Product News

Figures, Rules, and Magazines

by Dick Bryant

Battle Honors has released several new packs of 25 mm British 1944-5 figures for NW Europe including infantry, heavy weapons, commando, commando heavy weapons, 6 lb AT gun with either regular or commando crew, and a 25 lb gun with crew. For those looking for heavier metal, there is a Russian JS-2 for $30.00. Available from Grandiosity, PO Box 750992, Dayton, OH 45475-0992, tel: (937) 439-2488, email: warweb@grandio.com, web: www.warweb.com. Dixon is producing some steamboats, suitable for mid 19th century onwards. The River steamboat, about 33 cm long, can be had for about $120; the somewhat smaller Cargo boat is about $100. They also have four new Han Chinese spearmen, five peasant spearmen, a peasant slinger, and a 4-horse chariot with crew. Available from Grandiosity.

Geo-Hex has released 24 different packs of Eureka Pirates under the Fifteen men label and plan to have rules ready by August. Check out their new website with online ordering at www.geohex.com and browse through their new releases for the past few months.

They have bought all the rights to the 25mm line formerly produced by Pass of the North. Geo Hex intends to expand the ranges offered and to add variants to current figures. They will cast in pewter and package for distribution and retail store sales. A website for the new company will be up by the end of the summer. Though thee new company name has not been decided on as yet. Pass of the North is keeping that name for other product lines to mold all the GZG, Eureka, Shadowforge and our own .

Old Glory - where to start? Perhaps with the smallest line expansion: there is now a pack of 15mm AWI American state militia in helmets.

As for the Ancients (also in 15 mm), there are six packs of Franks/late Germans, Hun command, archer, and cavalry, 12 packs of late Romans, five of Palmyrans, 5 of Picts, eight of Sassanids, Scots/Irish warriors and chariots, and five packs of Visigoth/ Ostrogoth/ Lombards. The British allies have arrived in strength for the Napoleonic wars, with five packs of Hanoverians, eight of Dutch-Belgians, and four of Brunswickers, including a bag that includes both artillery and Avante Garde Gelernate Jagers. There is a bag of British generals to command the lot, as well as a bag of Nassau infantry.

For the Franco-Prussian War, we have six new French infantry packs, accompanied by cuirassiers and artillery. These are opposed by additional Prussian line, jagers, and landwehr, dragoons, plus artillery for both 1866 and 1870.

For WWII there are a British Sexton 25 pdr SP Gun, Priest 105mm SP Gun, and 15cm FH18 Heavy Field gun. In 25 mm we have 1812 American infantry (seven packs), artillery, light dragoons, mounted infantry (also in a dismounted bag), and some opposing Scots, both light infantry in glengarry and highlanders in trews.

New for the 100 Years War in 25 mm are English personalities, longbowmen, mounted archers, billmen, mounted and dismounted men-at-arms; French personalities, crossbowmen, mounted and dismounted men-at-arms, mounted Gros-Variets; Burgundian handgunners, mounted crossbowmen, artillery crews, and mounted and dismounted command.

For Ancient Italy in 25 mm there are Oscan javelin, hoplites, and cavalry; Apulian javelin, spearmen, and cavalry; Hill Warriors javelin and cavalry; Liguarian javelin, sword and axemen, archers and slingers, and cavalry; Early and late Etruscan hoplites, light infantry, and cavalry. Easy Eights has some new 28mm WWII figures, including late war German FO teams, nachtjagers, and dismounted tankers, a group of French Resistance fighters, and some British paras.GHQ has updated their WWII microarmor line with individual figure Italian infantry and weapons packs, as well as a Sherman in DD and Crab flail variants. For the modern warrior, there is a HMMWV towing a generator.

Merrimack has turned out some new Colonial vessels in resin and metal including a Sudan Gun Boat with guns, 4 crew and barricades, available in both 15 mm and 25 mm, and a 25mm Colonial River Boat. Their main business line has been the ACW, to which they return with a 25mm Monitor, the Canonicus, with guns and 4 crew.

Thoroughbred also has a new ACW ship out, in 1/600 metal, the USS Casco (Torpedo Boat Version). Peter Pig has new transportation for Vietnam era 15’s, an LVTP 5 in full hull and waterline versions. Other late 20th Century additions include Israeli with Galil, and LMG and a man-portable AA. Sliding earlier in the century, there is an M7 Priest and a Sherman M4A3 HVSS for WWII, and new Red Army soldiers in overcoats along with a battalion officer for WWI. Martin has also released some Ancient Greek peltasts, Dead Romans, and an ACW balloon, not to mention a new line of Pirate ships in 1/450. Available in the US from Brookhurst Hobbies, 12188 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove, CA 92840, tel: (714) 636-3580, email: info@brookhursthobbies.com, web: brookhursthobbies.com.

Sabre Miniatures (the former QT Miniatures) has been bought by Paul Ashton of Amazon Miniatures. He is in the process of re-issuing the various lines of 28mm figures, including Biblical, Ancients, Dark Ages Renaissance, ECW, and ACW. Information should be available at http://www.amazonminiatures.fsnet.co.uk.

