STEVE LBMS | 01 Apr 2014 8:29 a.m. PST |
Just uploaded some images of the new plastic Greek archers and slingers onto the home page. victrixlimited.com We have been told we will have the Peltasts tomorrow so will stick some together quickly and take some photos (If I can find a break in the weather expected tomorrow to take some snaps outside!) Really please with how these have come out, great detail and animation on them. Charles Baynon sent me a photo of the Hoplites he is painting for us and I must say I was overjoyed with the painting he is doing. Knocks my efforts into a cocked hat! Should be able to post some images of those soon. Steve. |
Skeptic | 01 Apr 2014 6:38 p.m. PST |
Not bad at all! Could the arms on the slingers with the out-stretched left arms have been rotated back a bit? They look slightly too twisted downward and to the front. |
Mithridates | 01 Apr 2014 11:31 p.m. PST |
Steve. Very useful shots – fine figures. Hoping I can use a few of the archers with some 'belly' bows for Syracuse. Will have to scratch build the bows from plastic card/balsa as no-one makes these apart from Minifigs. Garry |
STEVE LBMS | 02 Apr 2014 2:08 a.m. PST |
Hi Skeptic, the position is to look like he is winding up to hurl the sling. However it is plastic so you could most likely just apply some pressure with your thumb and bend the arm or chop it to reposition it if you wanted. That's the beauty of plastic, it is really easy to manipulate. When building the belly bows you could just build the one and try making a green stuff press mould for it. Once the green stuff mould is dry stick some Vaseline in the cavity so you can get the bow out again and press more green stuff into it. Quite a good way to get small parts for conversions. Takes ages to dry however! Regards, Steve. |
BigRedBat | 02 Apr 2014 2:16 a.m. PST |
They look very interesting, Steve; I shall be having a box! Also looking forward to the peltasts. Cheers, Simon |
STEVE LBMS | 02 Apr 2014 2:49 a.m. PST |
Hi Simon, You get the Archers in the Hoplites box and the slingers come in the Peltasts box. All can be intermixed for lots of variety. Regards, Steve. |
BigRedBat | 02 Apr 2014 8:39 a.m. PST |
Thanks Steve, I shall pick some up. Cheers, Simon |
Mithridates | 02 Apr 2014 2:36 p.m. PST |
Thanks Steve. Will see how I go. Garry |
Riquende | 08 Apr 2014 3:53 a.m. PST |
Been looking forward to the archers and slingers for impressement into my Roman legions but sadly very, very disappointed with the split of 48/8 in favour of the models I've got no use for (Hoplites & Peltasts). So £30.00 GBP for 8 plastic figures? Sadly these have gone from "must buy" to "probably leave it, thanks all the same". |
STEVE LBMS | 08 Apr 2014 5:43 a.m. PST |
Archers and slingers were never numerous in Greek armies. Troops like this were added as a bonus to the set not as a major troop type of the set. Just like you get a few Riflemen in a Perry British set, it is the same principle. We can't keep everyone happy I guess. Steve. |
Riquende | 08 Apr 2014 6:35 a.m. PST |
The problem with the 'historical split' argument is that it ignores anybody with existing Greek armies who already have a sizable hoplite contingent who are now forced to buy possibly hundreds more Hoplites to get the right number of skirmishers to go with what they have already. I think it's probably best if you let your potential customers decide how they want to build their armies rather than dictate to them how they should do it. Also, perhaps it would have been worth thinking about how popular a set of 'generic' Hellenistic skirmishers would have been for lots of ancients players looking for allies or mercenaries, again without dictating to them that they should have x number of hoplites per y number of archers. They're our armies, after all, not yours. You can of course make whatever kits you like, and they do look fantastic, I just feel you're going to be leaving a lot of money on the table, and that wouldn't have been the case with a little more forethought on your target market, which now seems exclusively people interested in starting a Greek army entirely out of these new kits. |
STEVE LBMS | 08 Apr 2014 11:05 a.m. PST |
Your needs are not every bodies needs and that should not be confused with a majority opinion. However I am sorry this set does not cater to your personal needs. Hopefully we will make something that makes you happy in the future. Steve. |
Skeptic | 08 Apr 2014 5:36 p.m. PST |
As a solution, might the archer sprues be made available separately? Besides the above points, it could well be that some potential customers may want to use the archers in skirmish games at a closer to 1:1 representational scale. In such games, it could well be that mostly skirmishers would be involved, so a higher than usual proportion of archers might be present. |
STEVE LBMS | 09 Apr 2014 2:12 a.m. PST |
I don't see any reason why the archers and slingers will not be available as separate sprues eventually. There are 6 spare slinger arms in the Peltast set however which can easily be used on some of the Peltast figures which then gives you 14 slingers if you wish. I do feel the point of plastic and the easy way it can be manipulated and converted (and for a lot you don't need to be an expert modeller)just does not occur to some people. Regards, Steve. |
Mithridates | 09 Apr 2014 5:55 a.m. PST |
Steve – I see Agema have added sprues to allow conversions of their velites. Your idea of going outside the box is a good one but may not appeal to all. Be good to have some shots of the sprues on the web site. Any plans for doing Persians by the way? Garry |
STEVE LBMS | 09 Apr 2014 7:38 a.m. PST |
Hi Garry, Yes Persians have been discussed. It would be great to do them but we have plans for lots of sets over time. Time, money and being able to withstand high levels of stress and abuse are the factors involved in getting the sets out. Agema have done resin parts to stick to their Velites, not separate plastic sprues. Funnily enough myself and Julian were talking about weapon pads the other day. We want everything in plastic however as gluing metal or resin to plastic is a pain in the backside in most cases. Photos of the sprues will come after Salute (unless Simon can bring his superior photo skills to salute and do some pictures for us? Hint! Hint! Mine and Julian's photo skills are poor I must confess) Steve. |
BigRedBat | 09 Apr 2014 8:43 a.m. PST |
Yep, cameras at dawn! :-) |
Mithridates | 09 Apr 2014 4:46 p.m. PST |
Stress and abuse – surely not from wargamers! Thanks for the advice Steve, was most impressed with the mercenary hoplites so the unarmoured ones are eagerly anticpated. Given the issues of gluing to plastic I can understand your views. I do like those bronzed transfers as well. Garry |
Riquende | 14 Apr 2014 5:33 a.m. PST |
Having seen the models at Salute I have to say they're as nice as all the previews have indicated, and I'm glad to see that the archers and slingers are indeed on their own sprue, separate from the hoplites and peltasts. Still seems odd to me that Victrix didn't bundle them together to address a rather glaring need in the market, but at least the option is still there for the future and it would be an excellent stopgap measure to be able to buy individual sprues direct from the website. |
STEVE LBMS | 14 Apr 2014 4:10 p.m. PST |
Hi Riquende, That is very nice of you to say so and much appreciated. Apologies if my responses were a little off. When spending so much time and money on a set I can get a little defensive and tetchy sometimes. I am sure we will make them available as separate sprues down the line so people can have as many as they want. Best regards, Steve. |
Riquende | 21 May 2014 2:47 a.m. PST |
Hi Any updates on the separate sprues? I just noticed above where you said: "Just like you get a few Riflemen in a Perry British set, it is the same principle" But the difference with the Perry set is that if I want loads of just riflemen, I can buy sprues off them, getting 2 figures on each for £1.00 GBP I don't have to continually buy boxes of line infantry to do so. |