With that in mind I have been buying a lot of the old Citadel C01 Fighters range, as well as some other C-Series, later F-Series ranges, and a few Marauder Miniatures. Whilst browsing online I found a seller selling packs of unopened C01 Fighters, which I thought were quite resonably priced (£8.95 each) for unopened packs. Looking closer at the various packs these three stood out as they looked to contain some unusual and great looking miniatures from about 1983. So I took a chance and bought them.
Now, when it comes to old and out of production unopened miniatures, I am one of those people who would much rather open it and paint them, rather than leave it just because it's still in the pack. Many of the old miniatures are lovely (hence the whole Oldhammer thing!) and deserve to be set free and painted and Citadel intended! So, I have opened these packs with a view to adding them to an army (probably the Estalian or Marienburg armies).
Here's how I got on...
Enjoy :)
The unopened packs.
Early C01 Fighters, from about 1983.
(Taken from the Stuff of Legends site:
http://www.solegends.com/citc/index.htm ).
I can't be sure, but I understand that they were sculpted by the Perry Twins. There are striking similarites between these and with other Perry sculpts, which I will outline later, which leads me to suggest they sculpted them.
(Taken from the Stuff of Legends site:
http://www.solegends.com/citc/index.htm ).
I can't be sure, but I understand that they were sculpted by the Perry Twins. There are striking similarites between these and with other Perry sculpts, which I will outline later, which leads me to suggest they sculpted them.
First of the three, still in blister...
...the second...
...and third.
Opened!!!
Still heady from the blast of 1980's air, I tried to locate this miniature amongst the C-series ranges, but could not find him! He might be unlisted?
He is a Fighter/Knight in heavy armour, with a plumed helmet and sword. To me looks late 15th, early 16th Century in historical terms, due to the style of helmet (a burgonet helmet with falling buffe), style of the armour, and the chainmail armour on his legs.
Still heady from the blast of 1980's air, I tried to locate this miniature amongst the C-series ranges, but could not find him! He might be unlisted?
He is a Fighter/Knight in heavy armour, with a plumed helmet and sword. To me looks late 15th, early 16th Century in historical terms, due to the style of helmet (a burgonet helmet with falling buffe), style of the armour, and the chainmail armour on his legs.
Shield with Griffin. It is clearer in the ink washed photograph.
The second Fighter.
Again, heavy armour, sword, shield. He is wears a slightly later looking burgenet, and trunk hose, making him look more mid-late 16th Century.
He is in the centre of the catalogue page above.
Again, heavy armour, sword, shield. He is wears a slightly later looking burgenet, and trunk hose, making him look more mid-late 16th Century.
He is in the centre of the catalogue page above.
Rear view, with backpack and crossbow, and burgonet plume.
The third miniature.
Like the second Fighter, he has sword, shield, heavy armour, and trunk hose. He is based on the sculpt of the second Fighter (or visa versa). He has a rather fetching hat too.
Like the second Fighter, he has sword, shield, heavy armour, and trunk hose. He is based on the sculpt of the second Fighter (or visa versa). He has a rather fetching hat too.
He is centre right hand side of the catalogue page.
Shield.
Backpack.
The shield is the same sculpt as a shield used on a pre-slotta Goblin. Citadel often swapped shields and weapons between sculpts, sometimes between ranges.
The three amigos!
The sculpt of the three miniatures is superb. Considering that they are 35 years old, the quality would easily stand up now.
The sculpt of the three miniatures is superb. Considering that they are 35 years old, the quality would easily stand up now.
Side by side the second and third miniatures showing the same basic sculpt.
The first Fighter.
He is a simlar sculpt to a fighter I bought a little while ago.
He is a simlar sculpt to a fighter I bought a little while ago.
Shield with the Griffin, black-washed.
Black washed to show the details.
Black washed second Fighter. You can see the trunk hose clearer.
Rear view. Great details, including the crossbow windlass.
Black wash.
Face details.
Looking at the miniatures I realised that the bear quite a resemblance to the Perry Twins 'Wars of Religon' range, which was produced by Citadel around the same time (1983). The style of the sculpting and scale look similar, as do details such as the burgonet.
On the left is the second of the Fighters, on the right is an Arquabusier from that range. It is also why I think that the second and third Fighters look late 16th Century to me.
On the left is the second of the Fighters, on the right is an Arquabusier from that range. It is also why I think that the second and third Fighters look late 16th Century to me.
The 'Wars of Religon' range is still avaliable from Wargames Foundry.
I checked out the site and found that several of the range also bear a resembalance to the Fighters.
Here is the range on the Wargames Foundry website, from where is got the photograph :
https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/late-16th-century-1560-1610
I checked out the site and found that several of the range also bear a resembalance to the Fighters.
Here is the range on the Wargames Foundry website, from where is got the photograph :
https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/late-16th-century-1560-1610
Next blog update should be on some of the armies I have been sorting out. I have started test painting a few things, but am still in 'sorting out/army list compling' mode.
Some interesting finds, I don't recall seeing them in any CO1 listing but as you say there were a lot of unlisted models at the time, making a trip to your local stockist all the more exciting when finding a model you didn't know about
ReplyDeleteI did have a look in old catalogues and on the Collecting Citadel Miniatures site as well, but to no avail. Like some of the other ranges, such as the Fantasy Tribes goblins, there were some variants based on a few sculpts, some of which were not listed.
DeleteYou're right, buying and opening these did capture some of that joy of finding unknown miniatures.
You can almost here them breathe a sigh of relief to be out of those blisters, and with the chance of being painted!
ReplyDeleteI think that they will be happier finally free from their packs and running around a gaming table. :)
DeleteThe figure with the hat was one of my Runequest characters back in the '80's
ReplyDeleteCool, he has the bearing of an character model, and I can see how he would work well in a Runequest setting.
DeleteSpeaking of Runequest, I have a unit of Baboons I keep meaning to paint up some time.
I've always loved the Fantasy Tribe Fighters range, I'm waiting to see them painted.
ReplyDelete