"Still using your Minifigs?" Topic

Having spent most of yesterday rebasing and renovating my Minifig Russians in readiness for 2012-1812, I find myself wondering if they still cut the mustard alongside their Perry, Victrix, Front Rank and Calpe counterparts? They are of course fine in their own right, and have given me years of sterling service, but I mean mixed in with 28mm figures?

Apart from the size difference, 25mm instead of 28mm, the relative lack of detail is noticeable…To a certain extent the size issue can be alleviated by thicker bases, but the differences are still noticeable…

Should I be a little embarrassed, trying to organise a big Borodino game, at a public event, to be fielding armies containing a large proportion of Minifigs in with their newer 28mm brethren – albeit in different units and formations?

Would you feel slightly let down if invited to participate in a large multi player game, if you turned up and were presented with a command consisting entirely of Minifigs, no matter how well painted, but your mate had a, for instance, Perry formation to command?

Any thoughts, or am I just being a big girls blouse over this?

My 15mm Napoleonics are all Minifigs. There's no way I'm going to be scrapping them…

Fair enough – but would you mix, say, 18mm AB figures in with them, in different units at a public game?

(Although, subjectively, I think the difference between the later 15mm Minifigs and 18mm AB figures is not as great as between 25mm Minifigs and say, 28mm Front Rank…)

If they're well painted, I'd keep them. Minifig did a nice job on their castings. Never got rid of my MiniFig 15's or 25's. Then, again, ah still have some Mikes Models (true 15) in my colonial and renasaince armise <chuckle>

Fair enough – but would you mix, say, 18mm AB figures in with them, in different units at a public game?

If I had to, yes.

Would you feel slightly let down if invited to participate in a large multi player game, if you turned up and were presented with a command consisting entirely of Minifigs, no matter how well painted, but your mate had a, for instance, Perry formation to command?

Nope.

If I did a demo, it would be based on Garrison and they would be the stars. Why should it be any different for a Minfigs collection? Any other hobby would be proud of it's origins.

I've used a few old 15mm mini-figs in my 18mm Old Glory War of 1812 wargame (in seperate units) as OG inexplicitly does not make Kentucky Mounted Rifles. No one laughed, commented or appeared to notice…

"big girls blouse"?

due to Murphys Law your Minifig command (on the right flank naturally) would run over a Foundry, then a front rank command wheel left and take out a perry cavalry division capturing 30 standards and 15 eagles (only fitting as they have been in service for that long and are true veterans!!!)

Use them mate otherwise we will not have enough Russians to slow the french Assault next year!!!!

The only girls blouse in sight will be the flashing from windows on your triumph march!!!

Cheers
Matt

Fair enough – but would you mix, say, 18mm AB figures in with them, in different units at a public game?

In case you have not lifted your head previously…do so at the next wargames convention you attend. Humans come in all sizes, tall, short, fat, skinny. AND they dress smartly, ok, untidy or scruffy…even in similar or uniformly intended clothing.

I have never understood the 'scale' obsession among wargamers. I happily mix brands together. My armies have Minifig, Old Glory, AB, Eureka, etc etc and I have no intention of dumping some to achieve a uniformity that suits the eye of the scale adherants.

I'm far more concerned that my units look ready to fight.

ACTUALLY….I wish you no harm Sparker…so perhaps DONT lift your head and look around at the next wargames convention…it can be SCARY!

Hey Sparker, I'm in the Campbelltown area and am interested in the Borodino game. Is that at the Hall of Heroes?

BTW – use the minifigs with pride.

If that is indeed a picture of your 'Minifigs' I would be quite happy to adopt them.

There is a formality to the old Minifigs that is missing in some of the more modern more animated figures. I like that rigidity in pose that they had. Particularly for the more linear armies.

Bien sure! Still my favoourites!

No one will notice on the table top.

As said, if those on the picture are your Minifigs, then I can't tell the diffrence from those and Front Rank

I'd be happy to command veteran Minifigs any day, any game.

The idea of thrashing formations of modern, highly-detailed, artistically-painted 'miniatures' with some 'old-fashioned' functional toy soldiers has great appeal – I just doubt I have the tactical ability to do it!

