| Froggy723 | 20 Jul 2020 8:05 a.m. PST |
Hello TMP community members, I have a hivemind question and thought I'd ask you lovely people what your thoughts are. I have purchased some 15mm Phalangites from Forged in Battle but they don't come with any Sarissa's. I would prefer plastic as an option as it's more durable and wondering what is available? |
| JJartist | 20 Jul 2020 9:58 a.m. PST |
I don't do 15's anymore but usually plastic is the least durable. Some folks use broom bristles, but at your scale this might not work. I would go with brass rod for this because brass can be thin and still sturdier than lead or plastic, and usually is available at hobby stores. You can file, then hammer the ends into spear points.
Piano wire is usually coiled so I have avoided it.
Another useful source is floral wire which often is in straight bunches and easily cut and workable. |
| Asteroid X | 20 Jul 2020 10:15 a.m. PST |
Broom bristles are a very good suggestion. Very inexpensive compared to wire spears and flexible and very easy to make. YouTube link (I have used 28mm wire spears (from Warlord Games (they've ridiculously raised prices so no more ordering from them!)) – they are thinner than wire pikes and look good on 15mm). |
| phil bagnall | 20 Jul 2020 2:21 p.m. PST |
I still use metal pikes/spears when not cast on 15mm figures. My current source is Ancient and Modern (Donnington):
link
link
(the 40mm are perhaps a little short for 15mm pikes so link 2 is for the longer ones to cut to lenghth). I've not tried broom bristles yet, I hear good things about them and they will stop the pain and pincushion effect of the premade wire ones so I might give them a go in the future….. |
| Bellerophon1993 | 20 Jul 2020 2:47 p.m. PST |
Xyston's are very very nice. |
| leidang | 21 Jul 2020 12:05 p.m. PST |
I used the wire ones from Xyston that were great but I don't see them on their website anymore. |
| Froggy723 | 22 Jul 2020 7:40 a.m. PST |
Silly question but since I've never used metal spears before will they bend? While I take excellent care of my miniatures I have seen games were people have had bendy spears which I would hate seeing on my own army. |
Dervel  | 22 Jul 2020 8:24 a.m. PST |
The wire ones from Xyston or Northstar for example are steel (piano wire). The will not bend without the use of tools, they are sharp and will also impale anyone who is not careful with your figures. Sort of a built in protection system. |
| Asteroid X | 22 Jul 2020 9:36 a.m. PST |
I like Dervel's description of the built in protection system! The wire spears are very rigid. They won't bend unless you use pliers. You just use wire cutters to trim to length (watch for flying metal, though – so cup your hand around it). |
| Froggy723 | 22 Jul 2020 11:12 p.m. PST |
So there is no plastic ones out there? Wire and metal are both going to impale anyone who isn't to careful correct? |
| Dervel | 23 Jul 2020 5:37 a.m. PST |
If you want plastic, many use the broom bristle option. I do not know of a commercial option for separate pikes in plastic for 15mm. Personally I like the wire spears for my metal figures. I also hate bendy spears. You can file off the points to make them less dangerous if you are concerned about impaling people. |
| phil bagnall | 23 Jul 2020 10:56 a.m. PST |
I think that for the diameter necessary for 15mm figures any plastic – excepting the nylon brush bristles suggested earlier – are likely to be very brittle. The bendy pikes/spears you mentioned before will be cast-on white metal ones (which is why some people replace them with wire spears)
If you make your own from brass rod or piano wire you dont have to sharpen the tips if you prefer – just paint the end 2mm or so silver – but the ones made by (eg) Xyston and Donnington do tend to have a formed point that can draw blood from the unwary/careless but are very resistant to bending |
