1815Guy | 21 Mar 2014 2:52 p.m. PST |
hi, I'm looking to get some 28mm Napoleonic Austrians from one of these two manufacturers, but I'm not sure which to go for. I'm using units of 18, including command, and I like the idea of both flags present in the unit, so I will need extra standard bearers whichever make I go for. Any suggestions re these two options and source of a good matching standard bearer (metal is ok) would be welcome. I wouldnt need a full command sprue for the extra command bases
. thanks in anticipation |
Porkmann | 21 Mar 2014 3:30 p.m. PST |
They are both good sets. Victrix are cheaper but in many parts. Perry good value but more than Victrix – easy assembly. I like the former as I like the modelling aspect and the mounted colonel is good. I don't think you would have much trouble creating an extra flag waver from either set but Victrix would be easier. A big plus for Perry is the mass of spare heads, useful for conversions etc
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Camcleod | 21 Mar 2014 7:04 p.m. PST |
The Victrix set has 2 mtd. officers, 2 ft. off., 2 standard bearers, 2 drummers & 48 soldiers. The Perry set has 1 ft. off., 1 standard bearer, 1 drummer, 2 N.C.O.s, 1 sapper & 42 soldiers. With an 18 figure unit you will need more Command sprues for both. Perry sells extra Command sprues, but I'm not sure if Victrix do. |
1815Guy | 22 Mar 2014 3:09 a.m. PST |
thank you gents. are the Victrix slightly bigger than the Perry? I know the perry austrians in metal are more slender than the Victrix plastics.good point ref the mtd officers Btw
and the conversion to a second flag bearer. leaning towards the Victrix at the mo I think
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yoakley | 22 Mar 2014 4:57 a.m. PST |
link this link takes you to a pic of my Austrians. on the right are 4 Perry, on the left 4 Victrix. link this link takes you to a second pic. from left there is the Victrix officer, 3 Victrix with an Essex drummer, 3 Perrys and the Victirx standard bearer with the white flag. Perry are slightly smaller than Victrix. I prefer the Victrix as the Essex marching figures have something of a Cyberman stomp about them. The more open-handed figs with Victrix means that you can make more standard bearers out of them. |
Puster | 22 Mar 2014 10:05 p.m. PST |
Unless money is a serious consideration, get both and compare for yourself. I only have the French from both, and while I would probably not field them shoulder to shoulder in the same unit I have no concerns to field to units of either in the same army, or use them together in small vignettes – the options for conversions add on with both sets. |
DukeWacoan | 23 Mar 2014 11:42 a.m. PST |
MMPS have ready-made units from Perry. I ordered some and they are very nice. Very economical and quick in filling orders. mmps.asia/napaustrians.html |
1815Guy | 24 Mar 2014 6:33 a.m. PST |
thanks for the photos. Im quite surprised you cant get command sprues from Victrix – they are even doing resin command packs for Peninsular British now, so they know the score very well. MAybe Austrians arent a big seller for them? Essex do individual officer and standard bearer figures, does anybody know how well they would match Victrix to be used in the unit? I know that Perry are smaller and too slender, Front Rank too butch and chunky,
Its a shame there isnt a "metal soldier figures review website". The plastics site is excellent! |
Camcleod | 24 Mar 2014 7:19 a.m. PST |
See the following thread for some comparison pics of Perry and Victrix that I posted: TMP link |
Edwulf | 24 Mar 2014 7:21 a.m. PST |
I have the Perry Austrians. Very nice figs. Better than their French and British sets. And I like both of those. Can't speak for the Victrix Austrians. Will probably still be worth a shout. |
1815Guy | 24 Mar 2014 11:13 a.m. PST |
Very useful camcloud, thx. Theres not a lot between them sizewise, The Perrys are beautifully proportioned although the Victrix turnbacks look a bit easier to paint. Im thinking Victrix at the mo, at least for my first division, with a few Essex 28s sprinkled in where necessary for command stands worthy of some GMB flags
. Ty guys for such detailed responses. |
1815Guy | 24 Mar 2014 1:50 p.m. PST |
Looking further, it seems that I only need one flag per unit for 1809 onwards
. so that should make things a little easier re flags; if I can't use an open-handed Victrix guy for a third flag-bearer, maybe I'll just throw on a Perry sprue for the third btn in the regiment
.. |
trailape | 28 Mar 2014 6:23 a.m. PST |
Hi The Victrix Austrians are carrying their muskets incorrectly. If this is a consideration for you you should go with the Perrys. I have a box of both. The Perrys are much nicer IMHO and they have some very nice metals to complement the plastics. I would by extra command sprues and maybe some of the metal command sets also. The resulting variety would be worth the very little extra cost I think. Cheers Scott |
1815Guy | 31 Mar 2014 2:20 p.m. PST |
Thank you gents, I did go for Victrix in the end. I did know about one of the poses being non-regulation but I have put it down to individual comfort when the sergeant isn't looking!! :-) Artillery next, once I've researched a bit more
. there doesnt seem to be a huge choice of suppliers in this size. I'll get these zapped then get on to the cavalry. I like Front Rank but they mght be a bit heroic for the Victrix
. Im surprised there is no plastic offering for Austrian cavalry – Chasseurs and Dragoons look the same to me. Im amazed how few metals suppliers go to any trouble to place their wares before the public. Front Rank, Perry and possibly Foundry are excellent in this respect, yet I know there will be other 28mm casters out there who will do good stuff and that I have never heard of. |
