ECW and TYW Miniatures size comparison

[WillPhillips]

Hi guys, new to the forum - and returning to mini gaming after a solid 15 years plus.

I'm getting into the pike and shot era in 6mm and have gone with Baccus and Microworld minis.

Here's a comparison on how those to lines fit together.

My apologies for being a poor photographer!

[Codsticker]

As I have recently received some minis from both Bicorne and Avanpost I thought I would line up what I have for a comparison pic:

WG- Warlord Games
PR- Perry's
AV- Avanpost
OG- Old Glory
1st- 1st Corp
BC- Bicorne
WG*- Warlord Games plastic

Missing are Redoubt, Empress and TAG (in the post...).

[TheDilfy]

As I have recently received some minis from both Bicorne and Avanpost I thought I would line up what I have for a comparison pic:

WG- Warlord Games
PR- Perry's
AV- Avanpost
OG- Old Glory
1st- 1st Corp
BC- Bicorne
WG*- Warlord Games plastic

Missing are Redoubt, Empress and TAG (in the post...).

@Codsticker did you get the Redoubt, Empress and TAG minis via the post? It would be great to complete the pic above 

[Codsticker]

Sadly, Redoubt haven't showed up yet. The TAG figures are mounted and the one Empress I have is the drover from the oxen team.

[owaincaesarius]

As a matter of interest anyone got any thoughts on Warlord and Eureka's Montrose/Scots figures as a comparison?

[TheDilfy]

As a matter of interest anyone got any thoughts on Warlord and Eureka's Montrose/Scots figures as a comparison?

I second this but can we add the Bicorne and TAG Scots in as well for a good comparison? I've looked at the Bicorne Scots on line and they seem different to the other Bicorne ECW figures especially the foot    it's as if a different sculptor did them 

[Captain Blood]

I've looked at the Bicorne Scots on line and they seem different to the other Bicorne ECW figures especially the foot    it's as if a different sculptor did them 

A different sculptor did. The lion's share of the Bicorne ECW range was sculpted by Nick Collier (along with the Renegade ECW range, round about the same time).
Most of the core infantry, horse and dragoon packs, and the early codes in things like command packs and artillery crew packs, were done by Collier.
However, I think the Scots, most of the personality figures, and a few of the later cavalry and command pack codes, plus some gun crews and a couple of the pike packs, were done by other sculptors - principally Alan Marsh. The style is not the same. Nowhere near as good, TBH.
There are also a few suspected 'Frankenstein' codes - where Collier-sculpted dollies or heads have been assembled and adapted into additional packs by other hands... So you have to be careful.

It would have been helpful for Bicorne to make clear on their website (which they've just redone incidentally) who is the sculptor of which pack. But to be fair to the current owners, they've only been in charge for the last few years, so it's entirely possible they don't actually know who sculpted which pack back in the day. Bit of a mess unfortunately... 

[Blackwolf]

As a matter of interest anyone got any thoughts on Warlord and Eureka's Montrose/Scots figures as a comparison?

The Eureka figures are tiny,Warlord okay a bit fantasy 

[Sparrow]

The Warlord Highlander figures are, indeed, “a bit fantasy” (and I think that’s being very diplomatic!).

In many periods the bulk of manufacturers and their customers place great emphasis on the historical accuracy of sculpts (eg Napoleonics, Ancients, WW2) significant effort is placed in the use of research etc. and getting it right. For some reason, as soon as one looks at the mid C17th (and ECW in particular) it’s quickly apparent that many manufacturers don’t give a stuff about the history and turn out the most bizarre sculpts that bear absolutely no relation to known historical fact. Equally bizarre is the wad of ECW rules that are clearly so poorly researched (if researched at all?) that do not even try to portray mid C17th warfare. Clearly there is a market for this or manufacturers would not produce and sell them?

 Why, therefore, is the ECW considered by wargamers to be different to other periods?

