Silurian | 25 Mar 2009 8:38 a.m. PST |
Hi Guys, This is a period in time of which I know pretty much nothing. However, I've just read a short article on the Great Northern War and my interest has been piqued. There are probably quite a few miniature ranges out there in 28mm that cover this war, so I was wondering if I could get some opinions on comprehensive ranges, accuracy, gaps, etc. I'll start researching, but it's always nice to get the advice of people already gaming the period. Thanks in advance! |
Patrick R | 25 Mar 2009 9:19 a.m. PST |
I'm sockpuppeting for Musketeer. |
dbf1676 | 25 Mar 2009 10:23 a.m. PST |
Well, unfortunately, there are not a great deal of 28mm figures available for the GNW. Reiver makes a complete line but, IMHO, the quality is not what we have grown to expect in the modern market. Foundry has some, but the line is not complete and there are no Swedish cavalry. Musketeer has some Swedish infantry and some Russian musketeers, and now it appears pikemen. Still no Russian command or cavalry for either Sweden or Russian. The quality of Musketeer is very good, but it looks like it will be years, if ever, before the line is complete. Imperialist Miniatures in the U.S. used to sell some Swedes of middling quality but I don't know if they are around anymore. Saxons can be represented by any generic WSS figures. Front Rank has a great WSS line and I have heard that they plane to extend to the GNW, but don't know if this is still the case. For info on uniforms, go to Dan Schorr's "Northern Wars" website for articles and also see the Acedia Books volumes on the subject. Between Dan's site and the Acedia books, that should be all you need. |
Pictors Studio | 25 Mar 2009 11:11 a.m. PST |
Wargames Factory will be coming out with some WSS figures soon. These figs will be plastic, of course, so conversion to the karpus will not be difficult. Still you will probably not have pikemen for the period. I think the musketeer line is your best bet at present in 28mm. |
pancerni | 25 Mar 2009 11:19 a.m. PST |
I started out with GNW before anyone other than Foundry, so we had to be creative. For the Swedes I used the Old Glory Jacobite line, although I just went to the website and couldn't find the French figures I thought I used. For the purest's this might not be acceptable but with some creative painting it works and after several dozen games at major conventions no one seems the wiser. I used both cavalry and infantry. The Russians were a challenge but I ended up with the OG Marlboroughian figures for infantry, cavalry and artillery. Since that time I've supplemented both sides with soem of the Reiver stuff, which is not as hideous as some have suggested. I'll be running a GNW game at Historicon on Saturday using said figures
my farewell to the Host
and probably Historicon tour de force. db |
avidgamer | 25 Mar 2009 11:41 a.m. PST |
"
the Reiver stuff, which is not as hideous as some have suggested." The infantry are okay. I have a bunch of them painted up. The horses look like mechanical beasts. Their joints are almost hinges or some sort of strange alien invention. |
GoodBye | 25 Mar 2009 12:28 p.m. PST |
I second the Musketeer Miniatures line, I have a large number of Swedish foot and a few Russians. The draw back as previously stated is that this line is coming along very slowly and seems to take a back seat to everything else that the folks at MM are working on. I suspect it just doesn't generate the sales that some of the other ranges do. Donald~ |
Der Alte Fritz | 25 Mar 2009 1:21 p.m. PST |
I suspect it just doesn't generate the sales that some of the other ranges do. This is circular logic. Maybe people aren't buying the figures because they know that it will be a long time, if ever, before enough basic figures are produced to field infantry, cavalry and artillery for both Sweden and Russia. Were there more confidence that the basics would get sculpted, then the figure sales would probably rise. There was a similar thread about this topic a couple of months ago and my recollection is that there was quite a bit of interest expressed in this range. The sculptor, through a third party, indicted that more figures were in the pipeline, so the recent appearance of the Russian pikemen is a good sign. I am hopeful that this range will be expanded, and fast. |
