Thursday 17 October 2013

A question of taste?

When I was a boy I happily played with Timpo,Britains and other makes contentedly in the same game.Now I am older I have scruples. I have two different styles of 40/42mm figures currently on the painting table-Toy Soldier style and Deutsche Homage ,both from the redoubtable Irregular Miniatures.Both great in their own way.However I wonder how they would look upon the same battlefield together.I can't make up my mind.I'm reluctant to order more until I solve this .Can you give me your opinions please?

28 comments:

  1. Purely a matter of individual choice of course but its surprising sometimes what can fit together and what just doesn't. Over all bulk is one thing that bothers me, oddly I have some fully round but thin 40's that mix ok with some semi-flats if painted in similar style but which make stout figures with exaggerated detail look horrible. Assuming no really glaring contrast, in my experience, if there is 1 unit that is different, it will look out of place but if there are several of each type they will look ok, especially if some groups are mixed.

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  2. Absolutely not. We fought two World Wars against the dastardly Huns to show the superiority of our our toy soldiers against theirs. This is not the time to give in and let them win. Chin up old boy !

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    1. A most interesting addition to reasons for outbreak of wars,every schoolboy in the land will be indebted to you for giving them another angle in their prep...

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  3. I have mixed them in a limited way in my Balkan Imaginations and the seem to work okay .

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    1. Remind me what makers did you mix.I'm too lazy to trawl through your splendid photos...

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    2. Both types were Irregular - 42mm regular range and the Deutche Homage range

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  4. It's your battlefield, so if you think it's OK you're right. That said, I do feel that the Wg Cdr has a valid point.....

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  5. I definitely prefer the figure on the left - whichever style it is!

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    1. mmm not sure,the siren like call of the Alte Deutsche calls...

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  6. My personal preference is for the left-hand figure ... but I am sure that some of the German-style figures would work with them.

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. Mix and match,a good idea but this aesthetic things comes into my mind again...

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  7. It all depends exactly what you are trying to do. My interest in FLW, for example, has a lot to do with an aesthetic, so it matters a lot to me that I achieve a cohesive and particular 'look' and I will go to great lengths to achieve it. But if your toy soldiers are simply game 'markers' then what does it matter...

    I happen to think that you probably already know the answer yourself and the fact that you have to ask the question means that you are not entirely happy with the idea of mixing the styles.

    Can you live with yourself? Will you wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat? :)

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    1. Aesthetic component sits in the room and grins at me...
      We have talked about this at my other blog and yours(?) before.
      The look is important,perhaps not to be sacrificed for the saving of money,time,or effort.I remain ( for this project at least?) attracted to a sort of 1900 nursery in Germany filled with SpenKuch,Heyde,2d buildings (out of scale) trees etc.A wargames table filled with the look of a Heyde/Spenkuch playset,as if it has just been taken from it's box.
      Or should I be less exclusive stylistically.The joys of the hobby and the planning,slwly slowly as they say...

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  8. I also prefer the figure on the left. But I also agree that it's really up to you. Whatever works for you and makes you happy is really all that matters.

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    1. Happy is something we forget in our games at times I feel ...

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  9. The left hand figure as well. I've never been keen about Deutsche Homage. Seems to me Irregular went a bit too far in trying to replicate the odd proportions of Heyde. Especially when they already had perfectly good 42mm figures.

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    1. MMMMhh,much to think of here.I am much attracted to the "vibe" I talked about at Stephen's comment. I know what you mean re the exaggerated look of the DH figures...
      However I would like a little more "Deutsche" vibe than many of the other Irregular 42 mm figs ( good tho they are) have.I feel there are limited options as I cannot afford to buy orginals or too may of the Berlinner Zinniefiguren repros. What is a chap to do:)

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  10. Hi Trad,

    Left for sure - the comment Corporal Trim made goes for me as well! At the end of the day though, the choice will be down to you and I am sure that a degree of mixture could work. Perhaps using the DH models for cameo appearances or special settings may be an idea - perhaps command groups or similar.

    All the best,

    DC

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    1. Cameo etc idea interesting David.
      We shall see there is much to be considered...

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  11. Hi Trad,
    Going against the trend, if you're looking for a C19th German Nursery floor style set up then I think you can't beat the DH style figures complete with the odd proportions. They also have the advantage in that you can create any characters you can imagine from the large variety of bodies, heads and accessories available. A few pictures of my DH Darkest Africa collection and up on the Irregular Minis website to give an idea of what is possible.
    Of course it's your tabletop so as was said above you should go whichever route will make you happiest - that's what a hobby should be about.

    all the best

    Ian

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  12. Ian
    How good of you to pop by, Many thanks for your comment.I was really inspired by your pictures on the Irreg website ,which I have looked at for some time as I moved to thinking about this project.I would be interested in corresponding with you about your take on the hobby as well as the practicalities of using the figures etc.Do please be in touch...
    thanks
    Alan

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  13. Alan, your logic for using DH is convincing.

    Too bad the original style of semi-flats are so thin on the ground. Not to mention Berliner Zinnfiguren controlling what remains of the Spenkuch molds and charging all the traffic will bear (and then some). When you look at what used to be available, it's almost enough to make a grown man weep.

    http://www.zinnfiguren-bleifiguren.com/firmengeschichten/Langenbach_Spenkuch_N%C3%BCrnberg/spenkuch_packungsbeispiele_seite_1.htm#Spenkuch_Beispiele_Seite_1

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  14. Thanks for the comment! I followed the link & wow,such riches!
    I fear you are right about BZ.
    Thanks too for being my 100th follower.
    Maybe I can source cheaper molds...

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