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Re: Early WW2 subjects

Early War Dutch, especially from the Far East would be great.

And Vichy French for North Africa or even Metropolitan France would be interesting.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

Re: Early WW2 subjects

I second wholeheartedly the request for Vichy both North Africa and Metropolitan France as well as early Dutch from Far East. I hope they will not remain just a dream. For us collectors in this marvellous hobby such sets which tackle special subjects are like a special edition. So they are of significant value.

Re: Early WW2 subjects

Kim Crankshaw
... Keep up the great work.


Totally agreeing, there are still many noticeable WWII-related gaps in 1/72 and, indeed, Strelets is by far our best hope to see them handled in an adequate & timely manner. :+1:

1939:
- Polish infantry, support weapons & mounted/dismounted cavalry (sadly, FtF sets are not satisfactory)
1940:
- Dutch infantry & support weapons
- French infantry & support weapons
- French light/medium artillery, AA & AT crews
- French mounted/dismounted cavalry & motorised Dragoons
- French Chasseurs Alpins (Alps & Norway)
- Norwegian infantry & support weapons
- Belgian infantry & Chasseurs Ardennais
1941:
- Greek infantry, support weapons & Mountain Troops
- Yugoslavian regular infantry (could serve as early partisans as well)
- Yugoslavian partisans with mules 1941-45 (worn & mixed uniforms, but distinctively yugoslavian)
North Africa/Mediterranean:
- Afrika Korps artillery crews (light/medium field guns + AT & AA)
- Commonwealth artillery crews in warm climate, 8th but also 14th army
- Commonwealth AA & AT crews in warm climate
- Italian light/medium field guns with crews
- Italian AT & AA pieces with crews
Pacific/Far East:
- Dutch KNIL infantry
- Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces
- Chinese infantry & support weapons in summer/winter gear (different factions & uniforms)
- Japanese, Chinese & Commonwealth supply/mule trains in different climates
- Japanese & Chinese mounted/dismounted cavalry summer/winter
- Commonwealth infantry & support weapons (more distinctively looking Indian troops e.g.)
General:
- Engineers for the major combatants, constructing/building, overcoming obstacles & in combat (satchel charges, wire cutters,...)
- Fallschirmjäger support weapons (mainly early war)
- Gebirgsjäger support weapons & light artillery crew (considering different climatic & topographical aspects)
- Kradschützen, mounted/dismounted in distinctive gear & poses (1939-42, summer/winter)
- French Colonial Troops (Tirailleurs, Goumiers, Spahis)
- Soviet infantry 1940-45 (different uniforms, weapons & climates) A major subject, still nowhere near completion.
- Italian regular infantry & Bersaglieri rifle squads & support weapons (mainly in warmer climates)
- Alpini support weapons & light artillery crews (considering different climatic & topographical aspects)
- Romanian infantry, support weapons & artillery crews 1941-45 (summer/winter)
- Romanian mountain troops & mounted/dismounted cavalry 1941-45 (summer/winter)
- Hungarian infantry, support weapons & cavalry 1941-45 (summer/winter)
- Slovak infantry & support weapons 1939-44
- US artillery crews summer/winter (Pacific/Mediterranean 1941-45 and NW Europe 1944/45)
- US tank crews summer/winter (Pacific/Mediterranean 1941-45 and NW Europe 1944/45)
- Commonwealth tank crews summer (North Africa/Mediterranean 1940-45)
- Marching columns for major combatants and prominent campaigns & battles (worn and fresh grunts loosely marching, not rank and file)
- Civilians! Depicting characteristic populations in Europe, China, SE-Asia and North Africa.
...

:wink: :sunglasses:

Re: Early WW2 subjects

Although certainly interested in all aforementioned subjects, I should add that Fall Gelb/Battle of France and Campagna del Nordafrica/North African campaign are the predominant WWII-theatres on my workbench recently.
North Africa became a more worthwhile subject again, mainly because Strelets released several relevant sets in excellent quality since 2015 (South Africans, New Zealanders, Indian infantry & support, FFL, Commonwealth/8th Army support weapons, Italian artillery, upcoming DAK support, ...). :+1:

This means I was able to restrict myself significantly and could narrow it down to this most “urgent“ sets:

