Making Hittites out of Hattites

Dated: March 2, 2000.

Thanks to Hat, Nexus and Italieri, we are living in a 'golden age' for the Ancient/Medieval wargamer, so my big project for the new millenium is 'the Ancient World'. Having seen figure manufacturers come and go over the years, my advice is 'buy them while you can'. Any you don't use can be put away in storage - and even if you don't find a use for them in years to come they will eventually become collectable, so you can't lose.

Anyway, back to the Hittites, an army I wanted as opponents for my Nexus Egyptians. Academic arguments continue about what the Hittites actually looked like, but I wanted to base mine on the Kadesh reliefs - because that was good enough for Rameses! Now, the figures shown on the reliefs have long robes, a figure of eight shield, and are bare-headed with a distinctive hairstyle. This was quite a challenge even for an experienced figure converter like me (I have been at it over 30 years, and never really got into the habit and expense of metal figures).

For the basic figure I used the Hat Iberians (Carthaginians). Trim away the verical crest from the distinctive headgear and simply paint what's left as the equally distinctive Hittite hairstyle - high on the forehead and long at the back. Easy!

The long robe can be added to the figure using modelling clay - put a ball of clay between the figure's legs, shape roughly with your fingers and trim away any excess with a modelling knife. Smooth off any rough edges using a wet knife. Harden it using a couple of coats of clear nail varnish (NB always buy your own - never attempt to use your wife or girlfriend's if you value domestic peace!)

The shield is impossible to cut out using scissors or a knife (I know, I've tried). So, if you can't make it, bake it ! This solution was inspired by biscuit/cookie making techniques.

The raw material is 'bake in the oven' modelling clay. Over here in Europe the brand leader is 'Fimo', made in Germany and available at all craft/hobby shops. You need to find a thin metal or plastic tube of a suitable diameter for cutting the shape of the shield (marker pens, which have a thin metal barrel, are ideal). Cut the end off using a hobby saw. Then, using a pair of pliers or a small vice, carefully distort the round shape of the open end into an oval (if you are using a plastic tube heat it in boiling water first, then fix the new shape by cooling it under a running cold tap/faucet). This gives you your cookie cutter. Roll out a thin sheet of Fimo on a glass baking dish or similar. Then cut out the oval shapes (enough for a regiment) by pressing the open end of the oval tube into the Fimo (like cutting out cookies). Carefully peel away the surplus for re-cycling. Then, using a smaller diameter tube, make semi-circular cut-outs on each of the long sides of the oval. Bake in the oven and the material becomes hard - any rough edges can be cut or filed. A coat of nail varnish gives extra strength. Glue the shields to your figues using an impact adhesive, followed up, once that has dried, with a good coating of PVA/Wood glue on the join (it dries transparent and really solid).

Brush straws make excellent spears, since the ends can be easily flattened and cut to give a spear-head shape. Drill holes in the figure's hand first and add the new weapon.

For Hittite chariot crews I used the Hat Carthaginians (in the conical helmet), with new robes, shields and weapons, as above. (The one waving a sword makes an excellent, whip wielding charioteer). Actually, there is no evidence for Hittites wearing this shape of helmet, but it was common in the ancient near east and it distinguishes the high status chariot-warriors from the lowly infantry so what the heck...

Incidentally, the best way I have found to attach new heads to a figure is to use a short length of staple (the desk-top sort). This can be forced into soft plastic very easily, using a pair of pliers. Make small guide-holes first using a pin. The staple, being flat, seems to stay in place more easily than a pin, and a good coat of paint and glue hides the join.

Chariots : There is no way you can get a three man crew in the Nexus chariot, so you have to make a new cab. It is pretty easy to make a simple box shaped cab using card or plastic sheet, and the rather chunky wheels supplied by Nexus can be glued on a cocktail stick axle. The whole chariot assembly can be made more durable for wargames purposes by joing the 2 horses at the shoulder with a short length of metal rod/cocktail stick (drill holes in the horses shoulders first) and gluing the shaft to this. Use the impact adhesive followed by PVA/wood glue trick (see above) to attach the horses hooves to the base.

The Hat Robin Hood set paint up easily to give general purpose Syrian Allied troops. They already have the correct beards and hair-style so all you need to do is paint on a head band and give them new spears and a rectangular (card) shield. The two archer figures (shooting and standing) are perfect for the chariot-warrior and driver, and if you have any spare archers from the Roman (Airfix) set these make excellent armoured chariot-archers

Finally, cork tiles make an ideal material for the bases for Ancient figures since they have a ready-made 'baked earth' appearance.

Sorry I can't send you pictures of these Hat-ites and their friends but I don't have access to a scanner. I hope the written instructions make sense.

Andy Callan
Manchester
England

Many thanks to Mr. Callan for sharing his conversion techniques with us!

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