Old Glory
25mm Jacobite Rebellion

Figures

Reviewed by Mark Mocarski

Old Glory continues to release still more wonderful figures to there bulging 18th century 25mm lines. Their latest venture into 'The Wars of the Age of Reason' is a stunning Jacobite rebellion range that is in all honesty, the most comprehensive range yet released covering this period. The figures measure about 27M on the Barret scale though a few top off at 28M. This makes them perfectly compatible with Front ranks fine range of Jacobite Rebellion figures; a boon for us Jacobite devotees! The Range includes Jacobite highlanders, Lowlanders, artillery , foreign support troops and equipment, plus cavalry. The Hanoverians include Government highlanders, infantry packs that include musketeers and grenadiers artillery, and mounted personalities for both sides. It is topped off by a superb artillery assortment. The samples being reviewed here include a government highlander, a Hanoverian regular battalion man, or 'Hatman' and a grenadier in a wonderfully detailed miter cap. ( I especially like the raised cypher lettering on the miter.) All figures have crisp raised detail with a minimum of flash, and have excellent raised detail, even on the faces. The one drawback is that none of these figures has a canteen! This is O.K. I suppose, provided you don't bring them out on a hot day.

The Jacobites pose a quandary to this reviewer. While animation and detail regarding sculpting is superb, the detail is somewhat misleading. NONE of the Jacobite highlanders in the ' Highlanders with muskets ' pack, have a broadsword! This flies in the face of historical facts.

All first hand accounts describing the Jacobite armies throughout the 18th century Jacobite wars contradict this point. Not all carried a broadsword, but MANY did. Indeed the principle Jacobite offensive tactic was the highland charge, in which the Jacobites would advance to closing range with the enemy fire a volley on the advance, and charge to close under the cover of the ensuing smoke to finish off their opponents with the broadsword dirk and the occasional lochaber axe.

How this well known and easily accessible fact escaped the ranges designers is beyond. Also only one Jacobite with musket figure type comes with a cartridge box. While it is true that in most circumstances ammunition was carried in the sporran, the small leather pouch worn at the waste, this could hold only a small amount of ammo, and following the string of Jacobite victories from Prestonpans to Falkirk, to Inverurie and Forts George and Augustus, Whole enemy camps and supply depots fell into the Jacobite's needy hands. Sadly this fact is not even remotely represented in the old Glory range. Indeed those Jacobites with guns have no swords and those in the ' Highlanders with swords' pack, have no guns! Go figure.(By the way, the Jacobite targes or shields are separate to facilitate painting.)

One can only hope that the sculptors will return to the drawing board and release a separate pack that will correct this error. Other then that, the range is highly recommended. Especially appreciated is the pack of lowlanders with command. This pack is useful for Jacobite lowland units as well as Government militia units in Scotland. All have cartridge boxes and some even have canteens.

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