James Fisher has a fascinating blog on Napoleonics. James asked me about Warrior Miniatures. Now I will say at this point Warrior Miniatures and I go back to the mid 1970’s, however my association has only ever been as a paying customer. So any effusive comments about them is simply reflecting my enthusiasm for their products.
So James wondered about plastics and the metals from Warrior Miniatures which I would add, shown here, are from their advertised 25mm range.
Now I have chosen to show the figures randomly arranged. Previously I have posted with some attempt to show exact height difference. Yet I think that ultimately it is the opinion that matters not the maths. So do they look ok?
First up the plastics – L to R Hat Russian Militia, Waterloo1815 Austrian 1859 Artillery and then Strelets 1877 Russian Artillery. Note thin strelets bases probably make between 1-2 mm height difference. The austrians have been on short rations while the green russians look rather too well fed……….The blue strelets are slightly shorter and as they are furtherest from the camera this is enhanced. unless you game with all troops in one neat row view exactly side on then that comparison is false. So my slightly layered approach is more suited to judging if figures will “mix well”. L-R Hat Russian Militia; Strelets Russian 1877 Artillery then Strelets ACW Union in attack converted with Hat stove pipe hats and finally Hat Napoleonic Austrian Landwehr L-R strelets 1877 russians; converted strelets attacking union ACW infantry, Hat austrian landwehr and far right Waterloo1815 Austrian 1859 infantry, again thin strelets bases and they being shorter yet squatter mean they could be easily 2mm shorter. I think it will be fine.Warrior Napoleonic 25mm range L-R irregular spanish, then a sole British Napoleonic Light Infantryman BN10 I think and finally spanish line troops (these are the standard 4 poses you get with Warrior along with a firing pose. To me they are active and uncomplicated – great for gaming pieces – not so good if you are producing perfect rembrandtsWarrior Napoleonics SN8, SN6, SN9, SN5 irregular spanish infantryWarrior Napoleonics Spanish SN5; British Light Infantry BN10 – with shoulder pads!; Spanish Line Infantry SN1 and SN4Warrior 25mm Napoleonics – 4 of the 5 standard poses – firing pose not shownwarrior and waterloo 1815 figures interposedWarrior and Waterloo1815 figures interposedWarrior and converted Hat figures interposed (conversion from kepi to stove pipe has added almost 2mm to top of figure)Warrior and Hat Landwehr interposedWarrior and Strelets 1877 russians interposedWarrior and Russian Militia interposed
Just for fun here are some other figure comparisons – I think hinds and caliver books still run these “retro” minifig/hinchliffe lines. I have posted elsewhere the gross sculpture change Greenwood & Ball did between their Garrison Normans and Vikings. I think the bigger more detailed Vikings shown here sunk without trace – while the older G&B figures were rerun for a time into the 2000’s?
1970 era Hinchliffe persian, Greenwood and Ball Garrison Viking, Minifig ECW, Hinchliffe Assyrian and Minifig 7YW french musketeer – minifigs tended to be shorter and fatter1970’s metals interposed with strelets russians1970’s metals interposed with Austrain Landwehr Hat figures1970’s metals interposed with Russian Militia Hat figures1970’s metals interposed with strelets ACW conversions1970’s metals interposed with Waterloo1815 Austrian 1859 infantry
Here is another oddity – again a short life production from Minifigs
a persian horseman for the Cyrus the Great era who dwarfs a standard 1970’s minifig horse which was all that was offered then! The figures were completely oversizing the existing ranges when they came out. again I think they sank without traceI quite liked the figure at the time – but they never got beyond my by then favoured black undercoat and some block paintingmagnificant helmet comb……….with skirts – they deserve painting one day……….
