Review:

Front Rank 25mm
Jacobite Rebellion

Figures

by Ken Bunger

The Jacobite Rebellion 1745 range has been totally redone and expanded. This range by Front Rank contains the best figures yet from this company. They are similar is size to the company's early Seven Years War figures. However, the new figures have less bulk and are better proportioned. The diverse poses are both historically accurate and quite interesting.

Three of my favorites are the kneeling artilleryman holding a sponge (GAA2), the bowing British officer doffing his hat (GA18) and the advancing Government Highland officer waiving his bonnet(GAP4). There are 27 Government and 27 Jacobite infantry figures and an artillery crew for the opposing sides. I'll review the cavalry and personality figures in a later issue.

The quality and style are excellent, as we've come to expect from Front Rank. Casting detail is raised and crisp, which makes a quality painting much easier. The faces, as always, exhibit much character. Shading and highlighting of both the faces and uniforms can be done easily, and are necessary if the full quality of the miniatures are to be shown to best advantage. There is little, if any, flash on the castings.

The Government infantry consist of musketeers, grenadiers and highlanders. They are lightly equipped and are unencumbered except for the cartridge box. Both the musketeers and the grenadiers have their pigtails tucked up under their hats. The uniforms are the proper 1742 issue with the shorter rounded lapels showing.

My only criticism is that since the sword belts of these miniatures are worn on the outside of the coat, the lapels should be folded over and buttoned (Morier paintings notwithstanding) leaving only the tops showing the facing color. The poses are marching, standing firing, kneeling firing, loading, falling wounded and lying dead. There are also several officers, ensigns and sergeants in both marching and standing poses.

The British drummer in the SYW range is a great figure and can be used with this new range. The Government Highlanders are both advancing and marching, with an officer, ensign, piper and drummer. They are in full plaid. All of these troops can be used for the War of Austrian Succession.

The Jacobites are too numerous and variously posed to list individually. They are all great so I don't have any particular favorite. All are in proper bonnets. Highlanders are in both kilts and full plaid. Lowlanders wear jackets and breeches with the plaid folded over their shoulder. These absolutely reek of character and I can't recommend them highly enough.

The Jacobite artillery crew is a welcome addition. The man with the scoop (JAA1) and the man with the match (JAA2) are lowlanders, while the man holding the sponge and bucket (JAA3) is kilted. The sponge or bucket can easily be snipped off to allow conversion to portefire, trailspike or a spareman. Another conversion trick is to slit the head of the scoop down the middle, pull it apart in a "v" shape and wrap some thread around the split head. One now has a great looking portefire. I digress!

There is also a full selection of dragoons, Baggot's Hussars, mounted officers and personality figures with this range. Front Rank figures are available from The Emperor's Headquarters at 5744 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60634. Their price is $1.10 a figure or $1.65 for a horse. Highly recommended.

* The Courier uses the Tobey Barrett Measurement [BM] System to simplify comparison of figure sizes. The number is the height in millimeters from the bottom of the figure's foot (top of base) to its eyes. The letter refers to the "heft" of the figure: L=light, M=medium, and H=heavy. Thus, Hs will fit in with other Hs and some Ms, but not Ls.

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