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WSS generals

Is it just me, or is the lack of suitable higher command figures a real problem for the wonderful Strelets WSS range? I want to buy big, but without generals I know I won’t be happy to use them.

A gap in the range perhaps?

Come on Strelets - give me (us?) hope please

Re: WSS generals

I think it would be a good idea to have at the very least a mini box of generals for the WSS.

Napoleonics had some made, ACW had some made, a range that is as large & still growing like the WSS should get some too.

Or make some and add them as "bonus" figures in future sets if really didn't want to make a dedicated set.
Every army needs it's generals!!

Re: WSS generals

I think this was raised with Strelets last year. From what I remember, they advised that a set of generals is unlikely to be a high seller, so making a loss would be a risk (and that would then impact their ability to invest in other sets).

The British Cavalry and French Chevaux Legers both have officers that could double as a general. The mounted officers in the future Musketeers set and British late war cavalry would also do the trick.

I’d be happy if they added a ‘bonus’ personality figure to the sets-Marlborough, Eugene etc.

Re: WSS generals

Rich W
I think this was raised with Strelets last year. From what I remember, they advised that a set of generals is unlikely to be a high seller, so making a loss would be a risk (and that would then impact their ability to invest in other sets).

The British Cavalry and French Chevaux Legers both have officers that could double as a general. The mounted officers in the future Musketeers set and British late war cavalry would also do the trick.

I’d be happy if they added a ‘bonus’ personality figure to the sets-Marlborough, Eugene etc.
Rich and Flambeau are right on this one. I'm 'guilty' of raising the question last year (in a moment of idle imagination) and there was a useful debate about it. As stated here (again), the Strelets WoSS sets come in most cases with figures which are suitable for General Officers/Commanders. These range from very good to excellent in my book, and a suitable paint job is often all that is required to produce a perfectly good senior personage.

Basically, with these excellent figures, and more to come, there is really no need for a separate 'Commanders' set.

To date, using the sets that Strelets have so far released, I have completed or have work-in-progress: two different French cavalry commanders; a British cavalry commander; a Duke of Marlborough command group; an Elector of Bavaria command group; and a French Infantry commander on foot.

The last of these is, as Flambeau observes, from some very good figures which form part of the Mars Saxon Infantry set. If Strelets will avert their eyes for a moment, this is what they look like:



I am very much looking forward to the forthcoming WoSS cavalry releases, which have figures which I have already noted for my collection as two different French Marshals, a Prince Eugene, and various other Allied or French/Spanish commanders.

Re: WSS generals

Actually I don't see a big problem here. Strelets British Cavalry and French Gendarmes both have two excellent command figures all of which are perfectly suitable to be used as generals and the hopefully soon forthcoming sets of French Garde du Corps and Musketeers of the Guard will also have two. The sets of infantry do also have figures suitable for dismounted high ranking officers. If you want more you might buy Mars Saxon infantry which has eight figures suitable for dismounted generals.

Re: WSS generals

As it has been previously said, a set entirely made of generals would be great but it would also end up in a selling failure, as mentioned by Strelets. I would therefore ask Strelets to insert some mounted and dismounted bonus figures in their forthcoming sets... there's the strong need to have a prince Eugene of Savoy in my ranks.

Cheers,

Ale

Re: WSS generals

Ale Z.
there's the strong need to have a prince Eugene of Savoy in my ranks.

Cheers,

Ale
I'm thinking of using the senior officer figure (in breastplate and peering into the distance) from the forthcoming British Late War Regiment of Horse set for Prince Eugene. Most of my mounted commanders come with their own dedicated trumpeter as well, and the chap in this set looks ideal for the job: http://www.strelets-r.com/Pages/Set.aspx?SetID=407&M=Z

Re: WSS generals

I'm not interested in the WoSS but I do think some of these sets have great potential senior officers for the 45; I bought the British cavalry set for that purpose.

There are officers in the sets then, but personality figures are something that Strelets does very well, surely the major players in the WoSS have to make an appearance.

Minuteman
I'm thinking of using the senior officer figure (in breastplate and peering into the distance) from the forthcoming British Late War Regiment of Horse set for Prince Eugene.
I'm thinking Marshal Wade; I realise he probably didn't wear a cuirass when he was navvying on the highway but he wears one in all of the portraits, so...

Re: WSS generals

I think both of you proposed very good alternatives for a nice looking figure. Indeed he looks like prince Eugene but I would also like to see one dismounted while discussing war plans.

