Hinchliffe, own up, who bought them?

[NTM]

On a related note just found out that ERM are about to start selling Lamming Miniatures.

[NKII]

Ironically, I was doing a search for Hinchliffe figures and came across this forum. I own nearly 1,500 Hinchliffe figures, artillery, etc of the Napoleonic period. I have purchased many of the "newer" 15mm and 28mm figures. Gentlemen, I'm not all all that impressed with the "new" figures. They are over priced and though the quality is good they are not that much of an improvement over the Hinchliffe figures of the 70's. If any of you have any unpainted Hinchliffe figures or know of anyone with unpainted Hinchliffe I'll be glad to buy them from you. I still buy them from http://www.hinchliffe.co.uk/ and wouldn't trade you for the over priced Foundry figures. At $1.63 USD per infantry figure (30% off Foundry) compared to $0.78 USD per infantry figure (discounted Hinchliffe) I'll take the Hinchliffe. I use these for wargaming and seldom get any closer than 4 feet to the figures when they are on the table and at that distance I can't see $1.63 per Foundry infantry, $7.15 per field gun, and $4.37 per cavalry trooper at a distance of 4 feet. When Foundry returns to its normal retail price I'll buy gold. It may be less per ounce than Foundry tin.

[MediumAl]

Back in the early 70s I think they were the best UK figures. I say UK because I have a vague memory of some very good Ral Partha stuff, but that might have been later. Looking at the photo of that figure on ebay, I don't remember them being that poor - could that be a recast? but I have to admit buying some Prussion Dragoons that had been produced from moulds so worn that they were almost unusable.
Had some of the Napoleonics, which were quite nice, but I seem to remember that the left wrist holding the musket always seemed curiously elongated.
There were 2 Hinchliffe images that have always inspired me. One was some Byzantine cavalry in a photo in the old Airfiix Guide to Ancient Wargaming - it was black and white, but they looked fab. Bought the army, painted a few but sold it all in the early eighties when I got engaged and had to pretend I was fiscally responsible for a while.
The second was seeing the Egyptian Chariotry on the Hinchliffe stand at the Model Engineer exhibition in the early 70s. They sat in that brightly-lit display case flaunting their stripy head-dresses and calling to me, but I was young and poor. The images stayed with me and led to a big 15mm biblical collection in the early 90s (which I am stilll adding to) and won our club a couple of prizes for a display game that we took to SELWG and Salute back in 94/95. I remember pouring a resin river for the scenery boards the day before SELWG, and spending hours with a hair-dryer to get the D**n thing to dry in time.
Hinchliffe have a lot to answer for!

Al

[NKII]

My background is marketing. Consequently, I know from experience that there is a point at which cost exceeds the value point of a product. I believe that point has been passed when it comes to war gaming miniatures. This also includes gaming rules. For instance, DBA (more appropriately used in business as "Doing Business As...") where you literally have hundreds of different armies from which to choose. In addition, having been in combat I know that gaming rules can NEVER replicate war (the closest is computer war gaming) either at the tactical or strategic level. Frankly, I'm interested in simple straight forward war game rules using miniatures that are low cost, easy to paint, and look nice on a war game table. One of the reasons war gaming has lost its appeal is that it doesn't spur the imagination. The "fun" is in the mind where the imagination can take a simple concept and enhance it. Like you, I was originally inspired by the figures I saw. In my case it was a war game table with Minifigs and Scruby 25/30mm figures. At that point I knew that war gaming was for me and it still is.

[grant]

Is anyone interested in a Hinchcliffe Catalogue for free (just pay the post).

Dated 1976, with a December 1976 price list insert loose inside. The book is in good shape, but of no use to me.

Anyone interested? Let me know, it's yours for the shipping.

Please send PM.

[sas_mike]

I had a few Hinchcliff ACW figures, seem to remember about three units, one rebel vagabonds, one union zouaves and finally a union infantry unit.

Didn't really fit in with my othe ACW stuff at the time and so got rid of it all and went into 15mm

[grant]

Is anyone interested in a Hinchcliffe Catalogue for free (just pay the post).

Dated 1976, with a December 1976 price list insert loose inside. The book is in good shape, but of no use to me.

Anyone interested? Let me know, it's yours for the shipping.

Please send PM.

Now sent to the recycle bin.

[Darkwing Duck]

I still have some of their Napoleonic Royal Horse Artillery figures and guns in 25/28mm. they still look ok however the Scots Greys I bought (25 years ago) were absolute shockers. Seems like somethings dont change, variations in fugure quality that is.

[Colonel White]

THe problem oh Hichcliffe stuff which was very good in its day is that it not been updated. Another former Hichcliffe range I have to use some times are the Skytrex 1/76th scale vehicles. Some are still good but many are vey basic and look dated as regards detail .

For example a Skytrex Sexton is priced at £13.00 . A milicast version which are top knotch deatailed Resin kit are priced at £13.95. I ended up getting a deal on 4 from Milicast for £12.00 each .

Some of the price differential is down to the fact that the Skytrex model is a solid lump of metal and the Milicast Resin ( i hope GW are taking notes! ) One thing I can say about Skytrex is that their service is brilliant but their models could do with updating.

[Comte Michel]

I bought some Hinchliffe landsknechts, awful, awful figures. Anatomically impossible and rubbish castings. I was always a Minifigs man. In those days they were based in Southampton, so I could go there and come back with boxes full. All that stuff is long since melted down/sold though.

As some people have said though the Hinchliffe artillery was great - useless because they were 28mm and everyone else did 25mm, but very nice models.

I don't know why but Hinchliffe at the time had a kind of 'snob' value in wargaming. Certainly wasn't justified by the quality of the sculpts. It's looking back at crap like that that makes me grateful for the influence GW have had on the hobby.

In a similar vein, does anyone else remember Lamming? Big heads and little short legs. I was told the sculptor modelled them on himself, don't know if that was true or not