Anyone else feed up with WW2?

[Bluesking]

Am I in the minority, or is there still a majority out there wanting WW2 Germans?

I wish major manufacturers could look to other conflicts/armies for inpiration for a change.

Surely it's time to give them a rest.

 

[Brent Fordham]

For aircraft modelling, my preference is hugely slanted towards WW2 props, any participant. But for figures, I have never had much interest in the WW2 era. I don't know why this is, but it's always been the way my modelling tastes have been.

 

[Bluesking]

Funny in aircraft I loved WW1 stuff. Still have a load I did about 20 years ago.

 

[KeithP]

I think I am going to just leave this one alone....

Keith

 

[Pete_H]

Bluesking,
I hate to break the news to you, but they are (arguably) the best selling figures out there. Why? Because of the armor hobby. Besides, similar arguments can be made about other historical periods - Romans, medievals, and Napoleonics to name a few. It's just a question of personal choice: if you don't like them, then don't buy them.

 

[BigDaddy]

Well, I wasn't going to add my 2 cents, but I've got big shoulders, or I will blame any problems on Pete

I paint a few germans. To me, they have an attraction of a multitude of uniform styles, theaters of conflicts, and unsual vehicles. That's it. I have painted a few GI's- which I enjoy, and if there were more subjects available, I would certainly build em and paint em.

I have been building models for about 40 years, and they have always been a top seller. They will probably continue too.

There are so many other subjects, so if you don't like them, or they are not your cup of tea, pick something else. Same if you like them and get tired of painting that subject. That's the beauty of the hobby- selection.


Matt

 

[Craig B]

I would love to see some non-german WW2 subjects but whether it's just the scuptors not feeling inspired enough or the manufacturers not feeling the demand from us.

I could do with alot more commonwealth airborne subjects although I know their use was not as wide as many others.

 

[Roc]

Hello Stephen, albeit I have never painted WWII figures, I have seen some beautifully painted ones,and have been inspired by some of them.
In my opinion, WWII is a very interesting period in history.

Cheers

Roc.

 

[Pete_H]

Originally posted by Craig B@Feb 10 2005, 10:33 PM
I could do with alot more commonwealth airborne subjects although I know their use was not as wide as many others.

Dude, all you have to do is take some stock British para figures and make some very minor conversions to them, namely in insignia. I'm pretty sure that almost every commonwealth or non-U.S. airborne unit (off the top of my head - Canadian, Free French, & Polish) were fielded with British uniforms & equipment.

This would make for a really fun project ...

 

[Craig B]

Dude, all you have to do is take some stock British para figures and make some very minor conversions to them, namely in insignia. I'm pretty sure that almost every commonwealth or non-U.S. airborne unit (off the top of my head - Canadian, Free French, & Polish) were fielded with British uniforms & equipment.

What I meant was I am looking for true 54mm or larger, I have a couple of the Verlinden sets but not really happy with them. Myself I would rather build a stock figure to than convert something.

 

[Evan August]

No, not really. I have quite a few WW2 Germans, most likely related to the fact that I am also an armor modeler. I happen to enjoy the subject and find it interesting. That being said I do not do only Germans, but all kinds of WW2 figures. I would agree that some companies seem to make only Germans, it would be nice to see some US paratroopers or Russians more often. However, I would unhappy to see no new Germans released. I think that this is a case of companies targeting a specific audience. Those like Warriors and Jaguar, which produce 1/35 figures for the vehicle kits, are going to do more Germans, as there are more AFVs on the market to use with them. It sometimes seems that WW2 doesn't get much attention from some of the more "serious miniature" companies, who seem to favor Vikings, Knights, WW1, and anything before WW2. Not that there's anything wrong with those subjects, if they look cool, I'll buy them.

 

[Pete_H]

Craig,
Ah, understood. I'll keep an eye out for any 54mm subjects that you may be interested in.

 

[JBoisson]

Regarding the popularity of WWII German figures, I think my Dad (a WWII vet, USN, Phillipines and Okinawa) inadvertently put it most aptly when back in the early 90's I sat down with him to watch a video rental of "Schindler's List," and at the mid point when I got up to put in the second cassette I asked him what he thought of the movie so far he replied "Boy, them Nazis sure had some snazzy looking uniforms."

true story

John

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Funny in aircraft I loved WW1 stuff. Still have a load I did about 20 years ago.

Love them myself, especially the Albatros series. Bought Eduards Fokker Dr.I yesterday in 1/72. Finally Ill try to model Ritchofens last ride.

I dont think there to much germans around, actually in my opinion there could be many more. The problem is that the situation is even worse in other periods.

There have been quite a few vikings lately which Im thankful for, but there can surely be more of them as well as, saxons and from the 30 years war.

