 |
| Nasty Grenz ragamuffin. |
Pandours or Grenzers! What a subject. Big moustaches and bigger knives. Drunkenness, rape and pillage - unsavoury fellows indeed. Now how to model them without resorting to the purchase of boring old KuK types...
 |
| A somewhat fey Pandour. |
I have poured over catalogues for years and have come close to buying OG Ottomans, TAG Poles and even Foundry Pandours. However all these seemed "wrong" looking too uniform and civilised. Then I stumbled upon Essex Miniatures' new site and found Cossacks, Poles and Tartars that seemed interesting. They were offering 15% off the (now) rather high asking price so I jumped in - and I must say the package contains some splendid figures!
I bought a regiment of foot and one of horse. The foot chaps are shown below. All wearing kaftans and wielding some nasty looking arquebuses.
 |
| Cossack with arquebus. |
 |
| Polish peasant with arquebus. |
Within each code are variations in pose and head so the unit has a suitably messy demeanour. The cavalry are likewise varied and sport lances, bows and shields - the last of which is being sent to the bits box.
As usual, I passed on the Essex nags as they are not too good. A visit to my well equipped horse trays will provide some suitable mounts I am sure. This is made easier by the fact saddles are cast onto the riders.
I plan a detailed review in the near future but in the meantime I recommend these figures wholeheartedly.
