Armies in Plastic News, we have just learned that they have discontinued several series and colors. These sets are now being sold at a dollar store chain in five figure units, Here is the blurb from their web site. As we get more information we will posted it here.
Several sets and colors that are no longer available on the Armies in Plastic website are now available at select Just-A-Buck stores in the Hudson Valley Region of New York.
They are available at $1.00 per bag of five figures. Look for the Armies in Plastic logo in the toy section.
Tony hasn’t had anything new for awhile, and I’m afraid, after all the contributions he’s made through Armies in Plastic (AIP), that he may be winding down and closing up shop.
In any event, AIP’s website currently is running some truly impressive sales —- real sales, very substantial —- not the fake, minimal sales that we sometimes encounter in other arenas.
Agree Don. Those are sales and yes since 2013/14 not more AIP .He over produce more sets than no body else ,in fact he had done more sets(not counting repeated colors and playsets) than CTS,TSSD,PARAGON,AUSTIN,BARZSO all together. I think his production could well be considered the best and more prolife in toy soldiers sets in last 20 years or so and we should be grateful x it.
But also took a tall on him that clearly represent how not healthy we are ,specially for mass produced.
He cover eras no body did and sets no one ever dream would be done. His figures were simple ,but very well pose dynamic action made and great for large scale scenes(repeated poses sets I mean).
The boxes design were simple and nice done. Plastic is awesome and scale perfect 54 mm around. Prices were the best in market and still are .
Quality and detail was not much on sculpture and in some cases very poor, simple made figures but x price and purpose were great in general.
His concept was that .To do figures simple x play or paint and as much multipurpose as possible with out need do extra heads, arms or weapons.
The cannons and artillery pieces (specially Napoleonic) from AIP are super well done ,the best around in my opinion.
The mounted sets increased the price because well done solid horses required a lot more plastic.
In specially sales he always promote the buy few sets and get one or up to 4 sets free and for years free shipping in US continental.
In general I think he made most happy than else and fulfill many wishes .
I will be always grateful of all he had done and applaud his effort in the hobby .
Best regards…
We could do without the kneeling firing poses except for maybe skirmishers as most European armies of the time didn’t include kneeling firing in their manuals-at-arms. Just a quibble; personally, had I been writing the MAs I would have included a kneeling firing position in front of the standing firers with two ranks loading in the rear to bring even more mass of fires. JMO.
Unfortunately I have to disagree with respect of kneeling ,unless I miss understood it or else…
Knelling in line,colum and square or agaist cavalry charge from 1700 till 1890 BY line and heavy infantry wile skirmish are suppose to fire in pairs or in 3 in any way they can(free choice)
Kneeling position was implemented and adopted by all European armies from 1700 forward,barely disapproved by some generals and armies during fast advancing tactics in Napoleonic wars and stay and keep as square ,line formation firing essential pose of manual drills till well after 1860.
Fall in disuse for some years and reistablished by Prussian in 1868 with new prone pose added in manuals as well.
I as reenact had studied such ,red books and have several manuals,one french 1715,other Prussian 1748.
We are all using it at ever drill renacment on ticoderoga for years,same in Saratoga renambent battle every year and others battles.
In Prussian manual in particular
here partial copy paste from …
Prussian manual followed the same sort of order. Each man was imagined to inhabit a rectangle about 2 feet on the front and 2 and a half on the side. Generally, they deployed from a column in a platoon of three ranks, parallel to the battle line, halted in position, then the first rank dropped to one knee, the second, standing immediately behind the first, drew its right foot back and aimed through the spaces between the men in the front rank, and the third rank aimed through the spaces in the second. This was in a space roughly 6 feet deep, for those three ranks.
Later in the Seven Years War, the formations were sometimes teased out into two ranks, to cover larger frontages, but still, with the second immediately behind the first.
An open formation, called Heckenfeuer, “hedge firing”, was also used, if a formation was caught in terrain that didn’t allow for deploying in a full line, and consisted of alternate men along the platoon front stepping forward a few paces, firing, then returning to the line while the next men in sequence stepped forward.
English manuals.
I can not download image. Sorry.
Although this image is from a slightly later edition depicting the guards in the early 1790s…they are using the 1764 exercise for three rank firings. This was in use during the period of the AWI.
1.
