5 replies to this topic

[Tanotrooper]

Greetings everyone,


I realized that my Magnofigures (of which I still have to post the SW figures   ), while having a lot of articulation, are a dying breed thanks to the lack of availability, variety and colours in the technic figure elements. Since these figures are the same scale as the famous Miniland figures, I decided to try this scale.

The world of Miniland is quite different from what I'm used to (mainly minifigs), but I'm beginning to prefer the Miniland figures over minifigures. One important reason is that, due to their size, basic parts are used instead of specialised parts. This means they are available in a lot more colours, and so the possibilities are vastly enlarged.

For my first figure, I based myself on my Frollo action figure and the head design of my magnofigures. (I don't like the square heads Miniland figures usually have.) The build was fun, and I was able to finish it quite rapidly. But since I don't have the purple parts, I won't be able to post him until I get the parts. (I redesigned him on LDD to use the parts palet that's available at the moment in purple. Sadly, some connections won't work on LDD so he doesn't look good enough to post.)

I had a lot of fun designing several figures on LDD (due to lack of physical parts), mostly Disney characters. The only one I've 'finished' so far is Empereur Napoléon I Bonaparte:



It's a work in progress though, as I'm redesigning the legs and feet. Most Miniland legs are either on the front or back stud, which looks unnatural. I'm trying to design the legs so that the lower legs are in the middle of the upper leg, and that the parts used are common enough in a wide variety of colours.

So that's it for the moment, comments and criticism are appreciated as always. This thread will be regularly updated.

Cheers,

Gaetano

Edited by Rufus, 12 August 2011 - 05:41 PM.
Indexed

[Tanotrooper]

I bring you a new Miniland figure, the Roman legionnaire from the late 1st-early 2nd century AD:



This one went very swiftly and only took an hour to design. The blade of the gladius and the back of the helmet don't connect in LDD, but do not despair! They do in real life.  

C&C are welcome and most appreciated as always.

Gaetano

P.S. At the moment, these are only LDD images, but they'll get build in real life eventually.  

[Tanotrooper]

Here's an update:

French cuirassier à cheval from the Napoleonic wars.

The tallest and strongest men were selected to form these elite heavy cavalry regiments.
Weighing in at about 150 kilos without the horse, a charge of these armoured cavalrymen could be devestating. Their job was to break enemy formations with a charge, acting as the tanks of their day. The straight sword was about a meter long, and outranged a lot of the enemy's sabres and swords. The unprotected horse was the cuirassier's weak point, as shown when facing off the British squares at Waterloo.

reference images






This thread will get updated on a regular base, but some feedback would be appreciated.  


Gaetano

Edited by Tanotrooper, 05 August 2011 - 12:59 AM.

[Skipper]

I don't know why you haven't got any comments, these are great.

I like the Cuirassier the most, it's instantly recoqnizable and the design of the shako is particually clever IMO. I don't quite like the use of a plate for a sword, although I don't see an alternative.
I think the Roman fig could use a scutum, at first glance I thought it was a samurai.

Are you planning to make a Napoleonic army with these like the TT figs ( )?

I look forward to the rest !

Edited by Skipper, 05 August 2011 - 01:45 AM.

[Tanotrooper]

Skipper, on 05 August 2011 - 01:35 AM, said:

I don't know why you haven't got any comments, these are great.

I like the Cuirassier the most, it's instantly recoqnizable and the design of the shako is particually clever IMO. I don't quite like the use of a plate for a sword, although I don't see an alternative.
I think the Roman fig could use a scutum, at first glance I thought it was a samurai.

Are you planning to make a Napoleonic army with these like the TT figs ( )?

I look forward to the rest !

Thank you for the comment!  

I usually use the long umbrella stands for thinner weapons like a foil but these really were more like swords than the fine, elegant fencing/duelling weapons. The sword design might change though. (I haven't tested it out yet)

Yes the scutum is obligatory for the Roman legionary but I'll design it later on. In this scale I should be able to give it a nice curve.

I am planning on mass producing some of these since availability and cost of parts is a lot better than minifig parts. So I guess I'll have to design horses aswell.   A RC Panzer II is also in the works.

Oh, and here is the specialised thread for my Star Wars figures: SW Miniland figures


Gaetano

[Tanotrooper]

Small update:

V



'V For Vendetta' was on tv yesterday, and I had to make him in Miniland scale.
This is his costume without his trademark hat and cape, those will be added later on.

Gaetano