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Post by Graeme on Mar 8, 2018 4:58:49 GMT
Mine have arrived and the shields will bend into place very easily and look very natural when done. The plastic cuts easily without furring and the minimal mould lines trim very easily with an exacto blade that's quite sharp but not brand new.
I don't have the previous Zulu set to compare them with (I might have to get some now) but these guys look like Zulus to me. And the action poses are very good, I particularly like the guy with the knob kerry and the ring hand figure, and I have to agree with GC, that running pose is absolutely brilliant and a bend of the shield arm and perhaps an undercut and bend of the assegai will make it even better.
The sculpts are perhaps a bit chunky around the shoulders and arms but holding them at arms length they just look powerfully built and I suspect scale effect might kick in to make them look really good when painted.
Zulu Wars is very much a sideline for me and I was never as excited about this set as I was about the Landwehr but now they're here I'm really quite taken with them and very happy to get them and the splendid bonus figures.
Looks like I recieved them before the Australian dealers have them listed too.
There do seem to be awful lot of Zulus around here suddenly though. Think I might need to paint a Gattling Gun.
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Post by Graeme on Feb 28, 2018 16:42:01 GMT
The roads from Wavre to Plancenoit were pretty bad too but the Prussian Landwehr gets through. It's just taking them a little longer to march to this hemisphere.
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Post by Graeme on Feb 23, 2018 15:13:57 GMT
One of the guys on Benno's forum has recieved his sets. He posted a picture of them.
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Post by Graeme on Feb 9, 2018 12:39:04 GMT
They look fabulous, hope they don't mind crossing the Channel.
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Post by Graeme on Feb 9, 2018 12:17:27 GMT
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Post by Graeme on Jan 24, 2018 18:15:06 GMT
Sizing: Either the lights matching 8029 Chasseurs a Cheval and the heavies matching 8013 Horse Grenadiers. Or Make the lights match your 1815 Prussian Hussars and use the digitised sizing to make the heavies just a little bit bigger. I think that might give a good match with the Peninsular British infantry. Bonus figs: officers for the light and heavy dragoons are a good idea. And I would like an officer of the Staff Cavalry Corps who looks a bit like George Scovell, holding a paper I can draw a cypher on. www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portraitLarge/mw05678/Sir-George-ScovellAlso, I do like the idea of a figure of Sir John Moore but I'd only need one.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 23, 2018 12:33:37 GMT
Both good ideas, and I'm sure you could come up with some vignettes that would have me salivating like one of Pavlovs dogs, but my preference would be for individual figures. With the Prussian Landwehr it was a good way of getting needed figures like extra officers and the sapper. It was also a way of getting some figs that could be used in vignettes like the medic or ADC or sapper.
The thing about vignettes is I think part of the fun is finding the available figures to use in them. Maybe taking a totally unrelated figure and changing it to make it be or do what you want. Getting one ready to go straight from the box and painting it is only half the fun.
You would have to think about how a vignette works in terms of how bonus figs are distributed too.
First preference is individual figures but if anyone has a brilliant idea for a vignette I'll consider it.
Edit.
In general terms I think Sappers/pioneers/engineers are a good choice for bonus figures, needed figures but only needed in small numbers.
I also really like personality figures but everyone only wants one of each.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 22, 2018 11:39:47 GMT
At this time of year I think a lot of people have just got used to the idea that they can stop spending money for a while so don't be TOO quick to pull anything.
You said previous crowdfunders would run for 60 days. That's a reasonable starting point but if the pledges come in gradually why not keep it open for a while. On the other hand if there's zero interest after a month or two why not announce "if you want it tell us now or we'll bin it"?
