Elhiem Releases 20mm Taliban and More

The image above, distributed by the company, shows TAL 03 “Afghan Irregulars Skirmishing.” Click on the picture for a larger version.

Matt Hingley recently announced the release of three new sets of Afghan irregulars from Elhiem Figures. These figures are suitable for a variety of scenarios from the Soviet invasion up to the present. The set illustrated is sold for £3.25, and can be ordered directly from the company.

Other releases in October have included USMC troops in 2010 gear, and figures for the British in Iraq, circa 2003.

Elhiem’s website is here:

http://www.elhiemfigures.com/

Garrison Romans vs RedBox Picts, foot

The photo above compares three metal Romans from Garrison and Greenwood & Ball (A,C,E) with a pair of plastic Picts released by RedBox (B,D). Click on the image to see a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

I believe that the metal figures come from Garrison’s “20mm Ancients” range, and were previously produced under the Greenwood & Ball name. Within the Ancients range, Garrison currently offers 23 different poses for 1st Century Imperial Romans. However, the poses shown in this image do not seem to be currently in production.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 21mm.

Availability and Cost:

As mentioned, these figures are not available from the manufacturer at the present time. However, other Roman figures are in production, and can be purchased from Garrison directly. Foot figures are sold for £0.60 each, while mounted figures cost £1.50.

The Garrison website is here:

http://www.garrisonminiatures.com/index.asp

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The RedBox figures come from box RB-72001 “Picts.” This set includes 48 figures in 12 poses.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 20mm.

Availability and Cost:

These figures are currently available at hobby shops and online dealers. For instance, Ye Olde Toy Soldiers is currently selling the box for US$9.99 on eBay.

Notes on the Samples:

The sample figures were provided by Liam Sullivan and Frank Ivansic.

Martello sculpts resurrected by Under Fire

This photo, taken from the Under Fire website, shows the first release from the Arab/Israeli range: a 5 man IDF patrol for 1982. Click on the image for a larger version.

Martello International was formed in late 2008 to market a limited number of ranges sculpted by Stuart Emmett and Tony Boustead. The first products went on sale in January 2009, and eventually included a number of World War Two and more recent subjects.

While some very nice figures were produced, the company never really had success in the retail and distribution functions. The story got a bit confusing in the fall of 2009, with changes in personnel, and announcements that the rights to the current or future figures were being sold or licensed variously to Sgt’s Mess, TQD, artwho9 Painting or AB Figures.

Flash forward a year, and most of the confusion has been removed. The former Martello range is being re-released by Under Fire Miniatures, a new company started by Bill Weston.

The website is here:

http://www.underfireminiatures.com/index.htm

As of now, the following ranges are available for purchase:

WWII Germans, Italians and Russians;
Arab/Israeli 1982 (1 pack only so far);
Rhodesian Light Infantry, and Selous Scouts;
British and Taliban in Afghanistan.

Before the end of the year, Bill plans to have some additional British figures produced, wearing updated (2010) helmets and body armour, and carrying some new weapons. They will be joined by a couple of new SAS packs for the same theatre.

Also on the schedule for this year, we should see a new range of modern Russians, based around the 2008 Russia/Georgia conflict as well as four packs of Vietnam figures.

Bill promises further expansion of the existing ranges next year.

Accurate, Revell vs Musket Miniatures, ACW foot

The photo above compares three metal infantrymen from Musket Miniatures (A,C,E) with a pair of plastic soldiers released by both Accurate and Revell (B,D). Click on the image to see a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation:

The metal figures come from Musket Miniatures’ 22mm American Civil War range. They are from code CWH125 “Infantry standing loading” which comes with 8 figures in 4 poses, and includes several head variations.

Musket’s range is very large, and contains more than 300 different codes.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 20mm.
Height (measured from sole of foot to top of head): 22mm.

Availability and Cost:

Figures from Musket Miniatures can be found on the company’s website:

http://www.musketminiatures.com/

They are sold in several ways. Individual figures can be purchased for 75 cents (US), packages of 8 castings cost $5.25 US, while a regiment of 20 figures, including command, costs $12.95.

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation:

The blue figure comes from Accurate set 7202 “American Civil War, Union Infantry” The figure was also issued by Revell as set 02559 with the same name. The sets feature 50 figures in 15 poses.

