Progress at the Militärgrenze!

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.

Warlord Games' Russian Infantry

After a long hiatus I am back!  Apologies for the absence but other projects interfered with the ImagiNation work.  Hopefully I will now be able to devote some of my time to the occasional article here.

I was at Colours today and got my mitts on a couple of the trial sprues for the upcoming Russian Napoleonic sets.

PAinted examples from Warlord's website.

First impressions were/are very favourable.  The sculpting is clean and the proportions are an improvement over the earlier Prussian Landwehr – although the hands are still large!

Each figure comes in three parts (head, backpack and body) and will therefore prove easy to assemble with some liquid poly.

Both the early and late sprues sport covered, uncovered and grenadier shako heads.  These are rendered nicely.  The only odd point is that the Grenadier heads are split down the centre by the mould.  I imagine this was in order to be able to mould the plume integrally.  That said, it is never a favourite option for me as one slip during clean-up and your figure is deformed!

Anyway – they look good and apparently should be out end Sept/ Early Oct.

I will snap up a box or two of the "early" option for Beimbach-Schönau's very late C18 army.  All we need now are those damn Austrians from Victrix!

Review: Blaze Away Miniatures' "Marlborough's Wars" Infantry

Like many collectors, I want to obtain figures that look a little "different"  Additionally, as recruiting funds are limited, I like to find items that are good value.  When I chanced upon Blaze Away Miniatures & Models early C18 range, my interest was piqued.

MAL2,3 & 5 with venerable Foundry "Marlburian"

Marketed under the generic "Malborough's Wars" legend, on offer are 13 packs (7 Infantry, 5 Cavalry and 1 High Command) priced fairly competitively at AUD$10.00 / £6.40 - your money buys you 6 foot or 3 cavalry.  Additionally, they offer a sample service for a very low sum - details at the site.  All very well but are the little chaps any good?  My opinion is a solid "Yes" - they are well worth a look.

I obtained three Infantry samples.  All wear a tricorn and have hair hanging loose rather than the later "cue".  The three poses I sampled are MAL2 Marching, MAL3 March Attack & MAL5 Advancing.  These are shown, along with an old Foundry Marlburian, in the photo to the right  .

As can be seen the figures stand 28mm foot to eye, though the thick bases make them appear a little taller.  The level of detail is good and the anatomy is decent. Figures display heavy lacing on the coat front and cuffs.  The coat itself is of "full" cut.  They sport a small satchel on the right hip and carry muskets without bayonet.  Supplied as a loose part is the sabre, ready for the buyer to attach to the left side of the model.   I am aware some people will dislike this feature but I do not.  Clearly it has been decided that it is prudent to cast the figures in two parts and thus eliminate a common miscasting area.

Earlier C18 in gaiters? Great!

I am not particularly keen on "advancing" poses as I prefer my units to march for all eternity.  However MAL5 is a perfectly acceptable miniature.  I think he would be well suited to a skirmishing unit - perhaps in the Colonies?  The marching poses are particularly attractive and can (in my opinion) be used mixed within the same unit.  To my delight they are modeled in gaiters rather than the more usual stockings and breeches.  The mixture of earlier C18 coat and gaiters makes these fellows pretty unusual in 28mm and ideal for my 1740 project.

The sabres ready for attachment.

Criticism is limited, MAL2's right arm may be a little short and the heads a little large but the latter affliction is near universal in 28mm.  That said, overall the figures look good.  They have bland facial features and to me this is a plus (character figures look great once but in every Regiment? No thanks!)  Well painted they would present a splendid appearance.

It should be noted that at present BAM do not offer any Grenadiers or Artillerists and I have no idea if they plan to rectify this.  I imagine Dixons' gunners would work well in concert with these chaps.  The cavalry options are limited but Dragoons & Cuirassiers are certainly there.  As mentioned earlier, there is a pack of bewigged Generals that look interesting.

