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
View Entire Thread
Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Dear Strelets,

Thank you for your response and views, very interesting indeed.

There is no 'easy answer', but I can tell you that I have seen various posts on other Military Modelling Forums recently that have been very complimentary about the WoSS range. It is gaining attention for its quality and the choice of subjects, and not just from people who collect 1/72 plastic figures.

Best regards

Minuteman

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Empire Total War unique units would be quite interesting. :grin:

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Good question!!

I suppose being a Nap fan in the main and specifically concentrating on Waterloo for building a diorama of my own, I would be considered mainstream.

However while some of the usual sets I would like to see made would be definately mainstream (properly done sets of French 1812-1815 infantry, Foot artillery, British light dragoons/hussars etc), some of the sets I ask for for this campaign are maybe not massively mainstream due to who they are, (eg Nassauers/Brunswickers/Hanoverians/Dutch etc etc.) These guys are not done as widely as the British, French & Prussians.

As for set designs themselves, i suppose I am also mainstream in that I prefer the ones "in battle" rather than recent "in reserve" offerings.
A Napoleonic set design type I would like to see more of, that is not a mainstream type is "in Square". Only set like this on market is the Highlanders from Waterloo 1815. Trying make squares up when manufacturers vary so wildly in their figures sizes etc and lack of kneeling figures makes it a harder task than needs be.

When it comes to unusual sets, I guess I like sets which may be focused still on a "mainstream" era, but are unique in what they are, such as Strelets French Armys camp.

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

My sixpenny worth , Yesterday I spent part of the evening looking at the sets of WSS already released by yourselves (Strelets) with a view to painting a few of the infantry, the only French set that was a buy now was the Pikemen, liked them from the start, Now I will probably buy a few boxes of the British firing line and part with most of the grenadiers, they are not firing. My space is limited, so if you are doing a firing line, all loading and firing, all in the same uniform, just as easy for the sculptor to do four standing firing and four loading poses all a bit different as to do eight poses doing something else, do boxes of Grenadiers Firing, marching etc, do the Brits and French first, nothing worse than waiting for years to complete an army, or losing faith and getting rid like I did my Jacobites among others.

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Alan Buckingham
Now I will probably buy a few boxes of the British firing line and part with most of the grenadiers, they are not firing. My space is limited, so if you are doing a firing line, all loading and firing, all in the same uniform, just as easy for the sculptor to do four standing firing and four loading poses all a bit different as to do eight poses doing something else, do boxes of Grenadiers Firing, marching etc,
I'm pleased to hear that the WoSS range is growing on you, Alan! It does become a bit compulsive.

The British Firing Line set is ideal for modelling just that, and head-swaps will give you firing grenadiers. Otherwise, if you don't need them, I will happily buy them off you!:+1:

Firing lines being what they are do take up a bit of space, but you can always 'dismantle' them and put them back in their storage box.

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Hi all
some interesting comments about subjects.
As for mainstream, well over many years of collecting, more than I care to think about, I've collected vast numbers of mainstream figures for the periods that interest me. Well over 45,000 now!
So much so, that I'm currently having to revise and expand my storage system. if it's of any interest to anyone I make up my units, divisions, regiments etc, and unused and unwanted figures, poses etc go into a system of interlocking storage drawers to maximise space which is currently running out!
Which brings me back to figure subjects. For a long time now I've mostly focussed on the more uncommon subjects, and those sets which supplement and fill in gaps in the ranges, recent examples being SAS. LRDG, 8th Army and Africa Corps mortar sets to supplement my desert war armies. I have little need or desire for generic 8th Army and Africa Corp sets, but again, the rarer sets such as Italians, and if ever made in plastic, Colonial figures etc are likely to get me buying again.
So, for me it's an increasingly niche market to fill in my gaps I'm looking at nowadays.
For a related change of subjects how about Red Indians? They seem to be poorly represented nowadays, yet they are useful for many American conflicts, as opposed to just Wild West, AWI, for example. Yes, I know Strelets did Tecumseh and Shawnees M107 but that's now extremely difficult to find. I've tried ordering a few sets from other countries but this seems to be a difficult and somewhat hazardous method. How about reissuing them Strelets? I'm sure many other colletors could use them.
The Italeri set of Red Indians seems to be equally unavailable nowadays - I wonder why?
The existing sets from Imex, Airfix, Waterloo are unsatisfactory, while Atlantic/Nexus H/O scale are long gone and also unsatisfactory.
So, in conclusion it seems to me that there's another gap in the market for Red Indians for American conflicts. How about a range of Native Americans Strelets? I'll be buying umpteen sets.....
Here's hoping and stay safe folks!
Richard

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Not an easy question, as many have already pointed out. If you're a long time collector, you'll probably own most of the available "mainstrem" sets, such as generic Napoleonic line infantry etc. and you'll perhaps be more interested in more "exotic" poses (command sets, specialist units). It also depends on whether you're a wargamer or if you want to create dioramas. A wargamer might need fewer poses, while a diorama builder will need both and look for lots of generic poses with variations such as the "standing shoulder arms" sets.
When it comes to mainstream troops, I guess almost everybody collecting Napoleonics would be happy to get some Austrian Cavalry (Hussars, Uhlans, Cuirassiers etc.) most of which have never been done in plastic. A reissue of Strelets Russian dragoons from the Borodino set would also be appreciated by many, imho. As for other periods, 7YW Prussian/Austrian cuirassiers or Russians are also absent.
And for WoSS, while infantry uniforms were pretty generic (unless you look really close and take a magnifying glass) grenadiers looked quite different from nation to nation, especially the headgear. So focusing on cavalry and grenadiers while keeping the already released infantry sets in supply might be a good idea.

