The Latest News! 2-07-2021. Toy Soldier Previews & News!!! Lost Barzso Sculpts. Conte Romans. Warhammer III.

It has been a while since my last post. I have been busy working extra and dealing with the weather for the most part in January. I have gathered some things that have occurred over the last month into one post. So let us begin with some news from Airfix.

Airfix is releasing 6 of there classic World War II sets this summer. British Paratroops, German Infantry, US Infantry, US Paratroops, German Paratroops and British Infantry. I think these are now being produced in India. I wonder if they will be in a soft plastic again?

Conte’s plastic Romans are in production and should be available before the end of this year. Hopefully by the summer if we are lucky we shall see Roman Legion Set #1. They will come in bagged sets of Gold, Silver & Red.

Some of the figures require assembly. You will have a some choices with the poses. This is a nice feature when building armies. Also the hot & cold water solution to straighten the spear might be needed. Head over to the Conte website over here, https://contecostore.myshopify.com/.

Next we visit CHELOVECHEK / LITTLE MAN. Set №8, which is called “The Missing Expedition of Franklin – EREBUS (1845-1847).” In the set are 6 men in 1/32 scale made in rubber plastic. Here is a short description: – Captain John Franklin with Capuchin the monkey, Private of the Marine Corps armed with a capsule shotgun, Ice Master with hook and pistol, Diver with bogor, Cook with a heavy look, and an old sailor with a ice ax.

Plastic Platoon is very busy these days. They have a new set coming out soon. It is Indian Warriors of the Battle of Little Bighorn #3.

Plastic platoon. Soviet scouts 1943. 1/32 + Master model. Planned for release in Spring 2021.

Here are some 3D rendered Indian figures for the new American Revolution theme sets being developed.

Here are more renders of the figures of the series American Revolution. This time, the figures are from the Artillery Revolution set. The girl is Molly Pitcher.

Next we see what Publius is up too. Here are a few of the new sets being released. There is a crusader set, Greeks and Knights.

Plus some of the older WWII Russian Soldier sets cast in the rubbery resin. These WWII Russian Sets can be found at https://micshaunscloset.com/collections/publius.

The last thing I have to report about Publius is the prototype of an Amazon.

Mars has two new sets coming out later this year. They are World War II German Paratroop Artillery and Mortar sets.

David and Kim at MicShaun’s Closet have some new foam pieces in development. Here are the photos of their new North Africa Building in three paint schemes.

Plus Palisade Walls for the Alamo and other dioramas.  Three different pieces – plain wall, angled section (more for Alamo) and and artillery section. Check out more of their products at https://micshaunscloset.com/.

Last time I previewed the English Archer set by Warhansa. They have continued with some new medieval themed sets. They are English medieval themed sets. I really like these sets.

They also have a new Viking themed set. You can see more at their website over here, https://www.warhansa.com/.

FOUND AFTER 14 YEARS

One of my favorite projects was the Robin Hood Set. After the set came out in 2007 I had 5 more Merry Men sculpted by the brilliant Jay Richardson of Ft. Worth , Texas. They were to be the basis for a small add on set called the Men of Sherwood Forest. The figures were in various camp poses , seated , standing around, etc. One guy was designed to carry a variety of items , like firewood , a cask, etc. I got involved with other projects and put the originals away for safe keeping. I put them away in such a safe place that I forgot where they were! From time to time I would mount a determined search , but always without success. Years went by, with no Merry Men in sight.

Fast forward to last Saturday night. I was moving some boxes around and found one labeled ” Original Sculpts .” even though I had looked in the box before , I thought I would check each small box inside. Each box contained a set of original figures that I sent to the mold makers and which they had returned, Aztecs, 1805 Marines, Hurons …and then I opened a box labeled British Grenadiers figures #1-#4. But within the box was the set of long lost, misplaced , missing in action Merry Men in Camp ! I immediately called my old buddy Jim Clouse and told him the happy news . We met the next day at a McDonalds parking lot so I could hand them over for some professional photographs. (In addition to his sculpting skills Jim is also an accomplished photographer.

Finally, I communicated with the new owner of Barzso Playsets, Ken Ciak. Ken was excited too and plans to finally produce these figures along with maybe a surprise or two. ( I had planned to include a Maid Marion and Ken makes great female figures and , well, you get the idea.

So there is the story of the missing Merry Men. I can hardly wait until they come out. Can you ?

~ Ron Barzso

Photos were taken by Jim Clouse. These figures will probably be out sometime in the summer or early fall. You can see more of the LOD products over here, https://lodtoysoldiers.com/.

Total War announced that they will be releasing Warhammer III late this year. It is a PC video game. Game Workshop is also developing new miniatures bring back the Warhammer Fantasy tabletop game.

Now for some news. I will not be attending the Midwest Toy Soldier Show this year. I will be at the Gettysburg and Columbus Toy Soldier Shows. Maybe some other shows too. But we shall see. I will have some of the Russian based figure sets at these shows. Companies like Prikaz, Warhansa and Publius. Plus the LOD resin sets and some foam products. I should also have my figures ready sometime late spring. That is all for now. Thank you for reading.

