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Very good idea. Strelets once had a nice box "The French army camp" with soldiers sitting around a campfire, doctors, a smithy ... image this one being redone with their new sculpting standard. A box - or at least some bonus figures - of civilians for the respective period would be great. Why not add a farmer plus horse to a cavalry set? Or some mounted gentlemen? This would make boxes highly collectible.
The problem with a single box is probably the limited number of customers. People will buy ten boxes of marching infantry if they want to build a diorama, but they generally don't need multiple civilians peforming the same action. So, boxes with common soldiers will always sell better than a box focusing on the general staff. Therefore I'd favour the bonus figures, if only because it's a less risky investment for the manufacturer - unless you pledge for kickstarter box.
I too am fine with such poses just being part of the bonus figure aspect. I just threw the minibox idea out there as just another suggestion. Dont know if there are many non-military collectors/diorama builders out there, but maybe such a minibox would work for them if they are.
But I agree for military modellers etc, a whole box wouldnt be viable.
So yeah, include such figures as bonus figures. Like you say, a civilian farrier and horse in a cavalry set perhaps. Then maybe a blacksmith or wheelwright in an artillery or wagon set maybe?
Farming folk just put here and there among the infantry sets.
I too would appreciate the inclusion of craftsmen as mentioned as bonus figures in military sets. They would fit in perfectly and deliver something extra-special to the sets.
Farm workers and craftspeople would be great! Whether as bonus figures, or in a mini box, or even a big box. I think they would bring scenery to life, and they don't have to acknowledge that there's a battle raging around them.
This idea has been mentioned quite a lot in the past and I entirely agree. One of the problems with the Streltsi figures was they bore no relationship to the other figures in the set. I think adding a couple of relevant civilians to a set would be a real bonus. My main area of interest is medieval and it would very much enhance a set's appeal for me if it also included a contemporary civilian to people your table.