Thursday, 12 September 2024

A niche within a niche


Okay so I was googling “cats that look like Hitler”* the other day…hey, I am retired… when God knows how I got there but I ended up watching a stop motion video of the battle of the bulge - all done in LEGO.

It’s fair to say I spent many a long hour when both my two lads were little playing with their LEGO…and sometimes, if they were good, they got to join in too. Our best builds were forts, or siege weapons that used elastic bands to catapult marbles at the defenders, (I like to think they were brought up proper like). Anywhoo we constantly struggled to create warlike things with what was in those days a very non military toy. 

If only we’d waited for twenty odd years!

Now, I’m kind of used to having a hobby (regular wargaming) that’s considered “niche”, but it seems I’m now totally out nerded  by a group inhabiting a niche within my niche.

Here for your delight and delectation are a whole load of screenshots of WW2 LEGO tanks and infantry - that they apparently use Bolt Action to play games with!

I’m kind of in awe.

I think.

* totally a thing…Google it, it’s hilarious.





















29 comments:

  1. Brilliant, have seen some stuff before on medievals and Napoleonics but not seen too much on WW2, the tanks look great, totally bonkers but great just the same!

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    1. They do look ace don’t they Donnie! I’ve seen the Medieval ones before but they’re definitely ((coughs)) kiddy play things and I could never…erm…go there.

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  2. Ah, they’re just playin’ with toys.

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    1. Aren’t we all Jon. Theirs are just a bit more toy like!

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  3. I love these and have, in the past, seen some excellent videos of the figures in action. No idea where you can buy this stuff, but would love to have a few of them for the games room:)! On a slightly related note, I've seen some absolutely stunning dioramas done with Action Man sized figures and vehicles, with one including a German rail gun!!!

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    1. Oh bloody hell Steve I’m going to have to go and google “Action Man diorama” now.

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    2. Oh bloody hell that wasn’t nice. Thanks to autocorrect I went looking for Acton man diarrhoea. lol.

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  4. Heady stuff JBM…
    If you really need to itch the scratch…

    bricktanks.co.uk

    They are not cheap

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Well that bought me down to earth with a bump Aly. I can buy a lot of teeny tiny minis for that kind of money! ((Sighs)).

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  5. So about the cats who look like Hitler thing, do they command an army of Lego panzers?

    Elenderil

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  6. Are they ACTUAL Lego or some off brand lego copycat?
    I'm in the lego phase. My oldest (11 year old girl) will build a lego kit but then won't touch it again. My oldest son (6) has a hard time building them but will play and break and recombine them all day.

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    1. Interesting point Stew. I did weed out a number of models that appeared to be “LEGO like” and the ones shown all seem to be kosher. Can you buy them as kits in a LEGO store? Nope. Are you able to buy all the individual parts in a LEGO store - I’m told you can - though the companies /sites listed in the comments make it easy by putting them all in one box along with instructions (and charge a premium for doing so).

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    2. New info - the soldiers and their kit are not pukka LEGO.

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  7. I was just going to moan that “I bet they don’t bloody do any Fi…” and I saw that last picture! Complete with Suomi konepistooli and Molotov cocktail.
    Tulta munille!
    Chris/nundanket

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  8. Great stuff JBM.
    I have seen a few of the stop motion films using lego and they are great.

    You can get a lot of the military lego on Aliexpress. I searched for military lego on their site and saw some tanks. BT7 for A$22, T34 for A$45, Panzer IV for A$31. Infantry from $11 for 12 figures to $31 for 40 figures plus additional heavy weapons. A bit cheaper than the Bricktanks site. So go on and buy some 😂 They even have French soldiers.

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    1. Hi Ben. Currently having to comb through the lead pile for new projects - since the wife thinks my hobby money should be put towards our 40th wedding anniversary celebrations and her 60th birthday. Women - huh. Suppose I could always buy her some Lego French troops for her Birthday? I mean it’s the thought that counts…isn’t it?!

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    2. I am sure she will love that!
      40 for the wedding anniversary and another 60 for her birthday!
      Can't go wrong 😁

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  9. Dear me. I thought we were all quite weird enough, this is next level! I have seen images of this type previously but avoided investigating further......

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    1. Keith, I’m here to explore the darker recesses of the wargaming internet…so that you don’t have to. If you think this is weird I presume you’ve never come across Tony Adam’s and his woodscrew wargaming army?

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    2. Actually yes I did...and read of his death in the last year or so....

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    3. None of us gets out of here alive, unfortunately.

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  10. Fun post, my sister had a strict anti military line bringing up my nephews, needless to say they made guns out of lego, one of them collects guns and they're both wargamers, but clearly it would have been great if these had been around then, maybe you should get them "to play with the grandkids",seperate budget from your hobby surely?!
    Best Iain

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    1. Missed my chance unfortunately they’re all mid teens - and this would be waaaaaay uncool.

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  11. Those internet algorithms occasionally bring up gems don't they? I have been enjoying a few old videos of Pete and Dud :). I can see why this grabbed your attention!
    Like others have said, I have seen the diorama's/action films using lego, but not these. The link that Aly found is interesting. You'd only want to use them for skirmish games, hey?! Mind you, the CaDa ones include a radio control kit!
    Regards, James

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    1. James, I lost an hour of my life yesterday transfixed by a never ending stream of funny tik tok videos. The internet is both a blessing and a curse!

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