The Latest News!!! 06-28-2020 ~ New Show this September in Indiana. “Tippecanoe & Toy Soldiers 2 Show”. Plus some hobby news.

if-you-build-it-they-will-come

The MIDWEST TOY SOLDIER GROUP is hosting a toy soldier show this September in Lafayette, Indiana. There was a demand for this since the Chicago Toy Soldier Show had been cancelled. They are calling the new show “Tippecanoe & Toy Soldiers 2 Show”. Titled after the Battle of Tippecanoe which took place near the location of the show.

toy-show3

The show takes place on Labor Day weekend Sunday, September 6th from the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Plus ROOM TRADING on Friday, September 4th & Saturday, September 5th through out the days. Located at the Courtyard by Marriott’s Conference Center, 150 Fairington Ave in Lafayette, IN 47905. You can read more about the show at http://www.mwtoysoldier.com/. I will have a table at the show and will be doing a report on the room trading and show. You should make a mini vacation around this show because who knows what is going to happen later on in the Fall.

Tippecanoe-Soldier-banner

Warhorse Head Small

Latest News

I have a few updates on some products that are now released or will be released in the near future.

Mars2Mars5

Here are two pictures of painted Mars sets. The first picture is of WWII German Night Hunters. The second picture is of WWII German Paratroopers. These sets should be available in August. Sergey said that the WWII Finns and Russian Assault Troops are available now.

Warhorse Head Small

plastic-platoon-red-army-assualt-troopsPlastic Platoon Red Army Assualt Troops1bPlastic Platoon Red Army Assualt Troops1a

The Plastic Platoon WWII Russian Assault Troops are in production now. They really look nice. Some of their best work.

Warhorse Head Small

Medieval House – Small1

Small Medieval House ~ $45.00

Medieval Tavern

Large Medieval Tavern ~ $75.00

Medieval Stone Cottage – Small

Medieval Stone Cottage (small) ~ $42.00

Medieval Stone Cottage – Large

Medieval Stone Cottage (large) ~ $54.00

LOD is really busy remaking the Barzso Playset products. Besides the new figure sets they have been re-issuing. They’re releasing the old Medieval houses & cottages. They’re also working on other products. You can visit their page by clicking on this link https://lodtoysoldiers.com

Warhorse Head Small

SALE

Well that is it for now. Thank you for reading.

The Latest News!!! 06-07-2020 ~ LOD Barzso Playset figures, Chicago Toy Soldier Show & Midwest Toy Soldier Show. Plus some Vintage Finds!!

97352329_10157043082686875_8755279352448417792_n

Warhorse Head Small

Midwest Show1Midwest Show2

Today was the Midwest Toy Soldier Show. They also had room trading on Friday & Saturday. I was unable to make it. I will return next year again. From what I have heard it was still a great show but attendance was less as expected.

Columbus Toy Soldier Show 2020

I hope to attend the Columbus Toy Soldier Show as a vendor in October. 

Warhorse Head Small

CTSS-Magazine-ad-Full-225x300

Last week it was announced that the Chicago Toy Soldier Show is cancelled. 

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 of the 40th anniversary Chicago Toy Soldier Show to 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭. Thank you to everyone for your continued support of the Chicago Toy Soldier Show. If you would like to purchase a limited-edition version of this poster, with artwork by Doug Dearth, please visit us at www.chicagotoysoldiershow.com/store

Warhorse Head Small

Plastic Platoon1Plastic Platoon2

Here is a new figure from Plastic Platoon. I think it is a limited edition figure.

Warhorse Head Small

LOD Barzso

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

LOD031 and LOD032 are available on the website and will be shipping to dealers on Monday (6/8), https://lodtoysoldiers.com/.

Both resin sets have their roots in classic Barzso Playsets. Set 31 with figures from the Last of the Mohicans and Set 32 with a nod to Braddock’s Defeat.

LOD031 is $25.00 for 8 figures and LOD032 is $35.00 for 10 figures. Those prices do not include shipping.

Barzso LOD029 1b

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is LOD029 Barzso Aztec Sacrifice figure set. The figures are sculpted really nice. The details are amazing. Ken is coming out with a bunch of newly remade Barzso sets. Some will be out next week and more by the end of the month.

Warhorse Head Small

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

BMC is getting closer to finishing the Plastic Army Woman set. They have finished all the prototypes for the set. You can read more at their latest update over here, https://bmctoys.com/blogs/news/bmc-toys-plastic-army-women-project-update-9.

Warhorse Head Small

The Finds

I had hoped to be at the Midwest Toy Soldier Show but due to all the madness I was unable to attend. Last week I was able to get out and found a few vintage toy soldiers and other toys.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is a simple plastic ranch fence that I found for a dollar. The scale is really nice. It is made out of hard plastic. Magua approves….

