Conversion help needed - important choice

[Overread]

So I've got some hussar demon wings from the soon to close Maxmini store who say they've got a few more days of ordering left (closing on New Years Day/just before - though their site is in maintenance mode right now). This puts a big pressure on me for a fast choice as if I commit to this conversion idea I'll have to order more in a very small window of time (they've been looking into other stores taking over their stock, but such things can always fall through or take ages to complete). I've only one set at present, so if all goes kaput I can at least use them on leaders within the unit. 

I've tried them in two rough positions on my Deathriders and I'm trying to work out which looks better on the model; mounting the wings to the saddle or to the back of the rider. Mounting to the saddle is a lot easier as I've far less to clean away and the saddle gives a nice big area to glue too. The rider is a bit trickier and more of the base of the wing would need to be shaved away to make them fit snugly. 

"lore" wise both are suitable as hussar wings are found mounted to both armour and to the saddle; so from that angle it doesn't matter which option gets chosen. So this is purely A "which is better" angle. 

Personally I'm really really torn as I like both looks, plus Ossiarchs being Ossiarchs having the saddle and wings as part of the crafted mount (with the wings having jointed bone and thus being mobile) is very much in keeping with their design ethos. Equally wings on the rider sit very nicely and are a very "traditional" spot to put such an attachment. 

Photos below - please excuse the mess in the background

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any thoughts and views you have would be most appreciated! 

[TMS]

Great idea! I think I like the wings on the back more, myself... although I think both would work. Wings on the back could be painted up to be part of the armour while saddle wings could be more ornamental.

[zilberfrid]

I would go the other way: wings on the saddle. That makes it more of a winged hussar feel to me rather than a demonspawn thing. I'm not exactly sure what it is about that configuration that I prefer, could be that the lines combine well with the cloth under the saddle.

[Kramer]

On the back has my vote. They look to small on the other positions to me. 

[JackStreicher]

Saddle. 😃

Edited December 26, 2019 by JackStreicher

[XReN]

On the back, they look more badass like that.

EDIT: It may also be easier to pull off if you decide to put them on Lieges with their capes covering the saddle

Edited December 26, 2019 by XReN

[Overread]

I'm warming to using them on the rider rather than the mount. Whilst the wings make a really great line with the overall details on the saddle, and it is a much easier connection point, the crest of the wings curves over too soon when the rider has their own bone crest on their helmet. Even if the crest is taken off the helmet of the rider is coming up over the lower curve of the wing. that's making me think that going with the curve of the riders head and putting the wings on the rider is going to be the best place for them.

 

This, of course, relies upon the connection point being big enough so I'll have to experiment. 

 

I'm not worried about needing them on Lieges - in my mind they are riding a totally different kind of mount and, as noted, they've got capes rather than wings. 

[Overread]

So I started hacking at the wings with a blade and this is the result 

 

 

 

Gave them an unintended slight lean back which actually worked really well because with the head and crest on the helm if they are in the direct above position the wings look like the helm will hit them every moment - a slight angle back and they sit well. 

They are a touch lower than in the test model, mostly because of the actual position where they fit the model and the loss of some mass (both from the part itself and because this is direct glue rather than a lump of white-stuff holding them together. 

The only thing I'm a tiny bit worried about is that with this pose they feel a bit "close" together. I'm not sure if its just me thinking that or if they really are a bit close on the body for the right effect. There's basically no room on the models back to space them out any further (Mortark are quite thin there - esp as a good chunk of shoulder is the plated armour over the top of them).