"Wargames Factory 15mm German Infantry in Plastic" Topic

Wargames Factory (hitherto a 28mm manufacturer) have announced that they are in the process of casting a 15mm German Infantry set.

Will be interesting to compare to the PSC one and to the standard BF, FiB, PP etc. fat metal ranges.

No details yet, but have a look here:

link

-- George Krashos

I'll stick with Peter Pig, thank you. I love my Piggies. 'WF' and 'good track record' should not be used together.

Be interesting to see what the contents are. Price wise they are pretty much the same.
Wargames Factory $20 USD for 84 = $.24 USD each
PSC (from sgmm.biz) $30 USD for 130 = $.23 USD each

I would only buy them if I saw the boxes in the shop.

I wonder why they chose mid-to late war Germans to start with in 15mm--especially with PSC already having out some high quality plastic 15s in that period. It would have be more interesting for me if they were doing something different--early war or Afrika Korps. I'd be all over either one of those choices. Mid-late war, well, probably not. Pretty happy with the PSC figures…

Of course, Germans are probably the single most popular WWII line--and most people like to put Panthers and Tigers out on the table, so it's probably a safe choice for them to make…

Thanks for the info George – very interesting. I note they highlight the 'single part' aspect on their packaging – could this be a dig at PSC?

Box art looks a bit odd – to appeal to wierdo WW2 types?

Calling all bets! I think they're going to be unusable trash myself!

"Box art looks a bit odd – to appeal to wierdo WW2 types?"

WGF just naturally has terrible box art now that they do box art instead of just showing the damned models painted up on some terrain like they used to. See the shock troopers heavy weapons set for an example of the worst models and worst marketing ever. Seeing that set actually put me so far off any desire to get more Shock troopers past my one box of them that it's not even funny.

Not for my stable,thank you very much.

I was disappointed by PSC's infantry, and they produce some lovely things. Using that crude extrapolation, I predict WGF's 15m infantry will be unspeakably poor.

Pat

Not too keen on PSC infantry but love their vehicles. Will be interesting to see what these look like, not that I need any more WWII infantry especially Germans.

WGF just naturally has terrible box art now that they do box art instead of just showing the damned models painted up on some terrain like they used to. See the shock troopers heavy weapons set for an example of the worst models and worst marketing ever. Seeing that set actually put me so far off any desire to get more Shock troopers past my one box of them that it's not even funny.

aye, if we're really lucky WF will just wither away and die. No place in the industry for crap like this, no matter how much of a cheapskate you are. Cheap does not need to mean rubbish, just as GW proves expensive doesn't always mean good.

I am a patient guy, I would say wait

But the box art does make me think "Really bad $2 USD CG movie?"

Given their past track record I'm not exactly enthused by this prospect.

Also why late war Germans? I get that they are popular, but that also means that the market is saturated. Plastic US or British infantry would seem like a more sensible option to me. That would help them get the jump on PSC who aren't releasing theirs until later this year.

Also why late war Germans?

Because anything else would require originality and inspiration?

Sadly no – the real reason is that all along WGF's USP has been price. People need to be able to look at someone else's stuff and say "Sure, the WGF stuff is crap – but look at how cheap it is in comparison?"

Pat

I've asked this before in response to some stupid comments on WF but are you guys playing with the boxes? Do you put the boxes on the wargames table and move them around?

Who cares what the box art looks like – its whats inside that matters. Most of the 28mm stuff of theirs I have bought has been right on the button – their 18thC foot is excellent and so is their Persian cavalry. I'd wait to see what their 15mm looks like before I begin spraying daft comments about

I would guess they are doing late war Germans because they came up in their Liberty program and passed the mark. But that is just a guess.

I agree with Ingram. I think their 18th century range is very nice as well as their Persian range and Samurai range.

It all has to do with presentation I guess. Its easier for someone who doesnt know the content to look at an eye catching box

"Cheap does not need to mean rubbish, just as GW proves expensive doesn't always mean good."

I'll take a $30 USD box of 10 cadians over a $20 USD box of almost twice as many shock troopers any day. For half the models and $10 USD more you get parts that actually fit together correctly. I will admit though, I am a fan of the shock trooper figures…just not their quality. Awesome idea, decently executed with a poor excuse for a follow-up.

