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Battle of the boxes..

The British artillery wins hands down.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

That is gorgeous artwork isn't it?

Re: Battle of the boxes..

Agreed, I like the new style artwork as here for the British Artillery set, and also for the French Mounted Grenadiers recently released.

Just to observe that the guns in the forthcoming Artillery set are on the small side...and are tiny in the box illustration; about half the size of a 6 pounder! Battalion guns, and small ones at that. Very nice artillery figures though, and well worth looking forward to.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

Definately the artillery set. Artwork like that is always best.

Those artillery pieces do indeed look a bit like "pea shooters" dont they?! Still wouldnt want to be on the receiving end of them though!!

Re: Battle of the boxes..

Sure the artwork for the artillery set is way better than the other, but still somewhat less so than the artwork on the old Italeri or Zvezda boxes. Then again, if I have too choose I prefer quality INSIDE the box. How often have we opened a box with fine artwork on the outside only to find that that was best part of the acquistion? As long as the figures are great I'll be happy.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

Very very true Flambeau. Had that nasty surprise a few times myself!!

Italeri 95th rifles was one example. Box art was great....contents...not so great. It was then that I decided to always wait until PSR had done their reviews before buying. Not simply to find out the accuracy & sculpt quality, but also for what poses are inside and the sizing of the figures.

The Italeri 95th rifles and their awful Prussian infantry sets taught me a valuable lesson!

So yes....contents quality before the box definately!!!

Re: Battle of the boxes..

Italeris British infantry, Rifles and French Line infantry are masterpieces compared to their Prussian infantry and Dragoons. Most of the figures can even be used (as long as you don't put them next to Airfix Prussian Landwehr ...). And the Rifles officer is nice. But the Prussian infantry must rank amongst the worst sets ever made. I didn't even bother to buy the dragoons after I had a look at the infantry. Never let yourself be fooled by the box art! What Italeri payed Rava for the pictures they didn't invest in quality control ...

Re: Battle of the boxes..

I agree about the Italeri Prussian sets most of the figures looked like gargoyles.
I bought the Prussian cavalry without looking at the review I opened the box looked at the figures I could not believe the state of them. I put the sprues back in the box & strait on ebay.:relieved:

Re: Battle of the boxes..

How did complimenting Strelets art work become an Italeri quality control thread ??:joy: and if you want to moan Italeri`s AWI were for me the last straw, not bought stand alone figure sets since from them, too big, stupid poses and they never ever listen to customers.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

More lovely art work from Strelets. I know many people are not bothered by the packaging, but for me it is part of the joy of collecting. And I think good art work has the potential of gaining the attention of someone 'browsing' and may gain a few extra customers? The Italeri art work is in my opinion still the leader, but this is a great step in the right direction from Strelets. To go with excellent figures, what's not to be happy about!

Re: Battle of the boxes..

I don't like sweeping judgments at all. I was disappointed with many Italeri sets but some have served me well to this day. Some poses really just suck, but when it comes to detailing, Strelets can still learn a lot from Italeri. Italeri sets have never landed in my bin, only on my dissecting table ... And, evidently, Strelets is not known for listening to customers either ... Sorry to say so but that's how it is.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

Handlewithcare
I don't like sweeping judgments at all. I was disappointed with many Italeri sets but some have served me well to this day. Some poses really just suck, but when it comes to detailing, Strelets can still learn a lot from Italeri. Italeri sets have never landed in my bin, only on my dissecting table ... And, evidently, Strelets is not known for listening to customers either ... Sorry to say so but that's how it is.
Strelets have demonstrated listening to customers quite a lot of late SAS,LRDG,FFL,WWS sets to name just a few. My point about Italeri not listening,I have messaged them more time than I can remember over the years using the system on their own page, never once have they replied , without exception every other manufacturer has replied to any message, not always what I have wanted to hear mind, but they have always had the good manners to reply, not Italeri though. All of that is almost academic anyway as they seem to like Revell and many others stopped making new 1/72 figures, if they had ever stopped to ask themselves or better still the buying public as to why they were not selling the story may have been different.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

"Strelets have demonstrated listening to customers quite a lot of late SAS,LRDG,FFL,WWS sets to name just a few."

