Ral Partha vs RedBox, Medieval Asia foot, part 2

The photo above compares three metal figures from Ral Partha (two painted, and one undercoated white) with three plastic figures from RedBox. Click on the image for a larger version.

Manufacturers’ designations:

RedBox has produced three boxes for Ashigaru. The two figures on the left can be found in box 72006 “Ashigaru (Archers and Arquebusiers),” while the figure on the right comes from box 72007 “Ashigaru (Spearmen)”

The Ral Partha models come from their “Momoyama/Tokugawa Samurai” range, and are catalogued as follows (left to right in the picture):
53-751 Ronin with sword
53-768 Samurai with spear or naginata
53-752 Ronin with spear or naginata

The Ral Partha figures are currently manufactured and distributed by Iron Wind. In their catalogue, the models are identified as follows:

Again, left to right:
DH-165 Ronin with Katana
DH-179 Samurai Spearman
DH-166 Ronin Spearman

Height compatibility (measured from sole of foot to eyes):
RedBox 72006 – 19mm.
RedBox 72007 – 20mm.
Ral Partha / Iron Wind – 22mm.

Body Build compatibility (from 5 categories):
RedBox– C (Average)
Ral Partha / Iron Wind – are a mix of C (Average) and D (Somewhat Heavy).

Availability and Cost:

The RedBox figures were introduced fairly recently, and are available through various plastic model distributors. Price at a typical retailer: 8.00 € at CW-Toys.

As mentioned above, the metal figures are currently available from Iron Wind. They need to be ordered directly from the manufacturer: the cost is US $2.50 for an individual figure, but drops to $0.90 for quantities of 10 or more.

(See the side panel lists for websites of the manufacturers, distributors and retailers mentioned above. To convert cost figures to your currency, use a site such as xe.com, also listed in the side panel, with the retailers.)

Other notes:
The RedBox figures were provided by Eric Yin in a very helpful trade.

Readers, please add any comments on other considerations with regard to these two types, in particular any thoughts about the compatibility from the standpoint of historical periods.

Ral Partha vs Caesar, Feudal Japanese Foot

The photo above compares three metal figures from Ral Partha (two painted, and one undercoated white) with three plastic figures from Caesar. Click on the image for a larger version.

Manufacturers’ designations:

The plastic figures come from Caesar’s box H003 “ Japan Samurai with Ninja.”

The Ral Partha models come from their “Momoyama/Tokugawa Samurai” range, and are catalogued as follows (left to right in the picture):
53-751 Ronin with sword
53-768 Samurai with spear or naginata
53-752 Ronin with spear or naginata

The Ral Partha figures are currently manufactured and distributed by Iron Wind. In their catalogue, the models are identified as follows:

Again, left to right:
DH-165 Ronin with Katana
DH-179 Samurai Spearman
DH-166 Ronin Spearman

Height compatibility (measured from sole of foot to eyes):
Caesar – 22mm.
Ral Partha / Iron Wind – 22mm.

Body Build compatibility (from 5 categories):
Caesar – C (Average)
Ral Partha / Iron Wind – are a mix of C (Average) and D (Somewhat Heavy).

Overall conclusions:
With no height difference, these figures are generally well-matched, although where the Ral Partha sculptor has gone for a heavier style, the metal figures do look a little different from their plastic cousins. The left most metal figure provides an example of the difference. Despite that, the two ranges should work together in most situations.

Other notes:
The Caesar figures were also traded to me by Eric Yin.

Ral Partha vs Zvezda, Japanese Feudal Foot

The photo above compares three figures from Ral Partha (two painted, and one undercoated white) with three samurai from Zvezda (red plastic). Click on the image for a larger version.

Manufacturers’ designations:

The plastic figures come from Zvezda’s box 8017 “Samurai Army – Infantry.”

The Ral Partha models come from their “Momoyama/Tokugawa Samurai” range, and are catalogued as follows (left to right in the picture):
53-751 Ronin with sword
53-768 Samurai with spear or naginata
53-752 Ronin with spear or naginata

These Ral Partha figures are currently manufactured and distributed by Iron Wind. The catalogue numbers used by Iron Wind are as follows:

Left to right:
DH-165 Ronin with Katana
DH 179 Samurai Spearman
DH-166 Ronin Spearman

Height compatibility (measured from sole of foot to eyes):
Zvezda – 20mm.
Ral Partha – 22mm.

Body Build compatibility (from 5 categories):
Zvezda – C (Average)
Ral Partha – are a mix of C (Average) and D (Somewhat Heavy).

Overall conclusions:
The 2mm height difference is enough to make these figures mismatched. This effect is increased with certain Ral Partha sculpts which have larger heads and exaggerated weapons (see the left most metal figure as an example).

Other notes:
The Zvezda figures were traded to me by Eric Yin, along with a large number of other samples.

Ral Partha vs Strelets, Mounted

Following on from yesterday's posting, here is a selection of mounted Ral Partha troops, compared to a couple of plastic Strelets figures. The figures are as follows (in both pictures) left to right:

• Ral Partha, Moorish Cavalry with Spear, 42-176, from the 1200 AD range
• Strelets Scots Grey
• Ral Partha, Mounted Pathan, from the Colonial range
• Strelets Cossack
• Ral Partha, Turkish Mounted Command, 54-619, from the Condottieri range

As the pictures illustrate, the first and last RP figures are a pretty close match to the Strelets. On the other hand, the Pathan in the middle position is smaller than both the Strelets and the other Ral Partha sculpts.

(Click on the pictures for a larger image - much larger this time)

Special - Strelets v Ral Partha

There is a thread on the Strelets forum asking about some metal/plastic comparisons, and specifically, about the compatability of Strelets with old Ral Partha. Since I won't be doing any specific comparisons between these two manufacturers for a while, I thought I would post this general comparison now.


The figures illustrated are (left to right).

• Strelets officer from Crimean French Light Infantry
• Ral Partha trumpeter from Colonial British Infantry Command set (88-003)
• Strelets British Crimean Infantry
• Ral Partha Medieval Turk (probably 54-610)
• Strelets Streltsi bonus figure
• Another RP Medieval Turk (54-609)
• Another Strelets bonus figure
• Two Ral Partha Colonial Egyptian figures from the command set (88-205)
• Strelets Crimean Highlander
  

For those looking for new Ral Partha figures, the colonial range can be bought from Great Endeavours, while the ancients and medievals are now being manufactured by Iron Wind. (Links to the relevant catalogues are below.)

Iron Wind Ral Partha Catalogue

Great Endeavours Colonials List

I will post a comparison of mounted figures tomorrow. As always, click on the picture for a larger version.