"Adding Flags (or Pikes) to Miniatures" Topic

Does anyone do this? What is the best way to add a flag to an already based miniature? I am thinking a long pin, with the flag at one end, stuck in cardboard or wood at the other near some figure. What about pikes?

Thanks for any/all responses!

Funny timing! I recently (Friday) added some flags I had made around 20 years ago. I wanted to decorate fantasy mercenary units with flags I designed for them. I also wanted to be able to change the flags, as needed, for each unit.

First, a couple of images of the finished products: XXVIII Crossbowmen, XXXII Halberdiers, LXIII Halberdiers, a view of the mechanism for holding the flags.

I hit upon the idea of using a thin section of small diameter straw, glued to the base, behind the figure, as a receptacle for the flag shaft. But first, I will share how I made the flags.

I used MS Publisher 98 to create the artwork, but any graphic editor should work to create the your designs. Publisher allowed me to super-impose the Roman Numerals (letters) where I wanted them, as well. I printed them off on regular paper, in a color laser printer. I cut them out (front and back were mirrored on the colored rectangles, with small, black rectangles to appear as openings in the fabric around the pole), then I wrapped, and PVA Glue'd them around green floral wire.

The small, plastic tubule is E6000 Glue'd on the base of each figure within the Unit, so as to keep track of which figures belong to which Unit. The fact that I had tubules which basically matched the flag colors, was a happy circumstance/accident! I decided that the unit designations would be permanent, so matching tubules were chosen to aid in conformity, and to avoid mixing figures between units during play.

Here is a photo showing the parts and tools used to make the flag holding tubes, which were glued to the figure bases with E6000 Glue. I just used a black Sharpie Pen to color the red straw piece. Black acrylic paint would work, as well. I measured out 1" of straw, cut it, then I colored it. After the ink dried, I applied Glue to the end of the straw, and I applied it to the finished base, holding it in place until the Glue dried enough to hold it. I waited 24 hours before I inserted the flags.

Here is a photo of multiple flags in use, during a game I ran with them, Saturday. There are five flags deployed, and in use in the battle: blue, white, yellow, pink, turquoise, and orange. Each flag denotes a separate mercenary unit. They worked really well, to mark out the different units, and they were a lot of visual fun to game with.

Note that I need to go over the white flag edges with the Sharpie black marker: it will make the edges virtually disappear, as they are thin enough for the optical illusion to work. Cheers!

Six flags used in the last photo, not five. Sorry, it's Monday, and I cannot count… Cheers!

I'm not sure how much experience to have so I'll just give you my basics..First off, I use piano wire found at most hobby shops. I prefer steel over brass. I've used both ready made spear point and have also just pounded out the points. I will then cut off the weapon in the hand of the figure. I file down the top side of the hand and use an exaco knife to dig out a small guide hole for the drill. I use a pin vice (small tool holding a drill bit) to drill out a hole for the spear/flag pole to go in.

I've done this to change out a figure advancing with a rifle in both hands into a standard bearer. Once you drill thru the upper hand no special treatment is needed for the lower hand. The first cut will act as a guide.

For flags, I just go online and find the flag I'm looking for and copy it to an app like paint. Size it and print. Using white glue, I place it on the pole. Before it drys I crumble it up a bit. I usually use a pen to ink in any white paper showing on the flag edges.

Hope this helps.

The Warflag site is a good resource for more info and FREE flags.

warflag.com

I use the larger paper clips, straightened out and clipped to size, then a flag from the warflag site COL Durnford listed. I heat the bottom of the flag pole and press it through my PVC bases with a bit of glue there and at the hand.

Solid and functional.

RE: Solid and functional.

Yep. That seems like the easiest solution. I thought about buying wire, but it seems that paper clips are perfect and inexpensive.

And of course, since I design my own flags, I've already got that covered, too!

Thanks all for the input!

Please reconsider buying wire. It's not that costly and you can get smaller diameter as well as you can cut to desired length. Also, even though you printing your own flags, I suggest you browse the instructions on Warflags site for some ideas on mounting your flags.

I've made flags and oversize pennants, for 28mm fantasy, much the same way as Col Durnford.

Sgt. Slag using a thin tube to enable switching the flag is brilliant.

To both, don't use permanent marker to darken the white edges. If you get superglue on that, the marker runs. So thinned paint is better.

CeruLucifus, while I rarely use Super Glue on mini's (sheer strength is pitiful), I appreciate the warning, but I especially appreciate the alternate technique for using paint (pretty much bullet proof, once it dries)! I have a set of different colored Acrylic Paint Pens, which might just be the perfect device for this task. Thank you. Cheers!