Pound Store Plastic Warriors Poundland artwork

 

Explosions, walls and sandpit not included, just some useful silver soldiers and a handy German flag! 

 

The excellent Small Scale World blog by Hugh Walter and other plastic figure blogs like Stad’s Stuff are interesting because they feature not only lots of plastic soldiers, clones, pirates and novelties, but also show attractive ephemera such as the artwork and packaging.
In the spirit of this, I have photographed the Battle Squadron labels of these “tub o’soldiers” as my Poundland receipts described them.

 

The Poundland Battle Squadron figures (produced or imported by Funtastic) are shown on a interesting sandtable background with some typical poundstore figure set accessories that are sadly not included in the tub.

These accessories include  battle-torn wooden signs, a tank and / or helicopter, barbed wire and walls, which not being included could be  potentially annoying or confusing to purchasers.

 

Obviously you need to raid your own toybox and sandpit to supply your own plants, sand, accessories and imagination.

Smoke (the fog of war?)  or helicopter downdraught swirls in the background and what look like explosions are suggested – all  very dramatic, if not quite epic!

 

By the look of it, a green enemy soldier is glimpsed bottom left of the Army Silver Grey or Germans to give an idea of how to play – buy more tubs of different coloured figures for the ‘Epic Battles’ promised on the label!

There is a certain bold Heinz Soup-ness to the label design which I like.

Some of the twelve silver soldier poses inside are shown on the lid. German forces. 

The different nationalities are given different colours – Army Red or American, Army Green or British and Army Silver / Grey or German.

Each label and lid shows the appropriate coloured infantry inside and a different front label with different picture for each coloured army.

 

This label shows helicopter back up … but no helicopter inside. 

The Army Green or British forces are pictured with a helicopter, the tank and battle-bashed noticeboard not provided – raid the toybox for these.

A flag to defend is helpfully included. Defend the flag!

 

Green toned lid for the British set.

The most puzzling figure colour choice is the Army Red or Americans. Arguably red is part of the American flag, but maybe it is supposed to be a sort of brown camouflage? Tan would have been another suitable plastic soldier standby colour familiar from the Toy Army Men standard contrasting colours of Green and Tan.

I imagine in other parts of the world in their versions of pound or dollar stores they are differently flagged and packaged to suit local conditions. Something to watch out for whilst web-surfing …

 

This red army of Americans has helicopters shown but not included in this lively label.  

The American or Red Army troops (hang on, isn’t Red normally Russians?) are pictured with hovering helicopter (not included).

Colour theming on the Army Red army or American troop box. 

The back of the tub label has the excitable  text backed up in Spanish, presumably because they are sold through Poundland stores (known as Dealz)  in Spain where a Pound is really 1.50 Euros. Doesn’t have the same ring somehow, popping out to 1.50 Euroland!

• Escaudron de batalla 
• 100 soldados
• Batallas  epicas 

 

Four new tubs of joy for my last otherwise  useless four old round pound coins,  thanks to Poundland … and four paint conversion figures in progress. 

 

 

In future blogposts I will feature more of my paint and figure conversions

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/10/22/poundland-desert-warriors-finished/

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/poundland-space-marine-pilot/

Related blogposts 

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/27/poundland-mission-accomplished/

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN for the Pound Store Plastic Warriors Blog.

 

 

The Washing of The Spears

 

Not the famous book about the Zulu Wars and a ritual after battle but the next stage of my Poundland Mission accomplished.

Having acquired four new tubs of Poundland’s finest 36mm figures with my last four old round pound coins, like most plastic figures, it pays back in time and paint later  to give them a quick detergent wash and scrub.

This gets rid of any mould releasant grease or spray that may be on these plastic figures, even though they are a harder plastic than the Airfix figures, which also  suggested a quick wash and a gentle scrub /  brush in detergent before painting.

The Drying of the Spears 

The Drying of The Spears – This ritual always feels something slightly agricultural or cookery based, spreading the washed figures out to dry on a suitable spare towel. They have a satisfying  rattle …

Hence the rituals of Washing of the Spears, and the Drying of the Spears, the next stages in preparing these odd “penny dreadful” figures for conversion into Generican native warriors.

Will they be Zulu-like ? Will they be desert warriors like my last trial set?

Some of my  Imagi-Native Pound Store Plastic warriors so far …

Hmm …What sort of hostile Imagi-Natives?