In open order the men are about 30″ apart and the ranks are paced about 1 pace apart. The image on the left is the ‘make ready’ movement where the men ‘full cock’ the hammer of the musket to prepare for firing.
The next movement is depicted on the right and it is ‘present’, where the men close ranks. The front rank remains in position(Knee in ground ready to fire) and the two rear ranks step up and to the right to lock in forming an oblique formation. The next command would be to fire. After discharging their weapons, the men would return to the original position of open order to reload. It was not unusual for a well trained company to go through this cycle 3 times a minute.
The 1764 drill and firing exercise was a much improved and simplified drill than the previous Bland’s exercise that had been in continuous use since it was published in 1727, going through at least nine editions with improvements. The first real improvements for the firing exercise appeared by 1748, with the final simplifications appearing in the 1756/57 editions eventually being replaced by the 1764 drill.
The 1764 edition was improved again in 1803, with the notable addition of the ‘port arms’ position and was in continual use for the rest of the Napoleonic period.
2. During advance in colums it was often not used as obstruct the rapid march after firing ,but still in manuals of the time.
Hope this helps!
Some links
http://www.thortrains.com/getright/shootr1.html
http://napolun.com/mirror/napoleonistyka.atspace.com/infantry_tactics_2.htm
Best regards…
I wasn’t too fond of AIP’s style until recently with their FIW offerings using castings (or molds or whatever) from – was it John Jenkins? And I bought a bunch of those guys hoping that was their future direction. But their output was prodigious and they did fill voids for many collectors and I always wished them well and tried to support them wherever I could. I know their figures often painted up well so included some in my collection. I am hoping the company can overcome whatever problems it’s facing and continue – I really was enthusiastic about the direction they seemed heading and the hobby is always hurt as a whole when we lose anyone, be it collector or producer; one as prolific as AIP? Really sad.
I agree I am not thrill in the style too, There are some poses I have like the WWI Doughboy walking with the shotgun.
I hope they keep making the 95th rifles, two poses are crucial to my conversions. I just bought two boxes for those two poses.
Yes, the AIP French and Indian War sets (Rogers Rangers and 2 different sets of Woodland Indians) were based on John Jenkins designs, and were quite exceptional.
But his World War I lines, as well as all his British Colonial sets (Sudan, Zulu, Boer War, and 19th Century Afghanistan) were all really neat, especially in their comprehensive coverage of each subject. For instance in the Sudan, Tony released 3 separate sets of Dervish, Fuzzi Wuzzis, and Mahdi Riflemen.
As Erwin pointed out, his Napoleonic artillery, Rev. War artillery, Civil War artillery (several types, including heavy siege cannon), and British colonial gatling gun sets, were all outstandingly historically correct in simple, snap-together, durable pieces each accompanied with excellent 5-man artillery poses.
AIP also released excellent Charge of the Light Brigade cavalry sets. And his Sudan Camel Corps were very well-designed, both riders and camels. I know Tony always consulted Osprey manuals in the design/sculpting of every set.
I think the only issue now is that Tony is quite beyond a normal retirement age. Like many of our present day toy soldier manufacturers, AIP, while very prolific, was really just a one-man show.
Yes Don I agree ;the cavalry,arabs mounted,afghan and three sudan warriors armies are great well done.I agree on those.
His infantry napoleonic are standard but great x massive feel armies.Few poses as those in 95th were unique.
Several time I visit him and all he had in plus the two different brand sculpture designed most use artistically sets.
But I guess too much x long took a toll and will see in future.
For long will be dormant as to clean massive produced line…
Unless you count Tony’s wife, who day to day managed the store outside Thayer Gate at West Point’s U.S. Military Academy, and was quite often the one who took phone orders. In that respect, Tony and his wife were like Nick and DeAnna of TSSD — a happily married team.
And I agree with you, Erwin: The Napoleonic infantry sets were fairly standard, unexceptional poses. But they lent themselves well to the type of massed infantry formations that typified that time period. Tony would always include a standing firing, standing loading, standing at the ready, kneeling firing, kneeling at the ready, advancing at the ready, charging, always accompanied by an officer or two, and eventually with matching cavalry and artillery units.
And since Tony would release each Napoleonic set in 3 – 5 colors, it made for quite an impressive and colorful Napoleonic battlefield.
