Strelets Forum

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.

Strelets Forum
This Forum is Locked
Author
Comment
To Strelets....Colonial projects

After Uwe's thread (on Colonials, below) I've been thinking.
This would be a fabulous area for Strelets to get involved in.
The advantages to gamers or modellors are obvious.
The advantages to Strelets are many.
Firstly, there are already several sets of the regular forces of the Europeans made by other manufacturers either made or in the pipeline so Strelets could concentrate on providing "native" enemies.
These forces, wilder & less disciplined, would be natural for the Strelets' policy of 50 different poses a set.
Also, only a box or so would be needed to finish a range as most of these tribal peoples had only one or two 'troop types'.
Now as Uwe pointed out, there are many possible Colonial wars so which ones to start with?
The Central Asian peoples who fought the Russians in the c19th?
Non-Zulu Africans such as the Herreos or Masai?
Dyaks to oppose the British under Rajah Brooks & others?
Apaches or Commanches to fight the US cavalry?
Maoris? Afghan or Chinese regulars in the C19th who would aide their Pathan or Boxer compatriots? Murri people such as the Kakadoons? Burmese or Sikhs?
Any other ideas?
What do you think Strelets?
donald

Re: To Strelets....Colonial projects

Hi Donald,

this is a great idea! Strelets wrote before that the "50-poses" sets are more expensive to produce and it could be a problem to make them.

I would add to your list the following sets:

Cavalry-sets:

Arabs - mounted set as enemies to the French and Britisch/Italians from 1830 to 1920.

Tukulor horsemen fighting the British 1903. That would be a great paintjob.


Infantrysets:

Tunesians fighting the Spanish and French 1859 and in the 1920ies.

Hereros are a great idea, some He,he warriors would be another nice edition. They destroyed a whole column of German askaris 1893. Something like our Isandlwhana.

Ethiopeans against the Italians and Derwishes.

Samoris warriors and Amazons against the French in southern Sudan 1890ies.


Any other ideas?

cheers
Uwe

Re: To Strelets....Colonial projects

i agree with Donald's and Uwe's comments about more colonial troop types and i wish to add another plea for ASKARIS for all the late 19th century colonial powers in particular German ones for WW1 in East Africa together with King's African Rifles.
as to Indian troops these have not as yet been covered correctly, just look at any book illustrating the British Indian army and you will see a wide variety of head-dress relecting the wide range of the different races, Jats, Rajputs, Dogras, Sikhs etc etc
so i ask all you colonial fans keep asking/pushing for these troops
cheers old john

Re: Re: To Strelets....Colonial projects

Hi John,

a great idea!!

French Tirallieurs Senegalese
Chasseurs Afrique (Crimeans?)
Spahis
Tirallieurs Anamite

Italian Askaris, infantry and cavalry

Kongo - Belgian Askaris fighting Derwishes

British Wei-ha-Wei Regiment Boxer Rebellion

etc,etc.

cheers
Uwe

Re: To Strelets....Colonial projects

I would also love to see some mounted (camels & horsemen) & foot Tuaregs.

I would also love to see some mounted (camels & horsemen) & foot Arabs. The old Airfix set is so outdated & was very limited. Plus they would be great for looooooonnng overdue Arabs to use vs the Turks for Lawrence of Arabia!

Re: To Strelets....Colonial projects

Dear Donald,

actually we are thinking about Central Asia as a potential field of expanding for 2009. Vereshchagin's paintings are very good inspiration for this project:
http://www.picture.art-catalog.ru/serie.php?id_serie=38

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: Re: To Strelets....Colonial projects

Dear Donald,

further to our previous post, quite frankly, this series is more appealing at the moment:
http://www.picture.art-catalog.ru/serie.php?id_serie=40

Regards,

Strelets

Re: Re: Re: To Strelets....Colonial projects

Personally, I'd prefer Central Asia to the Balkans but I'll buy either. The drought of Turks is about to break ....

Have a great day, Frank

Re: Re: Re: Re: To Strelets....Colonial projects

Central Asia would be a great idea!! Not only 19th Century, but through the ages. A very important region as far as military history is concerned.



Hmmm, but I'd also like someone to do some 1/72 Maylay/Moro pirates to lurk in the straits near Mindanao.

Haha will never happen unless I convert them myself! Maybe from HAT Indians.

This coming March I'll be lurking in the straits near Mindanao, but my pirates are 1:1 about 5'2" and female.

I think either war would be awesome........

I think the Russian Infantry in the 'summer uniform' would work for either conflict. Just paint the pants differently. I would just be glad to see something other than Nappys, Medievels, or Ancients ;-)

Just my luck, no interest in the only eras everyone makes! I really WANT to spend my money on more toy soldiers! You'd think since I have such a diverse interest in military history (1850s to WWII) that surely something would get made that I want, but recently, it has been tons of sets I don't have an interest in (look how diplomatically I worded that!).

I am eagerly hoping that 2008 has tons of sets for me!!

