The Pocket Challenge: Building with Limited Resources

[MonAtArms]

Hello everyone,

With the 2026 painting competition in mind, I wanted to share with you my first project. The idea is to build two bases as a small diorama: one infantry figure and one mounted figure.

To be honest, this has caught me a bit off guard, as most of my workshop is currently on the other side of the world. Luckily, I brought my basic tool kit with me, and I also had a wonderful leftover Pendraken bag that turned out to be perfect for this.



The main goal is to convert and transform these models, and to share the modelling process here step by step — not the painting, that`s going to be horrible — in case it's of interest to anyone.

My aim is to enter as many competition categories as possible. At the moment, I have Rampant-sized bases (50 mm), plus a variety of Warhammer Fantasy Battle bases (both old and new) + 40k, made from second-hand bits and pieces I've picked up locally.

In terms of figures, I'm starting with:

• 13 cavalry
• 24 archers
• 2 unarmoured horses
• 12 barded horses
• 15 shields

I'll be posting regular updates as the work progresses until end Febraury. Suggestions and ideas are more than welcome. Early-stage feedback is especially welcome; once I move into final assembly, changes will be limited.

Thank you for reading!

[Steve J]

Sadly the content is not viewable on our region (the UK) .

[fred.]

Yep, Imgur hosted images have not been viewable in the UK since last summer 

[MonAtArms]

Sadly the content is not viewable on our region (the UK) .

Yep, Imgur hosted images have not been viewable in the UK since last summer

Thanks to both of you. Any recomendation?

[fred.]

I switched to Post Images seems to do the job  https://postimg.cc/

[MonAtArms]

I switched to Post Images seems to do the job  https://postimg.cc/

Thank you so much! Updated!

[fsn]

I don't want to be that chap, and I may have understood your intention, but the Pendraken competition is usually only for Pendraken figures.

[MonAtArms]

I don't want to be that chap, and I may have understood your intention, but the Pendraken competition is usually only for Pendraken figures.

I understand that even though I acquired them from Pendraken, these are miniatures they acquired from another company and are now unavailable? If necessary, I'll ask Leon, but even so, he won't stop my experiments.
Thank you so much for the heads-up. Otherwise, I could have been in for a much worse disappointment

[fsn]

best to check.

[fsn]

Ah! Are they TB Line? I can't speak for Leon, but I suspect they will be OK. 

[fred.]

Yes those are TB line - which are now Pendraken ranges (even if not all in production right now)

[MonAtArms]

Yes those are TB line - which are now Pendraken ranges (even if not all in production right now)

Ah! Are they TB Line? I can't speak for Leon, but I suspect they will be OK. 

Leon confirmed, no problem with TB line. Thanks again for the interest.

Meanwhile, I have the first full-size sketches to get things warmed up.

[MonAtArms]

First examples of the work in progress. Three archers and two mounted knights converted into dismounted knights.

If there is interest, I can share more images of the process.

I made a new sword by cutting and reshaping plastic, and did the same with the shield, as I needed it to be larger. All the areas that will later be covered with putty have been roughened, and I have also built the basic armatures for the new arms using wire.



All suggestions and feedback are very welcome. Many thanks in advance!

If there are no major updates this week, I will upload photos of the four-base composition to get things started.

[fred.]

This is very cool - yes please continue to share WIP photos. 

[General von Schnepf]

Yeah, wow. I would love to see more!

[Steve J]

Cracking work and please keep sending these WIP shots !

[Techno 3]

Looking really good !

Interesting idea "roughing" the metal before putting the putty on.

I tend to clean the metal with washing up liquid (and a very old 'drybrushing' paintbrush.) before slapping the greenstuff on.

[paulr]

     

Looking forward to seeing more of your progress

[MonAtArms]

Looking really good !

Interesting idea "roughing" the metal before putting the putty on.

I tend to clean the metal with washing up liquid (and a very old 'drybrushing' paintbrush.) before slapping the greenstuff on.

Glad you like it, comrades! 😊 Luckily I took a few more photos along the way.

The image on the left shows a comparison of the same miniature, but with the belly opened almost up to the chest so I could properly adjust the legs. The next photo shows the limbs assembled separately to fine-tune the pose, and the third one is the filing stage before applying the putty, to avoid it ending up too thick.

At these scales this step is absolutely critical—otherwise the modelling putty quickly becomes oversized.

And you're completely right: washing-up liquid is essential, and an ultrasonic cleaner probably doesn't hurt either!

[fred.]

Very impressive- I hadn't spotted it was the cavalry figure you had used to make the foot knights!