We need a standard - a baseline,
of sorts, for evaluating the toy soldiers we
collect. This common
language will help
when describing figures, cataloguing,
etc. These charts are but a
guide for developing your own system, to categorize and evaluate
troops:
The left column is the category, the right foru columns are the gradations
or ratings of that
category:
Type |
Nationality |
Era |
Branch of Service |
Specifics |
Maker |
Designer |
Manufacturer |
Nation of manufacture |
Year of manufacture |
Generation |
Original |
Recast |
Copy |
Clone |
Sets (How is it sold?) |
Bagged |
Individual |
Playset |
Other (cereal prize, etc.) |
Thickness |
Full round |
Semi-flat |
Flat |
Other |
Color density |
Opaque |
Waxy |
Translucent |
Mixed |
Color Sheen |
Flat |
Glossy |
Semi-gloss |
Muted |
Base |
Round |
Oval |
Rectangular |
Other |
Base Surface |
Flat |
Raised |
Scenicked (grass, ground, etc) |
Other |
Base Attached |
Molded on |
Separate |
Diorama |
No base |
Build |
Spare |
Average |
Squat |
Thick |
Proportion -
limbs |
Lank |
Short |
Irregular |
Regular |
Proportion - head |
Small / Slim |
Large / Wide |
Bulbous |
Regular |
Proportion - weapons &
gear |
Too small or truncated |
Oversize |
Normal |
Varied off-sizes |
Pose |
Stiff /
AStatue@ |
Fluid / Liquid |
Normal |
Awkward |
Animation |
Stiff /
ARobotic@ |
Fluid /
AInvertebrate@ |
Average |
Dynamic |
Detail |
Blurred |
Thick |
Average |
Crisp |
Face |
Blank |
Offbeat |
Normal |
Expressive |
The next table covers equipment
and gear:
Type |
Combat |
Mobilized |
Camp |
Rear Echelon |
Unit |
Regular |
Elite |
Support |
Irregular |
Uniform |
Combat |
Dress |
Informal |
Other |
Headgear |
Cap / Hat |
Helmet |
Bare |
Other |
Footwear |
Shoes |
Boots |
Sandals |
Bare |
Belts / web gear |
Webbed |
Leather |
Cloth |
Other |
Backpack |
Large |
Small |
None |
|
Weapon |
Missile (Gun, bow) |
Hand-to-hand (sword, knife, etc) |
Thrown (grenade, spear) |
Other |
Armor |
Plate |
Mail or Scale |
None |
Other |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This
table covers specific troop
types:
Modern |
Rifleman |
Light Machine-gunner (.30 cal, M60, MG34 / 42,
etc.) |
Automatic Rifle (BAR) |
Submachine Gun (Thompson, M3, Sten, etc) |
|
Bazooka / Antitank Rocket |
Flamethrower |
Grenade thrower |
Mortar |
|
Gun Crew |
Minesweeper |
Radio / Telephone |
Officer or Observer |
|
Medic |
Heavy Machine-gunner |
Vehicle Crewman (tank, armoered car, etc.) |
Pilot / Airman |
Black Powder |
Rifleman |
Musketeer |
Officer |
Grenadier |
|
Artilleryman |
Cavalry Regular |
Cavalry Lancer / Uhlan |
Cavalry Hussar /
Light |
Cowboy |
Pistol |
Rifle |
Shotgun |
Lariat / Whip |
|
Bandit |
Sheriff |
Other |
|
Indian |
Chief |
Tomahawk |
Spear |
Archer |
|
Mohawk |
Mounted Archer |
Rifle |
Pistol |
|
Mounted Spearman |
Mounted Other |
Medicine Man |
|
Medieval 1 |
Knight / Noble |
Soldier |
Peasant |
Other |
Medieval 2 / Ancient 1 |
Full Armor |
Half Armor |
Unarmored |
Other |
Medieval 3 / Ancient 2 |
Short Weapon (axe, mace) |
Sword |
Pole Weapon |
Flexible Weapon (Morningstar) |
|
Bow |
Crossbow |
Gun |
Thrown weapon |
Medieval 4 / Ancient 3 |
Foot |
Mounted |
Crewman |
Siege Team
|
|
Charioteer |
Wagoneer |
|
|
Ancient |
Noble |
Centurion |
Regular Soldier |
Irregular |
Space / Sci Fi |
Astronaut suited |
Astronaut uniform |
Ground Crew |
Scientist |
Sci Fi Species |
Human |
Alien - Bug-eyed Monster |
Alien -
AArea
51" |
Alien - Humanoid |
|
Alien - Reptilian |
Alien - Fur Mammalian |
Alien - Birdlike |
Alien Other |
Robots |
Humanoid / Android |
Robbie and variants |
Old Fashioned (boxlike head and body) |
Mechanical (tracked, wheeled or other non-pedal
propulsion) |
Sci Fi Equipment |
Scientific / Exploration |
Firing weapons |
Weapons crew |
Hand Held weapons |
Fantasy |
Human |
Dwarf |
Elven |
Goblin / Orc |
|
Dragon |
Reptilian |
Mammal |
Bird |
|
Elemental |
Ghost - Spectre |
Large Monster |
Other |
Ancient Japan |
Samurai |
Soldier |
Peasant |
Ninja |
A very general guide to condition:
| Condition | Mint | Like new | Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor |
| #1 The Figure | No marks or blemnishes - perfect | No playwear | No scratches or breaks. Light Playwear | Small scratches, light playwear. minor schips | Broken bayonets, scratches, moderate playwear | Broken weapons, chew marks, chipping, heavy -playwear | Missing weapons, limbsd, heavy chewing, |
| #2 Painted figures | As above, plus all paint clear, not chipped or faded | Paint unchipped, no flaking, Corlors may be only slightly faded - under 10% lighter than original shade | Minor chipping or fading. up to 15% fading | Some chipping, fading up to 25% of originalshade | Heavy chipping, 50% of paint missing | Vestiges of the original paint, haeavy fading | No paint |