"Best figures for 101st Airborne?" Topic

After watching hours of Band of Brothers in one go I rather fancy collecting some famous company of the 506 reg.101st Airborne (Easy company maybe?!)

Can anyone suggest the best 28mm figures to use for these?

BTD are very nice. My only gripe is the limited poses for riflemen with Garands. Check 'em out.

http://www.black-tree-design.com/catalog.php?ctry=us&lng=gb&rangenum=7&typenum=55

Thanks - I've checked them out. I'll probably get the platoon deal. Is there anyone else that makes them so I can have some thing to compare with?

I'l second the vote for BTD. I bought some from Brigade games(highly recommend if you go the BTD route) and they are nice. I got the 30 man platoon pack- a few doubles in here, but supplemented with some of the other packs it will be a nice force.

I have the BTD Airborne in stock. I will always match BTD special site deals.

http://www.brigadegames.com/go.mv?ID=BTD

Regards
Lon Weiss
Brigade Games

P.S. Thanks llyric!

Sorry Lon - I'm UK based -I'll get them from BTD direct. I've been in contact with them before a few times.

Thanks though.

For a good idea of how to paint them try this reenactors outfitting site: www.atthefront.com

They should have some American para uniforms, but remember to make your colors a shade lighter than those on the unifrom because a 28mm miniature will always appear darker because of less surface area to reflect color.

Ignore uniform nazis who belive that there was no room for interpretation. Due to an amazing variety of manufacturers, dye lots, weathering and fading...there's endless variety of shades.

There's also Battle Honors/Westwind:

http://www.oldglory15s.com/index.html

Don't let the URL fool you, they are 25/28mm.
There's some pics here as well. Decent mix of poses too, good and "worn-looking" troopers.

In my opinion West Wind and Battle Honours are not compatible size wise with BTD figures but you may wish to make your own mind up on that one! If you are into Airborne stuff also watch out for the Grand Manner bloke who has said that he is going to make 28mm gliders etc!

BTD are definately the choice for 28mm. But West Wind/Battle Honours are quite smaller, obvious 25mm. They look like miniatures of little kids playing war next to 28mm minis!

Well, I want to put my 101st with / against my WWII Foundry figures (28mm, even if they are a smaller than BTD still closer to Foundry than Battle honours), so I reckon I will go with BTD. I've brought Battle honours before and I thought they were a bit scrawny looking...

BTD the choice of the wise.

Dean

What about 20mm figures - anyone have any suggestions?

For 20mm, you could check out Combined Arms ( Britannia Miniatures). They have a large selection of US Airborne listed in their catalog. I've never bouhgt WWII figures from them. I have got some Raventhorpe WWII and I like them fine. In the US, thats RLBPS. One of the best companys you will ever deal with.

"What about 20mm figures - anyone have any suggestions?"

--Definitely SHQ - beautiful little figs!

There's a pic here on my website:

http://www.mts.net/~kevinjrh/gaming/gallery/index.htm

They don't exactly look like the Band of Brothers guys, but still very nice!

I recall seeing ads in WargIllus. for Bastogne-specific US Airborne in 20mm, but I can't recall the manufacturer - might have been Raventhorp, though

Have you looked at the Battlefront Miniatures web site they have a special deal on 1/100th scale US airborne company packs at present.

Has anyone gotten the West Wind miniatures and if they are the same size as the Black Tree Design,because i just ordered West Wind.

For 20mm figs, Revell has some decent looking figures, and so does Italeri, although Italeri's soldiers seem to be a bit shorter compared to other 20mm figures.

as for 28mm im surprised noone has mentioned artizan designs.i collected a platoon from here and the figure quality is excellent, better imho than BTD.of which i have a couple of squads as well.However they do not mix well

Also check out FAA and Battlefield/Blitz (who do brilliant ones in winter gear, perfect for the Ardennes) in 20mm.

warm acre,

go to Artizan Designs at this link artizandesign.com
Some of their U.S. Para figs are near dead-on to the real life soldiers of 506th PIR. (buck compton, dick winters, bull randleman, bill guarnere, etc.)
Especially their U.S. infantry in Great Coats is perfect for the 506th fight at Bastogne/Foy.

good luck.

oops..

here's the revised link.
artizandesigns.com

Artizan Designs paras are better than BTD's IMHO. Also check out Jim Bland's at Victory Force. Whichever brand you choose, though, stick with it because these three don't mix well with each other at all. 28mm is so varied in size and bulk.

I am surprised more people haven't mentioned Victory Force 28mm. Check those out as well before you make your choice.

How are Bolt Action's?

TigerJon,

The original question was asked 10 years ago. Bolt Action and many other companies didn't have USAB back then:-)

Offensive miniatures

link

they look good in the pictures at least

Holly theadomancy Batman!

For 20mm plastic is the way to go! Lots of good sets out there, compatible with each other and cheap as chips so you can mix 'n' match to get plenty of variety.

Imex "Easy Company" are the best, closely followed by Revell, but Esci/Italeri and even Airfix have plenty of useful poses.

The guys reeling in their chutes make good markers as my rules require a die roll of 5 or 6 for each trooper to get out of his chute on landing. A +1 is added to the roll each turn until he's free.

I wish someone would do a comparison of all the different 28mm WWII manufacturers, side by side of the same type of figures. I cannot understand why some people continue to say that Battle Honors is much smaller than others. In my opinion, they fit pefect with a lot of other and they are also still the best, in my opinion, after all these years. All the new manufacturers don't compare, as far as I'm concerned! I don't have stock in the figures. I just think they are the best, and think the problem is that the manufacturer/supplier just does not advertise or push them, because they are an older line of figures.

Well, my 2 cents is that if you like chubby guys then most manufactures will work. but, being 6'3" and 180lbs I relate more to Battle Honors. I will agree with FireZouave that the sculpting is the best. Great poses, very natural and easily customizable. The bulk of other figures makes them a little more difficult to modify and I feel their poses aren't as natural. But, I do have figures from many different manufacturers (I like variety) and unless you hold them right next to each other, they all look great together on the battlefield.

For 20mm para's go to Grubby Tanks site for Kelly's Heroes figures….excellent stuff!
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