Tuesday 18 October 2011

204 AWI troops for $1.98!!


Way back in the early 1970’s I remember seeing this add in a comic book. Back then I thought this was simply awesome and hassled my Dad for ages to send away for them. Eventually he did and after several months they arrived. The figures were rubbish really but I was still very glad to have them. They are all gone now but I still remember this add very fondly and the many battles we had with these guys. I now have a 15mm British army and a 28mm Continental army painted up and a 28mm British army still to paint. Here are my two French units that cost more than $1.98 for each figure.  Front Rank figures and GMB flags.



Probably use this chap as a marker.



The Royal Deux Ponts infantry regiment was made up of German soldiers in French service. I stared painting this unit about 3 years ago. It has been an “on again, off again” thing that has finally come to an end last month. The light blue coats and the colourful flag should make this unit stand out on the table. 



My other French unit is the Soissonnois Regiment. This unit was painted a couple of years ago and I struggled with getting all that white done. Me and white don’t really get along too well.

22 comments:

  1. Lovely stuff and work, I like the reference where a figure now costs more than that whole set.

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  2. I do remember that add or at least it looks familiar.Nice looking units you did btw!

    Christopher

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  3. Really smart Rodger,
    Not a period I know much about (maybe 1 day?), very cool uniforms.

    I used to hassle my dad for cowboys, stage coach etc when I was a lad.
    Cheers
    Paul

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  4. Nice stuff, and I know what you mean about white. I have always had issues with getting it to go on evenly. I also had a question about the ground in your photos. What are you using? It looks like you've glued a bunch of static grass to it. Or is it some kind of mat?

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  5. I so wanted these comic book soldiers but you could never order them in Canada (or so my mother said!).

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  6. I remember drooling over the same ad but like Bob was told not available in the UK!

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  7. They look superb Sir! Love the wounded chap falling back.

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  8. Your advert pic from the 70's certainly takes me back a bit - reminds me of playing with airfix toy soldiers in the garden, digging trenches for them etc - for years afterwards my mother would still be finding them as she did the gardening... Nice work on the FR stuff - I like the characterful chap falling back shot. Interesting you mention a unit taking a few years to finish. If I dont get a unit done start to finish in one go, I find it really hard to go back it, when its been left half done, and something else has grabbed my attention...

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  9. Great work, Rodger! I always wanted to get those soldiers in the comic add....along with the glasses that could let you see through clothes! I couldn't quite figure out how they would work but as a kid wanting to know more about girls the concept seemed pretty cool.

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  10. Great looking painted figures. I agree about painting with white. It can be a real pain.
    cheers

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  11. @Sean If you are talking about the top photos- then the troops are on a steel tray , painted green with static grass applied using my homemade static grass charger. The two bottem photos were taken during a game with the guys on a Citadel Battlemat.

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  12. I really, really, really wanted those soldiers to! I think you could actually get them sent to the UK but you needed an "International Money Order" which sounded scary and my parents weren't very keen - if only there had been PayPal back then! There was another add for a complete US Pacific Fleet as I remember...

    Ian

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  13. me too! those comics also had an advert for a working submarine that I really really wanted!

    Cheers

    Ken

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  14. Ha! I remember that add too. There was a similar Roman Civil War set that I wanted. :-)

    Your Frenchies look great!

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  15. Excellent painting, I've painted both of these up as well, unfortunately they were both for Postie, the Soissonnois Regiment, nearly put me off painting for life....all that white!!!!

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  16. Weren´t the 204 figs for 1,98 flats??? I always wanted the roman army set but never ever got them :-(
    Your "1.98 a fig" army looks great..
    Cheers
    paul

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  17. @Paul- They were round bods Paul. Here is a link to photos of the AWI guys and others at TMP.
    http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=245809

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  18. I remember that ad and other similar ones too Rodger! Alas I never actually was able to ever get any... They were the source of many day dreams about huge wargaming armies as a young boy though! Cheers, John (Wargaming.info).

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  19. I realy like your AWI minis, give me inspiratine to get back to my own AWI project...have 80 Continentals to paint...

    Best regardsa dalauppror

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  20. Very nice Rodger! Love the figs, and the pictures!

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