Backyard Battalion Head Swap Conversions

Posted on by 26soldiersoftin

My first set of Backyard Battalion figures designed by Reis O’Brien were such interesting and distinctive characters to paint that when it came to painting my second set of Backyard Battalion figures, I wanted to avoid duplicating figures where I can.

So a couple of trial head swaps were possible with some of the more loosely attached heads.

Gently twisting these heads off seemed easier and less damaging than hacksawing!

I regrafted or attached head swaps using a finely drilled hole in both the old neck and new head, into which I glued a short wire pin (attached with super glue).

Any gaps or joins were filled by small amounts of tissue paper glued in place with UHU glue, this works well enough with such casual baggy kid clothes

As you can see, an arm swap for ‘binoculars Kid’ from ‘grenade Kid’, who also had the head-swap with SMG Kid.

Head swaps for part of the medic teams

Next job is painting these figures to fit into their blue or red gangs as needed.

I hope that you and Reis O’Brien likes what I have done to alter or redesign his Backyard Battalion figures.

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Previous Backyard Battalion posts by Mark Man Of TIN

https://tabletopscoutingwidegames.wordpress.com/2024/05/06/backyard-battalions-figure-poses-2-the-red-hand-or-red-shirt-gango/

https://tabletopscoutingwidegames.wordpress.com/2024/05/03/mancestors-backyard-battalions-nostalgia-nod-to-green-and-tan-army-man-poses/

https://tabletopscoutingwidegames.wordpress.com/2024/05/04/backyard-battalion-figures-painting-experiments/

https://tabletopscoutingwidegames.wordpress.com/2024/05/05/backyard-battalions-clothing-references-for-painting/

Blog posted by Mark Man Of TIN, 21 June 2024

Published by 26soldiersoftin

Hello I'm Mark Mr MIN, Man of TIN. Based in S.W. Britain, I'm a lifelong collector of "tiny men" and old toy soldiers, whether tin, lead or childhood vintage 1960s and 1970s plastic figures. I randomly collect all scales and periods and "imagi-nations" as well as lead civilians, farm and zoo animals. I enjoy the paint possibilities of cheap poundstore plastic figures as much as the patina of vintage metal figures. Befuddled by the maths of complex boardgames and wargames, I prefer the small scale skirmish simplicity of very early Donald Featherstone rules. To relax, I usually play solo games, often using hex boards. Gaming takes second place to making or convert my own gaming figures from polymer clay (Fimo), home-cast metal figures of many scales or plastic paint conversions. I also collect and game with vintage Peter Laing 15mm metal figures, wishing like many others that I had bought more in the 1980s ...

6 thoughts on “Backyard Battalion Head Swap Conversions”

  1. Excellent work Mark. Simple but most effective and adds individuality to the second bad figures. I will remember the head twisting technique, one l have used successfully with other conversions in the past. I do hope you continue this work and end up with a unique set. Are you thinking of other minor equipment changes too?

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    1. Thanks Alan. I have done the easy conversions on the second batch. Some of the other figures will be harder to convert as they are hard plastic and much more chunky head and arm connections. Equipment on the two snipers is probably interchangeable. The stretcher bearers with ring hands can carry other weapons or equipment. They would be a fascinating Range as head plug swoppets.
      I look forward to seeing what you do with yours!

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    1. Thanks Roger. I wasn’t sure if I could do a unique conversion for all the figures but there are a few other minor variants of swopped headgear etc. for any future figure hackers.

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  3. These look excellent, Mark! You were exceedingly brave to try the whole thing, but twisting the head off… Nerves of steel! Perhaps I’ll buy another set and give it a try.

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