ok so i want a hero for my uruk scouts themed army but the finecast captains are so expensive.
i am a new gamer and would like a few simple tips on how to make 1 plastic uruk scout stand out so i can use it as a captain, and possibly what tools i will need for this.
please help.

It can vary from anything as simple as a different stand-out paintjob to sculpting your own cloak for the uruk.

Personally I'm not sure how you would go about making an uruk scout stand out as a captain, but to make a banner bearer I would use the ends of spears in each hand as drumsticks, attach a minas tirith helmet, rohan helmet, elven helmet to the belt of the uruk to give the impression they are drums. Then count the drummer as a banner bearer.

Drums like this I would imagine to be lighter than normal drums or a banner, allowing them to move quicker and be more agile, which as scouts, I would imagine would be quite important.

It's not what you asked for, but I hope it comes in handy all the same.

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Jake

You could transplant a standard Uruk head/helmet, either plastic from a spare figure or the metal head from the conversion sprue. I'm positive there are one or two scouts in the film with that helmet.
You could also convert said scout into a 2 handed axeman(?) by using a spare weapon or scratching one with some brass rod and a carved plasticard blade.
Assuming you are using a plastic figure then plastic glue, a sharp scalpel, a rat tail file and probaly some modelling putty ie green or grey stuff, should cover the tools needed.

hth
Greg

ps speaking of converting Uruk scouts, has anyone noticed the guy with the pike? He appears in TTT, on one of those shots filmed from above and behind the uruk 'column' as they leg it across Rohan, Bottom left of the screen from memory. It should be a nice, easy conversion that I've been to lazy to do as yet

Never noticed that before. Would be a cool addition to a small scout force.

_________________
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Jake

The simplest thing to do would be to give one of the archers (the one with his arm at 45 degrees downwards) a small topknot of hair, then paint him as Lurtz, with the white hand on his face.

To make him stand out more, put him on a rock so he's higher than the other models. It's best to sculpt your own rock from GS, so you can put the figure into it securely, rather than trying to superglue him onto a pebble. I use Milliput, and when I made a rick outcrop like this I sculpted it in the shape I wanted it, then waited till it was nearly set and dragged a tool over it to roughen the surface. Then it picks up the drybrush highlights better. As he's plastic, you might be able to glue a load of bits of sprue together to make a rocky outcrop, and glue him to them. If you do that, fill the space under the base with black plasticine, as it'll provide a bit of weight to stop him toppling over.

Alternatively put a dead Uruk (or bits thereof) on the base, as if he's about to shoot into Boromir (just before Aragorn jumps him, it's on Youtube). Put a spare shield next to him, maybe.

Sculpting tools can be made from a cocktail stick or lolly stick, cut into the shape you think you need. If you get it wrong, throw it away and cut a new one.

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ok sounds great thanks, also thanks for the banner idea, sounds like another cool conversion.

Here's what I did for an Uruk-hai Scout Captain.
1st-I took the plastic running model (with his sword and shield out in front of him, if that makes sense) and cut his shield arm so there was a flat surface perpendicular to the little peg that is used to put it in place. Pictures would probably help more than words but my dad took the camera for the weekend.
If you'd like I can post those pics later of which models I used.
For the time being, here's an old photo of the Captain:



A good painting technique I found for the Scouts is give the whole model a basecoat of Scorched Brown and then drybrush Chainmail, Dark Flesh and Graveyard Earth respectively and then carefully paint the White Hands with Skull White.

Hope that helps in any way. Not trying to steal your thread; just trying to help.

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Current Project: Ringwraiths - Haradrim - Mumakil

wow cool, so nice to see pictures as well, thanks