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Re: 1/72nd wargaming

Thanks Graham - I'll check out your blog - I have one too - https://greentigeryork.blogspot.com/
It's mostly 1/72 plastics but other stuff gets a look in from time to time. I largely set it up so I can look at pictures of soldiers at work but then they blocked it. Should be a new Napoleonic game featuring soon.

Re: 1/72nd wargaming

Maybe its due to being interested in dioramas & not a wargamer, but I have never really understood this plastic v metal mentality.

Is it something that is ages old or a new thing?

Me? I just buy figures that are what I need, are accurate and look good!! Regardless what they are made from!!!! I even mix the two!!!!

Re: 1/72nd wargaming

Roger W
Maybe its due to being interested in dioramas & not a wargamer, but I have never really understood this plastic v metal mentality.

Is it something that is ages old or a new thing?

Me? I just buy figures that are what I need, are accurate and look good!! Regardless what they are made from!!!! I even mix the two!!!!
Roger,

It is Ages old. In the 1970s there were toy soldiers (Airfix) and 'proper' model soldiers made in 20mm or 25mm scale by a variety of manufacturers. If you were young and/or poor, (or just somewhat masochistic) you purchased plastic toy soldiers; they were about 10p per box. If you were more 'grown up' and definitely richer, you bought metal figures; they were about 10x more expensive.

I distinctly remember going 'round to a friend of a friend's house when I was about 14 (with many Airfix Napoleonics to my name by them) and seeing this 15 year old's Minifig (Miniature Figurines) 25mm metal French infantry in 'march attack' (a classic Minfigs pose) and simply thinking 'Wow!!'...these were unobtainable to me, too expensive (he had a paper round in the days when everyone had newspapers), but if only Airfix did poses like this...they never did, but that is history now.

The plastic v. metal 'thing' has lasted ever since.

Re: 1/72nd wargaming

Oh I see. A model soldier sort of "snobbery" in a sense?!
Well the expense side of things I can fully understand as even today metal is more expensive. Hence why I tend to use it to supplement my plastics rather than form the bulk. My generals are all mostly metal though I think. Wellington, Napoleon & Ney definately are. Got an old Hinton Hunt Marshal Soult too!!!

Thing is today, even if money was no object, I would probably still happily go for plastics, simply due to the amount you can get for less, plus there is so much more choice in plastics. There are some sets in plastic that dont exist in metal, same applies vice versa. So I get what I need depending on cost, value for money and of course regardless of material. Think I even have some resin figures somewhere...but god are they brittle!!!

As for the 25mm Minifigs, I think I know the ones you mean, i've seen them come up on ebay, and funnily enough, just like the Airfix French, I thought they had a bit of an odd anatomy too!!

Re: 1/72nd wargaming

A degree of 'snobbery', yes!

Hinton Hunt were one of the great 1970s manufacturers of Napoleonic figures (nominally in 20mm) and I believe that they are still produced somewhere or other?

Minifigs certainly have had a new lease of life and the moulds were purchased a while ago by Caliver Books, who produce the figures under the old Minifigs brand.

For an example of the march attack figures that set my heart racing back in the 1970s, see for example this e-bay seller's pictures:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184284411089?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=184284411089&targetid=1279887505149&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1006976&poi=&campaignid=12128875606&mkgroupid=126295028041&rlsatarget=pla-1279887505149&abcId=9300481&merchantid=114936180&gclid=CjwKCAjw8cCGBhB6EiwAgORey9Tx6LaRfsbCDnFvFqRRh5JHrfvZowUIJNhENn9wfYnf6vnyLis75hoCvx8QAvD_BwE

Strange how ordinary these now look to me; and yes, the heads are too big Times have moved on and figure sculpting has come a very long way in the last 40+ years.

Re: 1/72nd wargaming

The whole snobbery thing is plan silly. The range of plastic figures for the area I principally game/model in (The Great War) is fantastic - and can be readily supplemented with compatible metal.

Early War Miniatures provides a brilliant range of stuff the seamlessly works with plastic.

Re: 1/72nd wargaming—old Airfix never die

...they just look better and better, e.g.

http://dougssoldiers.blogspot.com/2021/06/theyre-coming-on-in-same-old-style.html
http://waterlootomons.blogspot.com/2020/03/airfix-waterloo-odds-and-ends.html
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2021/06/04/washingtons-army-vintage-airfix-ooho-paint-conversions/
http://wargaming4grownups.blogspot.com/2021/05/a-highland-ambush-early-1716.html
https://avonnapoleonicfellowship.blogspot.com/2015/09/guest-blogger-7-battle-of-tolentino-23.html
https://avonnapoleonicfellowship.blogspot.com/2015/06/
https://soloslowwargaming.blogspot.com/2020/12/objective-ant-hillversion-1.html
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/from-the-halls-of-montezuma-airfix-version-1-us-marines-1963/

Amongst the visual delights above is a recent game of Graham's an older one of Phil's (pre-dating him starting his blog).

I am going to seek carbon credits for those of mine that are 40–60 years old!

James

Re: 1/72nd wargaming—old Airfix never die

Lovely selection James - a good cross section of the hobby there (one of mine even!) - thanks for posting!

Re: 1/72nd wargaming—old Airfix never die

Philip Ball
Lovely selection James - a good cross section of the hobby there (one of mine even!) - thanks for posting!
I'm in there too! Yes, a good listing.