The adventures of an 18th century imagination, located in Northern Europe formerly ruled over by joint rulers Duke Karl Frederick and Duchess Liv.Not to mention the American colony of Ny Tradgardland the 17th century Colony of New Tradgardstadt and the newly restored territory of the Shetland Isles.
Featuring a supporting bill of gaming in a diversity of times,places and scales.Hopefully something to interest all who pop by...
Wednesday, 22 July 2026
A blast from the past
My Airfix pre ordered figures arrived today. A blast from the past , full of memories.
On reflection l think l prefer the figures in grey plastic as they were back in the day. What do you think? Anyone else buying into these?
The Britons I saw were red-brown; the Romans grey. I would have preferred, I think, the lemon yellow that the Napoleonics and Washington's Army came in. I did like the blue and grey of the ACW infantry figures, but for cavalry you had to go with the blue '7th Cavalry' and for artillery and Wagon Train, the red-orange-brown colour.
I never saw any Airfix Ancient Britons in grey. Only red-brown as others said. Wow! I didn't realise that they have been re-released. Looks admiringly at the German mountain troops....
I won't be buying them again but these along with the Romans were a key stage in my hobby journey. The first soldiers I really painted and decided that the standard was good enough that this was something I could do. A small order to Minifigs for Napoleonic British Guardsmen was not far behind. Will you be keeping the solid wheels? Stephen
Many of my Airfix were 'cream' colored, and I think it was mostly my different 'Germans' which were grey. I would prefer grey all over, and that's why I usually do my 3D-prints in grey filament. -It's a neutral color which allow enough contrast to see details, and a good color for taking basecoats when painting.
My memory is of Britons in brown and Romans in grey but the colour of the plastic changed in some cases over the years. I recommend the definitive listing; https://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/ManufacturerList.aspx?id=3 I'd buy the ACW sets if re-issued for the nostalgia value as those and Don Featherstone's "Tackle Model Soldier This Way" started me wargaming back in 1967.
Yes! The ACW sets! So much nostalgia and history there. I wonder if the moulds even exist now. I'd also quite like the original "US Marines" set, for similar reasons.
I had these in about 1968 and I remember them as grey. I took them to school so they could populate a paper mache model of Britain being invaded by Romans. Several of them disappeared so the teacher made everyone bring 1d so I could get a new box. Olive green does not look right!
What a wonderful wave of nostalgia! Like many others in the comments, I remember them in that classic reddish-brown, but you're spot-on—grey plastic was always far easier on the eyes for seeing all those fine details before the primer went on. That olive green plastic certainly feels a bit odd!
Mine were only ever red brown: the Romans were in grey.
ReplyDeleteNeil
I quite fancy the merry men
ReplyDeleteI had these back in the day, and they were red brown. Wonderful figures as were the Robin Hood and Sheriff of Nottingham sets!
ReplyDeleteThe Britons I saw were red-brown; the Romans grey. I would have preferred, I think, the lemon yellow that the Napoleonics and Washington's Army came in. I did like the blue and grey of the ACW infantry figures, but for cavalry you had to go with the blue '7th Cavalry' and for artillery and Wagon Train, the red-orange-brown colour.
ReplyDeleteSnap... mine have just arrived as well. Can't remember the original colours though
ReplyDeleteI never saw any Airfix Ancient Britons in grey. Only red-brown as others said.
ReplyDeleteWow! I didn't realise that they have been re-released. Looks admiringly at the German mountain troops....
All the ABs I had were in a sort of reddish brown - lovely slice of nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteI won't be buying them again but these along with the Romans were a key stage in my hobby journey. The first soldiers I really painted and decided that the standard was good enough that this was something I could do. A small order to Minifigs for Napoleonic British Guardsmen was not far behind.
ReplyDeleteWill you be keeping the solid wheels?
Stephen
Lovely. What do you intend to use them for?
ReplyDeleteMany of my Airfix were 'cream' colored, and I think it was mostly my different 'Germans' which were grey. I would prefer grey all over, and that's why I usually do my 3D-prints in grey filament. -It's a neutral color which allow enough contrast to see details, and a good color for taking basecoats when painting.
ReplyDeleteMy memory is of Britons in brown and Romans in grey but the colour of the plastic changed in some cases over the years. I recommend the definitive listing; https://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/ManufacturerList.aspx?id=3
ReplyDeleteI'd buy the ACW sets if re-issued for the nostalgia value as those and Don Featherstone's "Tackle Model Soldier This Way" started me wargaming back in 1967.
Yes! The ACW sets! So much nostalgia and history there. I wonder if the moulds even exist now. I'd also quite like the original "US Marines" set, for similar reasons.
DeleteI had these in about 1968 and I remember them as grey. I took them to school so they could populate a paper mache model of Britain being invaded by Romans. Several of them disappeared so the teacher made everyone bring 1d so I could get a new box. Olive green does not look right!
ReplyDeleteI had brown sets but some left over from my older brother which were a very matt grey. Not sure I want shiny green figures.
ReplyDeleteMy original ones were in a reddish-brown. I bought a box a few years ago and painted them up for one side of a portable wargame.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful wave of nostalgia! Like many others in the comments, I remember them in that classic reddish-brown, but you're spot-on—grey plastic was always far easier on the eyes for seeing all those fine details before the primer went on. That olive green plastic certainly feels a bit odd!
ReplyDeleteAll the best, Andy