15mm 'ECW' ranges

[Radar]

The first of three posts concerning 15/18mm 'ECW' ranges.

This first post looks at what ranges are available, whether they are represent a modern or dated version of clothing and headwear, whether the range is 'complete' or not, and any 'exciting' packs that are available.

The 2nd and 3rd posts will involve 'hot ruler action', side by side comparison shots etc (one will look at foot figures, the other mounted figures).

Usual nonsense can be found https://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2024/03/which-figures-what-is-available.html

[Radar]

My latest entry compares foot figures side by side.

https://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2024/04/which-figures-part-2a-size-matters-foot.html

[SJWi]

Radar, many thanks for this. I game ECW in 28mm but rather weirdly am considering a skirmish force in 15mm for use with Richard  Clarke's "In the Buff" . I love the Bloody Miniatures 28mm range but the thought of painting 80+ highly detailed 28mm figures on top of my existing planned projects has left me wondering. I could individually base 15mm on washers or 1ps and have them as a "small footprint" game for use at home of even travelling. I must admit I'm coming down on the side of Peter Pig for this. 

[Radar]

You are welcome.

Lurkio have an interesting range that are headless in the pipeline (they put preview pictures on their Facebook page a month or so back).

Obviously I have thousands of PP, they really do lend themselves to block, wash and highlight painting. Of all the 15s I've painted they do seem to take a wash better than most other ranges.

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

As an avid follower of your KYPD blog, I just thoughyt I'd add the Minifigs 2nd Generation figures to your list.  These appeared in the late 1970s until the early-/mid-1980s (so between the original strips and the "current" range) and like so many 2ndGen figures were very good - if not always historically accurate - especially the horses.  Sadly, along with a lot of the other 2ndGen ranges, they were mercilessly ditched by "Da Managemint" after a few clowns accused them of having "wooden poses".  The designer/sculptor of the old 2ndGen "X" range (Renaissance, ECW, TYW) was Tom Lobley, who then went to Tabletop Games (now Alternative Armies) and added some figures that were missing from the old Minifigs range (eg Covenanter pike), before Neville Dickinson's lawyers sent him a "cease and desist" letter claiming he was copying the figures he had previously made for Minifigs!!!  Last I heard, Tom -well into his 80s - was sculpting for Early War Miniatures.....

I have a massive collection of 2ndGen Minifigs (we're talking many, many thousands at the last count in 2010, but I've added a lot more since then) and still pick up odd lots on eBay from the UK and even from the US where they were sold in bigger packs.  I cover most of the missing types with figures from the 2ndGen TYW/late Renaissance ranges and from Tabletop/Alternative, or cunning conversions - eg there are no figures in monteros (which tended to be issued "en masse" rather than picked up in singles, like floppy hats), but some careful - if laborious - work with snippers will make valuable use of all those infantry types in lobster pot helmets.  Equally, there are European figures whose hats can be trimmed down into woollen "beanies" (this doesn't work on the "Royalist musketeers in plumed hats", though).  The pikemen in tassets make good ensigns - certainly much better than the chap with the hugely anachronistic colour belt in the "Roundhead Command pack" (seriously, Tom, what were you thinking, mate?).

Until now, I have used clumsily re-based, adequately painted stuff off eBay for FoG:R competition armies, but I am starting to assemble bespoke forces using specific (if not necessarily strictly accurate) figures.  I am something of a techno-luddite, but will try to post some photos on here in due course.

[Radar]

Jings and crivens, with you on the regular readers list Baron that must be... an enormous 21 regular readers.

I did 'um' and 'ahh' about what should and shouldn't be included in the list. Mike's Models are still in production; Minifigs v1 and v2 are long gone but v3 are still in production (v1 & v2 highly unlikely), Totentanz aren't but could resurface, Warrior might be gone (fingers crossed), Naismith have gone (fingers crossed they might resurface - I'll be ordering about 20 packs of the ECW limber); Peter Laing long since gone. I have probably omitted many other ranges that have come and gone. The big question is where to draw the line?

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

Yes, sadly 2ndGen Minifigs long OOP, but still crop up from time to time on Fleabay, mostly here in the UK, but once in a while in the US (and usually in numbers worth buying).  As I say, if I ever master the technology on here I shall post some pics of completed units.  Meanwhile, keep on doing what you're doing in terms of coat colours, "scarves" (see, I'm not only regularly reading, but also - occasionally - even paying attention!) and other useful items.

[Radar]

Those of you wondering about mounted figures- https://www.keepyourpowderdry.co.uk/2024/04/which-figures-part-3a-size-matters-horse.html