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New Strelets Sets for WWI

Lots of new WWI sets listed on the Stelets Home page.
I am eagerly awaiting photos of the masters figures. Finally we will have troops in gas masks. Strelets, when these figures come out you will have covered a very important gap in 1.72 figures.

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Dear Mako,

the images will follow soon as the masters are almost ready. Keep visiting our site for updates.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Great news for World War I enthusiasts!
Freshly announced sets are:
M055 - German Stormtroopers
M056 - British Infantry in Gasmasks
M057 - French Infantry in Gasmasks
M058 - Russian Infantry in Gasmasks
M059 - Austro-Hungarian Infantry in Gasmasks
M060 - German Infantry in Gasmasks

Can't wait to see the masters as well! Will they hit the market in 2010 still?
With the usual 48 figures in 12 - 14 poses (per Mini Set) these will be highly welcomed additions to any WWI range - together with your upcoming cavalry sets of course.

Thank you Strelets for covering this important era into depth!

Together with your already impressive WWI range & the sets from some other companies (namely Emhar, Caesar, Revell & the awaited Zvezda & Pegasus ones) this new batch will widen the scope immensely - many nations & theatres are now satisfactorily covered for the first time (although there is always place for: -improving old or poor products, -firsts of exotic or lesser known units -and widening the diversity & choice for major nations).And with the WWI centenary approaching this important conflict finally seems to get the recognition it deserves (not just in 1/72 world).

Will use the occasion to name some items from the never ending wishlist:
Serbian Infantry (the Hät set is a very bad joke imho)
Turkish Infantry (the Hät set is sadly not adequate to cover this important combatant with just 8 dull & poor poses)
Romanian regular & light Infantry
And while I'm at it:
Why not some of these colourful & unique RCW armies?
... (white) West Ukrainian Army e.g. ...

Best Regards

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Dear Peter,

some further WWI sets are a possibility, we will consider them in 2011 once we will release the October batch of figures.
We aren't thinking about RCW figures though, as the main areas have been covered already.

Best regartds,

Strelets

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Makhnovists/partisans! Naval Infantry! ;) :)

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Seriously though, if there was a plastic figure manufacturer out there most suited to expanding the WW1-RCW crossover it would be Strelets.

The WW1 Imperial Russian infantry (also as White Army) and RCW Red infantry are magnificent sets. Partisan cavalry and infantry sets and revolutionary naval troops are a natural progression.

Everybody has seen Doctor Zhivago and plenty of us in the West have also seen White Sun of the Desert, Battleship Potemkin, Reds, And Quiet Flows the Don, Chapeav as well as the Nine Lives of Nestor Makhno TV serial.

The Red Army sets came out of the blue and arrived very quickly as a wonderful surprise - please do it again!

Anybody else?

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI question to Strelets

Given the timeframes involved here, if you were to consider doing the Camerone sets, when would that realistically be? In the spring 2011? Or have you decided you do not want to do the era?

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI question to Strelets

Dear Arlin,

quite frankly, Camerone adventure will be a deviation for us from those subjects that we're working on at the moment.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI question to Strelets

Okay, well I guess that is it then. The Mexican Adverture/Camerone will never be made before I die. You were the last manufacturer who might have made them, everyone else said 'No'. Oh, if only Napoleonic French, or Romans, or Nazi Germans had fought there, then we would already have a hundred sets of them!

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI question to Strelets

Dear Arlin,

you shouldn't take it too close to your hart, just have a look at annual production figures on PSR site. With about 150 sets/year one can expect anything these days. For us, manufaturors, that means that every single set is produced with much reduced production run, some are happy with less than 1000 boxes releases. In a situation like that any remote or otherwise forgotten conflict can become an object of another set. Besides, we hope, you aren't going to pass away before seen the Cameron adventure in plastic ?

