Der Alte Fritz | 02 Mar 2010 11:28 p.m. PST |
OK, let us say that money is no object and you want to create a comprehensive range of 28mm or 1/56 American Civil War figures. What kind of troop types do you consider necessary (zouaves, infantry in hats and kepis, USCT, artillery crew, mounted and dismounted cavalry, camp vignettes etc) and how many different poses would you want to have? Would you focus on a particular theatre of the war: Eastern vs. Western theatre or maybe even Trans-Mississippi or try to do it all? You have a blank canvas to start with, so what would be on your list of must have figures? One of the things that I would like to see is Western theatre Union infantry in brimmed hats and sack coats. Also, corps, division and brigade command figures/personalities and their ADCs done in the manner that the Perrys did for Waterloo French command. Several different artillery crew poses – ready to fire the gun and loading or running the gun back into position. |
nbforrest | 03 Mar 2010 12:52 a.m. PST |
I would love to see nathan bedford forrests cavalry in winter clothing with great coats and a forrest command figure with different arms i.e one with sabre, pistol and binoculars so you have a choice of pose. |
Field Marshal | 03 Mar 2010 1:02 a.m. PST |
I think if you wanted to start a line and you wanted it to be financially successful it would have to be the Esaten Theatre. Purely because everyone knows the names from that area. Lee, Jackson, Hancock,Meade, Gettysburg etc etc. I agree ADCs are needed they are hard to find. You would need to do a comprehensive collection of Personalities rather than a select few. For me the individual personalities are what bring the ACW to life and give it its colour. cheers FM |
Cleburne1863 | 03 Mar 2010 3:34 a.m. PST |
I think western US infantry with a hat and sack coat is the one big gap out there in the industry. A "full" line of them in marching, advancing, and skirmishing poses. Really, are they that hard to make? |
NoLongerAMember | 03 Mar 2010 3:57 a.m. PST |
You have just listed a big chunk of my master list for Rapier Fritz, but heaven knows if we will get them all made. |
nate7163 | 03 Mar 2010 4:56 a.m. PST |
Cleburne1863 could not agree with you more. I think that why we don't have them is because of what Field Marshal said. Also I really think for the average person coming into the period the draw is Gettysburg, Antietem etc. Would love to see them though. Nathan |
The Gray Ghost | 03 Mar 2010 4:57 a.m. PST |
I would also start with the Western theater and would have some good dismounted cavalry and southern partisans. |
lebooge | 03 Mar 2010 6:06 a.m. PST |
Considering the varied uniforms worn by both sides, having a range of bodies with different uniforms and separate heads would allow for plenty of variations of uniform. This could wither be plastics ala Victrix or metal ala West Wind SHS. More personalities would be a good idea as well. Part of the draw of 28's IMO is the ability to show off one's painting ability and there aren't that many fancy uniforms to work on compared to Napoleonics or the SYW for example. Having more vingettes and command options would be helpful I think. |
Disco Joe | 03 Mar 2010 6:34 a.m. PST |
I also agree about the western theater and the variety of uniform types used. I also would like to see some of the more unique one's used by both sides at the start of the war with regards to what state militia's had. And would someone please come out with a larger variety of artillery used. Especially coming out with coehorn mortars and the mortars sizes between the coehorn and the 13". I also like the idea proposed of cavalry in winter clothing and I would suggest both sides. And since we can go wild here how about having the figures in both marching pose for those who like that but for me in advancing or fighting pose. I always hated when a manufacturer would come out with a particular unit and only make them in marching or shouldered arm pose. |
flicking wargamer | 03 Mar 2010 6:38 a.m. PST |
I would like a bigger range of lesser officers on horseback. When you field a dozen units or whatever it is nice to have commanding officers that are not duplicates. |
A Twiningham | 03 Mar 2010 7:26 a.m. PST |
I'd have to echo the above calls for western theater, including cavalry and partisans. Ideally I could just hit the lottery and have Chris Hughes do them all to match his excellent existing range. |
Cleburne1863 | 03 Mar 2010 7:58 a.m. PST |
I totally agree with and understand the market forces behind the Eastern Theater mindset. Forage cap and sack coat for Union and hat and shell jacket for Confederate sells. Throw in the Iron Brigade, and some Zouaves and you have 90% of the market. I'm just talking about infantry here too. However, now with more modern research and a more knowledgeable and informed player base I think there is a market and opportunity for a line of hats and sack coats for Union western infantry. I'm also talking about both 25/28mm and 15mm. |
