"BMC Models - yay or nay?" Topic

I've heard some vitriol about BMC's 2" toys. I'd like to know if they're really that bad (particularly ACW/Rough Riders), because the price point is certainly attractive, and I can't really tell from the pictures I've found whether they deserve the spleen being vented on them.

Bill McMasters (a.k.a. BMC) produced the last affordable toy soldier playsets. A decade ago he sold them through Toys R Us for $19.99 USD.

All of the accessories are good. Additionally, the Iwo Jima figures are good because they are licensed from King and Country metal figures. The rest vary in quality… Alamo Mexicans/San Juan Hill Spanish (same poses) are decent. Alamo Texans are often maligned. The European WWII figures generally aren't great but are super for conversions.

They're toys priced as toys. Bags go for around $8 USD, but the playsets are now $70 USD-90.

One last note, BMC lost control of the ACW molds in the Chinese factory (something about the factory changing hands and the new owners wanting him to pay for the molds again). Consequently, the ACW stuff is now produced by Americana and is made of an inferior plastic which bleeds color and is more fragile. If you want ACW stuff, look for the "original" BMC versions.

Much stuff (including some newer Americana sets and Chinese sets imported by Stevens International) is often listed as "BMC" when it's not.

Give me a link and I can help you further. Gerardo at Toy Soldiers Depot (toysoldiersdepot.com) has a ton of stuff in 1/32 including BMC. He also has 1/72 plastic.

- Cort

I have a lot of them; I think they paint up okay. they are certainly not the best looking figs on the market but they don't have that price point either. As noted above, they can be fragile; I've had a couple of unpainted ones snap off at the ankles and one or two brave lads have had their respective heads break off.

Nevinsrip hates them; he will probably be along shortly to tell you that. He knows more about plastic figures than I do so he can enlighten you about that.

I've got some laying around somewhere, so send me your addy and I'll send you a couple of them.

jcairo1@udayton.edu

A gaming buddy here in C-Bus, Ohio painted up large number of the Span-Am guys a couple years back. To be honest, they don't look that bad when painted. You can't beat the price either. And, if you buy them at Hobby Lobby with their 40% off coupon, they are a very good deal.

ArmymenRGreat pretty much hit it on the head, along with some information I didn't know.

Iwo Jima figs are really nice. Most of the accessories are quite nice for the other sets. The other WW2 figs are ok, and some of the ArmymenRGreat are truely dire.

I think the buildings and accessories, which are also available separately are some of the best parts of the line.

They are mostly fine, especially for bulk troops.
A few are unusable, but they are cheap enough that doesn't matter.
Painted up and en mass they look pretty good.

For "heroes" you're going to want something nicer.

Gerardo is a great guy to do buisiness with, BTW.

I love the SAW figures, and Iwo Jima figs. These are top notch.

The Alamo figures are very nice, some goofy sculpts, but impressive in a line.

The AWI figs are kinda fat, but again, in a mass, they look good.

The Civil War and D-Day sculpts are weak, IMO.

The indians are great, and although sometimes disproportionate, the 7th cav is a nice set.

BTW, are you painting them? If not, there are some nice variations of the SAW figures, particularly the Spanish. You can find them in tan and blue in various "Alamo" sets.

The blue ones are good for Insurectos, the tan good for…?…?….they are good for something!

If you are doing TSATF, using 20 man units, you might as well go big and get the AIP sets as your "main guys", and use the BMC for backup units, or Spanish hordes.

The BMC Teddy Rooselvelt is the GOAT, btw. Just great