Populating a Carpathian town...

Somewhat paradoxically, I'm thinking about figures to populate my Carpathian town before planning on what to build, in the hope that it'll give me some inspiration, and remind me of some things I'd probably otherwise have forgotten...

First we'll start with the actual civilians/townsfolk themselves. The first set under consideration is the Romanian townsfolk set from Blue Moon manufacturing. There are a variety of 'types', some of which are recognisable from films (the guy in the black hat is a spitting image of the grave-digger from Van Helsing),  whilst others are less so. Most of the figures could work anywhere (burly men with tools, town drunk, richly dressed merchant, old soldier, town drunk) whilst others suggest possible scenery : The serving girls and cook would need an inn; the merchant could have a large fancy house, with a  goods store (either an under croft, or a separate out building); possibly some 'market' stalls for some of the figures with baskets to be standing by; a graveyard or house with coffins outside for the grave digger; fields for some of the workers to tend. Most of the figures look like they are on a fairly similar level in terms of income, although a few are obviously richer or poorer. This means that I could get away with having most of the buildings of a similar (tall, higgledy, piggedly) type, with only a few obviously poorer (smaller, 1 story) ones. The figures are a strange mix of styles, with older fashion items still being worn (britches and stockings) but with some more modern trappings. This makes mixing them with other figures a bit problematic - Victorian London types are too well dressed,, whilst AWI types just look too old fashioned.  However, I'm not likely to ever need masses of the blighters, and these would give a very good core population...
 

Westwind do a set of 'villagers', which have a similar old fashioned air to the Blue Moon figures about them. The bar-keep would fit in well with the chef, etc form the previous pack in an  inn. The lady with the candle is fairly generic, whilst the gent with top hat and bag would make a good doctor (another big house then, or atleast a more elaborate standard size one). The blacksmith deserves a forge to work in, and currently I'm unsure as to whether to do a separate forge building (1 story, open to the air on one side) or whether to build one into an under-croft under a house (with the chimney at the end). 

Westwind also have line of 'Transylvanian mob' packs, which will generally be used to form, well, mobs. A couple could be usable as villagers as well though (e.g. the chap with the scythe). These are also old fashioned types, with what fire arms they do have being a mix of flintlocks and more modern weapons, and a strange mix of clothing styles. Luckily WW make 5 packs of these fellows (enough for two 10 man mobs) as otherwise their style could be quite hard to match (that said, the guys with tools from the Romanian civilians pack could be used without looking too out of place I think...)

Westwind also have several packs of gypsies - some of which are suited to being 'characters' whilst others are better suited to being used as towns folk (such as the dancing girls). Being Gypsies, they don't need 'permanent' houses, although some wagons/caravans and maybe a tent or two might be useful for other areas in Carpathia. Luckily, these are available commercially tents from Rendera, the caravan from Westwind)

In addition to their mob; Westwind also do some 'Eastern European Polizi' which look like they'd make good additions to a Carpathian town; as well as being useful for 'rescue from the peelers' games. These guys definitely deserve a police house of some sort - I've got a vague idea of a low house, with lanterns outside, and possibly a cell or gaol house out the back. In terms of reinforcements for certain games, I should be bale to make something similar from ACW figures in sack coats and kepi's; and I'm also hoping to make some Austro-Hungarian or other similar soldiers for when things get bad enough to call in the militia! 

Old Glory's Cossack War range has a set of Cossack Civilians (and some celebrating figures which aren't so applicable). I could almost certainly get away with mixing a few of these guys in - either as drifters from the Ukrainian steppe side of the Carpathians or as country folk. I'm just not sure I can use a full 30 of them, so if someone fancies splitting a pack I'd be interested to hear about it. I'd guess these folks are move likely to be the ones living in any low, Izba type houses I make. 

I'd also like to have some other pieces of moving scenery in the form of carts and the like. The streets of London are comparatively easy to fill, with Hansoms, Coaches (converted from stage coaches), cyclists, steam-carts, omnibuses, etc. However, most of those are a bit too Western and up-to-date for Carpathia. I may be able to get away with a coach (after-all, one drops Jonathan Harker at Bodo Pass in Dracula), but I think the rest will need to be farm wagons and the like. Blue Moon Manufacturing makes a variety, including the one below, although it might need a converted rider...

As already mentioned, Westwind make a gypsy caravan, which could also be used to wander the streets and give the town a more 'lived-in' feel...

A church is essential for the setting, and there are a few Russian Orthodox Priests on the Market - Foundry did one with its Cossack range, TAG have one as a special limited edition, and Old glory do these. Most of them are a bit too militant for general use as towns folk (although, mixed in with West wind's Mad Russian Monks they might make for an interesting take on a  Brotherhood faction...!) Regardless, a church will be essential for the town...

Last, but not least, there is the Blue Moon 'Frankenstein' play-set has a few other Carpathian types. Only the policeman, who is decidedly Teutonic, is particularly suitable for use as a towns person (and not really usable  with the Westwind Polizi, but does open up a range of pikelhaub-ed type which could be used as an alternative.) The Angry mob have quite a primitive feel to them - some look like they've escaped from a band of  English Civil War Club men, whilst others look positively medieval. It might be worth my while looking at such ranges for potentially useful bits, and the odd stray useful civilian.  

I'll summarise the suggested buildings in another post in a couple of days time, along with a few other ideas that might make for good game settings (wood-cutters cabin, with lumber piles, etc)