Wall Models 20mm, from Waramer's Newletter #102 September 1970

I have just come across this reference in Don Featherstone's "Must List" from Wargamer's Newsletter in September 1970. I don't remember any other reference to Wall Models and certainly can't find anything on Vintage 20mil. Does anyone out there know anything further?

Rose 20mm Napoleonic Units BR 1 British private advancing

This figure is I think the same as WG 1 in the 1956 Rose catalogue posted below, and therefore is one of the very earliest commercially produced wargame figures.

In this unit the rank and file are original figures, while the officers and sergeants are reissues. At some point someone has removed the detail of the Belgic shakos on the original figures to represent a (low) version of the earlier Stovepipe shako.

Alymer list

Alymer Miniploms Armies of the worlld were HO gauge (smaller than 20mm, 1/87 scale)miniatures which were available in painted sets which came in clear plastic cases. They were used extensivelly by early US Wargamer Gerard de Gre and pictures of his collection appeared regularly in Wargamer's Newsletter.

Some of these pictures and other Alymer related items to do with Gerard de Gre are posted on Vintage Wargaming

Bresica Miniatures 20mm

I've never seen these figures and have no photographs of them available.

Vintage 20mil has a brief description under "Others", reproduced below.


Bresica

Californian company that started up in the early-seventies. 20mm range included Punic Wars with separate weapons (Romans, Greeks, Carthaginians and Gauls were produced). These were sold in boxes of 12 infantry and six cavalry. “Nice little figures” says our American informant. The one example we have been able to get our hands on, a Roman signifer (code CRL-3), bears out this assessment. Slender in style and slightly smaller than the equivalent figure by Garrison 20mm he is mounted on a thick rectangular base that is noticeably longer than it is wide. Bresica also issued a 54mm range designed by Ray Lamb.

Rose 1956 Catalogue

The pictures show the cover of the Rose Model Soldiers catalogue from Autumn 1956., and the section inside for the two War Game figures, advancing Waterloo English soldier and French Napoleonic Guard. There is no reference to the Wellington figure.

Lamming 20mm Napoleonic Range: British Line Infantry

A recent swap brought, among other things, enough Lamming first series figures for two British battalions. This is the first, painted as 50th Foot, only awaiting their colours. the figures are BI/1 - line infantry advancing, and BI/2, line infantry officer with drawn sword.

I don't care for the later chunkier Lamming Napoleonics, but am quite fond of these first series figures.

Rose 1966 Autumn Catalogue Supplement

The Autumn 1966 Supplement for the Rose Catalogue contains this listing for the World War 1 figures and British Napoleonic artillerymen

Rose 1965 Catalogue - Wargames

The 1965 Catalogue adds the mounted Napoleonic and the ACW figures to the listings in the 1960 Catalogue. It also includes photos of some of the figures and of the artillery equipment. Rob Young at Garrison has the French Cannon WG 5 in production, it is a nice clean model. I don't know whether the other guns and the limbers will be available in due course, or whether Rob has moulds for these - I will update this post when I find out.

I will add some pictures of Rose units as and when they become available to me.

Rose 1960 Catalogue - 1" High War Game Models

This is the earliest listing I have for the Rose Wargame Figures, from the two part 1960 Catalogue. It is interesting to see they are listed as 1" War Game Figures. The range contains all the Napoleonic foot figures, but none of the mounted. The Duke of Wellington figure already seems to have been discontinued at this time.

Rose 20mm Napoleonic Units FR1 Grenadier advancing

Rose 20mm Napoleonic Units FR8 Fusilier Marching

Rose 20mm Napoleonic Units FR7 French Carabiniers

Minifigs Standard Series B/1 and B/2: British Napoleonic Regimental Colours

These are a bit of a mystery and thanks to Tony for sending them to me. I think I remember these from my local shop in the 1970s - what I am not sure about is when Miniature Figurines brought them out, and whether they were originally intended for use with the HO/00 or 20mm figures, or for use with S Range figures. As they seem to scale out better for use with the 20mm figures I have posted them here rather than on the Lone S Ranger. Short of going through hundreds of old Minifigs adverts in Wargamers Newsletter the best way to find out seems to post them here and see if anyione knows.

A pair and a half of Wellingtons

I posted earlier about the very early Rose 20mm figure of the Duke of Wellington. As I have 30 plus of this figure I had wondered what to do with them. As they have very little raised or engraved detail, and their over long pointing arm can be easily animated, and are dressed in long riding coat and boots, they are very adaptable by paint conversion to a range of uses.

The photographs show three Spanish Generals (above), after Bueno - a field marshal, a lieutenant general and a brigadier; and (below) a Polish staff officer (after Knotel), a Spanish infantry colonel, and a mounted Royal Navy Captain to command my Hinton Hunt RN Landing Parties and Marines.

Thge Rose 20mm figures have always seemed pleaingly stylised to me and I think these figures will fill a variety of roles for me in the future.

Rose World War 1 range

First released in 1966 these figures have been very hard to track down, either in metal or in photographs, or in a listing. Rob Young at Garrison is now gettiong close to releasing them. The picture shows (L to R):

French infantry standing to attention, front and rear
British infantry standing and advancing
German infantry standing front and rear, and advancing

Rose 20mm Zulu War range

A small range of well liked figures, Rob Young at Garrison did not have the moulds for these. However, he has now been able to remaster them from some vinbtage figures and they will be avaialable again shortly(I am not sure if this will include AW24 and AW4).

First released in 1973, there were five British infantry figures, including a dead/wounded figure, and five Zulus. I have had some of the loading British for a while - a lovely figure. The Zulus also look good - I particularly like AW23, throwing assegai. Proportioned like plastic figures I imagine they will look very good painbted and en masse. This is maybe particularly good timing for their re-release, given the major push on Colonial sets in plastic by HaT Industrie.

Rose AW20 Zulu running with assegai

Rose AW21 Zulu advancing with assegai held upright

Rose AW22 Zulu running with knobkerry

Rose AW23 Zulu throwing assegai

Rose AW24 Zulu charging with assegai held high

No picture of this figure is available

Rose AW1 Zulu War British Private standing, firing

An unusual firing-while-walking pose, reminiscent of some first generation Garrison Napoleonics, rather than the more normal braced standing firing pose.

Rose AW2 Zulu War British Private standing, loading

Rose AW3 Zulu War British Private kneeling upright, firing

Rose AW4 Zulu War British Private kneeling low, firing

No picture of this figure is available at present