GHQ Models Forums

The announcement of the ACW infantry in greatcoats is excellent news (is there any chance they will be new sculpts rather than conversions of existing figures?). However, it's disappointing to see that there will be no new Napoleonics next year. I can't help but feel that GHQ is missing a trick by not at least producing some Old Guard figures. Doing a French Napoleonic range (especially one that is focussed on the Waterloo campaign) without the Old Guard seems a bit like doing WWII Germans and deciding not to make Tigers.

And while I am having a moan, I had been looking forward to the release of the French line lancers but when I saw that they come without lances I was put off buying them. I much prefer the figures to be complete castings and I can't see how it will be possible to stick 10mm lance points and pennons to a wire and create a bond that will stand up to the handling that goes with wargaming.

Your pardon please if this is "old hat" to you; I can't know...
Probably the best way is the same as often used for "ancients".
I really prefer it to cast spears;they are always too thick or too easily bent or broken.
Go to the local sewing supply store (I use Jo-Ann Fabric) or Mao-Mart and find some sewing pins long enough. Nip off the head-end "to length".
Put just the point on something flat & metal and strike it flat with a small hammer.
With a bit of practice, you get a nice head; if a spear type point will do.(?)
(you could use soft wire,but the pins are "self pointing" and if you find the right length you don't need to measure them...)
It doesn't really take long; I've done thousands over the years...
A piece of thin plastic/Scotch tape wrapped around the shaft & cut to shape works pretty well for small flags/pennants, & doesn't fall off...
Getting a good glue bond into the hand is then all that remains.
I use annealed pins left over from making rivited "chain" maille,so they are easier to flatten & tend to bend sometimes instead of breaking loose from the figure when "bumped"...

I'm not into the period myself, but it does seem odd there was nothing new this year.
Are they not selling well enough? Or maybe there will be "surprise releases...
In any case,good luck.

Thanks kiasutha,

It sounds like a good system but to be honest I am unlikely to buy 10mm figures with separate weapons, especially when those weapons are not provided by the manufacturer. I don't think cast on lances have to be out of scale. I've got some civil war guidon bearers by another manufacturer and their flagstaffs look the right size and are sturdy enough to stand up to handling.

Incidentally, if anyone is finding problems with cavalry swords bending or breaking, I find a useful technique is to glue the tip to the rider's shako, the horse's ear or the rider's boot. This doesn't look unnatural and provides a bit of extra support to the swords, which inevitably are rather flimsy in this scale.

Stephen

"...I had been looking forward to the release of the French line lancers but when I saw that they come without lances I was put off buying them. "

This puts me off as well. I can see the point of a separate "lance/spear piece", I just can't see why manufactures can't supply them as well as part the mini pack .

Actually, I understand you guys feeling about the lances;I even agreed with it at one time and still do for some things. (I do/did everything up to 25mm btw...)
I got turned off on cast spears "way-back-when" due to a combination of "telephone pole" thick spears and really brittle alloy some of the manufacturers used.
Then there was the other end of the scale-thin spears and/or alloy so soft they bent every time you breathed on them...
Some of the makers did supply wire too, but it was usually very hard- a B*tch to flatten,and then you had to use a grinder to put a proper head on it...
Ah well, maybe they'll change it. "Baccus" in GB is offering their 6mm pikemen in both forms; open handed to add wire,or with cast on weapons. Maybe you can persuade GHQ to do the same...

"Ah well, maybe they'll change it. "Baccus" in GB is offering their 6mm pikemen in both forms; open handed to add wire,or with cast on weapons. Maybe you can persuade GHQ to do the same..."

wouldn't even need to change production that much. All they would have to do is cast the spear/lances. I don't think it would be too difficult to come up with a lance mold...would it?

Panzerleader71 wrote:"wouldn't even need to change production that much. All they would have to do is cast the spear/lances. I don't think it would be too difficult to come up with a lance mold...would it?

No,not at all.
My mistake; I thought you guys wanted the lances molded into the figures hands as a single piece.

I wonder if the plan is still to release ACW advancing infantry in frock coats and slouch hats this month? They are not on the June list from this year but they were last year and I think are in the catalog for June 2010. I recently recieved five packs of 10mm Advancing in Frocks and Forage caps which were incorrectly marked as Advancing in Frock Coats and Slouch Hats. Perhaps as the packaging is ready the figures will be soon as well?

GHQ releases new models on the LAST day of the month for which they are scheduled. ACW advancing infantry in frock coats and slouch hats should show up about June 30. I don't know about the confusion with the label.

Don S.

Good forecast, Don

Geeze, I had my trigger finger ready to hit buy now. Alas, no ACW 10mm infantry in frock coats with Slouch Hats on the new release list.

ACW65 is listed under new releases as Infantry Advancing in Frock Coats in Forage Caps (USA) . That nomenclature belongs to ACW64. ACW65 should read Infantry Advancing in Frock Coats and Slouch Hats (CSA). Therefore, the expected slate of new releases for June is now complete. I ordered four packs of them. I am looking forward to receiving them.