Vintage1

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I found these two Tim Mee Army trucks at different places. The “Battle” damaged truck was $5.00 and the other one in better condition was $7.00. I remember having some of these as a kid.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I also found a few bags of mixed figures and vehicles. This Tim Mee Howitzer was in one bag. I like the fact that it can be hitched to the truck and other vehicles too.

Vintage5

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is the Tim Mee Jeep. They are still making some of these Tim Mee army toys. You can visit the BMC website to see more, https://bmctoys.com/collections/world-war-2/products/jl-timmee-patrol-olive-upc.

Vintage3

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

These vintage Tim Mee Army Men were some of my favorite toys growing up. The figure running with the ammo cans is cool. I also found another Soldier with a motorcycle. They are 60mm.

Vintage6Vintage6a

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here are some bulls and another fence that I found. 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is Marx Tree that my girlfriend found for a few dollars.

Vintage8a

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is another figure that my girlfriend Carolyn found. This Marx British Red Coat cost me $1.00. I never had any. It is really well detailed and fits well with the Barzso figures. I am not a big Marx collector. I only have a few of the World War II figure sets. Plus some western figures that I have picked up here and there. The Marx Toy company was almost gone when I was was growing up. I was lucky enough to have the Navarone Playset as a kid. I will try to get a few more of these British if I come across them at the shows.

SALE

That is it for now. Thank you for reading.

The Latest News!!! 04-16-2020 ~ Toy Soldier Review LOD/Barzso Resin Pirates!!

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2B

Ahoy, Me Hearties! In this post I am doing a review of the LOD/Barzso Pirates. Avast Ye!!

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1b

Back are Barzso’s Classic Pirates. These figures are some of the best pirates ever sculpted. They bring Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island Pirates to life. Set #1 has 8 figures in 8 different poses. Below we will see each pose.

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 1aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 1b

Three Sheets to the Wind?? Dead Drunk, Dead or Drunk….

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 2aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 2b

Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! Throwing a chest off a ship or on someone’s head.

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 3aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 3b

Fighting with a cutlass and pistol.

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 4aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 4bBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 4c

Kneeling Shooting a Blunderbuss.

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 6aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 6b

Swing a Cutlass two handed over his head.

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 5aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 5b

Standing shooting a Blunderbuss.

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 7aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 7b

Attacking with Cutlass.

Barzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 8aBarzso LOD024 Pirate Set 1 8b

Classic pose of a pirate marching forward.

Warhorse Head Small

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2ABarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2C

Blimey! Here is another set. Pirate Set #2. 8 figures in 8 different poses. No Scallywags here. This set is action filled too. 

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 8aBarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 8b

Fighting with a Boarding Axe & has a knife in his mouth.

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 7aBarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 7b

Looks like this guy just got shot. Has a Gully(knife) and a Pistol.

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 6aBarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 6b

Here is a Seadog fighting with a Cutlass and Belaying pin.

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 5aBarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 5b

Lookout!!

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 4aBarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 4bBarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 4c

Kneeling firing Musket.

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 3aBarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 3b

Interesting pose. Pirate with lead line checking the Fathom.

Depth was measured using a tool called a lead line.
This was simply a hemp rope with a heavy piece of lead tied
to one end. A mark was made on the rope every six feet,
which is equal to one fathom. A crew member would throw
the lead line overboard, counting the marks on the line as it
sank to the bottom. By multiplying the number of marks by
six, the sailor could figure out how deep the water was at
that spot. If a sailor counted eleven marks, for example, that
meant that the depth of the water equaled sixty six feet (11 x
6 = 66 feet). ~ Navigation: Depth and Speed ~

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 2bBarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 2a

Standing firing Musket.

Barzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 1ABarzso LOD025 Pirate Set 2 1b

The Scourge of the 7 Seas!! This guy is armed to the Teeth!! He has two pistols, an knife in his mouth and a Cutlass on his side. This is one of my favorite poses.

Warhorse Head Small

Pirates1

When Barzso first made these figures I was amazed. Not only because of the sculpting but because of the resin used. The resin was real smooth. Almost like plastic. It had a nice feel and look. Ron based the Pirates on Stevenson’s Treasure Island. The poses are an instant classic.

Pirates

The new color is perfect for these Pirates. Plus the resin is better. It is still smooth and not brittle. You would still have to be careful and not drop these though. They still can break. But I think these are stronger. 

Here is a page that has a collection of the Pirate Lingo, https://www.piratevoyages.com/pirate-lingo/.

Warhorse Head Small

SALE

If you like the new LOD/Barzso Pirates I have some sets available for sale. Plus some other sets too. You can check that out be clicking on this link, Toys for Sale.

warhorse-miniatures2

That is it for now. Thanks for reading.

The Latest News!! Anglo-Saxons by Warhorse Miniatures!! Updates on Prikaz, LOD~Barzso, Petite Guerre & Midwest Toy Soldier Show.

Tusken Raiders

While most of you were getting ready to watch the Super Bowl, I was putting together this post. Today we have some updates. The first update will be about Prikaz Toy Soldiers. 

