Manufacturers

[Jeremy]

Who is the best figure manufacturer? And why? Any period. Any scale. Any material. Past or present.

You can branch out into sculptors for different manufacturers.

Go!

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

If we're talking about manufacturers, then you're into stuff like value for money, completing ranges, cleaning up castings prior to despatch etc. If you're talking about sculptors, then it's all about the figures.

In terms of attention to detail and getting a figure to "look" right (kit and clothing hanging properly and all dat sheet), it has to be Tony Barton in 15/18mm and Alan Perry in 28mm. Painted properly, they can look damn near photographic in quality. For nice looking wargaming figures, I would say Tom Lobley who sculpted the 2nd Generation 15mm Renaissance/ECW/TYW ranges for Minifigs, and later Tabletop (which earned him a "cease and desist" letter from Neville Dickinson, because they were so "Minifig-ish"); the horses especially were a delight, and why they ever got rid of them defeats me.

[Essex Boy]

Hinton Hunt. HH just pips Les Higgins because the ranges were more complete and the figures more robust.

Figures with charm, character and longevity. And of course of just the right size for wargaming.

Iain

[garyp]

I have to put in a shout for the Paul Hicks stuff he does for Empress. The Zulus and British are superb, but the English Civil War range are absolutely the Cojones.

And of course I'd point out that Minden and Crann Tara figures are pretty nice, so Richard Ansell must get a shout for best sculptor.

Both these ranges have the advantage over Perry that their caster manages to cast the figures cleanly, something that counts big against Perry in my mind

[goat major]

I'm obviously going to vote for Pendraken. A vast range of 10mm - mostly comprehensive ranges and a strong release schedule. Customer service is excellent. A mix of sculptors of which Clibanarius is simply amazing - producing sculpts that are unbelievable for the scale - its just a shame he doesn't produce more.

[valleyboy]

Eureka (AB)
Anything by Paul Hicks
Gladys Knight and the Pips...err I mean Perrys

[Slugbalancer]

Pendraken for me. The huge range and the large number of new items being produced. And of course they are very response to their cutomers.

[Essex Boy]

Perhaps this thread, which is already an excellent idea, should be extended to become 'The Loose Association of Wargamers' Hall of Fame'........being the top ten manufacturers of all time?

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Both these ranges have the advantage over Perry that their caster manages to cast the figures cleanly, something that counts big against Perry in my mind

Hicks and Ansell are both up there jostling the Perrys as sculptors, but you are right about casting quality - hence the caveat at the start of my spiel.

[Etranger]

Eureka & its stable of sculptors for me - Mike Broadbent is up there with Tony Barton (also working with Eureka of course) & Alan Marsh and Kosta aren't too shabby either. I've never had a dud casting from Nic either.

Paul Hicks does lovely stuff too & I like Mike Owen's (Artizan) stuff, although it is somewhat cartoony in style..