Good poses and missing units for 1914

[Gribb]

Commissioning miniatures from time to time its interesting to hear input not only on uniform information but also poses(highly appreciated).
With a lot of different pose out there, it made me ponder which poses are most popular with gamers/collectors(28mm scale).
Is it Charging, Advancing slowly, prone, Running with rifle at trail, Skirmishing?etc Taking cover? etc.

Any sort of poses or units you miss that are not done?

Looking forward to hear Your opinions. Thank you.

[pancakeonions]

I bet gamers would be more keen on things like men firing, manning the machine guns, charging, running...

While collectors might be more interested in casualties, men taking cover, men cowering...  Given what a bloody awful mess that war was.

Curious to hear others' thoughts

[Gribb]

Yes, that makes sense. But I do think adding some casualties, men taking cover and such livens up the gaming table among more standard figures. It adds more character. Your input is appreaciated. Thank you.

As for gamers liking firing poses.
What about prone British infantry? I typically envision them on the defence pouring fire into the German masses:



Or would there be more interest in standing/kneeling firing poses for the British?

Besides charging it seems for running infantry it would seem most sense to carry the rifle at the trail:



Look forward to hear more opinions

[waterproof]

Since I'm more collectors than players, I first find all poses interesting.
As a potential player, I like poses similar to those of Mutton Chops (Paul Hicks). Firing and advancing. Racing and lying on the ground firing I find then on the gaming table not so exciting.
It is a pity the Great War Miniatures has agreed on a few repetitive poses. The British except, there are very beautiful characterful minis. But the French and Belgians are a bit bored, unfortunately.
 like small scenes like a radio station or a telecommunication department with telephone or pigeons. A field kitchen (gulasch kanone) is definitely an eyecatcher, though pointless for the game.

[monk2002uk]

Carrying the rifle at the trail was a feature of bounding, rather than charging. The latter was associated with fixed bayonets, with the rifle held appropriately. Bounding was the process of moving to a new firing position or from one position to another as part of 'fire and manoeuvre'. Still a useful pose from a modelling perspective.

Robert

[v_lazy_dragon]

Not a Great war gamer (lured in by the title), but lots of WW2/Modern players seem to dislike lying/prone fring poses based on assorted comments around the web (may just be a vocal minority?). I think this is partly down to the need for different basing and the larger 'foot print' when it comes to manoeuvring around tables. Not so much a 1914 issue, but how would prone figures fit into the various commercial trench systems on the market?

From a general skirmish gaming perspective, I like a nice mix of firing (including reloading) and moving (including taking cover whilst stood or kneeling) poses. There is scope for 'standing having a fag' poses, but these folks always seem to get left in the box for use as sentries unless I absolutely need to use all my figures to make up numbers...

[Gribb]

I like fast skirmishing poses that I feel create the dynamic atmosphere on both table and colletction. While prone /taking covermay not be the most exciting poses to some it is certainly very realistic for the period.

The mutton chop 1914 are very beautiful sculpted, but unlike you I do not like so much the advancing poses, but prefer the skirmishing/firing ones they offer.

Beautiful sculpted and a joy to paint, but a lot of the advancing packs does not really look right to me for a ww1 setting. Slow walking upright while advancing/charging seem a bit anachronistic and wooden in stature.


It all comes down to what you what to represent and prefer I like the advancing poses of gwm better than Mutton Chop. So more of a racing and firing preference for me. See some of Your point on the French and particularly the Belgians.

@monk2002uk
Yes, it was more of an advancing/bounding than charging position. I mean that similar dynamic running poses could be used for both charging and at the trail. I think too it would look quite good as well as have charging poses. It would likely be more realistic to have a significant addition of this pose than just a bunch in charging pose.

@ v_lazy_dragon

I see the point but its all what you want to represent. And what gamers are willing to adjust for. A lot has happened in the last 10-15 years in terms of sculpting evolution in both face variety and poses. Many manufacturers go to great lenghts to get as much variety in poses as possible. The plastic set revolution from like Victrix and Perry reflects this

They could easily do in shallow ditches/trenches that wer improvized during early 1914 for temporary defensive positions,
On board with the mix of firing and moving(some kneeling and taking cover).


Thanks for the input guys

[Gribb]

How about a dismounted cavalryman firing over his dead horset?

[Metternich]

Personally, I dislike firing figures.  Limits the situation in which they are being used.

[Gribb]

Personally, I dislike firing figures.  Limits the situation in which they are being used.

Depends.
If combining firing and running poses it can create quite a dynamical look and situation for them to be used. They have the potentia lf both firing in defence or firing when advancing the enemy on the offensive.

[Helen]

Depends.
If combining firing and running poses it can create quite a dynamical look and situation for them to be used. They have the potentia lf both firing in defence or firing when advancing the enemy on the offensive.

I quite like the firing and maneuver poses. Some loading and firing in various positions and cautiously advancing. Using some scenics for them on a base helps too.

[Captain Blood]

Standing at the ready, advancing, skirmishing, loading - any general purpose / utility kinda pose in other words.

I avoid specific poses like standing firing, kneeling firing, lying prone firing as far as possible.

This is not for 1914 specifically, but for all wargames armies, period.
The only exception being, that I do quite like kneeling Pathans, sneakily sniping from sangars... I’ve got a fair few of those

Just personal preference I guess. But I’ve felt exactly the same way since my first box of Airfix 1/72 soldiers, the best part of half a century ago! So it’s a pretty deeply ingrained preference / prejudice.

[monk2002uk]

How about a dismounted cavalryman firing over his dead horse?

The horse will be alive ;-). This was a standard tactic used by the Russian cavalry. I am not aware of any other major nation that taught cavalry horses to do this.

Robert

[Gribb]

@ Helen: Yes, I think they are quite versatile posest that add well to a range.

@CaptainBlood: Well, there is a wide variety of preference for poses. Its a good thing the increasing variety in poses allows to cater to different tastes.

@mok2002uk:
But if being shot down it would not seem unlikely for any cavalryman to take cover behind the horse? At least for the first shot or finding better cover.
But if getting Your horse shot in an open area with little cover it makes sense to take cover behind the dead horse.

Just like this soldier used a dead comrade for human shield:



Thanks for the info. Just got some inspiration from this picture of a British cavalryman:


A scout from The Carabiniers, 6th Dragoon Guards, cavalry regiment of the British Army firing from behind his horse. From the book South Africa and the Transvaal War by Louis Creswicke, published 1900.
 

[Metternich]

I fully agree with Capt. Blood.  Firing figures look rather silly if the unit is in reserve/marching to the field, or otherwise behind the foremost front line.  I also prefer general poses such as advancing at the ready, etc.