The Landwehr progressed quite gradually I think that shows there was interest there but also a bit of resistance to crowdfunding.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 21, 2018 17:54:16 GMT
In for a penny in for a pound, posted on Bennos too. So just a few words of support please if needed. Well done Alan, perhaps I will add a link to the crowdfunding page and some words of support to your post at Benno's. Some people there might be glad of the information and I guess that's what the "Miniatures News" section is there for. While we're on the subject, If anyone here is not aware of "Benno's Figures Forum" You're missing a real treat. It's a friendly and supportive place full of like minded people and covers all aspects of the hobby, in all scales (though there is an emphasis on 1/72), and from all manufacturers. There's plenty of helpful imformation when you need it, humourous comments and good natured banter and, best of all, always lots of wonderful pics from some very talented painters and modelers to drool over. Link below, see you there . bennosfiguresforum.com/
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Post by Graeme on Jan 20, 2018 3:08:34 GMT
To be honest I was hoping the next crowdfunder would be one that I could sit out on, Looks like it's not.
I will be supporting this project, I'll buy enough to avoid the double postage but I'm not in a huge hurry so while there's nothing on the homepage or crowdfunding page I can tell myself it hasn't really got started yet. Also I've had to put a few other things through my paypal account recently so I need to check that all my rows are ducked first.
The status bar on the Dragoons page has moved to 2 so it looks like it is happening. And it's worth noting that even with the shipping costs to Australia the price is about the same as i've paid in the shop for HaT cavalry sets previously, if I bought more they'd actually be cheaper.
I think it would help to put a link to this crowdfunder on the homepage, crowdfunding page and the twitter page. Make it look a bit more official.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 19, 2018 0:20:33 GMT
They look even better in close up. I love the shields and animal skins and the chariots are fantastic.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 18, 2018 16:00:12 GMT
Something a bit different and very nicely done, I like this a lot.
I couldn't zoom the wide angle shot much though so I wouldn't mind seeing some close ups of the various elements.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 18, 2018 1:53:51 GMT
I wondered where Alan got the pack mules in his rockets dio.
These are both good looking animals with very good generic wooden crates. And I think the skiing soldiers are pretty cool even if I don't collect WWII.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 13, 2018 3:27:47 GMT
May I use the rare opportunity to ask what became of the following... 8211 - Celtiberian Warriors Frank. I wondered if the 3 Gaulish sets listed included 1/72 versions of the 1/32 sets of Gallic infantry and Celtiberians already made. Also, someone mentioned that there were extra poses that didn't make it into one of the 1/32 sets, I don't remember what they looked like but I do recall thinking they looked good. I would be interested to hear if that is what the Gauls sets are, I'd certainly buy them. p.s. HaT, if I didn't mention the WWI limber you can add that to the end of my list with the other WWI stuff.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 6, 2018 15:40:49 GMT
I had to put in a vote for Rocket troops to have a look at this pole problem. I can't see any way to view the results either.
But I was the 999,999th visitor... again. And I WON!... again. So that was some consolation.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 6, 2018 15:15:35 GMT
I one at HaT has contacted me re the bonus figures... Marc. Is there a typo here? If you mean noone at HaT has contacted you re the bonus figures, you can contact them here to order the bonus figures you want; paccoastca@gmail.com It's the same gmail address you used to order numbers of marching and action sets, at the bottom of the crowdfunding page. www.hat.com/Crowd2.html
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Post by Graeme on Jan 5, 2018 14:22:52 GMT
In order of preference:
- If I can use them for Iron Age Britain then the Gaulish Light, medium, and Heavy infantries. Are any of these 1/72 versions of the 1/32 Gallic Warriors (Yes please, definately) and Celt Iberians (yes I think I can use some)?
- Prussian limbers/wagons.
- American Revolution sets, Baggage Camels.
- The WWI German machine guns, French trench gun, German cavalries and British wagon.
I have a rather old fashioned view as to how queues work so I would point out that I think folks have waited a mighty long time for that Flying Pig.
