Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[Bill Chriss]

Fellows,

I'm looking for a way to stiffen lead alloy knight lances (please, no
one mention viagra). Someone once told me that he dipped them in liquid
porcelain before priming. Has any one else tried this, or have a better
suggestion? For regular spears I just replace them with brass wire, but
it seems a shame to throw away the sculpted tapering lances that late
medieval knights come with from most manufacturers. Replacing them with
straight wire spears, I fear, will not look right, but I'm sick of
these damn alloy spears that bend with the wind. ANy suggestions?

And before anyone thinks I've gone heretic, this is for a couple of
ally units for my late Byzantines, not a heterodox Western army.
Thanks.


Greek

[Larry Essick]

> Fellows,
>
> I'm looking for a way to stiffen lead alloy knight lances
(please, no
> one mention viagra). Someone once told me that he dipped them in
liquid
> porcelain before priming. Has any one else tried this, or have a
better
> suggestion? For regular spears I just replace them with brass wire,
but
> it seems a shame to throw away the sculpted tapering lances that
late
> medieval knights come with from most manufacturers. Replacing them
with
> straight wire spears, I fear, will not look right, but I'm sick of
> these damn alloy spears that bend with the wind. ANy suggestions?
>
> And before anyone thinks I've gone heretic, this is for a couple
of
> ally units for my late Byzantines, not a heterodox Western army.
> Thanks.

Greg Croyle uses two part strip epoxy rolled around a wire and tapered
down to the tip. I've not tried it myself, but I know that he does
really good work and all of his medieval lances are made this way.

He leaves a bit of wire exposed where the hand will go and has a bit
at the end for the butt of the lance.

Larry

[John Murphy]

"I'm looking for a way to stiffen lead alloy knight lances"

Probably doesn't halp you but just fyi the 25mm Front Rank HYW
knights I bought have very think late-period heavy lances cast onto
the figure. I think not even I can find a way to bend them around,
they even tore the storage bags up without bending a bit.

Having just gone through the exercise of glueing spears back onto my
guys (not Front Rank minis) for Cold Wars I know the frustration of
having them fall off or bend around all the time requiring the
additional time investment to re-work. 25's actually seem to be built
worse this way.

All in all, while I am on the subject, the figures from the Front
Rank HYW line are absolutely excellent, albeit not
especially "animated" or anything. But they are extremely clean and
well-cast in poses that are practical for wargamers. The detail is
maybe not as good as Foundry or something but is also not over-
characitured like you see on some figs. And mind you it is still
pretty good.

Can't wait till I get them painted.