Swiss Pike Block

 

 

  

Swiss Pike Block 

How to make a Renaissance Swiss Pike Block for Wargaming

  

25mm Old Glory Miniatures Late Medieval & Early Renaissance Italian Wars Swiss Pikemen available from oldglory25s.com.

 

 

 



1.  Swish miniatures around in a bowl of diluted dishwashing soap to remove release agent and let dry overnight.   Remove flash and other extra metal with an X-Acto knife and needle files.  Smooth rough areas with sanding boards.  Drill out hands with a Dremel.

 

 

 

2.  For pikes, cut .049" steel wire into 90mm lengths.  This wire can be found at hobby stores that cater to radio control airplane types (control wire).  Use a Dremel with cut-off wheel attachment to sharpen points as much as you dare on the business end and to round the butt.  For flag staffs, cut .049" steel wire into 60mm lengths and round boths ends. 

3.  Glue pikemen to 20mm square bases.  Insert wires through hands and fix with super glue.

4.  Use Testors Model Master Red Putty to remove excess putty and blend and fill in base tops.  Let putty dry - it dries fast - and sand putty on base edges with sanding board or sand paper to blend with base sides.  Testors Model Master Red Putty does not stink, does not shrink, and is slightly coarse.

5.  Prime figures.  Citadel White Primer was used in this case, but any quality figure primer will do.

6.  Wash figures with ink.  I used Reaper Pro Paint Wood Shade Ink here.  Drying time is about 30 minutes.

7.  Paint flesh on faces and hands.  I kept it simple, as you can see in the close-up at the top of the page.  I used Reaper Master Series Paint (MSP) Rosy Shadow washed with MSP Brown Ink and then MSP Rosy Skin to highlight.  I will not mention paint choices again as any combinations will work just fine.

 8.   Paint the hose and shoes.

9.  Paint shirts, hats, belts and metal bits (armor, helmets, buckles and sword hilts).

10.  Paint flag staffs (the parts that will be exposed).  Paint flags on copy paper.  I chose the flags of Uri and Zurich.  Fold the flags in half to match sides up, and trim any overlap/excess edges.  Apply white glue to inside of flags and fold the flags around poles.  Use a paint brush handle to shape before white glue dries.  Paint the edges of the flags (don't leave white edges).



11.  Paint pikes.

 

 

 

11.  Paint base edges and let dry.  Paint the tops of the bases one at a time and immediately apply Noch Spring Green Static Grass while paint is still wet.

12.  Seal with two coats of Floquil Figure Flat.

All done and ready for a fight!