Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => Topic started by: Sinewgrab on October 27, 2009, 05:45:16 AM
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I have often found the lead of the LAF members to be very helpful. For 28mm figures, what would be my best choices for troops if I were collecting the following:
1: French. I often think of the post-Napoleonic French as being a great 'bad guy' in VSF, as they are desperately trying regain that strong posture.
2: British. A classic VSF group...
3: and finally, Chinese.
I ran my first Valor and Steel And Flesh game this last weekend, and while I have half-finished Red Martians, and less-finished Green Martians, as well as a faction we are calling desert raider Martians (using Star Wars Tusken Raiders, and Bantha with small cannon on their backs), I need to gather together more normal human factions to battle the forces of Free Norway. One of the people I railroaded into playing with me as a playtest (I am going to be putting the game on in November for a local historical group that is willing to branch out) mentioned he thought a group Imperial Chinese that fled to Mars after the Boxer Rebellion would be an interesting faction to play - and I agree.
So the point I am getting to with my babbling is which ones do you recommend for the factions above? They need to fit well with Brigade Models Belgians (who I used for my Norwegians, and fit quite well sizewise with GW Guard, actually). Your experience is invaluable and desired.
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For Chinese that would fit well size wise with the brigade figs, I suspect the Redoubt Boxer Rebellion range is your best bet.
For Brits, the best currently are Empress (imho) and they should also fit well, though they are slightly slimmer in sculpting style.
For French, don't Brigade do a range of foreign legion types? They'd fit best with other Brigade figs.
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Actually, I'm mixing Brigade Models and Brigade Games there. Not sure of size/heft on the Brigade Models figs, sorry. I suspect Empress is still best for the Brits though.
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I'm not sure how Brigade Games figures compare with other ranges but there's a couple of options for the French. Parroom sell French Foreign Legion types with gasmasks/breathing masks as do Warrior Miniatures in their Over the Wire range; both are closer to true 25mm. There's also the Renegade Early WWI French, they are on the large side but their equipment and look gives them a meaty VSF look in my opinion.
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I am using Perry's Sudan British for my VSF.
But I do like the look of the empress ones.
For Chinese I have Foundry and Copplestone (BOB) for some characters, so far.
I have been looking for Chinese troops with modern rifles but still traditionally dressed but I have not found anything suitable yet.
I seen a lot of very nice figures at the weekend (Still to post pictures of the battle) and Redoubt seemed very popular for the British.
Have you tried Eureka, they have loads of VSF stuff.
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Ironclad do some French, but I'm not sure if they encapsulate the post-Napoleonic feel that you are after. Failing that look at other peoples suggestions or perhaps use a historical line.
Brits - wow there's a huge range out there. It depends on what era, terrain and feel that you are looking to do. Foundry, Empress, Brigade Games, Ironclad, HLBSC, Perry, Redoubt etc etc.
Chinese - I'd go historical maybe with a few Scheltrum Miniatures thrown in to give it some flavour. Scheltrum do a couple of VSF style packs such as Swooping Dragons (Kite travelling with hand weapons), Richeous Fists, and the Wheelbarrow of Doom.
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Those Scheltrum kite troops are a great idea but awful sculpts.
Oh, and.......
(http://www.pdc-sleeves.com/images/EvianBottle.jpg)
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So, if I am reading this right, I should look at:
French - Brigade Games, Renegade, Foundry
British - Empress, Perry,
Chinese - Redoubt, Foundry, Copplestone, Scheltrum
Excellent. I have never looked at the Empress figures before. I'll have to take a gander.
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Sorry it might be a silly question but you have looked at this sticky?
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=8146.msg91549#msg91549 (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=8146.msg91549#msg91549)
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Perry figures are rather small, and would not fit in well wih Brigades. I think redoubt's British should fit in well, though.
For the French, I would reccomend Dixon's FFL range, they should fit in fairly nicely.
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For Chinese I have quite a few. Very into the Boxer rebellion. Foundery has a nice range, a little early. Old glory makes a good Boxer range for a really good price. Pulp figures does some excelent Chinese in their Yangzee gangs range. Redoubt are good too. Also look at tong figures there are a couple of companies that make those too. Askari Figures do some nice French too.
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Sorry it might be a silly question but you have looked at this sticky?
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=8146.msg91549#msg91549 (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=8146.msg91549#msg91549)
I had, but there is a difference between available and best to me - and the firsthand recommendations of this group have come to mean a lot to me. Frighteningly, I find your opinions worth hearing.