Prikaz Logo

Prikaz Toy Soldiers, “ПРИКАЗ” in Russian means “Order” in English. They make resin based miniatures. The owner is Alex Pisarev. I started collecting his medieval sets from the beginning. I have been working with Alex on some projects after we first met. I have been updating the picture catalog of his sets on my website. You can check out that page over here Prikaz Toy Soldiers. Alex is in the process of expanding his business. I should have more information about this in the coming months.

The Rifleman

Last month I received most of the Prikaz Streltsy sets. Today I want to take a closer look at the first and last set that was made from that theme of the Russian riflemen.

The Rifleman2

St-1) Moscow Streltsy #1 – A set of five figures firing standing Streltsy with muskets and swords – $30.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This one figure started it all for Alexey. So when you look at his company this is a key figure to have. The figure is nicely detailed and depicts a Russian rifleman from the 16th to 18th century.

Streltsy regiment of artillery20

St-8) Streltsy regiment of artillery (1 cannon, 8 artillerists) – $100.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is the latest set from the Streltsy theme. This Artillery set is really nice. It comes with a huge crew to show off different scenarios of moving, loading and firing. There are also some accessories too.

 

LOD Barzso

“We are able to start taking pre-orders on four Barzso resin figure sets. The figures have been arriving at LOD headquarters and we will be packaging them up over the next two weeks. The initial four figure sets are all in blue.

They have been loaded into the web store so feel free to take a look. We will be adding more photos of each figure as well. The pirate sets and the Lewis & Clark character figure set are priced at $25 per bag. The Last of the Mohicans character set is limited and available for $75 per set.” ~ Ken Ciak of LOD Enterprises Toy Soldiers.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here are some pictures of some Barzso figures that I purchased last year. I was told by Ken that the new sets are cast in the same blue color. You can visit the LOD website over here https://lodtoysoldiers.com/.

 

 

pgts-logo

517c-toysoldiers-FIW-SYW518-toysoldiers-FIW-SYW-1024x768527-toysoldiers-FIW-SYW-1024x1024

Nino is busy again working on some new figures. He is working on a set of Cimarrons. Head over to Petite Guerre website to read up on what he is doing, https://petiteguerretoysoldiers.com/cimarrons-runaway-slaves-west-indies-southern-colonies/.

 

Show-Banner-2020

Midwest Toy Soldier Show. Featuring the best toy soldier dealers of the Midwest and from around the country, covering metal and plastic, dime stores, playsets, individual figures, and more!

New production and Old!

 

When:
Sunday, March 29, 2020 – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m..
ROOM TRADING: Friday, March 27 – Saturday, March 28.

 

Where:
Courtyard by Marriott
Conference Center
150 Fairington Ave.
Lafayette, IN 47905

http://www.mwtoysoldier.com/

Next month I will be attending the Midwest Toy Soldier Show. This is one of my favorite shows to attend now. The dealers usually have a great selection of plastic figures from many different companies from all over the world. Besides the plastic figures there are many painted metal miniatures too. This year a new company will be premiering at the show. Which leads me to the next article in this post… 

 

warhorse-miniatures

Fav Medieval Pics - Page 17 - Armchair General and HistoryNet __ The Best Forums in History

For about the last five years I started thinking about having my own line of Toy Soldiers made. With the help of Alexey Pisarev my dream has come true. Here are some test shots of the miniatures below.

Test Shots2

Saxon Fryd with hand axe, Huscarl with Dane axe, Noble with Sword & Fryd with hand axe.

Test Shots9

The last Saxon fyrd sculpt with a spear was just finished.

Test Shots1

3 Saxon Fyrd with Spears.

Next month at the Midwest Toy Soldier Show I will be starting to sell my own line of Toy Soldiers. I am offering a limited run of 50 sets. Each set will have 8 different resin figures. The set depicts Anglo-Saxon warriors. They can be used to fight your battles that took place during the Dark Ages. They were made to be lined together to fight in a shield wall formation.

Test Shot

Most of these warriors are from the Saxon militia or Fyrd. The Fyrd were freemen that would be raised to defend their homes when they were threatened. Most of these men would fight with spears or hand axes. They were usually lightly armored. If they had a helmet they were lucky. Later on the Fyrd would be better organized and better armored.

Test Shots3

Here is a Saxon Noble and Saxon Huscarl.

Test Shots4

Here are two Saxon Fyrd with hand axes.

Test Shots5Test Shots6Test Shots7

Here are three of the Fyrd with spears. The fourth figure was just finished. I will have more pictures in the future.

Test Shots8

On some of the figures the shields are attached. If you have two sets you can have the same figure look a little different by using a different shield. The color will be a burnt Orange.

Prikaz1

Warhorse Miniatures Saxon vs Prikaz Viking.

Saxon vs Prikaz

Warhorse Miniatures Saxon vs Prikaz Viking.

Saxons1

Brother vs Brother.

Saxons2

Warhorse Miniatures Saxon vs Prikaz Slav.

