I have been working on a spreadsheet that shows every available WWI figure (braille scale), whether metal, resin or plastic. It started as an inventory of the figures I have, but then I added a 'wish list' section and so it has evolved into a list of everything 'out there'. or at least, all those that I know about. I wonder if you gentlemen would check this brief list of the manufacturers, and add to it if you can. The figures page on this (Landships) site could then be updated. I will post the spreadsheet here, when I have added all the links into it.
Plastic:
HaT, Emhar, Airfix, LW/Evolution, Strelets, Dark Dream Studio, Revell, Caesar, Waterloo 1815, (and maybe Pegasus one of these days).
Resin:
MGM, Solfig (or are they metal?), Fine Scale Factory (are they still in business?), Nikolai, RetroTracks, MIR (why bother?).
Metal:
Tumbling Dice, B&B Miniatures, IT Miniatures, Figures Armour Artillery USA, Skytrex, Minifigs, W^D Models.
I don't know if that is a complete list. I'm sure there must be others. Please add to it, and please make a comment on quality, or who is your favourite etc.
Thank you.
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Try Gunthwaite Miniatures for metal figures suitable for RN, RNAS and 'Colonial' personnel. They have a nicely illustrated website and can be obtained from Halifax Modellers World. Perhaps not to W^D standards, but close. Here's a link : http://www.gunthwaite.co.uk/index.htm jellytwig
Nice work mate - the HaT British heavy weapons should be out any moment now according to the website which look quite good, even if it looks like the Stokes Mortar has the wind up and has gone weak at the knees!
I only included what is released. Who knows when Pegasus or Caesar will release their French, or Strelets release their British and Honved cavalry, etc?
I left out figures from 'nearby' conflicts ('nearby' in time, rather than distance). I have some of those figures, such as Basmachi, Franco-Prussian War French and Bengal Lancers, but how useful they are is a personal choice.
They can easily be included.
And I wasn't sure how to display the metal and resin figures. Consequently the plastics are listed individually whereas the metals and resins aren't.
Any suggestions anyone?
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Just had a very nice note from PSR. And it seems I have forgotten Czech Master Kits in the resin section for their set of von Richtofen's Flying Circus.
Is anyone finding this useful?
-- Edited by philthydirtyanimal on Thursday 12th of November 2009 04:32:32 AM
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According to Mike Creek on the Strelets site, the Pegasus French are 'nearly ready'.
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Thanks, James. Does that mean 'the people' would like to see a 'future releases' section in the document? Or does the one solitary response mean nobody cares?
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Yes please carry on we should all be grateful that you are doing this service for all of us. As to future releases with my W^D service cap on that an excellent idea. I have plans for future releases but it would be nice for me not to duplicate what someone else is doing. Also it would be nice to have some idea what you lot would like seeing released in the future. Keep on truckin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I suppose it depends on how much maintenance you feel like doing - updating, etc - but a Forthcoming Attractions section would round it off nicely. Probably of particular interest to the casual visitor or newcomer.
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Hi Phil good work on the list, I have found another manufacturer Garrison Figures of Greenwood & Ball ltd which are still actually in production and producing a few Rose Miniatures WW1 figures, their ancient greeks were some the earliest metal figures I bought at "Under Two Flags" near bond street tube I think back in the 70s..
According to Vintage 20mil there was also a range done by greenwood & ball 1870-1917 a rather odd dating but i cant see these on the lists...... this is a list of what they did......maybe the moulds masters dont exist anymore ?....