Fall Gelb/Battle of France
- Dutch infantry & support weapons
- French infantry & support weapons
- French light/medium artillery, AA & AT crews
- Fallschirmjäger with support weapons (early war)
- Kradschützen, mounted/dismounted in distinctive gear & poses (summer dress)
- French mounted/dismounted cavalry & motorised Dragoons
- Belgian infantry & Chasseurs Ardennais
- French & German Engineers/Pioniere constructing/building, overcoming obstacles & in combat
- French Chasseurs Alpins

Campagna del Nordafrica/North African campaign
- Italian light/medium field guns with crews
- Italian AT & AA pieces with crews
- Italian regular infantry & Bersaglieri rifle squads & support weapons
- Afrika Korps artillery crews (light/medium field guns + AT & AA)
- Commonwealth/British artillery crews
- Commonwealth/British AA & AT crews
- Italian, DAK & Commonwealth/British Engineers (as above)
- French Colonial Troops (Tirailleurs, Goumiers, Spahis)

... :wink: :sweat_smile: :joy:

Re: Early WW2 subjects

Great to see others interested in this thread. One manufacturer who does make some fabulous WW2 Polish figures (in resin) is Scibor Miniatures - Armoured car, tankette crews, drivers and officers as well as machine gun crews and a nicely modelled cavalryman. I was about to put an order in for a total of 11 figures and realised the cost with postage to Australia made it (sadly) just too expensive to justify. I will however use their photographs as a guide to doing some converting of existing plastic figures to represent much required Polish officers of the period.

Re: Early WW2 subjects

I think that Greek 1940-41 army of the Albanian front, as well as some Italian infantry and mountain troops is a must. I must say that this was the only European front for six precious months (November 1940 till April 1941)just before Barbarossa and while axis was victorious and seemed unstoppable...(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Italian_War)

Re: Early WW2 Subjects, But Be Reasonable

When you ask a plastic figure company to make seventy or eighty different sets you are asking them to devote their entire production run for the next ten years to your wishes. That is highly unlikely.

If you really want a specific set, one that you will buy multiples of, five or ten sets, or more, then ask them to produce that set for you. Throwing out fifty or more sets does nothing to help the company decide what to make.

When you get a genie in a bottle you get three wishes, not eighty five.

I mentioned I would like to have WWII Dutch, from the Far East, or Europe.
Second I would like Vichy French, from North Africa, or from Metropolitan Europe.

So two sets, maybe four depending on how you count them. Strelets could easily do these two sets next year and still make lots of other things for others to enjoy.

I would buy at least a couple companies worth of either of these two figure sets, so several hundred figures.

Thanks.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

Re: Early WW2 Subjects, But Be Reasonable

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
When you ask a plastic figure company to make seventy or eighty different sets you are asking them to devote their entire production run for the next ten years to your wishes. That is highly unlikely.

If you really want a specific set, one that you will buy multiples of, five or ten sets, or more, then ask them to produce that set for you. Throwing out fifty or more sets does nothing to help the company decide what to make.

When you get a genie in a bottle you get three wishes, not eighty five.

I mentioned I would like to have WWII Dutch, from the Far East, or Europe.
Second I would like Vichy French, from North Africa, or from Metropolitan Europe.

So two sets, maybe four depending on how you count them. Strelets could easily do these two sets next year and still make lots of other things for others to enjoy.

I would buy at least a couple companies worth of either of these two figure sets, so several hundred figures.

Thanks.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog
Well said, Mr Bunkermeister Creek.

Forum members should note that many of the sets being asked for are available already..in metal, nominally 20mm and a different style to many plastics, but available nonetheless. For those who are interested, take a look at the website of Early War Miniatures.

https://earlywarminiatures.com/

To take just one example of the sets being asked for: Dutch army in 1940....here is a link to the many sets that EWM make for this subject:

https://earlywarminiatures.com/product-category/early-war-1939-1942/early-war-1939-to-late-1942-dutch-army-1940/



If Strelets are planning to make just a few of the dozens of sets requested in this thread, then they may wish to run a poll to pick out the most popular five or six. Common sense suggests that the ones most in demand are likely to be the 'best known' subjects eg: French for 1940, Afrika Korps specialists, BEF. But then , Strelets often surprise us as well.

