There are a lot of manufacturers in this era however two nations that are underdone are the Spanish and Ottomans. One advantage of an Ottoman range is they would work for most of the 18th century as well.
Another less supported, in plastic at least, would be Portugal as they were involved throughout the campaigns in Spain.
In relation to the major nations some plastic gaps are Russian Cossacks and Prussian Landwehr cavalry. Artillery is very expensive in metal or resin so that could also be an area to look at.
Actually there are more given the rise of skirmishing gaming for the era. One of the big gaps that exists now is just skirmishing poses for the big combatants that are NOT English, Scottish or French, (you know like Russians and Prussians) and maybe naval men. Plus Egyptians, the kingdom of Italy, probably partisan sets for western and eastern Europe, and if you want to really cover all the bases stuff for things like the Dano–Swedish War of 1808–1809 that was directly involved and maybe stuff for things like the Barbary Wars and American war of 1812.
Second the call for skirmishing, especially with the release of Silver Bayonet. In fact, there is a whole new gap in the market -- Napoleonic Monster Hunters. There are lots of people looking for those skirmishing poses right now.
Plastic Spanish Guerillas for Peninsula, Prussian multi-pose Jagers, more dynamic poses for Prussia, Russia, Austria, Spain and French Old Guard would be great.
As would some plastic wagon type things, as these are great for skirmishes etc.
Plastic Russian Cavalary ;)
1806 Prussians & Saxons (allowing for 1809 Saxons for the Austrian Campaign too).
Lots of gaps in the Rev Wars era. Bicorne and tarleton wearing French infantry, Austrians in kasket. Also agree with regard to Spanish guerillas in skirmishing poses. Even in metal there isn't a vast amount out there.
@Nicholas Caldwell
I would say that monster hunters are more of a classic fantasy sort of thing, but a good set or 2 or 3 of nappy partisans would fill that need out right away, particularly if fun bits are added.
Ottomans... I seem to keep repeating myself here...
But also for this time period Americans. I am surprised Victrix and Perry have not done plastic kits for 1812 Americans. Something that might work for slightly later period Texans and Mexicans might be interesting.
Also... can we please get those female Napoleonic figures that were teased as an April Fools’ Day joke!
I really looking forward to the Spanish. Please Infantry , Cavalry and artillery.
I understand people that wish for more skirmish type miniatures. I however are going to do General de armee
@Grumpy Gnome
100% this. Nizam i cedid would be brilliant! There are only really 2 28mm manufacturers , and in metal.
Russian Artillery would be very much appreciated as well. the amount of artillery you need for russians is nuts. you need a battery of 12 guns per 2 regiments!(4 battalions, a Russian brigade). most other armies struggles to get a battery of 6-8 guns per brigade. its criminal that i can get broish and french guns in plastic(and multiple 3D models), but i need to pay a premium for metal guns for the army with the most guns.
Plastic sets for all the great naval powers' marines, sailors and command (captains, lieutenants, midshipmens etc.)
I believe some plastic Black Brunswickers are in order. Perry makes lovely metal models of them but I think it time to bring them into the realm of plastic. The kit can have the head options to make them lieb battalion(horse tail shako) or light infantry (with feather shako). Maybe mix some jaegers in there aswell. Also I would love the early service standard that was a Crescent shaped blade with tassels. I also agree on the subject for some skirmishing models thanks to silver bayonet 😁
Brunswickers would I think be popular. Both for Napoleonics as well as kitbashing for say a certain grimdark sci-fi universe.
Since Victrix released their Bavarians... Tyrolean Rebels. Again, armed civilians that might work elsewhere depending on how you do the cultural clothing on the sculpts.
Scenes from this film always get me wanting to wargame this conflict.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FX0d52RMuM
Plastic Cossacks and other Russian cavalry would be clutch. I agree with the call for War of 1812 americans too, that would be awesome
Virtually the entire Revolutionary period is unavailable except in Plastic. All of the major players from 1796 through 1809 are unavailable anywhere in plastic and the metal ranges are pretty sparse as well.
@Grumpy Gnome
Actually 1812 Americans to my knowledge would only work for 1812 and a couple of the Indian US wars that happened around the same time.
They might work for the second barbary war as well but the Texas Revolution happened in 1835 and no one dressed like they did in 1812 except maybe for some older volunteers like Davey Crockett (who I believe was a great grandfather at that point) and the later Mexican American war that was in 1846 was even more this way. Not to mention the theater of operation both those wars (Mexico and what is now the South Western US) is completely different climate from the 1812 (eastern coast of the US, part of the northern US and parts of Canada) which should affect what people wore and how.
