Just thought I'd ask you guys for some advice. Basically, I have 48 un painted Wood Elf Warriors (plastic, 16 of each) and I want to convert some of them so that I end up with 8 armed with both spears and bows. There are a number of ways in which this could be done - depedning on the individual model, and some was are easier than others but I basically have 5 options.

1: Switching the free hand of either a spearman or an archer with one taken from another model holding the aditional item. This is probably the best solution but the problem being that not all models have free hands, or arms in good enough poistions - so its only a partial solution at best.

2: Cutting off a spear (either in two halves or filling off the hand) and simply sticking it accross the back of the archer - alongside the quiver as though strapped to it. This is one of the easier solutions - but its not very realistic...

3: Cutting off the bow and sticking that on the back of a spearman in the same way. This would also be quite easy but would probably look even worse than the spear idea - and there's not practical way of adding a quiver to the spearman as well - short of sculpting a new one.

4: Cutting off the spears and sticking them, head first into the base of the archer model - as though the elf has just stuck the spear he was carrying into the ground so he can use his bow. I like this idea but am concerned as to whether it will be clear enough that the archers are actually armed with the spears.

Was just wondering if anyone had tried anything similar or had any tips/advice on how to go about it. Anyone got a favourite method?

i have a much eaier way....use Rangers. I knwo it cheating but by painting them right that nets you atleat 8 spears per box.

That is actually a very good idea - one I hadn't considered at all. But although it does save me laying waste to half a box of Elves I was hoping to find a solution that would potentialy stand in any context and using rangers probably wouldn't be accepted in a tourny situation. Still - it's a good provisional solution - thank you

Well 1 is good for some. However, a model that is supposedly firing a bow looks silly with a spear or something in his other hand. So try it on some that have movement or something but not one that's supposed to be using one.

Personally I don't see what's wrong with 2 and 3. When you have two weapons and you only want to be using one, you have to do something with the other. Putting it down is only good if you're in a static formation. If you're fighting fluidly, then the last thing you need to be doing is to keep stopping to pick up and move your weapons. So you carry it elsewhere. The problem with a spear and bow is that they're so long. They really need to be strapped to the back when not in use. This then leads up to the whole problem of getting it out during combat. Bows need to be strung before combat, so they're probably ready to go. Spears are better at keeping the foe at arms length. So if they get thrust into combat quickly, a spear's not going to help them anyway. You'd be reacting with sword(s) which are much quicker to use when the foe's on top of you. So we assume they have time to prepare their weapons before the battle. This means that they'll be easy to access when needed. Maybe still slung on the body, but able to be drawn relatively quickly when it's needed.

The short answer is that there's no right or wrong way. The models represent the warriors through different parts of the combat. It's up to you whether your elves have or haven't drawn their spears yet. Maybe they've already slung up their bows. Maybe they're carrying both, or maybe they've place their spear in the ground ready for quick use while they get a couple of shots off with their bow.
Personally, I'd recommend doing a mix and judging by individual pose.

Cheers - I'll probably end up using a mix of different techniques I just wanted to know whether people had particlarlar suggestions or expereinces wiith this sort of thing.

On the subject of simply glueing the extra weapon to the model's back my main issue is that soldiers probably wouldn't simply stap their spears to their back. Even if it were simple to do so, the spears would simply be cumbersome - particularly when moveing through heavily wooded areas. Bows on the other hand could be strapped on a soldiers back, normally against the quiver. However, The elven bows would probably be to long to do this with, and the spearmen have no quivers anyway. On a practical note - the curved anture of the Wodd Elf bows means that sticking them to the back of a spearman would be no simple task - especially seeing as most are in the 'drawn' position.

However, the fact that its unlikely that a single Elf Warrior would have been carrying both weapons at the same time anyway pretty much puts to rest any qualms I may have with believability.

Depends on the length of the weapon and how it is strapped. If ambushing, they would risk any sound and would probably be holding them both so that they don't bump anything. Makes it slightly harder to fight like that though, so they'd probably place the spear on the ground as they took up firing positions, ready to be snatched up as needed.
However, in a more standard battle, the Elf might strap away a weapon. If they're forming an archery line, then they'd want to be concentrating a lot more on their firing and the Elves favour a flowing style of warfare where they're probably going to be following hit and run tactics. The spear would be a more secondary weapon in this case. Drawn when the bow is no longer useful or when they are about to be engaged in close quarters. In a more static formation, archers might be likely to stick them in the ground like a barricade which would help deter cavalry.
However, if it's a close quarters formation, then they're going to be relying on the spear and using the bow as a secondary weapon if there's no enemies around them.

I thinkt he important thing is to think about what you'd do in that situation. If you were equipped with both, how would you be carrying them about. In the end, as long as both weapons are displayed it's perfectly legal and anything else is just visual presentation.

Good points. I think I'll probably start working on them and see how things work out as I progress. At best I'll end up with a good variaty of models with the correct equipment, at worst...it'll be a ...learning curve

In the meantime, jaws's idea will suffice - after all, I'll only be playing aginst my brother

This probably doesn't help much (at all) but I just really liked the idea of archers forming a barricade with their spears. Of course it is practically standard warfare but I hadn't thought about it at all. Thanks for the reminder Cal and good luck with the choppin' AW