"20mm Napoleonics" Topic

Anyone know of some suppliers of good quality 20mm* Napoleonic miniatures? I have some from years ago that were cast by a friend but he no longer casts miniatures and sold the molds off. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Take care and have a great day….

ciao,
john.

* I mean 20mm metal miniatures!

I assume you mean metal 20mm?

There's Newline Miniatures in the UK and Napolen in Spain.

newlinedesigns.co.uk

napoleon.com.es

I haven't got any myself but no doubt someone on here can help out.

I think Napoleon have gone – their shop and gallery have been 'temporarily out of service' since May and Angel hasn't responded to an Email I sent.

There's also the Kennington/SHQ line

link

There also used to be Qualiticast and Art-Miniaturen.

link

Qualiticast stopped a couple of years ago, shame as their colonials were very special

We are still plugging along with Outlands ranges. The last released were the 1812 Russians.

Tom Dye
GFI
minifigs.com

I second Newline. I have only a few but they mix well with the ton of plastic stuff on the market. I like the Napoleonic Cav a great deal.
VR
James Mattes

The plastic stuff on the market these days are (true) 25mm--not 20mm anymore. I suppose there remain a few 20mm sets, but "I" sure haven't come across any lately. Zevda/Italari I have bought are more 25mm.

Tom Dye
GFI

The Dayton Painting Consortium makes the RSM line of 20mm Napoleonics:

dpcltdcom.org/rsm95_003.htm

Scruby's old 20mm Napoleonics are still available. Be warned, most British companies that advertise "20mm" are actually true 25s (like the old Ral Partha Colonials). Newline is the exception to this rule. Their 20mm Nappies are compatible with most US 20mm figures.

True 25mm
Scruby 25mm
RSM (Dayton Painting Consortium, Outland Games)
Qualiticast (out of business)
NapoleoN (apparently our of business. Tragic)
Art Miniaturen
All 1/72 plastics
Kennington

True 20mm – not compatable with the above.
Scruby 20mm
Newline
HO scale plastics

This is all a very confused and screwed up story of FIGURE CREEP. Once upon a time, there was only Airfix HO scale. Then some metal manufacturers came along with 25mm figs, just a bit taller, but pretty compatable.

Then the 25mm manufacturers started making their figures bigger, to the point where they were no longer compatable with the old figures.

Next, plastic manufacturers gave up on the HO scale and launched 1/72 figures. At least they advertize a REAL scale.

Then the 25mm manufacturers gave up even claiming 25mm scale, and claimed 28mm. They are actually closer to 30mm. Ironically, there were 30mm manufacturers from the beginning, but their stuff was judged too large for practical wargaming (at the time), and most went out of business.

There are actually a few other 1/72 lead makers, some of them in continental Europe. Most of my sources are packed away just now, so I cannot be more specific. But if you tool around on the internet you can find some of them.

When you find them, come back on to this site and ask before you spend money. Many of us are familiar with these figures and can tell you what works with what.

The most common misunderstanding I've found is NewLine. Many say that they are compatable with 1/72 plastics and true 25mm. I don't think they are, and would advise anyone who thinks so to buy a few samples and compare them. NewLine have an extensive line, and great figures. They are just too small to be true 25s. Among the plastics, Zvezda are a bit large, but can still be compatable with other plastics and true 25mm.

Well, it turns out that I have more than just what my friend had cast. I have some that are apparently from the Dayton Painting Consortium. Both sets are the same size.

So, what other miniatures would be compatible with these? I plan on buying more of DPC's miniatures because I like the quality and already have a couple hundred of theirs and they are compatible with the couple hundred of my friend's figures. But, they only make British and French (and a few Prussians) and I will eventuall want to buy other forces.

Thanks for all the help!

Take care and have a great day….

ciao,
john.

RSM/DPC also has Austrians in that range. They are very nice figures. I used to have a thousand of them before I sold off the collection.

RSM also has the only 1805 Russians in this scale in metal. Not a very extensive line, but good anyway.

Two European makers who are very good are:

Falcata – limited range, Peninusla
Ehmke – German, good continental cavalry, some Austian and Wurtemberger infantry, casualties.

cw-toys.de

This is the link to the internet shop for Ehmke figures

That same internet sales site offers Ingo figures, mostly Austrian artillery, one set of English infantry, Saxon artillery caisson, etc. – 1/72.

Once I found a 1/72 French maker of ONLY draft horse casualties. Very strange, and I wish I could find that site again. Draft horse casualties are very hard to find or convert.

OK, I am a bit of an idiot. I meant so say "Austrians" instead of "Prussians" in my above post. Additionally, I did not see that there was a second page of 20mm Napoleonic Miniatures!