Really?

Well, perhaps they become deaf when it comes to Napoleonic and WSS sets (ugly horses, infantry flags for cavalry, lacking bayonets, lacking stirrups, lacking reins, muskets too short, etc., etc.)

Anyway, who cares ...: :relaxed:

Re: Battle of the boxes..

Handlewithcare
"Strelets have demonstrated listening to customers quite a lot of late SAS,LRDG,FFL,WWS sets to name just a few."

Really?

Well, perhaps they become deaf when it comes to Napoleonic and WSS sets (ugly horses, infantry flags for cavalry, lacking bayonets, lacking stirrups, lacking reins, muskets too short, etc., etc.)

Anyway, who cares ...: :relaxed:
Well you do bring up a good point there.
These are production mistakes you mention.
If Strelets work on correcting these issues then obviously they actually do listen, and indeed care.
If the problems persist, well then you are right in your assessment.
They may listen to ideas for sets, but not to concerns such as the ones you (and indeed me) mention.

Anyway, back to the subject, box artwork is far better than that odd photoshop type box, but yes, lets have fantastic, well thought out figures inside too.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

Flambeau just mentioned that while box art is good, the contents is the most important.
I just gave some examples of buying some sets "blind" to the contents but based on the box art. Thats all.
And yeah that AWI set was a bad one definately!!

As for not making sweeping statements about a company, let me put it this way...

A while ago now, I would often hear of a particular car manufacturer being said to be a really robust brand that could be associated with high quality vehicles.
Then a few years ago, certain models ended up being recalled. More than once if memory serves me right. This affected not just a few people but thousands worldwide...if not a whole lot more.
Since this, combined with standards seemingly slipping, the brand has not got the same reputation anymore. Its suffered. Despite the cars still looking good on the outside.

Italeri had a good reputation...although we must also factor in some sets were actually just Esci re-releases.
But a good few of their own more "recent" sets (as mentioned above), have been very very poor, and not to mention practically false advertising as to the scale of the figures within. The boxes however had great artwork and were clearly marked 1/72 scale.
They could of checked their prototypes, seen they were poor, and not released them, getting them redone better (and in scale), but they chose to carry on and release poor products regardless....bascially not giving a **** about the product or even the customer paying for it. That to me means they deserve whatever criticism they get.

Ok theres a big difference to a car and a box plastic figures admittedly, but the lesson is the same....dont let quality slip & treat your customers like idiots and then expect the same reputation. You will get burnt every time.....regardless of who the company is.
And yes as hinted at, it applies to Strelets just as it would to any company selling people something, whether that be plastic figures, toys, food, drink, electrical stuff or even cars.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

The nice thing with Strelets is that they show us their masters and sprues well before they are released. Doesn't mean oversizing or faults during production can't happen - even Zvezda did some oversized sets like the 7YW hussars -, but it's way better than it was with Italeri. I still wait with buying most of the time until the first reviews at PSR or Benno's appear just to be on the safe side.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

If its just showing us their masters BEFORE production starts in ernest, it would though be great if any issues that arrise can be corrected. Goes back to what handlewithcare was saying, if they do listen, maybe any problems can be corrected before set release or at least for future sets. If they dont, what we see is what we get....like it or loathe it.

But yes, a good thing is Strelets gives us previews before release. So we can either make sure we get our money ready to buy them or alas we know we can just not bother!!!

Re: Battle of the boxes..

What I used to find helpful was when Airfix had an illustration of the soldier in uniform on the reverse of the box.
Not an official painting guide but a rough idea of what straps went where etc.

Re: Battle of the boxes..

The artillery set definitely has the much better box, very nice painting. If you want me to have a second look at sets I've discounted as being of no interest to me then a good painting of the troops in action stands a better chance of hooking me than those photo shop offerings.