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Post by waynew on Sept 21, 2018 6:00:14 GMT
As has been pointed out the elite troops tended to be somewhat larger than line troops. What IS important is the weapons. Look at the muskets on the two figures - they appear to be very close in size - if not the same size, so the figures can be used together with any difference (small to my eye - and I have mine in and am waiting to get to them and paint them) can be excused. At the same time, if the size isn't too out of proportion (and there are limits, I passed on some of the giants that were released in the past) one can merely brigade them separately from each other and place them on different parts of the board.
I can understand folks having issues with poor product and real problems, but excuse me if I sometimes think folks are looking for reasons to complain. I pulled my guys out and looked at them again, I don't see that much difference in scale compared to some other giants and dwarfs that have been produced to make me quit HaT all together. Geez...
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Post by waynew on Sept 21, 2018 5:50:46 GMT
To add to what Joe said, the problem with your idea is the fact that you have one hundred (just a generic figure drawn out of air for those pedantic people) different folks out here each demanding ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE. YESTERDAY! If HaT was to delay ANY of those sets to concentrate on ONE (or even two) sets - the hue and cry would be loud, long, and raucous. As Joe said, HaT has been primarily a 1/72 scale producer; they have stuck their toe into the waters of other scales at times. It is my hope they won't stop those efforts, even if I'm not and have no plans to ever go into 28mm; but one cannot blame them if they major on where they've made their name and built their business.
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Post by waynew on Sept 17, 2018 1:37:52 GMT
Franco-Prussian War Pommeranian Piccolo Players would be a great addition, I think. By then they had changed from the bi-corn/cocked hat they had worn for almost two hundred years to pickelhaube. They still retained their lederhosen though.
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Post by waynew on Sept 15, 2018 5:30:58 GMT
I, too, like Neilad's scheme; include #13 in the frock coat crowd if you can.
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Post by waynew on Sept 14, 2018 1:44:02 GMT
Folks, that appears to be the name of the game now. Gone are the days when our toy soldiers were produced by big corporations who had the entire chain of production under their complete control and could churn out tens to hundreds of thousands of our little guys for our pleasure. Most of our newer toy soldiers (and even the older ones still in production) are made by small - what we in the USA call - "Mom and Pop" companies who often have to hire or "farm out" much of the work to others. For instance, many of our US makers, such as HaT, have their figures made in China in a complex process that has been discussed here many times before.
My point here is this: restocks are becoming more and more scarce. When was the last re-issue of Airfix or Italeri figures? For some companies there will NEVER be restocks because of the molding process they use. I just read an inquiry on another forum about restocks. The answer from the company was that once a production run was sold it could be assumed to be gone - out of production. This company does not do restocks because their molds are "one and done."
It's just their business model and it works for them. I've learned that if I want their sets I'd better get them NOW or never. One of my favorite 1/32 producers, Ron Barzso, is going out of business. He's retiring. A bunch of us have been talking about his old playsets; it was the highlight of my Christmas that about every year he'd release his yearly playset at the Chicago Toy Soldier Show. My wife learned to get one quickly and have it under the tree so I could relive my childhood every year.
I say you had to move fast because I learned to my regret he limited his production to 500 copies of each set and even the extra figures and accessory sets went out of production due to his molding process - which allowed him to do most of his product close to home. His farewell set will be limited to 100. Fifty were already pre-sold... As we say, "if you snooze, you lose."
I think HaT does pretty good on restocks when you think about it.
So while I can understand your frustration I wish someone would give our friends at HaT the benefit of the doubt on restocks - at least some patience. After all, with over three hundred sets in their catalog and more on the way it is remarkable in this day and age that they are able to do as much as they are able to do keep their figures in stock. At the same time, the issue on availability of this or that particular set may not be HaT's fault at all - maybe your RETAILER underestimated the demand for Pommeranian Piccolo Players and sold out. In which case he or she might have more on order. Maybe you can check somewhere else on line?