Frankss | 25 Mar 2009 2:07 p.m. PST |
Imperialist Enterprises was at the SYW Convention with his GNW figures. He had the Swedes and Russians and stated he was having a sculpter make his GNW Russian Cavalry. He also has the War of The Spanish Succesion, English,Austria,Prussian and French. I just went and dug out his flyer. His figures are 25mm. Imperialist Enterprises 229 N. 2nd St. Apt C Elkhart, IN. 46516-3087 (574)293-4398 2pm to 10 pm All Foot $1.40 USD All Mtd. $2.75 USD (includes horse) All cannons $6.00 USD each He had G-1 a French triple barreled 4 pd gun which caught my attention. he had GR-4a Russian pikeman,1st rank,pistol,belly box,tricorn(you provide the wire) This figure had a pistol raised in one had and the pike in the other. I'mnot into Russians but would have liked a front rank able to shoot also. e-mail: rh.at.imperialist@verizon.net Checks and Money Orders payable to RobertHagarty Add $5 USD to total for postage USA UKandEuropean customers please add 30% for postage. |
GoodBye | 25 Mar 2009 2:38 p.m. PST |
This is circular logic. I know I was trying to be nice. I'm sitting on 148 Swedish Infantry and nothing else. I have some TAG Streltsi that they could scrimmage with but really none of Peter's Russians, no horse and no guns. I have zero-interest in painting them because we really have no idea when we'll be able to put together armies. Apparently Goths are coming soon from MM, who knew they were even in the pipeline and more WWI Russians. I don't see the support for this range that other ranges at MM seem to get. I like the folks at MM and I like the castings, I don't see how Russian Pike without command really helps a whole lot. Do we now wait another year or two for Swedish horse? At a year or two per release I just don't have the attention span (that's my fault BTW nobody elses). I'll gladly wait a few months for delivery, I just can't wait a few years, especially when there is so much new and excellent stuff coming down the pipe. ie
Copplestone's Sun King line, TAG's 30YW, WF Generic WSS. cheers Donald~ |
dbf1676 | 25 Mar 2009 5:52 p.m. PST |
Donald, My thoughts exactly. It's a shame, but there it is. |
oldnorthstate | 25 Mar 2009 8:15 p.m. PST |
Well, as if unfinished 28mm lines aren't enough I have it on good authority that a particular 40mm manufacter is seriously thinking about doing GNW in 40mm
makes sense. Just a rumor right now but who knows. db |
the brushlicker | 26 Mar 2009 3:43 a.m. PST |
Der Alt Fritz sagely put it "This is circular logic. Maybe people aren't buying the figures because they know that it will be a long time, if ever, before enough basic figures are produced to field infantry, cavalry and artillery for both Sweden and Russia. Were there more confidence that the basics would get sculpted, then the figure sales would probably rise." This is the problem in a nutshell. I bought into this range when it first came out, as the owner had listed all the packs he was going to do. Thankfully I only dropped about £40, but the intention was for it to become a longterm project with me eventually dropping around £300.00 GBP I realise that alone wouldn't guarantee a range gets done, but as DAF intimates, how many other potential customers have been lost? I met Bill at Salute last year and he said that a number of people had asked about the range and that he'd be pressing on with it shortly
..12 months on and we have 4 Russian Pikemen and lets be honest, they're the same figure with 4 different heads. Requests on the MM website for the current status of the range seem to be ignored now by Bill. Good figures, but disappointing customer service. |
thehawk | 26 Mar 2009 4:37 a.m. PST |
Check out Sluga Gosudarev on youtube, look for the Poltava scenes. This will give you an idea of the uniforms, hair styles etc. In this film, infantry of both armies advance with musket held vertically by right arm, not left as in SYW. 30mm, 40mm and 54mm GNW figures I have seen by one Swedish sculptor also have the musket in the right hand. I wonder what's correct, if either? and there are stills on slugagosudarev.com The uniform colours seem to match those on other Russian lace wars films (though rank and file were faded by wear slightly especially the red) I have seen, so are probably accurate, Another Swedish chap I know who works in the wargame business reckons that Swedish generals were Protestant so probably wore simple, plain uniforms. |
