French Line Artillery (converted Plastic).

Having waited patiently for the French Artillery to be launched by one of the companies in the plastics game , I have eventually given up and taken a stab at converting some. The obvious starting point was the Victrix British Artillery box set, which will provide the Barrels, Wheels and Arms for the gunners. The Bodies will come from the Victrix's French Grenadier box set wearing Greatcoats. The headgear will come from left over french Infantry from either Victrix or Perry's french sets. The Guns are a bit more of a challenge, I picked up some plasti-card from my local brick and Mortar Store (Wonderland in Edinburgh - can't recommend them highly enough)and using a Perry Bros Metal French gun as a template I created the gun bodies, although not at my first attempt and it took a few go's to get some thing i was happy with. Then the tricky bit, gluing them together in a 'Gun like' shape, being low on patients i tried to get it done in one night and had to abandon the effort in a 'Rage Quit'. Trying again it was easier doing smaller bits. then the wheels were added. I used the axles from the BR Art set, which are built to match the wheels. I was reasonably happy with the guns and ran a little green stuff along the edge of the plasti-card and across the gun as on the metal template. The Gunners were next, I had a set of the Perry Miniature extra crew hauling Guns, that i had picked up at Claymore a few years ago and never found a use for, Some of these chaps would be pressed into service. The Remaining gunners would come from 2 Voltigeurs from the Perry French plastic set and the rest would be great coated Victrix. I wanted the crews to look a little more rag-tag than my existing Artillery. Looking back this was maybe a little more ambitious than i had realised at the outset and it took a lot longer than i had anticipated. But it can be done and it's another one added to the list of 'possible' plastics with whats currently on the market.