But remember this, HaT may seem slow in getting those Pommeranian Piccolo Players to you, and it may be a couple years before you see them again (but I suspect as the ball gains momentum wait-time might not be so long in the future) but odds are pretty good that unless something catastrophic happens they will show up again - something we cannot say about figures whose molds wore out or whose company has moved on to other endeavors.
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Post by waynew on Sept 10, 2018 0:42:01 GMT
Thanks for the kind words and thoughts.
I collect both 1/32 and 1/72; I've been painting 1/72 since the mid-80s but have only started painting my 1/32 the last couple years or so.
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Post by waynew on Sept 9, 2018 17:43:40 GMT
I saw that auction and licked my chops. I contemplated getting in on it but the bidding escalated pretty fast and I backed off - it's not like I don't have a bunch of them and am not waaaay behind in my painting projects. Haha, I feel you! I observed the set from the moment it got put online for only $30 and hoped it would not go that fast. When started biding I was already over my budget, then is $70 dollars which still was kind of fair...One eye blink later and the price was already 90$! It indeed escalated fast! On the other hand, I feel you...Yet I don't have a lot of these, I have none of the carabiniers and only one set of the Voltigeurs...I got some chasseurs from this same seller and already had one box, I am painting them atm I am at those moments more driven by being afraid that over time it will be even harder to find them then they already are now...I rarely see them on eBay! What are your working on at the moment Waynew? Stan Right now, I'm finishing up some 1/72 British Infantry. I've been working on them off and on (due to constant interruptions due to health and family stuff) the past six or so months. I've painted up about five hundred new Line and Scots - I'm finishing up a couple hundred Line. I had to completely touch up and re-do all my Highland units. After that, I'm trying to figure out whether to give my eyes a break (even though I do use a lit magnifier) and perhaps paint up about fifty or so 1/32 scale Alamo Mexicans and Texians - with some recently released War of 1812 Militia I intend to use as Texians. If I do that (and I'm heavily leaning in that direction), then it will be a choice of the ton (I really need to figure out how many I bought) of HaT Prussian Landwehr I crowdfunded; or the recent French sets I got last week. THEN I have some Polish Infantry sets and some other French sets to do. Then, digging through my closet I found my HaT Spanish Infantry sets I bought when they came out (along with some other Peninsular War sets from other companies I bought to compliment them). I'd almost forgotten about them because when THEY came in I was up to my neck in my original Alamo painting (about 200 Texians (more than I believe were actually there) and close to 800 Mexicans so far). You asked... My wife asks me why I keep buying when I'm so "far behind." I can only give her your answer, there's no guarantee they'll still be available when I'm ready for them. I've lost out on some great buys and sets completely because I waited.
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Post by waynew on Sept 9, 2018 4:17:11 GMT
I saw that auction and licked my chops. I contemplated getting in on it but the bidding escalated pretty fast and I backed off - it's not like I don't have a bunch of them and am not waaaay behind in my painting projects.
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Post by waynew on Aug 25, 2018 21:25:26 GMT
I share your pain; but on the bright side, at least HaT does restock their sets - it's not "one and done" so there's hope.
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Post by waynew on Aug 25, 2018 21:20:14 GMT
Thank you, Boney95, if you want to get a good example of what guys trying to move around with weapons not properly shouldered just watch an old "Three Stooges" or Laurel and Hardy movie. Throughout history soldiers' time has been spent largely marching and then waiting. Even in today's military much of one's time is spent moving from point A to point B and waiting - long periods of maddening boredom broken by episodes of bloodshed, chaos, and terror; it's just our means of transportation that has changed. Back then it was on foot.
For this period marching guys would be the basic foundation of any army, I would think. One can build on that. Perhaps HaT will.
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Post by waynew on Aug 20, 2018 18:16:58 GMT
As a retailer I find generic boxes a nightmare. This is mainly because it's easier to make picking mistakes when packing orders with generic boxes and also there is a need to run duplicated listings & inventory tallys for generic and original boxes especially when both types are available at the same time - as some customers do not want a generic box and it needs to be clear what they will be getting when advertising the product. Lastly for Google, Amazon and ebay a barcode EAN is required these days if products are to be properly exposed to customers and the generic packs don't have this. However all that being said I believe generic boxes were a relatively temporary measure and if it is a straight choice between no stock or stock in generic boxes I'd take the latter. Points well taken, I think.
