"Converting Perry Minis pike to polearm..." Topic

Does anyone have any experience converting Perry miniatures Mercenaries pikemen to Halberdiers?

The halberd heads look a bit suspect for such a small connecting point.

Any tips would be welcomed.

(Example)
link

I've done several dozen. I use plastic snippers to get a clean cut, stick carefully with plastic cement and leave them overnight. Most have stayed stuck; one or two have come loose and I've reattached them. It's actually a reasonably large cross section and a relatively strong join.

I don't know where you are based, but if in the UK I'm dead keen to get the spear heads that are left from this process. I've been sticking them on to styrene rod to make extra pikes which I use with the Perry metals. I'd be happy to swap stuff?

PS if doing them as Swiss make sure to use the characteristic cleaver-like Swiss halberd heads.

Thank you much BRB! If I end up doing them c the pike heads are yours!

UK

Super, thanks!

Some of these Swiss I've just finished have had the pike-ectomy, the ones on the right.

I've done lots of them in the past, for several units of polearm troops. I found when gaming with them I would accidentally snap a head off every now and again, but they were easy to glue back on afterwards (and a very quick lick of paint at some point to cover the gloss from the glue).

I'm actually now doing some units of the Perry metals with shouldered polearms, and have opted for plastic rather than metal polearms for their open hands. The latter from the Perrys (which are clearly the same plastic sculpts recast in metal) are annoyingly short, too short really…. So I've used the plastic heads and offcut banner poles (of which I have countless lying around) to make their polearms. Also, metal bends easily. If I do accidentally tap the top of the units, it's either going to be unsightly bendy weapons or a clean break which can be easily glued back together. I've gone for the latter – can't stand seeing bendy weapons in pictures of otherwise well painted miniatures!!!

That's a really good idea, Charlie. The metal halberds are prone to bending, whereas plastics ones would keep their shape.

When is it best to do this ?
Is it easier if Pike arm attached to Figure First or done when on Sprue?