axabrax | 03 Mar 2010 8:28 a.m. PST |
Isn't part of the issue here how to get people to buy new figs? The people who spend the most are people who are really into ACW, but they probably already have a ton of figs. So do you really think they are going to buy more of what they already have, especially massed troops as opposed to personalities? If you are going to go with the eastern theater you'd better have sculpts as good as the Perry's or why should I buy them? And they'd better be in scale with my current collection too. I have the same problem with FIW wherein some new manufacturer comes out with Indians, Rangers, and French Marines, and I say "why should I bother? I already have a ton of this stuff and none of this new stuff is as good as the Conquest stuff that I already have." I would say go for a range no one has made before thereby filling the gaps or do a theater like the Trans-Miss that's relatively untapped (although Foundry probably has the best Bushwhackers and Jayhawkers you're ever going to find already.) |
John the OFM | 03 Mar 2010 8:49 a.m. PST |
I would start with Rush's Lancers and the New Jersey Hussars. |
idontbelieveit | 03 Mar 2010 8:52 a.m. PST |
Can't you do western theater union infantry with redoubt? I believe you order the heads separately. |
nevinsrip | 03 Mar 2010 9:15 a.m. PST |
Personalities are a loser if you are planning on staying in business. People will buy ONE. In order to succeed in the miniatures business, you need to sell massive amounts of figures to recoup the cost of sculpting, molds and metal. To say nothing if you want to actually make a profit. Games Workshop may be able to get away with multiple Frodos, but ACW gamers don't need 10 different poses of Grant or Lee. So the trick is to come up with a new slant that no one else makes and that gamers need to have lots of figures to game with or collect. My own idea would be to produce a Josey Wales type line. No, I would not pay a licensing fee, but it would be clear what my figures represented (along the lines of the "not Deadwood" figures). Lots of possibilities there and it has never really been done as such. Foundry did a few Jesse James gang figures years back but the full scope of the bloody Kansas period has never been manufactured. Border Raiders, Redlegs, Outlaw Gangs, Townsfolk, Militias and Regulars could all be represented. For you personality fans, you have the James boys and all their relatives, Quantrill, Bloody Bill Anderson and several others. I also think that having other lines (Foundry, Old Glory, etc.) manufacture companion figures would really add to sales. I don't know of a single gamer who only has one line of figures in their collections. I know that I have more than a dozen different manufacturers figures in my ACW collection alone. The same with my F&I War and AWI troops. Variety adss to the fun. Just my own opinion. Feel free to ignore it. |
Wolverine | 03 Mar 2010 9:31 a.m. PST |
I would like to see Union infantry in leggings. Not zouaves, not Berdan's Sharpshooters, just standard sack coated, forage capped, infantry, plus leggings. "Can't you do western theater union infantry with redoubt? I believe you order the heads separately." I agree. I think there are several ranges that can used for western Federals. Like you said, Redoubt is one. You also have a hat choice with most of Dixon's ACW figures. First Edition Old Glory has a few bags of slouch hatted infantry with blanket rolls that make good bummers too. They come in a mix of sack coats and shell jackets, but the roundabout (shell jacket) was popular among western Yanks as well. |
Admiral Yi Sun Sin is my Homie | 03 Mar 2010 12:45 p.m. PST |
I'd concentrate on the cavalry for both sides. In detail. Especially dismounted, in plastic, with many options. And for fun I'd create some Confederate cavalry with big slouch hats or cavalry with the option to wear such. Kepis too. Then personalities in variouis poses, mounted and dismounted. Edit: And I'd make some decent looking (for me anyway) 1st Virginia Cavalry models too. |
Doc Ord | 03 Mar 2010 2:35 p.m. PST |
I want early war with all of the odd militia uniforms. |
idontbelieveit | 03 Mar 2010 3:58 p.m. PST |
I have some ACW stuff – mostly Foundry with some Old Glory mixed in. Were I to start over it would be all Redoubt. I think they make about everything I would want. Western Theater ACW would be interesting. |
wrgmr1 | 03 Mar 2010 6:36 p.m. PST |