I don’t really know if AIP is done releasing new sets, but if so it is sad. Tony told me once that since he released so many European and British Colonial themes that his sales in Europe were equal to his sales in the U.S., and sometimes greater.
I remember when I visited the small store in 2000 fir first time after visiting west point and the museum outside.
Unfortunately they close and it some years ago and manage business from warehouse direct near their home in Wappingers Falls.
Is true by Tonys own account his wife memory and organizations skills had been the most important support in all these years.
Among many skills I recall ,she easily recall every set by serials numbers and shelf isles in warehouse and walk you direct you exact to it with out miss ever.Trully amazing!!! 🙂 🙂
Is funny as they both have a way do warehouse orders but both match perfect .
Tony’s a really good guy. I’ve been to his store many times and have known him since he first had his metal line.
The sculptor who did the majority of the first sets, used all the same “dollies” for every set. That’s why every set has the same poses in it. And the guy really wasn’t that good.
I had several discussions with Tony about the stiffness and poor anatomical features
of the figures. But the guy was cheap and, to be fair, his stuff was selling. So he stuck with him.
In any case, the original sculptor had a mental problem and stopped sculpting.
That was the period when it seemed like nothing new was being released.
Tony hired another sculptor and you can see the difference in poses.
Eventually, Tony turned to JJD for his F&I War line.
Somehow, JJD got annoyed and pulled the Highlanders from the deal.
Tony works out of his warehouse now. Last I heard, he was not attending the Hackensack show.
Total coincidence that I just picked up a load of AIP ACW. I love the Confederate Infantry the most. I like AIP’s practical approach to poses. Poses that are very likely to happen and often, like the figure reaching for cartridges and several very likely advancing poses. 10 poses is a good number, too. They are true toy soldiers with good (but perhaps not greatly detailed) sculpting. The price is outstanding and the current sales are wonderful, although the reason is not such a happy one. The plastic paints fairly well and is great for conversions. He was the first to really cover WWI and as mentioned, covered a lot of areas nobody else did. With this sale, he’s got more business coming his way from me.
I have nothing but respect for Tony and AIP. He gave (gives!) us excellent figures in all sorts of periods never covered well or covered at all. For a time his WWI Doughboys and late war Germans were available in Hobby Lobby. I wish that he had been able to expand on that experiment.
They experiment around with local change stores in Upstate NY .
On top of few hobby stores left around, most close down by now.No luck.
He offer to Museums shops as well. Did not work either.
His figures are true toy soldiers type, not a classic collectible sculpture figures super designed but very well x playing and add great armies, if painted got more much better view. You will think of his figures aa a great attraction x kids.
He had try push then hard out .Many of gamers did and still buy tons of it.
But regular retailers lack of interest and push for other type toys neglect his great intention all time.
I wish him the best in all got now and soon so may one day restart if wish or can.
Agree with that, totally. I bought bunches of his WWI because AIP was the only one to really take the subject seriously in 1/32 scale.
AIP covered WWI Infantry extensively (French, Russian, U.S. Army, U.S. Marines, British, Scottish Highlanders, and 2 different sets of Germans).
But AIP also covered WWI mounted troops as well, releasing sets of WWI American Cavalry, British Lancers, German Lancers, and Russian Cossacks.
I purchased them all. Combined with Weston British and German WWI tanks, plus the excellent Formtech trench systems, everything was there for a huge WWI set-up.
He also did the only true plastic fort ,not foam x today hobby that was impressive neat simple and much cheaper than if buy one of those Foam castles/forts or else.
The two variation work fine. For those who do not care about simple thing walls it is great.
AIP elephant sets are great too as not covered in plastic but in ancient and rare Spain firm did a tiger safari Indian large set-in hard rubber-very pretty indeed back in late 50 ‘s that is a holly grail .Other than that in plastic I do not know if any body else had done it on plastic .
Same time the Indian elephants from AIP could be well used -converted for ancient and medieval periods as well.
The artillery sets are very well correct done with right amount piece servers contrary to most vintage sets such Britain and few others done with less.
Unfortunately in WW1 the artillery (planed ) and mask were not done as he move to colonials with Civil wars and others .
European buyers account for almost half his sales as he covered many colonials wars and then the Napoleonic, Revolution and 7 years wars plus of course the WW1.
I like the elephants too. They reminded me of the Britains lead pieces I wish to have as a child. I was sorry too he did not finish his WWI line.