"HaT figures 1/72 better than I thought" Topic

I am not saying they are the best, but they are pretty good for the price.

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Yes – HaT are good (overall) for making big units. They have a few weak boxes in their overall range but in general are probably worth a pretty good (C+ ?) at least and they do cover just about everything one can think of.

Although there are no action poses with the kit, they can fill out units in the marching rank and file.

Lack of action poses perhaps not too surprising for a box called " Early-Mid French Marching" I like the look of marching units so this is no downside to me!

Yep, a good value and, mostly, a pretty good product.

Yes, on the whole, I quite like them…mind you, some of the ranges, especially when a figure is side on, are terrible…German East Africa in particular. The faces are so ill defined and run into the necks. another range I find is better when painted up are Strelets. no paint and seriously they look awful, but I have seen their Crimean War range painted, and they are really good.

Strelets look far better painted than not.
Some earlier sets are roughly cast, though they are working through these as able with replacement casting. As to what effect the current Ukraine conflict will have on availability is anyone's guess, but it looks bad the longer it goes.

HaT sets are good, though the first sets, especially the Punic War range, can suffer from pinheadism (heads far too small for body). Others, as the aforementioned Colonials, are hit or miss – anything Coates & Shine labeled should be avoided as able.

Napoleonics are, by far, the best range overall.

It should be noted that the rising costs of everything may push 1/72 manufacturers right to the gills pricewise. It isn't looking so great as you used to pick up a HaT or other kit for like 6.50USD. Now, you are lucky at 11.50USD.

I read somewhere that HaT got bought out by the Chinese – can't say if it's true. I have noticed that their new releases have slowed own considerably from what they were.

Their Napoleonics are definitely the best, some of the WW1 stuff is very good, while some of their Ancients are just horrible! I haven't looked at prices for plastics in a while, so can't comment on that but I do seem to recall finding some good stuff on Ebay and other sites but you have to get very lucky. Strelets is still releasing sets and they are definitely better painted than not.

I always use link
to make sure I want what's available and then shop here (about $7.60 USD / box for HaT)
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I like them. Their naps have had a range of sculpters, but overall they are great. I really like their anatomically correct sculpts like the French Guard Chasseurs.

Well I am tasked with doing the duty squadrons for Waterloo Remodelled. If these are to become National Museum exhibits they have got to be good.

But no-one does Grenadiers a Cheval de la Garde in 1/72 at rest. AB in 15/18mm are just brilliant, but will not fit in here. Indeed in most scales this iconic unit, like the Empress Dragoons, is very poorly represented, whether heroic or at ease. I may resort to Franznap caped cavalry with bearskin heads, but 100 of them sounds dull and incredibly expensive.

But HaT proved a surprise. I managed to find two boxes on line. The bearskins are far, far, too tall, but a 15 blade scalpel soon fixes that. You only get four poses and they are not Zvezda at their best, but, for plastic, with no alternative, they are not bad at all.