 Der Alte Fritz  | 16 Jul 2007 8:56 a.m. PST |
Here is a link to Greg Horne's Duchy of Alzheim blog and an extensive group of pictures of the new Eureka 100 club Saxons. mavisming.blogspot.com I think that we should all be grateful that there is a company that is doing a good job in creating miniatures that have realistic proportions. We should also be grateful that a company is willing to go out on a limb and do a range of figures for one of the second tier countries in the WAS and SYW period. Some perspective is needed here. When I started gaming in 1987 we were lucky to be able to find your basic British and French and maybe some Austrians and Prussians here and there. Fast forward to this day and age when we have a cornucopia of products for the SYW that are beyond our (my) dreams back in the old days. We are spoiled today and I don't think that we appreciate the effort that companies such as Eureka put forth to make decent figures available to us. Well, I appreciate the effort. |
| basileus66 | 16 Jul 2007 9:14 a.m. PST |
I ordered about 60+ Eureka Saxons. And, well, I am not exceedingly happy with them. Ok. The figures are well sculpted and the proportions are not bad. However, they fit not very well with 28's lines. Perhaps, my problem is that I collect Crusader's SYW and when I put a Eureka's Saxon besides an Crusader's Austrian it is like to put a small child besides a grown man. Doesn't fit too well. I suppose that for those which have armies mainly build with RSM -as Alte Fritz- Eureka's Saxons are Heavens blessed. But those of us which have Crusaders and Foundry's SYW, they are too small and thin. Regards |
| Der Alte Fritz | 16 Jul 2007 9:51 a.m. PST |
I would be happy to trade you some Foundry Prussians for your Eureka Saxons. Lets trade addresses via personal message. I will trade you one for one on figures. The problem that I have with Crusader figures is that they look like NFL football players or pro wrestlers on steroids. Look at the shoulders and arms on your Austrian and Hungarian musketeer figures from Crusader. Now look at the tiny spindly legs on the same figure. In real life, the Crusader figure wouldn't be able to walk on those legs. I work with kids that have disabilities and their legs look like the underdeveloped ones on the Crusader figure. It's called low muscle tone. I would also point out that the Saxons were always advertised as Perry compatible in size, look and proportion. I think that the Eureka sculptor has met this criteria very well. Finally, I use figures of every size (Foundry, Crusader, Stadden, Elite, RSM, Front Rank, Suren) in my armies. I don't mix figure brands together in the same unit, but a battalion of figures side by side with a smaller figure looks good provided the battalion has at least 20 to 24 figures or more in it. I use 60 figure battalions (I know that this isn't the norm for everyone) and at that size, one doesn't even notice the size difference. I would ask you, why don't you take a more critical look at the Crusader figures, which have more than their fair share of sculpting flaws, or at least view them as critically as you do the Eureka figures. |
| Der Alte Fritz | 16 Jul 2007 9:54 a.m. PST |
BTW, in a wargame, when I need one more battalion to make the final push on the attack or plug the hole in my line, I really don't quibble over who made the figure. A Minifig will do the job just as well as any other larger figure. |
| basileus66 | 16 Jul 2007 10:21 a.m. PST |
"I would ask you, why don't you take a more critical look at the Crusader figures, which have more than their fair share of sculpting flaws, or at least view them as critically as you do the Eureka figures." Easy… Because I am not criticising Eureka Saxons sculpting, just making the point that they don't fit my needs due what type of miniatures I use. I own other Eureka figures that make me perfectly happy, so it is nothing against Eureka. And even it is nothing versus the sculpts themselves but how they fit in my armies. As for Crusader defects… well I don't notice them while painting. They just look right. Aren't right? Probably… but my brushes love them, so there are no argument. Naturally, if I ever go for 60-figure battalions (man, that's size!) I perhaps will follow your example, but in my 12-figure battalions… looks weird. Regards (PS: I sold the Saxons. Sorry.) |
| ioannis | 16 Jul 2007 11:04 a.m. PST |
I agree. Eureka's efforts are commendable! I wish other manufacturers followed their lead. Then, we would really be spoiled for choice… I am really happy with their Highlanders and Arquebussiers. The Saxons are way smaller than these two ranges, so I cannot use them and I don't like painting small figures. If I collected RSM-type figures, I would be in paradise with Eureka's Saxons as the sculpting is 1000% better. So, this is disappointing for me as I cannot use these new sculpts! The issue of scale/style is totally a personal thing…I like the more robust figures because I enjoy painting them. This is a choice I made. I still like the more proportional figures, but only to look at them! What I don't like are either over-exagerated features (mitten hands or beef jaws) or bad sculpts (monkey arms, miscast hands). We all know who the guilty are here so no need to mention any names. Why don't we agree we all have our likes and dislikes and the more figures are out there to pick from the merrier we will all be! |
| basileus66 | 16 Jul 2007 11:22 a.m. PST |
"Why don't we agree we all have our likes and dislikes and the more figures are out there to pick from the merrier we will all be!" Hear, hear. |