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Freshly announced sets are:
M055 - German Stormtroopers
M056 - British Infantry in Gasmasks
M057 - French Infantry in Gasmasks
M058 - Russian Infantry in Gasmasks
M059 - Austro-Hungarian Infantry in Gasmasks
M060 - German Infantry in Gasmasks

The production of WW1 products is a bit like the 'curates egg'. There are some great piece also some real rubbish.

Pity that Revells only made 2 sets and re-release of the German WW1 set was ruined with excessive amount of flash.(I will Not even bother to comment on the defunct French)

I am not sure the role of Caesar as they stopped after the German WW1 storm trooper set and seem to be concentrating on the predictable WW2 choices!

Emhar at one stage was the main WW1 producer - they are still the only ones producing 1/72 tanks (except HaTs FT17s) but unfortunately such models like mkIV MALE seem now to be unavailable. Their output is so unpredictable.

What is encouraging is that Strelets along with HaT are transforming the modelling of WW1 which was only a side issue only a few years ago.

It is always appreciated when a company like Strelets listen to requests. Gas was a feature almost unique to the Great War and fortunately it has not been used on the large scale since.

Thank you for looking at the forum and taking on board ideas when suitable.

It is understandable that you cannot provide what everyone want ie 'Scottish kilted Infantry in Gasmasks' would be a great choice for me but I doubt that there is much of a future for this idea!

However one of the icon pictures of the great war is a vickers crew wearing early gas masks - that would be a great addition!

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Dear RCD,

thank you for your message.
The idea about making WWI subjects in gas masks first came to us long ago when we saw Fujimi WWII German Infantry in gas masks. Now it's close to being realised in some scope. One can never be sure what will sell well before you try, that's why despite no requests about Austro-Hungarians were ever made we still decided to make this more obscure subject. Actually we thought about Scots as well, so that still can be an option in future. Possibly this period is not that glamorous as some other ones but by doing these sets we can pay our tribute to those who fought in it. Russian army faced apart from Germans and Austro-Hungarians several other nations and we hopefully will eventually depict all of them even if they weren't that well promoted by Hollywood or other movie makers.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Strelets
Dear RCD,

thank you for your message.
The idea about making WWI subjects in gas masks first came to us long ago when we saw Fujimi WWII German Infantry in gas masks. Now it's close to being realised in some scope. One can never be sure what will sell well before you try, that's why despite no requests about Austro-Hungarians were ever made we still decided to make this more obscure subject. Actually we thought about Scots as well, so that still can be an option in future. Possibly this period is not that glamorous as some other ones but by doing these sets we can pay our tribute to those who fought in it. Russian army faced apart from Germans and Austro-Hungarians several other nations and we hopefully will eventually depict all of them even if they weren't that well promoted by Hollywood or other movie makers.

Best regards,

Strelets


Thanks for you very prompt reply. Clearly 'customer service' is taken seriously rather than just lip service! Nice to know that that your company does recognise the role of the Scots (including the Canadians)!
More WW1 Eastern front subjects would be great because I am sure that I am not the only one whose knowledge on this area is limited.

You are to be commended in taking a gamble and trying to be orginal - rather than like many of the leading players,that play it finicially safe and do just WW2 eastern front.

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Strelets, I am looking forward to seeing these new sets; I think they are great ideas for figures. And it is very nice to see that the British have not been forgotten again.

I wonder if there might be some extra heads in the sets so they can be used to convert some of the older sets made by other manufacturers?

And, finally, are the WW1 Cavalry sets on schedule for their October 2010 release?

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Dear PDA,

British WWI cavalry is on schedule, we believe these are the sets that you're mainly expecting from us?
Extra heads for swapping won't make sence as our heads are much bigger then other manufacturers' ones.
Please be guided accordingly.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Dear Strelets,

thanks for the swift answer. It's a pity that there're no further plans for RCW, a lot of sets could be done for this conflict though imho.
Otoh it's good to hear that you're considering more WWI sets ("eastern front" units seem highly possible)!

Do I possibly see Polish Legion cavalry, Romanian light infantry, Turkish infantry or Bulgarian cavalry + infantry appear on the horizon?

