Privateer Press now has a parts service. I've always liked the IK figures they manufacture, so I decided to modify my Menoth Temple Flameguard Unit using the IK Paladin of Menoth. At the time of writing this article, I had already converted the ten standard unit figures, and I forgot to order two extra Paladin shields. O well, I'll try and make it work anyway.

Here are the supplies you will need to do this conversion.

1.  Menoth Temple Flameguard unit
2.  Iron Kingdoms Paladin of Menoth shield
3.  3/64 brass rod
4.  #57 drill bit
5.  Flush end cutting pliers
6.  Pin vise
7.  ProCreate sculpting putty (or Kneadatite)
8.  Files
9.  Super Glue

For detailed descriptions on how to use the supplies, please refer to my Supplies Index reference guide.

1. Extending the spears (to really reinforce the reach aspect)
2. Sculpting streamers down the spears
3. Attaching the new shield instead of the regular one

File the parts down of any excess flash metal and file down to smooth out any visible mould lines. Once the parts are ready, you will want to guage how long you will want your elongated spears. I chose to simply cut the brass rod the same size as the current rod. This way I will gain roughly three quarters of an inch. Not too much, but it does make a visible difference. As a bonus, the brass rods won't bend during transport.

Take your flush end cutting pliers and cut away the three pieces of the standard spear you will re-use.

File down flat the cut area so your pin vise time will be easier to get started.

What you have left should look like the picture below. 

Take your Dremel Stylus or Pin Vise and #56-59 size drill bit and drill about 2-4mm holes on each of the two ends. Take your time to line everything up all the way around. The good thing about using a bit that's a bit larger than the hold is that you can fix your mis-alignment if it occurs. Now drill a hold entirely through the hand piece of the model.  Notice the pics below as a checkpoint.

Now take the rod and attach the bottom end of the original spear with super glue. Take notice to which way the spear is pointing and make sure you are going to insert the spear the right way (up through the bottom of the hand piece. Take a dab of glue and put it on the spear and slide the hand to that spot. Now attach the pointy end of the spear with super glue as well. I pinned my spear to the model too, but that's up to you. Yours should resemble the picture below.

Mix together two balls of ProCreate approximately in equal parts. You will not need any more than what is pictured below. I actually had some leftover so you could get away with less.

Roll this ball out into a strand of worm-looking goo. Roll it out less than what you think the overall flag tapestry would need to be because you are going to stretch and flatten it even more afterwards.

Flattend and smooth out the worm looking string into a flattened tapestry. Pay attendion to the width and depth of the flattened piece keeping everything consistent. Don't worry about the ends being round too much. You will snip those off later.

Now, with your model attached to some kind of base, start on the top end and carefully start wrapping the tapestry around the spear. You can do as little as one or two wraps to look good. I did a mixture wraps around mine so they would look unique.

If you had excess, just snip the end off with a pair of flush end pliers.

Simply super glue the Paladin shield on the piece as it luckily fits pretty good. Below is a pic of some of my unit members.