Piquet has emerged in a new variant, “Barrage,” which is intended to allow Piquet to be played from the Russo-Japanese war through all theaters of WWI and the RCW. Sash and Saber Castings is a new manufacturer of 25 mm figures fort the ACW, Napoleonics, and the Seven Years War. They currently have 80 different ACW figures and a small number of French and Austrian Napoleonics. They suggest that you e-mail or call for a catalog listing and free sample figure. Tel (919) 858-7443 [9am-5pm EDT Mon-Fri], email christopherhnc@earthlink.net.

Skirmish Campaigns is a series of scenario books, including linked scenarios that form a campaign. They are intended for use with any of the popular rules for WWII skirmishes. The latest release is “Poland ‘39-The Black Brigade, “ which contains 10 scenarios and 4 campaigns, centered on the defensive fight by the Polish 10th Mechanized Brigade during the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. A free sample scenario from the book is available at http://fisherts.home.mindspring.com/skirmishcampaigns. The book is available now from Brookhurst Hobbies and other retailers for $14.95.

True North Miniatures has been adding to their 15mm WWII range, with new Russian Komsomolyets tractor, riders and light artillery limber; Dutch M39 armored car; Polish wz 29 armored car, Poles in helmet, cavalry in czapka, dismounted Polish cavalry, cavalry heavy weapons, and horse artillery crews, Skoda 75mm mountain howitzer w/various crew; Hungarian infantry and heavy weapons; Romanian infantry, heavy weapons and cavalry; and motorcycles with sidecars carrying Poles, Polish 10th Mech Bde, or French. True North Productions/Realmwerks, PO Box 579, Merrickville, Ontario, Canada, K0G-1N0, tel (613) 269-2557, email david_jackson@fcmail.com, web http://underworld.fortunecity.com/grandprix/623. Realmwerks 1/144 scale aircraft newly out of the hangar, all for WWII, include a Lavochkin La 5, Me 109C, JU 87 D/G (with underwing cannon), P51B Mustang with Malcolm hood, and a Polish PZL 11C. From True North/Realmwerks.

Perrin Miniatures 10mm WWII now have more poses of German infantry and command, as well as a 75mm PAK 40 and crew, PzKw III J, PzKw 38t, Opel Blitz trucks, Maultier, Opel and Maultier with van bodies. The Russian offering include a company pack (90 riflemen, 6 command figures; 6 ncos, 6 radios, 2 AT rifles, 2 LMG, 2 HMG, 2 mortar and crew, as well as packs with each of the component types. There are also dismounted cossacks both mounted and dismounted, a GAZ AAA truck, BA 10 armored car, 76.2 M36 Divisional gun, SU 85, and SU 100. The British get the Sherman Firefly, the US the Sherman 105 howitzer, M36 Jackson Tank destroyer, GMC 2 1/2 ton truck, M7B1 Priest, White Scout car, and M24 Chaffee light tank. Infantry of all nations is being redesigned, so by the time you read this it will be available only as company packs, command packs, and heavy weapons packs. Available from True North/Realmwerks.

Quality Castings has released new 15 mm WWII models, including an Opel Maultier halftracked truck, UK Bren carrier, and six variants of the Universal Carrier. There are dug-in Russian, German, and US infantry, and dug -in US .50 cal and .30 cal MG teams. Just a few later are the Israeli M50 Super Sherman, M51 Isherman 105mm, and M3 halftrack variant. They also have a new FW-190A3 fighter in resin. PO Box 11714, Alexandria, VA 22312, tel: (703) 354-0610, email: qc@qualitycast.com, web: www.qualitycast.com.

West Wind Production has a batch of new WW II figures in 25mm. These include 1944 Wehrmacht infantry and Panzer Grenadiers in cam smock, a checkpoint set with signs and gate, a guards set (including dog), dismounted tank crew, tank hunters with A/T, casualties, Fallschimjager in helmets , and some “veteran campaigners”, along with a Pak 40 AT Gun Crew, Kubelwagen crew, halftrack crew, Tiger 1H, Kubelwagen, and 251c halftrack. 1944 British include British M4A2 Sherman 75mm, M4A2 Sherman Firefly IIIC, along with some packs of commandos, one of paras in helmets, and casualties. There are also casualties figures for Japan, Russia, US infantry and Marines, Russian command. US figures include airborne troops, Jeep crews, halftrack crew, M4A3 Sherman (3 versions), Jeep, M3 Halftrack, and Stuart M5A1 . Available from Grandiosity

Scale Specialties has released the first in a series of CD-ROMs re-presenting manuals on WII naval topics. “Merchant & Military Vessels of WWII Reviewed, vol. 1” includes two late-war publications by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence. “Far Eastern Small Craft” covers military and merchant shipping up to 1000 tons, while “Merchant Ship Shapes is a briefer recognition and characterization guide to merchant shipping of all nations. PO Box 4996, Anaheim, CA 92803-4996, web: http://www.ss-sms.com.

