Personalities in 15mm

[Fernando Liste]

Hello!

At Corvus belli we have been asked many times to sculpt personalities (Anibal, ...) I always think that in 15mm it is a bit nosense, because I have the feeling that you make a "normal" guy, put him a name, and (by magic) you have Julius Caesar!

What do you think? would you find it usefull or dessirable?

thanks!

Fernando
www.corvusbelli.com (http://www.corvusbelli.com)

[Maerk]

It would be useful to have a few "generic" personalities for each army, military and civilians. I'd use them for general elements, as camp followers or just to populate a camp scene.

As you say, Fernando, they can't be too specific in the 15mm range. But we should be able to clearly distinguish the "personalities" from the "mass" of the soldiers.

This is easyier said than done, I think :)

[Tony Aguilar]

I would prefer to have personalities, and strive to make some in the army that I do.

[Timurilank]

Fernando,

I can understand your hesitation to produce personalities from a business perspective, but we the consumer can also be very particular and this adds to your difficulty of choice. Why a Hannibal? Why did they not produce a Mago or Hasdrubal. So where do you start?

Rather than personalities, I would like to see a range of useful background figures. You mentioned church construction workers some time ago. To continue this idea, I would like to see Greek or Roman market figures with stalls, carpet vendors, wine dealers, slave dealers, sculptors, tavern maids, tables, orators, senators, assassins, augurs, vestal virgins, litter bearers (four or eight with litter), farmers, peasants, celebrants waving palm fronds or handkerchiefs (useful for bull fights), etc. Useful figures for camp settings or BUA adornments, or that moment of victory you can bring these vignettes out in celebration, just to gall your opponent.

I have bought a lot of Priests and Peasants from other companies and now every new medieval DBA army I build has the command element loaded with priests and servants. I would love to have Sisters and a Mother Superior for “Our Lady of Frustration”. Now I am slowly converting, adding body putty, debating to leave the mustache on or not to figures for my convent. Convent is done by the way.

The line could be expanded for dark ages and medieval periods and sold in sets; Market set, Temple set, Forum set, Regal Hall, Household set, etc, could easily be offered to fantasy or science fiction gamers as well.

Just some thoughts,
Cheers,

[Maerk]

Thanks Timurlank,
what you say is what I meant to say !

[Jim Rapczynski]

Napoleonic 15mm figure ranges have plenty of personality figures, generally recognizable as to who they are. Of course, this has more to do with the individualism allowed in uniform styles for senior commanders. However, DBA armies really don't need them, but what about the new DBMM rules and other systems that make allowances for the quality of leadership historically exhibited by certain generals? When that matters, certain gamers, like me, will go to lengths to get a figure looking just right, and would buy personality figures as long as they looked like who they were supposed to be. That may dictate alot of bare-headed commander figures, but then it was not unusual to have a commander bare his head so that his troops could see his face. From your perspective Fernando, if you do it at all, you make them in sets that complement your pre-existing lines. For example, a three-figure set (mounted) that would have, say the Black Prince, Henry the V, and some other Englishman. Another set would be three French personalities. These sets would be limited by the fact (already noted by Fer) that in many cases, one general will be indistuinguishable from another or from any other officer of the army. Perhaps the way to even think about doing this is to work from your existing lines, make up a list of the most important personalities, and do some internet research to see if any of them had some set of or single identifying detail(s) that can be realisticaly portrayed at 15mm. I cannot think of any other way that would not take up a lot of time. Once that review is complete you will know what's possible and what is not, and then see if any of the projects revealed are worth doing. I bet that you will find that some personalities can be done, but most will be able to be portrayed by gamers using regular figures (a point fairly made or indicated by Maerk and Timurilank.)

If I may be allowed to express a personal opinion as well as offer up an idea about these possibilities, I would say to you Fernando that you are more than able to come up with a really nice Henry V figure, sitting on a horse, bare-headed, a crowned bascinet in his left hand, pointing/brandishing with the sword in his right, sort of a "once more into the breach pose."

[ August 19, 2005, 14:58: Message edited by: Jim Rapczynski ]

[Gary Pomeroyq]

Fernanado,
I like personality figures. I made an Ancient British army specifically because of your Boudicca figure. However, I like them only when they are discernible from the other figures in the line.

This is more easily done with some armies (e.g. Sassanids kings & Samurai commanders with their unique hats) than others (like Hoplites). Mirlton does a good job of this with their Italian Condattieri. Your Boudicca figures is great.

If there were something special about a Hannibal (or Hasdrabul or Mago) figure that made it identifiable as such, I would certainly want it. A more or less generic figure labled as Hannibal, Julius, Vercingetorix, or Pericles doesn't interest me much.

If you made Joan of Arc or Henry V (with his distinctive tonsure haircut)figures for your HYW line I would surely buy both of them.

Gary

[Fernando Liste]

Thank you all!

I will think about it. More command miniatures for the medieval range could be interesting, and I think that a couple of recognizable kings could be made smile.gif
I like the idea of Jeanne D'Arc, but what I have in mind is Mila Jovovich!

Fer

[Timurilank]

I like the idea of Jeanne D'Arc, but what I have in mind is Mila Jovovich!

Fer Ah, I like this; a set of three, Jeanne on Foot, Jeanne mounted and Jeanne at her goodbye party!

