"Hinton Hunt Napoleonic Leaders Made New Again" Topic

Take a look at these three Hinton Hunt Napoleonic figures and see how they have been made new again:

link

Couldnt see any difference in the light, or lack thereof.

Same. I really can't see anything.

There is some removal of paint but still a fair amount left on the figures.

I would repeat your cleaning regime or even use something a bit stronger.

Your photographs could also be better lit.

The real verdict comes once repainted……. that is the challenge!

"Couldnt see any difference in the light, or lack thereof."
"Same. I really can't see anything."

This is a wind up, right? My eyesight isn't brilliant, but even so…

I think they mean that soaking any figure in paint stripper is not the final solution (actually, that sounds a bit dodgy in these days of PC…I did not mean "endlosung").

What we all want to see is an improvement on the original

Sorry about the lighting. You should see the difference in the group photos, though.

I have removed the poorly lighted individual photos and left only the group photos. The effect of the paint and varnish remover is more clearly defined. I will post photos when they are primed and painted.

Thank you all for taking a look at the photos and for your comments. I will try for better lighting in the future.

Madness, why would you bother, when there are so many newer better figures out there? People dont see that going over old stuff is killing the future of the industry. SMH

These are classic figures with a charm that you don't see in many figures, New or old. Take a look at how Marshal Ney turned out: link

On the contrary, I think that interest in figures, New and old, helps generate interest in Miniature Wargaming. Even those who paint vintage figures use paint, varnish, brushes, inks, basing material, terrain, Wargame rules, and the odd "new" figure to fill out a unit (like John Cunningham's recast classic figures).

I'm pretty much done with TMP if people here think the way forward is to say old figures look great. Let's agree to disagree.

Three Armies, you are wrong here.

The Ney shown is almost unique in that cape. He is not actually as bad, anatomically, as some Front Rank figures. But he is an aging casting obviously. He is a nostalgia trip. The painter has done a great job on a primitive base.

We so desperately need the figures you have recently released, for the at-rest Napoleonic poses. That needs some imagination, as you have shown. Then it takes courage to go back to 1805-7, which you have done, when folk like me just order single figures from 1812-15. Collectors (not wargamers) can praise you, but not make your fortune.

Do not give up on TMP. I have known you to say that, without WWII, you could not keep going. Tell us more. What can we do to support you? Your Kickstarter seemed a massive success…….why are you so hacked off with TMP suddenly?

There's room for both new and old. Three Armies is right in that most old figures generally aren't anywhere near as good as more recent products, seen objectively – but they were the best thing ever in the 1970s (or earlier) and for that nostalgic reason I still treasure them. Three Armies figures are undoubtedly excellent, and as soon as the new British battalions are on the website my order will be placed.

Hmmm, sorry 3A but I have to disagree with you. No one is saying only buy old figures, and ignore new (and I know you want to sell new). But some of us have "history" in this hobby, and nostalgia can feel good sometimes.

SO let's agree to disagree maybe, but accept that our hobby is a broad church, and if someone is enjoying their hobby, then that is their choice. I appreciate seeing the effort you are putting into making attractive, modern figures, and hope you do well.But please don't begrudge a nostalgia fan from enjoying painting his old HH figures, nor us for enjoying looking at them.

Mind you, I only buy 1/72, so I am not keeping you in business either.

Lol fear not chaps, while i remain disillusioned due to severe lack of sales, (I'm talking not even enough to pay for the moulds here) thankfully I sculpt for others to keep the lights on. I will not deter from Napoleonics since that is my love. But the rate of new releases from now can only match the sales I get.

And for the record yes I did have a large range of HH hinchcliffe and minifigs too. But to strip and re-paint them when there is new stuff out there seems a bit backward to me. And I'm sticking to that OPINION. Enjoy your figures and the painting, I forgot to say they do indeed look great.

How I wish we could all learn more from this.

It will become a side issue off a different posting. I thought originally this was about soaking some old figures in paint stripper…..DURRRRH. I think we could all do that

The end result is far better and justifies the posting.

But a chance response is your insight into the challenges faced by a new entrant, as a manufacturer.

The Kickstarter thing seemed a success. Are you trying to convince us that there was a Napoleonic battle before 1815? I have heard such rumours, but a commercial disaster. I will accept that 18th June 1815 was not the only event. I do acknowledge Charleroi, Ligny and QB, Genappe, as just about "early" Napoleonic Wars.

I do understand commercial "sensitivity" and hesitate to ask. But the British infantry you released are universally reckoned superb. Is it the earlier figures? Minor skirmishes before Waterloo?

lol You have it spot on Deadhead, clearly sales dictate that there were no other Battles in the Napoleonic wars only Waterloo.

Airfix could have told you that. – LoL

When Esci released plastic figures, they tended to label them Waterloo – even when Prussians in bicornes and Austrians in helmets

There is an Italia manufacturer called "Waterloo 1815"

There's a pattern forming here…

All of this from a war gamer who has spent years gradually building up his armies for 1805-7 in plastic 1/72, and knows there is a long way to go

Good luck 3A

Marc

I seemed to have sparked quite a discussion just by taking the time to refurbish a classic Napoleonic figure.

Just for the record, I do buy new figures as well as hunt for old Hintons (pun intended). I like the Newline Design figures, AB miniatures, Front Rank, Ebor, Crann Tara, Minden Miniatures and many others.

I do not know what figures deadhead has produced, so a link here to his website would be most welcome.

Wargaming really took off in England in the 60s and 70s. Consequently, the Napoleonic periods where England's involvement loomed large were popular (read Waterloo, Peninsular War). When I started with Napoleonics, I was interested in the Russian Campaign (probably as a result of War and Peace and the Battle of Borodino). Minifig 15mm was where my first real attempt to collect an army began (in part due to what seemed like the prohibitively high cost of 25mm figures for a young teen).

Wargame figures are the product of the sculptor's art. Some old sculpts still hold up pretty well (e.g. Michelangelo's David) even though newer sculpts with modern techniques and tools are available.

New cars are produced every year, yet some people like classic cars and spend time refurbishing and repainting them. I have not heard a new car dealer criticizing them for killing the auto industry. There is room for both.

The Hundred days is a dramatic and interesting campaign. The final battle, Waterloo, is not as interesting a battle to me as are Quatre Bras and Ligny. Of even more interest, is the chance to gather the forces, run an alternate campaign and see what battles emerge.

Thank you all for participating in the discussion.

I have some refurbished Prussian 6th Uhlans for your viewing pleasure at: link

Stop by and take a look.

Nicely done! I still have a few of my old Hinton Hunt figures. Can you say "Way back machine"!!!

Terry

I can see wanting to go back to the classics to finish off an army, or for unique poses.

Not to forget the need to repair worn-out paint or battle damage or get all the models into the same paint style.

But I really do like the newer sculpts (says the guy buying ABs). I should get back to the grindstone on those, maybe add a battalion or two of greatcoats with cased colors (for each side).

@Bookwizard not only do I not produce anything (penury would await me), I do not even have a website. I buy, convert++, paint, base, photograph and stick in the attic!

Three Armies is a relatively new company in the field, with very imaginative releases (although the sculptor's skills go back long way, commercially). His recent despair was of course the relative lack of interest in anything before 1815