From the quality of the samples and shipping time (under 1 week from Australia - UK) I recommend anyone interested in these obtains some samples pronto.

Scores out of 10 - thoroughly personal ratings explained:

Sculpting - Quality of detail and accuracy

Casting - Mismoulds and flashing

Variety - How comprehensive is the range

Service - Was the seller easy to reach, polite and helpful

Delivery - How long did they take to get to me

Value - Are they a good deal overall

Delivery time based upon my experience - Australia to UK delivery.

Sculpting:                  7/10 

Casting:                    9/10 A few pinholes but excellent overall.

Variety of Subject:    5/10  No Artillery or Grenadiers.

Customer Service:    */10  Dealings automated, therefore no rating.

Delivery Time:          10/10 Less than a week from the other side of the World!

Value:                      8/10

Review: Old Glory Miniatures' FIW French Infantry

After changing my plans regarding the cut of infantry uniforms, I found myself in need of some cheap and cheerful French types.  Not surprisingly, Old Glory sprung to mind as a leading contender.  Following perusal of the US website (it has most codes illustrated) I decided to go for packs FIW006 and FIW008 (Command and Marching respectively)

These figures are taken from OG's venerable French and Indian War range.   Designed for use in the Americas they seem perfectly suited to other theatres.  I was originally worried that they might sport Indian style leggings but a quick call to Andy at OG UK clarified matters - they are in gaiters.

As usual with OG figures, these are cast and bagged (random selection) in the USA.  This keeps down the costs but does result in bent muskets and swords etc.  Thankfully, the alloy used is forgiving and the castings can be straightened without any apparent weakening.  That said, you should straighten them carefully as you don't want to break bits off!

OG FIW008 with Crusader Fusilier for comparison.

The first photo shows the marching figures from pack FIW008 (£24.00 for approx. 30 figures)  As can be seen these are perfectly workable miniatures.  There is nothing too breathtaking here but just how exciting can a marching Frenchman be?  Details are well done but not over-done.  Muskets are a little "fuzzy" in places but it is nothing a dry-brushed streak here and there will not rectify.  I got five different poses (no head variants) with the majority being the fellow with the near horizontal musket.  Murphy's Law dictated that this is the pose I like least!  There is also a wounded figure present - thankfully just one of the 31 in the packet!

The figures are shown with pack and canteen.  I have read that the pack may be Napoleonic and therefore anachronistic - I am not familiar enough with French kit to make a judgement.  As I am dealing with an ImagiNation I have some leeway however the historical purist may wish to check his references before buying.

OGFIW006 Command, again with Crusader reference (right)

Pack FIW006 (£12.00 for approx. 15 figures) contains a mixture of Command types.  As is often the case with OG, there are head variations in the pack.  I have not snapped all of the figures rather a representative sample.

There are drummers walking and playing and another with his instrument slung on his back - I really liked the latter he is full of character.  The standards are carried by Officers wielding swords.  These are a bit flamboyant for my taste but again are decent figures.  There are also Officers carrying some rather ornate spontoons - in my bag I had one marching and one standing pose - and waving sabres.  Finally, there is a chap posed running with pistol and a casualty figure.  Clearly the former is more suited to the skirmish line which makes sense considering the pack is designed primarily for the FIW.

It is obvious that this pack is somewhat "generic" being designed to work with any of the Infantry bags (Marching, Firing or Advancing)  Thus a few of the poses will look a bit odd with marching figures.  However, I am aware that I am rather "Old School" and favour very conservatively posed units!

In terms of size, these miniatures average 26mm ground to eye - not surprising given the fact that they have been around since the 90s.  This is at the small end of the spectrum these days but still workable in a mixed army.

To summarise, I recommend these as long as you do not mind accepting a random selection of castings.  They are decent figures at a great price and when painted should serve with distinction.

