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I have to agree here, I own every ACW set in 1/72 and many metal figures in 20mm, and most if not all are appalling. The decent ones are out of print like the Accurate/Revell sets but even those sets were lacking. Oddly even big companies like Italeri have failed to produce good sets for the era, oversized artillery and the already mentioned cartoonish oversized heads. IMEX actually had some good, not great, infantry poses but were only released in their artillery kits! The newly re-issued Esci sets had a few good figures but also many unnecessary prone poses. Most metal 20mm figures are awful which leaves the customer with very little to choose from, strange considering the period is so popular.
to be quite honest, there's nothing wrong with the existing ACW sets in terms of their manufacturing standards - all seem quite good as they are.
We shall test our slightly different approach to this subject by going through various consecutive stages of a battle and see how successful it's going to be. "Squeeze all in one set" approach has been tested by other manufacturers already and we can hardly add anything new to that.
Best regards,
Strelets
Dearest Strelets,
In a nutshell, there is plenty wrong with the existing ACW sets. Unrealistic poses bordering on dancers with oversizd heads (Esci and Italeri); Out of scale details such as back-packs and worse poses. Your new 2 military miniature Masters details and authenticity are far above any standards existing by Accurate, Imex, Airfix, ACTA, et als. I have spent the past year collecting the best of the best existing figures and only a few Accurate poses are descent, Imex are way too strange and ACTA are only good because they pantographed down the old "Hearald ACW" poses. And so disappointing, the Imex boxes all come with multiple broken parts because the plastic is so brittle.
I'm putting my money on you. None other companies have made decently realistic poses, actually ever. You are right - "All in one" is not the answer and because of your new great strategy, I'll be saving my "Milk Money" for you.
With all due respect, don't be so humble. You are now in the lead with new ACW poses so please go for it and don't be shy!
With all due respect, that's the least of our sins - one of our visitors in another thread wrote, that we are depriving his nephew and niece of their Christmas presents ! What can be meaner than that!
Well your clearly heartless , they are brilliant ,truly authentic looking, your on to a real winner with these guys, can`t wait to see a Confederate firing line set
Thank you very much for posting additional pictures of the CSA Marching Masters. All weekend whenever I can get a free moment, I save the images to my laptop so I can zoom-in and really enjoy all of the Master's details. I just can't get enough of looking at them.
Your Sculptor is doing a phenomenal job.
BTW, on the Confederate side, I especially like the blanket rolls worn over the shoulder. Makes them look so "Classic!" Can't wait to see them in Gray color.
Very good once again, a firing line must be on the way, cant wait to see it, bravo Strelets loving this stream of sculpts your showing us / teasing us with
You do know, don't you, that excitement and anticipation are one thing, but these "Teaser Pictures" are bordering on "Cruel and Unusual Punishment" to have to wait!
Your Sculptor has done his homework. I think your Painter Customers are going to really enjoy putting their brushes to these Military Miniatures.
For example these Attacking Confederates have a natural seam around the lower parts of their Kepis. These Southerners were famous for the top half of the Kepis being Yellow for Cavalry, Red for Artillery and maybe Light Blue for Infantry. Whereas, the Union Kepis are pretty much one solid color, just as your Union Cavalry Masters look to me.
Another cool feature, your Sculptor has done a wonderful job of shaping the Fixed Bayonets; they look authentic and strong, which nice for our 1/72 scale. And the Footwear, again, looks spot on with some tucked into their socks - Classic!
P.S. Hope to see more Blanket Rolls on those Southern Gentlemen - I really love that bigger looks better appearance of them wrapped around their torso's. Painters can have a field day painting up different patterns on those blankets - real eye pleasers when you see The Long Gray Lines marching across the battle fields and Wargamer's Tabletops.
Please Strelets keep in mind that many of the existing sets by Imex. Esci, Accurate were small in scale, around 22-23 mm, these new ones produced by you should also be in that range. 25 or even 26mm will make them stand out too much!
life is full of surprises and not all of them are nasty.
Best regards,
Strelets
Dear Strelets,
Call it superstition, or magic, or just plain ole looking up at the sky and wishing upon a falling star, I'm feeling anticipation and excitement. The Strelets Team is keeping me young forever - Thank you!
By the way, if I may state a preference regarding colors, I'm hoping any Confederate Gray or Union Blue will match your excellent Confederate General Staff and Union General Staff sets. I've got bunches of both these sets and they have been waiting for some new recruits to lead into battle. I can hear their buglers blowing the sound of revelry now.
This news is probably the most anticipated set ever, just some suggestions for Strelets:
-Must have fixed bayonets, the whole point and joy of seeing a marching column is the gleam of bayonets.
-Add a sprue with separate knapsacks customers can glue on the back of figures missing rolled blankets across the shoulder.
-Please think about size, not too large!