Peter's Paper Boys March Again

 

Finally, I managed to complete this project, although I'm not entirely satisfied with the result. As a fan of American Military History, I've been following several authors on YouTube for some time. Among them, one of my favorites is Chris The Redcoat. I took the liberty of using a photo of him in uniform to create a paper miniature version, which I then adjusted to the scale of Peter Paper Boys.

The initial idea was to create a diorama of an entire brigade consisting of 4 regiments, but in the end, I managed to complete (almost) only one: the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot. The other three, including Chris's regiment, are ready, but I still need to print and cut them. Trust me, this work is not as time-consuming compared to working on the originals and modifying the color details of the uniforms.

The choice of the 54th infantry regiment is because it is portrayed by another of my favorite authors, Brandon Fisichella. I populated the diorama using the Von Lossberg Hessian regiment that I snipped some time ago. Unfortunately, the limitations of my smartphone don't do justice to these beautiful paper soldiers created by Peter Dennis. But don't worry, we're only at the beginning of my journey.

Playmobil meets Warhammer - Grudgebringers from Shadow of the Horned Rat

One of my favourite mercenary companies from the Warhammer Fantasy universe is the Grudgebringers, led by Morgan Bernhardt in the classic strategy game Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat.

For this Little Carpet Wars project, I decided to recreate one of their cavalrymen using a customised Playmobil knight, complete with the distinctive heraldry of the Grudgebringers.

The final photograph might look like a mounted warrior emerging from a misty battlefield at dawn, but the entire scene was actually created indoors.

Custom Playmobil Grudgebringers Cavalry

My goal was to reproduce the appearance of a Grudgebringers cavalryman while retaining the distinctive style of Playmobil figures.

The knight carries the purple and yellow banner of the Grudgebringers cavalry, with its characteristic heraldic design.

His shield also displays the cavalry emblem, while a matching tabard completes the uniform.

The tabard is not particularly visible in this photograph, but it is another important detail of the customised figure.

I particularly enjoy creating these small heraldic details, because they help transform an ordinary Playmobil knight into a recognisable member of a fantasy military unit.

Making a Fabric Banner with Iron-On Transfer Paper

One of the most interesting parts of this project was making the Grudgebringers banner.

Rather than using a conventional paper flag, I wanted a banner made from real fabric.

To reproduce the heraldic design, I used iron-on transfer paper, which allows a printed image to be transferred onto fabric using heat.

This technique is particularly useful for miniature flags because the finished banner retains the texture and flexibility of the fabric.

The result looks much more natural than a simple flat paper flag, especially when photographed from a low angle.

Creating a Misty Battlefield Indoors

Although the photograph resembles an outdoor scene at sunrise, it was actually taken entirely inside my home.

Instead of using real grass, I placed the mounted figure on a carpet whose texture resembles a grassy field.

I then used a directional light to illuminate the scene, creating the impression of low sunlight shining across the landscape.

The strong light helped emphasise the silhouette of the knight, the colours of the banner and the texture of the artificial grass.

However, something was still missing: the atmosphere.

The One-Man Smoke Machine

To create the fog surrounding the horse and rider, I used an extremely unconventional special effect.

The mist was produced using the aerosol from my nicotine-free electronic cigarette.

In other words, I became a one-man smoke machine!

The suspended cloud caught the directional light, softening the background and making the mounted knight appear to emerge from a misty battlefield.

This was simply an improvised effect used for the photograph, rather than a technique I would recommend reproducing.

The combination of the grass-like carpet, artificial lighting and atmospheric haze created the illusion of a much larger outdoor landscape.

Playmobil Meets Warhammer – The Photograph

A custom Playmobil Grudgebringers cavalryman emerging from the mist. The scene was photographed indoors using a grass-like carpet, directional lighting and artificial haze.

Inspired by Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat

Released in 1995, Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat is a classic fantasy strategy game featuring Morgan Bernhardt and his mercenary company, the Grudgebringers.

The game's distinctive military units, heraldry and atmosphere have inspired several of my Playmobil projects.

I particularly like the idea of combining the visual identity of Warhammer Fantasy with customised Playmobil figures.

You can also explore my other Grudgebringers dioramas:

• Grudgebringers – Mercenary Camp Diorama
• The Crossing – Grudgebringers Cavalry

Custom Playmobil figure, fabric banner and photography: Little Carpet Wars
Inspiration: Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat

Playmobil Redcoats

 

Playmobil Knights with custom fabric flags

 

Blue Dragoons with fabric guidons

My Playmobil Blue Dragoons are back in the field, carrying handmade fabric guidons inspired by the colourful military traditions of the 18th century.

For this miniature cavalry scene, I wanted to combine historical inspiration, custom-made flags and outdoor photography. The result is a formation of mounted dragoons, ready to ride across a miniature battlefield.

Playmobil Blue Dragoons with Fabric Guidons

One of the most distinctive details of this cavalry formation is the pair of miniature fabric guidons carried among the mounted soldiers.

I wanted to reproduce the appearance of historical cavalry standards using real fabric rather than ordinary paper flags. Their colours and movement add character to the formation.

What Is a Cavalry Guidon?

A guidon is a small military flag traditionally carried by cavalry units, including dragoons. During the 18th century, these distinctive standards were an important part of a mounted regiment's identity.

Unlike the larger colours carried by many infantry units, cavalry guidons were generally smaller and easier to carry on horseback. Some featured a swallow-tailed design, although their shapes varied between different armies and historical periods.

Guidons often displayed regimental colours, royal symbols, heraldic devices or other distinctive emblems. They served as identifying standards and symbols of military pride and tradition.

For my Playmobil Blue Dragoons, these miniature standards help recreate the colourful appearance of 18th-century cavalry formations.

How I Made the Custom Fabric Guidons

I created the miniature cavalry guidons using printed designs, fabric transfer paper and a heat press.

First, the flag designs are printed onto transfer paper. The images are then transferred onto fabric using heat and pressure.

I use a heat press for this technique, although a household iron can also be used as an alternative, depending on the transfer paper.

This method is particularly useful for making miniature military flags and heraldic accessories. It can also be used to create custom banners, tabards, cloaks and horse caparisons for LEGO and Playmobil figures.

I have published a video tutorial showing the technique, the tools and the materials used to make these miniature fabric accessories.

Watch my tutorial: Custom Fabric Flags and Heraldic Accessories

You can also explore my collection of printable miniature heraldry designs and templates if you would like to try the technique yourself.

Photographing the Blue Dragoons Outdoors

I photographed the mounted soldiers on rocky ground, using natural light and the surrounding landscape to create the atmosphere of an outdoor miniature battlefield.

The low camera angle brings the viewer closer to the cavalry, while the distant landscape helps create a greater sense of depth.

Playmobil Blue Dragoons carrying custom fabric cavalry guidons, photographed outdoors.

Bringing Historical Cavalry to Life

Small details such as flags, uniforms and handmade accessories can make a big difference when recreating historical military formations in miniature.

I particularly enjoy combining Playmobil figures with custom fabric accessories and outdoor photography to bring these little historical scenes to life.

Have you ever made fabric flags for your own miniature soldiers? Let me know in the comments!

New Cape

New test, this time I devised a type of cape for use on characters with full armor.

I am continuing to experiment with new solutions to create fabric tabards featuring heraldry from Playmobil and Lego, as well as Game of Thrones. What do you think?

Capes! Flags! Tabards!! made of fabric

Some examples of my new experiment, making flags similar to the original Lego ones.

During this experiment I also had the idea of creating tabards and gambesons suitable for Playmobil characters.

Crest Design by Old Skull Minis