First Legion French 12lb Artillery Set and Crew (3 Viewers)

[Mister Dave]

I would really like this set too--it is beautiful and is thorough in that it includes most of the members of a typical gun crew. Many other sets are satisfied with paring the crew down to four members.

Here is a better site for Waterloo uniforms: http://www.mont-saint-jean.com/ To answer your question, yes, these uniforms are quite different than those found in 1815. Maybe this unit could only find their pre-1812 uniforms when re-activated! Any excuse to buy!

Hey thanks for the reference...very helpful even in French which I don't read unfortunately. I see an obvious difference in the 61st line infantry style of tunic or jacket being sort of cut away exposing a bit of waist coat underneath vs. the short full front tunic or jacket for 1815. At first glance everything else looks close to the same. Again, I am trying to stick to a Waterloo theme, though would be tempted to overlook certain details and be a bit anachronistic with my display as long as it is populated with excellent figures who are pretty darn close to right on.

 

[oberstoskar]

Just want to show my appreciation of the prompt and elaborated correspondent of First Legion on this forum.

I tried to google 61st Line Infantry on google... but couldn't find any solid historical background information on this regiment.

I wonder why choose to produce the 61st?

 

[Pierre]

Just want to show my appreciation of the prompt and elaborated correspondent of First Legion on this forum.

I tried to google 61st Line Infantry on google... but couldn't find any solid historical background information on this regiment.

I wonder why choose to produce the 61st?

Hi OB-

Here is what Matt posted in CTSC on 14-02-2008:-


Hi, Guys,

Thanks for the welcome and for the positive comments regarding our figures and planned releases. It's good to be here at CTSC and I look forward to chatting with you all regularly over the years to come. It's an exciting time for us.

Dave, as for mounted Chasseurs and lancers, we have every intention of doing both and not just French, but several nationalites and varieties of each. I don't know when we'll get to them, but I would expect the earliest that you'll see anything in this area would be 2009. We also have two cavalry releases in the hopper for 2008 in addition to the Cuirassiers and Carabiniers that we're doing and as they come closer to going to production I'll post some images of them. I really think you'll like them, personally they are my favorites.

Putting it back to you, what would be your preference? French Lancers? Polish Lancers/Guard Lancers? Line Chasseurs or Guard Chasseurs? Any others you'd like to see?

There really are just so many choices from the Napoleonic Period of wonderful figures to produce that it boggles the mind. I will say that you are dealing with a company that is run by megalomaniacs, so we want to do them all, commercial viability be (...)*!

Best,
Matt


Maybe the answer is in the last part of his post

Best regards,
Pierre.

* I deleted the word used by Matt in his original post

 

[Molloy]

These really do look superb. I was planning on holding out for as long as possible, but with 1815 Redcoats and Riflemen on the way, I think it's time to throw the towel in and admit defeat!

Molloy.

 

[kilted vampire]

I'm glad you all like the figures. I certainly hope they're not "too good." That would be...bad?

For those who haven't been to our website, here are three images of our first mounted release, NAP0020 Mounted French Artillery Officer. It is sold separately from the artillery set, but is obviously meant to compliment it.

Also, for those of you who pre-ordered the artillery set/mounted colonel, I'm sorry to say they've been delayed about 7-10 days. More details are on our website.

Additionally, one of our Bavarian figures was reviewed on the Canada Toy Soldiers Club forum in the First Legion Ltd Section. Third party perspective from someone with a figure in hand is worth much more than anything I can say, so go check it out of you're so inclined.

http://www.canadatoysoldiersclub.com/forum/index.php
You may have to register to see our category, I'm not sure.

Finally, the reason we've opted to do square bases is that we release our figures with enough detail and variety such that they can be setup in full units not just in random groups for display. The idea being to be able to build an entire unit and have it in base to base contact and we feel this just looks better when done on a standardized base size so they can be displayed with nothing showing through the grouping. You can some examples of this with the Bavarians shown on our site in the gallery. Thus, all of our bases are 30mm square. This also allows for folks to build diorama type movement trays for the figures where there is a space for X number of figures allowing them to be moved around as a group. Personally, when we have enough figures complete, I intend on wargaming with them!

