Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Interwar => Topic started by: Doc Twilight on 22 April 2010, 12:25:45 AM
-
Lots of new releases to show off, here, guys. Forgive me for the quantity of pictures. I'll make multiple posts here in order to save loading time for any one entry. A warning: these are Photobucket links, as I'm having issues with my LAF gallery. All are approximately 28mm scale, most of them are slightly over 28mm in height, although Kawashima Yoshiko is 27mm tall.
First, the much anticipated Japanese in M1930 uniforms. They cast up quite well. Because of their dynamic poses, there is a small amount of flash, but nothing too terrible to deal with. They are available as a set of 3 for 9.75, and include three rebreather canisters and three optional heads wearing gasmasks.
M1930 Japanese, front view:
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/Japanese.jpg)
M1930 Japanese, rear view:
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/Japaneserear.jpg)
M1930 Japanese, gasmask heads:
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/JapGasmasks.jpg)
Japanese NCO in M1930 Uniform. Available separately. Carrying a Nambu pistol. He comes with an optional non-masked, helmeted head. Available for 3.25.
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/JapNCO.jpg)
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/JapNcorear.jpg)
(More in the next post)
-
More Japanese characters.
To the left - Colonel Washiji Toro. Japanese occult expert. Commander, Shanghai Branch, Special Unit 66. Available for 3.00.
To the right - Kawashima Yoshiko, "Eastern Jewel." This infamous Manchu Princess was raised in Japan and active as a mover and shaker in 1930s Shanghai. A very controversial character, even today. In Japan, she is depicted as a hero, or at worst, a victim of circumstance. In China, she is seen as a traitor. Available for 3.00
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/ToroYoshiko.jpg)
Two more characters for the International Settlement.
FC Julian, Private Detective. Recently hired by the Society of Virtuous Pagans to solve a series of unsolved mysteries in Shanghai.
$3.00.
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/Julian.jpg)
The Great Adamski, Performer, Solver of Problems... With multiple puppet options. More puppets will come, too. $3.25.
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/Adamski.jpg)
(More in the next post)
-
Finally, the surprise release for this round. New agents for the insidious Fu'Xian!
The Terra-Cotta Golems!
A set of four animated Terra-Cotta statues, in various states of disrepair, provided with multiple head, hand, and weapon options. These are slightly taller than the rest (as they are statues). The full set sells for 12.00.
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/Terracotta.jpg)
Comments welcome:)
-Doc
-
Really nice, would love to see a Cthulhu puppet.
-
Really nice, would love to see a Cthulhu puppet.
That's a distinct possibility;)
-Alex
-
Brilliant, I thought it might be an idea you couldn,t resist
-
I like the terracotta guys, quit original
-
I like them all, especialy Colonel Washiji Toro. About time we had some Far east occult specialists instead of the tons of germans that are flooding the weird war set.
-
Terra cotta statues are a pleasant surprise. Love the interchangeable puppets on the Great Adamski.
-
I agree, the Terra Cotta statues are a nice addition to this release. Great pulp potential.
-
Will you be bringing any figures to sell at Kubla Khan?????
-
The Terra cotta guy are just what I have been looking for, but maybe not so broken. Any chance of releasing a set of unbroken ones ???
Very original characters as well. Very nice.
-
Well done DT. I will have to get some of these to paint at some point. The terracotta statues concept has worked a treat.
-
OK, so now we need somebody to produce buildings fro Shanghai :D
-
Thank you all for the comments:) I'm very glad that they all turned out well. I'm particularly gratified that the terracotta golems have gone over well. I'd like to do more "supernatural" stuff for the range, and this is sort of a tester. There are many possibilities, here.
We will likely be redoing, or adding to, the SMP range in the next installment. Will see how it goes.
In regards to a few specific questions
- No plans in the immediate future to do "undamaged" versions, but if there is enough interest, I might consider it. There are already a number of "Terra Cotta Army" style figs on the market, though I think these are currently the only "golems"/statue types.
- We might very well have some inventory at Kublacon. Unofficially, of course...;) If you were to tell me what you want, I might be able to bring it along, as well.
- Shanghai buildings. I agree that these are needed, but I have yet to find a sculptor willing to do them... I've also got a need for another vehicle sculptor, but that's another matter entirely. It's an interesting business, really; sometimes you get loads of offers and enthusiastic requests to sculpt, other times the well is fairly dry. Not that the sculptors already doing work for us aren't doing a bang up job, of course!:) Once the cops are given some new life, and we have some Chinese troops in place, I wouldn't mind doing something ambitious with commissioning some terrain for demo games, but of course that doesn't solve the problem of the generally limited availability of Shanghai terrain.
One sculptor I had spoken to was interested in doing various scenic items for Shanghai, and these would have been included with the Shanghai packs. The concept is vaguely similar to some of the 1980s era Cthulhu ranges, which would frequently come with a figure or two and then some random, scenic accessory. Unfortunately, that arrangement seems to have fallen through (Haven't heard from that particular sculptor in over a year), but it's something I'd still like to attempt. I think it'd be very helpful and improve the desirability of the range.
That said, a huge advantage to Shanghai in the 1930s is that a large portion of it (even in the Chinese controlled sector of the city) was built to a European style, which means that you can mix in a lot of pulp era buildings with only a few scenic Asian pieces and have a very authentic looking setup. Hell, you could use colonial and Napoleonic era French architecture -alone- if you were gaming in the French Concession.
-Doc
-
Fantastic - and very nice to see another manufacturer actually paying heed to his audience.
