Soldiers and Swords

25mm and 15mm 100 Years War Figures

Reviewed by Rod Burr

SOLDIERS & SWORDS now has available both 25mm and 15mm lines of figures for the 100 Years War. The 25mm line includes Personality figures for the notable commanders on both sides such as Henry V, Edward III, the Black Prince, King Jean the Good, and Charles, Duke of Orleans. No Joan of Arc figure is currently listed.

The sample 25mm figures received are two longbow men, an infantryman with sword and an infantry casualty. All of the figures are wearing a short mail hauberk and a jack similar to those worn by figure 126 in WRG's ARMIES OF THE MIDDLE AGES, VOLUME I. The sallet worn by the figures is visor-less, unlike the WRG figure. The figures are 25M (BM) and can probably be mixed with either Hinchliffe or Essex medievals without looking too out of place. The figures are cleanly cast with little flash. The longbowmen are in three different poses: firing, bow at ready, and standing with bow against shoulder. Both of the infantry figures come with separate shields. Individual figures are prices at $1.25 foot and $2.50 mounted. Packs of 8 foot or 4 mounted (different poses?) are priced at $8.

The 15mm samples are 2 longbowmen, 3 crossbowmen, and 3 bill men. The figures are nearly as cleanly cast as are the 25s. The figures are 15M and would probably mix well with Essex medievals. The longbowmen are equipped like the 25mm figures and are in similar poses. The poses for the bill men are advancing with bill at a 45 degree angle, standing with a slightly lower angle, and standing with bill vertical. The bill men are all wearing chain hauberks and a chapel-de-fer helmet. The crossbowmen are my favorites of the samples. The three sample poses: firing, loading, and advancing, areall animated and believable poses - unlike many that you find for crossbowmen in many other lines in either scale. The figures are armored as the bill men but with shorter hauberks. All the crossbowmen have a pavise hung over their shoulders. The loading pose is especially nice in the way the figure is sheltering behind the pavise while cranking the crossbow. Packs of 24 foot are priced at $6.50; 16 mounted are $8.50.

Overall both the 25mm and 15mm ranges are appealing figures and will be a nice addition to the available ranges when building an army. I'm especially impressed with the 15mm samples and strongly recommend them for the builder of an army for the 100 Years War period. The figures are available from the manufacturer at 25 Fayette St. Binghampton NY 13901.

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