PrussianMonty | 24 Oct 2018 1:47 a.m. PST |
I'm sure you've been asked plenty of times which is the best manufacturer but I'm just getting back into gaming and looking to start a Napoleonics collection. I would like some opinions on which manufacturer's models are easiest to paint to a good standard please? I'm not necessarily looking an the best anatomical model or the best detailed but models with well defined detail, preferably quite raised, that ‘come to life' under the paintbrush. As I'm going to be spending far more time painting than playing I want something I will enjoy spending my time on. I'm not bothered whether they are plastic or metal. Thanks in advance for any assistance you are able to offer. |
GatorDave | 24 Oct 2018 1:56 a.m. PST |
I'm a big fan of Front Rank figures. Very clean castings with good detail. I find them fun to paint. They also have a very large Napoleonic range. Calpe would be my second choice for what you are looking for. Lot's of raised detail. There range is not as large however. Have fun with your new project! |
foxweasel | 24 Oct 2018 5:22 a.m. PST |
I'll second the Front Rank range, never had an issue with bad castings and they paint up beautifully. |
Flashman14 | 24 Oct 2018 6:30 a.m. PST |
Front Rank are great but noticeably bigger and chunkier than most popular ranges. |
45thdiv | 24 Oct 2018 7:27 a.m. PST |
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IronDuke596 | 24 Oct 2018 9:35 a.m. PST |
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Ragbones | 24 Oct 2018 11:25 a.m. PST |
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Unlucky General | 24 Oct 2018 4:20 p.m. PST |
PrussianMonty … I've been collecting and building my Napoleonic 28mm armies for years and years. The core of my rank and file (infantry) is mostly Elite Miniatures with a smattering of officers and specialists (ensigns/musicians etc) from Perry Bros and some Front Rank. I'm a big-battalions player in 1/20 representative troop scale so my battalions can be quite large. This is why I have tended toward Elite Miniatures because they are a simpler sculpt. If detail is what you are after then I'd say Front Rank (though they are over-fed)or Perry – but there are lots of other emerging companies with beautiful looking results. It may also depend on what side you are going for? Do we assume Prussians? |
wrgmr1 | 24 Oct 2018 11:38 p.m. PST |
Calpe Prussians: Front Rank came out with their line of Prussian after I had painted these. Front Rank are my other choice!
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Artilleryman | 25 Oct 2018 2:21 a.m. PST |
I would go with Perry figures. They are closer to anatomy, they have good animation and the detail is raised enough to allow for good painting. They do take a bit of cleaning up from mould flash etc, but the effort is well worth it. Surprisingly, they are still some of the cheapest figures around! |
PrussianMonty | 25 Oct 2018 4:23 a.m. PST |
Thanks for all the advice and information chaps. I haven't decided on where to start with nationalities but, as I'll probably end up getting both sides anyway, maybe French or their allies would be the obvious choice. I'm sending for some samples and taking it from there. Thanks again and I'll let you know how I get on! |
PrussianMonty | 25 Oct 2018 4:24 a.m. PST |
Those pics look very nice indeed. Quite a few hours work there methinks! |
wrgmr1 | 26 Oct 2018 2:38 p.m. PST |
Yes please do let us know. Thanks, lots of painting, just over 1200 of them. |
Tyler326 | 02 Nov 2018 12:38 p.m. PST |
Front Rank is my first choice of figures. Calpe does the most beautiful Prussian figures thought. Both are great to paint and are very detailed. |
ConnaughtRanger | 09 Nov 2018 3:47 p.m. PST |
And another vote for Front Rank. It would be nice if they had a few more "supernumerary" figures like the Perrys, but they paint up superbly. |
deadhead | 18 Nov 2018 11:01 a.m. PST |
I do hope that we will hear more about how you got on and what you thought of the figures you ordered. We all have our well developed prejudices and preconceptions and few of us experience the Damascene moment of St Paul. My recent conversion has been to accept that Front Rank horses are far, far, better than I have been stating for years. I teamed them up with Black Hussar Saxons Cavalry and suddenly noticed just how good the harness casting is. I cannot favour most (stress most) Front Rank cavalry figures, however superbly cast. Anatomically, most are awful.
The "Reinforcement" foot figures are a transformation however. Presentation is always superb, if only the majority of the range were not such Hobbits
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SHaT1984 | 23 Sep 2019 7:47 p.m. PST |
Weird! Not a one for Wargames Foundry! Is it my bad breath? wargamesfoundry.com When deciding to build a new force around 15 years ago, these were the best around, though variable in size (some are true 25mm matching old Minifigs in height; but that transmuted to 28mm (original Perry's) very soon in broader range. They are very wide reaching in ranges with almost everything you want (like Minifigs did for the '70s) and as an opposition force, quite compatible. Despite a hiatus in ranges they are again by 2017/19 competing fully across the board in Napoleonics and others. I even took some Pirates for additional flavour in AWI etc. with Front Rank units). *YES* let us know what you've done! Regards davew davew |
Wayniac | 26 Sep 2019 5:30 a.m. PST |
I have yet to buy as I'm comparing different options. But the Perry models look great, actually, Victrix and Warlord also look good to my (albeit inexperienced) eye. I haven't given a good look at the metal ranges yet as I am fond of plastic for the rank and file troops and metal only for variety, but from the cursory look some of those seemed pretty decent as well. |
Wayniac | 04 Oct 2019 5:27 a.m. PST |
FWIW I ended up getting Warlord to begin with, mainly because I got a great deal on the starter army. Otherwise, I might have gotten a couple of boxes of Victrix but they put such a weird number in them that it would take a bit of calculation to determine what would be necessary. |
SHaT1984 | 04 Oct 2019 1:30 p.m. PST |
Great! Know nothing about them but thats ok. I'd throw out there that some Hinchliffe late generation personality or officer figures could be used to add variety. (I look at these because I still have unpainted troops from way-back to enlist and uniform.) d |