Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Kommando_J on 04 October 2015, 03:38:56 PM
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I'm sure some of you know my thoughts on this matter but I wanted to here the denizens of lead adventures on thoughts on the matter.
Separate heads on miniatures; Yes or No? And why?
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YEAH! so easy to make the same model look totally different very easy!
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If the sculptor and manufacturer can pull it off convincingly (e.g. Crooked Dice), I'm all for it. I usually prefer a good "monobloc" sculpt to look as natural as possible within the restrictions of wargaming figurines, but well-done separate heads allow for some simple pose varieties and conversion potential.
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If they fit properly and the person putting them together can manage to do so in a natural manner then yes, why not, variety is a good thing. I have separate head figures from Red Star, WF and Perry. No complaints about any of them.
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I love separate heads as they're an easy and economic way to get variety into a force comprising of only a few different figures.
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If the sculptor and manufacturer can pull it off convincingly (e.g. Crooked Dice), I'm all for it. I usually prefer a good "monobloc" sculpt to look as natural as possible within the restrictions of wargaming figurines, but well-done separate heads allow for some simple pose varieties and conversion potential.
I can agree with this, I prefer one piece(keep losing the heads) but I have to say if I saw separate heads well done I might change, the warlord stuff imo often looks extremity ugly.
One thing that confuses me is that there seems to be no rhyme or reason, for instance the new Polish command is separate head...but the rest of the range is not so you'd be chopping them up anyway, or the Polish 10th Brigade box set, all the figures apart from the nco are separate head...which also makes little sense as the heads would not be suitable for any other miniature as only that unit used that type of helmet.
Or take for example the kreigsmarine squad, it's stats are poor and it's a metal squad, I doubt most people will ever buy more than a squad, and some of the heads in the squad are not usable with any other miniatures in the german range or even other miniatures in the squad, the two officer heads clearly go with the officer bodies and would look odd being put on the grunts.
Or the reverse, the luftwaffe squad is all fixed heads although being able to swap around the heads would make more sense in this squad.
I know I sound ranty but this is my feelings on the matter, what say anyone else? Am I making sense or..?
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separate heads ? not so sure, but alternative heads such as the one produced by the Perry's Yes Yes Yes ! Michael we need alternative heads for the WW2 French ! ;)
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Yes alternative heads I'd much prefer (especially as perry heads are so small) I think the alternative hat system that Perry and Warlord do is ingenious, even if the hat gets lost the miniatures is till usable.
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Having a hole to fit the head securely into is a good thing. It's far better than having to drill and pin heads or just rely on the adhesive qualities of super glue. Less of a problem with plastic figures and plastic glue of course.
I know a sculptor who isn't at all keen on separate heads.Not for any innate sculpting issues but that half the cack-handed bastards out there seem to to stick them at odd angles,out of alignment with rifle sights etc,etc. I can see his point.Hardly worth spending time and money on good quality sculpts if they are going to end up look like a platoon's worth of Old Glory contortionists.
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Having alternate heads to affix on the body after removing the original head is the way to go.
You soon get your confidence to do this and its rewarding at the same time.
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carlos, sorry to say that but heads are not the main problem ... a lot of the plastic platoons i see looks like some kind of cartoon contortionists, ( i don't want to be rude with handicapped persons ) and it's not just the head :D
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I must admit, that the crooked dice head options always look nice, and look like they fit well. I might have to give them a whirl someday...
However, overall unless they are part of a plastic kit, NO to seperate heads and while we are at it no to separately cast wafer thin swords that bend if I breathe on them, and even separate metal arms that DONT ACTUALLY just fit on as the nature of white metal is those sort of parts are never quite right.
Having said this, it is good that companies provide the option for those who want them- I was particularly pleased when Curteys bought out their knights ones, because it expands the options for my plastic fireforge knights.
Oh and I am very much in favour of sculptors not sending unfinished sculpts to the casters...
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I'm in agreement with the concept of giving people the option to convert with additional heads.
I'm somewhat lazy I don't want to be sat about fiddling with separate heads on a neck join that will look awful no matter the angle the head is on(warlord games waffen ss i'm looking in your direction).