lebooge | 26 Mar 2009 5:03 a.m. PST |
From what I've been able to glean on the net, I think the sculptor from Musketeer falls victim to the same "oooh shiny!" syndrome that many of the rest of us do, and his current output has a tendency to match his interest du jour. |
Silurian | 26 Mar 2009 6:03 a.m. PST |
Thank you everyone for the information. I'm a little suprised there are so few ranges. The Musketeer miniatures are lovely – I'll probably pounce on them when the range is fleshed out a bit more. I appreciate the uniform information too! |
18th Century Guy | 26 Mar 2009 7:30 a.m. PST |
I agree with Der Alte Fritz and I've said it myself before – I'd buy into the MM Great Northern War range in a heartbeat if I knew for sure that he was going to have the same level of output for GNW as he's had for his WWI & IWI ranges. If he had put that same level of energy into his GNW line it might be almost complete!!! Sad, truly sad. I'm about to give up on having decent GNW armies and move on to other eras that I enjoy. |
GoodBye | 26 Mar 2009 9:15 a.m. PST |
40mm manufacter is seriously thinking about doing GNW in 40mm He's been talking about this for a few years also. Frankly it's all talk until a fairly complete line is released. |
Der Alte Fritz | 26 Mar 2009 12:01 p.m. PST |
Yes, I would buy at least 1,000 foot and 300 cavalry figures from MM if they had the basics. |
Travellera | 26 Mar 2009 2:25 p.m. PST |
For uniforms, this is the definite source: acedia.se/engbok.htm I have the Swedish versions of these books and they says it all. |
18th Century Guy | 26 Mar 2009 2:42 p.m. PST |
Has anyone tried going to the MM site? I went there on Tuesday and picked up a virus from it on my PC. If the site is now clean maybe more people can pester MM to complete the GNW line. Just a thought or maybe the person that was speaking on behave of MM a couple months back could put a good word in for us and have him work on this instead of the IWI or WWI lines. |
Cheriton | 26 Mar 2009 3:58 p.m. PST |
>>>I went there on Tuesday and picked up a virus from it on my PC.<<< Yeah, me too (on Tuesday), intercepted by Kaspersky. Emailed them the info (below) and received a nice reply from Hazel today. She's sending it on to their hosting company
Info: Object: cheesee.uz.ua/scripts/?t=9 Application: Firefox Result: Detected: HEUR:Trojan-Downloader.Script.Generic Result: Denied |
dbf1676 | 26 Mar 2009 8:31 p.m. PST |
"Yes, I would buy at least 1,000 foot and 300 cavalry figures from MM if they had the basics." About the same for me. DAF, what about Eureka as an alternative? |
79thPA | 17 Apr 2009 11:58 p.m. PST |
The London War Room carries a few infantry--not sure who makes them. |
Musketier | 18 Apr 2009 3:09 a.m. PST |
At the risk of being branded a heretic, have you thought about plastics? Zvezda's GNW range in particular are beautifully sculpted, if on the tall side for 25 mm, and obviously much cheaper than 28mm metal. I for one am eagerly looking forward to the artillery sets announced for this summer to complete the collection. link |
dbf1676 | 18 Apr 2009 11:34 a.m. PST |
The Zvezda Swedish cavalry look great when painted. The foot only have three pikemen in the entire box. Otherwise, I'd be tempted |
dbf1676 | 06 Aug 2014 12:06 p.m. PST |
Well, it's five years since anyone posted on this thread, but how times have changed! Musketeer finally has produced most of the figures that were on its website back then. Ebor has had a successful 28mm Swedish GNW Kickstarter campaign, and I understand is about to ship the first figures to the campaign's supporters. Warfare Miniatures is about to release the first of its 28mm GNW line, which will have 110 separate sculpts for the Swedish infantry alone. All things come to those who wait, I guess. |
jocknroll | 06 Aug 2014 2:49 p.m. PST |
Your wish has been granted… an abundance of Swedes (is that a collective noun for Swedes?) I can confirm the first 16 codes (80 figures) are ready from Warfare. They will be released in a 'one -er' as they say down our way (Glasgow) |
jocknroll | 13 Aug 2014 4:34 a.m. PST |
A preview of yet more of the Swedes. link Search the tabs and see the various other posts relating to the new range. |