[TheDilfy]

The Warlord Highlander figures are, indeed, “a bit fantasy” (and I think that’s being very diplomatic!).

In many periods the bulk of manufacturers and their customers place great emphasis on the historical accuracy of sculpts (eg Napoleonics, Ancients, WW2) significant effort is placed in the use of research etc. and getting it right. For some reason, as soon as one looks at the mid C17th (and ECW in particular) it’s quickly apparent that many manufacturers don’t give a stuff about the history and turn out the most bizarre sculpts that bear absolutely no relation to known historical fact. Equally bizarre is the wad of ECW rules that are clearly so poorly researched (if researched at all?) that do not even try to portray mid C17th warfare. Clearly there is a market for this or manufacturers would not produce and sell them?

 Why, therefore, is the ECW considered by wargamers to be different to other periods?

I believe this needs a forum topic all of its own and I reckon a welcome debate from all no doubt. 

[TheDilfy]

A different sculptor did. The lion's share of the Bicorne ECW range was sculpted by Nick Collier (along with the Renegade ECW range, round about the same time).
Most of the core infantry, horse and dragoon packs, and the early codes in things like command packs and artillery crew packs, were done by Collier.
However, I think the Scots, most of the personality figures, and a few of the later cavalry and command pack codes, plus some gun crews and a couple of the pike packs, were done by other sculptors - principally Alan Marsh. The style is not the same. Nowhere near as good, TBH.
There are also a few suspected 'Frankenstein' codes - where Collier-sculpted dollies or heads have been assembled and adapted into additional packs by other hands... So you have to be careful.

It would have been helpful for Bicorne to make clear on their website (which they've just redone incidentally) who is the sculptor of which pack. But to be fair to the current owners, they've only been in charge for the last few years, so it's entirely possible they don't actually know who sculpted which pack back in the day. Bit of a mess unfortunately... 

Captain Blood many blessings to you and yours. Thank you, thank you. You've just stopped me making a mistake in terms of getting the look and feel right for my less than homogeneous French-Savoyard Thirty Years War Army 

[Ye Kings Musketeer]

I'm a new arrival to this site.

I ended up here because after 24 years of buying my first miniatures I now at last seem to have gethered the courage to have a go at painting them.

Back in the day I traveled to the UK to buy my armies directly from ESSEX miniatures. Good that the option of internet purchase no longer makes such journeys necessary.

I recently checked to see if ESSEX still exists, they do, but to my surprised they don't seem to do ECW figures anymore.
Is this why you haven't got them in the line up?

Can someone explain to me why companies make some mounted units with the horse and rider as one piece, while they also produce them as  seperate figures.

There must be a point to this, but I fail to see it.

[SquadPainter]

It's great to hear that you are going to try painting your figures! The first few might not meet your expectations, but you'll get better the more you do! Just like anything else, repetition yields improvement.

As for the horses with and without cast riders, I think that comes down to modeler preference.

• Some people like painting the rider on the horse, some like painting them separate
• Some like the rider sculpt, but prefer a different manufacturer's horse

I just recently ordered a full set of Bloody Miniatures' ECW figures and they are fantastic! I couldn't be happier. The sculpts are so characterful. They look great next to my Bicorne's and metal Warlord figures... and my plastic Warlords that have metal washers hidden under them.

[Codsticker]

I was just scrolling through this thread and I noticed a lack of cavalry comparisons here so i thought I would show what I have lined up head to tail.


From left to right we have: TAG (from the Pappenheim and staff blister), Warfare miniatures (troopers with hats and swords), Bicorne (Cuirassier), Warlord Games (plastic generic cavalry), Perry's (mounted dragoon), Avanpost (resin mounted dragoon).

I also have some Horcata mounted figures butI forgot to include one  however you can see one beside Warlord Games King Charles (both are on Front Rank horses) here:

[Atheling]

Are the Bicorne/Renegade Horses sculpted by the same guy who did the original Artizan Designs before North Star Nick started distributing for them?

They do have a similar feel to them: