Thanks for the compliments gentlemen, they are very much appreciated.
Barry, I meant to mention on Saturday that the Dutch Guard are brilliant and really look the part (Sorry, I think I was half asleep after the drive to Dumfries and I still hadn't woken up properly before we left to go home!). As Barry said, we have been cooperating together on the BLB and Reiver thing and I would say that the rules are the best I've used for the period and capture it perfectly. I would recommend them to anyone who has been playing the period for a long time or is wanting to taste it.
Nigel, your figures look excellent. I'm a fan of the Irish Guard and I think you've done them a great compliment.
Right, mutual backslapping and complimenting over, now down to the explanation.
Reiver Castings have taken a little bit of flak over the years for their size and I would like to clear up the difference between the old and new figures.
In the beginning the old 'James II and the Glorious Revolution' range were the first figures made by the designer and they were 'bulky'. A decision was made that when he started the GNW range the figures would have to be 'slimmed' down a little. In comparison, between the two ranges, they do seem a little smaller but that is only down to their bulk.
All of the new figures for the Grand Alliance and James II/William III ranges are based on the GNW range dollies which have just as much movement as the old ones and the new replacement musketeers, grenadiers and pikemen come from those GNW dollies.
These figures are the base for the new Grand Alliance range and pictures will be appearing as soon as possible on
www.underbed.co.uk where they are for sale. The new JGR2 figures are shown on the website at present but none of the others have been added yet.
The cavalry hasn't been touched and is the same as original figures.
The plan over the next 6 months is to complete the Grand Alliance range by adding a list for each army involved in order that customers can go to that list and view which figures are compatible to create their army rather than have to go to one list and sit for hours working out which figures they need. This process was used for the GNW range and has proved the best way to make it easier for the customer.
I'm always open to suggestions (clean ones of course!) and to make complete ranges was always the intention from the start as, being a wargamer as well, I always get frustrated when I can't complete an army for one reason or another.
The old figures will still be available if anyone wants them to complete an army. Just contact Mark and Ray at Under the Bed Enterprises and they will assist in any way they can.
Once again, thanks gents. Posts like this always inspire manufacturers to keep going.