Osprey’s more recent books include Saratoga 1777, Crecy 1346, Jutland 1916, Operation Compass 1940, Lorraine 1944, British Air Forces 1914-1918, US Army of WWII, Pacific, the Hu 88 Kampfgeschwader, and The Buccaneers.

Gladiator Miniatures has a number of new 25 mm Ancients figures out, among them half a dozen Gladiators as well as eight packs of Saxon/Germanic foot and half a dozen of Romano-British foot for 5th Century Age of Arthur games. In 15 mm, there are Macedonian pikemen and elephants, Scythian cavalry and javelinmen, Tupi with archers, clubs, or firearms, and a number of Ancient personalities from a variety of eras and areas. Available from Regal Enterprises, 1980 NW 94th St, Suite D, Clive, IA 50325, tel (515) 251-3906, web: http://www.Regalminiatures.com. Perfic Panels are polystyrene foam core sheets with a white polystyrene skin. Intended to be used as basic structural elements for constructing model buildings, the sheets can be surfaced with Precision Products’ styrene siding, windows, and doors. Packaged as a half-dozen panels 16 in. square and 18 in. thick for $12. Available from Precision Products, 763 Cayuga St, Lewiston, NY 14092-1724, Tel (716) 754-2997.

Men of War, produced by Harlequin, characterizes itself as a collectable range of 25 mm personalities from WWII. The first four figures are Stalin, Bradley, Eisenhower, and von Paulus. Priced at $3.20 each, they are available from the Miniature Service Center, 1525 Bridge St #163, Yuba City, CA 95993, tel: (530) 673-5169.

Redoubt has released still more 25 mm Napoleonics, the latest being British Horse and Life Guards, complete with heavy horses in standing, trotting, cantering, or galloping versions. There are two troopers, plus officer, standard bearer, and trumpeter. Available from the Miniature Service Center.

Frontline Wargaming has expanded their line of 20 mm WWII models in resin, including a German light flak gun position, PzKw II with either the early square hatch or later turret with round hatch and rear bin, and PzKw I, French Renault R40, Soviet BT 5 and BT 7, a British coastal observation post, and a set of artillery shell crates. Available from RLBPS, 4827 Treeview Terrace, Rockford, IL 61109, tel: (815) 874-5351, email: rlbps@earthlink.net. The Whites of Their Eyes: This early set of American revolution War Rules that were originally printed in The Courier back in the early 1977’s have been updated and revided by their original author, Steophen Haller. The 16page booklet is being sold for $7 from History In Miniature, 6524 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188. 757-229-9222. or www.historyinminiature.com.

Magazines

Spearpoint, the journal of the North American Society of Ancient & Medieval Wargamers, has a major article on the Knights of St. John in the July/August issue, covering history, appearance, and putting together an army for DBM. There is also a short article on a DBM list and doctrine for the Serbian Empire, Regional Tournament results, letters, and editorials. 18 pp. $24/ 6 issues and membership. Scott Dickson, 590 Woodend Dr. SE, Concord, NC 28025, email scott-rex@attglobal.net Seven Years War Association Journal has in its Spring issue a 10-page excerpt translated from the journal of Horace St. Paul treating Gabel and Zittau in 1757, complete with another eight pages of relevant maps, most from the journal. there is also an article on the battle of Wandewash in 1760, short biographies of Eyre Cooter and Lally, an account of espionage in the period, followed by a “matrix” game to illustrate same. there area also letters, commentary, and reviews.71 pp. James Mitchell, 147 N. Jackson St, Crown Point, IN 46307, $30/4 issues.

Lone Warrior caters to the solo gamer. The July-September issue includes rules for an Ancient campaign, a branching decision path setup for controlling the opposing army, an ACW “Exercise” using terrain squares and a random control sequence to generate battles, and a host of other small articles on various rules and methods for gaming without an opponent, as well as numerous letters and reviews. 42 pp. Solo Wargamers Association, 1707 Ridge Rd, Leavenworth, KS 66048., $20 / 4 issues

Other Publications of Interest Received

HMGS Dispatch, (Midsouth), Major Bill Harting, 101 Taylor Rd, Estill Springs, TN 37330-3831,

HMGS East Newsletter, Scott Holder (Treasurer), PO Box 36, Bonnots Mill, MO 65016., $10/yr

Miniature Wargames, Wargames Inc, B0x 278, Route 40 East, Triadelphia, WV 26059-0278, tel: (304) 547-0000,

Potomac Wargamers Review, Walter Simon, 12905 Layhill Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20906, $18/12 issues

The Citadel, (HMGS NW), c/o Mark Serafin, 2614 Rucker Ave #14, Everett, WA 98201, $10

The Messenger, (HMGS Pacific SW), HMGS/PSW, PO Box 701, Norwalk, CA 90651-0701, $15/yr membership.

The Zouave, (ACW), The Zouave, c/o Marek/Janci Design, 725 Ranch Rd, Wheaton, IL 60187-3656, email: zouave@owc.net, $26/ 4 issues,

The Herald, (HMGS Great Lakes), HMGS membership Secretary, 2251 Wayne Madison Rd, Trenton, OH45 067, $10/6 issues, membership,

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