REAL MEN GAME IN 25/28mm

I have 25mm, Dixon ACW. I figure them to be about the most expensive 25s at $1.49 US for an average figure and 20 cents more with a standard, drum, bugle, or looks like he's shouting orders to someone. Dixons are a little "trollish". The proportions aren't always right (i.e., big heads, short legs) but they're mighty fine figures in my book. They all have a huge variety of poses so your units can look very fluid and but not like they're all striking a pose. Dixon also has a wide variety within each pose with different heads/hats and accoutrements. Take a look their fine at: http://www.spiritgames.co.uk/dixonacw.html. Note: The Dixon artillery is too small. I use Connoisseur guns instead. They're best I've seen.

Another ACW line that's very nice is Redoubt. These are definite 28s and match Foundry in design and size. Redoubt lines can be hit or miss. This one is a hit. The figures I've seen are beautiful. Like Dixon they have a lot of variations in pose and equipment. Figures are "Marie Antoinette" style, i.e., the heads are separate from the bodies. The head variants are legion. There are several different styles of hat and you can order the ones you want. This makes it possible to do troops wearing frockcoats and havelocks for early war units. Redoubt also seems to be going head to head with Dixon on having a never-ending line. One advantage is that they're about 4 cents cheaper pe. figure than Dixon.

For Napoleonics Foundry are the best I've seen. The French range is especially broad with a good deal of variety. They do French 1809- 1815, British, Austrian 1805-1815, Prussian 1813-15, and Bavarian.

Front Rank are also nice figures. Not as many poses as Foundry, but they also include Spanish and Portuguese if you're interested in the Peninsula.
--David Sullivan

FOUNDRY RETAIL?

One of the local shops here (Seattle, sorry) carries Foundry. The only lines that are available for retail are the blisterpacked ones, and then not even all of those. The upshot is that the range available for retail in stores is pretty limited.

Also, I have to say that I'm not a very happy camper when it comes to the Foundry blisterpacks. Most offer a variety of poses, but the poses are sometimes so distinct that they won't mix in the same unit (i.e., one figure madly charging while frothing at the mouth, another standing at attention, another picking fleas off the regimental mascot). This creates a certain amount of "'wastage" - figures that go into the leadpile that you would never have bought as singles but are stuck with because they're part of the mix.

The latest lines are better. The figures are designed as a variation on a theme, e.g., all advancing, charging, laying about, etc. so your units look natural, not like a chorus line or bedlam.

As far as getting them, I recommend giving mail order a try. I've received orders from the UK within 10 days of placing them, always complete, and Foundry does such a nice job packing them, you'd think they were sending you Waterford crystal.