Miniatures of battling soldiers and ship models are our great passion. We put all our enthusiasm, experience, and historical knowledge into creating them. On this page, we would like to share the story behind our figurines and models. So, we invite you to embark on a journey through the world of 6mm soldiers and 1:1200 scale ships.
If you want to see all available miniatures and buy them, please visit webpage of our retailer and wholesaler: www.bolter.pl (available in English, shipping worldwide).
[EN ] It’s not a big battle, still there are about 800 miniatures there!
[EN ] A clash between US and Spanish ships.
ON LAND
The mid-nineteenth century was an amazing period in the history of the military, full of very dynamic changes. With some exceptions (the Civil War), it is a scarcely exploited period in historical vargaming. Our goal – through our games and miniatures – is to complete this “white spot” on the market.
So far, we have introduced miniatures for the ACW Union and Confederate armies , Great Britain for the 1850’s1860’s and colonial wars of the 1850’s and 1860’s, and the French for 1854-1859. Further armies are planned – they will complement this historical period, and perhaps other periods as well.
What distinguishes our miniatures?
From the beginning of our activity, the main premise is to produce high-quality miniatures. There are many different miniatures on the market from this period, so we wanted to create a product that would stand out with its quality. Let’s look at our Union and Confederate infantry. They have a great detail that will make them look beautiful on the battlefield!
The small scale allows you to recreate the more historic look of entire units – the number of ranks, the arrangement of soldiers, etc. In pursuit of maximum realism, we decided that our infantry sets will have a separate drummer strip, which should be placed behind the unit. They did not walk in the front row, because in the event of death there would be no one to beat the rhythm to march. Hence, in our infantry sets, the drummers appear in separate strips.
Of course, all the strips have grooves between the miniatures, which allow them to be easily disconected.
We also really wanted the horses to look realistic. Therefore, the preparation of new sculptures of these beautiful animals took many months. More than once all the work was thrown into the trash. In the end, we’ve created horses that look as close to their real counterparts as possible.
Metal sets for the Union and Confederate armies are packed in durable blisters with labels that contain basic information about the composition of this set. Blisters provide greater security for miniatures, especially those made from resin.
The figurines that we manufacture fit in size to those produced by the largest manufacturers on the market. So if someone already has a large supply of previously purchased miniatures, they can be mixed to create a greater variety in the player’s armies.
Some 3D designs of our miniatures.
Metal miniatures
The first lines of figures we created were Union and Confederate units from the American Civil War. In 2022 thanks to our Kickstarter campaign we changed them to new patterns. The new miniatures are 3D designed, 3D printed and then cast in metal, which is a flexible and durable material. Our later miniatures will be only 3D printed resin.
3D print – resin
In the summer of 2019, after more than a year of trials, we produced the first sets printed in 3D technology. We were the first manufacturer in the world who produced 3D printed 6mm scale miniatures of the same or better quality than metal models. You can read more about this technique and figures here:
[EN] Comparision of miniatures: left OLD metal cast, right 3d designed and 3d printed resin
The next miniatures that appeared in our offer were the British for the period from the Crimean War to the mid-1860s. They were also metal miniatures. Thanks to our Kickstarter campaign, we changed them to new patterns.
We also produced 3 siege artillery sets for the American Civil War: the 200-pound Parott cannon, a 4.5-inch siege rifle and a 13-inch seacost mortar. These are unique miniatures in a 6 mm scale.
We also have miniatures for the French army (1854-1859).
AT SEA
A few years ago, we began working on a new game focused on naval warfare in the second half of the 19th century. The result of this effort is Gods of War: Togo—you can read more about it here: http://www.gmboardgames.com/blog/en/gods-of-war-togo/
The first era covered by the game is the pre-dreadnought period, spanning from the late 1880s to the early 1900s, just before the introduction of HMS Dreadnought.
Our models are produced in 1:1200 scale, which we believe is ideal for recreating battles from this period, as engagement distances were still relatively short. This scale allows for numerous ships on the battlefield while keeping the models large enough—especially battleships and cruisers, while destroyers and torpedo boats remain small—for enjoyable and detailed painting. We take great care in designing our miniatures with intricate details, including deck planking, ensuring that they are pronounced enough to enhance the painting process. Some details may be slightly oversized to maintain durability and to look great once painted—after all, these are wargaming miniatures rather than pure display models.
At the same time, we aim for players to start gaming as quickly as possible, so our models are designed with a minimal number of parts (typically, only the main gun turrets and lifeboats are separate components).
We manufacture our models using advanced 3D printing technology, drawing on years of experience in the field. Due to the volume of miniatures we ship worldwide each month—and to protect delicate protruding parts—our models are shipped with support structures, which must be removed by the customer. The process is simple (warm water is typically used), and you can read about it here: LINK
You can also watch this video (in English):
After printing, the models are cured in specialized equipment—once the supports are removed, they are ready for painting.
We also invite you to visit our Facebook group, where you can openly ask about the quality of our models—there’s always someone happy to answer any of your questions: LINK
Lastly, we want to emphasize that we put our hearts into every model we create. We design them in a way that we personally find appealing, and since we also paint them ourselves or commission the best painters, we always strive for the highest quality.
Where to read more about individual sets and where to buy them?
Bolter.pl is the retailer and wholesaler of our miniatures. The page is in English and they are shipping worldwide. You can find a description of every set on their webpage.
