Prince August have recently released their updated catalogue, with the 40mm SYW range being featured on the front cover.. The pdf can be downloaded from their website, but be warned it is a hefty 318MB.
For those of you collecting the SYW range there are a couple of useful pages showing the full range of figures in the moulds - I think after all these years PA are getting there - still a few gaps but full armies can now be collected - with a little help from the Karoliner and Rossbach ranges.
It can be seen that there is now a pretty extensive range, however in my opinion it contains a few scaling issues, which I deal with as follows:
- I feel the Austrian cuirassiers are way too large, so I don't use them, instead I use converted Karoliner figures.
- The dragoon heads are small, so again I avoid using them - they are easily replaced by 'officer' heads from the infantry, the Russian officer being one of the best (that is what is on catalogue front cover).
- The French figures are just a bit on the large size (particularly the heads) - I think they look better when used with Russian heads which have similar hair and tricorne.
- Similarly the artillery crews are a bit large, so again I use the appropriate infantry heads where possible.
All of the 'offending' figures were sculpted digitally, the French and gunners are probably just me being picky so not an issue and easily solved with a head swap, However the cuirassiers and some of the dragoon heads are unique, so could perhaps PA could be persuaded to reprint if enough people commented?
There are a few gaps in the range, which hopefully PA will address, the most obvious ones being:
- British infantry - the highlander are sculpted (see above), and hopefully the 'hatmen' will follow in the not too distant future?
- Prussian cuirassier (I have used converted Rossbach figures).
- Gunners in coats (it was my idea to have the in shirtsleeves)
- Russian cavalry (belts outside coat) - not sure if there would be market for these, Karoliners with head swaps do the job fine????
British infantry: I think this should be the next moulds to follow.
ReplyDeletePrussian Cuirassier: I think most customers will use the Austrian Cuirassiers and simply paint them Prussian blue.
Gunners in coats: Would be a great opportunity to add some missing poses, e.g. gunner with torch.
Russian cavalry (belts outside coat) - Most costumers can probably live with the existing Cavalry moulds. Cossaks would be great as they are very different and - even though they participated in few battles - I think other costomers may like them too. It would be great if PA would use HE horses (they are much nicer than the new sculps). However, I understand there may be copyright issues.
Standing infantry: PA25 (musketeer standing) is a great mould which can be easily modified to: a) Standard bearer, b) Gunner with ram and c) NCO with spontoon. A new version with interchangable parts (and shorter coat) would be great.
Thanks for your suggestions, however I feel I disagree with your comments relating to the cavalry.
ReplyDeletePrussian cuirassiers were very different to their Austrian counterparts, apart from their tricorns (which can be taken from other moulds) the main differences were:
- their 'straw' coloured coats were much shorter, more like waistcoat length.
- on their left side the troopers had a sabertache, similar to that worn by the hussars.
Both of these are difficult to convert, so I think the moulds are needed.
Again the Russian cavalry were quite different, the main difference being that they wore their waist belts and swords on the outside of their coats, again difficult to convert, also, I think that in many battles they may have fought in waistcoat in a similar manner to their infantry. However as I have said the Karoliner cavalry with a head swap do the job nicely.
The horses are new digital sculptures, if you have a particular pose you like let me know and I will suggest it to the sculptor.
With respect to the standing infantry. In my experience not many wargamers use figures in firing poses, as they look silly when in marching columns etc. It would be nice to add a standing NCO/standard bearer and drummer, but after the core troop types are sorted.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree that the Prussian cuirassier and the Austrian Cuirassier significantly differ. However, I dont`t think that many costomers care much about it. But I certainly may be wrong.
DeleteRussians: Sorry for not being more precise. When I referred to "existing cavalry moulds" this should also reference to Karoliners and HE moulds.
Standing infantry: I have done no market research. However, I think that most PA costomers are no wargamers. But even wargamers may be interested in a standing figure - which could also be used as a standing gunner with ram or trooper standing by the gun guarding it.
Horses: My concern is not so much about the poses. I simply think that the HE horses are very good sculpts and the new/newer ones are not - but I understand that many PA customers like them. I have bought the dragoon moulds and decided not to use the dragoons because of the horse design.
Unlike PA's other ranges, this range was put together with wargamers in mind, with the intention of being able to cast something to represent all the main troop types in the opposing armies. Any wargamer assembling a Prussian army will want some reasonably accurate cuirassiers - I made mine by converting the ones from the Rossbach range, which look fine, but need some conversion work and are on the small side, so I think it is important to fill this gap.
DeleteI'm sure the standing infantry figures would be useful, and hopefully PA will eventually make some, however they produce new moulds at a very slow rate, and I feel these are some 'nice to have' moulds to be considered later on.
Hi, very much enjoyed your article in miniwargs. I've bought (arthritic hands and molten metal probaby aren't a good combo) some castings of 3113A. I'm surprised at the degree to which the figure is leaning to the left (looking at the figure from the front) I'd gues 5 degrees or more so they look distinctly odd. Is this your experience? The Prussian infantry figure is pretty vertical by comparison.
ReplyDeleteI don't have many French figures so cannot recall any particular issues, however I would say that as a matter of course I do a fair bit of straightening and filing to tidy up the castings.
DeleteThe worst figures I have had are the horses for the the hussars, where the bases are warped/twisted and need a lot of work to straighten - perhaps I just got a duff mould - I did advise PA of the problem.
You've done great work steering PA with these - I wish someone would help them plan the Napoleonic ranges as well as the 7yrs war!
ReplyDeleteAgree on the cuirassiers, the size is way too big and won't purchase them. Please resize them PA!
British infantry is all I'm waiting for, I'm hugely satisfied with the range as it stands.
If I had a wishlist I'd want standing drummers and bearers to match the more recently released moulds, but I appreciate there isn't much need for them in wargames.
Uhlans/Bosniak/Cossacks irregulars would be nice and could possibly be covered in a multi mould, but again they are a bit more niche
Thank you for your kind words.
DeleteIf/when I hear more about PA's future plans for the range I will let you know - currently things are very quiet.
Almost finished? They're missing a very important, world changing SYW campaign across the Atlantic!
ReplyDeleteThe range needs at least 3 more moulds, Quebec militia, American Rangers and eastern Indian warriors with scalp lock heads!