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Re: Crowdfunding 1815 French Infantry Command

I would definitely support such a project. Good French infantry figures in the later uniform are surprisingly hard to come by - the HaT figures are often hard to find and lack command figures, and most of the various competitors suffer from accuracy errors, less-than-great sculpting or absurdly expensive prices. The only issues I have with the HaT set are 1. I wish there were an action set as well, and 2. I'd much rather they were wearing overalls rather than parade breeches and gaiters.

The main point I would disagree with is the claim that separate command sets are commercially unviable. Personally I've bought more copies of the SYW Prussian command sets than I have of either the marching or action sets (and I have hundreds of SYW Prussians). My infantry units typically have 30-40 soldiers, two each drummers, foot officers and NCOs, 1-2 standard bears and one mounted officer. Any extras are converted to serve either with my artillery units or with other armies that lack dedicated command sets. And I'm left with plenty of spare mounted officers, which is always handy for forming a proper general staff for my army.
It's also my impression that the Napoleonic mounted officer set and the British command set sold out fairly quickly, and command sets so seem to be proposed for the SYW and ACW sets, so I suspect command sets may be more popular than you think.

I'd be very interested to hear HaT's view on this matter.

Re: Crowdfunding 1815 French Infantry Command

why not just do 1 sprue with 1 command set and crowdfund with folks in the crowd fund ordering mulitple sets (say min 4 per order) so that folks can riq out regiments and battalions without the extra figs.. i'd be in for about 12 sets of 1 sprue. If the crowdfunding pays it off offer a boxed set down the road with 4 sets of batt/reg command figure... there just ain't never enough standard bearers! lol!

Re: Crowdfunding 1815 French Infantry Command

Steve W
I've subscribed to the Prussian Landwehr crowdfunding project, and note with satisfaction that it is progressing relatively faster than the only other successful crowdfunded project, the Unmarried Zulus. So in my estimation, it's likely to proceed, and shows the strong demand for good Napoleonic sets

As a Napoleonics-only person, I'll abstain from the latest poll on which sets should be next in the queue. Good luck to the partisans on all sides.

The main set that HaT has in the pipeline that is of interest to me is set 8294 - 1815 French Infantry Marching, for which test sprues have already been produced. Like many others, I've lamented the loss of the Command masters some years ago and will need to find command figures for any boxes of set 8294 that I buy, once it is produced. This might be difficult, given the incompatibility of different manufacturer's figures, and could potentially reduce my purchases to the one box needed to establish that the figures are not compatible with anyone else's Command figures.

My suggestion is this - why doesn't HaT start a crowdfunding project for a set with several of the existing sprues for set 8294 as the base, with an additional sprue of Command figures to be produced as part of the project. The relative number of the two sprues would be around four Marching to one Command. Other manufacturers already produce sets with variable numbers of sprues in the packaging, so I imagine HaT can too.

Depending on organization and figures, there might be a bigger market for command figures than you think. I know I'd need at least a dozen boxes just to complete my Airfix-based French units, and that doesn't count any I buy of HaT figures. I've been awaiting 1812 command figures for years!

Bill

It might be argued that the existing sprue is ready to go onto the market as a stand alone set and that HaT should simply crowdfund the Command figures. However I doubt that Crowdfunding Command figures is a viable option - by their nature they will sell less than other figures while costing the same to produce as other poses.

I've looked forward to seeing the 1815 Marching figures for years now, but would be prepared to wait a little longer to see them in a set with an added sprue of Command figures. In the meantime hopefully I'll be busy painting Prussian Landwehr.

What do people think???

Re: Crowdfunding 1815 French Infantry Command

I would be supportive of a dedicated command set, or a command/infantry mixed set.

There is a definite lac of higher command so if the crowdfunded command set could include a mounted officer of some description - an ADC uniform would be really valuable - then that would be extra valuable.

I by a lot of the various command sets when they are available -even the disastrous Italeri sets, but more so the W1815 set, the Italeri French set, the wonderful Zvezda se, and the HaT mounted officers set. In fact, I want another box of mounted officers - Bavarians, 1806 Prussians, Saxons, more Russians, French, British etc.

I use a lot of command stands, and having the al the same is dull, so I buy lot of boxes, and metal/resin as well.

Crowdfunding could be a way forward, although I appreciate it would take longer as the set would need to be designed, sculpted and then moulded.

Marc

Re: Crowdfunding 1815 French Infantry Command

HaT-Twitter
Brian
Hi Hat-Twitter,

One last category for you

1/32 scale range sets to be downsized to 1/72 scale

Nap French Elites in Greatcoats - 7 poses (only 3 of the 10 poses are being used in 8234)
Nap Bavarian Infantry -18 poses
Nap Wurttemberg Jaeger - 9 poses
Nap Wurttemberg Grenadiers - 9 poses
Nap Wurttemberg Musketeers - 9 poses

To be crowdfunded only.


Yes Hat should redo the 1815 French command they could combine them with the 7 poses not used from the Nap French in Greatcoats, only 3 of the 10 poses are being used in 8234 Nap French in Greatcoats Marching.
http://hat72.com/Curr9/Bx9311FC/Bx9311FC.html
http://hat72.com/Curr9/Bx9310FG/Bx9310FG.html

Re: Crowdfunding 1815 French Infantry Command

I agree. Command set for 1815 is really need. As pre 1813 action set.
There are few sets without officers [HATs, ACtA, etc]

Re: Crowdfunding 1815 French Infantry Command

I'd vote with my wallet for the full set of French in greatcoats.

When it was announced in 1/72 I foolishly assumed it was to be the full set - including what is probably the best officer figure ever made.

Oops...

The five sprue marching was probably a short-cut, but it is sad. Somehow I really doubt the rest will be made. Which is a shame, as I wanted them as elites for my "French young guard" (or as most of us seem to use them, French line infantry).. So I will have to continue to headswap shako heads onto Revell old guard.

Come on HaeT - make the rest of that set please...