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Playmobil “aficionados” know this… specially if long involved with them… the hard-mad-core delights on it. Of course you need to learn to disassemble the figure (YouTube has plenty of tips about that) there are tools (only useful if the figure has no collar mind) but in the end the best method is the kitchen rag or Tea Towel and Scissors (used as a neck round grip and “turn”… see YouTube please a pic is worth a thosusand words!)
Step-by-step of the rag and scissors method
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x65RvtQEc_Q
- Protect: Wrap the doll’s neck or head with a thick rag or cloth to prevent the metal from scratching or denting the plastic.
- Position: Open a pair of strong scissors (or pliers) and place them right under the head, gripping the neck over the rag.
- Leverage: Hold the Playmobil body firmly with one hand and, with the other, apply constant upward force using the scissors as a lever.
- Disassemble: Once the head pops out, the torso will split in half, releasing the arms, legs, and the inner skeleton piece.
Somehow not everybody knows.
So in a hot day’s early morning (fresher) I decided to post some pics to show the versatility of the 75mm scale. (Too big means you need less figures to have fun -it is a fact!- you can of course disagree! (I am addicted to 6mm wargaming the ACW… so… do not be too misleaded…)
You need all sorts you know!
Enjoy if open minded.
Summing Up!
Originally posted on FaceBook … There It is very difficult (I have tried) to put the pics in order there… not here… I manage this well.
You see I have had a long life obsession with redcoated-bearskinclad Guard soldiers… very much in my eyes since I was born (before Instagram or selfies)… they were always in the news, film reels, etc… then you had BRITAINS!… to cut a long story short I have always intended to have some toy soldiers like those…
BTW I knew a REAL General of the British Army!… real life has those turns… as a hard professional he dismissed them as “Chocolate Box Soldiers”… (which of course it was only inside banter).
So:
My parents bought me a present once because I was quite sick for a time (say 6 months) and in London they got that magnificent set of Coldstreamers Changing the Guard double tray big box with Band, Soldiers at the slope, soldiers presenting, both Colours and Officers (to not mention the sentry boxes)… guess it was set 1555 later reissued as 9424 -for those interested in those things and details!-.
Once that clarified:
After dutifully collecting 54mm gloss toy soldiers from DUCAL (thanks to Jack and Thelma!). Got a modest collection of them when grown up. I did even collect them again in “action stances” some “old Britains” some “Replica Metal Soldiers & Models – Traditional Style Toy Soldiers casts I painted myseld or even some painted by Andrew Stevenson. Got them too in 6mm Crimean War Period (Baccus casts modified or converted by yours truly)…
Then:
It was only natural I bought the Playmobil figure… in fact some dozens but not up to two hundred (I have limits!). Seriously, it is IMHO one of the best clicks Playmobil ever did. I got them to play with my grandchildren without exposing the “Collection Items”. They are sturdy things, they fall from the table, never a scratch!
But once the Parade things done to satisfaction (are you ever satisfied?). I realized that I had no time left to buy and paint yet another Army (or several) to play a la Charles Grant!
SO!:
I decided to use Playmobils to Wargame a bit “Old School” (in a much different way!) mainly by the versality of the thing (read infinite combinations and permutations). You can not do with Traditional Toy Soldiers what you can do with Playmobils. The same 10 figures can be in 5 minutes:
1.- A 13 figure set of my formal display.
2.- A reduced to 10 figures basic unit of my Fictional Armies.
3.- I can use Bearskins.
4.- I can use different tricorne hats.
5.- I can use different “musicians”.
6.- I can use the figures as Cavalry.
7.- I can use them as Dragoons-Lancers-Cuirassiers whatever!
8.- I did not bother to picture them with a Gun (YES they are useful as Artillery too!)
The session of pics was used to make a new unit with grey hair (there are four colours available for “hair”: brown, black, blond (yellow for you!) and grey) Now I have units with all variations (some more than one per colour of course!)
And there you have it!
10 figures (as expensive as a basic lead toy soldier each of them) but with so many “different possibilities”.
Do that with other basic uniforms: Black/Dark Blue/ Sky Blue/ Green/ Yellow/ White / Red… and apply pectoral stickers and add ons like canteens, webbing/belts, munition pouches, bags etc.
And then let the FUN begin!
PS: I will maybe write a book about how I play with them if a bit of time is spared from every day chores (real life gets in the way of the hobby too often!). Not very interesting stuff I fear as I am the first to admit the FREEDOM OF THE HOBBY!
Enjoy!
