Ral Partha

25mm Conquestadors and Incas

by Tom McMillan and John Boehm

25mm Conquestadors
by Tom McMillan

In a recent expansion of its classic 'Condottiere' lines of 25mm Renaissance figures, Ral Partha has added a complete range of Spaniards under the title 'Conquistador'. While the previous releases were generally considered among the finest figures ever sculpted, they were quite small, somewhat variable but with figures like the Serbian delis hardly reaching 20mm. The new figures are medium 25s, in both height and bulk, and similar in size, detail, and animation to Ral Partha's Victorian era figures of the 'Colonial' range. These figures would fit in nicely with the excellent Naismith 'Conquistador' line, and would be usable with the larger Essex and Games Workshop figures of the same period. Also, unlike the previous releases, each listing has multiple poses with variations in armor, etc.

Included are pikemen, sword and buckler, arquebusiers, crossbow men, mounted knights, genitors, light artillery, wardogs with handier, and a command pack. Most of the infantry wear a quilted jack over mail, preferred to plate in the heat of Mesoamerica but used in Europe as well, though some swordsman wear half plate. The arquebusiers use a forked rest. As would be expected, morions predominate, though there are some burgonets as well. The genitors are nicely done and fill a longstanding gap - at last some thing appropriate to counter those pesky stradiots.

The mounted knight was not submitted for review, a pity since, as the genitor once again proves, nobody does horses as well as Ral Partha. The light gun is interesting, being little more than a heavy arqubus barrel on a wooden mount. Unfortunately for European use, it appears to be crewed by pirates.

These are all fine figures, well detailed with accurately ren dered armor. In addition to fighting Aztecs, they would be suitable for Italian War or Armada campaigns. Several figures, including the pikemen and particularly the musketeer-ish looking arqubusiers, would do nicely as late as the Thirty Years War.

Price is undetermined as yet due to non-lead conversion. For comparison purposes, in lead the price was $5.75 for 5 foot. Available at most better hobby stores, as well as by direct mail order, for which see the ad elsewhere in this issue.

25mm Incas
by John Boehm

Ral Partha also released Incas to go with their Conquistador line. They are designed by G. Valley and measure 27M (BM). The packages come 6 inf to a pack with at least two poses to a pack. All are cleanly cast with little flash. Command packs contain 3 standards with separate banners, three officers and three musicians. These are very nice figures, well animated and every type of Inca warrior is depicted in several poses and weaponry.

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