The grey figure can be found in three sets:
Accurate 7205 “Soldiers of the American Civil War: Union Engineers”;
Accurate 7209 “Soldiers of the American Civil War: Confederate Engineers”;
Revell 02564 “American Civil War, Confederate Pioneers”;
Each includes 31 figures in 10 poses.

Figure Characteristics:

7202 Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 22mm.
7202 Height (measured from sole of foot to top of head): 24mm.
7205, 7209 Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 23mm.
7205, 7209 Height (measured from sole of foot to top of head): 25mm.

Availability and Cost:

The Revell and Accurate plastic figures can be easily found in hobby shops.

RH Models expands Liberation moderns

The image above shows Liberation Miniatures' recent release UK03-com, “British 2003 Command Pack.” It is taken from the RH Models website. Click on the image for a larger version.

Under RH Models, the Liberation brand of 20mm metal figures continues to grow. RH is adding content to a number of the Liberation lines on an incremental basis. This month, the newest additions are:

US, 2 downed helicopter pilots with M4s (code uspdm4)
British 2003 command pack - 5 figures for £2.50 (code uk03-com)
British in osprey/kestrel body armour, command pack - 5 figures for £2.50 (code ukospcom)

The lines in the Liberation range include:

Modern British
British SAS/SBS
Modern USA
US Special Forces
Other NATO
Modern Africans
Rhodesians
South Africans
Modern Russians
Modern Afghans
Modern Cubans
Chechens etc.
Arab Militias
Modern PLO
Insurgents
Indo China 1950
Korea and Vietnam
Balkan Wars
Arab Israeli conflicts
Urban Terror
Iraq 1973-2003
Iran 1970s/80s
Several generic weapon and vehicle codes.

Liberation also offers a small number of figures from the British Army from before 1939.

The full catalogue can be found on the RH website:

http://www.rhmodels.com/index.html

Qualiticast vs Airfix, French Napoleonic Infantry

The photo above compares three plastic figures from Airfix (A,C,E) with a pair of metal soldiers from Qualiticast (B,D). Click on the image to see a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The metal figures come from Qualiticast’s Napoleonic Range. They are listed as code NF40 “French Imperial Guard Fusilier/Grenadier Standing Firing” on the original packaging. Note that this does not match the codes given in other places, such as at Brookhurst Hobbies (which carried them at the time.)

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 20mm.
Height (measured from sole of foot to top of head): 23mm.

Availability and Cost:

Qualiticast stopped producing figures around 2005 and it is now very hard to find remaining stock at hobby distributors. Used figures do show up on auction sites fairly regularly.

Notes on the Samples:

The samples were obtained from Mike Epting in a trade.

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer's Designation:

The plastic figures were originally released by Airfix in box 01744: “Waterloo French Infantry.” They were subsequently re-released by HaT in box 7008 “Waterloo French Line Infantry.”

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 20mm.
Height (measured from sole of foot to top of head): 22mm.

Availability and Cost:

Airfix has brought these figures back into production recently, as part of the “Waterloo Battle Gift Set.” While they are not currently offering the set separately, boxes can be easily found at dealers.

Newline, HaT and Zvezda Numidian Cavalry

The two photos above are provided courtesy of Tantallon2, who first posted them on Benno’s forum. The pictures compare the Numidian cavalry offerings from Newline Designs, HaT Industrie, and Zvezda. In the bottom picture, the Newline rider is on the left, with Zvezda in the middle and Hat on the right. In the top photo, Newline is on top, with HaT in the middle and Zvezda at the bottom. Click on either image to get a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The Newline Design figure comes from their 20 mm Ancients range, and is listed as pack ANN01 “Numidian Cavalry.”

The Ancients range from Newline Design is extensive and covers a range of armies. For the Numidians, Newline has just 3 codes in their catalogue, cavalry, javelinmen and a command set.

Availability and Cost:

Newline Design figures are currently in production, and can be ordered directly from the manufacturer. These figures are sold in packs of three riders with horses, for £3.00.

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The Zvezda figure comes from box 8031 “Carthaginian Numidian Cavalry, 3rd to 1st Century BC.” The box contains 17 riders in 5 poses, as well as 17 horses in 3 poses.