Saxons3

Warhorse Miniatures Saxon with John Jenkins Saxon.

Test Shot1

Warhorse Miniatures Saxons with Conte Saxons.

They are a little bigger that the Conte Medieval figures. The set will cost around $60.00. That is it with the Saxons for now. I will have more information in the near future.

 

Tusken Raiders2

Star Wars

 The Vintage Collection Boba Fett figure with be available in the coming months in case you missed it last time.

warhorse-miniatures

That is it for now. Enjoy the game. Thank you for reading. 

The Latest News!!! 12-24-2019 * Merry Christmas, LOD-Barzso Lexington Green Foam Buildings & Mars WWII German Elite Winter Infantry review.

Merry Christmas4

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas & would like thank everyone who visits my page.  

In this post we have two reviews. The first will be of a new toy soldier set from Mars. The second is a of the re-released Barzso Lexington Green foam buildings by LOD.

Mars GEWIbMars GEWIaMars1Germans WinterGermans Winter1

Last week I purchased the new Mars German Elite Infantry (Winter Dress) WWII set. I got them from Kent of http://toysoldierhq.com/. The set came with 15 plastic soldiers in 8 different poses. The scale of the soldiers is 1/32. The color is a light gray.

Mars AMars A1Mars A2Mars A3Mars B1Mars B2Mars C1Mars C2Mars C3Mars DMars D1Mars D2Mars D3Mars D4Mars D5Mars E1Mars E2Mars E3Mars2Mars3Mars4Mars5Mars6Mars7Mars8Mars9Mars10

I like this figure set. The quality is not the best. But it’s not that bad. The quality of Mars is getting better. I like the poses and the captured Russian weapons that some of the soldiers have. Also the sniper and mortar guy are great. Mars reminds me of the vintage Airfix or Matchbox toy soldiers that you would get from the local hobby store. These are the type of toy soldiers that I had as a kid. I will show a few comparisons below with other companies.

German Toy Soldiers1German Toy Soldiers2German Toy Soldiers3

Finally my Airfix German Mountain troops can have some fighting poses in winter gear to help them.. The Mars figures blend well with them. At least the last set of hard plastic Airfix figures that I got.

German Toy Soldiers4

They are too small to go with Marx Germans.

German Toy Soldiers5German Toy Soldiers6

They are a little smaller than the Conte Germans. But you mix some of them together. They don’t look that bad.

German Toy Soldiers8German Toy Soldiers9German Toy Soldiers10

The same can be said when compared to TSSD Winter Germans. The Mars figures are smaller but you can still use them. I bet when they are painted they will blend better.

German Toy Soldiers11German Toy Soldiers12

You can have them fight against the Biplant Russian Soldiers too.

Mars Germans5

Here are some 21st Century items that I used in this display.

Germans Winter3

Mars Germans1Mars Germans2Mars Germans3Mars Germans4

I liked the way this mortar guy looks when I used him with this German Artillery piece.

Mars Germans6

Here is a display with a W. Britain German Panzer. They look nice when used as Panzer Grenadiers. The flash problems are not as bad with this set. Some of the molding errors actually help these figures if you are going to paint them. The marks on some of the helmets give you the worn look. Plus on some of the figures you will see the same effect with the uniforms. I am glad that the scale has improved to let us use some other brands that we already own. Most toy soldier collectors that purchased these sets want to add some reinforcements to their existing collection of other brands.

LOD Barzso

Barzso4

I pre-ordered a couple of the newly re-released Barzso Lexington Green foam buildings now made by LOD.

Barzso3Barzso1Barzso Green1Barzso Green2Barzso Green3Barzso Green4Barzso Green5Barzso Green6Barzso2

I ordered the Clapboard House in green. I have the Barzso Lexington Green playset with two Clapboard houses in red & white. So I wanted a different color that came from the factory. These are great to increase the size of your Lexington Green playset or just by themselves in a display. You can also use these house for different time periods besides the Colonial era.

Barzso5Barzso6Barzso7Barzso8Barzso9Barzso10Barzso11Barzso12Barzso13Barzso14

I also got the Buckman’s Tavern. It was sold as a add-on to the playset, plus the Concord Bridge. I missed my chance with the tavern. I am glad that it was re-released. Just like most of the Barzso items that had been artificially increased on eBay over the years the building are being offered at ridiculous prices too.  Now is your chance to purchase these buildings at an affordable price. If you had missed them the first time, get it now before the are out of stock again. You can check what Ken is selling at his https://lodtoysoldiers.com/ page. Check out his blog section for the latest news or send him a message to see what is available. Don’t get ripped off on eBay.

Black Chaos

I hope a Chaos Champion hunts down the eBay price gougers, lol.

Warhorse Miniatures

Gandalf.manuscripts

Over the past few years I have been looking into ways to create my own figures & items that you can use in displays with toy soldiers like the rigid foam buildings and terrain pieces. Hopefully next year I will have some announcements. Stay tuned…..