Dobber | 02 Apr 2014 3:20 p.m. PST |
1815 guy, I have both, helmeted variety. I prefer the Perrys for ease of assembly and overall look, but there is nothing wrong with the Victrix. I use whichever Perry Hussar box for (guess??) Hussars, Perry ACW cavalry with some spare perry/victrix austrian helmet heads for dragoons. if you buy a few sets you get enough standard bearer arms for a front rank of lancers to make a uhlan unit. i don't know what headgear will be required. the Perry French Heavy Cavalry with the Carbinier heads look close enough to austrian curiassers with the appropriate paint job. let me know what you end up doing for artillery, I'm thinking of the perry ace artillery with a head swap. ~Joe |
Dobber | 03 Apr 2014 5:47 a.m. PST |
oh by the way, I did notice that with the Victrix figures your going to want to glue on the heads before you do the backpacks or the head will look decidedly mopey
~Joe |
Runicus Fasticus | 04 Apr 2014 3:04 a.m. PST |
Dobber,you might want to pass on the Austrian lancer idea ,,,the only plastic czapka is from warlords and it is the wrong style,,,i.e. to tall. Runicus |
Dobber | 04 Apr 2014 7:47 a.m. PST |
didn't know that
I actually used mine for colonial british lancers with leftover pith helmets, the idea for lancers just came to me as I was writing that. for whatever reason i forgot about the czapka and was just thinking helmets like french line lancers. I'm just a cheap guy, and was trying to cheap out on 28's my bad! thanks, Joe PS: I've seen most of the troop types but not done an exhaustive study. I take the rest of the ideas are ok? |
1815Guy | 06 Apr 2014 1:05 p.m. PST |
Hi Dobber, what an interesting post. It would never occur to me to use ACW cav for Dragoons. The Victrix Austrians are ok for assembly. Not like their Brits, thank goodness. Each sprue has 6 torsos, each with 1 or 2 arms on. So you have to assemble a head, an arm, a one piece backpack assembly with bayonet, canteen, coat roll etc already moulded on it,
. And that's it. The command sprues have more options with arms etc to give you command variety. You dont get spare heads on the Victrix sprues. In fact the sprues for everything are identical except for the 6 heads per sprue. Every Austrian figure has the same torso. So I will add decent metal Cuirassiers and Dragoons later in the year when I add the other half of the Corps – as Corps assets. I was looking at the Perry plastic Hussars the other day, and yes, the French Hussar box looks fine for Austrian uniform, but I might have to file down the shabraque corner cifer
. meanwhile that can be my divisional cavalry. Im trying to avoid lancers, every wargamer with Austrians does them as a unit, and it is quite "gamey" to field lancers when I will only have half a dozen units of cavalry on the table. Re artillery, I will probably go with Perry, they do a really nice gun and crew for £9.00 GBP max. Good value compared to the major players. Even Old Glory can't compete, given that you have to buy crew in bags of 16. Awkward. So right now I have a Division of 1809, half in Kaskets, half in Shakos. The mounted officers in the box will do for the mounted officers/ADCs until I buy the other Division plus extensions for late war and a Heavy Cavalry brigade. Btw Victrix are bringing out Hungarians and Grenz later in the year, and they already do the Landwehr. Im going for professional produced flags, btw. And if I can find a supplier who also does the Austrian barber pole flagstaff with the flag, I will be right in there!!!! |
1815Guy | 06 Apr 2014 1:16 p.m. PST |
Ps, thx for the tip re the heads and backpacks. |
1815Guy | 06 Apr 2014 2:51 p.m. PST |
Pps, I've just checkedout those Perry French hussars again, and from what I can see on the Web only the officer figure has a shabraque, the troopers just have frilly edged sheepskins
. Austrian Hussars do need shabraques, alas. And they were big units – 8 sqdns – so doing them in Plastic would have been ideal
.. |
Dobber | 11 Apr 2014 8:22 a.m. PST |
Let me check my hussars, I never actually looked as I am a neophyte when it comes to the details of napoleonic uniforms. I usually find a picture and hold my figure at arms length (approximate distance from head to table) and go "yep, looks about right". half of these ideas come from trying to buy up some stock from the local hobby shop, whom isn't moving too many Austrians. to be completely honest, the ONLY reason that I decided to do them is that the helmets looked cool
real historical of me right? I've got about 200 of them, so loosing a few for the helmets was fine by me. plus, I've got a War of spanish succession project going on as well, and the wargames factory infantry set comes with like a thousand (give or take a few) heads, so I was figuring on making some sort of skirmish unit with them. you can just save the bodies and use them with the upcoming skirmishers. also, it seems that the troopers in fact do not have the shabraques, if it is the purse looking thing that I am thinking of. Like I said, I'm a cheapo, so "close enough" has been working for me. to be completely fair, the opponent of my austrians are going to be my buddies' bavarians, in a completely ahistorical "war of the helmets" to see who has the coolest helmets! Hope I helped a little, ~Joe |
1815Guy | 12 Apr 2014 4:39 a.m. PST |
Thanks Joe, yes you gave me some great food for thought
.. and there is always Miliput for the shabraque problem! |