Tuesday 10 September 2013

Warlord/Perry Comparison Review - Russian Nap Plastic Infantry

September is the month which everyone asks "So, what did you do during the summer?"   Well, I worked on plastics.  Lots of plastics.

Among the masses plastics miniatures of French., Prussians, Belgians and Dutch (ex-British) were Russian Napoleonic Infantry.  Originally,  I bought a box of the Perrys so I could make the 30th and 31st Prussian Infantry Regiments (uniformed by the Russians).  During a local sale I could not resist getting two boxes of Warlord Russians as they were fairly inexpensive.

So I decided to get them all done up before the rainy season begins.  Having concluded to do the Perrys as two Russian Guard elements while the mass of Warlords will form the line elements.  I am fortunate to do so as they are not compatible. Repeat, not.

I will let the photos illustrate this but the usual table view from above make the large difference in the shako sizes obvious.

The Perry box has 6 different poses and leg positions but they can be mixed together without the weird straggling look
my 31st Prussian Regiment using Perry Russians and noting the not too straggle effect of the different poses


   The same cannot be said of the Warlord poses.  While only four poses, each is different enough that my version of the 'Russian machine' would not be met.  Here is a link to YouTube video of War and Peace which give a good example of the precision march we all identify as so very Russian [YouTube link]
Therefore I must combine both boxes giving me 3 elements (each of 10 figures) with the back rank a different stride of march than the front rank but this will look better than a gaggle.

The Warlord heads are attached to the collar and thus then to be glued to the torso while the Perry heads are to be glued within the torso's collar cavity.  No mixing or matching there.  Also the backpacks are of a vastly different size. (So which is correct??) as is the afore mentioned shakos (and heads and hands of course)  I find the Warlords much more 'cartoony' and oversized proportionally.
Warlord left, Perry right. Usual view from above.
Warlord left, Perry right.
Warlord left, Perry right.
Warlord left, Perry right.

While all the Perrys are plastics, Warlord adds 4 metal command - 2 standard bearers, a drummer and officer.  Perhaps I have now been spoiled by precise plastics, but the metals had harsh mold lines, need of much filing and addition of some gap filling for the glued on arms.  They fitted very poorly.  And the drummers arm was particularly poor and does not have any of the drummer lace as does the other arm!

When pricing note that the Perrys have 40 in the box, Warlord 32 (with the 4 metal command types)

Obviously not painted yet so I am hoping much of the difference are not so obvious once on the table. Hopefully