1870-1917 Period Infantry Boer War Highlander, firing Boer War Highlander, advancing Boer War Highlander, officer Boer War British Foot, marching Boer War British Foot, on guard Boer War British Foot, officer Boer War, City of London Imperial Volunteers, on guard Boer War, British dismounted cavalry (sun helmet), walking rifle at trail 1900 British Line, spiked helmet, advancing 1900 British Line, spiked helmet, firing 1900 British Line, forage cap, marching 1900 Royal Marine, Broderick cap, advancing 1900 Royal Marine, officer 1900 British Foot Guard, full dress, at ease 1900 British Foot Guard, full dress, officer 1900 British Rifle Brigade, firing 1900 British Rifle Brigade, officer 1870-1900 Prussian, Grenadier Guardsman, mitre hat, at attention 1900 German Jaeger, marching 1900 German Jaeger, walking rifle at trail 1900 German Jaeger, dress uniform, at ease 1900 German Line, picklehaube, firing 1900 German Line, picklehaube, marching 1900 German Line, picklehaube, advancing 1900 German Line, picklehaube, officer 1900 French Line, advancing 1900 French Line, marching 1900 French Line, firing 1900 French Line, officer 1900 French Foreign Legion, drummer 1900 French Foreign Legion, marching 1900 French Foreign Legion, walking rifle at trail 1900 French Foreign Legion, at ease 1914 British Foot, peaked hat, marching 1914 British Foot, peaked hat, standing 1914 British Foot, peaked hat, firing 1914 British Foot, peaked hat, officer 1914 French Infantry, advancing 1914 French Infantry, firing 1914 French Infantry, throwing grenade 1917 German Infantry (pot helmet), advancing 1917 German Infantry (pot helmet), firing 1917 British Infantry (tin helmet), advancing 1917 British Infantry (tin helmet), firing 1917 British Infantry (tin helmet), throwing grenade 1890 Indian Infantry, marching 1890 Indian Infantry, officer British Artilleryman, pillbox hat, standing 1870-1914 French Zouave, firing 1870-1914 French Zouave, attacking 1900 Italian Bersaglieri, fast walk, rifle at trail 1900 Italian Mountain Gunner, standing Cavalry Boer War British Lancer (sun helmet) Boer War British Mounted Infantry Boer War British Hussar Boer, firing from saddle Boer, rifle on thigh Boer, holding rifle 1890 German Dragoon, holding rifle 1890 Bavarian Lancer 1890 German Officer 1890 German Uhlan 1900 French Chasseur, holding carbine 1900 British Life Guard 1900 British Dragoon 1900 British Hussar 1900 British Lancer 1900 Scots Grey 1900 Scots Grey, officer 1900 British Guards officer 1900 German Mounted Jaeger (MG Coy) 1914 British cavalry 1914 British officer 1915 Australian Light Horse 1915 Australian Light Horse, officer Indian Lancer Indian Officer British Officer, pillbox hat British Cavalry Trooper, pillbox hat British Hussar Officer, full dress British Hussar Trooper, full dress Horses Standing Walking Trotting Galloping Mule Artillery 1870-1900 Breech loading cannon (This model had a metal body and plastic wheels)
Thanks, ironsides. I'll add Rose miniatures in the metal section. Do you know much about them? Are they 20mm, 25mm, true 20mm (ie too small), true 25mm (ie just about right)? We need someone to buy one of everything and photograph them against a scale background. I nominate James!
Shame the 1870 to 1917 aren't available. (That must be something to do with The Franco Prussian War and the October Revolution?!)
And I need to correct the entry for Le Lancier Bleu; they are metal heads not resin heads.
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Unfortunatly nothing but they also do some zulu war figures and they dont look too bad a little toylike perhaps..... as to size their sold as 20mm I would class them as old style wargame quality....
I was thinking it might be worth asking for a few samples and do a review...
Cheers
-- Edited by Ironsides on Thursday 19th of November 2009 02:22:57 AM
I would feel very cheeky indeed asking for samples! I'm not a reviewer as I am so ineloquent and inarticulate.
But I have made a mini comparison and attached it here. (any tips on photography would be welcomed!). The Preiser and W^D Models figures do not come with bases, so I have attached them to some Games Workshop bases. The GW bases are rather thick, much more so than the one on the Emhar figure. But I think it still shows that these figures compare very well and could be mixed in with nothing jarring (in my opinion as an amateur reviewer).
Many thanks, Mr. Animal. If I might so opine, the 'Status' column in the 'To Be Released' section is somewhat pessimistic in tone.
I don't recognise the Preiser figure. Which set does it come from?
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The Preiser bloke is not a British figure, like the other two. I think Preiser make no British figures. He is from a set called Pilots, Ground Crew & Passengers 1925. I didn't put Preiser in the list because they make no WWI figures, nor do they appear to have plans to. But their figures are widely acclaimed as being well proportioned so I wanted to show a comparison with a metal figure (W^D Models) and a 'mainstream' plastic (Emhar).
Comment on the spreadsheet tells me that it can be downloaded and read, which is something I didn't know. (I'm not entirely sure how much of this gets read and by how many people. I hope Airfix, Revell, Emhar/Imex and HaT are reading it; but I doubt it).
I suppose I was feeling a little pessimistic when I wrote that column. In my paltry defence I ask, how long have the various French sets been listed and shown no progress? They are now the stuff of legend along with the Wooslam Bird.
However, I have to make a couple of changes, so I will act on your sage advice and make it slightly optimistic. Thank you again.
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Hi PDA heres a link for the Preiser site which suprised me no end, as for years it had been a page under construction, has complete catalogue listings and pics which are extensive, 1/72 scale is largely limited to WW2..... they also did a very nice big box set of 1900 Victorian style figures in 1/87 many would work as WW1 civilians.....
As far as photos are concerned I use a 5 year old Canon powershot digital camara it has full manual and auto settings including macro, normally I use it on auto+macro setting for small stuff.. usually something comes thats ok... I bought it because I needed a camera that would do full manual settings for my work.....
Cheers
-- Edited by Ironsides on Sunday 22nd of November 2009 05:20:41 PM
"Does it constitute WW1 if you use the figures as crew and passengers in a 1920s converted WW1 Handley Page 0/400 bomber diorama?......"
To answer your question, in the style of a politician, "Yes and no."
