Foundry vs. Claymore?

[Vermis]

I've been looking at 14thC/Medieval minis for fantasy lately, and I'd just started circling round Foundry's airport when Claymore Castings' new knights arrived on the scene and made me notice their site.

CC's minis do look great, and the name Paul Hicks is a plus in my book, but is it enough to trump the name 'Perry' on Foundry's medievals? (Am I right in assuming the Perrys sculpted most if not all of those?)  Has anyone personally seen of both, to make a comment?

I sometimes try to make a point of supporting the little guy, but Foundry just works out a bit cheaper for amy-building, especially since they now include any wire spears in the pack.  For some reason Claymore took their spears off the site, so I'd have the faff of going elsewhere for those anyway...

I know it looks like I've made up my mind anyway, but... nearly. (Anyone remember 'Wavy Mavis' from Open All Hours?)  Any good comparisons out there?

[Ray Earle]

I'm probably going to be hung, drawn, quartered and buried under a car park for saying this but I prefer the figures from Claymore Castings. There, I've said it. 

It depends what you are after anyway as CC figures are aimed at the late 14th/ early 15th century whereas the Foundry/Perry twins Barons war is early 14th. If you're using them for fantasy though that shouldn't be an issue.

I'm really partial to the Medieval/Brettonians that the twins did but the other ranges that were originally released by citadel are stating to show their age a little. Still lovely though.

The Claymore figures are lovely little bits of sculpting. Some of Mr. Hicks best.

Also, if you stick to the English billmen they all come with weapons. 

[Wilkins]

I also prefer Claymore Castings. I think they're hands down some of the best minis available at the moment

[Arlequín]

Coming from a different angle... Claymore's figures are new and part of an expanding range, while the Foundry ones are now as they will always be. Even on the remote chance that the Perrys were to go back to it for Foundry, their style has moved on and they would look different in comparison to the originals.

[Engel]

I have never understood the love for Foundry. I´ll guess its because I switched from 40k relatively late comparison to many here, and they bare no nostalgia to me.
To me Foundry seems like an old giant trying to lean on post achievements locked away in their own world, while Claymore casting is a new company with fresh ideas and new sculpts.
The world and miniature design has moved on and Foundry is standing still.

So with those words… Go Claymore..

[Dalauppror]

Claymore Casting get my vote to !!!

They are stunning sculpts that are a real joy to paint, and they are chaper to buy theb Foundry, at least for me that order to Sweden, I sorry to say but I haven´t bought a mini from Foundry for the past 15 years due to their high cost and high postage.

The Claymore minis might not be that Fantasy so if you want fantasy medieval minis the GW Bretonnian (plastics also gives you lots of conversion options) might be the thing or the GameZone Feudal Knight range ?

Good luck in the hunt for the right minis fro your project, pleas tell us whatyou decided for.

Best regards Michael

[Blue in vt]

I'm certainly thinking of mixing some of the Claymore figures in with my 5th edition Bret force just for some variety...they are amazing figures.

Anyone have comparisons with the Brets?

Cheers,

Blue

[Timbor]

Just an FYI, Foundry has rereleased some of their WoTR packs and are selling them at 3-for-2 (amounts to 30% off) along with some ancient germans and babylonians.  Just check the latest post on their homepage, as the deal only applies to the packs mentioned - looks to be 10 packs from their WoTR stuff.

I am not too familiar with the Claymore stuff, but it looks to be of nice quality.  Price point looks pretty comparable to foundry.

[Vermis]

I guess that's pretty unanimous!  I'm glad I'm the only indecisive one around here. Thanks all!

The Claymore minis might not be that Fantasy so if you want fantasy medieval minis the GW Bretonnian (plastics also gives you lots of conversion options) might be the thing

This is part of my continual planning (read: constant dithering) for an A Song Of Ice And Fire - which isn't that fantasy anyway (apart from giant wolves and ice zombies) - prompted by some excellent projects here on LAF. I had a look at the current Brettonians when I first thought about it a few months ago, and my reaction, in one word: "yech!"

... I've gone off Fireforge serjeants too. Decent enough, nice price, but IMO weaponry's too limited, and too many of the poses remind me of Sean Lock's impersonation of Madonna's dancing.