Re: Early WW2 Subjects, But Be Reasonable

Certainly metal figures in 20mm are a good idea, I use them a lot, but seldom for the main infantry figures. Getting a battalion of 300-400 metal figures is rather expensive, often a dollar or more per figure, plus postage. I use metal figures for commanders and for heavy weapons crews, radiomen that sort of thing. But I like plastic for the mass of the infantry. So I still vote for Dutch and for Vichy French. I can pick up the Dutch anti-tank crews in metal. Actually, I do have a few Dutch infantry in metal but only about a platoons worth.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

Re: Early WW2 Subjects, But Be Reasonable

Once again i agree with comments made by Minuteman and I have seen photographs of EWM's figures. They have quite a range of early WW2 figures and equipment and not wanting to be too critical but the detail is not as sharp and the the figures are not as animated as Strelets sculpts. EWM does however deserve to be congratulated on their vast subject matter and efforts as they are producing items that most companies would not consider at all. Perhaps it is time for us to consider doing some conversion work on existing figures, head swaps etc, which can give a whole new life to a humdrum figure! As always, let us be grateful for what we currently have ... whilst hoping for some of our special interests to possibly pop up in the near future!

Re: Early WW2 Subjects, But Be Reasonable

I agree with Mike, that we do need to be reasonable with our requests although I am sure the good people at Strelets will look at the various "requested" subjects and lists and tick an occasional subject matter for possible future work. So many times on websites I have seen modellers requesting every sub-model of tank,aircraft or figure subject matter to the most ridiculous degree and sometimes quite nasty when they don't get exactly what they want! I am amazed at some of the subjects which have been produced in recent times, some fabulously obscure and interesting items and am eternally grateful for these to be manufactured.

We are lucky we are going through a "golden" period of model/figure production currently and we have to be diplomatic with what we request remembering that it is still a business that has to survive. I enjoy looking at all new figure production no matter what the subject matter, even though my main interests are WW2, Crimean and Colonial but I am quite happy for other periods to be covered so that we all get something eventually from companies such as Strelets. Back to the initial subject if we could only choose a handful, then Vichy French, Dutch 1940 and Polish cavalry ... If these don't eventuate i will still eagerly await Strelets future output no matter what period ... as there is always a surprise just around the corner !

Re: Early WW2 subjects

On the whole, WWII clearly remains the most popular & profitable topic for the scale model industry. In view of a steadily growing supply situation, it is only logical that hobbyists try to detect relevant subjects that have either been dealt with unsatisfactorily or are not represented at all.
Throughout the years, Strelets undeniably became one of the most prolific 1/72 manufacturers and thus this forum is exactly the right place to collect customers considerations about their respective areas of interest. :wink: :kissing_heart:

The good people at Strelets are evidently open for feedback from their customers base and, what's more, willing to venture into yet unexploited topics. So, let's have a further look at potentially worthwhile WWII subjects (or whole theatres of war as a matter of fact)! :sunglasses:

Kim Crankshaw
... WW2 Polish figures ...

Indeed, companies like Scibor, Modelltrans or GeBo offer some outstanding resin-figures, but these inherently involve the well-known downsides of the material. Fragility, unfavourable cost-benefit ratio & insufficient availability being the most obvious ones.

Our hosts "daringly" released late war Polish Peoples Army a few years ago already (lovely set btw!).
Since Hät & FtF 1939 Poles are not satisfactory, it could be viable to cover the outbreak of WWII with a handful of those remarkable Strelets sets?
Imho, a few basic boxes would already change the adverse situation for the better.
- Polish infantry, support weapons & mounted/dismounted cavalry
- Kradschützen, mounted/dismounted in distinctive gear & poses (summer dress)
Not an absolute necessity for this specific theatre, but generic Kradschützen would be very useful for almost all early war campaigns (1939-42) as well.

MARIOS KONTOGIANNIS
... Greek 1940-41 army ... as well as some Italian infantry and mountain troops is a must. I must say that this was the only European front for six precious months (November 1940 till April 1941)just before Barbarossa ...

Strelets constantly proves an striking openness regarding reputedly "uneconomic" subjects and areas. The Balkans 1940-45 (Greco-Italian War, Axis Invasions of Yugoslavia & Greece and extensive subsequent partisan warfare) certainly is one of those strangely neglected WWII theatres. That could be changed with another handful of boxes.
- Greek infantry with support weapons & Mountain Troops
- more distinctive ANZAC infantry with support weapons
- Yugoslavian regular infantry (could serve as early partisans as well)
- Yugoslavian partisans with mules 1941-45 (worn & mixed uniforms, but distinctively yugoslavian)
As above, a few accompanying Axis sets (offering a wider range of possible uses) could probably generate a broader appeal (just as a fresh set of Australians imho would).
- Italian regular infantry & Bersaglieri rifle squads with support weapons
- Alpini with support weapons & light artillery crews (summer/winter)
- Gebirgsjäger support weapons & light artillery crew (early war, summer)
- Kradschützen, mounted/dismounted in distinctive gear & poses (summer)
Strelets upcoming FFL Canon de 65mm de montagne could already serve for Greek mountain artillery... . :wink: :+1:

