My LITTLE WARS project is still developing slowly but surely, and the latest additions are some old Britain's British Infantry figures that have been repainted to represent members of one of the Rifle Regiments. I bought these figures via eBay, and they have just been delivered by the Royal Mail.
I hope to use these figures as the templates from which to create my own figures ... but this is not something that I am going to do in the very near future. In the meantime, they can serve as the basis of my first LITTLE WARS Infantry Unit.
I hope to use these figures as the templates from which to create my own figures ... but this is not something that I am going to do in the very near future. In the meantime, they can serve as the basis of my first LITTLE WARS Infantry Unit.
Hello Bob. I always look forward to reading the latest addition to your blog.
ReplyDeleteI am particularly interested in your use of a gridded battlefield. What are your views on a grid with hexagons, a grid with squares and a grid with off-set squares; what are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of grid?
What particular genres and periods are most suitable for each type of grid? Also, what particular figure scales are most suitable for each type of grid?
When you say "use them as templates to create your own" do you mean to make molds from them?
ReplyDeleteCheers
Paul
Paul,
ReplyDeleteWhat a series of questions!
Firstly, I will deal with the types of grids I prefer to use and the periods that I think that they work best with. I have used all three types of gridded playing surface you describe, and prefer hexes for more modern wargames, where battle formations tend to be less linear, and squares for most per-1914 conflicts. Of the square grids, I prefer orthogonal rather than offset grids, because the first works in both directions whereas I feel that the second only works well in one direction. However, I have fought modern battles on square grids and pre-1914 Colonial battles on hexed grids, and they have worked just as well. I suppose that my preferences are more down to aesthetic considerations than practical ones. I own a lot of hexed terrain (both Hexon II and Heroscape) but also own several differently sized square grids.
Secondly, as to what size figures work with each grid size … well I prefer to use whatever looks ‘right’. This is a very subjective point-of-view, and probably not very helpful as an answer. However, the following examples may be more enlightening:
1. I have used 20mm vehicles and figures mounted on bases with my 10cm Hexon II hexed and 3-inch squared terrain.
2. I have used 20mm individually mounted vehicles and figures with my 10cm Hexon II hexed and 3-inch squared terrain.
3. I have used 15mm vehicles and figures mounted on bases with my 10cm Hexon II hexed and 3-inch squared terrain.
4. I have used 15mm individually mounted figures with my 10cm Hexon II hexed and 3-inch squared terrain.
5. I have used 15mm individually mounted figures with my Heroscape hexed terrain.
6. I have used 15mm figures mounted on bases with my 1-inch squared terrain (i.e. my portable wargame).
What I have not done as yet is to use any smaller or large scale figures.
Not a particularly definitive set of answers, but I hope that they are of some assistance to you.
All the best,
Bob
Paul's Bods,
ReplyDeleteWhat I was thinking of doing was using modelling clay to make my own dolls to cast from, but to use these figures as a guide to size and style.
I suppose that I could make moulds from the figures I have bought, but I am not sure of the legality of doing that. I am not sure that if one used a figure manufactured by someone else as the basis of a doll that was significantly altered from the original (e.g. new headgear and/or added equipment), and cast figures from that, you are breaking copyright? If you are doing so for your own purposes, that might just be legal, but if you were doing it to sell the ‘new’ figures, it would probably not be.
Too many tough questions for me to answer, I am afraid … so I would take legal advice before going down that route.
All the best,
Bob
hello bob, what do you mean by templates. im doing something like you, i recently did a set of p.o.rifles
ReplyDeleteby the wat if you use 54mm for wargames then all my figures are based on a wargame
ReplyDeletethe figures are not under copyright, dorsets entire range is more or less moulded from hill and britains and no one gives a monkeys.so do your moulds, you'll have to do the first by hand iof you are doing hollow cast though
ReplyDeleteFixed Metal Bayonet Soldiers,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments.
I was not sure whether or not the figures were in copyright, but if - as you say - Dorset and others are making modified copies of Britains and Hill originals, there would seem no reason why I should not do the same (although I do not intend to sell whatever figures I cast; they will be for my personal use only).
My figures will be solid and not hollow cast as I do not know how to make the latter.
All the best,
Bob