| Luke Mulder | 16 Jul 2007 11:26 a.m. PST |
Very sublime figures. They are definitely capturing the feel of Saxon soldiers in the age of "enlightenment". They should be ready to unleash a firestorm on the Prussians at Kesseldorf, or perhaps refuse to surrender at Pirna, or join their French friends in droves if their Prince does capitulate. |
| Der Alte Fritz | 16 Jul 2007 2:20 p.m. PST |
My offer to trade Foundry SYW straight up for Eureka Saxons still stands in case anyone else is not completely happy with their figures. I don't want people who helped get these figures going to feel unhappy with their choice. |
| Musketier | 17 Jul 2007 6:04 a.m. PST |
Based on the pictures and the glowing Frederician endorsement, I sorely regret not having signed up for these figures earlier. I really like their more slender proportions. Now it seems I'll have to wait till the end of the year! Ah well, I rectified the mistake for the cavalry, and will happily support the rest of the Fontenoy project, even if it won't be with 60-man battalions… I realise I'm in 28mm territory here, but do you gentlemen think there would be any demand for SYW Saxons in 18mm? IIRC there were 15 battalions of them fighting with the French, (and just the tricorne variant would do for those at a pinch). |
| Der Alte Fritz | 17 Jul 2007 6:50 a.m. PST |
I measured some figures last night: Perry AWI, RSM and Eureka Arquebusiers de Grassin and Eureka Saxons. All of them were in a range of 30mm to 32mm tall. The Grassins appear a little taller due to the fact that they are wearing a mirliton cap, which is higher than the tricorn. The measuring tape doesn't lie. They are all compatible in size. Just as it was intended. Musketier: maybe basileus66 would be willing to sell you his Saxons if he doesn't want them. I've offered to buy them, but haven't heard back from him yet. You can have first dibs. I know several people that would like to get their hands on unwanted Saxon figures. Maybe basileus is having second thoughts? |
| Musketier | 17 Jul 2007 7:07 a.m. PST |
Alte Fritz, Thank you for the size comparison – very reassuring, especially as I'm considering some unorthodox combinations for a fictitious army (yes another one of those) Basileus' Saxons apparently found a new home already, but thank you kindly for offering to stand back, Sir – 18th century gamer are indeed most courteous! In any case the figures seem well worth waiting for a little longer, and I have lots of lead to keep me busy… |
| Der Alte Fritz | 17 Jul 2007 8:52 a.m. PST |
Basileus and Ioannis will be very jealous once they see the pictures of the Saxons that I am painting. However, I am happy to hear that the figures found a good home. The "market" seems to be responding very favorably to these sculpts. BTW, I was looking at some pictures of Piedmont/Savoy troops last night and I think that the Saxons just might work as stand ins. I might also be able to use them for some of the Dutch regiments during the WAS. |
| GiloUK | 18 Jul 2007 5:19 a.m. PST |
I am painting up a few of these figures as AWI Brunswickers. They are a little bit shorter than the Perry AWI figures and a fair bit thinner. I certainly wouldn't mix them in the same unit, but the size differences are not such as to be notiecable on the table. Giles |
| Redhazel2 | 18 Jul 2007 2:34 p.m. PST |
Giles,
Which AWI Brunswick units are you working on with the Eureka Saxons? Is there any way to use the Saxon musicians as Hessians, such as the Rall Regiments 8 oboes. |
| GiloUK | 19 Jul 2007 2:49 a.m. PST |
Redhazel – I only pre-ordered a few figures as I was intrigued by them and knew the Swedish cuffs would be right for the Brunswick AWI contingent. I will have to wait until the range becomes generally available later in the year to kake a proper assessment. The advantage of these Saxon figures over the Hessian troops that Perry Miniatures have produced is that the Saxons have the larger cuffs that the Brunswickers wore. The Perry Hessian cuffs are the wrong shape for Brunswickers. Also, there are differences in the tricornes and the Saxons have gaiters, which no Perry figures have, apart from the garrison musketeers and the new artillery crews. This all makes the figures unsuitable for Hesse-Kassel troops. So the musicians, for example, would look a bit out of place next to the Perry Rall regiment figures. If you were to ignore the cuffs, then there's no reason why you shouldn't use these figures for Rall. The cuffs are perfect for Brunswickers, although the lack of lapels limits you to two units: the von Barner light battalion and the Prinz Friedrich Regiment. The former fought in the Saratoga campaign but the latter did not, which is a shame because creating the Prinz Friedrich Regiment using these Eureka figures would be quite exciting. But the regiment was on garrison duty up in the Great Lakes and so your unit wouldn't see any action. That said, you could still use it for one of the regiments that did fight at Freeman's Farm I suppose. Or you could just paint on some lapels. But the figures I bought are being painted as the Barner battalion. Also, I haven't considered whether the artillery figures would be suitable for Hesse-Hanau. Something to look forward to when the figures go on general release. I suspect at that stage I'll buy a load and paint up the Prinz Friedrich Regiment anyway…. Giles |
| Der Alte Fritz | 19 Jul 2007 7:18 a.m. PST |
I agree that lapels and collars are easy enough to paint onto a figure if it is required (it's harder to do the reverse). It's what we call "converting with paint". |
receives a gift from his wife…
