makes models of models of models...
After months of preparation, The (Virtual) Armchair General, proud publisher of Padre Paul Wright's Funny Little Wars: Games of War In The Garden With Classic Toy Soldiers In The Spirit of Mr HG Wells, along with sculptor Chris Ferree, now opens the Subscription for the first releases in the 54mm range Funny Little Warriors.
FLWarriors is planned to be a wide range of affordable, 54mm miniatures specifically designed to support Funny Little Wars by providing figure and character types called for in the game, but not available elsewhere or from the usual sources. At the same time, these figures will appeal to collectors in general, and aid dioramists as well.
Sculpted by Chris Ferree, with an eye towards bringing out the full potential of FLW. He has created figures which will allow players to enjoy all facets of the game, without having to convert existing figures, or pay collectors' prices for comparable types.
This first release contains eight distinct figures, with many more already under design. As Funny Little Wars represents the late 19th—early 20th Century, so do FLWarriors with the necessary generals, staff officers, and others in their period uniforms. More figures will be made available as they are completed, and similarly offered by subscription.
Photos of these original sculpts may be viewed in the folder FLWarriors Subscription Illustrations on the Funny Little Wars Yahoo! Group.
We definitely invite you to go and see these, and set the display to show the photos "large" so you can see their character for yourself.
For those not already familiar with a "subscription," it works like this: TVAG will offer these figures for sale prior to their actual casting at a significant discount from their anticipated retail price upon completion. No payment will be required from anyone until a minimum number of the available figures has been subscribed by a given date. If during that time, there is insufficient interest shown, then the subscription will close, no one will be charged for anything, and the original sculpts will go back into the closet, and likely "retired" without having had their chance.
In this instance, the discount will be 30%, the minimum number 45, and the closing date midnight, Friday, September 3, 2010. Subscribers will be asked to pay $7.00 USD per figure, plus $7.00 USD per order (not per figure) for Priority Mail within the U.S., or $14.00 USD for Global Priority Mail to the U.K., Europe, and the World (though only $10.00 USD for our friends in Mexico and Canada).
Again, no payment is required until requested at the end of the subscription period. Full instructions with options on how to pay will be provided when due.
If you wish to subscribe, there is no minimum number of figures required. You may choose only one casting of one pose, or any number of any one or all poses which interest you, and the minimum subscription number of 45 is a grand total, not 45 of each.
To place your subscription, please list your choices and their quantity, and email them to TVAG@att.net. I will acknowledge your joining the subscription, and mark your choices on the master production list. The sooner our minimum number is reached, the sooner we can begin molding and casting.
Delivery time for figures is estimated at about one month after the subscription has closed, and all funds collected. During that time, Chris will create all the required molds, and cast the required number of figures using the very latest resin material, Smooth-On 300, providing a product of superior detail, durability, and ease of painting.
After the subscription and after all the paid figures have been shipped, these castings will be regularly available from TVAG for a retail price of $10.00 USD each, plus postage.
Among the other figures we expect to add to the FLWarriors line will be the long-awaited spies, a generic sniper, wagon/automobile drivers and passengers, more staff officers and pilots, mounted generals and ftaffs, as well as Chris' remarkable spring-loaded artillery, and much more.
Please address any questions, concerns, or ideas for new figures to the same address, above.
Your support is all he needs to create the figures and pieces that will help us all build the 54mm armies of your dreams without having to borrow from the Chinese government!