This article is meant to give an overview of how I converted C&C:A to plastic minis. If you're looking to do something similar, perhaps you'll find something useful here. Or decide that the blocks are just fine, thank you.
Let me start with a disclaimer: I don't claim that this is the only way, the most efficient way, the most visually appealing way, (as it is surely not when compared to Dan Becker's stunning 6mm version), the least expensive way or the best way. It is simply the way I did mine.
This project was not cheap. I spent around $150 in minis and $30 or so dollars in paint, Plast-Dip, nails, insulation board, blades, etc. If you’re looking for exact dollars, I don’t have ‘em.
Originally, I planned to fully paint my armies. But a realistic look at my time constraints and a quick glance at the literally 1000s of metal and plastic figures stashed in boxes suggested otherwise.
Choosing the Miniatures
Currently HäT makes the most extensive line of Ancients including elephants and war machines that will fit the standard C&C: Ancients board. At first, coming from a diorama approach to miniatures, I was turned off by the limited poses and simplistic details, but I quickly came to appreciate HäT for what they are — miniatures made for wargaming. With as many types of units in the game and as fast-paced as C&C:A is, I wanted relative uniformity in units so that they were quickly recognized on the battlefield. And I wanted a semblance of historical accuracy. HäT fit my requirements.
Note: If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to spend some time at www.PlasticSoldierReview.com. It is the most comprehensive source of 1/72 scale plastic miniatures on the planet. Not only do they have pictures of all the figures, they give you a piece count by figure and some credible reviews and historic background that each set covers.
Here’s a list of troops and the figures I used to represent them:
CARTHAGINIANS
Light Infantry X16
Warrior Infantry X12
HäT 8058 Carthaginian Allies
Light Bow X4
HäT 7011 Ancient Britons (Airfix reissue)
Light Sling X12
Auxilia X20
Medium Infantry X12
HäT 8019 Hannibal's Carthaginians - Spanish Infantry
Heavy Infantry X16
HäT 8020 Hannibal's Carthaginians - African Infantry
Light Cavalry X24
HäT 8024 Numidian Cavalry
Medium Cavalry X9
HäT 8055 Spanish Cavalry
Heavy Cavalry X12
Leaders X3
HäT 8056 Carthaginian Command and Cavalry
Heavy Chariot X4
Nexus ATL02 The Egyptian Cavalry
Elephants X6
HäT 8023 War Elephants
ROMANS
Light Infantry X24
Auxilia X24
HäT 8018 Republican Romans Hastati & Velites
HäT 8035 Roman Catapults
Light Bow X8
Light Sling X4
Warrior Infantry X8
HäT 8074 Imperial Roman Auxiliaries
Medium Infantry X32
Heavy Infantry X16
HäT 8017 Republican Romans Princeps & Triari
War Machines X4
HäT 8035 Roman Catapults
(not yet built)
Light Cavalry X9
HäT 8054 Italian Ally Cavalry
Medium Cavalry X18
HäT 8021 Roman Cavalry
Heavy Cavalry X3
Leaders X3
HäT 8051 Roman Command
Heavy Chariot X2
Nexus ATL02 The Egyptian Cavalry
(not yet built)
Elephants X4
HäT 8023 War Elephants
(not yet built)
From that I pulled together a shopping list. Keep in mind you can get away with less, if you use multiple poses for some units.
1X HäT 8058 Carthaginian Light Infantry, Warriors
2X HäT 8019 Carthaginian Light Slingers, Auxilia, Medium Infantry
1X HäT 8020 Carthaginian Heavy Infantry
1X HäT 7011 Carthaginian Light Bow
2X HäT 8024 Carthaginian Light Cavalry
1X HäT 8055 Carthaginian Medium Cavalry
1X HäT 8056 Carthaginian Heavy cavalry, Leaders
2X HäT 8023 Carthaginian & Roman Elephants
1X Nexus ATL02 Carthaginian & Roman Chariots
2X HäT 8018 Roman Light Infantry, Auxilia
2X HäT 8017 Roman Medium Infantry, Heavy Infantry
1X HäT 8074 Roman Light Bow, Light Sling, Warriors
1X HäT 8054 Roman Light Cavalry
2X HäT 8021 Roman Medium Cavalry
1X HäT 8051 Roman Leaders, Heavy Cavalry
1X HäT 8035 Roman Light Infantry, Auxilia, War Machines
I did not build any Roman Elephants, Roman Chariots or Roman War Machines as they weren’t used in any of the base scenarios. But I did pick up an extra box of HäT Elephants and Nexus/Atlantic Egyptian Cavalry to have on hand for the expansions.
Prepping the Figures
Sprues were washed thoroughly in warm (not hot) water with dishwashing soap using a soft toothbrush. I found that washing off the mold release helps the glue and paint stick better. After a proper rinse and letting them dry, I clipped each figure from the sprues using a good pair of hobby sprue side cutters or an xacto knife, and trimmed off excess flash with a #11 xacto blade. Now this is perhaps the most tedious and time consuming part of the prep work. It takes a bit of practice to cleanly clear the figs of excess plastic and you cannot scrape it off (unlike metal figures). Blades dull fast and I buy them in packs of 100. I spent a lot of time cleaning the elephants and reshaping where their legs meet the body. How much or how little is done is a matter of personal acceptance.