Now I have dug out a later 25mm 1700 grenadier – I think its a foundry chap with practically no base.
base starts at 10cmeyes at 28mm and grenadier cap tops out at 34mmso how does he match up?Warrior examples with two 25/28mm figures – the chap on the left is more 25mm but still above 25mm foot to eye.Bulk is one issue – warrior are campaign figures so half starved whereas most 28mm figures are obviously garrison based and well fed warrior napoleonics alongside minifigs 7YW musketeer and 25/28mm grenadierwarrior napoleonics alongside hinchliffe assyrian and 25/28mm grenadierwarrior napoleonics alongside hinchliffe persian and 25/28mm grenadierwarrior napoleonics alongside Greenwood and Ball Garrison viking and 25/28mm grenadier. I actually think the vikings cut the mustard in the 25/28mm sector but 45 years too early!warrior napoleonics alongside minifigs ECW and 25/28mm grenadier
Now some finished and based figures to compare against
Warrior Napoleonics and minifig austrian 7YW very very fat figures – the frei corps figure I hated even painted as it turns out and still don’t like even today. Yet they have done good service on the gaming table.Warrior Napoleonics and Hinchliffe Bavarians who match well for campaign slightness while height is fine in my viewWarrior Napoleonics and Zvezda 1/72 Great Northern War Russian Infantry in some inexplicable uniform from the mythical world of Fauxterre of course. With thinner bases the Zvezda figures are physique wise taller. Zvezda have produced some significant variations in their historical ranges which puts certain figures in the 25/28mm categoryALL Warrior Napoleonics and their french counterparts with painting 45 years apart! clearly there is a very stiff breeze blowing……Warrior Napoleonics and Tradition 25mm Russian Guard. Slender style matches and as guardsmen they are just a bit taller to eye level.Warrior Napoleonics and early minifig french napoleonic line infantry
To sum up, when it comes to height, I have become ever more tolerant and actually it is anatomy which jarrs my view. This is why I struggle with Perry figures – they are just so perfect. Which shows you just can’t please some people.
Some beautiful plastic 28mm Perrys from my stalled Wars of the Roses project with a metal tumbling dice norman (1/72) thrown in
Finally a book which started my wargaming in earnest and is a celebration of fantasy gaming – I kid you not!
This books celebrates fantasy gaming
I leave you with this image from that book – published in 1967 – when it really probably was bad form not to have the correct facings or turnback colours etc. Lawford and Young said “play fantasy” and in the game photos they showed that scale was not a big issue. These look like 30mm figures rubbing shoulders with 45mm figures?????
The lancers smallness is offset by their horse size while the bearskin wearer looks almost 20th century parade dress with a decididly 18th century chap next to him…. who cares….the game was a cracker.
Above all if it looks right to you then it is fine – play* away.
*tournament players will not be so lucky methinks.
Grognardia has been running a series of posts on 1970’s roleplaying which have prompted my memories of encountering D&D.
His post showing the No7 edition of white dwarf took me back 5 decades to that moment when D&D took off – well arrived in my backyard.
It has meant I have dug out some pictures of my historical figures of that time.
1970’s Ral Partha Knight – my 12th century army that never happened
I play fantasy historical anyway – this theme has a long history and I could say my introduction was Charge or How to Play Wargames where the “tailpiece” exhorts all gamers to abandon thoughts of modelling real units. In fact there is an allusion to Charlotte Bronte and her brother and their fantasy stories.
In fact I think my influences were in the 1960’s – airfix soldiers, my mates playing with the US union troops against the British 8th army! well thats all we had! Then I had a magazine called Ranger (later Look & Learn) which typically in those days offered children a whole range of articles although mainly science and history as I recall. Nestled in there was a cartoon strip in colour called tales of the Trigan Empire. Pseudo Roman soldiers armed with ray guns and swords complete with monsters and a little magic meant I had no compunction about twisting history when it came to gaming with model soldiers.
1970’s 5th Edition WRG with 80mm x 60mm large bases decades before IMPETUS!!!!! element basing with no figure removal was happening even then……..1970’s Regal Hinchliffe 25mm Persians to be admired mainly because minifigs were cheaper1970’s 25mm Garrison Vikings – came in at almost small 28mm causing grief in the 20-25mm world and having no match with the other garrison ranges either!1970’s more unfinished hinchliffe as in 40 plus years in undercoat…………..1970’s billy no mates – a complete george gush rules minifig ECW unit – their brethren lie unpainted in store to this day1970’s minifigs hussars, lancers and cuirassiers napoleonic cavalry Fantasy Zvezda 1/72 Great Northern Wars rub shoulders with Minifig 25mm 7YW Austrian Grenadiers and Musketeers plus some Warrior 25mm French Napoleonic Grenadiers
Finally 25mm Minifigs 7YW Austrian Free Corps rub shoulders with Warrior 25mm Napoleonic French, Tradition 25mm Russian Guards, Hinchliffe 25mm Bavarians, Minifigs 25mm 7YW Grenzer, 1/72 Hat Napoleonic Austrian Grenzer and finally some early Minifig french napoleonic infantry of the very slim variety.