Didn't Czar Alexander make some disparaging comment about mean, scruffy-looking British soldiers during the occupation of Paris in 1814, to which Wellington simply replied, 'True, but Your Majesty will find none that fight better.'? Rather apt in this situation, what!

Would you feel slightly let down if invited to participate in a large multi player game, if you turned up and were presented with a command consisting entirely of Minifigs, no matter how well painted, but your mate had a, for instance, Perry formation to command?

Not at all, in fact I perfer Minigis.

It would be an honour to command veteran units.

I'd take Minifigs over Perrys any day of the week.

A couple of years ago, I did an entire battle with some 3000 Mini Figs. Everyone was happy. Except Dick Bryant whose Rocket Battery blew up

link

3/4 of mine are, I'm finding it hard to match the artillery so as not looking like something else (i.e. 6pdrs to look like 6pdrs)

Wow, clearly I was worrying over nothing, thanks for all the positive comments about my trusty old Minifigs, I shall continue to deploy them with pride!

Bandolier – Hi mate, yes we are having a smallish game on Wednesday 14th Dec from about 1:00 ish at Hall of Heroes, just a small encirclement/rearguard action, but the real agenda is to see what we've got and gauge the interest for a big Borodino game at HOH Sunday 9th September 2012 – Matt is talking a 36' table, hence I think my old Minifigs will be recalled to the Colours….

You are of course very welcome…I will be the large balding fellow still in suit and tie as I will have hotfoot it from work….

Also the Goulburn Mob are considering a big Borodino Game, probably on the actual date, as Bluewillow alludes to above, so its going to be quite a weekend…

There are those for whom it is an honnour to command veteran units; there are those who think that a combat ready unit is also ready for inspection – and vice versa.

They'd be welcome on my tabletop.

Minifigs were my first wargame figures, I spent hours on end at Excalibur hobbies in Malden MA. back in the day gathering all the different French I would need to field an army. Minifigs may not have the detail of the current figures out there, but they have a beauty all their own. You can get amazing pain jobs on a minifig. I paint them with as much care as I do my Perry miniatures, and then I put a nice gloss coat on them to give them that "shiny toy soldier" look.
I love Minifigs and I'm always proud to put them on my table.

Mal Wright wrote:

Humans come in all sizes, tall, short, fat, skinny.

Muskets, bayonets, backpacks and water bottles on the other hand mostly come in standard sizes.

Mal Wright wrote:

Humans come in all sizes, tall, short, fat, skinny.

Muskets, bayonets, backpacks and water bottles on the other hand mostly come in standard sizes.

Fortunately my eyes can't spot the differences on the table, so I am immune to this particular complaint.

Every miniature looks good from 3 feet away; play on!

Painted mine when I was 13 and they make up the bulk of my Napoleonic troops. I would happily take them to a convention to game with. I think you are worrying about nothing. A day of gaming is better than not gaming at all. Now, they had better have all of the uniforms correct down to the button or the Grognards will laugh at you!

Now, they had better have all of the uniforms correct down to the button or the Grognards will laugh at you!

Oh yes mate we've all met those…my stock reponse is to invite the critic to show me where the faultless massive multi player game he has organised is…tends to lead to a little harrumphing…..

Play 'em. That old they're Grognards in their own right!!

I still have at least 1,000 Minifigs Napoleonics in my collection, probably more, and they will be right there alongside all the others – Old Glory, Hincliffe, Foundry, Essex, and Front Rank when we run our big Borodino game at Historicon.

Variety is the spice of life. They appear to be smart well turned out chaps, so let them have at it.
Cheers

Started painting my armies back in the "young days". (70's). With well over 16k painted napoleonic 25mm and 28mm, the collection is happy and enjoys the tabletop. Over the years…..several of the "recent miniatures" have had the "ankle snap"….but I cannot remember any of the Minifigs. They act and look smart. Tenderly painted and cared for. They have travelled from USA to England several times over the last three decades. Secret is the good packing job.

