1. FIRST NAPOLEONIC GAME IN 54MM
During last Labor Day weekend I held my first Napoleonic period game in The Big Scale, which also was the first game I've run in the new apartment--in the last two years! This British vs French game "The Thin Red Line In The Peninsula" was also the occasion of testing a new short Napoleonic rules module. Four players played eight turns in about six hours, which I think will prove to be about 2/3 of the battle--the game is still up on the table after about six weeks, as I do plan to finish it. This will merit a separate article in the future. Designed to explore the traditional British reverse slope defense and include all three combat arms, the game included some of the new figures just available in 54mm, such as the AIP artillery sets. The French general staff figures were painted by Igor Olshansky, one of our club's most adventurous painters, and are far above my own standard. But the figures look great en masse, even with my poor efforts, since the period is so colorful. Odd that it was the last period I've entered; but this had to do with the availability of figures, which is just now hitting its stride in 54mm. In fact, I plan another game showcasing non-British Allies most of which have just now come out, including a few Prussian (Timpo, Marx ACW converts, Barzo MAW, Airfix Brits, Hat Brunswick Avant Guarde) Austrian (Italieri with Replicant mounted officers), and Russian (made in Russia) infantry units plus generic cavalry/artillery. Perhaps Italieri will pantograph up its Russian Guard infantry as well in the future!
2, New ACW Line
Jason Pope of Portland, OR (http://plasticunderground.net/) is an artist and now figure sculptor who has made approximately 30 new poses of ACW infantry plus his Lincoln and Pinkerton figures, two casualty poses, and some terrain( stone wall, rock pile, fallen tree trunk, campfire with coffee pot and cup, pair of tall bushes). These are in rubber, which actually keeps straight rifle barrels, swords, and other thin parts better and takes paint easier than some plastic lines! His dynamic poses are mostly firing and advancing in combat, plus standard bearer and guard/at attention. Each figure has distinct individual facial/hair features. Some Rebs can be ordered in brown as well as gray, and a few Zouaves in red or blue. There is a nice variation of packs vs blanket rolls, Reb round hats, and other ACW details. Bagged figure sets will soon be offered as well. I am very pleased with the over 100 figures I have bought at only $2 per figures, and highly recommend this line. Jason may later convert to plastic as a medium, and is also planning other subjects once he gets rolling, so I hope he is supported in his efforts! You can see an interesting picture of a Japanese samurai figure on his "About Us" page. Take a look at his site, where photos are available of all his products. Right now you can order them by individual figure, and thus get exactly the ones you want.
3. Best In Site Award
Shawn Beatty (http://toysoldiers-etc.com) is a creative young Japanese American who travels to Japan each year, where his knowledge of the language and culture allows him to pick up neat stuff. His site is the most intricate I've ever seen in the hobby, with color photos of almost everything he offers. This is particularly useful since much of his offerings are truly unique pieces, which have to be seen to be appreciated (for example: what's the difference between the blue and the red dragon). Don't miss his Roman Gladiators or his Ray Harryhausen line. Wow!
Shawn is one of the new small dealers who specializes in unusual figures and equipment for 54mm, especially Japanese product related to their manga/anime industries. Among my recent purchases from Shawn was an amazing set of 10 Samurai for $40 which are beautifully and intricately painted, showing Miyamoto Musashi in five stages of his life battling variously armed opponents. These are soft plastic plug together figures which are made well. You can't see a seam and they stand nicely. A beautiful woman crossing a bridge is a rare bonus figure. These are similar to the manga characters previously available but historical. Mr. Beatty's Medieval/Fantasy section is awesome, from the famous rare Russian made lines to Japanese science fiction and even gods (I have Odin and Athena). I will use the samurai as leaders if anyone comes out with samurai lines in quantity, but they are wonderful display/skirmish pieces in themselves. Shawn also does great service and follow up support for his customers. Cool.
4. One Stop Shopping?
Recently, a member of our 54mm discussion group (littlewars@yahoogroups.com) asked one of those simple questions that cuts right to both the frustration and the joy of our 54mm plastic toy soldier collecting hobby. He requested "one source for plastic Napoleonic figures." Ah, one stop shopping for a period--The Holy Grail! The answer is, unfortunately: no.