"Who cares what the box art looks like – its whats inside that matters."

And what's inside is cheap crap that's generally disappointing as well! So, you got about a 50-50 chance of the double whammy!

Although, if their 18th century stuff is okay, then could it be there was a time when they were just cheap and not crappy as well?

Would like to add in a bit about the PSC 15s since I've seen them up close. The infantry are awful. They scale with no other 15s. The posing on the majority of riflemen figures are pretty damn boring. Their only real strength is that you get a COMPANY worth of men for the price of a metal PLATOON. But, don't expect them to be pretty. If you're team basing and they're your first investment in 15s ever, yeah. Sure, they're livable, but metals have spoiled most of us with detail and quality.

To add to Wolfprophet and the rest of the thread:

Wargames Factory is launching those Late War Germans in both 28mm and 15mm. The same will be done with Americans, and I would imagine the longterm goals would be to do the same with other nationalities as PSC has done.

So, you have so PSC products that are mediocre on their best day soon to have stiff competition from miniatures produced by a company that tends to be mediocre on their best day.

Would you like Little Caesar's or Domino's for dinner tonight?

The big thing in PSC's favour is the fact that their 15mm tanks are really good.

I don't know. I mix my BF men (mostly officers / arty guys) with my PSC infantry, and they look just fine together. New BF stuff is still a little chunkier, but its ok.

But for quality, PSC, the soviets at least, look great. Being plastic also makes conversions a breeze. I know I will be buying their plastic soviet heavy weapons when they come out for sure. I love my PSC infantry, and think they look MUCH better then most metal, and have as much or more detail then most metals as well. Exspecially more then older BF metal men.

My experience with WGF was their plastic Saxons. Needless to say they will never again get any of my money.

"The big thing in PSC's favour is the fact that their 15mm tanks are really good."

Having seen those up close too, I can agree there. They did a fine job on the vehicles and they scale okay with other ranges. I just wouldn't use them side by side to fill in a unit already full of resin or metal tanks.

These guys are starting to look like those green army men you get at the toy store

Some nice features but way too many of each pose IMO. Do you really need 10 standing rifle men?

I like the mortar and the commander but I doubt I will be buying these :(

Oh boy, 15mm poop on a stick.

Oh boy, 15mm poop on a stick.

what about showing some respect in criticism?

As a rule I try not to write what I couln't say to someone in the face.

I have never bought this companies products, not my area of interest, but what is with the totally nasty critism of their products?
Is there history here, is there something Wargames factory has done in the past? I don't get all the venom slung at them? help, please?
John

Yes there is a history which basically surrounded the change of ownership just over a year ago, much of it aired publicly on TMP. This may not necessarily be the reason for the venom some people are just like that!

Their early products, the Romans and Celts were pretty good,however since then they really have declined. The new box art starting with the Japanese looks exactly like the cover art of some MegaBlocks lego sets of soldiers that I see advertised on Hobby Bunker when I go to see what they have on sale. Hence they seem like toys to me and not figures just for that single reason, very off putting.

<<Their early products, the Romans and Celts were pretty good,however since then they really have declined. >>

What are you basing this on? I think their Ashigaru are great--the detail is impressive and the price is right. The box art is terrible, but like others on this thread, I don't play with the box.

It's too bad whatever "history" there is with this company gets in the way of a discussion about product.

I'd like to see some painted up, I certainly approve of the idea of cheaper, nice looking models to game with.

I don't judge any book by its cover, but by its content. Same for human beings. I approach miniatures much the same way.

The WF Ashigaru are good value for the money, and I am no fan of the events that occurred during the change of leadership at WF last year, and that is a matter of public record. They get the job done, and are an economical way to field the mobs of ashigaru "mooks" necessary to field a 16th century Japanese army without going broke. Same for their samurai. Same for their other lines.

At the end of the day what I am hoping will come from all of this is (1) Tony Reidy will prove all of his detractors wrong, dead wrong by overcoming the technical issues that have been stalling matters, get his fantastic new products to market and make Defiance Games a roaring success, (2) WF will move forward and improve its quality and variety while continuing to offer *affordable* figures to make our hobby accessible once again to younger gamers and those of us on a budget, (3) WF will (finally!!!) produce my freakin' Liberty & Union League proposals that broke 100%(), (4) the mutual competition between the various plastics manufacturers will generate more variety of subjects and poses.