If I am inspired ill do the conversions myself and would far rather go old school as I find especially with separate heads with the hole are ugly and hard to keep on as they can be impossible to pin in some cases(warlord Prince Napoleon I would be looking at you but your head went missing a while ago...).
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Yes, I really like them, but only if they are well made and cast!
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I'm following this with interest as I have this dilemma with some ranges I'm commissioning. Can't decide to have totally separate heads or just provide some alternates that can be diy conversions...
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I love having the option (MoFo Falklands range is a good example), even if it's separate additional head packs for converting solid cast figures.
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'Alternate heads' for me; most 20th C figures will be wearing a helmet in combat, or at least the same type of headwear. Changing a few heads seems less work than attaching every head. If I need a whole unit in different headwear, removing the heads is the quick part of the process.
The issue of part X only being usable with figure A etc., is just ridiculous; except when the option allows a more dynamic figure than the moulding process can produce, which is not usually an issue with heads.
Given that we are talking one company in particular here in the main in that respect though, I imagine I would prefer not to use their heads in the first place anyway... or often the bodies that go with them too. Seriously... some of a certain company's figures have faces even their mothers' couldn't bring themselves to love.
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I love having the option (MoFo Falklands range is a good example), even if it's separate additional head packs for converting solid cast figures.
Yup work well for me, Empress have some great sets too for Colonial and in their SCW range
If the ranges are built or rather miniatures with head swaps in mind it can work very well indeed. When Doing VBCW SCW, Perry, Footsore were very easy to head swap using the ranges above and some select WW1 from Gripping beast
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'Alternate heads' for me; most 20th C figures will be wearing a helmet in combat, or at least the same type of headwear. Changing a few heads seems less work than attaching every head. If I need a whole unit in different headwear, removing the heads is the quick part of the process.
The issue of part X only being usable with figure A etc., is just ridiculous; except when the option allows a more dynamic figure than the moulding process can produce, which is not usually an issue with heads.
Given that we are talking one company in particular here in the main in that respect though, I imagine I would prefer not to use their heads in the first place anyway... or often the bodies that go with them too. Seriously... some of a certain company's figures have faces even their mothers' couldn't bring themselves to love.
While I'd agree my comments are aimed mostly at one company tbh i've seen the problem elsewhere especially with some modern ranges, the separate head gives the whole model a weird ''lollipop head'', warlord gets more flack as it's cartoonish style somewhat compounds the problem.
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De rigeur for plastics as far as I'm concerned - the joys of approximately 70 different Perry plastic medieval heads to mix and match cannot be overstated.
For metals - not so much.
Separate heads do not always seem to be well executed - and I include Westwind in this, and even (shock, horror, and very sorry to say it) the Perry metal late medieval European Army heads. They're just not that good. And they never seem to sit quite right.
Conversely, I've used the Pig Iron separate heads for rebels and ferals, and they're great. I agree the Crooked Dice ones always look perfect too, as do the Statuesque heads.
Ultimately I guess it comes down - like most things - to how good the execution is.
In principle I think it's a good idea, but my experience with separate heads in metal has been very mixed. Some good, some not so good.
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Ultimately I guess it comes down - like most things - to how good the execution is.
In principle I think it's a good idea, but my experience with separate heads in metal has been very mixed. Some good, some not so good.
This for me too - regardless of the material.
Another issue with separate heads is that unless they have been designed to suit a specific kit or range of models, it can be infuriatingly hard to get the right size heads.
Since the head/face of most human figures is usually the focus, it's easy to tell if they're not quite right - and doubly so when (as humans) we are especially good at picking out irregularities in proportion in representations of ourselves.
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Separate heads forever! Of course well done!
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Saw this on the wargames illustrated website, a prime example of why I think separate head are a no no(although these are warlords Napoleonic).
The neck join is so ugly, not worth the convenience of swapping heads, cutting them off with a fine saw would probably be easier/less ugly.
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Those plastic figures look fine, but the metal ones are atrocious.
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Exactly, just why would would you have the join below the collar!?
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And to even up the ledger. You have Hasslefree, FNG (ex Redstar), Empress etc, etc, none of which seem to cause any complaint. the biggest problem is always the muppet putting them together.