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Post by waynew on Aug 20, 2018 18:15:39 GMT
Rahway is right! Having both would boost sales, I would think, as there are those who missed out on the first run for many reasons. Having two opponents - even if only infantry (though there are alternatives that might fit until HaT should produce better quality sets of their own) would make both sets more attractive. For the record I've been using my 7YW Prussians as ARW "Hessians."
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Post by waynew on Aug 19, 2018 19:31:37 GMT
I've always been a fan of box art myself and tried to collect the boxes for the art; sadly I just ran out of room to store all those boxes - I needed the space for more toy soldiers. However, if I have a choice between pretty boxes and getting my figures quicker I think I'll sacrifice the box. I could only imagine the stink that would hit the fan if HaT had to explain to us a restock was delayed because the printer had fouled up the orders on the boxes. I am glad the artwork is back.
I am careful in using box artwork as a painting guide since many moons ago when I first started painting my figures I used the color guide another company put on the back of the box only to discover they had it wrong some years later. I had to re-do an entire nation's line infantry. Every now and again I still manage to find a figure or two I somehow missed on the repaint. But the artwork is pretty and HaT has been pretty good about accuracy.
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Post by waynew on Aug 12, 2018 19:08:56 GMT
So, am I to assume that THIS is preferable to the current style? Or is THIS better?
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Post by waynew on Aug 10, 2018 16:58:24 GMT
I'm also one to like compatibility between different companies as I like to mix and match my figures together. I think it is reasonable that this or that set of figures be within the reasonable ranges of scale. One of the things PSR allows us to check. Considering some of the issues we've had with sizing and scale in past years with certain companies that will remain nameless I think it is impractical to expect a particular company to scale its figures with a competitor, except as I stated above.
My own take is that HaT's figures look to match fairly well with Imex/Accurate (which in turn match with ACTA and not too far from ESCI - that puts them in line with some of the best figures out there IMHO and right in the middle of the scale. Now, if all goes well at the factory I'm really looking forward to these guys coming out. I know my Italeri ACW kind of stand out in the crowd when put together so I brigade them separately.
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Post by waynew on Jul 28, 2018 20:42:58 GMT
I agree with Contrarius; while it appears 28mm is popular (I had been blissfully unaware of the scale until relative recently, but I live in the "boondocks" of the hobby so that's no surprise) there is STILL a BIG market for 1/72 and 1/32. To each his own.
Re-reading this thread though, am I the ONLY one who sees an irony in the fact there are so many posts asking HaT to change their style to match other companies' because HaT's figures are TOO realistic? Are mine the only eyebrows raised that folks are asking HaT to LOWER their standards to match other companies' product? Maybe, I'm reading this wrong - I don't mean to stir up more controversy, but shouldn't the goal be to achieve MORE realism in both detail and proportion? Maybe if HaT is going to enter the 28mm word the other companies should step up their game to match HaT's quality? I don't know, I'm just an old dinosaur... and I really don't have a horse in the race.
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Post by waynew on Jul 23, 2018 22:41:00 GMT
It kind of makes sense to me; I always kept my figures in airtight plastic. First sealed containers and then ziplock freezer bags - I admit since I started using the freezer bags I haven't had trouble with plastic erosion. I don't mount my figures in groups though and make sure I don't pack the bags too full or too tightly.
Someone whose opinion I greatly respect suggested allowing SOME air-but no light- in.
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Post by waynew on Jul 15, 2018 5:14:58 GMT
- and keep my fingers crossed. Makes it hard to paint but... I'm assuming the cross eyes on your avatar are the result of trying.
donald
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Post by waynew on Jul 14, 2018 17:53:36 GMT
I've recounted this before so advanced apologies for those who've read it before:
My first real problem and the worst - was with ESCI Zulus I bought back in the 80s. I painted them along with some of their Colonial British Infantry hoping to do a real re-enactment of "Zulu" with actual figures designed for the subject. A couple years went by with major life changes before I got around to pulling them out to do something with them. I was shocked and disgusted to see they were already crumbling and not even five years old!