Scores out of 10 - thoroughly personal ratings explained:

Sculpting - Quality of detail and accuracy

Casting - Mismoulds and flashing

Variety - How comprehensive is the range

Service - Was the seller easy to reach, polite and helpful

Delivery - How long did they take to get to me

Value - Are they a good deal overall

Delivery time based upon my experience - UK to UK delivery.

Sculpting:                  6.5/10 

Casting:                    10/10 Again no miscasts - here OG excels!

Variety of Subject:    */10 Unfair to score them*

Customer Service:    10/10

Delivery Time:          10/10 Ordered on Thurs PM - arrived Saturday

Value:                      9/10

* They are intended for use in the FIW so many of the troop types Euro-theatre gamers would need are not present.

Review: Outland Games' - Austrian Infantry 1790

Austrian Fusilier 1790. 

A while back I decided that my 1770 Army would be portrayed by (Counter) "Revolutionary" Austrians.  At this time the soldiers wore a kaskett (pill-box hat) rather than the neo-Classical crested number more often seen on the table-top.  The trouble with my choice was that there are precious few manufacturers that provide these earlier troops - especially at an affordable price!

As luck would have it I established contact with Chris von Fahnestock of Outland Games, a lesser-known range of figures that includes some rather interesting "Revolutionary" lines.  Chris, a military man on active duty, supplied me with some samples during a period of leave and I must say I am glad that he did.

So without further ado - let's get to the review!

Samples with Front Rank Jacobite (right) for comparison.

As can be seen in the group shot to the left, these are large figures.  I would certainly bracket them in the "heroic 28" category.  These miniatures are of a similar size to the Front Rank Jacobite and thus should work well with the great majority of other ranges.

The details of the uniform and kaskett are very well realised.  I especially like the gaiters and the ubiquitous sprig of oak leaves on the left side of the helmet. The low-slung pack, musket and hairstyle are nicely done also.

Fusilier and Drummer.

The style of sculpting is not over-done and the figures do not display too many folds and creases in their uniforms.  This is something I appreciate as an abundance of creases tends to make a 28mm figure look a little cluttered.  Poses are what one would expect and will rank-up nicely on a 20mm frontage.  It could be said that the drummer is a less animated than the others but I do not think this will cause any problems once the unit appropriately based.

The Officer is posed with raised sword - leading his men to another glorious defeat.  When viewed from the front he looks fine but from behind his arm position looks a tad unnatural.  This can be easily rectified, if desired, by a slight bend of the limb.

Officer and Standard-bearer.

There is a mounted Colonel available and he rides a large and handsome horse. Like his infantry counterpart his arm is raised, although this time the angle looks better.  The horse is an imposing beast and looks more than up to the task of carrying a senior field Officer.

Incidentally, I am probably not the best judge of raised sword arm poses as they are not a favourite of mine - figures thus depicted are nearly always converted for my armies!

My overall impression of this line is very positive.  The subject matter is unusual and the execution is good.  The pricing point of $13.99 for a dozen figures represents extremely good value.  The alloy used to cast these figures is of obviously good quality and the castings are crisp and fault-free. Therefore, I recommend them wholeheartedly.

Mounted Colonel and his trusty steed.

The only down-side is that Chris is presently overseas and thus the figures are not going to be available until September 2011.  

When that time rolls around I will be patronising Outland Games!

Review: Elite Miniatures' SYW French

At present, I am waiting for my construction project to dry as it has just received it's last coat of plaster - full details to follow.  In the meantime, perhaps this mini-review will be of use to someone.

Elite Miniatures has been around over 25 years and have something of a cult following.  I have read too many times than I care to remember that "you either love 'em or hate 'em" a generalisation with which I disagree!  The figures follow the general style of Peter Gilder's classic Connoisseur range.  Elite's proprietor, Peter Morbey, sculpted some of Connoisseur's later figures and thus the similarity is not accidental.

Elite (right in both) and Crusader French Fusiliers.

