"25mm Viking/Dark Ages Suggestions Wanted" Topic

Many of you have probably seen my posts looking for "Old School" true 25mm Vikings, Danes, Northern Barbarians, etc. I've had some success finding small quantities here and there, but not enough to really do what I want. I'm trying to build a "killer" Dark Ages mob with as many different figures as possible, BUT, only with true 25's.

Before I start getting sermons, yes, the new larger figures can be nice, but not for me. I like the smaller, slender, more "human" appearing figures of the Old School. I have already gotten new Partha's from Iron Wind, new Garrison's, am getting some Heritage from Classic Miniatures, and as I said, I've found a few Citadel (Partha Imports) and Frontier. What I miss are the Superior's, Grenadiers, the Citadel DA range, and the other small cottage industry Vikings and Barbarians that used to be out there.

I haven't seen many of the newer ranges out there, so – is there anything out there that mixes well with Ral Partha, Citadel, Superior, Garrison, etc.? I mean really well. All opinions cheerfully accepted and pic's would be wonderful.

burlesonbill

Hinchliffe Dark Age figures are true 25mm.

Smaller than just about anything available today, I have a load that I keep meaning to put up on ebay.

Have you thought of GW's LOTR Rohirrim range? Some of their figures could pass for what you're looking for

Minifigs.

Hey burlesonbill,

Raven's Forge carries several figs that would fit your needs, and a lot in the Crimson Dragon range that are $1 USD each.
I have height to top of head and total height listed in the pics, so you can get an idea of siz.

Some ideas:
link

link

link

I also have a range of vikings that aren't up, but they are a "big" 25mm. Still not 28/30mm, but chunkier than most "true 25's".

Hope that helps,
Bo

Thanks for getting the discussion started guys. I suppose I should clarify a couple of things.

Figures I already have: Garrison Vikings and Saxons, Partha Vikings, Saxons, Barbarians and a few "strays", Hinchcliffe Vikings, Heritage LoTR and Barbarians, some Citadel Vikings and DA strays, Frontier Vikings, Minifig Vikings and Saxons, Prince August homecast Vikings and Barbarians, a very few Grenadier Barbarians, various "strays" from a variety of manufacturer's fantasy Barbarian ranges.

Figures Wanted: A few more of the above, and I know where to get all of the ones still produced, as well as more of the above that are OoP like Citadel, Superior, Grenadier, etc.

Opinions Wanted: Are there any current or new ranges out there that will mix well with older true 25's that have "human proportions", Fantasy or Historical. I'm trying to build between 400 and 500 figures representing as many ranges as possible within those parameters.

Bo – Thanks for the links, I will check those out

Erik and Blackmamba – Already have some, know where to get more (but I wouldn't mind seeing a list of what you have available Blackmamba)

Blacksmith – Sorry, but the GW's are a little too bulky and tall, and (personal bias here) won't buy anything from GW.

Please keep the thoughts coming guys, I know there are a lot of other ranges out there.

Bill

The old Northstar (J.R. Eastland) Saxon range is still available at a considerable discount on the Northtar site. These were discontinued as,I believe, they were too short and slender to fit with most other modern figures. I bought a few packs – they are slim and dynamically posed, but don't work with my Gripping Beast, West Wind, Musketeer etc. Saxons. They have since been replaced by a larger style of figure, but the old range is avaialble at 1.50 for 3 figures on the "Bargain Basement" part of the Northtar site.

Mega Miniatures has some of the Grenadier figures:

auction

Look under "$1 Figures" or at the Julie Guthrie and Fantasy PDF catalogs. Sift through the various "berserker," "barbarian," "Northman" etc figures.

Some of the Metal Magic figures are also right for historical Dark Ages. I find them to be a little bigger than old Ral Partha, close to some old Citadel. The "Barbarians" tend to be bare-chested fantasy types, but some of the "fighters" etc represent various historical types and there are some clerics and priests useful for raid scenarios.

That should be £1.50…

HEY email me your mailing address and I will send you some free figures, about 10 or so…..
The Outlander
email: info@outlandgames.net

Jake B and Hobhood – Excellent suggestions! I've already checked them out and the orders will be placed tomorrow. I was especially pleased to see Julie Guthrie's figures again. Now I just wish someone would re-release some of Andrew Chernak's and Ray Rubin's old figures. My wife and I spent a great weekend with Andy, his wife, and Ray at Andy's house in PA back in 76. Great homemade Italian food, great company, and a return to TX with the first castings of the Western Gunfight range, about three brigades of AWI and some great Norsemen/Barbarians in the luggage.

The Outlander – Chris, I was glad to hear from you and gratefully accept your offer (e-mail already sent). I had heard that you had new Vikings out, but hadn't heard anything about them yet. If they match the quality and style of your 20mm Napoleonics and SYW I'll be very impressed.

Please keep the ideas coming folks, they are appreciated.

Bill

Any more suggestions out there guys? Anybody know about the older Foundry AVNS range? I've heard that these are smaller, older Foundry figures, will they mix?

