Welcome to the Strelets Forum.
Please feel free to discuss any aspect of 1/72 scale plastic figures, not simply Strelets.
If you have any questions about our products then we will answer them here.
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
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
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!
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 !
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:
Some Vichy French, and some Yeomanry Cavalry to fight them in Syria!
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.
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.
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:
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....
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.