And, Yes! thanks very much for asking.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 4, 2018 1:13:13 GMT
does anyone know any sets in which you can get pack mules? Needs to be fairly generic. Probably someone will tell me some of these are donkeys not mules but I don't mind, they're near enough for me. Pack animals with generic loads: These from HaT/Linear-B, I think these look pretty mulish, paint up very nicely and have good generic loads.(Some of the loads are more specific but hey! are any of your armies going to complain about the huge amphoras full of wine?). www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2085www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1926This one from Imex if you can find it, I think these are definately mules. www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=405This one from Pegasus, should be easy to find but the animals are the most donkeyish of the lot: www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1727It might pay to look through the other American Frontier sets on PSR, there may be a few more pack animals. Also Waterloo 1815: www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2046Italeri(ESCI reissue): www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=447Ultima Ratio: www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2437Matchbox, very nice model but only one and hard to find I'd think: www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=241Mules without loads, if you can scratch build them: HaT: www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1833Nikolai: germania-figuren.com/gx2/1-72-Resinfiguren/1-72-Nikolai-Exclusive-Modeling/Tierserie/Maultiere-fuer-Wagen-usw-.htmlWaterloo 1815: www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=746The HaT mules can also be found in the two Crusader transport sets but without the loads. And the Imex Chuck wagon and Munitions Wagon, if you can find them, are drawn by decent looking mules but you'd have to scratch build loads. Lots of pack donkeys in the various old Atlantic sets but they're as rare as rocking horse manure and the poses, I think, are comical. Might be worth mentioning that the Pegasus gold miner set has 2 pairs of Chinese porters and I think lots of different armies from different times could use those.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 3, 2018 11:19:02 GMT
What are we being shown here, the final masters or a computer generated image? It might be kind of both. From comments HaT has made here I think that now the masters are scanned into a digital form and the moulds are produced using a CAM program. They look pretty good whatever they are.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 3, 2018 0:44:05 GMT
Very nice painting indeed.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 1, 2018 7:41:06 GMT
Great news about the Peninsular cavalries. Well done HaT!
And a Happy New Year to all.
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Post by Graeme on Jan 1, 2018 7:04:12 GMT
Yes, a complimentary relationship for sure, I like to buy figures of a particular unit from every manufacturer that makes them, if they look good and I can get them. Commanders of clone armies have such a negative immage in popular culture.
I really don't need Prussian Landwehr from HaT, haT will be sending me more than I can paint in any reasonable time. But, the sculpts they have shown us are very nice and variety is good so if these show up at my local hobby shop I will buy some.
Of HaT recent production i only bought a box each of the marching Poles and Brits. That's all that was left in the shop when i got there but I look forward to catching up on some of the other sets when I see them. The advancing figures are of particular interest. And the Highlanders, a few years ago these were the figures I wanted more than any others. Now I just don't need them (except a few of the advancing figures that I hope will fit in nicely with some of my dodgy conversions), but put them in the shop and I'll buy them because they are really nice looking figures and the body proportions are so much better than the Poles and Brits, and the officers and pioneers will be most useful, and it's not always about what you need.
Allan is right about the MAC sets. as a customer I think this is the best idea a manufacturer has ever come up with. I prefer action figures so for me HaT has the edge over the recent HaT production so far, HaT gives me firing lines. And being able to buy as many command figures as we need, I don't know how economically viable it is for a manufacturer but for us customers it's brilliant. And again HaT has the edge here, those Polish and British sets I mentioned did something very wierd with the command figures.
Regarding comparisons of HaT and HaT's current output, HaT uses a much quicker production method and I think they may be casting the figures themselves on site. Which means they can produce figures quickly, and they certainly have been knocking out a lot of sets lately. And I applaud them for it. This level of activity means their forum is buzzing too. The downside is that if you didn't buy some of their older sets when you had the chance (like a certain eejit who's name I won't mention) or if you're new to the hobby and want to buy the older sets, you're out of luck because the moulds are worn out.
