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: I don't like the dead.

My personal view is the same as yours; however I recognize that other hobbyists might have a use for such figures. The British CW infantry officer holding his hand to his face is my biggest pet peeve - I would have loved to have another functioning officer instead.

Re: I don't like the dead.

I have to admit that my two favourite poses in the Strelets Crimean Highlander set are the two figures who have been hit, to me it shows a sculpter at the top of his game.

Re: Re: Casualties, are a fact of war that cannot be ignored.

Noel, That is teh good point, it does show the sculptors skills and understanding of anatomy to animate and produce a figure. As with artists who paint battle scenes without casualties, i hardly think so. What a boring image that would be.That would be more liek portray children pretending or playing.

Any soldier would tell you for every 1 killed there are 3-5 wounded.Leaving only 65%per battalion etc fighting effectives(discounting the rear echelonss).
We are talking not about modern times so there would be rife sickness, and injury present from weaponry.Yet so few attendants/nurses/doctors.


Re: I don't like the dead.

I strongly need dead and wounded figures for my battlefields as I strive to give it as close a realism as possible.
But I understand your point and always believed that the best solution would be a set entirely dedicated to the dead & wounded.

Re: Re: I don't like the dead.

i LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT for each Campaign

A mini box
one sprue casualtys
one sprue quartermaster/alternative strecther bearer
one sprue artillery gun crew limber
one sprue wagon/caisson communication team

I like the dead, wounded and surrendering

I thought the Pegasus d-day set was great and it's just about half dead or wounded soldiers, some of whom haven't even hit the ground. Most of the dead poses and the guy getting hit posses in the Airfix sets were good. For a while, one dead/wounded/surrendering pose per set was almost standard, but it was usually kept to just one or two figures per set. They may not always be a wasted pose as the dead may also serve as wounded, sleeping or just taking cover hiding hideing, if they aren’t too mutilated.

Re: I like the dead, wounded and surrendering

I think the Pegasus D-Day set may be the best set ever made in terms of diorama making. The men caught in the explosion is great and the first time that was ever done. The men lined up along the berm are very lifelike, and the chaplain giving the man last rites was inspired.

But with all that, the set is useless for wargaming and despite the fact that I have thousands of WWII US Army troops I don't own the Pegasus D-Day set.

Re: I like the dead, wounded and surrendering

On alternative use I once saw a picture of a diorama using IMEX Chinese where some of the 'dead' figures were made to look like they were asleep against a log (maybe) and being awakened by the bugler.

Re: Re: I like the dead, wounded and surrendering

Hi Mike,

As a non-wargamer most of the standard-bearers in the cavalry sets are useless for me. Especially such units that didn't had a flag.

But as wargamers need them, I accepted them. I hope you will accept that I as a modeller need the casualties and are happy to have them.

cheers
uwe

Re: I like the dead, wounded and surrendering

wargamers like me need the wounded and surrendering figures to act as hit markers.
the ones i can't abide are those lying down like the 2 poses in the new ww1 russians.

Re: Re: Re: I like the dead, wounded and surrendering

I am a wargamer, and from my experience virtually every set has some "throw away figures" whose poses simply do not work for my purposes. Dead wounded and surrendering figures would most likely fall into that catagory for me. However I would have no problem with a set containing one of each pose. The problem is when you have a manufacturer that produces sets containing say 8 poses repeated 4 times. On old Strelets format (every figure unique) was much better for working in the casualty figures.

Live and Let Live - Even the Dead.

I need as many casualties and non-tradtitional poses as I can get. In fact, I find it absurd that every set doesn't contain at least one casualty.

Like others, I echo the sentiments about respecting each others needs in the hobby. As a non-wargamer, many poses are useless for me - but essential to others.

Live and let live - even the dead.

Best,

Jon Metters

Re: I don't like the dead.

I'm all in favour of as much diversity as possible, this is something where Strelets makes a difference...

Cheers

Re: Re: I don't like the dead.

sure boring painting boxes of 8 figures give to me strelets regualar box 40-44 figures.

Re: Re: Re: I don't like the dead.

In a set with fifty different poses a dead or wounded guy is okay. In sets with 12 or 16 or 20 poses a dead or wounded guy is 5% to 8% of the set. I am also not much of a fan of the guidon or bugler in the sets with only a few poses. I build full size units so a company of 150 men does not need 15 buglers or guidons.