North and South Generica have a wide range of habitats and associated hostile tribes, as does North and South Farica, all my own Imagi-Nations. These will add to the young Bronte family’s  North and South Pacific Imagi-Nations of Gondal (N) and Gaaldine (S) along with the West African based kingdoms or colonies of Glasstown and Angria, slowly being explored on my Man of TIN blog.

 

What sort of hostile native to make, ready to defend their lands or spread their own empire? Ladybird Soldiers book c. 1974/5

Will they be warlike Jumblies with heads of green and hands of blue and a fundamentally flawed navy and amphibious capability? I’m reading a biography of Edward Lear at the moment as a bit of melancholic yet still lighter relief  from the intense dark Victorian Gothic of the Brontes.

Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve …

http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear/ns/jumblies.html

For they’ve been to the Lakes, and the Torrible Zone,

And the hills of the Chankly Bore”

 

More Washing of The Spears (and Rifles)

There is an interesting series of blog posts at Megablitz and More by veteran blogger Tim Gow on preparing and painting plastic figures.

It is always fascinating to see how different people do similar tasks differently or similarly to your own way of doing things. http://megablitzandmore.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/painting-54mm-plastics-duffers-guide.html

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN on Pound Store Plastic Warriors blog, 28 October 2017.

 

Poundland Mission Accomplished

Poundland Mission accomplished

or How to turn four round pound coins into four tubs of plastic toy soldier joy.

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/27/poundland-mission-accomplished/

Four hundred new 36mm pound store plastic warriors!

Look  at previous blog posts for some of my figure conversion ídeas.

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN, 27 October 2017

 

Off to Poundland on a Mission

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/26/off-to-poundland-on-a-mission/

Retro Packaging

Attractive ‘Retro’ toy soldier packaging for the tiny 36mm pound store plastic warriors packaging.

I found this packaging shown at an online supplier Five Little Diamonds.

https://www.fivelittlediamonds.co.uk/products/box-of-retro-toy-soldiers-60-pieces

If my pound store supplies dry up (always possible), these are around. You can pay from one penny to four pence per these 36mm figures (plus postage) depending on the shop, supplier and packaging.

The Five Little Diamonds website also shows the stylish point of sale box materials.

Two very Russian looking figures are shown in the box art illustration, alongside a third (possibly German, possibly American?) figure. These Retro Toys figures are packaged or supplied by BeamFeature, a Trade Only UK importer wholesaler supplier / website.

As usual with these sets, “two armies” are really the same figures in two colours, akin to the usual Toy Army Men green and tan, although in this case in the packaging picture green and red.

Two Armies in one box?

This is a slightly different approach from the Poundland tub or bags of one colour / country, red / green / silver, each colour with a flag, respectively USA and Great Britain and Germany.

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/28/more-pound-store-warriors/

There is nothing specifically WW2 about these figures, they are generic modern possibly American / German figures with a range of light to heavy weapons.

Some of the poses or moulding are a little strange.

As you will have seen in my blog recently, I have been looking at possible paint conversions to other periods.

Blogposted by Mark Man of TIN, 26 October 2017.

Shadow Warriors of the Pound Store

 

A fluky little shadowy tease towards another pound store plastic warriors project nearing Stage 1.

With the dark mornings at the moment these lovely shadows appeared on my painting or work table against some rough grainy drawing paper.

With switching off one sidelight the shadows changed and darkened. No fussy filtering –  I like the warm brown umber reddish shadows best.

I’m not sure if this light effect will readily appear very often.

A clue to the identity of these shadowy pound store toy figures lies in a past blogpost.

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/06/10/combat-mission-80-plastic-pound-store-soldiers-part-1-charge/

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/more-combat-mission-80-pound-store-plastic-soldiers-part-2/

At the slightly odd size of 42mm high, these Pound Store lovelies have been stuck on my paint table for a while awaiting bases, varnish  and finishing touches. Almost there! I look forward to sharing more pictures of them soon in action  on this blog.

Blog posted on Pound Store Plastic Warriors by Mark, Man of TIN, October 2017.

 

 

 

 

Poundland Space Marine Pilot

‘Pilot’ Pound Store Space Marine 

Finished space marine ‘pilot’ figure alongside original penny / pound store 36mm figure.

