Military Modelling November 1972
Read more about the birth of 15mm and Peter Laing figures here:
Blog cross-posted by Mark Man Of TIN blog, 1 November 2022
50th Anniversary of the first 15mm figures advertised by Peter Laing November 1972
Posted on by 26soldiersoftin
Published by 26soldiersoftin
Hello I'm Mark Mr MIN, Man of TIN. Based in S.W. Britain, I'm a lifelong collector of "tiny men" and old toy soldiers, whether tin, lead or childhood vintage 1960s and 1970s plastic figures. I randomly collect all scales and periods and "imagi-nations" as well as lead civilians, farm and zoo animals. I enjoy the paint possibilities of cheap poundstore plastic figures as much as the patina of vintage metal figures. Befuddled by the maths of complex boardgames and wargames, I prefer the small scale skirmish simplicity of very early Donald Featherstone rules. To relax, I usually play solo games, often using hex boards. Gaming takes second place to making or convert my own gaming figures from polymer clay (Fimo), home-cast metal figures of many scales or plastic paint conversions. I also collect and game with vintage Peter Laing 15mm metal figures, wishing like many others that I had bought more in the 1980s ... View all posts by 26soldiersoftin
Man of Tin blog 
It is one of the great shames of wargaming that these figures are no longer available – I wonder what happened to the molds ?
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As mentioned on my Facebook comment this is one of wargaming (and the TMP Page threads) great minor mysteries that have led to me dumpster diving on tip offs etc.
In the absence of the moulds, I think we arguably now have permission or creative ‘licence’ to home cast for our own purposes (rather than commercially)?
At least the cast ones that remain and surface on eBay etc now command a good price and are valued / treasured and appreciated.
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I have never used 15mm figures, preferring smaller scales after years of Airfix 20mm. Nonetheless, a landmark in wargaming.
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I agree to invent a whole new scale is a landmark moment.
I retain an equal fondness for my much loved childhood Airfix 20mm (especially the Laing like first versions) and for my Peter Laing 15mm figures.
Smaller Scales – I still have a few of my teenage Heroics and Ros 1:300 figures and Bellona scenery. I was working on last year / during COVID on a named individual tiny scale personalised / named figure skirmish game suitably scaled down. One day it will work …
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/08/unboxing-my-nineteen-eighties-figures-box-part-1/
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Somewhere in the toy cupboard I have two platoons of WW2 6mm infantry – one British and one German – individually based with names.
They used to scrap agains each other so frequently that they got to know the names of their opponents. Somehow the dead chaps used to resurrect for the next battle…
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Well worth a blog post, if you ever find them scrapping still in a perpetual night action at the back of the toy cupboard …
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Had a whole Legion of them in my Uni days. Happy memories of big weekend battles with three players and armies a side in the Student Union.
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A Lost Legion, Eagle Of the Ninth style ?
Great figures indeed. My Peter Laing Roman Legion (Defenders / invaders) and (heroic) Pictish / Briton (opposition) etc. came from and painted by the late great Stuart Asquith, acquired when he was downsizing – an honour to command them as their new commander! I’ll bring them along one day when we meet again.
I didn’t acquire Romans in the 80s (when like everyone I should have bought more Laings) because I had Airfix Romans and Britons. If I had that period / Army already in Airfix / Plastic, I tended not to buy them in 15mm / Laing. Hence starting with ECW / Scots / Marlburian …
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2019/11/15/stuart-asquiths-roman-and-pictish-army-15mm-peter-laing-figures/
https://collectingpeterlaing15mmfigures.wordpress.com/peter-laing-15mm-ancients/
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