This time around sees a review of two different ranges of British Rifles plus some bizarre news about re-enacting, but first an apology. In fact, two apologies, and to the same person: Barry Hill of Falcon Miniatures. The first repentance regards my criticisms of the Devizes show this year. Barry points out that there were three participation games and plenty of traders. Just goes to show how blind I’m getting.

Actually, this suspicion should have been aroused a year ago, on the drive up to the editor’s first First Empire show, when Jonesy and I gaily sailed past a broken down van, casually noting Barry’s distinctive and vexed figure standing alongside. Not only did we fail to stop, but compounded the matter by not telling anybody until three in the afternoon. So, if you’ve ever done anything truly stupid, you are not alone. Now that I have made this public confession I hope that Barry will stop harping on about it every damned time I see him!

Reviews

On to the reviews, and nothing should be read into the fact that the first figures up are Barry’s very own Falcon riflemen. [He pauses for effect...]

At first glance these figures look very familiar. No, I don’t mean that Barry’s pirated them, but rather that they LOOK familiar. For instance, the sergeant (you can tell from the stripes) has a slung Baker rifle, and is holding a wicked looking six-barrelled blunderbuss. The officer is also unusually carrying a rifle and is wearing a cavalry sabre. One of the riflemen sports a forage cap and has unusually long hair... Stop, say nothing. No names, no pack-drill, as they say. Barry clearly points out that any resemblance between these figures and certain television and literary characters is pure coincidence, and as I for one respect the laws of copyright! However, I do wonder if the sergeant might come from the Emerald Isle, and perhaps the officer was once from London and now has a Yorkshire accent, and once had black hair that went prematurely blonde. Who can say?

As to the figures. They sound quite ‘tinny’ so may be cast of pewter. Of the five, four are standing side-on whilst the fifth advances. The advancing figure - a chosen man, no less - labours under a heavy pack. The casting is fine, although his head seems to be looking up at an unnaturally sharp (no pun, so calm down) angle. The fellow in the forage cap and long locks is in light order, and is firing from the shoulder. The hilt of the sword appears substantially shorter than the previous chap, but apart from that he is fine. the third private is set to molest his rifle with a ramrod, which he is holding extremely aloft. He too is in light order although the cord on his powder horn has not cast cleanly. The sergeant is bareheaded and open-mouthed, obviously yelling a curse at the Frenchies. He has gaiters over his overalls and another smallish sword hilt. The obligatory sash decorates his waist and I suspect he’ll paint up nicely. Finally the officer. He rests his rifle in the crook of his right arm, whilst his left hand is cupped to his mouth, shouting an order - or possibly again berating the French! He wears a shako and all his braid is robustly defined.

All in all, these figures are set to bound over many miniature Peninsular skirmish terrains, my own included, and from what I saw on Barry’s stand at several shows, they are creating much interest.

The other rifles this month come from the stable of that other genial cheeky chappie, Brian Holland of Bicorne Miniatures. Why is it that these manufacturers all appear cheeky and genial? It’s like murder victims, don’t you think? Everybody always liked them, and they’re always popular. Anyway, enough of that, on to the figures. If one were to compare the two ranges in size, they would clearly not be compatible. Falcon’s are what today is quaintly termed true 25’s. That is, they are compatible with Minifigs and Foundry for size at about 28mm tall. The Bicorne’s are ‘large’ 25’s, standing closer to 35mm than 25mm and clearly compatible with both Connoisseur and Elite.

Brian has given me six varied splendid figures to review. The officer wears his fur lined pelisse and is trotting along, sword lowered in right hand, with his left waving the lads on. My only criticism of the figure is that the sword has been cast attached to his right leg, and is thus irretrievably warped. However, not all swords ended as straight as they started, so it’s no big deal. The sergeant is bareheaded (again!?), he stands legs apart with rifle at side, pointing. A short neckerchief is tied at his throat, and he looks suitably battle weary. The figure depicted loading is my favourite. His ramrod is partially into the rifle, making the action look less dramatic than on the Falcon figure. Like the others his clothing is battered and patched, but it is the rabbit strapped across his pack which is so original - dead, I hasten to add, this chap obviously having no pretensions to date German supermodels. The next figure is a prone rifleman, loading on his side. Brian has put on a nice meaty base, so the figure can be properly mounted without having to put Tetrion or whatever all over his body - other manufacturers please note. This casting will look splendid on skirmish bases as well as potentially being an easy conversion as a casualty. My only criticism is the complete lack of livestock strapped to his body.

The next figure nearly remedies that - he has a bugle strapped to his pack, so I reckon that counts. He is running/charging at port arms in a pose we have seen countless times over the years, the ubiquitous ‘advancing’. Before anybody bridles at unwanted criticism, it is not. I like this pose. That is why it is so popular. The final figure is kneeling firing. He is an optical illusion. Holding him in the hand, it appears that he is taking aim into the ground, yet when stood up, he appears to be drawing a perfect bead on that French officer. Strapped to his pack is a cloth bag, the neck of which could be mistaken for rabbit’s ears and painted up as a giant head by somebody with a sad sense of humour.

To sum up, these chaps will fit in well with any ‘large’ 25mm army (provided it’s British Napoleonic, I hasten to add). They look thoroughly campaign soiled and will paint up a treat.

3ème Regiment Etranger.

This is the bizarre bit. Those of you that follow my distracted penmanship will be aware of my pint-raising trip to Belgium with the 21ème de Ligne. Varied and soiled others and I have decided to form a re-enactment unit of our own, and have finally settled on the above, more familiarly known as Napoleon’s Legion Irlandais. The unit will soon be applying to join the Napoleonic Association and I am taking the opportunity to ask around for second hand kit, particularly gibernes or muskets, so if any of you re-enactors out there have got this far in the column, then please let me know if you can help, and god forbid, if anybody else wants to join, we are already into double figures. It must be the thought of wearing emerald green...

The NA Postal Campaign.

Following the temporary death of my computer, the army lists have been relieved and uncorrupted. As I write I am awaiting final copies of the campaign map from our hideous editor, whence the fighting can begin. Judging by all the correspondence I’m getting, you’re all raring to go!

That’s it for another issue.