Why Playmobil and which period?

[OLCESE]

Hello with all.

 Did I would wish to know how come to you passion from Playmobil, at which time you began your collection and your first transformations?

What to rather direct your choice towards one period than another?

For my part I had the virus when I was four years old and I took again my collection around my thirty years, by the Middle Ages and the Napélonienne time thereafter because it is one period which more especially has me for its uniforms and by my admiration for the Emperor.

The customs came from my desire to see Playmobil carrying these splendid uniforms.

 Thank you for your answers

[garvannec]

ok, for my part, i begun to play with playmo at 6 years for a long time....i stoped at 13.
Now i have a son he is 8 years old, and the passion born with him, but i think that i have it inside me.
I'm found of middle age, but we begin the collection with civil war and cow boy, i'm found of too napoleon period, but it's very difficult to customize or find a lot of accessories, so i prefer see your creation!!!
I have a dream, because WW2 interst me, and i want to create some units about this period, paratroopers and others, but it need a lot of time!!
maybe in november 2005.....and after i must find vehicules, and it's not easy.
The big problem is that i'm not a real "collectionneur", I'm a player of wargames, and if i try to make a creation i must create a unit too!!!!!
but wargames with playmobil is the best!
right, have a good day

[OLCESE]

Brilliant, It is formidable to have another approach, thank you to say that Playmobil are the best for the wargames; And your idea is formidable, I do not know the WW2 very well, especially that the contemporary, is not too my cup of tea, but I have hate to discover these formidable transformations thereafter. Good courage, and thank you

[Capitan Enrique]

I never had Playmobil when I was young, but my younger brother did, and I always thought they looked pretty neat. Several years ago a friend gave us a Playmobil nativity set for my daughter, and I started buying some other sets here and there. Richard's GW site was one of the first I found, and the realization that I could combine wargaming with Playmobil blew me away! I haven't painted a Games Workshop miniature since.

I usually prefer to play Pirate battles. Since I started late, I do not have a hug army of soldiers, but I do have tons of pirates. Also, I prefer to play skirmish games rather than massive battles. Last month while cleaning out my basement I found my old copies of the original Chainmail fantasy battles rules, as well as Melee and Wizard! I am trying to get my kids to try them - I think the Melee rules in particular are basic enough to work. I will post photos and a report when we do.

[rudewideg]

Hi Olcese,

I had given my playmos to my little brothers when the first Pirate Ship came up.
I was twelve then, and convinced that I was to old for Playmo toys.

But my best friend and me, we liked the new look of the pirates so much, we decided to by one and to take it apart in order to have one pirate who looked real special.

We were fooling arround when my buddy took a soldier and arrested my pirate.
Next time we met, I had two soldiers, he five and me ten.
Pirates became trader and noblemen.
We used to meet every day to play and to build new soldiers. Different countries were built and in the end we were six boys playing along.

Now my army has about 5000 men.
Plus officers, noblemen, staff. etc..
And growing since....

My daughter (3 years old) seems to be liking them as well,

regards,

Martin

[OLCESE]

Martin Hello,

Beautiful history, 5000 Men, Ouf!!! I do not have any yet as much but I y work. I am not very a player, plus an impassioned collector of the time Napoleonean and Medieval. I make decorations with, (see my site).Merci your answer. My child they are not interested by Playmobil for the moment.

With the fact my first name is Paul. :wink:

[GaiusIulius]

well I have around 300 soldiers at the moment + a lot of 'civil' persons (around 100 I think) I am 19 now and started playing with playmobil at the age of 8 or so. Since that moment I played/collected playmobil.  Im customizing playmobil figures for 3 months now. I couldnt understand why it took so long for me to see that I can 'change' playmobil figures as I want. Though I paint 1:72 scale figurs for 3 years never thought of customizing playmobil. In February 2005 I had a look typed 'Playmobil' in google  and was suprised how a playmobil figure can change.  :lol: I started painting again and Im happy with that. I have soldiers from all periods (Romans - Civil War) but I like the Napoleonic period most.   I like this comunity which gives me a lot of ideas  

[Foulques]

Well, I always love PLaymobil but in my childhood my main toys were caste lego, my playmobils were more dispersed...
I begin to made a real collection at 11 years when the victorian team came. I love PLaymobil for the great choice of accessories. I'm always build some Lego castle and Y prefer possibilities of bulding in lego but thre are a great distance enter minifigs lego and klickys.
Thanks to Olcese, I can make now some customs. I like have a few soldiers of each period, especially colonial troops of XVII and XIX century.
But I'm bulding a medieval army of the middle of war of 100 years (around 1340 to 1456) and especially civil war beetween Armagnacs (the good frenchs If you would  :mrgreen: ) and the bourguignons (damned friends of Godons  :mrgreen:  :twisted: ). For this theme I love the sets of the midle 1990 with guards of catapult and guard of the baron's tower. It's one of my favorite period. I'm a great lover of 1900 but my militars are more here for decoration. But in fact I love all historical theme

[Richard]

Thank you for creating this thread, Paul ...

I have enjoyed reading about the many and varied interests of our members and how they got started with their Playmobil toy soldier hobby.

Ever since I was a young child (now I am an "old" child), I have always been interested in toy soldiers. My parents started my hobby with "dime-store" figures and then I discovered Britains. Once I saw all of those wonderful enameled figures, with their beautiful uniforms, I was hooked.

I decided as a teenager to try making my own toy soldiers. After many attempts (and many burned fingers) I was finally able to begin creating my own armies.