Now had he added "and price is no object," I would suggest one of the larger dealers, who have extensive inventories. Of course, they sometimes charge more to cover the huge stocks they must maintain to offer such variety. But inevitably they have fallen out with one manufacturer, and don't carry his stuff, or have to charge collectors high prices for rare sets they have which no mortal collector can afford, and so are not quite able to offer truly "complete" one stop collecting to their customers. So we toy soldier aficionados often look over their websites to special package sales, seasonal specials, and bulk discounts. Or we collectors who don't do our own figures customizing rely on these large dealers to offer this kind of work for us on a regular basis, for extra price, sometimes producing totally unique figures for an entire unit which no one else has or will ever obtain! Bwa Ha Ha! My Garibaldi Guard are UNIQUE!
The middle size dealer will do a good job, but often may not have the capital to provide a wide range of product. Usually they will specialize in certain manufacturers lines over those of others. But since one producer rarely concentrates on coverage of one period, as do makers of metals more often, this is also unsatisfactory. To get reasonably complete coverage of our subject we must work with several of these. So we ask occasionally for a 10% frequent customer discount, and get on with the search.
The small dealer will present unusual figures unavailable anywhere else, often from overseas. They also specialize perhaps in a tiny limited product run, sometimes commissioned by himself from an individual sculptor. So we check them out also and are inclined to bargain with their prices. Here we get odd figures or toy equipment often made in foreign lands under labor conditions I'd rather not think too much about. There are also the overstocked restaurant or other non-hobby "give-away" items, which can be used for a 54mm game, such as occasionally can be gleaned also at local job-lot stores.
All of these dealers, unless really our good pals, often feel that for their own business success hey must hide the names of their suppliers, secret knowledge of future product, etc. Many are sharply competitive, and so there is no "Association of Plastic Figure Dealers of America" type organization. Some have exclusive rights to some products, especially those made in foreign lands, and will decide whether or not to make them available to other dealers. So if you don't get to them, you may not be able to obtain some such figures anywhere else.
The actual producers of figures, when queried as to why they don't expand their ranges of a particular subject, will give you several reasons:
- 1. They have to make figures that will sell relatively well, which means no obscure subjects--you can get Mexican War American or Mexican infantry, but not The San Patricios!
2. Their sculptor just left their employment after a long and fruitful partnership (the ungrateful wretch).
3. They have often thought of that, and may get to it in the next century. But have you considered their other fine products...
4. They don't feel like it today, so piss off.
5. No answer (they just went out of business). You can now enjoy collecting all three poses of each subject they were able to make before the mold gave out, their source of plastic moved to another hemisphere, their country came out with anti-military toy legislation, their long suffering wife divorced them and they became too depressed to work, etc.
I'm being hard on some of my friends, just for humor's sake. Dealers often would agree with us collectors that the producers of figures many times make a few poses and then abandon the subject or finally make infantry in a great new period but no cavalry or artillery, etc. So if you want good, let alone complete coverage of a single period, you have to collect the work of many different makers. You can always repaint one subject to pass for another, winking at the precise historical accuracy, which would leave more demanding collectors aghast. Or whack the head and arms off one figure and attach them to another. All of which takes the time and effort of years of collecting and crafting.
There is good news as well. More 54mm product is coming out now than ever before. A few good souls are attempting to put out subjects not covered, rather than the same old common topic and period. Individual craftsmen are available who will customize and paint your figures for a price. And fellow hobbyists will often share what they have learned after a lifetime of effort for free through chat groups and hobby magazines. But One Stop Shopping? No likely, mate. Because the hobby is still too chaotic. And after our generation, I doubt such plentiful solid figure production will ever come again. If the human race does not destroy itself, your children may one day be able to play virtual reality games with holographic figures from every period. They will include every unit and individual general of that national army. Not to mention each separate style of annual uniform change issue a historical researcher can program into the game, with the right number of buttons and stripes on their uniform, the correct artillery carriage, tank bogie wheels, etc.
One stop figure collecting? Don't think I wouldn't love to see it replace "the thrill of the hunt" overnight! I just don't ever expect to see it.