And the various uniforms of War of 1812 are quite chaotic with regulations changing throughout the war and the various militias having a broad array of uniforms. It is the same kind of thing you see in all kinds of conflicts.
The question is, would people buy the models? Plenty of folks play War of 1812 already. I suspect even more would if they had easier access to more affordable miniatures.
The more chaotic uniforms of the 1812 US forces are perfect for kit bashing if the right kits were available. Much like what folks do with American Revolutionay forces with the various plastic sets available.
Granted you can already kitbash convert a number of plastic Revoluntionaries to later militia but right now you generally need to convert Napoloenic Portugese to American Regulars in plastic or rely on metal sculpts.
Plastic Portuguese would have been great for my prussians, I've been building the 8th brigade for Waterloo using WA reserve infantry and British rifles, it would have been great to have plastics to use instead of the 2 battalions of Perry metals in Portuguese uniforms...
@Grumpy Gnome@Nick Wright I thought Warlord did plastic Portuguese?!?🤔
@Brian Van De Walker I thought so too.
@Brian Van De Walker you are right, I've just checked. I could have sworn they were warlords orrible resin when I was looking to buy, oh well
@Nick Wright The resins are a relitivaly new thing, the plastic Portuguese have been around for awhile now, though like a lot of plastic nappy sets its all marching poses so a good skirmish/firing kit is not uncalled for.
Yes to Russian Napoleonic artillery when you need the(your favoured scale) equivalent of twelve guns for each battery the costs add up. Yes, also to Russian Napoleonic cavalry, of whom there seem to be a lot. Napoleonic ratings with separate arms and open hands, not only the predictable gun crews and boarding parties, maybe even some carronades and crew?
While we are about it let me propose a new 'cavalry' set: field officers(colonels and majors).
Let me propose a new 'cavalry' set: field officers. You could probably use the same horse for some of the sets(British, French and Russian), the Prussians would require a different 'furry' shabraque.
L
Napoleon in Egypt might be an option for plastic, perhaps more for the Mamelukes than the French, the French had smaller forces so not too bad fielding them in metal (I like the Dixon range) but hordes of Mameluke cavalry and even more infantry is a bit daunting. You can proxy some of the Perry plastic Ansar for the infantry hordes, but only some and it leaves the option uneconomical. A few options in heads might allow Mamelukes to be fielded as Barbary corsairs too, or Ottomans (and could also then be used for other conflicts)
War in the Vendée, rebels! Essentially 2 boxes, one for foot and one for cavalry. If they did Revolutionary French, it would be a cool and different opponent instead of the usual Paris Mob.
Brunswick Leib battalion and Avant Garde Jager battalion also Nassau Line infantry would be a great addition to the range
@Grumpy Gnome Personally, I am not that much into Ottomans, but I agree: A Box of real US line Infantry for 1812 is missing. They could be joined by a sprue containing some scouts. Another Idea concerning the War of 1812 might be a box of multipose pirates commanded by Jean Laffite to join the US at the Battle of New Orleans.
A prosaic suggestion : a sprue (if not a set) of arms with open hands for customisation and other nefarious purposes.
I'm relatively ignorant of the genera of war gaming, but does any one make minis based off the Haitian revolution?
@Red Bee Trent Miniatures but I think they went out of business and sold their molds to someone else... I can not remember who. Arcane Scenery still has some of their stuff in stock I believe.
https://arcanesceneryandmodels.co.uk/shop/trent-miniatures-haitian-infantry-bis-car10/
@Grumpy Gnome shame, the hatian revolution is my favorite historical period. I guess it makes sense, given Haitians probably wouldn't be fighting most folks on the the continent. Still I can't be the only one interested in the conflict.
@Red Bee You may find this blog series interesting if you like a bit of the supernatural and Napoleonic era Haiti.
https://bogdanwaz.blogspot.com/2022/01/first-silver-bayonet-game-solo-campaign.html
@Grumpy Gnome that was a great read! Thanks
While I did not take to The Silver Bayonet as much as I had hoped, the game is proving to be more popular than I expected.
A marketable gap in that line up might be Bandits/Guerillas... Spanish or otherwise.
@Mike Allen Hows about anything Denmark-Norway or Sweden related?
@Grumpy Gnome @Atlas Allen-Manning @Jerome Klahr
Speaking of the War of 1812....
This outstanding conversion was posted on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/460868411872277/permalink/759408058684976/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/460868411872277/permalink/761272965165152/?app=fbl
Love everything about this. The research. The expert conversion. The light effect from the lantern.