Best Regards

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Dear Peter,

not sure about Polish Legion, after all it was just a limited unit, whereas say, Romanian army isn't represented at all, Bulgarians aren't there either (though we have some doubts whether it makes sence to do them as they were so similar in their appearance to Russians), no Eastern front Turks or decent Serbs who also played important role in the conflict.
These are the possible areas that we might concentrate our efforts on.

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Great ideas for the WWI sets, including Romanians and Serbs. Actually, I think you could make Bulgarians that are different from Russians with their distinctive footwear, and perhaps a few with German helmets for the late war period and some German or Austrian heavy weapons. There would definitely be a demand and appreciation for them. Also, while the Polish legion would be a pretty limited set for WWI, it would be useful for the Polish-Soviet War that would complement your ACW Red Army sets.

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Samogon
Great ideas for the WWI sets, including Romanians and Serbs. Actually, I think you could make Bulgarians that are different from Russians with their distinctive footwear, and perhaps a few with German helmets for the late war period and some German or Austrian heavy weapons. There would definitely be a demand and appreciation for them. Also, while the Polish legion would be a pretty limited set for WWI, it would be useful for the Polish-Soviet War that would complement your ACW Red Army sets.



Dear Strelets,
I agree entirely with everything Samogon wrote.
Here are some pictures of Bulgarian infantry & cavalry from different stages of WWI:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=108897

All 3 pages are worth a look!
Some drawings (including Romanians, Greeks & Serbs also):

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?152392-Request-for-WW1-uniforms

And yes, I borrowed some of my avatars there lately.

Ditto due to the request for some Polish legion infantry & cavalry. Besides WWI they would be useful for all the conflicts the poles were involved in during the years 1918-1921 (including Polish–Soviet War 1919–21).
Heebs of pictures & links:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=4743&start=435

36 pages - a lot is about the 30's & WWII, but one can find some good photos from 1918-22 as well.

Anyway, thanks for the positive reply & I would love to see some WWI Serbs & Romanians from you!

Best Regards

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

WWI Serbs and Romanians would be fantastic!

Gas masks

Dear all

I was hoping the gas masks would be made in silicone rubber so they could be peeled off to reveal gasping heads of Tommies, Ivans, Fritzs etc underneath. Drat.

Seriously though, good news. How about one or two who were a bit slow putting their respirators on. I agree with comments about other WWI sets and add they are on the whole a bit sanitised. Airfix over a 1000 years ago had some wounded and dead poses in their WWI sets.

David

Re: Gas masks

Seeing some distressed soldiers who put on their masks a bit late would be very appropriate I think....I'd definitely buy such a set.

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Hi.The Belgian are dis figs coming!?

attention to WW1 Austrian uniforms

Hello Strelets
Very good idea to follow up the WW1 trend . particularly appreciate the production of Austrian minis still not sufficiently represented . I'm thinking at their involvment in the Italian Front. Hat Austran infantry with ankle gaiters and classical backpack also for "action poses"(soon discarted) could be used only for 1914 East front and same thing for their, theorically, very useful Strelets one in coat..as they are all depicted without helmet and above also with those useless (for late period) gaiters and not with the generally used puttees. So i think that late type Austrians with gas mask and i suppose modern equipment and Mgs should sport those required puttees ecc..also by simple head swapping (German helmets, fezzes or field caps)they could easily be used as generic late type infantry, mountain infantry and also Bosnians.
thanks for your attention

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

Oh yes!! More Turks!!!

Re: New Strelets Sets for WWI

What we need are a decent set of Romanians, as well as a decent range for Africa. This would include the European Forces, their Native allies, a pack of native porters and maybe tribesmen. Unfortunately not all this subjects might be broad enough to receive a devoted box so they might be most suited to a Strelets type box not a mini one. This would allow a broader representation of the forces and might not create a situation manufacturers do of having a whole kind of soldier relegated to 2 or 3 poses in a set. it would also help show the irregularity these forces often possessed being cut off from supply lines from Europe and sometimes even the rest of Africa.

What do you think?