"Have Perry plastics, but should I replace with metals?" Topic

I recently purchased some boxes of Perry Miniatures plastic ACW, but not sure I like them much. Do you think it would be better to replace them with metals, and if so, which manufacturer(s)?

Cheers

If you feel the need to replace them I would go with Fife and Drum

Just asking this question probably tells you what the answer is.

Why not replace them with Perry Metals? They arguably have the widest range, and later on if you decide to keep the plastics, you know they will be compatible.

Ditto

"If you feel the need to replace them I would go with Fife and Drum"

Unless I'm missing something on Jim's web site, Fife & Drum doesn't make or sell ACW figures.

Horses for courses, of course, and I have nothing against the Perry ACW figures, but I'd also take a look at Old Glory 2nd Edition and Sash & Saber for choice of 25-28mm figures for the ACW. Between them they have about as extensive a variety as Perry and Old Glory ACW 2nd Edition and Sash & Saber 25mm ACW are compatible as they were done by the same sculptor.

Inasmuch as you are in the UK, it's possible that the Perrys might be cheaper for you than ordering the Old Glory and Sash & Saber figures from the US-you can join the "Old Glory Army" and then get a 40% discount of its figures (but not Sash & Saber)-if your order was big enough it might more than offset the shipping cost from the US.

I checked the Old Glory UK web site and it's not clear-to me at least-whether the 25-28mm ACW figures sold there are 1st Edition or 2nd Edition. If 1st Edition, then they weren't sculpted by the same sculptor as Sash & Saber and may not be size compatible-depending on your definition of compatible.

I had the same experience Mr. Jones. Trying to file that burr off those kepis and then glue them on those heads drove me mad. The solution is of course to glue then file, but the Perry brothers didn't tell me that. My answer is always use metal and resin if at all possible. I have come to loath plastic figures that need assembly and simply dislike plastic vehicle kits.

It could be worse and you buy a bunch of ACW because you are obsessed with the period only to find that you can't stand bayonets or any pointy bits. I lean into my figs when painting in order to see them properly. Ancients are out of the question. I'm convinced a Greek army would do some permanent maiming. And then you realize that on a tactical level the ACW is boring. Sorry to all who think otherwise. Frankly I'm even tired of reading about it. How many times do you have to get a bunch of young men killed via suicidal frontal assaults before you figure out something needs to change. I guess four years worth. I've lost patience with those civil war generals.

I, before I sold them, used several makers of ACW figures as this gave me such a variety of poses to view in each regiment.
I dropped down to 12mm Kalistra (10mm to eye) and am far happier for my larger games as the units look right.

IMHO, can't beat Perry for detail and comprehensiveness of range. I started with plastics, but have gradually switched to metals. Use the plastics for when we need a lot of troops.

My ACW is 1/72 soft plastic. I have a number of Perry plastics in AWI. I really like them…which is irrelevant. What matters is what YOU like and what you don't. If you are not a fan of Perry plastics then go with something else. If you prefer metals or resin over plastic then go with metal or resin. If you don't like assembling figures then go with figures that are cast complete. There is no universal right or wrong answer.

Thanks chaps, some useful advice in there. I decided to ditch the plastics (not keen on scraping off the mould lines on plastics – don't remember having to do that with Airfix back in the day!) and I prefer the weight of metals.

I will definitely look at the Perry metals.

Perry Metals are good.

Although in fact like MSU John I started with their original plastics which at the time were a bit of a ground breaker and then added their metal stuff as time went on.

I also added their second generation infantry and plastic Zouaves but stopped after a couple of boxes as the additional fooling around with adding arms and rifles got me down. Didn't find the mould lines a problem so much – at least the paint stays on without any effort. Not a thing you could say about Airfix!

The Old Glory 2nd Edition from Old Glory UK are a good match for Perry's. My mate used their figures for his Plastic Confederate's command stands and you can't see the difference – other than the poses. You only notice by the weight when you pick them up!

That's handy as Old Glory UK also stock Sash and Saber, which seem like good value when buying the unit packs.

Sash & Sabre are nice figures but there sculpts are in a different style to Perry or OG 2nd Edition.

Personally, I'm not a big fan but if you had two armies of nothing but their figures…………

Its just a taste thing. I find their muskets and bearded faces a bit over done for me. I recommend going to their US website to judge for yourself as the pictures are better there.

link

I purchased a unit bag of Sash and Saber Union; will compare them to the ones I ordered from Perry. I don't mind using both as I can put them in their own regiments.

I would go with Sash and saber and 2nd edition old glory figures. I think the plastic perrys are crap.

I now have a few Perry metals and Sash and Saber. I think they match-up pretty well. Will look at the 2nd edition OG figures too.

Mr Jones it's a bit hidden on the site but Old Glory UK do a 6 for 5 deal look on the faq page at the bottom.
oldgloryuk.com/faq_page.php

This applies to S&S figures too. You have to ring Andy at OGUK to place the order as the site isn't able to calculate it. Great if you're ordering six regimental packs as it really reduces the price.

They don't always have the entire S&S range (ditto for OG I guess) but will always get it in for you.

I've got some of the OG 2nd edition which are very nice but I prefer the S&S for the "action" of the figures. I'm just painting up some of the S&S Confederates in frock coat and they are superb. If I remember I'll post some photos of them when finished as I couldn't find any online.

It is personal preference but I'm no longer buying Perry or Wargames Foundry and sticking entirely to S&S.

I mix Old Glory 2nd Edition and Sash & Saber with Perry metals and plastics, they all fit together very well.