In general, Elite's offerings are pretty "animated" chaps.  By his own admission Mr Morbey likes "dramatic" units so there is a great sense of movement in many of the figures.  For those ignorant of Elite or Connoisseur, perhaps the closest parallel, in terms of style, would be the action-packed figures for which Old Glory has become famous.  Think of chaps looking over their shoulders, shouting and running with coat-tails unfurled and you will get the general picture!  That said - I am today dealing with the Seven Years War French - a small (and dare I say oft-overlooked) range that is, by Elite's standard, very restrained indeed!

I bought a representative sample, purposely avoiding the "advancing" poses as I wanted yet more troops in "March Attack".  Pack SYF9 contains four identical Fusiliers in this pose and is competitively priced at £3.80 (March 2011)  At first glance the figures appear slender in comparison to more recent 28mm offerings - in my eyes this is no bad thing!  Sitting on small, thick bases, they are well posed in a determined march and nicely proportioned.  In certain areas the detail is as good as anything out there and I am especially pleased to see the figures have realistically sized hands!

The somewhat old-fashioned nature of mid C18 French military attire is captured well - but the coat and cuffs are not overdone as is seen in some other ranges.  Bayonet and musket are nice and slender without feeling vulnerable to breakage.  The face is gaunt with a prominent mouth (in profile he looks like the young Schwarzenegger) this fella has been campaigning hard.

Elite's SYFC1 - "Mounted Officer"

Moving on to the mounted officer and horse in pack SYFC1 (£2.55) the same general observations apply.  He is a very haughty looking gentleman, posed looking down with extended hand, exhorting his men to advance.  The coat has no turn-backs and he is certainly usable for most other C18 armies.  The horse is a big beast and nicely done.  Another good figure.

Finally, we have SYFC2 "Trooper" (priced as before £3.80 for 4 troopers.  Horses must be ordered separately)  Depicted with sabre "at rest" on his shoulder and a carbine slung (muzzle down) on the right hand side of his saddle.  In my opinion this is the least appealing of the three figures but still a rather attractive casting.  Again he is slender and realistically proportioned.  Good detail throughout and generic enough to be used by an ImagiNation without people crying "Achtung Frenchie!".  I didn't order the horses designed for this figure but have posed him upon another Elite beastie - hopefully this gives the reader some idea of the mounted article.

SYFC2 "Cavalry Trooper"

To summarise, I am very happy with my Elite purchases.  the figures are well observed, display a good level of detail and are beautifully produced - minimal mould lines and not a single miscast!  If you need SYW French and fancy something a little "different" I recommend that you investigate this small range pronto!





Infantry note:  The Crusader figure has been raised slightly so that "ground" level matches.


Cavalry note:  Apart from removing the mounted figures from their packaging, I have made little attempt to "seat" them upon their steeds - so in the photos they ride a little high in the saddle. 

Scores out of 10 - thoroughly personal ratings explained:

Sculpting - Quality of detail and accuracy

Casting - Mismoulds and flashing

Variety - How comprehensive is the range

Service - Was the seller easy to reach, polite and helpful

Delivery - How long did they take to get to me

Value - Are they a good deal overall

Delivery time based upon my experience - UK to UK delivery.

Sculpting:                  7/10 

Casting:                    10/10 Not a single miscast 

Variety of Subject:    4/10 Very small range of SYW

Customer Service:    7/10

Delivery Time:          4/10 Almost 3 weeks UK-UK

Value:                      8/10

Review: Trent Miniatures' "Lombardy Legion Hussars"

Guidon bearer from Trent LL09

After a few months of indecision, I recently decided to take the plunge and buy a few sample packs of Trent Miniatures' late C18 figures.  Trent offers a strange selection of Revolutionary War types with none of the armies being completed.   For example they have Austrian Dragoons (nice figures) with no command.  For those of us creating fictitious formations this is not so much of a problem (I have spare command types around) but if you are depicting an historical unit - it is a real turn-off!