My hobby was revived years later when I married Susan and told her about my toy soldier armies that I had made as a youth. Susan, my beautiful entrepeneur, thought that it might be great fun to make metal toy soldiers to sell. As always, she was correct and we were actually quite successful.

Then our two daughters were born. All hobbies were put on hold!

By the mid 1970's our two little girls were ready for toys. Horst and Hans had just introduced their first Playmobil. And, I was hooked again!

Until the mid 1990's I collected everything that Playmobil made. Being a psychologist, I realized that I had become obsessed by this tiny smiling klicky. I also realized that I was running out of room! I have forced myself to now become a bit more discerning about what Playmobil to collect.

My favourite historical period is the late 1800's when the major European powers had their far flung colonial empires.

When Susan and I finally stop travelling (for business), I will once again start making Playmobil figures representing the regiments (and natives) of the late 1800's.

In the meantime, I am really enjoying seeing what all of you are creating with your Playmobil.

Oh, yes ... I almost forgot. I also have an LGB train collection ...

All the best, mis amigos,
Richard

[OLCESE]

Thank you with you all and it is formidable to see how passions were made feel. I one "am doped" of Playmobil according to my wife, and that is not improving. If I let myself go I would collect them all, but all that should have been centred correctly and from now on, I am delayed on the medieval one and the Napoleonean one, I gave the reasons in the first subject. I hope that this passion will never die out and that one of these days we will be able to meet physically. I think of a project for association GénérationS Playmo for its second birthday, because for his 1 years one will test initially between French. I would inform you of the continuation of this event. Thank you

[EsDoc]

Nice thread indeed

I started playing with playmo back in 1975 when my dad gave my my first figure (a construcion worker if I remember correctly).

When the playmobil color showed up I made my first attempts in customizing. I tried to do french 'flics' which was a somehow strange idea for me to do, because I had picked Englang as my playmo country whereas my brother picked Spain.

Later on we were joined by two friend who joined us as Germany and Sweden. Had lots of fun in batteling, trading, building etc.
Years later only myself remained interested in Playmo and directed my interest more to the toy soldier theme. I build english napoleonic troops for about a year when I noticed it would be nice to have some opponents. Thus I built my first few french infantrymen. Soon I discovered I liked the french uniforms even better... well I guess you can imagine where the road from there lead to?

Nowadays I'm building french napoleonic soldiers (for 13 yrs. now) of the year 1813 (pre-Leipzig) and from time to time a single figure from another era when I find the time. My army so far consists of about 1,800 men (round about 800 infantry, 400 cavalry, 24 guns and artillerycrews, staff etc.). One third of the army fully clothed and equipped the other in various stages of customizing.

Currently I'm on the german light horse lancers of the imperial guard and a mounted artillery regt. of the line. Hope to complete them this summer. Oh, yes and I'm doing another single out-of-era soldier from the Kaisers era :wink: again.

EsDoc

[Dan]

I've been making & collecting model/toy soldiers for years and simply my eyesight's no longer good enough to do the 54mm scale stuff.

Klickies came as a Godsend to me (and when i think we sent my kids' ones to a Scout jumble sale........)

[Dan]

Oh yes. my period is anytime from about 800 to 1914.

I can't get into ancients (sorry Maximus) and lose interest when the uniforms stop being colourful.

[OLCESE]

Nice thread indeed

I started playing with playmo back in 1975 when my dad gave my my first figure (a construcion worker if I remember correctly).

When the playmobil color showed up I made my first attempts in customizing. I tried to do french 'flics' which was a somehow strange idea for me to do, because I had picked Englang as my playmo country whereas my brother picked Spain.

Later on we were joined by two friend who joined us as Germany and Sweden. Had lots of fun in batteling, trading, building etc.
Years later only myself remained interested in Playmo and directed my interest more to the toy soldier theme. I build english napoleonic troops for about a year when I noticed it would be nice to have some opponents. Thus I built my first few french infantrymen. Soon I discovered I liked the french uniforms even better... well I guess you can imagine where the road from there lead to?

Nowadays I'm building french napoleonic soldiers (for 13 yrs. now) of the year 1813 (pre-Leipzig) and from time to time a single figure from another era when I find the time. My army so far consists of about 1,800 men (round about 800 infantry, 400 cavalry, 24 guns and artillerycrews, staff etc.). One third of the army fully clothed and equipped the other in various stages of customizing.

Currently I'm on the german light horse lancers of the imperial guard and a mounted artillery regt. of the line. Hope to complete them this summer. Oh, yes and I'm doing another single out-of-era soldier from the Kaisers era :wink: again.

EsDoc

Thank you EsDoc, but that is rather rare to meet a German who interress of also ready with the French uniforms, especially of the Napoleonean time. Cheer, could one see some images, Please? With less than I did not forget a post!

[EsDoc]

Thanks Paul

is it really so rare to find Germans that like the uniforms of the first empire? I know *some*.

Ok, you asked for pictures. Here's a link to my gallery at the german speaking playmo-portal. Mind you, all descriptions are in german language (of course ). There are several pages in this particular gallery. Have fun browsing

http://www.playmo-portal.com/gallery/showGalleryPage.php?dirName=EsDoc&subDirName=Infanterie&pageNumber=1

You also may want to take a look at my guest gallery at gardenwargaming http://www.gardenwargaming.com/gallery/mathias/mathias.html

None of these pics are really new, but you might like them anyway.

EsDoc