British Guard Infantry Pre-Order (3 Viewers)

[FirstLegion]

Well, I guess I accidentally started the pre-order for the British Guards last night! I was editing the catalog late last night and making changes to it and thought I had shut off the "Great Britain" category, but I apparently left it on when I went to bed and low and behold got up this morning to several orders having been placed. The reason it wasn't to be started yet is because three of the figures out of the 17 in the release have temporary placeholder images of paint masters in the catalog because I haven't taken photos of those three production figures yet. These figures are NAP0083, NAP0090, and NAP0095. I will take images on Tuesday or Wednesday for these 3 codes and that was when the pre-order was to officially begin.

However, as the other 14 figures are in fact images of the production figures, I think you get an idea of the quality of the last three figures as well. So, now that the pre-order has started, I'll just leave it available and will replace the images of those three figures once I have them next week.

So, without any further adieu...

First Legions' British 1st Foot Guards
Shipping on January 23rd 2009.

NAP0081 - Guard Grenadier Lunging

NAP0082 - Guard Grenadier Kneeling to Repel

NAP0083 - Ensign Standard Bearer - Temporary Image in Catalog

NAP0084 - Guard Grenadier at the Ready

NAP0085 - Guard Grenadier Standing Firing

NAP0086 - Guard Grenadier Sapper

NAP0087 - Guard Grenadier Sergeant with Pike

NAP0088 - Guard Grenadier Kneeling to Repel

NAP0089 - Guard Grenadier Drummer

NAP0090 - Guard Grenadier Captain - Temporary Image in Catalog

NAP0091 - Guard Grenadier Reaching for Cartridge

Continued next post...

I hope you guys are pleased with the figures. Personally, I couldn't be happier with how they came out and am planning a nice (big) display of them that will eventually be shown on our website.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Regards,

Matt
First Legion Ltd

 

[FirstLegion]

First Legion British 1st Foot Guards Continued...


NAP0092 - Guard Grenadier Ramming Cartridge

NAP0093 - Guard Grenadier Lance Corporal Kneeling to Repel

NAP0094 - Guard Grenadier Kneeling Holding Arm

NAP0095 - Guard Grenadier Ensign Standard Bearer - Temporary Image

NAP0096 - Guard Grenadier Standing Firing

NAP0097 - Guard Grenadier Mounted Colonel

 

[oberstoskar]

The bavarians and the french line infantry were US$35 each.

Why the brits cost $45?

 

[FirstLegion]

The bavarians and the french line infantry were US$35 each.

Why the brits cost $45?

Because of several reasons:

1. We paid more for them because of when we ordered them.
2. They have a lot of detailing on them.
3. At $35, our prices are simply much too low relative to our costs and the the quality we deliver. Our production cost to sales price mutliple is still the lowest of any toy soldier maker by far. If you notice, many of our Wurttemberg Figures and Westphalians were already priced at $45.
4. The figures take so long to produce that we simply can't produce them in the quantities that other makers with lower painting qualities can achieve. Thus, because of the long production times, we must charge more per figure. For us, quality is a bigger priority than quantity.
5. We have VERY high sculpting costs.

Personally, I feel the figures are still the best value available at $45 and that we could probably sell them for a lot more than that. See Tinbay pricing and quality for examples of what we could easily charge, but don't charge.

If you notice, however, we've actually lowered the price on the Mounted Colonel as we were able to get our costs down a bit for that figure and the upcoming French Mounted Colonel and passed the savings on to you all. We certainly didn't have to do that, but we're trying to keep the figures as affordable to the mass market as possible without going bust in the process.

Regards,

Matt

 

[Jagdpanther]

Hey they look great!

 

[mk26gmls]

Hey Matt,

These figures are just outstanding! They will definitely be your best release to date. I didn't think you could beat the French Infantry that you produced and that I bought, but I think these British will do just that. By the way, the British should always beat the French.

Keep up the good work! I'll be placing my order shortly.

Darrell

 

[FirstLegion]

By the way, the British should always beat the French.

Pfffttttttttt.......Personally, I'm a big francophile when it comes to Napoleonics. I still hold a grudge against the British for defeating Napoleon at Waterloo and each time I watch Rod Steiger pondering "wellington...why is it always wellington" I often find myself wondering the same thing! I do agree that these are our best release to date though, of course, I think we'll at least equal them over the next few months.

 

[Spitfrnd]

Hey Matt,

...By the way, the British should always beat the French.
...

Yes well, they will in my dios.

 

[VanguardFC007]

Its interesting that more people could probably name Napoleon long before they named the Duke as the generals at Waterloo (seeing as how Wellington was the winning general, sorry Von Blucher, my text book was written by a Brit!) On the other hand thats a big presumption that the average person today has any sort of historical knowledge.


Harris

 

[jazzeum]

I don't collect Napoleonics but I think these are pretty nice.

How about venturing into Civil War, Matt?

 

[Spitfrnd]

Its interesting that more people could probably name Napoleon long before they named the Duke as the generals at Waterloo (seeing as how Wellington was the winning general, sorry Von Blucher, my text book was written by a Brit!) On the other hand thats a big presumption that the average person today has any sort of historical knowledge.