Cheers,

Ale

Re: WSS generals

As long as there's no alternative take a look at the Mars Saxon infantry set. Or perhaps at the artillery officers by Strelets and Zvezda.
I agree that among all the generals Eugene has a very distinctive face, but at this scale, at least imho, I think it hardly matters - unless you have eagle eyes or use an opera glass - , but for a very few figures throughout all periods, who were easily recognizable by their clothing, like Napoleon, Picton and a few others.
Whether generals did wear a cuirass is an interesting question, it was pretty much artists convention to depict them in armor, especially in portraits, but whether that was indeed the case on the field of battle, I don't know. Some probably did wear armor for protection, perhaps more common among brigade generals as these did often lead from the front.

Re: WSS generals

Flambeau
As long as there's no alternative take a look at the Mars Saxon infantry set. Or perhaps at the artillery officers by Strelets and Zvezda.
I agree that among all the generals Eugene has a very distinctive face, but at this scale, at least imho, I think it hardly matters - unless you have eagle eyes or use an opera glass - , but for a very few figures throughout all periods, who were easily recognizable by their clothing, like Napoleon, Picton and a few others.
Whether generals did wear a cuirass is an interesting question, it was pretty much artists convention to depict them in armor, especially in portraits, but whether that was indeed the case on the field of battle, I don't know. Some probably did wear armor for protection, perhaps more common among brigade generals as these did often lead from the front.
I'd say that body armour would be very much a matter of personal choice for any officer of Colonel rank or above in this period. The tradition of depicting senior officers and male aristocrats, indeed male Royalty, in armour is a fairly long one which stretches back to the C16th. The practicalities of wearing armour would be another matter, and I suspect that many officers left their breastplates at home.

As for depicting faces 'accurately' in 1/72? Well, there is challenge...perhaps one for future contributions. I have been working on a 1/72 Duke of Marlborough this afternoon...and it is not easy!

As for the Mars GNW Saxon Infantry foot figures...see post above on this thread.

Re: WSS generals

If the command figures were part of another set it could work commercially, so as an example do a set with a two wheeled cart and driver plus Marlbourgh and a few other British officers, and it will sell ,because we would want the carts in numbers ,his army famously relied on them. Repeat for the French etc, and you keep everyone happy.

Re: WSS generals

Who would want to buy five or six boxes to produce a convoy and then have 5/6 Marlborough, etc. Similarly, a dedicated commander box would only sell 1 per customer. I think that the generic officers in the cavalry, infantry and artillery sets will have to do.

Re: WSS generals

I have lots ,at one time dozens of Gordons , from the waterloo set, as it was the only way to get Egyptian infantry, only a few left now, the heads were swapped a long time ago ,head swaps are harder with big wigs but not impossible with some green stuff.

Re: WSS generals

Quite right Alan.

I have 5 Napoleons, 4 Wellingtons, 3 Bluchers, and 3 Pictons; I will probably acquire more figures for each of them. It has never once occurred to me that life might be better if I had no figures of Napoleon, Wellington, Blucher and Picton at all and I had to make do with generic officer figures that look nothing like them.

Obviously I only really need one of each but I see the extra figures as a bonus and they might just be useful. One of my spare Wellingtons will receive a huntsman's horn, I was hoping Torsten would produce foxhounds; perhaps someone else will (hint). Another spare Wellington could have been Somerset but I also have a figure for him. One of my spare Bluchers donated his pipe to my figure of Brunswick. With a sabre instead of the pipe and his moustache shaved off the spare Blucher became a generic Prussian officer. Providing Brunswick with the pipe meant that he could donate his incongruous silver top cane to one of my spare Pictons to give me The Duke of Richmond. Using the cane to turn Picton into Richmond means that if I ever want to model British paras at Arnhem, I already have the spare umbrella. How have I lost anything by having a few more personality figures than I actually need?

Each to his own but I just don't get the argument against personality figures that goes "Who wants four Nelsons?". well, I really want one Nelson, I don't need more than one but ending up with four would not actually be a worse situation than having no Nelsons at all. It wouldn't. Plus, shaving off a few of the larger gongs would give generic sea officers.

I think your idea for personalities with baggage carts is a good one. Another possibility for mounted personalities could be one horse with a choice of riders one a noted personality, the other a generic officer. This of course will also have it's detractors.

Re: WSS generals

Interesting that the feeling is command sets don’t sell. The ACW sets ended up very hard to find, and I would guess the Napoleonic sets were popular.

Using mounted officers from existing sets is possible, but then who would lead the units?