Best,

Matt
First Legion Ltd Website

With the detail on the base being what it is you can easily blend turf foam around the edges and it should cover well

 

[FirstLegion]

Just want to show my appreciation of the prompt and elaborated correspondent of First Legion on this forum.

I tried to google 61st Line Infantry on google... but couldn't find any solid historical background information on this regiment.

I wonder why choose to produce the 61st?

First Legion Historical Trivia Question:

What do our forthcoming releases the French 61st Line, the French "Terrible" 57th Line, the Voltigeurs of the 85th Line, the French Artillery, the Wurttemberg Line Infantry, Murat and the Wurttemberg Jaegers, and Napoleon peering through his spyglass all have in common?

 

[oberstoskar]

they'll 've an appetite for frogs.

just kidding... it's BORODINO!

But why 61st?

 

[FirstLegion]

It's more specific than that...they were all involved in the attack on the fleches. The 61st and 57th were part of Compans division. The "terrible" 57th just had to be done charging/melee against one of the fleches as they were involved in bitter fighting and captured a fleche at the bayonet, so of the other regiments in the division we picked the 61st as the one we would do in an advancing pose supporting the assault of the 57th. The 61st (and 57th) was also very heavily engaged in the fight for the Shevardino redoubt 2 days earlier where it was pretty severely mauled.

Compans division of Davout's corps was probably the finest line division in the Grande Armee in 1812 so we selected two regiments that were heavily involved in the fighting at both Borodino and Shevardino. I think most folks know why the 57th given it's relative fame, however, there are only two other line regiments (and one light) in the division, so it was between the 61st and and 111th.

 

[fishead19690]

So I take it that we can expect to see some russians soon?Are you going to do some guns for the great redout?
How about some russian cuirassiers and some Saxon cuirassiers and guard cavalry for the attack on the grear redout?

 

[FirstLegion]

So I take it that we can expect to see some russians soon?Are you going to do some guns for the great redout?
How about some russian cuirassiers and some Saxon cuirassiers and guard cavalry for the attack on the grear redout?

What would Borodino be without Russians? Yes, lots of Russians to come. As for which particular units of which type of cavalry, you'll have to wait and see for that, however, we've already got one unit done which I haven't (and won't) mentioned yet which is personally my favorite release we're doing this year I think.

 

[Warrior]

Just wanted to report on the reaction to the First Legion figures at the Annandale show this past weekend.

One word pretty much covers it; WOW!!!...............was the general reaction from customers and competitors alike.

Matt, thanks a million for this opportunity.........

Regards,
George
www.mmtoysoldiers.com

 

[Mister Dave]

Just wanted to report on the reaction to the First Legion figures at the Annandale show this past weekend.

One word pretty much covers it; WOW!!!...............was the general reaction from customers and competitors alike.

Matt, thanks a million for this opportunity.........

Regards,
George
www.mmtoysoldiers.com

Oh, man...I feared as much for my wallet's sake. Did you happen to take any photos to share with us?

MD

 

[FirstLegion]

Just wanted to report on the reaction to the First Legion figures at the Annandale show this past weekend.

One word pretty much covers it; WOW!!!...............was the general reaction from customers and competitors alike.

Matt, thanks a million for this opportunity.........

Regards,
George
www.mmtoysoldiers.com

Thanks for the update George, that's great. By the way, your artillery sets are in route, so hopefully you have them for the next show. Anyone who wants to see these sets in person should contact George for his show schedule and stop by his table to see the figures live.

Also, there was a request back in this thread for more side by side shots of our figures next to K&C for sizing and compatibility. I put a few photos on the figure scales page of our website to show our cuirassiers next to K&C's. I've also put a few new images in the gallery showing the voltigeurs of the 85th line firing, the voltigeurs of the 61st line advancing, and some additional french command figures. These are to be released just after the fusiliers and command.

Best,

Matt

 

[Mister Dave]

Thanks for the update George, that's great. By the way, your artillery sets are in route, so hopefully you have them for the next show. Anyone who wants to see these sets in person should contact George for his show schedule and stop by his table to see the figures live.