I would rather have all the live figure needs fulfilled before the needs of the dead are attended to. Radios, officers, NCOs, medics, heavy weapons, messengers, female soldiers are all better than dead guys. I can make dead guys pretty easily if I needed one.

The Orion Pirates set has a great skeletonized body that will work for nearly any period. A single set with dead guys and a few accessories would work for nearly all periods. Then we could dispense with them in the other sets.

Mike Creek
http://bunkermeister.blogspot.com/

Casualties are important

Dear all

Recently on the Najemo forum, Roland Kupski has gone to great pains to skilfully convert some of Emhar's FPW Prussians to casualties. He shows what can be done with glueable plastic and ingenuity. The basic set needs either this potential to convert to cover all uses (diorama or wargamer) or alternatively cover the uses with different poses. Not quite sure why wargamers do not want casualties as Foundry for example offer casualty sets with most of their white metal ranges so there must be a demand.
Strangely enough it is hard to define which figures depict the dead, the wounded or winded (or snoozing). I suppose Zvezda's decapitated Samurai heads are very deceased though what happened to the other bits?
That apart
Rather than divide the hobby and put off diorama fans or wargamers by too much of one or too little of another it is probably best to adopt a balance that half satisfies all ( Solomon didn't do that did he?). Some dead, wounded, winded, sleeping,singing, eating, surrendering WWI Russians would suit me as the existing sets' poses are geared to the battle, the attack. Nothing wrong just a very limited potential. 12 poses still give scope for a nod in the direction of diorama makers, painters, modellers. A nod not an embrace as dioramists etc were treated (spoilt with) when offered 44 poses. Better a nod now, a doff of the hat, a wink than no recognition at all.

BTW I haven't got the WWI Russian infantry sets yet the rifles look better in the pics for being cast (in white metal?) first

Re: Casualties are important

You´re so right, David, thanks
You can see some of the pictures on Benno´s Website also, with english commentary.
http://www.bennosfigures.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=4063#4063

Re: Re: Casualties are important

Hi Roland,

as usual you did a great job here. I always like
your work!

But sadly not everybody is so good with converting figures

A lot of the collectors don't convert figures, so they have to take what is offered by the manufactors.

cheers
uwe

Re: Re: Re: Casualties are important

but as has been said: the Emhar figures are simple to convert. I would prefer dead or wounded poses in a box, of course, as a diorama-maker.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Casualties are important

Dear Roland,

aggreed - a set of casualties is in my eyes as important as a pure set of standing or marching figures.

cheers
uwe

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Casualties are important

I bought 12 boxes of the pegasus d-day rangers, because of the many dead and wounded.
And even those am I still converting, even the living ones: head without helmet, head other way lying down, even the medics I cut loose, to replace their position(difficult operation :-) ).
So dead and wounded are important to me!
Maybe one company should make a set of dead, wounded soldiers in a popular, well selling set(in plastic, I know metal sets=expensive): Napolean era, french line, guard, british, scots, prussians, french cuirassiers.
Waterloo will always be the most favourite diorama-subject.

Strelets Medieval eezy peezy casualty conversion

Dear All

This must be the easiest and best to convert to a casualty for Medieval fans:
In the Strelets Medieval Levy set 1 M005 in the "Figures" photo - first row first figure on the left (with club). This is the target. Cut off the club do not use the shield. Bend at the knees to lean backwards. Small cut under the neck and bend head back slightly. You can leave the stub on the figure for the shield as a crossbow bolt (in the midriff -100% fatal in those days). The expression on the figure's face is so good for this conversion.
The fourth from the left has potential as well.

I agree that there should be casualty sets. In my opinion the Strelets Charge of the Light Brigade walking/riding casualties are some of the nicest figures made in plastic and deserve a much wider use for other periods. If they were sold as a separate set (not in a big box )I would buy lots- I am sure others would. Massima Costa's pics of his excellent conversions and paintjobs in parts 1-4 show how good they are.

for massimo

Dear Massimo
See I can get it right. A typing slip by me not a gender change for you. Sorry. Your figures are great and more in your galleries at Soldatini on Line.

David

Re: for massimo

Dear David,
No problem for your mistake, if you wont notice regard my casualty conversion send me a mail, for the position and drammatic move i inspired to classic picture. Sorry for my english language. I dont speak very well english.