Harris

I am afraid the average American thinks Napoleon is a rich French desert.

 

[FirstLegion]

I don't collect Napoleonics but I think these are pretty nice.

How about venturing into Civil War, Matt?

Thanks. As for Civil War, it's been discussed and recently at that.

Tell you what, I'll put some type of poll on our website over the next few weeks asking folks what ranges they would like to see us do. If ACW is the most popular, we'll more than happily do it. As I said, it's already on the table for discussion so it's not a stretch. Perhaps you could start a grass roots campaign to rally for it.

 

[VanguardFC007]

Thanks. As for Civil War, it's been discussed and recently at that.

Tell you what, I'll put some type of poll on our website over the next few weeks asking folks what ranges they would like to see us do. If ACW is the most popular, we'll more than happily do it. As I said, it's already on the table for discussion so it's not a stretch. Perhaps you could start a grass roots campaign to rally for it.

Lets organize a round the world vote-a-thon! I would love to see 1st Legion get into the mix for WBTS.

Harris

 

[FirstLegion]

Its interesting that more people could probably name Napoleon long before they named the Duke as the generals at Waterloo (seeing as how Wellington was the winning general, sorry Von Blucher, my text book was written by a Brit!) On the other hand thats a big presumption that the average person today has any sort of historical knowledge.


Harris

Hi, Harris,

I think you make an interesting point and I agree that more people would associate Waterloo with Napoleon than with Wellington. I guess that's because neither Wellington nor Blucher "won" the battle of Waterloo as much as Napoleon "Lost" the battle. Plus, Napoleon had his own "era" of which waterloo is the book end. It is also interesting to note that many more people can name Waterloo, but have never heard of Rivoli, Marengo, Austerliz, Ulm, Friedland, Wagram, Luzten, Bautzen, Dresden, or any of the other victories. How we as a species love to see someone fall...

Regards,

Matt
First Legion Ltd

 

[VanguardFC007]

That is quite true Matt. I could name Austerlitz as well as a number of the Peninsular Battles (thank you Richard Sharpe) but most of my knowledge of the Napoleonic Wars comes courtesy of General Lee, ever searching for his own Austerlitz.

Harris

 

[Spitfrnd]

Thanks. As for Civil War, it's been discussed and recently at that.

Tell you what, I'll put some type of poll on our website over the next few weeks asking folks what ranges they would like to see us do. If ACW is the most popular, we'll more than happily do it. As I said, it's already on the table for discussion so it's not a stretch. Perhaps you could start a grass roots campaign to rally for it.

Well if you are going to add ranges, how about upsizing your Ancients. Of course, I also think you have quite a great deal left to do in this range.

 

[FirstLegion]

Of course, I also think you have quite a great deal left to do in this range.

EXACTLY. As Brett pointed out in the K&C thread where we came up, we only do one range (though I would dare say we don't have it "easy!"). So we might as well do it better than anyone else, deeper than anyone else.

Our Napoleonics range will never be finished, it will just go on and on and on...

 

[VanguardFC007]

Im not sure its even possible to finish a range. As long as its popular theres always going to be new things to be done. And eventually you have to go back and redo things in a newer and better way for future collectors. Atleast thats how I see it...

Harris

 

[FirstLegion]

As promised, I replaced the images of NAP0083, 90, and 95 with images of the production figures in our online catalog. Here they are for you to see. We really like showing the production figures only so you know exactly what you'll get and always try to label something a paint master if it isn't a production figure.

NAP0083 - British Guards Ensign Standar Bearer - $59.95

NAP0090 - British Guards Captain - $44.95

NAP0095 - British Guards Ensign Standard Bearer - $59.95

Apparently, based on a recent post on the K&C Forum, we may lose a few customers because of our "high" prices. Well, there's a saying that "you get what you pay for." Personally, if anyone else is aware of figures of this quality in our price range, I'd love to know of them so I can buy some for myself.

Oh, and there was a question asked about which toy soldier company people would choose to own if they could pick one. Well, of course, I would want to own K&C too, that goes without saying and I or anyone else would be a liar (or not very financially astute) if they said otherwise. They're a great business with many great products and vast ranges and I'm green with envy over their market reach and production capacity. I'll be the first to admit that I had a VERY large K&C WWII collection before I sold my life and moved to China to do this! But even if I owned K&C, my private collection would sure have a lot of First Legon in it!

Enjoy!

Regards,

Matt
First Legion Ltd

 

[aujj65]

As promised, I replaced the images of NAP0083, 90, and 95 with images of the production figures in our online catalog. Here they are for you to see. We really like showing the production figures only so you know exactly what you'll get and always try to label something a paint master if it isn't a production figure.

NAP0083 - British Guards Ensign Standar Bearer - $59.95

Enjoy!

Regards,

Matt
First Legion Ltd

Matt,

Enjoy indeed! and it's nice to see that the Union Flag is the correct way round, it's amazing how many times you see the Flag upside down.

A superb range of figures you have produced in a relatively short period of time and you should be rightly proud of them.

Regards

Jeff