The older Northstar/Eastland range was a great suggestion, but they're almost gone. I ordered a few packs of each and am only getting 4 packs total, don't know what yet, it'll be a suprise! Hobhood – You mentioned yours wouldn't mix with what you had. Are you looking to liquidate any of them?

Please keep the ideas coming guys!

Bill

Warrior Miniatures: link

Erik – Don't care a lot for Warrior's style, the ones that Ive seen don't mix well with Partha, Citadel or Grenadier. What about the Crusade Miniatures range that they sell, I've never seen these, are they similar in style or more detailed?

All – Having never seen any "in the flesh", how do Old Glory's and Irregular's Vikings mix with Partha, Citadel, Garrison, Grenadier or Hinchcliffe/Heritage? I'm close to having all of the "warriors" that I need; Bondi, Fyrd, Thegn, Huscarl, etc. I'm really short on archers, as most manufacturers seam to only offer one or two in single poses. With conversion I've made Slavs, Rus, Scots and Barbarians work, but I still need many more and would like some variety.

Bill

I expect you won't care for Foundry's 25's as they are Perry's, but they are thinner and more correctly proportioned than just about any other Foundry range.

I have one or two old Citadels. They're true 25s and they are well proportioned and will mix with Hinchliffe and Minifigs. They should work admirably for you if you can find them.

burlesonbill:
I have the following Hinchliffe's
AV2 * 36 Bowmen
AV4 * 30 Axemen
All painted and based.
Basing is 60mm*40mm Litko Magnetic bases. Bowmen 3 to a base, Axemen 6 to a base.

John Bianchi – I have managed to acquire several of the old Citadel's and do like them very much. It might interest you to know that they were also done by the Perry's (or so I've been told by people who were with Partha). I believe they were one of, if not the first, commercial contract's that the Perry's did. When GW acquired Citadel they took all of the molds and masters back from Partha (who had been doing them as Partha Imports) and then buried them as new ranges were designed and released. Nobody seems to know where they are or whatever happened to them. It's unlikely that we'll see them again. BTW, are you related to the John Bianchi who makes exquisite leathergoods for shooters? If so, I have a couple of your older holsters and love them.

blackmamba – Please e-mail me at wpmchenry@charter.net with pic's if you have them and an asking price. Thanks!

Bill

Everybody out of ideas? I've pretty much exausted all of the sources still producing the "old" figures and still need more archers and more variety. Anybody? Will none of the currently produced figures mix at least reasonably well with "old school" 25's?

Please bear in mind, I'm doing around 700 figures total, from many manufacturer's, with varying sculpting styles. If a new range will at least look similar to say a Frontier, Hinchcliffe, Heritage, Garrison, Grenadier, etc., and isn't TOO much larger, I can segregate those figures into one warband with the figures that are the best match and shim the bases of the shorter figures. Once they are painted and based in a uniform style, they will all blend in. When that warband is one of 20 on the table, they will all blend in.

What I do know for sure is that I cannot use Dixon, GW, Foundry, Black Tree or anything that mixes "perfectly" with these ranges. Between the exagerated sculpting style (large heads, hands, weapons), the bulkier overall look and the heigth – they will not mix well.

I have seen pictures of Gripping Beast and Artizan figures that appear to have similar sculpting styles to some of the older figures, but don't know how they mix side-by-side. Can anyone shed some light? I know that nothing will exactly match the older Partha, Garrison and Citadel figures, but I've located enough of them to make up several complete warbands. I'm mainly looking for help completing warbands that contain Hinchcliffe, Heritage, Frontier, the larger, later Grenadier and a few of the "pre-redesign" Irregular's.

Bill

Bill,

The early Prince August 'Barbarians' had 2 moulds that were great Vikings and good Saxons. They mix well with RP, early Citadel, etc.

Send me your address (gisby@mts.net) and I'll see what I can come up with.

I thought the old Foundry Viking range was actually the ex- Citadel Viking range? At least my old GW Vikings are dead ringers for those Foundry figs.

What about RaFM:

link

Not to sure about the size, they are definitely smaller than GW, but they may be "chunky" 25mm and they are not exactly historically accurate but it should allow variety. I'm at work presently, but have some of the entire line and will measure them up to see.

~Cory

In Order:

gisbygeo – I have the PA molds already and have cast many and done many conversions on those castings as well, and yes, they do mix well.

Neugart – No, the older Foundry Vikings are not the same as the old Citadel/Partha Imports Vikings. They are the same as the older GW Vikings that replaced the earlier Citadel figures. The Citadel figures I'm talking about are late 70's to 80's production and were discontinued when GW acquired Citadel.

rolgan – No, the RAFM figures do not mix. I ordered some of the current "Vikings" (actually Warriors of the Midnight Sun or some such) and they are larger and much chunkier than the old Partha's, Garrison, Citadel, etc.

Good suggestions all, please keep the idea's coming as I now only need anothet 60 figures or so to reach my goal, particularly archers.

Bill