I was thinking of starting a campaign of battle reports- Isengard vs Rohan.
to broaden my army i was thinking of converting some uruk warriors to have bows or crossbows. i have not done any converions before and was wondering if anyone had tips on how to remove the shield safely from an Uruk-hai. i'm worried about wrecking the arm. also, how does one go about making a crossbow? (i'm too scangy to buy the blisters)

_________________

There are some conversion kits available with the Battle Games in Middle Earth magazine. It wont be cheap, but you might be able to get the parts on ebay?

The basic form of a crossbows isn't hard to get (rectangular long part, curved flat part), and you could also get some seperate ones from historicals if you're not too fussed about the exact style, like these: http://grippingbeast.com/product.php?ItemID=2149

As for the actual conversion, are you set on converting the ones with shields? Because those with pikes (horizontally) have a very good pose to hold a crossbow, and removing their weapon is much less difficult as well.

On this page of my WiP I made some crossbows just by using some uruks with broken pikes and some goblin bows.

Might be hard if you don't collect goblins though....

_________________
'Though my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior'
-John Newton

i see what you mean about the goblin bows. i might try that, but the problem would be finding that many horizantal-pike uruk-hai. if i were to take 8 or 12 of them i'd have a hundred other uruks sitting around. i wanted both bows AND crossbows, and i still have the trouble with the shields. i could try ebay i suppose.
Coenus Scaldingus, for any significant unit of crossbowmen i'd buy them cheaper from GW than that link!
i think for bows, the shielded ones have better poses, and if i take the horizantal pikes for crossbows, that leaves me with the (IMO) far less appealing upright pikes. i already have enough banners, does anyone have any ideas for them?

_________________

How can u do GW for cheaper? You get 20 crossbows in that pack.
For the upright pike-men I think it would take green-stuff and some sculpting to make them look decent.

_________________
Commission Painting @FB http://www.facebook.com/squyrepainting
Commission Customers include:
GBHL Youtube Channel
MiniWargaming

Personally I would try to get lucky with ebay and would consider moulding loose crossbows, and the crossbow and ammunition from the BGMI conversion sprue. The conversion sprue will attach to plastic Uruk hai pikemen in the leaning forward position. Naturally you will probably only wish to use the Uruk Hai captains head which comes with the sprue once (as seen below).

Here's the basic components.

sorry Coenus Scaldingus, thought they were 2.50 per crossbow!
looking more attractive now!

_________________

I've made some using Warhammer crossbows from an old Mordheim sprue (not quite exact scale, but close enough) and putting them in the loose hand of the Uruk Siege Troops (the guys who are meant to be carrying the bomb).

_________________
See my WIP thread here. viewtopic.php?f=50&t=25624