Some pictures on the blog….of games and my army of the month column. This month my minifig Baden and Brunswickers will soon be posted.

wargamerabbit.wordpress.com

Cheers

M aka WR

P.S…..as for the height difference…I tend to base my minifigs on 1/8" basing and the 28mm on 3/32 height basing. Sort of "lowers" the total height for the miniatures.

Yes Borodino on a grand scale,

36 ft of table the with redoubts and thousands of figs!!!

cheers
matt

Long live Mini Fig!

If Mini Fig win against newer more detailed miniatures, all the sweeter the victory

regards Ty

Would never do away my large Minifigs army!

I still prefer the older (guess 2nd generation) minifigs. But I have minifigs, battle honours, Old Glory, select essex, I think a few Lancasterians, but refuse to use the new AB as I have no Potsdam Guards. [I do 15mm] The new 15 mm Minifig poses are hard to put on stands,

I think Minifigs have a charm all their own. And a gamer who isn't familiar with them might have an unexpected pleasant surprise in getting to game with them.

Use 'em without blushing! I've got figures purchased 40 years ago and I mix them with recent purchases, damn the differances!!

I have always loved the 25mm castings, but they are PRICY. I have always lamented that I didnt start collecting them in the late 70's when I was in high school (while they were clean and available). Minifig naps are the quint-essential castings for napoleonics in my opinion. (my opinion only, so dont throw a hissy).

I would rather see a table with 600 25mm Napoleonic minifgs and clean terrain than these more modern GNOME HEADED, banana handed, facial contorsion-istic expression and all that nasty fuzzy spongy messy flock. I hate that stuff. Its f-ugly and gets into everything, and it looks like green/brown gray mold. Did I mention that I think its really ugly?

Well said sir! I like the cut of your jib.

JUST AS A THOUGHT, what is the price of 25mm minifigs at the current exchange rate, and is the service good from caliver books? I'm 52 years old and am finding myself more and more interested in dabbling in the few things 'I' like rather than the newest coolest thing on the block. I do love my Spencers (need to get somemore). Now and then I pull out my "cherished" copy of "Les Aigles" and imagine my DR table (which is huge) with a nice painted collection a Minifigs Naps. Really old school. Its that "always wanted to get around to do that" thing that Im afraid may go to the grave unfullfilled….thoughts? inspiration?

JUST AS A THOUGHT, what is the price of 25mm minifigs at the current exchange rate,

link

A bit pricey. Front Rank are the same or less.

link

Whether they're worth it is up to you.

Standard figures are £1.10 which currently works out at $1.72 (officers and standard bearers are £1.20 and artillerymen are £1.15 – which seems odd but I assume they charge more for them because they sell fewer of them?).

I'm in the UK so I don't know how much they charge for postage to the US but I've ordered from Caliver on a number of occasions since they took over production of Minifigs and I have always found their service to be excellent.

SJDonovon,

What is the quality of the contemporary Caliver castings?

Clean and crisp, or worn with lots of flash?

What is the quality of the contemporary Caliver castings?

Clean and crisp, or worn with lots of flash?

THATS AN EXELLANT QUESTION !!!! less worried about the $$$ these days and more worried about the craft in an old fashioned way. guess Im getting old and grumpy

The ones I have bought have been very clean. I bought some British line infantry when Caliver first took over and they were pretty much flash free. I also bought some of the D&D pig-faced orcs when they were re-released and more recently have bought some 15mm plains indians and they have all been very nice crisp castings.

I have a feeling they re-made the moulds when they took over the range but I could be wrong about this. It's probably a good idea to order a few samples and see what you think.

If anyone needs convincing how good Minifigs can look, here's a 'before and after' French Line Fusilier taken from the Caliver website:

Admittedly it's a professional paint job – and a hell of a lot better than I have ever managed – but I think it shows Minifigs can still cut the mustard.

WOW! Where were you guys when I had GFI up and running! 8>)
I agree that the Minifigs remain wargame figures and continue to serve well for their intended purpose!

The later 15mm ranges that Dave Higgs did will remain my favorites for a long time still to come.

Tom Dye
Ex-GFI