In addition Trent's different packs are of greatly varying quality.  Some have really iffy proportions (even for a 28) and others look pretty good.  The only constant in the 6 blisters I ordered was that each and every pack had at least one miscast figure!   These ranged from minor gripes such as parts that hadn't joined together properly (see trumpeter below) to some rather major problems such as an Austrian Infantryman missing a foot!  All in all this suggests some really sloppy casting and non-existent quality control.  

As I said I purchased a few packs - but I will deal with them separately as the findings are so varied!  Let's start with the Hussars.  I went for pack LL09 Lombardy Legion Hussars Command as they looked much better than the rank and file chaps.  

The Officer and his strange anatomy.

The figures are big and chunky - though not as enormous as I had been led to believe by some TMPers.  For example I see no reason why they could not be used with Front Rank troops.  As a general rule, I would say that both horses and riders are very nicely detailed.  Faces display a good deal of character and the sculptor certainly made some effort depicting the braiding on the dolman/pelisse and getting the "Hungarian knots" shown on the breeches.

The nags are cast with furniture in situ and look rather good.  It was disappointing that there was just one pose in my pack but that one pose is attractive.



Note:  One of the horses was missing most of an ear - another miscast.

When it comes to authenticity I must admit ignorance of the Lombardy Legion's particulars.  These fellows look like fairly generic mid/late C18 Hussars.  The trumpeter in early bicorne is about the only thing that may work against people wanting to use these in a later "Lace Wars" context.

Guidon bearer - character packed face!

Sadly I must now make a couple of less than positive observations.  Whilst nicely detailed these figures have a very odd - almost dwarfish - look to them.  Strangely this is far more marked when you have them in your hand!  The Guidon bearer and especially the Officer both look plain wrong!  They appear barrel-chested and without necks.  In addition, either the distance between the shoulders and backside or the length of the legs is insufficient - I am not really sure which it is.  Peculiarly, the trumpeter seems to be free of this distortion - but the rank and file Hussars (Code LL11) are afflicted to an even greater degree.  This is a real shame as these could have been a great alternative for those seeking Hussars.

Further to the sculpting problems*, I must comment upon the very high number of miscasts.  Regular readers will be aware that poor quality castings are a real bugbear of mine (see here) and these figures really annoyed me.  I purposely obtained them from a third party vendor (Ebay seller) rather than ordering directly as I wished to avoid any delays.   The gentleman was efficient and polite and they were at my door less than 36 hours after I pressed "buy it now" - so I have nothing but praise for Steve Wood's operation.  However, it really galls that Trent would supply a vendor and therefore a customer with such substandard product.

Musician with miscast trumpet.

To summarise, the level of detail is good, the subjects are interesting and the horses perfectly acceptable.  However in my opinion the figures are compromised by some bad anatomy and sloppy casting.  For my Hussars I will be going elsewhere.

Incidentally, apologies for the worn "photo booth" - I will be fabricating a replacement in the near future.


*I have passed over the freakishly large hands as the great majority of miniatures are thus afflicted.

In the Doghouse

Every Gentleman needs a four-legged friend.

Every so often a thread about 28mm dogs pops up at TMP.  Usually the postee wants to know what is out there and if it looks any good with a "normal" 28mm figure.

There are quite a few manufacturers offering Canines, some depict mutts some refined pedigrees.  This goes for the quality also!

In no particular order I will deal with the models I have collected.  As an aside, I use them on my bases to add a bit of character.  Most of Beimbach-Schönau's General staff favour a four legged companion and a few of my Infantry bases will sport a mutt getting in the way of the advancing troops.  Incidentally, I have a Macaw in the parts box but cannot figure out how to use him without making things look too piratical!  Perhaps I need to create an ancient mariner named "Lang Johannes Silberstein"  then again, perhaps not.