The next problem I had was some years later (in the mid-90s) when I was digging out my original Airfix WWI figures to help out with a history project and discovered my original WWI Airfix doughboys were just pieces and dust and some other figures were getting brittle, too. This was a real blow because those were one of the first Airfix 1/72 scale sets I bought that got me in to collecting 1/72 scale figures in the first place. But it is what it is.
From numerous discussions there are a lot of reasons for plastic to disintegrate - type of plastic, exposure, contaminations - even some dyes. As another has said it's a crap shoot. Exposure to elements can have effect on some figures by the same token I had some childhood toy soldiers I kept at my grandparents' house for visits I put in an airtight ammo box for safekeeping. I was digging around in my closet about fifteen years ago and found the box - opened it up and the guys inside were practically dust to the touch.
I hoped painting them would help somehow, but have seen painted figures broken in display boxes. I try to keep mine out of the light and away from extreme elements - and keep my fingers crossed. Makes it hard to paint but...
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Post by waynew on Jul 10, 2018 22:12:15 GMT
Currently I'm adding new figures/"regiments" to my Napoleonic British Army. I've been blending new sets into what I already have, touching up paint jobs done over twenty years ago and "retiring" some figures that have needed it for some time (with honors, of course). Currently I'm painting about one hundred - plus Highlanders still on the sprues. I paint assembly line fashion - doing a major color at a time - usually one a night and then retouch as needed until satisfied.
After that, I have about one hundred or so 1/32 Alamo figures to paint and my next job after that is going to have to be the new HaT Prussian Landwehr waiting for me. One day I'm going to have to get around to finishing my Spanish Army I bought when HaT came out with their Spanish line.
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Post by waynew on Jul 6, 2018 3:13:54 GMT
I really couldn't tell you how much time I spend on an individual figure. I know I usually spend about two hours (at a max) painting figures while my wife and I watch TV after all the dust of the day has settled. She does her hobbies, I do mine. I try not to work so long it seems like work. The thing is I try to do one color a session. Let's say I'm doing Napoleonic French Line. One night I'll work my way through the coats (blue); the next night, if I finished that, I might do black (shakos, packs, boots, leggings, etc), then white or flesh, and on to details and touchups. Like that, depending on how ornate the uniforms are, I can knock out a hundred or two in a little over a week if I can paint a bit every night.
I admit to slowing down now; now I'm doing a hundred or so at a time. As I said, my eyes get tired.
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Post by waynew on Jul 5, 2018 23:02:34 GMT
Agreed; superb. You've done so many great things here, it's hard to start with just one.
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Post by waynew on Jul 5, 2018 23:00:46 GMT
"When where there will be an end, Buonarroti?" cried Julius II.
"When it is FINISHED!" came the answer...
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Post by waynew on Jul 5, 2018 22:55:50 GMT
30,000 pieces. OMG. That's not a hobby - more a way of life. Here's a guesstimate of my crimes (so far): 15mm ancients: 400 figs, 80% done. 1/72 Napoleonics: 800 figs, 50% done 1/72 WW2: 220 figs, 70% done (but not based, varnished, etc). So, all in about 1,500 figures, about 60% done, though I'm planning to buy at least 200 more Napoleonics figs. I don't count AFVs in the WW2 category (except artillery crews), as these are mostly awaiting purchase of an airbrush. Nor Airfix 1/32 and things like Airfix 1/72 ancient Romans, projects abandoned 30 years ago, for which I still have the figs. I've been painting my figures since 1985, when my first marriage broke up and I discovered ESCI. I started painting my Napoleonics to blend my ESCI with Airfix figures. From there... and I do about 100 - 200 figures at a time (1/72 scale) or 20-50 (1/32) in an assembly line technique; that knocks them out pretty fast.
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Post by waynew on Jul 5, 2018 22:49:28 GMT
Well said, sir - much better done than I.
That's two of us for PPPs! I sense a surge...
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