The HaT figure comes from box 8024 “Numidian Cavalry.” The box contains 12 riders in 4 poses, as well as 12 horses in 2 poses.

Availability and Cost:

According to PSR, the HaT set made its debut in 1999, while the Zvezda box was first released in 2007. Both sets are still available and can be found through various online and local hobby shops and distributors.

TANTALLON2’S COMMENTS:

The Hat and Newline riders are pretty similar but the Zvezda are considerably larger. The NL horse is quite a bit smaller than the other two (which are pretty similar to each other). The NL riders fit the other horses easily (and the Hat figure is pretty good too) BUT both the Hat and Zvezda horses are too big for either the Newline of Hat riders - they just look silly on such big horses. The Zvezda rider looks a better fit to his mount.

So, yes you can mix all of them, and the NL and Hat riders will fit all the horses but only the NL horse is an appropriate size (IMO).

Regarding scale, the Newline figures are 20mm and not from their 1/72 range. However, there is a lot of variation both between and within manufacturers and I find that the NL figures work well with lots of other ancients - in some cases they are a better fit with the Zvezda figures than Hat.

Waterloo 1815 vs RSM, Napoleonic foot

The photo above compares three metal figures from RSM / Dayton Painting Consortium (A,C,E) with a pair of plastic models from Waterloo 1815 (B,D). Click on the image for a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The metal figures come from the former RSM 95 range, now produced by the Dayton Painting Consortium. The range includes foot and mounted figures representing Britain, France, Austria, Brunswick, Spain, Saxony and Bavaria, as well as some artillery pieces. There are about 75 Napoleonic codes in total in their catalogue.

I do not have the actual identification for these figures, although the one on the left is one of the Saxon models.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 20mm.
Height (measured from sole of foot to top of head): 22mm.

Availability and Cost:

The RSM figures are currently available from DPC. They can be ordered directly from the manufacturer. They are sold in bags of 24, including command figures, for $10.80 (US).

Notes on the Samples:

The Saxon figure was provided in a trade from Mike Epting.

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The Waterloo 1815 figures come from box AP008 “Polish Infantry 1812/14.” The box includes 36 figures in 9 poses.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 22mm.
Height (measured from sole of foot to top of head): 24mm.

Availability and Cost:

This set is currently in production and available through hobby distributors.

Notes on the Samples:

The samples were obtained in a trade with Will McNally.

Garrison Romans vs Italeri Gauls, foot

The photo above compares three metal Romans from Garrison / Greenwood & Ball (A,C,E) with a pair of plastic Gauls from Italeri (B,D). Click on the image for a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

I believe that the metal figures come from Garrison’s “20mm Ancients” range, and were previously produced under the Greenwood & Ball name. Within the Ancients range, Garrison currently offers 23 different poses for 1st Century Imperial Romans. However, the poses shown in this image do not seem to be currently in production.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 21mm.

Availability and Cost:

As mentioned, these figures are not available from the manufacturer at the present time. However, other Roman figures are in production, and can be purchased from Garrison directly. Foot figures are sold for £0.60 each, while mounted figures cost £1.50

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The Italeri figures come from box 6022, “Gaul Warriors, 1st to 2nd Century BC.” The box contains 40 foot figures in 8 poses.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 22mm.

Availability and Cost:

Italeri is currently producing this set, which can be found through various plastic model distributors, and at hobby shops.

Notes on the Samples:

The sample figures were donated by Liam Sullivan.

Napoleonic Comparisons at Rosbif & Frog

Ben at “Monsier le Rosbif & Johnny Frog” has recently been exploring the compatibility of select metal and plastic cavalry ranges for the Napoleonic Wars. His most recent post compares Dragoons (light and heavy) from Irregular’s 25mm range with Italeri’s British Light Dragoons. (This range is actually described as both “25mm” and “28mm” on the Irregular website.)

Ben has taken the time to photograph the comparisons in different ways, as you can see here:

http://rosbiffrog.blogspot.com/2010/10/irregular-25mm-vs-italeri-172.html

Earlier he posted a similar comparison, but this time showing the Italeri figures with a sample from Irregular’s 20mm range. His post is here:

http://rosbiffrog.blogspot.com/2010/09/scale-variation.html

The plastic figures are found in Italeri box 6094 “British Light Cavalry 1815.” According to PSR, this set was released in 2008, and includes 17 riders in 7 poses, as well as 17 horses in five poses.