I hope these shots are of use to anyone wishing to buy their troopers a pooch or two.  Mr Alexander MacDonald appears courtesy of the Jacobite Retirement Home - he acts as a scale reference.  Neither Mr MacDonald or your author are great fans of "Man's best friend" so our opinions concerning accuracy should be taken with the proverbial pinch of salt.

SGMM (exVendel) Mastiffs - scary.

First up, four monstrous Mastiffs from what used to be the Vendel range (now owned by Sgt Major Miniatures) If memory serves me well these were sold in a pack of five in their Border Reiver range.  Horrible and aggressive looking beasts but my wife assures me they are spot-on in terms of size.  Some very nice sculpting on these, but in my opinion, some are a bit "active" to be used as companions.  More of a hunting/war party feel - good for manhunts.  Also usable as Demon Hounds or similar for those favouring Fantasy games!

Eureka's elegant greyhounds.

Now, to something more refined.  These Greyhounds are from Eureka Miniatures' George Washington set. They are beautifully sculpted and look very lithe.  Expensive miniatures but the elegance is well worth paying for.  Happily, I was sent these gratis by the chaps at Eureka (thanks again)

 Incidentally, it has been suggested that these may be "Wolfhounds" rather than "Greyhounds" - as I said earlier, I am no expert and leave it to the reader to make a decision!

Front Rank: BSP4 "William Cadogan's Dog" 

Front Rank have a dog available in their WSS range.  He is priced at the same level as their figures (in my opinion a little steep) but is a nice enough pooch - albeit a little "stiff" in his pose.  The breed is not obvious to my eyes but perhaps he is a Beagle?  A good solid model and easy to obtain.

Mega Miniatures': Labrador, Collie, St.Bernard and Alsatian.

All the remaining hounds come from Mega Miniatures USA. The proprietor has a very large catalogue of animals (and a lot else besides) and sells dogs both individually and in bargain packs - comprising two each of six different poses.

Mega Miniatures': Beagle(?), Irish Setter, and Pitbull.

Truly these are a mixed bag. Some of the breeds are (as far as I am aware) no good for the C18 but others are very useful.  Likewise, some of the sculpts are a markedly inferior to others.  I suspect this is due to their varied origins from different (now defunct) ranges purchased by MM.

Mega Miniatures': Crazy Mutt & Bulldog.

As dogs come in all manner of sizes and shapes I don't think I can castigate Mega Miniatures too harshly for the weird ones.  That said, both the Pig Faced Pitbull about to pounce and the depressed Irish Setter look a tad strange- not impossible - just odd!

When it comes to value MM Canines are great.  You get a dozen in a "pack" for around US$10.00 and can therefore keep your Generals in pets for quite some time.

I recommend checking them out before going elsewhere.

Dirty dawg!

There is also a very nice mutt in Redoubt Enterprises' catalogue.  He is a shaggy little Terrier-like thing cocking his leg.  Sadly I couldn't find mine for a comparison shot but the picture from Redoubt's site may be of interest.  Of course he would have to be unique in a given army as the "joke" wouldn't be too good if repeated - then again it worked for Henny Youngman, "Take my Wife... PLEASE".

Thunderbolt Mountain: #8046 Wood Elf Dogs

From the fantasy side of the hobby come some impressive and shaggy "hunting hounds" manufactured by Thunderbolt Mountain.  "Neotacha", a fellow TMPer, alerted me to these and very nice they are too.  TBM offer these without the Elven handler so those of us of the historical persuasion are not going to be left with an Elf lurking in the bits box!

Eureka: 100CIV28 "Frederick vignette"

Finally, "Der Alte Fritz" has brought to my attention the dogs in Eureka's Friedrich der Große vignette.  Again a very nice offering by this company.  Friedrich was renowned for his Italian Greyhounds that prowled the palace of Sanssouci and accompanied him on campaign.  It is my opinion that the Eureka hounds are a little "beefy" to properly depict this diminutive and fragile looking breed.  However, they remain a fine product and should be given due consideration.