HaT's steel moulds take longer to produce. We've been told that it takes about a year to make a new set.And for all I know there may be several different offshore companies involved in the different stages of production. I think everyone here is aware that production stopped at HaT for two years or so, due to unavoidable reasons and that there is a new management team. As far as I can tell the new management has been in place for about a year, maybe a bit more and in that time 4 new sets and 11 or more restocks have already been shipped and a further 7 new sets and another group of restocks are on the way to the distribution points now. Given the longer production times and HaT's Pheonix like rise from the ashes I think that's not too shabby for their first year.
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Post by Graeme on Dec 23, 2017 1:50:25 GMT
they also post pictures of newly sculpted figures without revealing the sets name & people go on the forum to guess the set, in this day & age customers need this level of service & I just hope hat is capable of providing it to there loyal customers. Perhaps you are very VERY new to the HaT forum but HaT has posted pictures of every figure that is in the pipeline. They had sculpts made for 10 years or more worth of sets at the same time and showed us the very first "roughs" that came off the sculpters bench and invited us to comment on them. In the case of the WWI French artillery they showed us figs wearing greatcoats like the French infantry. Some knowledgable people here pointed out the artillery should be wearing short tunics and two weeks later we were shown sculpts of WWI French artillery wearing short tunics. HaT changed the whole set! As far as I can tell HaT is the only 1/72 plastic figure producer that has EVER done that. In addition to the roughs, when the intermediate figures were made HaT posted pictures of them. When the final masters were made HaT posted pictures of them. And when test shots of the sprues were run HaT posted pictures of them. When the Prussian Landwehr were made we got to choose numbers of each pose, what size the figures should be and even what free bonus giveaways we'd like to have I've noticed on the HaT site that people have commented that the New Zealenders shouldn't be wearing lemon squeezer hats on the battlefield, that Highlander officers shouldn't be wearing kilts on the battlefield, that machine gunners are in the wrong pose and that various sets of troops are equipped with weapons that didn't exist at the time. Were any of these mistakes fixed? No! Why? Because the pics were not shown on the forum untill the masters had already been made and were ready to go into production. HaT is the only company that involves us from the very start of production and allows us to suggest changes. And, of course HaT doesn't have to wory about telling us which old sets will be re-stocked because their moulds are not reusable. There has been a lot of talk about how much better HaT is now but looking at the obvious improvements I can't see anything they haven't coppied from HaT, including, I suspect, using the same sculptors. HaT has told us that a new set takes about a year to produce. what would updates twice a week tell us? "yeah we're still making 'em", Yeah we're still making 'em". As to the current restocks, just my speculation but perhaps HaT is making sure that all of the restock runs are successful before anouncing what is being restocked. Recalling the amount of vitriolic nastiness they had to endure on the old forum when a set was lost due to circumstances probably beyond their control I wouldn't blame them. Regarding timelines, Hat used to post that sets would be available in the first quarter, third quarter, etc. But it just led to a lot of angry posts of the type " It's now two seconds past midnight on St. Wotsits day and you said we'd get the Almorosassawhosits in the second qaurter you liars!". Perople couldn't accept that timelines might have a bit of flexability in them so haT just stopped posting them. That's the point, being the company that communicates with us more than any other has only earned HaT a lot of abuse. Nobody ever complains about Airfix, Revell, Italeri, Zvezda and all the others who never told me any flamin' thing (and in several cases don't even produce figures any more).
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Post by Graeme on Nov 25, 2017 10:19:51 GMT
Absolutely wonderful painting that really highlights how good these figures are.
Marching figures are not my favourite thing but these are very, very, nice marching figures, and there's not a whole lot out there in the Bardin uniform.
So, I think this set will be providing plenty of conscripts for my Napoleon when he returns from Elba.
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Post by Graeme on Nov 24, 2017 2:55:27 GMT
Very nice.
They may be the other extreme to the riot of colour of the Mamelukes but, in their own way, I think the all black uniforms with just small details of colour make an equally impressive sight.
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