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Miniatures Adventure => Age of the Big Battalions => Topic started by: Arthur on March 18, 2012, 09:38:09 PM

Title: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Arthur on March 18, 2012, 09:38:09 PM
Paul Hicks posted about this a few months ago on the Steve Dean forum when the range was still a work in progress, but the Napoleonic Poles he sculpted for Miniature Painting World are now available. This is a private commission similar to Emil Horky's TYW Bohemian Troops or Der Alte Fritz's AWI Fife and Drum ranges, with the figures being available for sale to individual customers to help cover the sculpting and casting costs. Miniature Painting Service honcho Roger has given me the green light to post about the range, so here's a list of what currently available along with retail prices :

- Skirmishing voltigeurs  x 3 all different - £3.25
- Grenadiers x 3 all different - £3.25
- Voltigeurs x 3 all different - £3.25
- Fusiliers x 6 all different - £6.50
- Command x 6 all different - £6.50 (2 officers, eagle bearer, Porte-aigle, 2 drummers)
- Specials – sapeur and bareheaded fusilier – £2.30
- Mounted officers x 2 different - £6

The figures represent the Duchy of Warsaw's line infantry regiments and can be used for the 1807-1813 period (they won't do for the Vistula legion though). Roger plans to add to the range later in the year, with high command, artillery and cavalry in the pipeline.

(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/DSCF0002-29.jpg)
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/DSCF0004-19.jpg)
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/DSCF0003-20.jpg)
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/DSCF0006-5.jpg)
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/DSCF0005-7.jpg)

Interest parties may contact Roger at info@miniaturepaintingworld.com for further info or to place an order - or you can alternatively go through the Miniature Painting World website :

http://www.miniaturepaintingworld.com (http://www.miniaturepaintingworld.com)

I've already ordered a couple of battalions myself and these are top shelf figures : the usual Paul Hicks excellence in the sculpting department plus some super-clean castings with next to no flash and nary a mould line in sight. Size-wise, they were designed to fit in with Perry and late Foundry Napolenics. My photographic skills are decidedly underwhelming but I have put together the following comparison shots. They won't win any awards but they should give you an idea of what the figures look like next to Perry and Foundry :

(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/P1010169.jpg)
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/P1010178.jpg)
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: inkydave on March 18, 2012, 10:25:42 PM
Superb sculpts. The faces are full of character but not cartoony. Great stuff.
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Anatoli on March 18, 2012, 10:32:57 PM
Vistula Legion are cool, but I actually prefer the regular Grand Duchy of Warsaw troops - love their uniforms  ;D
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: joroas on March 18, 2012, 11:03:44 PM
These look really full of character.  ;D ;D
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: DonVoss on March 19, 2012, 08:19:17 AM
To me (noob) they look like french with pointy hats... :D

Nice sculpts thou... :)

DV
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Prof Steelblade on March 19, 2012, 09:19:50 AM
Really nice figures!!!
I have som questions thou. Do you know how to get a commission? and do you know how much it would cost?
I really would like to get my hands on Swedish troops for the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-09.
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Kingscarbine on March 19, 2012, 11:32:58 AM
 :-*

How much does such a commission cost?
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: joroas on March 19, 2012, 11:52:16 AM
Will this be a full range?  :D
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Arthur on March 19, 2012, 12:33:43 PM
I have no idea how much a commission costs exactly but Roger at Miniature Painting World may tell you that if you drop him an e-mail. Basically, what you do is get in touch with a sculptor and work out a fee with him. Dunno how much Paul Hicks charges for a figure but I've read on various forums that the cost of an individual green may be anything between £500 and £1000 depending on the designer (don't hold me to those figures though, they're just hearsay)   

The designer will only provide finished sculpts, meaning that once the greens are your possession you need to hire a caster to create master metal figures and production moulds. I know Emil Horky (Bohemian Troops), Frank Hammond (Minden) and Der Alte Fritz (Fife and Drum) use Griffin Moulds : Stewart isn't cheap but he is extremely good at what he does.

Between sculpting and casting costs, commissioning your own range of figures IS quite expensive, which is why some help finance the process by selling castings to individual customers without setting up a company. 
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: nevermore on March 19, 2012, 01:20:52 PM
You know over the years the making of miniatures are getting better as time goes by, excellent miniatures love em.
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Painter Jim on March 19, 2012, 04:24:18 PM
Nice review, comparisons like this really help, thanks for taking the time to post. :)
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: PAULSPENCE on March 23, 2012, 08:57:23 PM
Fantastically interesting post and the figures look really good.