I hope this has been of some use to anyone considering a metal pet.

Matters hairy - WF wig details

Grenadier and Officer heads.

Following a TMP exchange with His Eminence Cardinal Hawkwood, I decided to post a few close-ups of the peculiar hair/wigs on the WF sprues reviewed yesterday.

As can be seen, the hair is sculpted in loops rather than locks and curls.  Although there is historical precedent for the "looped" wig (as is shown in many contemporary portraits) in miniature, it looks odd thus depicted.  What makes it even stranger is the fact that it is rendered in a completely symmetrical manner.  This, I assume, betrays the CAD origin of the master sculpts.  I may be wrong but I suspect it was just an horizontal copy 'n' flip as it were!

Rank & File specimens.

Personally, I do not feel this problem is so severe as to warrant a re-do with either putty or pyrogravure.  Especially the case when it comes to the "rank and file" of a Regiment.

However, if I was using one of these heads for a senior commander I might rough up the finish a little.

Yet more cloth Mitres.

Some may regard this as nit-picking but those of us who enjoy getting all the details right find such things important.  The hair could certainly have been done better but compared to some of WF's earlier sprues this one is a gem!  Overall I do not think these problems detract from the the set's desirability.

Initial Impressions : Wargames Factory - War of Spanish Succession Infantry

Twelve sprues are inside each box.

This weekend I got my hands on Wargames Factory's new release: a box of 32 generic infantry for the late C17  / early C18 period.  These were supplied, in a most timely fashion, by "VVV" Wargames.

I feel fortunate as I understand many folks had this on pre-order and it has yet to arrive - this is precisely the reason I do not pre-order, I have an inherent dislike of paying for something that is not yet stocked.  Vendors often forget the monies already in their pockets and attendant obligation in favour of further revenue from "fresh" sales.

The sprues are moulded in high density styrene (use liquid polystyrene cement for a good join/weld) and feature an excellent selection of different heads.  Sporting Tricorns, wide-brims, Grenadier Mitres and a Fur Cap.  There is even a bare-headed fellow in there.  The intention is that with a change of head the simple body can depict virtually any trooper from the period in question.  Although the button-counters will have a fit with this as there are features moulded (neck-scarf for example) that are not universal - this is of little import to those of us creating ImagiNations.

The frames contain two one-piece bodies and one multi-part.  The latter can be assembled as another marching trooper, part of a command group or a "skirmisher".  In my opinion, the skirmisher is the least appealing option as the firing and grenade throwing arms just don't appear to "work" with the marching pose.

PROS:

Close-up of heads and arms.

• Low price per figure.  I got a set for £14.99 working out at approximately 46p per figure.  I understand they are cheaper in the USA.
• A good selection of heads, extra arms and torsos with a lot of spares!  For converters this is a boon.
• Excellent sprue design - they stack inside the box ensuring there is no damage in transit.

CONS:

Command details and firing line arms.

• Bulgy eyes on the heads.  This will prove a problem if you paint them as shown on the box front.  They end up looking like Michael "Charmon" Jackson in "Thriller".  This is shown to good/bad effect by the deeply unappealing box-art.
• The detail on the wigs/hair is very symmetrical and thus looks rather odd if examined closely.
• Care should be taken with the necks.  Many assembled miniatures that I have seen sport Giraffe necks.

Basic figure front view.

Personally, I will be happy using these right up to 1740 (and beyond) as although old-fashioned they will not look unlikely - just think of the SYW French as a case in point. 

As illustration of the above, see the picture to the left for a close-up of the basic infantryman and his uniform.  This would be entirely serviceable in the mid C18. 

All-in-all a great set and thoroughly recommended - although you may have trouble getting any at the moment due to Wargames Factory's internal problems.

I will have to glue a few together pronto and post the results.

28mm Cannon Review - Budget options

Irregular LM31 & 25/63 parts.