I would order several sets!

saludos,

[Swamps]

I think it is worthwhile if there is a definite feature for that character. So for Macedonian, Philip would have one eye (you could exaggerate the scarring), Alexander would have the lion helmet. Julius Caesar could be pretty identifiable by the hair and shape of the head. For when you do your Germans ;) there is that description of the General with Roman gear and long hair (and one eye IIRC).
I'm sure you are aware of this, but elsewhere on this site there is a list of some of the available personalities http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/guides/personalityfigures.html

I do like to have a figure as general who is obviously more than a normal officer, with a pose which stands out. For example, I have a Roman from Donnington whose horse is grazing.

Peter K.

[Rich]

I would definitely purchase CB personality figures. One of my favourite things about the CB range is the great camp figures that are available, plus little touches like legionaries in winter kit. Having identifiable characters would be a great addition.

[Macbeth]

15mm Personalities are certainly worth having. I snapped up the Feudal Castings MacBeth with 3 Witches, Robert Bruce and William Wallace.

These latter two are only personalities in that an otherwise Generic 13th Century Knight somewhat resembles the pose and armament of the Bruce and Wallace pictures depicted in the Osprey Book 'The Scottish and Welsh Wars'. The Macbeth looks like a standard Pre Feudal Thane.

Great Figures though.

Cheers

[Kees Bosch]

Hello Fernando,

I think it is a good idea. Not to have the exact look of a personality is more or less expected: there are no foto's left (lol), but certain figures are known for certain marks or events: Vercingetorix, throwing his weapons at Caesars feet...; Mithridates immune for poison (and others not) or him stabbing Romans, the way the challenge of the Romans started ; Julius Civilis with one eye (the first Dutch hero!); Jeanne d'Arc is well known, and the already called 3-stages option is nice (also for Vercingetorix?)etc.
Try to make some 'diorama's'?

Kees

[Cremorn]

Originally posted by Timurilank:
Now I am slowly converting, adding body putty, debating to leave the mustache on or not to figures for my convent. It's a tough question.

Leaving them on is probably historically accurate, but if you do people might take tham for priests. If you take them off they'll look like more nun-like, but sadly this will compromise accuracy.

I would leave them on, but make sure the figures are properly nun-like to fend off possible confusion. Guitars?

"Hey those nuns have moustaches ... oh! Cool :)"

Richard.

[miros]

Museum does a pack of 15mm nuns, there are 2 or 3 different poses.

Jason

[Snowtiger]

Originally posted by Kees Bosch:
Hello Fernando,

Julius Civilis with one eye (the first Dutch hero!)

Kees Actually Iulius Civilis was a GERMAN hero smile.gif
To make one is easy, just take a roman general figure, add a beard with putty, and paint the hair red. The Romans needed 7 Full legions to crush the batavian revolt (double the number they needed to crush the jewish revolt), and then they only reached a Stalemate against the Batavians ! smile.gif

[Kees Bosch]

Well Snowtiger, one can argue about that. The real borders as they are now wheren't around then. But Civilius came from a German tribe settled in the Betuwe, which in the present day is in the Netherlands as you know.

Kind regards,
GenCat

[Pozanias]

Fernando,

The best personality figures are obviously the ones with unique characteristics that can actually be modeled in 15mm.

But I have to admit, I'd be more drawn to a Roman commander labeled "Julius Caesar" than one labeled "Roman Foot Commander" -- even if a person couldn't tell the two apart. I think imagination somehow fills in the gap.

Mark

[Timurilank]

Richard wrote: Leaving them on is probably historically accurate, but if you do people might take them for priests. If you take them off they'll look like more nun-like, but sadly this will compromise accuracy.Ah, how refreshing to find someone equally motivated to seek accuracy in their figure collection. I did take a look at the Museum Religious figures and to be honest I thought the middle nun did have moustache, however after our expanded thread about limited intelligence it might be interesting to field one or two hordes of nuns that could be exchanged for axe wielding Danes. If you read the Alan army list in Book III, there were Saxons disguised in Breton clothing and sporting Breton hairstyles that surprised the Franks.

In the meantime I do have an abundance of peasant figures that I shall convert to the sisters of Our Lady of Frustration. The guitar or lute would be a nice touch, thanks.

Cheers,

[miros]

The Museum nuns are the exact same figures as their priest pack with a few slight modifications.

Jason


Originally posted by Timurilank:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Richard wrote: Leaving them on is probably historically accurate, but if you do people might take them for priests. If you take them off they'll look like more nun-like, but sadly this will compromise accuracy.Ah, how refreshing to find someone equally motivated to seek accuracy in their figure collection. I did take a look at the Museum Religious figures and to be honest I thought the middle nun did have moustache, however after our expanded thread about limited intelligence it might be interesting to field one or two hordes of nuns that could be exchanged for axe wielding Danes. If you read the Alan army list in Book III, there were Saxons disguised in Breton clothing and sporting Breton hairstyles that surprised the Franks.

In the meantime I do have an abundance of peasant figures that I shall convert to the sisters of Our Lady of Frustration. The guitar or lute would be a nice touch, thanks.

Cheers, </font>[/QUOTE]

[N. Maximus]

Originally posted by Fernando Liste:
I like the idea of Jeanne D'Arc, but what I have in mind is Mila Jovovich!

Fer Surely Mila deserves 54mm at the very least. Definitely a goddess statue

Dick M.

[Timurilank]

About those nuns with guitars, here is a modern day representation of a nordic touring club pillaging a camp.

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050823100309990001&ncid=NWS00010000000001

cheers,

[NikosP]

I think that Boudica on your Gallic list and also the BElisarius you once did were very nice Fernando.