Gluing
In the case of Elephants, Cavalry and Chariots, they needed to be glued. I was unsuccessful using standard model glue or even super glue. What worked for me was Loctite Super Glue with Activator. It’s a two-step process where you use a marker type applicator to apply the activator to both surfaces that are to be glued, wait a few seconds until it dries, then apply the super glue and hold together. Worked like a charm.
Pinning
I chose to pin all riders to their horses before gluing. I was determined not to have to go back and re-glue sealed, painted figures and this seemed like the best way to insure this. Picked up a tiny box of 1000 pins from the local craft store for a couple of dollars. Gripping a pin tightly in a pair of needle nose pliers, I pushed the pin into the center of the saddle or back of each horse about a 1/4”. Using wire cutters I trimmed the exposed pin to 1/4”. I then applied the Super Glue Activator to the horse/pin and to the underneath of the rider, added Super Glue and then carefully impaled the rider on to the pin. I used this same technique on the elephant driver. There are a lot of cavalry and this was the second most time-consuming task. And I nearly stabbed myself once or twice while pushing the rider onto the pin. (Starting a hole in the rider by pushing a pin in before impaling tends to lessen this from occurring.) To date, none of the riders have come loose or even wiggle in their saddle.
Chariots
I chose the Nexus/Atlantic Egyptian Chariots not for their accuracy (they’re not) but for their size. As they are only two-horse units, they just fit 2-up in a hex (with a little overhang.) Built chariots were glued to 2" x 1" (50mm x 25mm) pieces of .060" (1.5mm) Evergreen sheet styrene. Note that I cheated the horses closer to the cart — easy to do, as the pole slides through the yoke — to get them to fit on that size base. Trimmed off the plumes from the horses’ heads.
For the rider I used an unused figure from HäT's 8056 Carthaginian Command & Cavalry. Cut him from his base and eliminated the shield boss (though it probably could have been left on and a shield used.) The figure's right arm was replaced with one from a figure in HäT's 8020 Hannibal's Carthaginians - African Infantry.
Ready for Paint
Each figure was then mounted onto its own 3D 3" finishing nail by putting a dab of hot-glue on the nail head and then pressing it on the base of the figure. This allowed me to easily paint the base on each piece without touching the figure. I then stuck each mounted figure into a 1-1/2" thick chunk of pink insulation. I used Owens Corning Foamular from my local home improvement center. In addition to making it easy to mass paint the figs, it also allowed me to reposition and angle the miniatures between coatings to ensure solid coverage.
Painting the Armies
I didn't primer, but used two coats of Krylon Fusion spray paint. Satin Espresso for the Carthaginians and Satin Pewter Grey for the Romans. This stuff is made specifically for plastic, but others swear by Rustoleum Plastic Primer. If I was going to detail paint the figs, it's what I would use for a base. Sprayed everyrthing while they were still attached to the nails and stuck in the Foamular.
After the second coat of Krylon, the base unit color was applied using acrylic paints with a brush. Used some Games Workshop paints I had lying around — Goblin Green, Hawk Turquoise and Blood Red. I opted to use a lighter shade of green for the Auxilia (FolkArt 956 Fresh Foliage) and added white paint to Turquoise for a lighter shade of blue for the Warriors rather than paint a white line around the base. Used Reaper 08105 Brass for the leader bases.
Protecting the Armies
Finally, I applied two coats of clear Plasti-Dip spray. This stuff is key. It's a soft rubbery coating that encases the figure. Its the same stuff they dip tool handles in, only in aerosol format. I had a hard time finding it in clear and had to go the mail order route. We've played well over 50 games with these figs and my youngest likes to play with the casualties while we play. I haven't seen any signs of chipping.
After letting the stuff cure overnight (can says minimum of 4 hours), I just popped the figures off their nail heads and was good to go. (If one was really anal, one could touch up the bottom of the base where the nail was attached with either brown or gray. Not me, I gotta draw the line somewhere.) Grabbed a couple of Plano boxes for storage.
Summation
So was it worth it? Personally, I’d rather play with the blocks — easier to move and less fuss with entangled and falling units (the Auxilia can be a PITA.) And a helluva lot less expensive. But the minis did get my kids wanting to play, as well as a few friends and neighbors who couldn't resist the eye candy. I’ve already got the Perisan and Greek armies planned, and am just waiting to see how HäT’s recently released Macedonian and Indian elephants fit on the board. Besides, can't think of a better way to play with toy soldiers and get away with it.
Edited for grammar. Edited for picture size. Edited for spelling. (Sorry Dan.) Edited picture commands for inline viewing. Cleaned up the links.
Last edited on 2008-01-26 11:50:52 CST (Total Number of Edits: 6)
Posted Mon May 7,2007 09:37 pm