Timbor: I'm thinking 14thC (Claymore) for House Stark and other northmen, and WotR for the more affluent House Lannister.  I saw the Foundry offer - thanks for the notice - but I think I'll plump for the Perry bros. latest sculpts for the latter.

[Dilettante Gamer]

I guess that's pretty unanimous!  I'm glad I'm the only indecisive one around here. Thanks all!

This is part of my continual planning (read: constant dithering) for an A Song Of Ice And Fire


Timbor: I'm thinking 14thC (Claymore) for House Stark and other northmen, and WotR for the more affluent House Lannister.  I saw the Foundry offer - thanks for the notice - but I think I'll plump for the Perry bros. latest sculpts for the latter.

I'm working on a similar project.  We should compare notes off line.  I should receive Claymore Scottish pike any day now.  They fit my vision for Stark "livery" troops, which I'll use for Saga and Dux Brit conversions.  In both rulesets there are 3-4 classes of troops: elite, warrior and levy (Dux Brit also has small units of skirmishers), which in my scheme equate to knights, men at arms and levy. 

I could go on but I'll save that for my posting over the weekend when I have some pictures of my project.

The one thing I'll say here is that my vision for this project is to make the factions look unique and "historical" but mix models and parts to shift the silhouette.

For example, to my eye, Greyjoy raiders cannot end up looking like Vikings.  So, I'll swap heads and shields with Fireforge Templar knights - adding traveling cloaks - and they'll look like raiders but not cut-n-paste viking.

[flags_of_war]

I can't recommend Claymore any more than i do and im also proud to do the flags and shields for them.

I have loads of them that David gave me as i want to do them as Baratheons for King Roberts Rebellion. The New Percy would make a Great Young Robert. I have some Antlets for him and all i need now is a good sized War Hammer.

[Arlequín]

I'm thinking 14thC (Claymore) for House Stark and other northmen, and WotR for the more affluent House Lannister. 

There's also the Perry's 'Agincourt' range, so if you were going for a gradual 'ageing' from South to North, you could have Perry WotR for High Garden and co., Perry 'Agincourt' for the Lannisters and other middle bits, then Claymore for the Northerners.

I have no idea what you'd use for Dorn... but if Claymore plan on producing 'Islemen' at some point, they should be just fine for Greyjoys. Alternatively, surely there's a fantasy range out there which features 'sea boots', cloaks and other non-viking types that would do? Anyone?

 

[tomek917]

Funny to see that so many people have had the same idea  

I'm one of you actually! I've painted up some 40 Claymore Castings pikemen to use as House Stark, I'm in the midst of gluing the Claymore Knights and painting up Hotspur as Robb!
I'm going to use the Perry WOTR as Lannisters and Baratheons and their Agincourt miniatures as Tullys.

Anyway, I can't recommend the Claymore miniatures enough, amazing sculpts!

[sukhe_bator]

I'm with Arlequin and plan to add Claymore castings figs as characterful Northern Bannermen, and have Perry WOTR for Lannister and other Southron Bannermen. I've seen Dornish troops represented on other threads by El Cid style Mozarabs and Gripping Beast Feudal Spanish etc.
I also have some HYW by Black Tree Design who offer some transitional HYW Medievals at reasonable prices.
In plastics others have successfully merged Gripping Beast Vikings with Perry WOTR arms, heads and misc equipment to make passable Feudal/HYW Northern Bannermen. No doubt about it though Claymore Castings will be featuring heavily amongst us ASOIAF gamers!

[Dilettante Gamer]

So, what rules are people using for their ASoFaI gaming?

I have the Saga boards from Frank in Germany, who was my inspiration for my project.

However, I'm really inspired to translate Dux Britanniarum as Dalauppror has done with 14th c. Sweden.

I think the light campaign series of raids leading to battles that claim provinces could capture the flavor of what's described in GRRM's books.

For starters, I'm creating Stark, Lannister and Greyjoy.  Greyjoy will be played as Dux Brit Saxon raiders and the other two as Romano-Brits. 

TFL has indicated they'll be releasing a supplement for inter-kingdom warfare/campaigns, which I'm hoping will work nice for a "War of Five Kings" campaign.