"Recommendations for 15mm pike miniatures" Topic

Looking for some suggestions.

I am having a brief spate, for the first time in decades of doing 15mm fantasy. My apparantly quite ridiculously large (approximately 820-ish points in DBM, were it to ever be used all at once!) fantasy army is getting worked on and expanded again (having found stuff out from I-don't-even-know-when-I-bought-it-ago).

And, since I'm running out of BattleMechs and the stuff I was expecting from the BattleTech kickstarter just got punted to about June, I'm looking at actually buying some more stuff.

I am looking, then, to add a small number of pikes, because, well, that's just about the only thing I DON'T have at this point. (Probably no more than 32 figures (8 elements for DBM.)

Now, as Actual Fantasy Pikes tend to be, like… Not, I will have to swipe some real pike instead.

(It's fine, all three versions of the army standard bearer were nicked off the spares of my Dad's old Macadonian army pikemen anyway…*)

So, what I'm looking for is:

15mm pike, as compatible with 15mm Essex/Irregular/Tin Soldier/Chariot 15mm (which my army is basically composed of).

Wire pikes (preferably provided from the same manufacturer). Definitely do not want to have to do any coverting or anything.

Raised position poses (or at least not too low), for compatitive ease of storage.

Ideally, armour and shields.

Preferably, face either not really visible because of a helmet, or at least not bearded (as they might not be used as human, for a start. If they match that criterion, for example, I might even be able to look at "18mm" 15mm, on the basis I can just say they're grat orcs of something.)

Other than that, nationality isn't of importance.

Ideas?

(Should also be noted, "must be available in UK," after getting very excited about Splintered Light Minatures (they have NON-HUMAN SKELETONS! In 15mm! NO-ONE does that!!!!) and then finding out because of FRACKING you-know-what, they aren't shipping to the UK at the moment.)

*No, I don't expect UshCha will remember were he got his wire-pike troops from after all this time – I'd ask, but at time of posting it is Stupid O'Clock in the morning.

Have a look at Forged in Battle. They have multiple pike types all starting with your basic Macedonian. You have to provide your own pointy bits though.

Yep FIB were what I used,

these are the Bactrian type

‌

‌

these the pantodapoi

theminiaturespage.com‌

‌

and these the Macedonian

‌

(Thanks Bill, for sorting the problem. (Unless it resolved itself…!)

Okay, right, thanks, folks.

Next question, having located models – where do I get the pikes from?

As it happened, as I was looking around at the various places for other stuff (also Forged in Battle in particular for saif pike), I *actually* found some orcs designed for use with wire pikes, to my utter astonishment (they're from a fairly new company, I gather, and they are pretty much literally the only fantasy figures I've ever seen which do.) But neither that place nor Forged in Battle appeared to sell seperate pikes.

I used piano wire from 4D Modelshop

Donnington Miniatures and Xyston sell ready made pikes.

@Swampster

Looking at Donnington Miniatures, they appear to sell Xyston miniatures (and pikes) in addition to their own.

Is there any particular recommendation as to which? Is there even any difference?

At first impression, I'm inclined to the Donnington set, simply because £8.00 GBP for 40 is the same price as £10.00 GBP for 50 Xyston, but without as much wastage for me (as I'll only want 32).

IMO it very much depends what they are made from – if they are just cast then you end up with the same bendy problems as if they weren't separate (although you get the head / spike / fittings details) and if not they're often just strips of overpriced wire.

I prefer a non-flex wire (0.06mm piano wire was £2.70 GBP for a 914mm length from 4D) or a non-breaking flex such as plastic bristles (although I can't find that in a gauge suitable for 15mm).

Admittedly you need decent cutters for piano wire …

From Donnington, they're both wire (with leaf-shaped heads).

I looked at the wire (even from the aforementioned source) but wasn't sure a) what diameter, b) whether we had any suitable cutters and c) between either postage (given it'd have to be long packages or something) or It Is Lock-Down meaning I can't go out shopping and look for any, I figured that sod it, for the few I want (which is only basically 32 pike's worth, plus maybe some of the spare for half-a-dozen camelry* cataphracts) I might as well spend the pennies.

