I picked up a pack of Victrix British Foot artillery while I was still living in Wisconsin, so these figures have sat in the backlog for quite some time.
I assembled everything months ago when I first got back to the UK, but was very disappointed with the quality of these models, the sculpts are poor and little thought seems to be given to the molding process so there are terrible join lines were there really should not be.
The recent game against Steve revealed that the Anglo-allies could really use another battery of artillery, so, I gritted my teeth and set to. The result is Cleeves' Battery of the Kings German Legion Foot Artillery that was attached to Altens 3rd Division of I Corps.
Not only are the figures very poorly designed, they are also extremely fragile, of the three examples of the chap in the photo below, two of the shafts broke during assembly, they refuse to stick back together so were foreshortened and drilled as seen on the other guns. The third one seen here broke once and was stuck back together, had a final shatter while being put away in their boxes. A scabbard and a ramrod has suffered similar damage.
I don't think these models will survive many battles before they become a pile of bits.
In, probably unlikely event, that these are used for a Sharp Practice game I painted up some spare gunners.
I think I'll stick to Perry in the future.
Great looking battery!
ReplyDeleteShame! If it’s any consolation they look really good!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeremy, we really must get together for some GdA
DeleteShame! If it’s any consolation they look really good!
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job on them, a shame they are so disappointing a kit. Good that we have alternatives.
ReplyDeleteThank you, we are fortunate in this day and age
DeleteDespite your misgivings fragility issues… the guns have turned out really well.
ReplyDeleteAll the best. Aly
Thank you Aly
DeleteNice work on them, shame about the fragility of the models
ReplyDeleteVery natty Naps there Paul, s super collection unfolds.
ReplyDeleteCheers Phil
DeleteSuperb guns and gunners!
ReplyDeleteThank you Phil
DeletePlastic figures have a lot going for them and I, for one, don’t mind the assembly of them, but in this day and age with all the advances in injection moulding there’s really no excuse for nasty mould lines and fragility. An experienced company like Victrix who have been making these for a while specifically for gaming should be all over this stuff. Despite that you’ve done a great job with them, I hope they last because it would be a pity not to see them in action.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I think that the issue is that this was one of their first kits and they did not have the experience at this time.
DeleteI've since done some of their Romans and they had none of this bother.
I'll avoid their early stuff though.
Great looking battery but sorry to hear that the quality of the Victrix has gone down. I love hard plastic but I don't want to fight the hard plastic!
ReplyDeleteNeil
Thank you.
DeleteI don't think the quality has gone down, quite the opposite, this is a very old kit from their 'getting better' days
Despite the difficulties you’ve had with them they have turned out as a great looking battery 👍.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteThis battery certainly looks the part but I agree with you about Victrix - I have done the British artillery too and also the eraly uniform French infantry - they come out ok but are a real hassle to put together, compared with the Perrys versions. I have been known to describe them as Tamiya in 28mm...meaning they have far too many separate parts to glue on for the smaller scale they are in!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteTamiya in 28mm sums them up well. Way too fiddly