Saturday, July 21, 2018

Comic Book Toy Soldiers Wargame

     In an email I received, someone mentioned getting some of the dreadful comic book Roman flat toy soldiers in his childhood and the disappointment with them. Surprisingly, several years ago I bought some of these figures; what's more I knew exactly what I was getting! After receiving them they were put away, never to see the light of day, until today.

    I haven't had any interest in wargaming (or anything else) recently. I decided to play a quick game today, using these figures. Both armies had the same units: 2 cavalry, two light infantry, and two medium infantry units.  I was using Battlelore rules and dice.
The blue army has their cavalry on the flanks, their light infantry alternating with  the medium infantry.

The yellow army has their cavalry on the flanks with their light infantry grouped in the center.

Both sides move their light infantry forward. 

The blue army sends a spear unit forward in support.

First blood to the yellow slingers!

The yellow cavalry moves up to support their light infantry.

The yellow light infantry drives off the blue spearmen and slingers. Blue swordsmen move up to back up the archers.

The blue swordsmen move through the gap in the line.

The swordsmen attack the yellow center. Meanwhile, the blue cavalry closes in from both flank.


Yellow army starts pushing all their remaining troops forward.

The yellow light infantry drives off the swordsmen, and the blue cavalry on the right loses two men.

The blue swordsmen and slingers rally.

Blue cavalry kills one yellow cavalryman on their left flank.

The blue army launches a strong attack on the left.


They kill one slinger, forces the archers to retreat, and kill one cavalry.

The yellow spearmen move forward.

The yellow army kills one cavalryman, a swordsman, and pushes back the slingers  and one cavalryman.

The yellow army continues their attack, wiping out the blue right cavalry unit. The right cavalry loses another man, and the swordsmen loses two men.


The blue swordsman kills one archer, and the slingers drive back the yellow spearmen.

The blue cavalry kills one swordsman, the blue spearmen kills two of the slingers, and the archers kill a cavalryman.



The yellow swordsmen kill the last cavalryman on the left; the spearmen  finishes off the last of the swordsman.

If the blue army loses one more unit, they have lost the battle. The yellow army focus their attack on the slingers...

... and succeed in wiping them out.

The blue army flees, with their general leading the way. The yellow general charges forward in his chariot, his presence sounded by his trumpeter.

Using these figures can be tricky, with their thin stands. I can image all the disappointed kids, trying to use them, only to have them fall like dominoes, like they did to me a couple of times. It was a fun game, although I think these figures will end up back in the drawer where they were for all those years.

14 comments:

  1. I used to have such dreams reading those ads. I suspect I wouldn't have been disappointed with figures like this.

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    1. When I think of the toys I played with back then, I'm sure I would have thought they were great figures. I would have had them before I discovered Airfix figures.

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  2. Considering the paper figures I used to make (then throw away after 1 game) these would have passed muster for mine! The numbers seem fine for mounting on 3 (cav) and 4 (inf) figure stands and using a strength point system; or mounting them indivisually on broader stands (painted green) for extra stability. I don't think I'd paint the figures.

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    1. These figures are larger than 1/72. I played in a board with 2" hexes on them to make the units fit. They would work well on multi figure stands. If I was to do more with them, they would be mounted on bases. With my shaky hands and fat fingers, moving them was a delicate operation. As for painting them, I don't think I would paint them either.

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  3. OMG I used to have those! I still have the Revolutionary War gays,
    (found them in a second hand store). Nice to see these once again!

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    1. Do you have the flat or round AWI figures? I did have the round figures, but gave them away while clearing out my plastics. There is another blog where someone has painted up the flat AWI figures for wargaming, and I must admit I like the look of his games.

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  4. Great report! I got the AWI figures--my mother was not at all pleased, but I was. When I got old enough to decide for myself what to buy, I started ordering more sets, only to find out the flats were replaced by really, really awful soft plastic "rounds". I did at least buy 2 sets of Roman flats, which were pretty good, even if every last man wore armor. A few years ago I started buying AWI flats on eBay, and now have the equivalent of 3 or 4 sets. I'm always on the lookout for more, though, so if anyone wants to part with theirs, let me know [ bumbydadATgmailDOTcom ]. I'm interested in the Romans and the medievals, too, but not the ACW sets. The same sculptor may have done both the AWI and the ACW figures, but the ACW set is very poor--cartoonish cannon and mediocre ironclads are the main (but not the only) problems.

    Anyway, again congrats on a fine battle report!

    Best regards,

    Chris Johnson

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    1. I'm happy you enjoyed the report. When I was a kid I really wanted the ACW set. However, my parents wouldn't let me send away for them. My brother eventually sent away for the AWI and got the round figures. I was really bummed, thinking that the ACW figures would be the same. With the Romans I ordered from Ebay, I got more yellow figures than blue. I should try to find the Roman ad to find out how much of the set I got.

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  5. Great game! Until recently I didn't realise that the figures in those old adverts were flats. They have a certain charm and I would certainly play with them! I like the chariot a lot.

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    1. When I first got back into wargaming, I started looking for the round AWI figures. That's when I found out the figures were flat. I did get some of the warships from a friend of mine. Those were pretty good toy boats. I still have some of them. By the way, my friend got them in the mail, even though he didn't order them. At least, that's what he said. Most of the ships I sold individually to another kid who always seemed to have money in his pocket. The aircraft carriers I sold at $1.00 apiece! That was equal to my weeks allowance. I was nice and threw in a couple of planes for free. Perhaps I missed my true calling of being an arms dealer! The chariot is a nice, dramatic piece.

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  6. I think they look great in your game.

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    1. I enjoyed the game and like the looks of it. I can image some kids back in those days who might have had access to a Donald Featherstone book playing a proper wargame with these figures.

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  7. Great looking game and lovely to see these figures. I doubt if many sets made it across the Atlantic - I have never seen them before.

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  8. I think the postage back in those days would have cost more than the figures themselves. Now days it's weird that people still want them. I went on Ebay and there was a small lot of the Romans, and they were selling for $41.00. It almost makes me want to try to sell them!

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