Thanks again for the links and info. I am sure that there will be more questions forthcoming!

Widowson 02 Sep 2009 1:08 p.m. PST wrote:
…..The most common misunderstanding I've found is NewLine. Many say that they are compatable with 1/72 plastics and true 25mm. I don't think they are, and would advise anyone who thinks so to buy a few samples and compare them. NewLine have an extensive line, and great figures. They are just too small to be true 25s. Among the plastics, Zvezda are a bit large, but can still be compatable with other plastics and true 25mm.

I have Newline Ancients (punic era) and Hat 1/72nd scale figures they work for me with one exception and that is the 25mm Velites from the Roman Artillery set which IS listed as 25mm.

VR
James Mattes

Mock26: The Outland Games 20mm napoleonic ranges are compatable. IIRC, they are the other half of the original ranges when Cris and DPC split a few years ago. Neither has a complete line.

The Russians are new sculpts from Outland, and blows away the older ones! (We can supply). Chris has also commissioned new artillery pieces to be done. The first is a British 6 pounder, circa 1776. Others are being sculpted.

More can be seen at minifigs.com

Good to see more coverage on 20mm Gaming!

Best
Tom Dye
GFI

Dye4minis, it is funny that you should mention Outland Games, as I was snooping around on the internet and through a series of several links I found out that it was Outland Games whom my old wargaming friend sold his molds to! It really is a small world.

James,

I have never seen any ancients by Newline. Only their Napoleonics, which are TOO SMALL for "true 25mm." They should be considered "true 20mm," and are not compatable with 1/72 plastics or true 25mm.

Yep – Newline are too small to fit with plastics. SHQ/Kennington are a good fit though.

I do wish people would stop going on about Art Minaturen though. Unless you are German and live there, forget it!

Marc,

I have some Art Miniaturen. They ARE tough to order direct, but they are the best lead figures out there. I understand their is a Dutch retailer from whom orders can be taken easier. Anybody know that Dutch company?

IIRC the dutch retailer is
miniatuurwereld.com

Can anyone tell me how tall the Art Miniaturen figures are from the top of their base to eye level? I want to know if they are compatible with my other 20mm Napoleonic figures.

23mm

Drat. I was afraid of that. Several years ago I wrote an article for MWAN about the two different 20mm scales. Here were my results (measured from the top of the base to eye level).

True 20mm figures:

RSM 20mm
Batallienfeur 21mm
Newline (UK) 20mm
The Complete Brigadier 20mm
Ultimate Miniatures (Scruby 20mm) 20mm

Large (English) 20mm figures:

Hinton Hunt (Der Kriegspielers) 23mm
Kennington (UK) 23mm
Qualiticast (UK) 23mm
It Figures (UK) 21mm
Ultimate Miniatures (Scruby 25mm) 23mm

It appears that Art Miniaturen falls into the larger category.

I hope this sort of post is allowed – it is after all blatent advertising – but I thought some folks might like to know the following:

I have commissioned a range of 20mm (23mm) Hinton Hunt compatible figures – designed and sculptured by Andy Stadden.

I call the range – which is today officially in production – Hinton Compatriots (HC).

I should state that I do not intend for this to be my daytime job – it is primarily meant to be a way for me to get additional figures for my collection which is mostly Hinton Hunt and Alberken. I will make them available to interested folks however and I just want to recover some of the considerable costs if possible – not make a living at it! I am retired and a hobbyist only!

The first figures of the block are Austrian Napoleonic – Infantry in Helmet – First series is both Hungarian and German troops – Advancing. There are eight different figures per series – enough types to make a complete regiment/batallion.

Grenadiers to compliment have been mastered and are in design/sculpture/Mould process.

Right now a range of Mounted officers, Generals and ADC's is in design.

Plans include Shako'd troops (masters almost finished), Jagers, Cavalry and Artillery with Guns and limbers – to complete the Austrians. If I get enough interest I will also make a complimentary series of Marching troops.

Then I will move onto another nation – not yet decided.

Anybody interested can see details and images on my blog:

lazylimey.blogspot.com

Thanks for your time and I apologize if this post is inappropriate or in the wrong area – it's that I was reading this section and the comments on difficulty obtaining suitable figures – which was/is my experience and is why I started the range – and it seemed the place to let people know of another new option.

I am a British ex-Pat living in Toronto Canada for the last 35 years.

Ron

Lazylimey – Boy your castings look great. I am certainly keen on purchasing some, and I am in Canada as well. Can you contact me off line as I am having trouble contacting you through your blog. My email is peter.boxall@ualberta.ca.

thanks