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Minuteman
Strelets have a long track record of producing many sets which are 'mainstream' eg: Napoleonic infantry for the main combatants; and also quite a lot of more 'unusual' sets, for example armies of the Russo-Turkish war, the recent Finnish WW2 anti-tank teams or, perhaps, modelling a very specific regiment/unit eg: Prussian 7th Uhlans.

As such, they are doing a fine job in attempting to keep the 'mass market' interests of collectors/wargamers/modellers in view, while pushing some boundaries and trying to satisfy the interests of, probably, a smaller number of buyers. In doing this, there is clearly a commercial risk; that is, the sets may not sell quite as well as expected. However, Strelets are really the only manufacturer in 1/72 plastic which appears to have the courage to tackle these more unusual subjects.

Given the ongoing (and healthy) requests via this Forum for many sets of almost eras and armies, it would be interesting to know whether Forum members regard themselves as 'mainstream' or 'otherwise', in their taste for future sets?? I am defining 'mainstream' here as generic troop types for main combatant armies in the historical conflicts which we know are perennially popular amongst wargamers/modellers/collectors; Ancients, Medievals, c18th and C19th conflicts in the 'Horse and Musket' era; ACW; Colonials; WW1 and WW2.

I will declare my hand on this. Now that Strelets appear to have elevated the War of Spanish Succession to 'mainstream' by virtue of the number of sets produced and in the pipeline - and the general praise and applause for these sets (even from those who don't 'do' 1/72 plastics - I am happy to see further 'mainstream' WoSS sets!!
Redbox is another company who makes a lot of risky periods: musketeers, Russian and Ukrainian army XVI - XVII, Chinese cavalry, etc....

They improved a lot in the quality of their figures.

Hope to see Strelets and Redbox entering in risky periods and wish them a lot of luck. I will be there to see and enjoy it.

Kind regards,

Yevgen Chernov

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Yevgen Chernov
Redbox is another company who makes a lot of risky periods: musketeers, Russian and Ukrainian army XVI - XVII, Chinese cavalry, etc....

They improved a lot in the quality of their figures.

Hope to see Strelets and Redbox entering in risky periods and wish them a lot of luck. I will be there to see and enjoy it.

Kind regards,

Yevgen Chernov[/quote]


Yes, you are right Yevgen, Redbox do tackle some 'unusual periods' and are producing some very good and interesting figures. It is good also that these periods are not the ones that Strelets are concentrating on, so the risk of duplication (making the same sets) is reduced.

So...in case anyone from Redbox is reading this, they also get credit!

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Hi. Very interesting topic. I buy mainstream subjects. However, it is the unusual subjects that really fire up my interest in this hobby. For example I collect all Napoleonics but it would be dismounted Mamelukes, Hanover (for Waterloo), French sailors or Naepolitan troops that would really excite me. Again I buy mainstream WW2 but it would be Dutch, Belgian, Bulgarian, Norwegian, Chinese, Jugoslav Fascists and Greeks that would be special for me.

I agree with the gentleman re Red Indians but I would also add Mexican Revolutions, at least a set of Mexican bandits just to close a gap re the Wild West.

I appeal to Strelets to make a couple of other sets re the War of 1812.

Again please don't forget certain sets which close gaps: mules/carts for FFL, Colonial troops to be added to recent desert WW2 sets, mounted Japanese for WW2 and Vichy for North Africa.

For some of the above a few sets will go a long way to convert our years' old dreams to reality.

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Being no wargamer makes me a bit unusual in general, i think.

Trying to do e.g. Scenes like

- kind of 'real version' of the Trojan War

- Sea Battle of Salamis

- 'Elephant Battle' of Antiochos I.

- Frisians Uprising 28-47 a.d.

- Ban Chaos journey to the Roman Empire

- kind of 'real version' of the Song of Roland

- Battle of Mohi & others like Kalka and Liegnitz

makes me further less mainstream, but nevertheless Strelets & Linear-A help me a lot with their sets.

Sorry, almost no musketeers around me.

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Hi Giorgius
I'm glad to see somebody agrees with me!
I too would like to see the 1812 range expanded.
Back to mules which I covered in a previous thread, Early War Miniatures will supply single mules without loads but moulded harness.
Please note that due to Covid they're not presently active, I have an outstanding order, but in normal times they're very good.
Frontline wargaming do some figures, including mounted Japs, and a couple of single Jap and Australian mules and handlers. If you look at various white metal manufacturers you will find some mounted Japs etc.
Hope this helps
Stay safe
Richard

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Hi
Would like to add my support and praise for Red Box

Have bought all four of their new French Musketeer sets and converted most of them into English Civil War command figures, including King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell

They are certainly full of character.

Tony

Re: 'Mainstream sets' v. more unusual subjects

Most "mainstream" conflicts have been covered quite well by now. Most collectors have been in the hobby for decades so their WW2, Napoleonic and Roman armies are already sizeable.

I guess what catches attention nowadays is
a) "mainstream" sets that are vastly superior to existing ones (say: Emhar WW1 U. S.),
b) supplementary sets for "mainstream" conflicts (say: Strelets DAK mortar set),
c) niche units for "mainstream" conflict (say: Strelets Long Range Desert Group),
d) new ranges for huge international conflicts overseen so far (say: Strelets WSS range).

Not to start yet another wishlist but to illustrate the above, ideas could include
a) WW1 Serbians in summer uniforms,
b) WW1 French support weapons,
c) WW2 Greek,
d) Russo-Japanese War of 1904/5; Sino-Japanese War of 1937-45 (the Japanese have been covered rather well but there is just one set for the World's biggest army, the one of China)