(It'd have been a fiver before postage from 4D, as opposed to £8.00 GBP and the postage being mitigated by coming with Some Figures from Donnington, so there's only three quid in it, really, and it means I don't have to faff about cutting them down and they'll be slightly posher.)

If I was doing, like, a whole pike army where I needed three or four times the number (or I hadn't got an conveniant alternative option), it would have been different, of course!

*Because frack it, I also don't have any of that left and it'd make it more worthwhile in terms of postage, plus means that actual humans can be represented in the army as well…

Fair enough – I was doing a lot, 576 pikes (12 units of 48) so it was economical – the wire was £16.00 GBP or so, admittedly the cutters were £22.00 GBP so postage somewhat irrelevant (but I still have the cutters and a tool is a tool).

If they are decent wire then you get the heads and a non-flex option for the right price, then Donnington seem to be the right option

Wow, that's a LOT of pikes! (That's… more than you could literally HAVE in a DBM army at four per element!) Yeah, at that point, I'd have gone that way too!

Right, will go for the Donnington ones, then, I think. Thanks!

Impetus not DBM – 16 figs per base, pikes are 3 deep …

Pantodapoi
theminiaturespage.com‌

‌"TMP link

Agema
theminiaturespage.com‌

‌"TMP link

Ordinary

Yeah, it took awhile to finish but is done – as are all the accompanying cavalry and light stuff.

Now I have a similar number of hoplites but am taking a breather with some scythed chariots :).jpg‌

My reply seems to have disappeared!

The Donnington and Xyston leaf shaped head spears/pikes are pretty much identical. Donnington also do a simple pin head for lances – pikes also often had a simpler head so this could be better. These are also a bit shorter which may be better or not.

If you need to drill, a 0.8mm bit gives the right sized hole.

@Swampster

Got the pikes (not got the pike-orcs yet)and my camelry just this morning, and it looks like I'm going to have to drill the camelry at least and was just coming to ask what size drill bit I will be needing (I had not anticipated that problem, but unfortunately, not one out of the eleven dudes has a clear hole*), so thanks for that!

Now just got to see if we've actually GOT one…

*I am going to regret my decisions if I have to drill out the orc pikes too…! (I shuddder to think how long it must have taken Zippee to do 500 pikemen…!

Edit: And if we have it's disappeared.

And further more apparently, in the entire history of human engineering, it has apparently never occurred to ANYONE in the ENTIRE WORLD, "hey, here's an idea, why don't we make mini drill bits that actually have hex shanks so they can be fitted easily, to, ohh, I dunno, and electric screwdriver? I mean, like, we have mini-drill bits for other powered stuff like circuit-board drills and stuff…" I cannot BELIEVE it is actually impossible to get, but it is.

I shudder at remembering the pain of drilling out those pikes :)

Actually it was 50/50 on whether they needed much more than a 'clean up' penetration. Mostly they have one closed fist and one open 'cup' so it was less drilling than it might have been – one of the 'upright' poses needed both hands drilling, and one of the 'advanced' didn't line up easily.

Agreed hex shanks would be nice but it was the drill breakage that was the real issue, the slightest twist and snap – getting some of the stuck bits out was a nightmare. I quickly invested in a decent nylon jaw flexi-vice, that helps a lot!

Late to this but..,

The Little Corporal distribute Splintered Light in the UK.

If you haven't already, a double ended pin vice is great for hand drilling;)

Zippee – best drill bits I have found so far have come from Hobbycraft. I have used them in pin vices and the small electric drill that Hobbycraft sell. I think I have possibly broken a couple of them in 10 years or so.
Some from another company lasted less than an hour's use.

The best pin vice I have is from GW. It is actually just a touch loose for a 0.8mm bit but I wrapped a small bit of tape around the bit and it holds very nicely. The pin vice is very comfortable to use.