Friday 18 February 2011

You don't have to be mad...

Clearly these fellows went crazy looking for Sepoys!
A fast update for my readership.  I am still feeling rank due to a throat and chest infection but I hope to be well enough to get the next stage of the fort completed this weekend.  In fact I am hoping that it will prove to be a distraction from the tickling and wheezy cough.

This week I have begun to go crazy regarding the desired marching Sepoys. Four weeks back, I had hoped Parkfield would be the solution and I placed an order only to get an email telling me I needed to add 5% to the order to cover Paypal payment.  Although not a great sum, I got miffed.  Nowhere at their site was this mentioned and I found the whole affair distasteful.

I then turned to Redoubt, who had a very interesting figure in their Renaissance Range.  He is a marching "Turk" with matchlock.  Ideal I thought, so I ordered some samples plus a selection from their "Wellington in India" collection.  After two weeks, nothing.  Calls and emails resulted in the weak assurance that I "should" be dealt with in the next week or so and that delays were due to staff being on holiday.  I was appalled by this attitude.  Of course I am aware that many wargames operations are small but to take your money and not even try to process an order (or offer a convincing apology) in three weeks is unforgivable. I duly cancelled.

This has left me in the lurch for any marching Indian/Arabian types.  There is a chap from Dixons and he may have to do but I would prefer something a little bit more interesting.  Foundry have some lovely marching Indians but there is no way I am coughing up the ludicrous £2.00 per figure plus some outrageous S&H charge.

At the moment the very simply attired "marching Sikhs" from Old Glory are the leading contenders.  I think I can just about get away with their short jackets, passing them off as some sort of Colonial dress.  Perhaps someone has better ideas?

The ladies of Dulahlipur celebrate!
On a different and happier note, I was pleased to see I have passed the 10K hit mark - for this I thank the readership and I am glad that the articles are something that you wish to peruse.  Such support encourages me to carry on posting and improving the content.



Anyway, time for bed I really need some R&R.




7 comments:

  1. Old Glory Sikhs from their 'First & Second Sikh Wars' range? I *hate* manufacturers that don't post good photos of their minis, but from the little I saw they look good.

    Wonder what their Sikh Regular Cuirassiers, Dragoons and Lancers look like?

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  2. That's the fellas. I assume they look like the "advancing" chaps shown at OG UK. I will give Andy (the proprietor) a call next week when I feel better.

    I suspect they will have braided short jacket and flintlocks.

    If only they did Pathans in non-skirmish poses!

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  3. On the theme of those "extra charges", I recently failed to renew a magazine subscription.

    The "special price" for a year's subscription was $14.95 Canadian . . . okay, that's good, then I noticed the fine print at the bottom . . .

    Shipping would be an extra $6.00 . . . the "subscription" wouldn't get you the magazine, just the right to go to the publisher and pick it up.

    There was no way I was going to pay an extra 40% over their "special price" to get something that should have been included in said price.

    Like you, I hate these sneaky "hidden costs".


    -- Jeff

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  4. I am glad it's not just me Jeff!

    Had they stated "An extra 5% charge will be levied for those paying via Paypal" I wouldn't have let it bother me. It's just the way it was sneaked in at the end...

    As for the Customer Service (or lack of said) I have been experiencing - it's just getting really annoying. In my opinion whether you are selling a bag of candy or a house, you should display some rudimentary politeness at the very least.

    So many wargames companies use their small scale as an excuse for sloppy business practice or are just plain rude when you deal with them. Ma and Pa operations should provide better CS than big faceless ops, this is how they can best compete!

    In the event of problems, keeping a customer informed goes a long way to placating him.

    Damn this infection - I am sick of wheezing...

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  5. On a lighter note:
    'Old Glory Sikhs ':
    *UN 'blue helmets' blue turban and cuffs,
    *lemon yellow coat (or 'Buddhist bonze frock' saffron? May vary with rank?),
    * burgundy or raspberry or fuchsia trousers (again, may vary with rank?).

    On an ever lighter note, if you don't fear awful puns, go to this 'Pirates' blog.


    Cheers :)

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  6. Lighter note? That was more innuendo packed than a "Carry On" film!

    Nice link Abdul - thanks.

    The UN chaps are a playful idea. Perhaps they enjoy a game of "Hide and Sikh" from time to time?

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  7. "Hide and Sikh" :) :)
    Don't forget to use it again when you post the unit, if indeed painted so, in your post here and on TMP!

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