Fellow gamers - we live in the Golden Age of miniature gaming, let's all rejoice!!
-
So are these historical, pulp, weird war II, or all of the above?
-
So are these historical, pulp, weird war II, or all of the above?
As the title says 1930 I would think they are more to the pulpish side, but building up to WWWII- (There are paraphenalia involved :D )
-
I like most of them. The japanese gasmask heads will be incredibly useful for VSF.
-
So are these historical, pulp, weird war II, or all of the above?
All of the above:) The uniforms are historically accurate and appropriate for the period. Every bit of Toro's gear is historical, with the exception of the kabuki mask.
-Doc
-
That would be a noh mask - kabuki theatre used elaborate makeup but never masks. Recovering Theatre Major
-
Ok, yes. Forgive my misuse of the term. Noh mask.
-Doc
-
Can you add a pic of the front view of your Mati-hari female character. I was considering placing an order and couldn't see the front view on your page.
-
Can you add a pic of the front view of your Mati-hari female character. I was considering placing an order and couldn't see the front view on your page.
That is an issue that should be addressed, yes;) I'll put in the -proper- pic this evening. In the meanwhile, there are plenty of pics of her here. and here's a front shot.
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc178/Mithras77/100_1107.jpg)
-Doc
-
Thanks Doc I appreciate it.
I sent you a small order email today too. I love that evil puppeteer and detective. The puppeteer reminds me of the Puppetmaster movie.
I already envision a small army of evil and maliagn toys besetting the benevolent protagonists.
Hell, I'm already considering making a triny sculpt of a Zunni fetish doll too to go with him. >:D
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_MuKcuU562Jc/SNCQ1YlsUII/AAAAAAAAARQ/8R7UiazeXps/s1600/zuni.bmp)
-
Hell, I'm already considering making a triny sculpt of a Zunni fetish doll too to go with him. >:D
Or buy Khurasan's "Luni fetish doll":
http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/28mm70spulp.html (http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/28mm70spulp.html)
-
Steve,
Thanks :o
That's perfect! Never seen any of those before. I think I'll be picking one of these up too.
You saved me some sculpting.
-
Not really my time period of gaming, but I still have to say that the Great Adamski is brilliant!
-
Thanks, Squirrel. He was inspired by a friend in college. Same guy inspired Tiny Wo. Originally Adamski, too, was to be a little person, but shortly before I sent the write-up to the sculptor I changed the concept a little bit. I extremely proud of the figure. I described him as I envisioned him to Brian Cooke (the sculptor), and apparently he hooked up a 3d printer to my mind, because... well, honestly, it's -just- as I imagined him.
-Doc
-
Can I just ask how long the Japanese uniform was in use for?
-
Hi, J. -
Glad to help with the information I have.
The M1930, which had a high collar and a cut very similar to the American WW1 era tunic, was "officially" in use until 1939 and issued in a mustard color. However, it continued to be used by some portions of the Army until 1945, as there were other production priorities when the Japanese "officially" entered the war in 1941, and there were at least a few thousand troops who were issued from older uniform stock. The "new" uniform, with a turn down collar and four pocket flaps, was olive green in color and issued beginning in 1938.
For example, a large percentage of the troops who fought the Russians at Nomonhan/Khalkin-Gol in 1939 actually wore the M1930 uniform and Cherry Blossom helmet, as they hadn't received the new issue of equipment when the fighting broke out.
The "Cherry Blossom" helmet was issued in the 1920s (I'm sorry, but I can't find my notes. I seem to recall that it's a 1925 issue, as the Japanese were using Adrians prior to this date, but I could be wrong). The first "replacement" helmet was issued in 1932, but the Cherry Blossom continued to be used until 1945. Most were found in China and Manchuria, but examples were captured throughout the Pacific by US and Commonwealth forces. I'm aware of at least one perfectly preserved example being recently dug in the Aleutians, for example, and there was another on Ebay with a capture location of Pelilieu, 1944 a few months ago. They are -extremely- rare, as very few survived the war intact.
Essentially, the web gear and equipment harness was identical throughout the war, though made of varying materials, and somewhat simplified by 44-45.
The main difference between the two uniforms was ease of production. The new uniforms required less material and were of a somewhat simplified cut, which was more friendly to mass production purposes. I have been told, but not confirmed, that the same was true of the "Cherry Blossom" compared to the simplified helmet. However, the sources I have say it was a matter of "modernization". Allegedly, the troops preferred the comfort of the "Cherry Blossom", which was apparently lighter and less heavy in the hot weather of the Chinese frontier, but the protection qualities of the helmet were inferior to the newer "bowl" type. Reputedly, early examples of the Cherry Blossom "shattered like porcelain" when struck by direct rounds.
One way to "spot" the older uniform in the field is to look at puttees. The M1930 uniform was issued with long trousers and the puttees were supposed to be tied over them, whereas M1938 had short legged semibreeches, and the puttees were supposed to cover the lower leg. One thing you see on occasion is a combination of the newer tunic with the older trousers, or vice versa.
Theoretically, the color should also be a clue, but there were significant differences in dye lots, and at any rate, there were plenty of M1938 uniforms issued in mustard color, even though the "official" color was supposed to be green.
Now, as for earlier use, the cut of the M1930 uniform looks photographically similar enough to work for the Mid-1920s onward, or at least that's what I think. Purists would disagree. Obviously there were differences, but in miniature form, this isn't such a big deal.
-Doc
-
Thanks for that, it was very useful!
May be planning a future project set in Manchuria and I really like these figures, great job!