"Ever Bought Plastic Figures Just to Convert ?" Topic

This is a first for me. I just ordered two boxes of plastic figures just to convert to something else. The Perry HYW English to become medieval archers. Also the GB Light Arab Cavalry to become Mongol allied cavalry. Both to be converted using the ton of left over parts from the FF Mongol and Medieval boxes. I chose not to buy the FF archers because the bodies are just copies of all of cross bow and spearman I already have.

yep!
Just finished turning 3 GW Ogryn into Chaos Obliterators
:)

tons of leftovers from other kits worked great on the bodies

Back in the late 60s early 70s it was the only way to build armies. Airfix Romans converted to Greeks, Ancient Brits as Persians, Robin Hood set as just about everything.

Why else?

No. I don't like plastic figures.

I bought a box of the Perry HYW English to add options for my WotR stuff. They aren't a perfect match (they are taller with longer bows) but they provide some nice options. Doing that made me start looking at other things I can do that with….

All warriors of the Canaanite army I'm painting are easy conversions. They are plastic and metal in 20mm. The same with almost all of my middle-kingdom Assyrians, and many of my Goths (not painted yet). When I buy figures (both plastic and metal) I usually have their conversion possibilities in mind.

Mulling over the matter. I'd like to do a portage scenario with my Vikings, and they need slaves to pull the boats around the rapids. Some of the plastic figures might also end up as casualties.

Grelber

Yes, my Viking Berserkir are ancient Germans!-and many more! – I was always impressed by Paul's Bods website paulsbods.blogspot.co.uk

…which made me more adventurous with plastics!

Yep did it a while back, Perry Miniatures ACW plastic cavalry! This is what I made

I bought the plastic Zouaves from Perry and combined with other ranges to make plastic Mahdists and Sikh Cavalry. Then they released plastic Mahdists.

Sure, I've bought two boxes of Fireforge Mongols to convert to Baltic Pagan horse and Novograd Urban militia horse archers. I also bought a box of Gripping Beast Arab infantry and using spare musket arms from Perry ACW sets made them into Zanzibar Arab slavers for Darkest Africa.

Tons… :-)
I rarely use them as they come out of the box anymore. Once you do have a base stock of stuff the options multiply. The Byzantines I built for Saga bash Wargames Foundry Persians, Conquest game Shields and heads, Gripping beast arms and heads (late Romans) and Fireforge Insignia, arms and shields.

Not a whole box, but many sprues.

Sure did! have a look here:

link

In the process of mixing Fireforge Russian infantry, GB Arab Cavalry, and Conquest Games Norman Knights into various early medieval types.

Yes… my intial foray into historical war games was converting Conquest Games Normans into Andalusian Muslim knights. I have since bough Perry Zouaves, Mahdists, WGF Numidians, WGF Persians and Victrix Carthagenian Citizen Infantry all for converting.

Yes, I started with converting Airfix Guards Colour Party into the 24th Foot in the Zulu War and have carried on ever since.

You can see these original figures (converted over 50 years ago) here:

link

Many of my Napoleonics are conversions, and a lot of my latest Jacobite Rebellion set-up are conversions as well.

Rod

Excellent conversions Rod..especially Friar Tuck in his new roles.
Just gone and spent the thick end of 100 euros on Plastics..about 500 of them, with a view to converting a few of them..how else can I while away the hours ?

This topic is basically my life.

I appreciate a good metal figure, but the design and conversion stage is the bit that keeps me going in this hobby. I'll typically get an idea, kitbash figures together, finish off the putty phase… maybe undercoat…. then lose interest. Even when I was into the tournament scene and needed to deliver finished armies, the painting phase was the hard bit :)

My go-to kit these days is the Perry Anasar Warrior one. Most recent uses were to put some of the fez heads on Perry Sudan British plastics to make Askaris in British service, and to use one of the less clothed bodies as the basis for a Red Martian warrior. Have also used them to make Arabs, Japanese peasants, a hunter in a nightshirt, safari bearers, Space:1889 canal martians and eastern monks. The Remington rifle arms have been very useful to equip hunters and cowboys, too.

Did a unit of late 19th C lancers out of Perry ACW cavalry, with the help of the pith helmets from the otherwise awful Wargames Factory Zulu Wars British. These days, of course, Perry make their own plastic pith helmet heads :)

Current whim is to use GW Kroot parts to make up Green Martians (which I've seen done to excellent effect by others).

I have got a set of WF Saxon fyrd waiting to be combined with an assortment of arms/hands from various Perry and GB sets, to produce a variety of Saxon/Norman/Viking slingers, archers and javelin throwers.

infact that is the only stuff I'll buy now. Has to be fun and grasp my attention or else it will end up in the basement and my kids will have to get rid of it at some point

Its one of the greatest advantages of plastic 28mm figures.

Though given the every expanding options most of my conversions will probably see out of the box versions produced eventually.

Just did some Night Watch conversions last night – getting ready for NashCon.

TomT