Empress Miniatures Italian LMG's

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

Today we have released the 28mm Abyssinian Invasion version of our Italian LMG teams. The pack contains two light machinegun teams armed with the Breda30.



Please come and say high if you are at Salute. We are on stand TA26. All pre orders for Salute will guarantee we have what you want..

[rob_alderman]

Look's great! 

[Boggler]

These are really lovely figures.

Every time I look at the range I think about what I could do with them (apart from Abyssinia, of course) and come back to the Back of Beyond.

In the BoB campaign I ran at the local club I re-wrote the Dinosaur Hunter list for a player who wanted to use some FFL figures he had, so came up with the idea of a French Trans Asia expedition using Citroen Kegresse half tracks (which actually happened apart from the FFL escort)

You could easily do the same with the Italians.

It would be a good excuse to use the Empress colonial infantry anyway 

[carlos marighela]

These are really lovely figures.

Every time I look at the range I think about what I could do with them (apart from Abyssinia, of course) and come back to the Back of Beyond.

In the BoB campaign I ran at the local club I re-wrote the Dinosaur Hunter list for a player who wanted to use some FFL figures he had, so came up with the idea of a French Trans Asia expedition using Citroen Kegresse half tracks (which actually happened apart from the FFL escort)

You could easily do the same with the Italians.

Read Saul Kelly's The Hunt for Zerzura for inspiration. Lost Oases, lost armies,  the cast of The English Patient etc.

It would be a good excuse to use the Empress colonial infantry anyway 

[rob_alderman]

Is this for the early 20th century Abyssinian invasion? I would really like to see the 1st Ethopian Invasion of the late 19th century.

I have seen a few companies do it, but not at Empress minis quality...

[Plynkes]

Is this for the early 20th century Abyssinian invasion?

1935-36.

[rob_alderman]

Aww man. 

However, I could convert them, because I only want that range for VSF!!! 

[Plynkes]

I really don't think it is worth the conversion.

1890s


1930s



Other than the Italian underneath the clothes, they aren't really all that similar. I think you'd be better off starting from some other early colonial figures if you have conversion in mind. VSF or not, for my money that is stretching it a bit. Not to mention the fact that the concept of a light machine gun doesn't really fit in an era where MGs were hauled around on artillery carriages, even a Sci-Fi version of it. For me it would be like using WWII Tommies with Bren guns in VSF and saying they were "close enough."

But of course, each to his own. It's purely my personal opinion. 

[M Blakey]

really struggling to resist  but great set really like the chap just lying down just pointing out the enemy ozzing with charcter. likewise with every other miniature empress and Mr hicks have done very impressed once again.

salute 2010 is going to be soo expensive 

[Christian]

Other than the Italian underneath the clothes, they aren't really all that similar.

Haha!

[archangel1]

Nice figures, ladies! Not being one of my periods, however, I'd like to ask what may be a dumb question.  Could you use these chaps for the early Desert War? Although I love Italian armour, I know next to nothing about the uniforms of the period.

[commissarmoody]

Nice figures, ladies! Not being one of my periods, however, I'd like to ask what may be a dumb question.  Could you use these chaps for the early Desert War? Although I love Italian armour, I know next to nothing about the uniforms of the period.

Desert War? what is this

[Plynkes]

Could you use these chaps for the early Desert War?

Now that is much less of a stretch than what Rob wants to do...



And they look as good for getting kicked out of Abyssinia as they do for conquering it in the first place, as well...



 

[commissarmoody]

Oh ok WW2 Africa

[James Morris]

I knew what you meant by 'Desert War'!   I'm planning to use my 1935-6 Italians for WW2 1940-1 in East/North Africa as well at some point.  The actual campaign to remove the Italians from Abyssinia looks very interesting, as the attacking forces are a fascinating mix of British, South Africans, Indians and locals.

As Plynkes has said, these guys don't work at all for Italians in Abyssinia 1885-96.  However, most of the tribal Ethiopians will do (if you're willing to overlook the odd 20th century rifle). You won't find a better Ethiopian commander model than the Empress Ras. I'm working on expanding my 1930s Ethiopians backwards in time to fight the Italians in the 1890s, using some additional minis from Castaway Arts in Australia.  While not quite on the same par as Paul Hicks' sculpts, they are nice, cleanly cast models which mix in well enough.