Preferably a wide selection like the Shenandoah range of ACW so one can create ones own vignettes by stock or slightly converted figures.

 

[Dani A.]

Hello,

I feel the "German-vs-whoever else" question has been discussed to death, but I think I can add a twist to it!

To begin with, I believe WW2 figures are closely associated, by many figure modellers, to armour modelling. In fact, the greater part of available WW2 figures are designed with armour modellers in mind, and are made (at least nominally) in the usual scale for them, 1/35th. And German subjects form the overwhelming majority of these.

Comparatively, there are few WW2 subjects commercially available in the most popular modelling size, 54 mm, and much fewer in others, like 75 mm or 90 mm. In fact, some offerings that are made by figure modellers firms do them in 1/35th scale, too. On the other hand, probably because of Verlinden promotion of this size, WW2 subjects are omnipresent in 120 mm.

Even admitting to the "barrier" many "classic" (so to call them, no offence intended) figure modellers put to WW2 (or more modern) figures, there is a disproportion here. Is there no demand for 54 mm or 75 mm WW2 figures? I don't think the lack of gaudy colours in uniforms is enough to explain this; ACW subjects, for instance, are not, in the main, much more colourful.

And, I believe, the figure modeller average type (as opposed to the armour buff) would be more well disposed to WW2 subjects who are not German, and of these there is a tremendous field of options; I mean, German subjects are fine, I myself like them, but would like to see more proportion as related to allied forces. And these, some elite formations excluded (US paratroopers being the outstanding subject, no doubt because of Band of Brothers), are poorly represented.

To sum it up: Is there no demand of WW2 subjects made in "figure modelling sizes" like 54 mm, 75 mm, etc. Would it be no demand of allied subjets on these sizes, as apparently there is not in 1/35th? Why it does (apparently, for many figure modellers) exist a barrier between pre-WW2 and WW2 (and later) subjects?

Any comment on these thoughts?

Dani

 

[quang]

Contrary to the general belief, WWII is not that well covered. We see the same subjects creeping up ad nauseum but there are many, many aspects still left over. Marijn and myself discussed about that last week-end in Ransard.

What comes in mind is the famous painting of a US Marines called 'The 1000 Mile Stare'. The expression alone is well worth all the 'gung-ho' figures released to this day when it comes to depict the reality of the Pacific War.

What a great bust it would make!

Q.

 

[Bluesking]

I'd like to see WW2 Dutch, Belgian, Rumanian, Bulgarian soldiers etc etc etc.

But most importantly I have learned not to post my thoughts on the web when I have been at the beer !!!!!!

Still got a bit of discussion going didn't it !

 

[Manfred]

I'm tired of germans too, I have to know - I'm one and I live with them every friggin day :lol: :lol: :lol:

No really, while this is a good example it seems to happen for any historical period.

See the romans, the celts, the Teutonic knights, the napoleonic grenadiers de la garde, 19th century scots, WW1 Sturmtruppen, WW2 Waffen-SS.

It seems there is always some favourable party/ unit/ nation people are interested in. And I don't know if that is ever going to change.

Even if you release well sculpted finely detailed figures of some niche subject you hardly can hope for a commercial success.

An example: A while ago I showed around a few excellent Michael Roberts 54mm figures in my Club and they were universally praised for detail and anatomy. Yet when I asked if people would like to combine for orders I did not stir interest !
Why? - they were americans ! - a WW2 Paratrooper and a Indepenence War Continental. One complained he would rather like a seven Years wars prussian, others rather continued to buy mediocre sculpted germans etc.

While I have my favourite subjects, too I sometimes step over and look at other interesting things or buy a figure just because I love the sculpting but it seems the majority "wants just their subject".

 

[garyjd]

Sure you see the same WW2 German subjects released month after month, and most seem to cater to the AFV modellers. Look at the steady diet of Romans painters are fed month after month. You can always find 1 or more manufacturers coming out with a Roman of some sort. You might as well throw in Medievals and Napoleonics, which are also out there in great numbers. I have one solution, start scratchbuilding and expand you figure modelling horizons. ~Gary

 

[Luis R.]

I've always wondered how a 30th century archaeologist would write history if his only source was a hobby shop from 2005 AD which had miracously been spared by an alien invasion, WWIII or whatsoever disaster:

Rome and the Celt tribes ruled the whole world, until the Viking Empire was established. The Vikings were to be defeated by the Templar Kingdom.

After that, nothing happened for centuries, till Napoleon Bonaparte and his troops conquered Earth. They were finally defeated by Third Reich troops, who ruled the world until Alien Invasion.

There were minor conflicts in-between, sure, like ACW (there would be a good discussion on which side won the war), WWI, etc., but none of these were significant.
:lol: