My earlier post on Falcata Miniaturas, the Madrid based manufacturer of 1/72 scale white metal Napoleonic figures, has attracted a lot of interest since it appeared - I think it's currently at No.2 in my all time hit list!
I've also had a number of enquiries asking for details of the range, and their current availability. I have to say that I don't really know very much about them. They started production in September 2004 - I am reliably informed that the original intention had been to make the figures in plastic (which makes sense when you see the range of poses), but they opted for white metal - and they seem to have closed the business sometime in 2008. The date is uncertain - supplies to retail outlets stopped, and stock was gradually cleared. Remainder items are hard to find now, though they turn up on eBay from time to time.
The range, sold in packs of 34 castings, was:
FE-01 Spanish Line Infantry
FE-02 Spanish Grenadiers
FE-03 French Infantry
FE-04 British Infantry
FE-05 Spanish Garrocheros & Lanceros de Carmona
FE-06 KGL Heavy Dragoons
and that was as far as they got. Subsequent releases were planned thus:
FE-07 Spanish Guerrilleros
FE-08 Spanish Line Artillery
FE-09 Spanish Hussars
FE-10 British Rifles
FE-11 French Guard Marines [for Baylen?]
FE-12 Polish Guard Lancers [for Somosierra?]
FE-13 British Highlanders
but, sadly, they never appeared.
And then in 2011, we hear about them, and then only through your good offices.
ReplyDeleteBut that's where blogs come into their own, spreading communication faster than before. I used to depend on highly irregular hobby zines to learn of things, 2-3 or more months between postings and all the work of a few overworked individuals with their own interests.
Many and probably safe to say most gamers passed by the zines to purchase the pieces they needed at the time with the same hobby money.
I hope someone, somehow, can resurrect the line as has happened in some other instances.
Like most new ranges, Falcata used TMP (The Miniatures Page) to publicise releases, so the word was out there. TMP is a valuable resource, but it's vast, has a fast turnover, and everybody and his dog announces new ranges there, so visibility is not always great.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to have seen the rest of the proposed range, but it's possible that Falcata had reached the end of their road anyway. The moulds seem to have been in worsening shape by 2008, and their former UK distributor told me that they were very pleasant people to deal with, but not well organised.
I'm sure I've said this elsewhere, but there was a brief renaissance for metal 20mm Napoleonics around 2006-8, when we had all sorts of new makers - mostly German and Spanish. Since then Finescale Factory appear to have disappeared, as have Falcata and NapoleoN. Art Miniaturen still seem to be going strong. Economics? Enthusiasts trying to run businesses? Maybe the market isn't really big enough to sustain suppliers. Who knows?
No point measuring what we've lost. We just have to keep our eyes open and try to keep new makers in business if they deserve it - i.e. buy stuff, don't just drool over the catalogues!
Cheers
Tony
Very small postscript - apparently there were still some Falcata figures being manufactured as recently as last year, though supply was very limited, and stocks are gone. I believe that the Falcata people run a figure painting service in Madrid. There is some hope that the figures might become available again in the future.
ReplyDeleteDon't hold your breath.