Warhorse Miniatures1

Here is a Viking prototype. He is fighting a Conte Saxon in front of a Barzso cottage.

Warhorse Miniatures2

I need to make a few changes.

Warhorse Miniatures3

Here is a sketch for a set of Anglo Saxons that I am planning to make. I will have more information about this next year.

Merry Christmas3

That is it for now. Thank you for reading.

Warhorse Miniatures

The Latest News!!! 12-08-2019 ~ News & Reviews ~ Mars French Old Guard, Conte Romans & LOD Santa’s Workshop.

In this blog post I have a couple of updates and a review. The first update I got today about Mars from Sergey. 

Mars Old Guard2

Mars French1Mars French2Mars French3Mars French5Mars French4

Mars French6Mars French7

Here are some photos of the Mars French Old Guard set. These are 1/32 in scale. The should be available soon in the USA. They are on eBay from an Ukraine Seller. I wonder how they will compare to the Airfix Napoleonic Figures?

conte-logo1

Conte1Conte2

“Somewhat better photos of the first test shots. A couple figures standing closer to how they were designed.”

Conte3

Conte Romans are getting closer to production. Here are some test shots from the molds. Richard said that they are close to being finished. They need a little more work.

lod-logo

Santa Workshop

Santa Workshop1Santa Workshop2Santa Workshop3Santa Workshop4Santa Workshop5Santa Workshop5a

I purchased the LOD Santa’s Workshop a few weeks ago. It is a Christmas novelty. The year before I had purchased some of the Santa sets that had the sled and elves. 

Santa Workshop6Santa Workshop7Santa Workshop8Santa Workshop9Santa Workshop10Santa Workshop11Santa Workshop12Santa Workshop13Santa Workshop14Santa Workshop15

The Santa Workshop is a big house. It comes in two parts. It also makes a good place to store the Christmas toys 😉 These Christmas sets are really nice. I use them around the house for displays. The have that vintage look to them. I will be using these for many years to come. You can go over the LOD website to see all North Pole sets, https://lodtoysoldiers.com/product-category/north-pole-sets/.

 

Hasbro Commander BlyHasbro Sith Trooper

Hasbro officially revealed two more of the 6″ Black Series figures yesterday at Comic-Con Dortmond: Clone Commander Bly and the Sith Jet Trooper. 

Warhorse Miniatures

This concludes another blog post. Thank you for reading.

 

Latest News!! 11-23-2019. LOD Lexington Green Playset Foam Pieces back in Stock!

Barzso Playsets

2012 photo of Lexington Green diorama at OTSN

Today we got an announcement from LOD!!! They are getting some of Barzso Playset foam pieces.

Back in stock soon – foam pieces from the Lexington Green Playset! We will be re-releasing a number of foam pieces next month. They will be on the website this weekend and available for pre-order.

*Lexington Two-Story Clapboard House (in blue or white) ~ $54.00
*Buckman’s Tavern (yellow) ~ $66.00
*Concord Bridge with two bridge approach ~ $54.00
* Lexington Belfry ~ $36.00
* Lexington Saltbox ~ $42.00

* Bundle of all six pieces ~ $270 (savings of $36.00)

Barzso Playsets1

2012 photo of Lexington Green diorama at OTSN

Barzso1

Clapboard house in blue ($54.00)

Barzso2

Clapboard house – white ($54.00)

Barzso3

Saltbox ($42.00) and Belfry ($36.00)

barzso-playsets-concord-bridge

Barzso5

Buckman’s Tavern – yellow ($66.00)

LOD Christmas

Santa’s Workshop ($115.00)

You can go over to https://lodtoysoldiers.com/ to see more. This information should be on their site by the end of this weekend. I should have the Santa’s Workshop soon to do a review. 

Warhorse Miniatures

Thank you for reading. That is it for now.

 

Latest News!!! 09-19-19 ~ Ken Ciak of LOD Announces the purchase of Barzso Playsets!!

LOD Barzso

The news just came in. Ken Ciak of LOD announced that they have purchased Barzso Playsets. So what does that mean? Well I was lucky enough to talk with Ken this week and ask him a few questions. Here are some highlights about the transaction. 

~ LOD owns all the rights to the figures & foam buildings & terrain pieces and other items.

~ They will keep the Barzso name on the products like the earlier molds they had purchased.

~ Ron is going to stay on and consult for at least a year.

~ Production of the Barzso figures will done in Indiana. 

LOD

Last week Ken posted this picture on Facebook. He left an “easter egg” of things to come by adding some of the classic Barzso figures. I had a feeling that something was in the works. I have been wishing this would happen since I found out that Ken started recasting some of the plastic Barzso sets and when they had both worked together on the last Barzso playset. Barzso playsets is a major part of my collection. So the news that LOD will continue with the Barzso products is an early Christmas gift.

yorktown20

Earlier in the week I was talking to Ken about a post I was working on and some other things. He mentioned to me about his plans. I was sworn to secretly and I am proud to say I didn’t break, lol. I put some questions together and Ken found some time in his busy schedule to answer them.  

