Bolt Action butchery

John Stallard enjoys a hack and slash session this week as he converts Bolt Action models for his British army…

John: This week I’ve donned my butcher’s apron and armed with clippers and a dangerous glint in my eye been converting like a madman…

Last week I showed off my latest Tommies so first thing to add this week are officers to keep them in line. So, I dug out the Commando characters pack that contains Brigadier Peter Young, Lord Lovat and Piper Millin. With some brutal beheading and arm removal coupled with a cheerfully remodelled beret to a larger tam o ‘shanter with ProCreate modelling putty I was able to make officers carrying rifles to blend in with the troops (don’t want to present obvious targets for those bedamned German snipers!).

I was also able to assemble two pipers – one kneeling in trousers and one in kilt to encourage my brave Scottish boys and frighten the Germans a bit too.

Raiding the metal bins at Warlord HQ I grabbed the Commando Vickers K LMG teams and by swapping the head for one wearing a Tam O’shanter plus removing the disc magazine one from a Bren gun I’d added more Bren Gun teams to my force.

Finally, our production manager Andy dug up the Christmas Truce models made by Paul Hicks a few years ago. One was a great caricature of a dim Tommy puzzling over what to do with a grenade, so he was easy – new hat and he was done! Finally, an officer type with a peaked cap and large bottle of ‘liberated’ plonk. I clipped his base off and now he is the Officer of my M8 Greyhound armoured car, clearly having received this refreshment from a well meaning French farmer (who says there are no benefits to be in the vanguard of an armoured brigade?).

Lastly for this week I added a few captured Hun to my army. Replacing the heads on our two surrendering German models I now have a mix of Heer and Luftwaffe POWs, transforming otherwise similar models to get that individuality I seek in my army. I’ve even tattered the sleeve of one unlucky wounded Jerry – for him the war is over…