Having finished my first desert warriors, my next Pound Store figure conversion job is a paint one.

One of my favourite of the Poundland penny plastic warriors (£1 for a bag or tub of 100) is this unusual figure.

Is he supposed to be WW2 US tank crew? Is he supposed to be modern infantry? Hard to tell. The laser type rifle was intriguing though!

Interestingly this figure crops up again in a bigger near 54mm size in another badly moulded set, so I can have space marine forces in two sizes: https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2016/10/06/pound-store-space-marines/

The poor moulding, copying or sculpting has inadvertently created a figure who looks like he belongs to the future.

I might try a little face wash with darker flesh or weak brown to bring out the ruggedfacial features along with a watery blue wash to bring out the white equipment, hopefully without losing the toy soldier look. Tiny pink dots on the cheeks aid or restore this toy soldier look.

The Romanesque helmet looks a little like the odd space armour in the 1930s black and white Flash Gordon serials repeated on Saturday TV when I was a child. The heavy moustache is a little Freddy Mercury nod towards the equally odd 1980 film of Flash Gordon with its pounding Queen soundtrack. Dan Dare, Buck Rogers  – a quick Pinterest scouting  and YouTube session should provide some design ideas. Orange jumpsuit and silver or  gold?   So very Star Wars rebel pilot …

Several other figures in the tub have space police or space marine sci-fi  potential such as the centre figure with laser pistol. The distorted left arm looks well placed to hold a riot shield (made of clear plastic or a bronze drawing pin).

 

Troopers: We pledge allegiance to the Pound Store Rebel Empire, one inexpensive galaxy indivisible under one flag etc etc 

Some of the other helmeted figures could pass muster as Star Wars type rebel figures or green faced, caped cloaked aliens.

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/28/more-pound-store-warriors/

Early unpainted pound store space marines in interplanetary action can be seen here on my away team. More on the painting table here too.

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/10/15/poundland-taking-the-old-round-pound-coins-until-31st-october/

If all other figure conversion Imagi-Nation or inspiration  fails, there is always the current trend for zombies. Flesh, aah, aah! Dum dum dum dum dum dum dum …

Blog posted by Mark, Man of TIN for my Pound Store Plastic Warrior blog, 24 October 2017.

 

Poundland Desert Warriors finished

 

Modern infantry, oddly moulded or sculpted, original penny figures (100 for a pound) ready for conversion …

I am quite pleased with how my Desert Warrior conversions from Poundland penny soldiers (£1 for a tub or bag of 100) are shaping up so far.

Tissue Paper and PVA added and first layer of white paint. Possible shields.

Several coats of white paint were required on the kitchen roll and PVA glue or the better alternative of tissue paper and PVA.

Desert Warriors – Painted and based

For a penny each these 36mm plastic figures have lots of conversion potential although I have yet to try splicing one body onto another. It is quite hard plastic compared to Airfix figures.

Desert warriors on a sandy (cork) background.

I enjoyed adding the brass or copper strips on the long barrels on the rifles or jezails of these hill and desert warriors.

Desert or mountain rocky sandy base was in fact the base painted with flesh tint artists’ acrylic then quickly dipped in a small box of  red Devon beach sand, collected on a recent seaside trip.

I tried a very very weak or thin umber wash of acrylic to bring out the folds and shadows of the white desert robes, without losing the toy soldier look.

The warriors are not based on any one tribe – they are part Mahdist,  part Desert or Bedouin type ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ Arab Warrior and part Pathan North West Frontier hill tribe. They are destined for fighting in the distant deserts of  Farica or Generica.

Donald Featherstone was one inspiration for these figures, shown in my Man of TIN blog:

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/16/desert-warrior-pound-store-plastic-warrior-conversions-inspired-by-featherstone/

My other inspiration for these desert warriors, apart from Featherstone’s tribesmen in Solo Wargaming, was an early 1970s childhood Ladybird book, Soldiers  by John West and illustrated by Frank Humphris.

The page on tribal warriors was pretty useful – I like the surprising 1970s Ladybird equality sentiment about:

Soldiers of other lands 

“Not all soldiers had regimental uniforms.

They were fighting men too.

They were just as brave.”

A good book to draw inspiration from. 

The long rifles of the oddly moulded or copied original pound store modern troops suggested details or conversion possibilities like a long  Jezail type musket. Their bulky head gear or helmet looked oddly like a turban or the head scarf of a late 19th Century desert or hill  tribesman.