Warhorse Miniatures: I know that you have been working with Ron for a while, so this is really not a surprise to me. Can you tell us how all of this went down?

Ken Ciak: Thanks for the questions and opportunity to share a few details with you and your readers. Ron and I struck up a friendship back in 2015 as I released the initial War at Troy figure set. With us both being from the Midwest and three hours apart, we have ample opportunity to get together and visit on the hobby. I purchased four of his figure molds that are at the same factory in 2016 and we collaborated on the Yorktown Playset in 2018. He wore me down 😊. No, just kidding. We discussed the future of the company and agreed on the value in keeping these popular products in the marketplace. While I am still relatively new to the hobby (and production), Ron and I both agreed that it was a good fit to keep the Barzso products available while also finding new markets and outlets for them.

Barzso Playsets1

Warhorse Miniatures: I bet collectors would like to know your plans. You said you have all the rights to the figure molds and foam piece molds. Do you have plans on recasting all of these or just some?

Ken Ciak: Enterprises did purchase the company so we do have rights to all figure and foam molds. We will be assessing the market and bringing our products little by little. While these dates are not finalized, I would anticipate that we have figure sets available after January 1st. Ron has offered to work with me on a consulting basis so we will develop a plan with specific sets to re-introduce first. I will also be soliciting feedback from collectors and commit to do our best to make as many fans as happy as we can.

LOTM Barzso5

Warhorse Miniatures: Will the figures be recast in resin or plastic. Maybe both?

Ken Ciak: The figure sets will be recast in resin. To have them done in plastic would necessitate making new molds and would be cost prohibitive.

barzso-playset2

Warhorse Miniatures: Now that you own Barzso Playsets. Do you have any plans to continue producing playsets like the way Ron did?

Ken Ciak: That is a good question and intriguing possibility, but probably not. I know we will not be re-releasing Playsets that Barzso Playsets did in the past. Those were created at a specific time and many (most) are collector’s items. We will release components of them in figure or accessory sets for sure.

LOD Plastic2

Warhorse Miniatures: Most of Barzso Playsets was Resin based. But LOD is mainly plastic injection. How is this going to effect the way LOD develops?

Ken Ciak: This is going to provide LOD with the ability to use both processes. We will continue to create figure sets with Eastcorp Toys with new lines and growth within the existing War at Troy series. The resin based molds held here in the Midwest will be accessible for recasting many of the existing sets, but also to create character figures that we do not realistically need 2,000 shots of. We are considering doing the Greek Gods and Goddesses in resin, as an example.

barzso-sculpts

Original Barzso Sculpts that Ed Borris owns.

Warhorse Miniatures: Here is another question. I know that Ron had some finished sculpts that he never had produced. Do you plan on releasing any of those figures?

Ken Ciak: To be honest, I have not given this one any thought as of yet. I am not against doing that at all.

dukes-stronghold1

Warhorse Miniatures: Thanks a lot Ken. I just wanted to clarify one thing about the playsets. You said that you weren’t going to re-release any of the older sets. But how about anything new?

Ken Ciak: I am not sure on the Playsets at this point. They do create a buzz and are worth looking into, but figure sets and allowing the customer to create their own diorama/scene appeals to me more right now. It is a little different, but I am interested in how Austin Miniatures Playset does this weekend.

Barzso7

Metal Cannon

Warhorse Miniatures: Have you thought about creating any new resin figures that would support existing sets or themes. For example F&I War British Artillery set?

Ken Ciak: Yes, I certainly want to add on to the existing sets with new figures and sets. I am excited to introduce my sculptor to the production team in Indiana. A lot of creative genius between them and we will be putting out some fun items over the next few years.

the-figures1

Warhorse Miniatures: Would you like to tell the collectors anything else?

Ken Ciak: We are excited about the acquisition of Barzso Playsets and keeping the legacy of Ron’s creativity and imagination available for new and experienced collectors. He and Mary Ann have become good friends and I can think of nothing better than taking their products out to more and more people.

That being said, we verbally closed the deal a few weeks ago and just announced it at the Chicago Toy Soldier Show. There is a lot of research and work to do on my part (Ron will help). I will keep you and our enthusiasts updated frequently on social media and my website, but we are in the earliest stages when looking at upcoming releases.

Thanks for all of the support and we are excited to take collectors along on this expansion with us.

LOD Barzso

That concludes the question that I have for now with Ken. I hope to continue helping him in any way to continue the fine traditions of Barzso Playsets. I will be doing another post in the near future about the Barzso products. Any feedback from the collectors is most welcome. 

Barzso8

cropped-warhorse-miniatures-1

Most collectors will be happy about the recent news of Barzso Playsets. But some of those greedy eBay sellers will not. I will try to keep spreading the word about new old stock being made as they come out.

I will have some more posts this weekend about the show and LOD. Take Care for now & Thank you for reading.

