WI Valiant Free Figures - Any Comments?

[Calimero]

Like a few people here, I suspect, I got the free Valiant figures with my latest Wargames Illustrated. I think they are nice figures with lot of potentials but I’ve read a lot of (more or less) negative comments on them… I would like to know what you think of them? How do you like these figures? I would particularly like to ear comment from peoples who, unlike me, are into 20mm WWII gaming. If possible I would also like to see pictures of Valiant Figures up against other brands of 20mm figures and maybe also comparison shots with 20mm vehicles.

 

[keeper]

I don't have any comparison shots right now, but I do like them.

The main drawback with them is that they are about 3mm taller than most other plastic WWII minis in this scale, which makes them look way bigger.  For wargaming they're going to be fine, so long as you don't get too wound up about everything having to be an absolutely perfect scale match.  I don't think I'd used them in a diorama with figures from other manufacturers, though.  For 20mm plastic sculpts, they are pretty good and have a nice level of detail.  Also, they're not excessively thin as some plastics are, so they should work fairly well with 20mm metal figures for this period, too.

I'm not bought any box sets of Valiant miniatures, yet, so I don't know if this is typical of their ranges, but I'm not excessively incined to do so either, given that the size issue isn't a particular problem with some other decent plastics manufacturers out there.

YMMV

[Geudens]

The figures are 1/72, not 20mm (but rather 25-ish).  In spite of the fact that I have WW2 armies in both 28mm and 15mm, I started buying 4 boxes of each of the Valiants (...) since they were released.  I plan to use'm with a number of diecast ready painted vehicles I have been acquiring over the last couple of years.  I know these are rather 20mm, but it looks OK on the tabletop.  The reason for me doing this is that my 15mm WWII are for "really big battles" and a fair number of 28mm vehicles would cost an arm an a leg, so 28mm is skirmish for me.  On top of that: my Valiant project is fairly cheap and the ready-to-go diecasts save me time.  And yes: they are nice figures IMHO.

Rudi

[redzed]

Fothers had a slight discussion on these figs

[Calimero]

Thanks for your comments on these figures guys. The thing is that ever since we can get hard plastic wargames figures I thought of this like a way to get my nephews into the hobby. ACW and Napoleonic are all interesting but the little chaps seem to already have a particular interest in WWII. I was thinking buying them a few boxes of figures, a rules book and some paint and other hobby material so they can both start right away. Plastic is less expensive so it won’t be too much of an investment if they don’t like it in the end… The good thing is that they could also practice their English too as the rules are almost always in English. 

[Lowtardog]

I pqassed mine on. They werent bad and if knocking up a quick force would be one way of doing it in a reasonable cost.

Personally I moved away from 20mm as there is not a lot about that would attract compared to 28mm. Most ranges have been out a good while and in some instances are "old hat" in style etc for me. These could be ok because they are nice and chunky.

I can see the ease of access for vehicles being a draw for these too.

[Cosmotiger]

L to R:  Star Wars Rebel (25mm), Valiant American, 1/72 Italeri German, 1/76 Airfix Japanese

[dodge]

I quite liked them but compared to some other ranges in plastic they look a bit big,

I really like ceasar plastic 1/72, got some the other day for some nostalgic thing I'm doing with a mate, they are good IMHO.

I'm not sure how they would match up with metals from AB, etc..

dodge

[Mr.J]

I have a few SHQ Germans and Brits and the Valiant ones look good alongside them. There's not much in it sizewise, however i find the SHQ minis to be slightly bulkier then say the Italeri/Airfix ones, though they are in metal and not hard plastic. 

[Calimero]

So if I correctly understand these comments, Valiant 20mm should be a good match with metal figures in 20mm but not so good with soft plastic figures?

Do they fit well with Britania's or FAA for exemple? 

[Mr.J]

In my opinion they would be too large for most plastics but I only have SHQ to compare to in metal and for them I would say that they are a reasonably good match.

[Cosmotiger]

My opinion is that, I wouldn't mix SHQ metals with the Valiant plastics.  The Valiants are at least a head taller than the SHQ and are sculpted in a "wargame figure" style, with exaggerated heads and stout bodies.  I consider them 25mm.   

SHQ figures are sculpted in a slim style and looks similar to the 1/72 or 1/76 scale plastics like Esci, Airfix, etc.  Britannia has a similar big-head scultping style, but the Valiants would tower over them by several mm.   

EDIT: another picture. IMO, it's much easier if people can just see a pic and make their own decision.



L to R:  Valiant GI, Britannia (I think, unsure of manufacturer) 20mm Russian, "Platoon 20" 20mm Russian, SHQ 20mm Russian, Esci Plastic 1/72 scale Russian

(Sorry for all the Russians, but that's what I have the most of in 20mm).