And in regards to another comment for Apaches or Comanches, I am fully in support of that! I have put together Little Bighorn sets (Sioux Camp-Atlantic Camp, some IMEX camp, Hong Kong and Marx Sioux to fend off Reno's initial attack, Gall's Sioux are IMEX, Crazy Horse's warriors are Atlantic Sioux, Lame White Man's Cheyenne are Lucky Toys and Revell Indians, Custer's Brigade are mounted Airfix, and Atlantic, and maybe Waterloo 1815, and Atlantic and Lucky's dismounted troops, Reno's brigade consists of a troop of Atlantic and Strelets mounted Cav, Benteen only has Airfix right now, and McDougal's pack train has no troop or any pack mules). Strelets Cavalry (led by a mounted Howard from the Strelets ACW Union set) are chasing Nez Perce (starring Airfix Indians as Nez Perce, they are armed with traditional weapons and the box art features a mountain setting, so they are Nez Perce to me). But I digress, as usual!

But anything in the 19th or early 20th century is okay for me. Out of neccessity I have to limit myself to eras I am interested in. Ideally, yes, I would have loved to have bought everything ever made in 1/72 scale, but I just don't have space, especially for the same old sets over and over (Imp Romans, Nappy French, 100 Years War, etc.) Not that there is anything wrong with those eras. If only people had the same passion for Napoleon III's adventure in Mexico or the Spanish American War or the German Herrero/Hottentot wars, or the Philippine War, etc. I am looking forward to Redbox's Boxer Rebellion, so many uses for each country's army. Is it just me or do those figures seem very similar to Strelets figures.

Did the US Mounted Cavalry sell that poorly or do you just have no interest in the subject? I see so many possibilities to eras you have only tapped into.

Infantry sets are great, but so are support sets. Heliograph operators, accessory/camp sets, Pack mules, donkeys and horses (Oh my!). Oh well, for now, if Russo-Turkish War is interesting to you, I am in support of that. I hope they get the same in-depth treatment that Medievels and Ancient Romans have received. Not just Infantry, but everything else too.
Arlin

Re: I think either war would be awesome........

For those who are interested in the Russian conquest of Central Asia I would reccomend the Foundry books from Ian Heath. Take a look at this link to see some of the books:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-2449183-9864601?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ian+heath+asia&x=20&y=20

The first one has all the info on the Central Asian tribes which confronted the Russian invaders with description on appearance and the campaigns.


And maybe a regular Afghan army which can fight the Russians in 1885, the Central Asiatic tribes and the British in 1880 would be great!!

For Afghanistan we have Esci British, HAT Indian infantry, Strelets Bengal lancers, Redbox British and Afghan warriors, a lot of metals but no regular army and no Gurkas. So with two sets you can complete a campaign. Ok, maybe some artillery would be nice to

What do you think Strelets, isn't a range of different colonial sets not interesting? As a lot of figures are available you just have to fill the gaps.

BTW, Touareg are a really good idea. We have the FFL and the Zouaves can be painted as Turkos. Your Chasseurs Afrique and then we have some of their enemies.

cheers
Uwe

The Great Game

Excellent post, Uwe. It's illuminating to see what is currently available for a Central Asian/Afghan campaign & what's needed.
When you see what's out there, Strelets could easily complete the range with a few boxes.
And could you imagine a Kim set (from the Rudyard Kipling novel)? The Lama, the Mavericks, the Russian & French spies, bearers & of course Kim himself.
Wouldn't this set the period off?
donald

Re: I think "Canadian Royal Mounted Police / Northwest Frontier" would be awesome........

Well, ditto for me regarding Arlins wishes, too!

In short, I'd love to see the American Civil War Confederate Staff set done, to complete the range ... :-)

I'd also love to see anyone do a set of dismounted U.S. Cavalry ... I'm trying not to beg here.

Annnnnnnnnnd ... I'd going to whisper into your ear for 2 sets of "Royal Canadian Mounted Police" of which you so well do the lancers, in the cool Terracotta Red Color with "Montana Peak Hats", pluuus ...

2 sets with the British "Pill Box Hats" (have I got that right?).

Thank you for listening!

Re: Re: I think "Canadian Royal Mounted Police / Northwest Frontier" would be awesome........

Dismounted, skirmishing ACW/Indian wars cavalry would make my year.

Re: Re: I think "Canadian Royal Mounted Police / Northwest Frontier" would be awesome........

I think for the 1885 Riel Rebellion the "pill box" hats are more accurate than the "Montana" Hats. That is true for the Mounted Police as well as for the various Canadian Militia units that took part. (My own unit played a major role in the campaign.) The advances in photography of the period as well as the relatively limited firepower of the actions allowed action photography that gives amazing images of the campaigns.
David Moore

Dan Candy (Donald Sutherland)

This was a cool film from that era ,i have it only on vhs ntsc,from a closed down mom and pop video store.
Uniforms same era etc looks very authentic