If Money is no object, I'd fly to England and convince the Perry's to do a complete line in 28MM Metal. East and West theatre. Include gunboats and sailors, maybe even an ironclad or two. |
rmaker | 03 Mar 2010 7:07 p.m. PST |
Artillery pieces. As many diffeent ones as possible. I'm tired of the "we've got a Napoleon and a 10-pdr Parrott and an Ordnance Rifle, and we're working on a Whitworth and what more could you want" thinking we too often see. Especally the Whitworth. There were at least a dozen pieces where more were fielded than the egregious and superfluous Whitworth. Give me a M1847 6-pdr, 12- and 24-pdr Field Howitzers, a 12-pdr Mountain Howitzer, a Wiard Rifle, a James Rifle, 20- and 30-pdr Parrotts, a 4.5" Ordnance Rifle, a 12-pdr Gun, a 32-pdr Howitzer, an Armstrong (which can also be used for Colonials)
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Frederick | 04 Mar 2010 8:42 a.m. PST |
I would like to see more variety in the artillery as well – for example, for late war games at least 10% of the gunners were USCT, but how many USCT gunners (or cavalry) are there? A wider range of staff officers is a good idea A few more infantry in shirt sleeves/irregulars would be ghreat Also, some more militia units would be great |
FireZouave | 06 Mar 2010 10:55 a.m. PST |
Redoubt has it all covered. Haven't you guys seen their full line of figures. Sack coats, shell jackets, frock coats, shirt sleeves, battle shirts, zouaves, and separate heads for any combination you desire. They even have western zouaves wearing the lesser baggy pants. There's your western army. The only thing they don't have is sack coats with leggings which Wolverine mentioned, meaning he must be a Michigan man and wants to do the 4th Michigan who wore that particular uniform. |
Joewl Levis | 30 Dec 2014 4:26 a.m. PST |
Redoubt now have 4th Michigan. They must have seen this post. |
GoodOldRebel | 30 Dec 2014 4:38 p.m. PST |
For me 'comprehensive' would be the guiding principle. As many permutations of Infantry as was financially viable with a good balance between the 'glamour' units and the generic Confederates and Federals every collection needs as its basis? A great deal of 'my range' would surely have to include Mounted Infantry (and no not just Wilder's) and Cavalry, with a proper amount of variants? Dismounted packs and horse holders would also be expanded to reflect their long overlooked importance. Artillery, Specialists and Staff would receive what some might call undue attention …but for me the artillery can and should be vignettes in their own right. Engineers, bandsmen, medical services, civilian types …all add immeasurably to a game if for no other reason than aesthetically? Personalities would be a strong feature without becoming disproportionate of the overall range? Certainly I would hope to achieve some parity between East, West and the Trans-Mississippi theatres? |
Brooklyn Wargamer | 03 Jan 2015 8:42 a.m. PST |
Buglers. Union and Confederate. In different poses. |
uglyfatbloke | 05 Jan 2015 7:08 a.m. PST |
Yup; buglers rather than drummers. Lots of small variations in infantry marching or at right shoulder shift. |
ACW Gamer | 07 Jan 2015 9:31 a.m. PST |
What would you like the ADC's to be doing? |
flicking wargamer | 07 Jan 2015 12:22 p.m. PST |
Ewell commanding from a horse and buggy after his wounding. Hood mounted on horseback back in command after his wounds. |
GoodOldRebel | 07 Jan 2015 4:06 p.m. PST |
my adc's would be taking orders down, checking maps, gesturing to troops etc? |
guineapigfury | 07 Jan 2015 7:33 p.m. PST |
I'm a 15mm fan myself, but I'd like to see more troops with havelocks including command packs. |
ACW Gamer | 07 Jan 2015 9:30 p.m. PST |
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GoodOldRebel | 08 Jan 2015 5:57 a.m. PST |
most of my staff officers are 'slightly' converted artillery officers (all first corps) …guys with binoculars, gesturing, etc …foot and mounted. |
ACW Gamer | 09 Jan 2015 7:04 p.m. PST |
Is this what you think of when you think of ADC's: [URL=http://s134.photobucket.com/user/Huck1863/media/01008r.jpg.html]
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GoodOldRebel | 10 Jan 2015 4:14 a.m. PST |
'staff officers' in general, orderlies, adc's ….preferably a bit more active than these chaps ;-) |
ACW Gamer | 10 Jan 2015 7:09 a.m. PST |
I am thinking along the lines of what you said: jotting down orders, looking at maps, using field glasses….maybe even checking pocket watches. |
ACW Gamer | 10 Jan 2015 7:31 a.m. PST |
Old Rebel, I forgot to ask….mounted, dismounted or both?? |
GoodOldRebel | 10 Jan 2015 4:38 p.m. PST |
i'd personally favour a mixture of both …though with a bias towards mounted? i do like command bases to be vignettes in their own right, banner bearers, orderlies, etc? |