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Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: George on April 26, 2022, 05:20:50 PM

Title: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: George on April 26, 2022, 05:20:50 PM
Can anyone point me towards any 28mm figures or ranges that could be used to crew sailing ships in the 16th century? I am looking for figures who could hold a tiller, or a wheel, pull a rope, and do general sailoring activities. I'm okay for gun crews.

My Google Fu has been woeful in past couple of days searching.
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: pancakeonions on April 26, 2022, 06:03:11 PM
Hmm.  Have you looked at Blood and Plunder?  The era is right, but most are "action" poses - crew preparing to fight.  They have plastic "sailor" sprues coming out that might better fit what you need, but those aren't due out until the fall of this year.   Here's a pic of that sprue: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/firelockgames/blood-and-plunder-raise-the-black/posts/3265337   Lots of swords and pistols, fewer open hands, or hands carrying ship-stuff...

BnP figures run a little tall, too.  Closer to 30-32mm (not too bad, but I notice it).

Have you looked at the Frostgrave Ghost Archipelago Crewmen?  They're a little smaller (more like 28mm), and a few more open hands - but again, lots of cutlasses, crossbows, and sundry weapons.

Sailors doing sailor stuff - that's a harder find indeed!

Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: George on April 26, 2022, 06:56:00 PM
Many thanks for the suggestions The sprue looks distinctly possible. I don't shrink from a bit  of converting, e.g. trimming weapons away, head swaps etc. but so many of the action poses just don't lend themselves to the maritime activities I want.

UPDATE: Just bought a Ghost Archipelago Crewmen sprue. I'll need to trim a few bits but on plastic that is a doddle. I'm sure I'll get something useful from them.
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: Tactalvanic on April 26, 2022, 07:10:44 PM
Not sure the scale, might be a bit off, and possible the era to, its hard to tell from the shiny pictures. eg

https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/8000-Cast-Metal-Sailor-22mm-A8000.html#SID=359

or

https://www.agesofsail.com/ecommerce/figures/25mm-sailors.html

Red box games, but seems they are 1/72 and being mis-described on some websites

https://figure.scale-model-kits.com/products/English-sailors--16-17th-century-RB72081.html

but some of them do seem to be doing sailor things rather than fighting poses..
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: Digits on April 26, 2022, 07:11:28 PM
Border Reiver Elizabethan civilians…..a couple of usable minis here me thinks?
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: George on April 26, 2022, 07:16:52 PM
Some great ideas here guys. Thank you. I'm off to look t the Border Reiver range now.
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: Digits on April 26, 2022, 07:18:58 PM
https://www.timelineminiatures.co.uk/product/br22-border-reivers-civilians-
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: Golgotha on April 26, 2022, 10:58:01 PM
https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/seadogs-and-swashbucklers

Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: George on April 26, 2022, 11:54:46 PM
Thanks Golgotha. That range and the Eureka Portuguese sailors supply most of the fighting men.
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: v_lazy_dragon on April 27, 2022, 12:04:25 PM
Some of the TAG Dutch Sea Beggars might work?
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: Paul Richardson on April 27, 2022, 12:32:40 PM
Perry Miniatures make some sailors pulling a rope, but they're in their British Napoleonic range, so completely the wrong period.
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: George on April 27, 2022, 01:44:20 PM
Those TAG figures look wonderful. Completely off my radar before your post! Very grateful lazy-dragon.
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: carlos marighela on April 27, 2022, 02:21:19 PM
Eureka make a number of sailors in their Portuguese Colonial range. Suitable for the latter half of the 16th C.
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: v_lazy_dragon on April 27, 2022, 02:21:57 PM
Those TAG figures look wonderful. Completely off my radar before your post! Very grateful lazy-dragon.
A pleasure! They fit well with the Foundry Swashbucklers
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: George on April 27, 2022, 02:44:49 PM
Carlos the Eureka figures are the bulk of my attacking forces. They are lovely figures.

Update an order of Sea Beggars from TAG is now on its way to me. With the Frostgrave figures coming too I think I now have sufficient crew for both ships. Thanks guys. You certainly helped me tremendously.
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: HerbyF on April 28, 2022, 06:41:44 AM
Redoubt Enterprises has a pirate range with a few crew figures that could work. https://www.redoubtenterprises.com/ (https://www.redoubtenterprises.com/)
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: ichwillauch on April 29, 2022, 04:55:54 PM
To build a crew for my galleons I used the bodys from the Archipelago crew or Old Gloria Landsknechts and combine them with arms from artillery kits like ACW or french napoleon. Some arm options from the archipelago sets are useful too for seamen.

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=123212.0 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=123212.0)
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=123335.0 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=123335.0)
Title: Re: Armada era ship crew - any suggestions
Post by: George on April 29, 2022, 07:07:35 PM
Oh my word ichwillauch but that is wonderful work on the ship! My skills are nothing like that level. But the Archipelago sprue arrived today and I am sure I can get useable figures doing the things I want,