The GZG Digest V2 #355 - 15mm Stuff

Hi Guys,

Someone forwarded me the digest because of the 15mm stuff but i saw this
thread and was intruiged..

> Subject: Re: [OT] Enemy at the Gates - March 16 in US

Though origionally touted as a true story by the film makers, they are now
back-pedalling frantically on this one because it turns out that it is
all
complete fiction.  The 'account'  of the duel was created post-war by
the Soviet prpoganda machine. Simply, it never happened, despite the then
Soviets diplaying what they erronously claim to be a Ziess scope from the
fictional German sniper ace.

> From what I've seen and heard it looks like another 'Saving Princess

(BTW, anyone spot the direct un-acknowledged lift from Carlos Hathcock's
book on sniping in the Vietnam war?)

Back to the matter in hand... <Subject: Re: [OT] Getting out of 25mm

> The main problem has always been figure
I've
> been unhappy with most of the 15mm SF vehicles I've seen.

Figures have been relatively scarce for really high thech sci-fi but are
highly abundant for ultra-moderns which are great for GZG-like sci-fi.
Companies I can think of of the top of my head are: Infantry:
Peter Pig - The BEST 15mmm figs out there - Sci-Fi, Moderns, Historicals
GZG - Sci-Fi. Sorry Jon, but I have to be honest here.  To me the new
figs are very poor, detail is absent, poses are lacking in animation and the
sculptor has a very poor mental image of the human body. In contrast, the OLD
NAC and ESU figures are excellent (for those of you at the GZG conn, just
compare my panzergrenadiers with my old NACs and ESU, they blow the new ones
away).
Irregular Miniatures - Moderns and cheap and cheerful, not hard sci fi.
See the pirates i'm bringing this w/e for evidence of this !
Dream Pod Nine - Sci-Fi. Good quality but limited poses HO Heavy gear
infantry in hard suits and light inf.  I'll have them this w/e.
Freikorps - Sci-Fi.  Decent quality Marines and Aliens, see them this
w/e.
MJ Figures- How this guy has not been sued by GW I don't know.  Sci-Fi,
Sapce Marines, Orks and Land Raiders. No idea of qulity but the pictures look
good.
Alternative Armies - Sci-Fi.  Decent figs.  Bit too Gothic for my tase.
QRF - Moderns. Fair but not up to PP quality.
Quality Castings - True 15mm (1:120) Moderns.  Good figs.  The Moderns
US in particular are ideal for SG.
Stan Johansen - Sci-Fi.  Good if a little dated looking figs (some may
be old traveller etc). Has a painting srcive too so will paint the figs.
Galoob- The cheap plastic Star Wars stuff.  Look for Bobba Fett this w/e
!
(on that note, anyone got a 15mm-ish Darth Vader they want to swop ?).
Vehicles:
Peter Pig - Sci-Fi, Moderns, Historicals.  Good quality moderns, the
sci-fis thing sucks.  The AK-47 range in particualt is worth pointing
out as it has some interesting things like Toyotas to make into 'technicals'.
GZG - Jon occasionally has some of his old tanks plus i think heas has
an old metal APC.
Irregular Miniatures - GEV APC (this w/e again), and odds and ends like
the pirate jet boat.
Dream Pod Nine - th new ho gears make Infantry walkers.  The jovian
chronicles suits are decent but expensive.
MJ Figures - A Land Raider ! some Helicopters
Alternative Armies - light wheeled vehicles.
QRF - Superb range of Modern vehices/aircraft and helos- these vehicles
are recognition vehicles for armies all over the world so you know they are
right. Range has everything from hummers to Scud Launchers. I have VABs
and LAV 25s this w/e.  Geoff will do turret swops etc for making things
more sci-fi.
Quality Castings - True 15mm (1:120) Moderns.  The BEST 15mm vehicles on
the market.
Stan Johansen - Sci-Fi.  Stan's vehicles are not as good as his
infantry.
Otherwise thay are fine.  I've got light vehicles this w/e.
Galoob- Where else can you get M577A APCs, Cheyanne dropships, ATAT
walkers and those funky brown Grav Tanks!
Matchbox - Superb Bradleys, AAV-1s, trucks, odd APCs and aeroplanes, all
for a buck!
Johhny Lightning - new line of M1A1 Abrahams.  Really nice tanks, esp
the new ones with mine ploughs
CollectAir - Fantastic Modern aeroplans and Helos.  Bit costly, but
worth it as they come fully painted.
Postage Stamp Models - nice Modern planes, painted like CollectAir but
at a fraction of he cost so quality is lesser.
Toys'R'Us/Museum shops etc - wierd ranges of cheap toys, Tonka, Maisto
etc. I've got stuff ranging from Dinosaurs and Apaches Helos for a dollar to
AV8B harriers for three bucks.

OK guys some stuff to be working with. Best thing for contacts and URLs is
The Miniatures Page Maufactures list.  For those of you these this w/ e
you will see examples of a lot of this in the 'Friday Night Firefight' (at
last
count about 30 or so vehicles/aircraft and a couple of companies of
infantry) and the Aliens game on Sunday. For those not going Jon usually takes
his camera so you may see photos.

If folks want to contact me about this lot please email me at
smurray@aecom.yu.edu. PLEASE NOTE, I am very slow to respond to personal
email, I only usually get the w/e to do this so it may be a few days
before I get back to you.

Happy gaming and I'll see some of you this w/e !
Stu.

> Stuart Murray wrote:

> Figures have been relatively scarce for really high thech sci-fi but

Huh? In that case Peter Pig must use the very worst samples they can find in
their showcase at the shows. The few of their figs I have (historicals) are
among the worst I own (almost as bad as my very first Minifigs), but they were
some of the *best* of the showcased figs... Ah well. YMMV <shrug>

> Somewhat further down in the post, Stuart also writes:

> Peter Pig - Sci-Fi, Moderns, Historicals. Good quality moderns, the

This sounds a lot more like my experience with Peter Pig... only IMO it
applies to the infantry as well :-(

Later,