Also, there was a request back in this thread for more side by side shots of our figures next to K&C for sizing and compatibility. I put a few photos on the figure scales page of our website to show our cuirassiers next to K&C's. I've also put a few new images in the gallery showing the voltigeurs of the 85th line firing, the voltigeurs of the 61st line advancing, and some additional french command figures. These are to be released just after the fusiliers and command.

Best,

Matt

Matt, thanks for the update re: your website. I've already had a peek. Again, that news from George has to be very gratifying. Regarding the cuirassiers, when do you anticipate release of those and any thoughts on price range for them at this point? They, like the rest of your catalog so far look fantastic.

MD

 

[King's Man]

First Legion,

Your new figures look wonderful, but I still will hold back because I do not like your square bases. I think they look old fashion and are too large. The bases shown on your comparsion cuirassiers are much more to my liking.

King's Man

 

[oberstoskar]

I think the K&C cuirassier general has been so anxious when facing his 'new enemies' that his command sword is broken!

The matt paint and sizes are not too far off from pre-exisiting K&C figures but I think the size is more closer to Frontline, am I correct?

nonetheless, I think the quality is about 20% better than K&C but the price is 40% higher (I presume mounted figures are sold $99 each).

that's just my opinion.

've you guys ever consider producing an ADC for Napoleon?
http://www.figurineemporium.com/photos/N2F-AID-01.jpg

 

[oberstoskar]

Also any photos for the 61st line standard bearer?

btw, thanks for posting the requested photo.

 

[FirstLegion]

I think the K&C cuirassier general has been so anxious when facing his 'new enemies' that his command sword is broken!

The matt paint and sizes are not too far off from pre-exisiting K&C figures but I think the size is more closer to Frontline, am I correct?

nonetheless, I think the quality is about 20% better than K&C but the price is 40% higher (I presume mounted figures are sold $99 each).

that's just my opinion.

've you guys ever consider producing an ADC for Napoleon?

As for size and frontline, you may be correct, though I can't say so for sure. It's been a long time since I've seen a frontline figure in the flesh. We may be slightly bigger, I can't say for sure.

As for your % breakdown on quality and price, it's of course an extremely subjective thing and certainly something better left off for you all to discuss amongst yourselves without my involvement, so this will be the first and last time I'll speak on this topic! Suffice it to say, having seen the cuirassier figures in the flesh side by side not in a photograph, I would say the quality difference is quite a bit more significant than that in terms of the sculpting, overall detail, and the painting. The real measure on price, however, is cost. Our costs are significantly higher because of the quality difference, the increased production time, and the fact that we are a very small company that does very small production runs. Thus, being about 30%-40% more expensive (depending on the figure type, less than that for specialists such as sappers/drummers) isn't bad when you figure our costs are many times over that much higher. Further, just looking at our figures for what they are without comparing them to what they are not, most probably the way they should be looked at, I feel they represent an excellent value of for the money. Anyway, 'nuff said on this.

As for doing an ADC for Napoleon, our Napoleon and Staff set includes General Rapp who was an ADC. A mounted ADC in a hussars uniform, presumably what you're talking about, might be interesting to do though.

Best,

Matt
First Legion Website

 

[FirstLegion]

Also any photos for the 61st line standard bearer?

btw, thanks for posting the requested photo.

You're welcome. I've put some additional images in the gallery of the French 61st Line Infantry including an image of the standard bearer with the command group. Visit our gallery to see them. Shown there are 11 of the 13 figures in the initial release in April. The two not shown are in campaign trousers and have some small extra "kit" on their backpacks. One has a spare set of shoes and the other a cooking pan. Gives them a bit more of that campaigny feel to them.

Best,

Matt
First Legion Website

 

[oberstoskar]

The details are just awesome on those closeup shots!

For one thing gets me worried... the skin tone on the 61st line looks pale, resembling those walking zombies from TinBay and Figurine Emporium... It doesn't appear this pale on the other phots of the Bavarians and the artillery. I hope it's only lighting problem when taking the shots.

I'm waiting eagerly for my artillery set which is supposed to be on the way.

btw, when will preorders start for your next badge of soldiers (those April releases)?