The Latest News!!! July 5th 2019 ~ MicShaun’s Closet Re-Stock, LOD Sale, Plastic Platoon German Paratroopers!!! & More…

 

Geogre Washington

Well I hope everyone enjoyed themselves on the 4th of July. Happy & Healthy. It is the day we Americans celebrate our triumph over Tyranny.  We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

 

latest-news

Well I thought this would be a short post a few days ago. But it looks like it will not, lol. I have a few updates to share with everyone today.

Walking Dead 193

Yes I know this is not about toy soldiers. But the Walking Dead it is an iconic part of pop culture. In an unexpected move on July 3rd. Robert Kirkman decide to end the main Walking Dead comic book series. The issue before Rick Grimes died. He was the lead character of the story. Everyone thought the story would continue and that it would focus more on his son. Anyway, being the collector that I am. I ran out to look for the last comic, but didn’t have any luck…..

 

micshauns-closet1

MicShauns

I was informed by the fine people at MicShaun’s Closet. David & Kim Cook are pleased to bring back some out of stock sets.

“Here’s what is being delivered tomorrow.  These items we have been out of pretty much since we purchased the business:”

TSSD Set 3 – WWII US Infantry

TSSD Set 5 – WWII Russian Infantry

TSSD Set 6 – Union Great Coats – Blue

TSSD Set 9 – WWII US Fire Support

TSSD Set 11 – German Elite Troops

TSSD Set 13 – Plain Indians

TSSD Set 17C – Dismounted Calvary with Casualties Gray

WWII Single Seated Figure from Set 9

Set of 2 Riders from German Elite Set 11

You can find these sets and their many others at https://micshaunscloset.com/.

TSSD-3A-1

TSSD Set 3 – WWII US Infantry

TSSD-3A-4

TSSD Set 3 – WWII US Infantry

TSSD-3A-6

TSSD Set 3 – WWII US Infantr

 

TSSD-5A-1

TSSD Set 5 – WWII Russian Infantry

TSSD-5A-2

TSSD Set 5 – WWII Russian Infantry

TSSD-5A-3

TSSD Set 5 – WWII Russian Infantry

 

TSSD-6A-1

TSSD Set 6 – Union Great Coats – Blue

TSSD-6A-3

TSSD Set 6 – Union Great Coats – Blue

TSSD-6A-6

TSSD Set 6 – Union Great Coats – Blue

 

TSSD-9A-1

TSSD Set 9 – WWII US Fire Support

TSSD-9A-3

TSSD Set 9 – WWII US Fire Support

TSSD-9A-6

TSSD Set 9 – WWII US Fire Support

 

TSSD-11A-1

TSSD Set 11 – German Elite Troops

TSSD-11A-6

TSSD Set 11 – German Elite Troops

TSSD-11HR-1

TSSD Set 11 – German Elite Troops

TSSD-11HR-3

TSSD Set 11 – German Elite Troops

 

TSSD-13-1

TSSD Set 13 – Plain Indians

TSSD-13-4

TSSD Set 13 – Plain Indians

TSSD-13-6

TSSD Set 13 – Plain Indians

 

TSSD-17C-1

TSSD Set 17C – Dismounted Calvary with Casualties Gray

TSSD-17C-4

TSSD Set 17C – Dismounted Calvary with Casualties Gray

TSSD-17C-5

TSSD Set 17C – Dismounted Calvary with Casualties Gray

It is great to see some of these sets back in stock again. The WWII German Elite troops are nice, especially the Mounted ones. But my favorite has the be the Plains Indians from the set above and the other Plains Indians sets. They are some of the best Plains Indians figures ever made. If you like these figures head over to https://micshaunscloset.com/.

 

TSSD Plains Indian1TSSD Plains Indian2

TSSD Plains Indian3TSSD Plains Indian4

lod-logo

LODLOD1LOD2LOD3LOD4LOD5LOD6

Over at LOD Ken is having a 4th of July Sale. You can buy his figures at https://lodtoysoldiers.com/.

 

**** Fourth of July Sale! ****

LOD Enterprises is having a holiday sale in conjunction with the 4th of July. All of our unpainted Rev War sets (6 total) are 20% off for the next week. There is no coupon code necessary as the LOD website has the sale prices listed in the store.

This is a perfect time to build out your armies whether you need light infantry, Grenadiers, or additional Regular Army figures.

Have a great holiday and weekend!!

 

PP

Mikhail has sent me a sneak peak at some of his new WWII German Paratroopers. Here are some figures that will be part of the third set of Germans for the Battle for Crete series.

ParatroopsParatroops1bParatroops1cParatroops1dParatroops2aParatroops2bParatroops2cParatroops2d

These new figures should be out sometime in September. Here are some pictures of the second set of German Paratroopers below. I think I will have to get both sets this September.

Paratroopers Set2Paratroopers Set2aParatroopers Set2bParatroopers Set2cParatroopers Set2dParatroopers Set2eParatroopers Set2f

 

cropped-warhorse-miniatures-1

That is it for now. I will have more this Sunday. Thank you for reading.