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For Chinese I have quite a few. Very into the Boxer rebellion. Foundery has a nice range, a little early. Old glory makes a good Boxer range for a really good price. Pulp figures does some excelent Chinese in their Yangzee gangs range. Redoubt are good too. Also look at tong figures there are a couple of companies that make those too. Askari Figures do some nice French too.
Pulp Figures Chinese would fit alright? I was under the impression they would be too late...Speaking of Pulp Figures, are his German Seebattalion too late for VSF? I think they would be fairly nifty for German Air Navy.
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...are his German Seebattalion too late for VSF?
Nah, they're fine. They're from the last decade or so of the 19th and first one of the 20th Century. So they slip into the VSF timeframe just in time for last orders at the bar (Vicky kicked the bucket in 1901).
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As far as the pulp figures go most of the tong figures will work great. The Chinese army stuff is later. Just avoid the tong figures with tommy guns, any thing with bolt action rifles or hand weapons work fine.
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Sinewgrab, you can have an up close look at my Pulp Figures Chinese when I get through the mess of moving to my Dad's house, just for guaging size. I know you must have looked at the pictures of the Pulp Figures Chinese on the company website.
For French, don't overlook lines of Franco-Prussian War figures. For the historically challenged, that's 1870. Also French in Mexico in the 1860's. From Crimean War through early WW1 the French generally wore dark blue coats and red pants and kepis. There were different uniforms for marines and forces sent out to the colonies though. So you could feel free to have some different looking French. Old Glory has some French marines in sun helmet in the Boxer Rebellion line, and I'm not sure if Old Glory has a Franco-Prussian War line. If you want to go higher class, Foundry has a Franco-Prussian War line, as best I recall, and some French in Mexico. If you wanted to go more exotic, you could send some of France's North and West African colonial troops to Mars. Some Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians, and Senegalese Tiraillers and cavalry would spice things up.
If you want to try a British force in a VSF game, I've got about 50 or so painted and based late 19th Century British in khaki, about 38 foot and the rest officers and artillery crew, along with 3 cannon and a couple of gatling guns.
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Sinewgrab, you can have an up close look at my Pulp Figures Chinese when I get through the mess of moving to my Dad's house, just for guaging size. I know you must have looked at the pictures of the Pulp Figures Chinese on the company website.
For French, don't overlook lines of Franco-Prussian War figures. For the historically challenged, that's 1870. Also French in Mexico in the 1860's. From Crimean War through early WW1 the French generally wore dark blue coats and red pants and kepis. There were different uniforms for marines and forces sent out to the colonies though. So you could feel free to have some different looking French. Old Glory has some French marines in sun helmet in the Boxer Rebellion line, and I'm not sure if Old Glory has a Franco-Prussian War line. If you want to go higher class, Foundry has a Franco-Prussian War line, as best I recall, and some French in Mexico. If you wanted to go more exotic, you could send some of France's North and West African colonial troops to Mars. Some Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians, and Senegalese Tiraillers and cavalry would spice things up.
If you want to try a British force in a VSF game, I've got about 50 or so painted and based late 19th Century British in khaki, about 38 foot and the rest officers and artillery crew, along with 3 cannon and a couple of gatling guns.
I will take you up on that, Warren. If you aren't careful, I'll build you some small aeronefs and make you start playing V&S&F.
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Perry figures are rather small, and would not fit in well wih Brigades. I think redoubt's British should fit in well, though.
For the French, I would reccomend Dixon's FFL range, they should fit in fairly nicely.
Actually, they are not as small as many people assume. Here is a pic of a Copplestone on the left and Perry on the right:
(http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr255/the_gluteus_maximus/th_DSCF1471-1-1.jpg)
When I bought them, I thought I'd have to keep them in separate units, but now I think they should work mixed in together :D
Mind you, they are too small to use in the same unit as Redoubt, so maybe they would not be compatible with Brigade?
So, if I am reading this right, I should look at:
French - Brigade Games, Renegade, Foundry
British - Empress, Perry,
Chinese - Redoubt, Foundry, Copplestone, Scheltrum
Excellent. I have never looked at the Empress figures before. I'll have to take a gander.
Sinewgrab, I think you could happily use some of the Copplestone range with your British forces, eg the Officer types, Naval Brigade and Sikhs. Also, should you wish to do Germans [natural enemies of the French ;) ], the Copplestone figures are also very nice.
There are also some nice "Chinese Pirates" in the Foundry Pirate range which mix in well with Foundry and Redoubt 19thC Boxers.