At the last HMGS meeting, we were discussing ways of helping out Major Bill with The Dispatch. Some kind soul yelled out `Hey Gaiser, why don't your write a monthly figure review?'. `Yeah sure' I absent-mindedly responded. Now the one thing that I have noticed about HMGS meeting is if you are not a the meeting (or not paying attention), you always get volunteer to do something. So here goes.
First the ground rules.
Number 1: Everything in the column is my own opinion. If you don't like something I say, write me and let me know where I'm wrong. I do have my favorite figure lines (Dixon comes to mind) but I'll try to be as fair as possible.
Number 2: We will be using the Barrett Scale to give folks some idea how big the figures are. The figures are measured from the top of the base to the eyes with the suffix letter of L for light, M for medium, and H for heavy to indicate the build of the the figure.
FAA, Gallant Belgium and Britian Stands Alone
I picked these two for the first article as they have just arrived on this side of the pond. Figures Armour Artillery has been producing fine 20mm World War II figures for a number of years now and these two lines are no exception.
The Gallant Belgium 1939-40 line has been released with four packs of figures. They contain between three and five figures per pack and are priced between $3.40 to $5.40 retail per pack. Available now are a command pack (3 figs.), basic infantry (5 figs.), LMG teams, both moving & firing(4 figs) and an infantry command post (5 figs). While this does seem pretty limited, seven more packs are waiting in the wings to be produced with everything from '08 Maxims and mortars with crew to Ardennes Rifles packs. Crispness of casting is up to the usual FAA standards with little flash and scale out at about 20M on the Barrett Scale. Uniform and equipment are right on with turn-back coats and crested style French helmets that were standard in the 1939 Belgium army.
It is the summer of 1940 and BRITIAN STANDS ALONE. If you ever wanted to wargame the movie "THE EAGLE HAS LANDED", or the mopping up action from Operation Sealion, here are the figures you will need.
Not only do you get Home Guard command, riflemen, LMGs, and patrol with Thompson SMG packs, there are also Home Guards with improvised weapons (pikes & Double Barrel shotguns). There is also the `Local defense Volunteer' pack with 2 men carrying pitchforks, a gentleman with his Mashy (golf club) and pistol, and a country gent with his Purdy Shotgun. The `Village Characters' pack has air raid wardens and towns folk, and the "Stay Behind Party" group includes demolition experts, sniper ghillys, a fellow with a BAR, and another with a surpressed (?) revolver.
On the other side, FAA supplies two packs in this series. The first is the `German Bomber Crew' pack which appears to have a complete HE 111 crew. They are attired in Luftwaffe flight uniforms with flying helmet and Mae West, and appear completely lost studying their Michelin road maps and English phrase books. Saving the best for last, pack #BSA 9 is entitled `Suspicious Looking Nuns'. Dressed in traditional Habits, they come equipped with a variety of German weapons, from Lugers to stick grenades. A definite must even if you have no plans to game with them!
On the Barrett scale, FAAs `England Stands Alone' series measures out at 20M and is up their usual high standards of casting. The packs contain between 3 to 5 figures and the prices are either $3.40 of $4.40 depending upon the number of figures.
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