As explained before, your author is always on the lookout for a bargain.  In this spirit I decided to buy some artillery pieces from Irregular Miniatures and Parkfield Miniatures.  Both of these manufacturers offer products at what could be termed "budget" prices.  The artillery pieces available include some highly suitable C17/18 mediums and a pair of intriguing "Galloper" guns (destined for use as the infamous Beimbach-Schönau "Schmetterling"!).  Anyway, let's get to the meat of the posting - the reviews.

Irregular Medium Cannon

First up Irregular's LM31 & 25/63 (£2.50 as of Nov 2010)  These represent "medium" pieces from the C17 to early C18.  I ordered one of each and the only difference appears to be in the wheels (LM31 has the old-fashioned cleated type).


Upon handling, it is a nice solid model.  The woodgrain is not over done and there is a fair level of detail.  In some areas this is a little indistinct (vent hole and rear of the barrel especially) but I am not sure if this is due to the mould or the master.  Either way, this was not enough to prompt me to ask for a replacement.

The cleated wheels show a distinct mould line along the rim which will have to be removed.  This is not difficult but is tedious.

As can be seen the assembled model is quite substantial when standing next to miniatures (the artillerist trio comprises a brace of Dixon and a single Trent chap)

The model bears a startling resemblance to Dixon Miniatures' excellent "Marlburian 6 pounder EG4".  There are differences but these are very slight and the two could be used side by side with few people able to tell them apart.

Considering the price, I certainly recommend these models to impoverished Generals looking for something a little different.

Irregular Galloper Gun

Irregular LM32 "Galloper Gun"

Next to feature is another by Irregular.  This time "LM32 Galloper Gun" from their Marlburian range (£2.25 Nov.2010)

This depicts a much lighter (generally below 3lb) piece that was towed by a single horse or indeed two or three men!  I wanted a source for my "Schmetterling" Battalion guns and thought this was a strong contender.

The gun is suitably slender - some would say flimsy - and thus captures the feel of these pieces.  As before, the woodgrain and other details are pretty well done.  Sadly my example had a lot of flashing as can be seen in the picture to the right.  This will be simple enough to remove from the carriage and barrel but the wheel spokes would be very difficult to sort out.  I called Irregular and they duly sent me a replacement wheel.

Once the parts are put together the gun looks rather rickety but it must be remembered that it is a very light piece.  One thing I don't care for is the slimness of the wheels - they just look too thin to my inexpert eyes.

I will not be relegating this to the bits box but it will certainly take a little bit of work to make it look the part.










Parkfield Galloper Gun

Parkfield GRA100 "Galloper Gun"

Last on today's list is Parkfield's "GRA100 Galloper Gun" from their "Glorious Revolution" range.  I chanced upon the Parkfield stand at Warfare 2010 and saw this little cannon sitting on the shelf.

Priced at a very attractive £1.90 (Nov 2010) and supplied complete with tools the kit represents great value.

The carriage is less detailed than the Irregular version and shows little woodgrain.  However the barrel and wheels are slightly superior.

When assembled, the model is certainly sturdier looking than the Irregular version but as they depict different prototypes, it is rather unfair to compare them in this way.

I bought three of these at Warfare and sadly had some trouble with the wheels.  In one bag I had received large wheels and in one of the others a small wheel was miscast.  An email to Parkfield resulted in prompt mailing of replacements.

Due to the more compact look of the Parkfield Galloper, I have decided that this will be the best option for my army.  However, the Irregular model will find it's way into service somewhere - waste not want not!




Summary


Considering the fact that many suppliers charge £5.00 or more for a simple cannon, I think all the options above offer good value for money.  Although not as sharp as some of the higher priced options, they are nonetheless perfectly acceptable models of rather unusual prototypes.

I would recommend them to anyone after something a bit different (always good for the ImagiNation crowd!) and gentle on the wallet. Well worth a visit to the websites of Irregular and Parkfield.