Part One Expeditionary Force Future Plans, Scott Lam sent Evan Oelrichs, moderator of the Facebook group for Expeditionary Force a summary of the future plans for Expeditionary Force. Rahway spotted it and I wanted my readers to see it as well. I have to break it into several posts.
Part One Expeditionary Force Future Plans The List
Some Details
Historical Periods
1. Wars of Prehistory Pre-3000 B.C.
2. Wars of Sumer & Akkad 2700 B.C. – 2004 B.C.
3. Wars of the Ancient Egyptians 1556 B.C. – 1077 B.C.
4. Biblical Wars 1050 B.C. – 586 B.C.
5. Wars of Classical Greece 510 B.C. – 323 B.C. / Greeks & Macedonians
6. Hellenistic & Punic Wars 323 B.C. – 31 B.C.
7. Wars of the Roman Empire 27 B.C. – A.D. 476 / Early Imperial Romans
8. Wars of the Dark Ages A.D. 476 – 1066 / Vikings (40mm)
9. Crusades & Mongol Conquests 1096 – 1291
10. Wars of the Middle Ages 1066 – 1494 / Crecy & Poitiers
11. Wars of the Renaissance 1494 – 1600
12. Baroque Wars 1600 – 1700
13. Wars of the 18th Century 1700 – 1800
14. Napoleonic Wars 1803 – 1815 / French & British (1812)
15. Wars of the Romantic Era 1815 – 1861
16. American Civil War 1861 – 1865 / USA & CSA
17. Colonial Wars 1878 – 1902 / British (Sword & Flame)
18 Clash of Empires 1859 – 1906
19. The Great War 1914 – 1918
20. World War II 1939 – 1945 / German & Japanese
The top 10 will be in 60mm; while the lower 10 will be in 54mm.
Some periods will be limited in scope (no. of sets) while others can be extensive.
The right column above are the anchor armies already produced or in production.
Those periods in red have some sets already being prepared.
For instance, the 1812 Scott’ brigade sets in roundabout jackets will have option sets for the Alamo and also suitable for the afghan and opium wars. This set is in the production queue. There will be horse-foot-guns.
I was very excited about the upcoming Ancient and Medieval figures until i saw that they will be made in 60mm scale. As ive stated before 60mm isn’t a bad scale but Ex-Force figures are very thick so there figures look like beefed up 24 stone super soldiers which is fine in its self, But as ive stated before they just dont go well with many other 54mm makes that have been made over the decades and i like many others wont buy them at this scale. So here’s an idea how about doing at least some or half of these figures in 54mm scale? I think that at this smaller scale they would sell to a much wider circle of collectors. They are fine looking figures and these periods of history are great but the figures are just to big. I wont mention Ex-Force scale again as i’m sure people are fed of me often bringing it up but it annoys me that they ignore collectors like myself who prefer 54mm scale, I think they will lose many sales with the bigger figures but hey its up to them.
My sentiments exactly. First, there is the cost. Three times the amount of a classic Marx figure and they can’t get the scale right? Why would you do the Japanese in the proper scale (albeit adjusted for assumed height) and turn around and do the others in a larger scale that prohibits Marx collectors from even considering the time and effort that went into producing these? It makes no sense unless those collectors outside of the US are the larger market. I am not a big fan of glued figures but would gladly buy some if represented in 54mm.
Unfortunately many makers are not targeting only Marx or classical 54 mm range collector but more modern resent scale like ,the larger range 1/30 as TSSD,CONTE,PP, Publius and many others maker as well as are the hot sale today ,they are targeting a larger market also as new collector generation and wargamer like this scale as well . Those are far more than the Marx and or 1/32 range exclusively collectors .Also Marx 54 mm are from late 50s till late 60s before that they start and produce massive 60m range amount sets as well . Marx reduce scale in order to accommodate more figures in production to give more inside playset with the “54MM ” range .Saving plastic ,making more poses per set and giving children more figures per playset
While 1/32 had been x long ,specially from UK that most makers in plastic did use this scale as well during the short 90s renewal and some in US ,specially Marx as well .The first plastic figures were made in larger scale- BETON,AJAX,early MARX ,Aurburn IDEAL to mention few where made from 60 to 75 mm in most .In Europe with exception of UK most maker since start of first plastic figures in Europe did figures from 60 to 75 mm with Elastolin scale (1/26-1/24) been the more popular .So I bet most old collectors from Europe like and prefer this 1/30 range as can match better their vintage brand rather than 54 mm range Again with exception in most cases of UK that where traditionally 1/32.
So i call the 1/30 range a revival of old scale range as were used since late 40s early 50s in plastic .
Regarding Japanese being done in “proper” scale versus US infantry .EXF Japanese are smaller than US infantry made by EXF indeed .So I will imagine they will do marines in larger range as well .In that case EXF will be first maker doing so as most manufacturers never take in consideration true (people-races) -human scales .Britain ,MARX ,LIDO ,MPC Airfix ,MARS ,Jecsan ,PH and few other making WW2 Japanese had done then in exact same range scale versus their foes and allied .
I chat with Scott from EXF about couple years ago and he mentioned the reality that more half his sales goes to continental Europe and US market is good but not that strong ,yet wargamer and young collectors from US are increasing as far he can search .I do not know by now how much had changed or else.
My thoughts .
There still other some makers in the old classical 1/32 range MARS been one of the few and Speira miniature does figures in all scales as well .
My thoughts
Airfix will be reissuing some of their 1/32 WWII sets, but apparently again in that fragile resin. BMC and AIP are still marketing sets of 1/32 soldiers. And I suppose we should also mention the inexpensive army man scale of roughly 45-50 mm that we see in the buckets and bags found on retail store shelves – a starter scale for many. I had a lot of fun as a kid playing with the smaller scale MPC GIs that I picked up in bags of 100 for a dollar or so.
Baroque Wars???
I had never heard such thing Baroque is a pure art style ,not historical war period .
Neither I seen any about Wars of the Romantic Era!!I know about Romantic era as another art and intellectual movement .
If referring to the wars that happen during Baroque art period then some are mix mention above and many wars during such art movement happen during renaissance era too. Because Renaissance ideas-thoughts were part of politic of the era and influence it as well presented in art it define a historical period time .But Baroque did not influence politics at all .
Clash of Empires. That was a film 2012 produced and never released partially base in game and the Hobbits of Talkin fantasy world .
As far I know empire had been clashing since ancient time if referring to historical empires .
I think will be good to clarify what specific wars and true real historical periods the production will be about .So far I see far too much to see in very long time .
Wish best making all that and may last far long to do all.
My thoughts
At least Ex-Force has plain flat bases and not the Mini Mountains some companies do and continue to do even though I told them to knock it off,LOL.
These plans are truly ‘the stuff that dreams are made of’ Can’t wait for the eighteenth century figures : redcoats in mitred grenadier hats and tricornes and Jacobite highlanders: fantastic stuff! Hope Exforce does the English Civil War too ( now there’s a truly Baroque War) A Call to Arms Never fulfilled their potential and seemed to be permanently stalled.
Depending on historical views even the 7 years war can be located to Baroque.
Not to mention the 2nd siege of vienna (would like to see some more polish winged hussars in plastic plus turkish and austrian troops of this period) and the war of spanish succession. So keep my fingers crossed on that point.
So far is a very promising list and very long ,will take years to see all that ,hope it last well and beyond .