Summer is here and some fine weather is in prospect, following on a week or so of warm and sunny days.
So the paint brush gang have packed their bags and headed for the seaside or wherever paintbrushes go in holiday.
figures abandoned in the basing zone………. WW1 Belgians (posing as Neapolitan Chasseurs 1859) with ACW Union Infantry (posing as Bologna Volunteers 1859) and Austrians in kettel and short shako (posing as themselves 1848 – 1860)
That means the Painting Pedestal stands bare.
the painting pedestal – a study in “still life”
Hopefully the Painting Pedestal will return later this year. Meanwhile the Painting Table is crowded with a queue of figures pleading to be painted or have their bases finished off……..
These Irregular Miniatures metal 20mm British Infantry boast the mid 19th century fancy of the wide topped shako.These Warrior Miniatures metal 25mm Napoleonic Spanish are just started – in the distance some revolutionry chaps are awaiting their first colours – also from Warrior Miniatures.
Enjoy your Summer whatever the weather and whatever you do.
After securing Sicily Garibaldi reorganised his mass of volunteer units into a series of Divisiones.
Divisione Turr
Divisione Cosenz
Divisione Medici
Divisione Bixio
The soldiers shown here are from the Divisione Bixio which comprised two brigades.
classic “redshirts”, one soldier has obtained some piedmont/sardinian trousers, one has summer dress whites with small white gaiters while the third appears to have some liberated Neapolitan dark blue trousers on!
An officer is in the illustration (G) shown in the Osprey Men at Arms book 520. I have already mentioned what an excellent book this is, with a wealth of detail in black white alongside text overflowing with wargamers ideas for painting units.
The Officer on the Osprey 520 cover – centre figure – is from Divisione Bixio. Credit to Lucky Toys for animating their sculpts. Compare with the Hat Bologna Volunteers in this background shot of them.
Next up are my first attempt to deal with riflemen or sharpshooters in the Austrian Empire armies. Better known as Jagers or Feld Jagers or the ultimate Kaiser Jagers.
Waterloo1815 did not do this figure type so I found the nearest thing which was the Hat Napoleonic Austrian Landwehr.
This quite unexpected trip into post Napoleonic periods has meant I am quite prepared to compromise and these chaps work at 3 feet distance with shrubberies! I am definitely warming to the Piquet 4 base battalions which also do nicely for Neil Thomas rulesets as well. And the 3 figures per base feels ok in this mid 19th century era.
I have included a mounted officer from the Line Battalions which are still on the paint table.
These are my first Hat “el cid” 1/72 figures I have painted. Now given the period is pitched as 11th/12th century some of the figures have flat top helmets which mark the start of the great helm era. So my fix as I wanted my figures to back fit into early 11th century was to get some heads from my strelets normans and do a swop. They look ok to me.I did two Impetus bases and chose my own shield designs which dominate these figures. The horse colours are again coat d’arms which I have quickly become happy with. I suppose the cloaks might seem unusual for early 11th century but I think they work as long as they don’t have heraldic symbolsI used the shield design on the cover of ospreys armies of medieval italian wars, nice work by Mr Rava.I also get a command unit for the 12 figures you get in a Hat set. These guys were given a shield design based upon one from the osprey guide italian medieval armies 1000-1300. The design shown was apparently the d’hautevilles – a very large family of warriors who were involved in the Norman takeover of southern italy.I quite liked the design shown on the cover of this osprey so gave a version of it to my command
To round things off I based the figures for 15mm impetus! 80mm wide – a compromise I really like. I used my current favoured 3 layer base painting over budgie grit (warhammer idea) and finished this time with foliage from gaugemaster/noch for railway modelling.
The Wargaming Erratic 