Thanks for the link. I am glad that Preiser have bucked up their customer relations ideas. And I am happy that so much of the English language is German, so that I can 'read' about 10% of their site! Too bad it isn't gibberish as I am fluent in that.
A lot of Preiser's figures can be used, with some 'paint conversions', for WWI. But I'm still not convinced they should be on a list of WWI figures. If they go on the list, the Red Box and Orion figures should also go on.
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Ok just found this, click on link below and download the catalogue PDF "Miniaturfiguren H0. Maßstab 1:87. In historischer Kleidung." here you'll find the following for 1900? in parade uniform.....
Latest version of the list. Adjusted for optimism.
Preiser sets 12185 (Kaiser Bill and his mates) and 12186 (Prussians Marching) are interesting sets, but are in HO scale, which, if memory serves, is 1:87. Personally, I think that is on the small side. Maybe Kaiser Bill was a small fella (although his cousin (?) the Tsar, was a giant), and so the figures would work, but everyone can make their own minds up, I guess, now that Ironsides has so kindly drawn everyone's attention to these sets. There's a picture of the Kaiser Bill set attached.
-- Edited by philthydirtyanimal on Monday 30th of November 2009 07:57:24 PM
Thanks for the Preiser set pic, UncleanCreature. Other than the Kaizer & his frau, and a Hussar, the remaining figures appear to be Austro Hungarian Cavalry with Franz Joseph. Excellent figures; it's a pitty they are in the mini scale.
28juni14, I searched through Preiser's range to see if they made Kaiser Bill in 1/32. It seems like something they would definitely be interested in doing, but the closest I could find were some excellent figures for the 7 Years War (1756?). Maybe you could write to them? Their figures are very good, but sadly nothing for The Great War in either of our preferred scales.
Oscar Zulu, thank you. You're welcome. Your question is a good one and very difficult to answer! It depends on two things, in my opinion; the 25mm figures and what you personally will accept as 'normal looking' (or 'good looking' or 'compatible').
Part of the question is down to scale. If you do the maths, 1/72 scale means a 72 inch (6 feet) tall man should be represented by a 1 inch plastic toy soldier. 1 inch is 25.4mm, so in theory 1/72 scale plastic soldiers should be the same size and proportions as 25mm metal figures. But clearly they are not!
Similar mathematics applies to the other small scales of 4mm to a foot (figures should be 24 mm tall) and 1/76 (figures should be 24 mm tall), so they should be compatible. However, scale does not seem to apply to metal figures, with the noticeable exception of W^D Models (which are true to scale at 4mm:foot). Citadel figures used to be called 25 mm, then they became 'heroic 25 mm', and now they are nominally 28 mm, but really they are quite large even for 28 mm. 'Traditional 25 mm' should be about the right size, but personally, I would try to buy ones that are skinny looking to match in with plastics, or, only use them with Strelets plastics (which are chunky).
A lot of people say 20mm metals are the right size to use with 1/72 plastics. According to the laws of physics this should not be true. But, as previously stated, manufacturers don't always stick to scale (something called 'scale creep').
All of which is not much help! So the ultimate answer is, 'whatever you think looks good together is right. No-one can argue with you about that. It is your money and your hard work that put it together.'
Something really useful would be if someone posted photos of metal, plastic and resin figures side by side and with 1/72 and 1/76 (and other braille scale) vehicle kits in the photo also.
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Thanks for the explanations, fellas. I swung by the LHS today and just picked up a couple of Mk:s with the intention of just picking up the Emhar 1/72 Mk IV Male, but they had an Airfix 1/76 Mk I that I just had to buy. I see from this thread that their may be some accuracy issues with it, but I'll work through them. I'll have to say, the Airfix looks very crisp compared to the Emhar ... but, maybe it's just the prettier plastic?
I had a look at some of their figures and came away very disappointed in the HaT figures and just the opposite in the Caeser Miniatures. Only problem is they don't make any Tommy figures yet as I have plans for a Cambrai dio with my Mk IV.
I'll keep looking through your spreadsheet to find what I'm looking for, though \m/
BTW, this site rules ... I've been looking for some folks with my passion for The Great War.
Hi... You can allways use the Hät Canadians and replace the heads, airfix 8th army may work size wise, I use the pin and glue method as this is easier to line things up... otherwise its Emhar but as PDA ses the poses are limited.....
Some good suggestions, but I'm going to need some Tommies that can follow behind my Mk IV after it smashes through the wire and prepares to deploy the fascine. I want to model it after pages 38-39 in the Osprey Campaign Cambrai 1917 "The Birth of Armored Warfare" manual.
The HaT Brit Heavy Weapons are mostly emplacements ... it's looking like best option thus far is going to be the Emhar Set 7201 British WW1 Infantry with Tank Crew--as limited as the poses are. I hate to have clones following the landship. Maybe it's time I learn to modify figures. That should be interesting at 1/72!
The Canadian infantry look like a nice set. How much difference between a 1/72 WWI Brit and Canadian? Noticeable?