arms so maybe the Perry's threw a few more in. 😂 Anywhere on the bodies where you can add an extra arm or two?
Good one, Ben! That MUST be the answer to all of the extra arms!
DeleteSome good looking ‘eavy metal’ there Jon.
ReplyDeleteThanks, George!
DeleteVery solid looking; somehow, they remind me of a scene near the end of "Bednobs and Broomsticks"!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Peter! I see your point!
DeleteNicely done Jon….and yes I have many hundreds (thousands) of spare heads and arms etc….. the only sets where ‘replacements’ are possible as far as I am aware is the Napoleonic cavalry where you can buy the horses separately.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I am not alone in needing more bods!
Delete