Dear friends, keep dreaming about the sets you wish for so that Strelets will be able to keep em coming! :smile:

Re: Early WW2 subjects...Kradschutzen and others

PeterTheGreat
On the whole, WWII clearly remains the most popular & profitable topic for the scale model industry. In view of a steadily growing supply situation, it is only logical that hobbyists try to detect relevant subjects that have either been dealt with unsatisfactorily or are not represented at all.
....
- Kradschützen, mounted/dismounted in distinctive gear & poses (summer dress)
Not an absolute necessity for this specific theatre, but generic Kradschützen would be very useful for almost all early war campaigns (1939-42) as well.

MARIOS KONTOGIANNIS
... Greek 1940-41 army ... as well as some Italian infantry and mountain troops is a must. I must say that this was the only European front for six precious months (November 1940 till April 1941)just before Barbarossa ...

Strelets constantly proves an striking openness regarding reputedly "uneconomic" subjects and areas. The Balkans 1940-45 (Greco-Italian War, Axis Invasions of Yugoslavia & Greece and extensive subsequent partisan warfare) certainly is one of those strangely neglected WWII theatres. That could be changed with another handful of boxes.
- Greek infantry with support weapons & Mountain Troops
- more distinctive ANZAC infantry with support weapons
- Yugoslavian regular infantry (could serve as early partisans as well)
- Yugoslavian partisans with mules 1941-45 (worn & mixed uniforms, but distinctively yugoslavian)
As above, a few accompanying Axis sets (offering a wider range of possible uses) could probably generate a broader appeal (just as a fresh set of Australians imho would).
- Italian regular infantry & Bersaglieri rifle squads with support weapons
- Alpini with support weapons & light artillery crews (summer/winter)
- Gebirgsjäger support weapons & light artillery crew (early war, summer)
- Kradschützen, mounted/dismounted in distinctive gear & poses (summer)
Strelets upcoming FFL Canon de 65mm de montagne could already serve for Greek mountain artillery... . :wink: :+1:

Dear friends, keep dreaming about the sets you wish for so that Strelets will be able to keep em coming! :smile:


"Kradschützen Truppen motorcycle troops were motorized, lightly armed and highly mobile infantry units of the German Wehrmacht and Waffen SS, usually incorporated into the Panzer Divisions."

(definition courtesy of 9th SS Hohenstaufen re-enactment group website)

Much though I support new sets, I do wonder whether Strelets would wish to approach this subject when perfectly good m/c combinations have been produced already by Zvezda, and adequate ones by HaT and Italeri. And with so many German troops already available in 1/72, a little inventiveness and some modelling ingenuity should allow foot Kradschutzen troopers to be converted readily from available figures.

Indeed, when in stock Plastic Soldier Company will sell you an 11 vehicle Kradschutzen platoon for £32...that should be enough on the tabletop to seize a bridge or two.

For Strelets to add to this list they would need to be confident in the tricky task of modelling and producing a motorcycle and sidecar, not easy.

Many of the others on this wish list are already made in metal by Early War Miniatures. Anyone with a liking for troops mounted on motorcycles might wish to look at the range and variety of their Bersaglieri....enough bikes there to raise a substantial dust cloud.

EWM also do Poles, Greeks, but perhaps not Yugoslavs. Well, not yet.:grimacing:

Re: Early WW2 subjects

Some Vichy French, and some Yeomanry Cavalry to fight them in Syria!

Re: Early WW2 subjects

I agree that we've got to be a bit more realistic. My boiled down list would be BEF, Dutch infantry, Greeks and, self indulgent, French motorcycle troops as they look so distinctive - no need to include the motorcycles.

Re: Early WW2 subjects

Graham, I like your suggestion of the French troops, I think they may be referred to as "Motorised troops" with the tank crew helmet with leather buffer at front. Very distinctive, I have an original example (without badge from WW2)… and stylish if I may say so! The heads could also be good for conversion for say Polish tank crew who also used variations of the helmet up to and including the 1939 campaign.

