"18mm Napoleonics" Topic

Hi all, This year after a half century break I finally took up the challange and decided to get back into wargaming. Having taken onboard various recommendations I choose the to purchase some miniatures from amazing work of the master Mr Barton. To get to the point, is it me or there not enough interest in this scale? Ranges other than AB and matching in size seem to be stuck in limbo. Khurasan, Xan, Eureka, Blue Moon CGM don't seem to be adding new models. The only one I can think of who is active is Mr Boki. However I think there is hope of new Napoleonics from AB, I have seen some posts recently to that give me new hope. What is your opinion, are you hopeful that this scale has a future? Thanks Alan .

I am certain that this scale has a future. The detail on the figures available from the manufacturers that you mentioned is excellent.

As you say, releases have slowed down a great deal. The last releases from AB were Confederation of the Rhine infantry and Westphalian Cuirassiers, the next ones will be Spanish guerillas. There are a few Prussian regts that I would like to be added. CGM last added Italian/Neapolitan inf. Xan are notoriously slow, last adding Spanish cavalry.

Blue Moon have been very quiet on the Napoleonic front. I just wish they would complete some ranges, specifically the Danish, which need Jaeger and Light Infantry, and the Swedes which need infantry for 1810-12 onwards. Khurasan is not really a range, as there is so little in it, but the photos look good.

Sho Boki keeps releasing figures, they are very good, but aimed more at the early revolutionary era. This is because he invites people to commission a range or specific regiment. His personality figures for the Russians at Borodino are superb, as is his collection of Murats.

I have figures from all of the above manufacturers in my collection (about 14,000 figures) and will continue to add more as and when the ones I need are released. I always keep an eye on them to see what comes out next.

Thanks Redcurrent for your optimistic reply. Wow! that's some collection. I was beginning to think maybe I'd chosen the wrong scale, a case of to AB or not to AB? but 28mm wouldn't allow me to field enough men on a table and now I find 18mm quite difficult enough to paint. I am constantly looking out for new additions, we can but hope!
Thanks, Alan.

I agree with Redcurrant. I'm certain this scale has a future for the Napoleonic period. The larger scales are quite daunting anything requiring a large number of figures while the smaller scales are, for me anyway, eye-challenging.

Given the very nice 28mm stuff available I've had some regret with having invested in 18mm (just under 10,000 figures, 70% painted). However, in past year I've decided to invest in the Franco-Prussian War. I dithered on scale, so I've ended up with 10mm for large battles and 28mm for skirmishing. I've painted some of each – and while I will continue with these for the Franco-Prussian War, I no longer have regrets about 18mm for Napoleonic.

FYI – I thought Blue Moon added their Spanish about a year ago.

Redcurrant, thanks for mentioning the AB Westphalian cuirassiers. I hadn't checked lately but that are one's I will pick up.

Campaign Game Miniatures produces new figures regularly, but they are bit smaller, at just under 17mm, I think. In different units, on the same table, they look fine with 18mm, or in small numbers mixed is ok also, mimicking somewhat the normal range of people's sizes.

Old Glory has a full range of figures – They are my company of choice for both 15mm and 25mm Napoleonics!! Highly recommended – great models, excellent poses, and a very reasonable price.

They paint up very nicely.

Perhaps take a closer look at the AB range and you can see it's pretty well covered. Tony has more to come, but when you have a range that's 30 years old and covers just about everything that a Napoleonic gamer needs, and at a quality that's no one's been able to equal, I'm not sure what else you need. To be honest what the other 18mm manufacturers do, doesn't really matter.

No need to worry about 15mm – 18mm differences. All these are with 1:100 weapons and equipment. Over the time AB was described as 18(15)mm, because AB feels easier for him to sculpt bigger figures than 15mm and figures grows up. Earlier AB sets contain quite small figures, especially Old Guard Grenadiers looks too tiny near later sets.

1mm in 1:100 scale is 10cm IRL, so 15mm (up to eyes) figures represent 160cm napoleonics men (Austrian, Russian), 16mm figures represent 170cm men (average Europeans), 17mm figures represent 180cm men (Old Guard Grenadiers) and 18mm figures represent modern 190cm men.

Future? Does this scale have a future? This is the dominant scale in the 15mm space! You see them everywhere. Even the people that don't have them wish they did. On multiple forums you see people mistaking AB's for 28mm figures. The AB range is probably already the most complete of any scale there is. I have 10,000 plus painted AB's covering just about every army that fought in the period with the exception of the Swedes.

And all the most recent ranges are variations on this scale. The quality sculptors like Sho Boki are cleverly filling in any gaps. This scale IS the future.

I'd say 18mm is the current scale for a lot of manufacturers. It caught on years ago.

There is a cadre of 18mm players in Melbourne who play the FOGN rules. AB comes up with new models every now and again. IIRC their most recent addition was Spanish guerillas. I am waiting for Russian 1813 mounted jagers.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I posed the question because I felt there was much more momentum in the 28mm sector and, maybe, it's my impatience, an inertia in the 18mm field. Thinking of someone considering getting into the hobby, they might be swayed by the number of new releases in the larger scale, by bigger manufacturers. Hoping for more 18mm goodness in 2020.
Thanks. Alan

I'd say the only thing that 18mm lacks over 28mm for me at least are camp vignettes. I am a massive sucker for them (field bakeries, campfire huddles, field smiths, hospital wagons etc)

I am so pleased to see the new French 1790 heavy cavalry from Mr Barton. Whilst a good bit before my chosen period I am over the moon seeing new sculpts from the master.
I just edited this post and replaced 'new releases' with 'new sculpts' as Covid related supply problems are all too real, didn't want anybody to start searching the AB page just yet. Hope this link works
Regards
Alan.

link

Tony Barton is still churning out figures between WW2, Napoleonic but, he is getting up in age and has slowed down. I chatted with him about a week or so ago.

He is cognizant of what people want, I needed Wurttemburg Grenadiers and they are available these days.

He has Westphalian Guard Chevau-leger Lancers on his to do list along with possibly adding Vistual Legion infantry, Saxon Grenadiers in Bearskin, Cossack Artillery and Guard Cossacks. Soon to be released 1812 Russians in greatcoat and 1/72 WW2 Germans.