5. New Product
Now that this year's summer lull is over, a great variety of new stuff is out! Yay! However, collectors continue to bemoan the lack of more 54mm mounted cavalry sets in general. Here's a quick summary of what is/will be available as of 10/03:
ARMIES IN PLASTIC: Tuaregs in dark red brown, cream, and tan. Coming in November: Indian Infantry in turbans and tunics (British Indian Army) in brown (NW Frontier), cream (China service--Boxer Rebellion) and khahki (WWI),
ITALIERI: Napoleonic Cavalry including Scots Grays and French Dragoons. It is reported that these are smaller than their French Hussars, and compatible with the new Call To Arms Scots Grays. French and English 100 Years War mixed mounted/dismounted sets CALL TO ARMS Napoleonic British Scots Grays cavalry.
BARZO: Spanish vs Aztecs Playset. Next year Braddock's Defeat.
REPLICANTS: Mounted Napoleonic Austrian figure with four variant arms (sword, pistol, bugle, rifle), Pinkerton agents, 19tch Century civilian couple, bounty hunters, Berdan's Sharpshooters, ECW Arquebusiers (dismounted Dragoons)
CONTE: Painted ACW infantry sets, one for both sides (8 poses per set); a second set of each due out in November 03, including Iron Brigade. These may also come out unpainted at about half the price.
FORCES OF VALOR: A second release of metal historical vehicles will follow up the amazing and popular first set, including WWII and modern vehicles in both metal and plastic versions. Their STUG III goes well with the 21st Century STUG V! WWII new types will include a Jagpanther, T-34, and more.
CLASSIC TOY SOLDIERS: WWII Italians--eight poses in gray (also sold in green as "Rumanians"). Nice match with the old Airfix set. Lt mg, smg, grenade thrower, and rifles. Standard battle dress and helmets..
HAT: WWII Italians in the desert--eight poses in tan (or gray) weaponed similarly to the above with nice officer pose. Varied headgear including zouave type fez and tassel. What's with two simultaneous sets of Italians all of a sudden from two different companies? You can't make this stuff up...
IMEX: Someone has seen a new set of ACW Rebs in good round hats. This company hasn't made any more of its excellent 54mm sets in quite a while. Hope more will be forthcoming-welcome back!
6. First Sales
Sold items from my collection for the first time; mostly excellent 25mm Solidos. Now that several companies make historical vehicles in 54mm, I let the smaller stuff go. This marks a real turning point in the hobby, when you can for the first time get true scale vehicles without assembling model kits. However, nobody has done early tanks and armored cars from First World War yet (hint, hint) except for the few large but impossibly priced metals occasionally available Of course, since I did most of my selling at a toy show (after offering first to friends), the "profits" immediately disappeared in new purchases...
7. New Collection Organization
The problem with a really large collection is that you can't recall what you have when you need it! In my case, everything is in the same scale, painted, organized as a fighting force, and ready to game on the battlefield. I have computer lists by period on what I have, constantly being amended. Lately though, there have just been too many boxes to wade through when looking for stuff. For example, I once threw a Barzo pioneer woman into the wrong box, and haven't seen her since. Yea, and what collector will not leave his flock, and search through the night for the one lamb that is lost? Since activating yet another period (Napoleonic/1812),
I've now catalogued the nonfigure boxes and unboxed (mostly large) items in separate lists. I also now have a large round colored sticker on each box as follows. This allows me to quickly zoom in on the boxes I need to check, which are also labeled with their specific contents, and see which boxes are stored away from their companions of the same period. For those of you with similar problems, here is the latest update on "How I Did It." Small Neon Oranqe (Numbered): non-figure equipment (buildings, terrain, vehicles, naval stores, sail or steam ships, field fortifications, msc. artillery, railroad stock, herd animals, etc.)
Maroon: Fantasy/Medieval
Neon Lime Green: ECW
Yellow: ACW/other 18th Century
Dark Blue: Napoleonic/1812
Light Blue: ACW Union Tan: ACW Confederate
Red: Victorian Colonial (including both Western troops--mostly British, French, and US; and Eastern--Africans, Asians, and Muslim armies)
Black: World War One
Green: World War Two
Now, where did I put those boxes of Science Fiction figures with their adventurer leaders, spacemen, and modern troop types? (I know they're around here somewhere).
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© Copyright 2004 Hal Thinglum
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