Re: Early WW2 subjects

Kim Crankshaw
Graham, I like your suggestion of the French troops, I think they may be referred to as "Motorised troops" with the tank crew helmet with leather buffer at front. Very distinctive, I have an original example (without badge from WW2)… and stylish if I may say so! The heads could also be good for conversion for say Polish tank crew who also used variations of the helmet up to and including the 1939 campaign.
Yes, I also agree; would be a useful set which I for one would be more likely to buy than, say, Yugoslav Partisan combat engineers....and that is not meant with any undue disrespect to those fine and valiant fellows. It's just that I happen to have a 1940 French army that could do with some more good motorised infantry figures.....

Re: Early WW2 subjects

As mentioned before, in recent years the 1940 Battle of France/Westfeldzug became one of my WWII focus areas again. Reading here & other hobby-forums clearly indicates increasing interest & demand for this specific theatre.
Like many 1/72 manufacturers, Strelets arranges most of its output into subdivisions of self-contained ranges with clever combinations of coherent subjects.
Just as impressively proven with their current WWII ranges (North African/Mediterranean and Pacific/Far East), I'm optimistic that Strelets holds sufficient capacity to accomplish this (& potentially other) WWII theatres in the long run.

So, not only for the further stimulation of my newfound devotee, again a very short compilation of theatre-relevant suggestions.

Fall Gelb/Battle of France 1940
- Dutch infantry with support weapons
- French infantry with support weapons
- French light/medium artillery, AA & AT crews
- French mounted/dismounted motorised Dragoons
- Fallschirmjäger with support weapons (early war)
- Kradschützen, mounted/dismounted, distinctive gear & poses ("summer" dress, early war)
- German Pioniere overcoming obstacles & in combat (summer dress, early war & plenty of bridge work to do)
- Belgian infantry & Chasseurs Ardennais
- French Chasseurs Alpins

Campagna del Nordafrica/North African campaign 1940-43
- Italian regular infantry & Bersaglieri rifle squads & support weapons
- Italian light/medium artillery, AT & AA crews
- Afrika Korps light/medium artillery, AT & AA crews
- Commonwealth/British artillery, AT & AA crews
- Italian, DAK & Commonwealth/British Engineers overcoming obstacles & in combat
- French Colonial Troops (Tirailleurs, Goumiers, Spahis)

2nd Sino-Japanese War/Pacific/Far East 1937-45
- Dutch KNIL infantry
- Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces
- Chinese infantry & support weapons in summer/winter gear (different factions & uniforms)
- Japanese, Chinese & Commonwealth supply/mule trains
- Japanese & Chinese mounted/dismounted cavalry summer/winter
- Commonwealth infantry & support weapons (more distinctively looking Indian troops e.g.)

:wink: :laughing:


Seriously, I'm certainly not the only one keenly interested to read what suggestions other enthusiasts have to contribute? :slightly_smiling_face:

Re: Early WW2 subjects

Dear Peter the Great (as a devotee of the Russian monarch and owner of a Russian GNW army I have always wished to write that!!!),

Your lists are comprehensive, impressive, and very long indeed. If I were at Strelets I would have much food for thought here.

A morsel from my meagre brain: I completely agree with your suggestions re: AA/AT gun crews. These are always useful and so rarely modelled in 1/72 plastic, although this position has become a little better in recent years.

Ditto, vehicle crews and soldiers in transit, lorry/half track passengers etc. These would, in my view, be especially useful for the 1940 'Blitzkrieg' and the western Desert (1940/43).

Kradschutzen?: I have already offered my view.

I will now humbly return to my serfdom....

Re: Early WW2 subjects

I am sure the good people at Strelets will be quite interested to see what we have been discussing and suggesting for future possible sets. Compared to the "old days" where manufacturers probably did not take into account what was in demand other than "the usual suspects" eg basic German WW2 figures and the odd token opposition troops. Although at times some subjects can be a little "overdone" thinking of the range of both 1/72 and 1/35 scale German WW2 as examples... almost done to death and I sometimes wonder if there will be a set of German infantrymen brushing their teeth and combing their hair, as there has been so many variations on a theme over many years! ... and no I don't think there is a need for such a set !

So here's to Strelets approach of producing not just interesting sets, with fabulous animation but variations on the subject matter - look at the range of Allied troops made so far, New Zealand, Sth African, Indian, French Foreign Legion, 8th Army, Early American and looks like the LRDG coming soon (I can't wait...) then the range of Japanese subjects recently. So let's hope Strelets have lots of ideas from us (without too much pressure of course) to keep them busy and in business for many years to come.