I need to run up two of three dozen more of these conversions for a suitable skirmish encounter. Then I need to make  some suitable red or khaki Colonial infantry as opponents.

Colonial infantry uniform ideas in Ladybird Soldiers.

I have started work on some trial Colonial infantry figures such as this rough unfinished Redcoat engineer or signaller with a heliograph, crudely converted from a modern machine gunner. Kneeling artillery gunners are another conversion possibility for this figure.  Still some work to do on the heliograph.

I look forward to trying some other tribesmen variations, more Pathan or more Mahdist, some more colourfully robed Airfix type Bedouin of Desert warriors, even a mysterious tribe of black cloaked Desert Warriors.

All for a penny each …

B.P. S. Blog Post Script 

I shall come back in another blogpost to this handy little 1970s Ladybird book Soldiers and its simple clear view of history and occasional sentiments about the waste of war.

Blog posted by Mark, Man of TIN.

Desert Warriors Conversions WIP

Following a couple of posts on these small Poundland figures (100 for £1), I have started some new conversions – very much still Work in Progress  (WIP).

The aim using tissue paper and PVA glue is to make full length robes and once painted white, you have Generican desert warriors.

These were inspired by the Pathans in Donald Featherstone’s Solo Wargaming. The long jezail type rifles and bulky head gear suggest the weapons and dress of these mountain and desert warriors.

Some of the figures were converted using ordinary kitchen towel, but this is a bit bulky and textured. I will also try ModRoc next time. Once fully dry I will paint skin tones, weapons, shoes etc.

Simple shields from coffee stirrers or bronze coloured drawing pins will add greatly to the dancing figures with arms upraised. A touch of the Mahdist as well …

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN, 16 October 2017

Poundland taking the old round pound coins until 31st October

Those last few old round pound coins could each buy you a hundred of Poundland’s finest pound Store plastic warriors – but only for two weeks more! 

 

A last minute clear out at home turned up a final few round pound coins which cease being legal tender after today (Sunday 15 October 2017) on the UK High Street.

According to the Poundland website:

“As the deadline looms for Brits to empty their pockets and homes of the much-loved round £1 coins, Poundland has … announced that it will be the first retailer in the country to accept the old coins after they are taken out of circulation on 15 October.”

“With the Royal Mint estimating there is £500m still in circulation, over 850 Poundland stores up and down the country will accept the old pound coins as part of its ‘Legal Tender Extender’ initiative until 31 October 2017 – more than two weeks beyond any other retailer.”

“… Poundland shoppers with old coins stashed in piggy banks or down the side of the sofas will be quids in. In fact, they will be able to conveniently shop and purchase 3,000-plus products at the high street retailer for an extra two-weeks rather than having to join the expected long queues in banks or post offices over coming weeks.”

http://www.poundland.co.uk/press-release/poundland-first-retailer-to-announce-it-will-accept-old-pound-coins-after-deadline/

For gamers and scrap modellers, Poundland offers lots of interesting possibilities such as their £1 garden range (stones, willow sticks etc) but most importantly on their small toy selection in store.

One of the things  that I will save my last few old round pound coins for are the excellent £1 tubs of  100 small plastic soldiers. I should be able to add a few hundred more into the rainy day spares box for future use or conversion.

Poundland Space Marines on the painting table 

Throughout my Pound Store Plastic Warriors blog, you will see reference to these figures, most recently used in a Poundland crafting video:

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/10/poundland-plastic-toy-soldier-bowl-by-the-crafty-beggars/

The figures are shown in more details in this blogpost

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/28/more-pound-store-warriors/

and shown in action as space marine and alien figures with my travelling games kit:

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/06/01/pound-store-surreal-space-planet-away-team/

The away team game – played on holiday with Poundland’s  finest …

To me they are the cheapest figures around, almost the new ‘Spencer Smith Miniatures’ or very limited  Airfix figures, but ones with lots of conversion potential. I am working on several conversion projects with these figures such as Tribal Warriors or Pathans that I will soon show on this blog.

The Poundland tubs or bags are also 1/3 to 1/4 of the price of buying these figures online.

Hurry – only two weeks left to spend those last old round pounds!

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN, for Pound Store Plastic Warriors, 15 September 2017.