Blue Moon's 18mm Africa - some details

[FifteensAway]

So, I had a chance to look at the list of what's coming out but not yet announced, at least what a local hobby shop has on its list, and here it is (including what's already on their web site):

Eleven different tribes (1-11)
(six different shields)
Askari Tribe
Pygmy Tribe (yee-hah!)
Witch Doctors/Chieftains
Tribesmen in Canoes (cool)
African Villagers (really cool!)
Jungle Man, Missionaries, Explorers, Victims, and Other White Folks
Great White Hunters
Porters
Men and Women Adventurers
Village #1
Village #2
Village #3
Tarzan's Rocky Abode

No idea when this stuff will be available but I'm saving my pennies and anxious to see it released to make my buying decisions.

There also look to be some potentially useful figures in the Horror range, or I hope so anyway (16 packs of figures in total but I'm only going to list the ones I think might be useful for colonial gaming):

Mummies, Archaelogists, Explorers, Egyptian Villagers
Angry Villagers
Headless Horseman, Sleepy Hollow Townfolk, Ichabod Crane (villagers for earlier colonial era perhaps)
Jack the Ripper, Victims, Bobbies, London Townsfolk
 
Not so sure of the usefulness of these but there are also Old Hags and Witches, Holy Priests and Nuns, and Assorted Creatures Pack.  There just might be some useful bits in that last lot, will have to wait and see.  Besides the buildings already released there is a castle which should make some people happy, 6 London Buildings which should make a lot of people happy, and an Egyptian Town which should make a lot of the people on this part of the forum really happy, also a graveyard and a couple of Sleepy Hollow items under the buildings and terrain category.

Really, really looking forward to when these ranges are fully available - especially if they go ahead and add the beasties for Africa.

All I ask is you get in line behind me so I get what I want from the first batch of releases!   

[Smokeyrone]

Great, save for they went with the 18mm.   

What am I gonna do?  Discard all the 15m  terrain and figures I have painstakenly painted and built, to start a new scale?

Heartbroken, is what I am.  Heartbroken.

[answer_is_42]

Doesn't Black Hat do a range of VSF figures in 18mm? Could go well with them, I suppose.
Still, the 18mm idea does seem a bit odd, all the same...

[Smokeyrone]

A market share strategy that pisses me off.   

Love Blue Moon and Old Glory, and Russ and Scott, Aaron and all, NEVER had a critical word for them or their products ever, until now.

DA is all about TSATF 15mm enthusiasts, who have gotten by picking and converting, and were just waiting for these lines.

The only thing I can use now are all my trees and jungle terrain.

Maybe my outrage is all for naught, they may be compatible with Essex, OG and other 15mm Colonials?  (Fingers crossed)

[FifteensAway]

Calm thyself, the 18 mm works with most ranges - only if you are burdened with the smallest of the 15 mm figures need you worry.  Yes, they are somewhat larger than other ranges but not impossibly so.  Besides, people and beasts come in different sizes.  My herd of American bison is made of many different manufacturers beasts and is more diverse as a result.  You see too much problem when what you should be seeing is the opportunity.  Just think of this - without Blue Moon you have to scavenge all over the place for an inadequate collection of figures to do this period; with Blue Moon - and the lovely new Irregular range that is a nice complement - you can do not only as well as the 28 MM gamers can do this period but you can do it better with more figures at a lower cost and a commensurate increase in the size of your table relative to the size of your figures.

So, revel and enjoy and let go of your lament.   

[Smokeyrone]

Your words give me strength.

[efredbar]

Glad to see the Askari.

I hope they're gonna do some conventional forces eventually...British, German and French at least.

The figures are great.

I'm putting the finishing touches on some to take pictures of.

They are a little different...more slender, taller...than Irregular. Of course when it comes to villagers, porters and irregular forces it's not that big of a deal to me and I'm pretty anal about size.

Rebel Minis and Irregulars are perfect matches...style and size...for one another.

[FifteensAway]

You know, I just bought a bunch of stuff from Rebel during their recent sale and also have my Irregular order - I'll have to pull them out tomorrow and compare them.  Seemed to be similar in size.  From poverty of choice we're getting wealthy for this period.

[FifteensAway]

Here is a link to a TMP posting showing comparison shots of Irregular's Africa colonial figures, Blue Moon pirate figures (I don't have their African figures yet), and Rebel Minis pulp figures - all in 15/18 mm of course.

Thought some of you might like to see this.

http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=237855

[efredbar]

One of the natives I've attempted to paint as an Azande.



Comparison pics of Irregular, Blue Moon and a Rebel Mini.  I added the fez to the Rebel Mini...it's a maybe a little tall.



The pictures not great...camera is great for taking pictures under water but everything it takes looks like it's underwater...but the comparison is pretty good.



A raggedy little river boat I'm building. I think I'm gonna give it extra speed and fire power but it'll run the risk of completely breaking down every other turn.

[Smokeyrone]

YESSSS!  Thanks for the comparison pics, guys!   They will work.

Back to lovin' Blue Moon! 

 

[Stu]

How will they fit with 20mm plastic? I'm thinking of the HaT WW1 Africa range (when it eventually comes out)

[FifteensAway]

Stu,

I compared a Blue Moon to plastic and the Blue Moon figure's top just reaches the shoulder of the 1/72 scale figure.  So, no, I don't see them working.  I know there was a lot of noise early on about them being close to that scale but my best guess is that came from people who didn't have an actual point of reference - they were just guessing (to be polite about it).

[FifteensAway]

efredbar,

Nice paint jobs, especially like the guy in the sun helmet.  And thanks for posting some actually painted figures - and appropriate ones to boot.

[Stu]

Thanks for that, I'll still keep an eye on the range.