At least one can hope…

Leland R. Erickson

Didnt mean to offend anyone with the above comment. I was a huge supporter of WF when they started. I bought their Gauls, Romans & Zulus. I was not impressed with them. Their treatment of employees is what mainly left me with bitter feelings about them. I doubt I will ever buy again from them, but I wouldnt say "never.""

Btw, off topic slightly, but there is a WF poll running currently.

NigelM wrote:

Yes there is a history which basically surrounded the change of ownership just over a year ago, much of it aired publicly on TMP. This may not necessarily be the reason for the venom some people are just like that!

The people who left the company would probably attract just about as much venom if they showed up here.

I'm always slightly surprised at the comments by people who appear to have not heard any of the WGF back story before – presumably they were not wargaming a year or so ago (or at least not interested in hard plastics)/members of TMP as at the time the story was kind of hard to avoid for anyone looking at the 28mm plastic boom

I'm not thrilled by the 15mm Germans (but I don't game WWII in 15mm, or at all, really). But the shots of the 28mm Germans look pretty good, on par with the Warlord Games Germans I picked up a while back. If the two are more-or-less compatible, size-wise, they'd make a good way to really flesh out a unit.

Box art is still horrible, though. I wonder if they're having trouble finding professional painters who will work with them? Apparently, back in during the "Incident" WF stiffed a painter who was quote vocal about it.

Cant comment on the quality but they really need to think about the figure mix. 84 figs to a box looks suspiciously like 2 of these sprues, which means your "Infantry Company" like it says on the box is at about half strength, has only 4 LMGs but 12 snipers.

Assuming it is 2 identical sprues to a box this is a total waste of time.

Yes, if WGF played any FoW they would know that maybe 2-4 snipers AT MOST would be needed

But alas, they seem to just toss in whatever

Although I must say 15mm infantry is always a bit funky no matter where they come from

Sizes

They are shorter than PSC

Much shorter. Oh well, that means they are off the "buy" list. Shame that.

-- George Krashos

Much shorter. Oh well, that means they are off the "buy" list. Shame that.
-----------------
actually from the angle of that pic difficult to tell much re height

Its not that they are shorter they look like slightly different scales

You might be on to something TT. The WF figures don't look all that shorter (especially the one at the front on the left hand-side base), but they certainly look thinner/slighter. Any chance of some side-on comparison shots, tauwarlord196?

-- George Krashos

I don't get all this criticism. Sure the box art is awful, but he figures and poses are good. More poses would've have been nice but with plastics there are lots of opportunies for conversions, especially if they release more boxes. I'll definitely pick these up.

I posted this link in another forum (probably the wrong one) earlier. On my blog, I reviewed the 15mm Wargames Factory Germans and include a side-by-side size comparison.

TabletopHistory: link

Thanks for posting a comparison.

I wonder if/when BF ever does it own 15mm plastic infanty if it will try to go more "true scale" like WF and PSC or slighty exagerated to better mix in with their existing lines? "Cartoony" though it may be I think I might prefer the later course of action.

I just saw the preview for the upcoming BF starter kit. The STUGs and Shermans will be plastic, not resin. I wonder if this is a sign that BF will be moving away from metal/resin for vehicles and figures.

I just got a box of these in the mail. Mainly out of curiousity. Well, I have purchased a lot of different 15mm figures, and I have to say that these figures wow me! Maybe too many of the same pose, but if you like your figures to look proportionately correctly with sharp detail and excellent sculpting, this is what you want.
Do they mix with any other 15mm lines. Heck no. These are too good to mix with anything else. I can't wait for them to come out with U.S. figures and everything else. You guys are too quick to judge from cover art or pics. These figures are the best quality in this scale you can get and I will not be buying anymore metal figures. I love the heft of the metal, but at this scale, you can barely feel the difference anyway!
Wargames Factory, keep up the good work on these WWII miniatures. And when will your U.S. be coming out?

And now, I am going to have to purchase some of your 28mm figures, because they look just as good. My only regret in this case, is that you didn't do them in 1/48 scale.