Malta Knights Hospitaller and Lion Knights Templar by FIRE PHOENIX (updated)

Stryker2011 wrote:I stand corrected. While the heads aren’t all that bad, the outfits are a bit… over-sized. I don’t necessarily mind “clean” either, since most weathering often comes across heavy-handed when not done well, but I think the cut of the outfits could be better fitted.

There is truth to that, although given how many layers of clothing and (chain) mail there are, I'm actually impressed they are not more bulky. But the cape on the Lion Knight and the mail coif on the Maltese Knight do stand out as being less than ideally tailored or designed.

Stryker2011 wrote:I don’t necessarily mind “clean” either, since most weathering often comes across heavy-handed when not done well...

Me too. If I need weathering, I'll do it myself.

Wonder if the 'oversized' feel of the outfits would change if swapped to a somewhat larger (taller?) body? Or would they not fit on a bigger body?

skywalkersaga wrote:Wonder if the 'oversized' feel of the outfits would change if swapped to a somewhat larger (taller?) body? Or would they not fit on a bigger body?

That is a good question, but I honestly don't know. When I looked for what the body might be (I didn't want to mess with undressing the figures), I found it parted out on eBay and it was either a neck-less CooModel body or a copy of it. That is a decent medium body -- not slender and not super bulky. It occurs to me that one reason the helmets do not appear far too large (while still large enough to fit over reasonably sized and fully realized heads), is because the layers of clothing and armor bulk up the body.

GubernatorFan wrote:

skywalkersaga wrote:Wonder if the 'oversized' feel of the outfits would change if swapped to a somewhat larger (taller?) body? Or would they not fit on a bigger body?

That is a good question, but I honestly don't know. When I looked for what the body might be (I didn't want to mess with undressing the figures), I found it parted out on eBay and it was either a neck-less CooModel body or a copy of it. That is a decent medium body -- not slender and not super bulky. It occurs to me that one reason the helmets do not appear far too large (while still large enough to fit over reasonably sized and fully realized heads), is because the layers of clothing and armor bulk up the body.

Ah, yes, that makes sense. Well, I don't personally have an issue with these, they seem decent enough for the price. Was just thinking aloud so to speak. And I agree that the Coomodel bodies are usually good for armoured figures, so no idea if you'd even be able to come up with anything 'better'.

skywalkersaga wrote:Ah, yes, that makes sense. Well, I don't personally have an issue with these, they seem decent enough for the price. Was just thinking aloud so to speak. And I agree that the Coomodel bodies are usually good for armoured figures, so no idea if you'd even be able to come up with anything 'better'.

It is a fair point. I think if the clothing and armor fit on a slenderer and/or taller body, they might look even better, but what will probably not look better would be the unhelmeted heads. To be honest, they don't really bother me as they are, either.

GubernatorFan wrote:

skywalkersaga wrote:Ah, yes, that makes sense. Well, I don't personally have an issue with these, they seem decent enough for the price. Was just thinking aloud so to speak. And I agree that the Coomodel bodies are usually good for armoured figures, so no idea if you'd even be able to come up with anything 'better'.

It is a fair point. I think if the clothing and armor fit on a slenderer and/or taller body, they might look even better, but what will probably not look better would be the unhelmeted heads. To be honest, they don't really bother me as they are, either.

Yeah, it might not be worth the hassle.

skywalkersaga wrote:Yeah, it might not be worth the hassle.

Looking at the photos, I can see what people are noticing. It is particularly obvious when the helmets are off. With them on, the bulkiness is less, though still there.

I wonder if the tunics would look better, if you make them wet so that they are more "in form". But I guess the material is not great for wet forming and another question would be if it stays like that after drying...

GubernatorFan wrote:It occurs to me that one reason the helmets do not appear far too large (while still large enough to fit over reasonably sized and fully realized heads), is because the layers of clothing and armor bulk up the body.

The helmet on the right is actually too small. It is a greathelm that should be large enough to wear over a skullcap or bascinet. The greathelm was worn during the charge and it was removed after engagement. They fought in the smaller helmet during the melee. The greathelm was usually attached to the armour or saddle with a chain so it didn't get lost.

Valiarde wrote:I wonder if the tunics would look better, if you make them wet so that they are more "in form". But I guess the material is not great for wet forming and another question would be if it stays like that after drying...

Definitely something to consider. It would probably work on the surcoats, maybe not on the padded garment and (chain) mail.

shazzdan wrote:The helmet on the right is actually too small. It is a greathelm that should be large enough to wear over a skullcap or bascinet. The greathelm was worn during the charge and it was removed after engagement. They fought in the smaller helmet during the melee. The greathelm was usually attached to the armour or saddle with a chain so it didn't get lost.

True in principle, but a tight-fitting skulltap might still theoretically fit inside: imagine the head didn't have sculpted/molded hair.

They are cool, and the price I feel is very reasonable if one where in the market for a "cool" knight figure or two. That said, one of the things that seems to pop out to me is the armored gauntlets, they look a bit oversized.

Theboo-bomb wrote:They are cool, and the price I feel is very reasonable if one where in the market for a "cool" knight figure  or two. That said, one of the things that seems to pop out to me is the armored gauntlets, they look a bit oversized.

Glad you liked them. And that is true. I may have forgotten to mention it, but the gauntlets do seem oversized. They should be, a little, but this is a bit much.

Can you show us the bonus Helmet included?

agentghost wrote:Can you show us the bonus Helmet included?

Unfortunately, no. I didn't get the combo set, I got the two separately. So no bonus helmet for me. To be honest, its design (of the crest) seemed particularly unhistorical to me (there were such things, just later and not on helmets, certainly not on such helmets), I had little incentive to get it.

What a pair of galant Knights ! I´m doning just fantasy stuff, You know. So i can´t give a comment to hystorical correctness. Love the fight scene, great posing. Thanks for showing. I would like all the Knights of the round table.

Ephiane wrote:What a pair of galant Knights ! I´m doning just fantasy stuff, You know. So i can´t give a comment to hystorical correctness. Love the fight scene, great posing. Thanks for showing. I would like all the Knights of the round table.

Thank you very much, Ephiane, glad you liked them -- though I can take no credit whatever in making them. I do have a small collection of plate armor knights (including Jeanne d'Arc), that I'm trying to keep from growing too fast (only a couple of them were bought as full sets, however, the others were "reconstituted" from parted out parts). Maybe I'll take some photos of them sometime. Speaking of round table, I believe Sideshow did a line of Arthurian knights (based on Monty Python's Holy Grail).

agentghost wrote:Can you show us the bonus Helmet included?

This is being parted out on Toy Anxiety right now.

https://toyanxiety.com/malta-knights-hospitaller-lion-knights-templar-set-helmet-crusader-w-gold-cross-adornment-metal/