In the images above, Ben compares a 25/28mm Irregular figure (top) and a 20mm Irregular figure (bottom) with an Italeri rider from box 6094.

Qualiticast vs A Call to Arms, Napoleonic foot

The photo above compares two plastic British soldiers from A Call to Arms (A,C) with a pair of metal Frenchmen from Qualiticast (B,D). Click on the image for a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The metal figures come from Qualiticast’s Napoleonic Range. They are listed as code NF40 “French Imperial Guard Fusilier/Grenadier Standing Firing” on the original packaging. Note that this does not match the codes given in other places, such as at Brookhurst Hobbies (which carried them at the time.)

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 20mm.
Height (measured from sole of foot to top of head): 23mm.

Availability and Cost:

Qualiticast stopped producing figures around 2005 and it is now very hard to find remaining stock at hobby distributors. Used figures do show up on auction sites fairly regularly.

Notes on the Samples:

The samples were obtained from Mike Epting in a trade.

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The A Call To Arms figures are from box 50 “British Infantry 1815.” The box contains 32 figures in 8 poses.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 22mm.
Body Build: Average.

Availability and Cost:

ACTA’s figures are currently available and can be found at hobby shops and online retailers. For instance, Netmerchants sells the box for £4.75.

Notes on the Samples:

The plastic samples were donated by Liam Sullivan.

Lancashire Games vs Matchbox, WW2 Infantry

The photo above compares three metal soldiers from Lancashire Games (A,C) with a pair of plastic figures from Matchbox (B,D). Click on the image for a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The metal figures come from Lancashire Games’ 20mm WWII American Range. They can be found in set 20/WBP32, which is a large battle pack titled “American Infantry.” The figures can also be found in smaller sets in the range. Lancashire offers 13 different sets of US Infantry, including several modeled in greatcoats. Each code includes several poses. Other US sets in their WW2 range cover the Marines (7 sets) and Paratroops (6 sets).

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes): 21mm.

Availability and Cost:

These figures are currently available from Lancashire Games. Battle packs of 24 figures are sold for £10.50 with a discount for purchases of multiple items. Standard packs with 3 figures sell for £1.50.

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer's Designation and Number of Poses:

The Matchbox figures come from two different sets: the blue-gray figure on the left is from box P5003 “German Infantry”; and the brown figure to the right is from box P5001 “British Infantry.”

The British Infantry and German box each includes 49 figures in 17 poses, plus a mortar.

Figure Characteristics:

Height (measured from sole of foot to eyes):
P5003 German Infantry 19mm
P5001 British Infantry 18mm

Availability and Cost:

Matchbox no longer produces these sets. Used figures can be found on eBay or similar places. Complete boxes also come up occasionally, but they sell for high premiums to collectors.

Newline vs Italeri, ACW Cavalry

The photo above compares two metal riders from Newline Designs (A,C) with a pair of plastic troopers from Italeri (B,D). Click on the image for a larger version.

THE METAL FIGURES

Manufacturer’s Designation and Number of Poses:

The metal figures come are from Newline Designs’ American Civil War range, and are catalogued as ACW 50 “Cavalry in Kepi, Carbines Slung.” Newline’s ACW range is quite extensive, and currently includes 101 different products.

Figure Characteristics:

Rider Height above ground (measured from ground to rider eyes): 32mm.
Rider Body Height (measured from foot, to knee, to hip, to eyes): 23mm.

Availability and Cost:

These figures are currently in production, and can be purchased directly from the manufacturer. Cost is £3.00 for a set of three horses and riders (all in the same pose).

THE PLASTIC FIGURES

Manufacturer's Designation and Number of Poses:

The plastic figures come from Italeri set 6011 “American Civil War, Confederate Cavalry Riders.” The box includes 16 riders in 9 positions, with 16 horses in four poses, as well as a vignette of a dismounted rider and injured horse.

Figure Characteristics:

Rider Height above ground (measured from ground to rider eyes): 33mm.
Rider Body Height (measured from foot, to knee, to hip, to eyes): 23mm.

Availability and Cost:

This box is fairly easy to find at stores and online dealers. For instance, Udisco is currently selling it for $6.00 (Canadian).