The size comparisons are very helpful too and answer many of the questions I would have asked.

Shame is that I don't think that they'll match my Front Rank Polish figures too well but there's no harm in acquiring a couple of battalions!

Cheers,

Paul
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Aaron on March 23, 2012, 10:44:34 PM
I'm going to have to save enough pennies for a Sharpe Practice regiment at least.
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: traveller on March 24, 2012, 08:09:57 AM
Nice!  :-* :-* :-*
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: ARKOUDAKI on March 26, 2012, 08:55:51 PM
Great looking figs. So how many men in a unit??? Come on, someone knows the answer as I am too lazy right now to do the research... I have to know how many figs to buy now don't I ;)
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Arthur on March 28, 2012, 06:42:42 PM
Full battalion painted as 5th Duchy of Warsaw line infantry by Roger, who commissioned the range :

(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/DSC_0022.jpg)
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i414/arthurs-account/DSC_0025.jpg)
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Aaron on March 29, 2012, 12:21:24 PM
Woof!  :-*
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Slekke on September 24, 2012, 04:25:18 PM
Really nice figures!!!
I have som questions thou. Do you know how to get a commission? and do you know how much it would cost?
I really would like to get my hands on Swedish troops for the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-09.

If you find good swedish troops, i will get some to.

Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Hunlion on September 24, 2012, 05:03:13 PM
I'll second that :) Swedish 1808/9

Hunlion
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: traveller on September 24, 2012, 08:57:50 PM
I'll second that :) Swedish 1808/9

Hunlion

I am in on that as well! While waiting for a decent range to come up I solved with Front Rank Wurtemberg inf with Victrix British Marine heads  ;)
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: tomek917 on September 24, 2012, 09:15:03 PM
I really would like to get my hands on Swedish troops for the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-09.

I've been looking at doing my own range of just that, but it was simply too expensive for me.
But if you would cast some, I can promise you I'll be a steady customer ;)

But, back on topic, those are some really beautiful miniatures. I'm so in love with Pauls sculpting I think I would buy anything that man sculpts  ;D
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Arthur on September 24, 2012, 10:14:40 PM
I'm so in love with Pauls sculpting I think I would buy anything that man sculpts  ;D

Given Paul's output, that could prove a very expensive undertaking  lol
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: ARKOUDAKI on September 24, 2012, 10:45:46 PM
Great looking figs and I plan to buy some once the ragged troops are cast up and released. Saving my pennies!  :D
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Joe Fish on September 24, 2012, 11:14:13 PM
Swedes would be lovely....my mini-figs are showing their age.
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Hubbynz on September 25, 2012, 02:08:33 AM
Lovely sculpts.
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: tomek917 on September 25, 2012, 07:17:40 AM
Quote from: Arthur
Given Paul's output, that could prove a very expensive undertaking  lol

I know, I'll maybe even save money if I commission him to do the swedes instead of buying everything else...hmmm... ::)
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Hunlion on September 25, 2012, 08:05:05 AM


"I am in on that as well! While waiting for a decent range to come up I solved with Front Rank Wurtemberg inf with Victrix British Marine heads "

I had the same thought too!

Hunlion
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: MadMö on September 25, 2012, 12:02:52 PM
Great!
More Photos?
Please!
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: Arthur on October 09, 2012, 01:16:59 AM
Roger's now added infantry in campaign dress to his ever-growing range of Napoleonic Poles. Most of them are variants of the previously released full dress infantry, but the officers and standard bearer are new and they're exquisite. Putty-pushing by Mr Hicks as usual :

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AY2KfG62D20/UG7OqEqiarI/AAAAAAAABNA/F5taJnf9A6c/s1600/DSC_0006.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x1IJ-BdJ8RY/UG7OuDbpQ8I/AAAAAAAABNI/zdfdeoRwUcA/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zo1xcHtJAJg/UG7O5vL3F7I/AAAAAAAABNY/lywu1-xg26s/s1600/DSC_0010.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SCsaWYsqaMY/UG7OimqIiVI/AAAAAAAABMo/okCT5cje3UM/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQD3W9jyO04/UG7PY5MyAlI/AAAAAAAABOY/RUaGuzbxArg/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG)
Title: Re: 1807-1813 Napoleonic Poles by Paul Hicks
Post by: gringo on October 09, 2012, 09:26:14 AM
lovely figures ............great paint jobs
 :)
regards
Ged

www.gringo40s.com
www.gringo40s.blogspot.com
and 28mm ranges