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I have just begun a new project using the nezumi heads from microartsstudio to create a clan from Nippon with a Japanese theme.

If you hadn't guessed I have been playing a lot of Shogun 2: Total War.

For a great example of exactly what I am going for (shamelessly imitating) see: http://www.hortwerth.com/?p=59.

The heads are great, and there is a lot about the current Skaven range that is already half way there. Their armour, banners, and with a bit of a trim a lot of the weapons are perfect. The Stormvermin make great Samurai, clanrats are ashigaru and the plague monks could easily become warrior monks with a bit of greenstuffing and some weapon changes. I have done a few test models and they are looking just so sweet!

This is where I have got stuck: gutter runners/night runners. Given clan Eshin's history with Nippon, these are a must, and obviously they need to be ninja. The current models are abysmal and I can think of no way to convert around that. Both the plague monks and clanrats are too heavily robed to ever be made have ninja attire. Another approach might be some historical figures, such as Perry or Old Glory Miniatures, with head swaps and added claws and a tail. This is a whole other can of worms as most such figures are metal and a little too upright to convert.

If anyone is remotely interested, jezzails themed like the handgunners from Princess Mononoke (replete with bulletproof umbrellas) a pagoda-style screaming bell and skaven slaves using human japanese peasants/villagers for models are on the cards. Hortworth (in the link) had some pretty cool sumo-style rat ogres too. I am a bit less sure of these. I would like the army to be historically inspired, as many of the human factions are, but especially given the despicable nature of the Skaven I am worried about creating something offensive. Parody is fair game when it's your own culture, but historical inspiration/racial stereotypes can be a thin line to tread!

So yeah, sorry about the small essay, thanks to any who ploughed through, and any advice/suggestions/inspirations/ethical counsel from you good people would be greatly appreciated.

I do not own a camera, but I would love to borrow one as this gets cracking, The test minis are some of my better paint jobs and this is going to be an artistic endeavor first and foremost above gaming, so I would love to share.