Reviewing Stand

Jacobite 15mm Napoleonics (figures)

by Jim Womer

This review focuses on an English produced line being imported into the U.S. by THE SHIP SHOP, who has advertised in these pages.

Submitted for review was a limited group of Swedish Napoleonics consisting of set SN6, Life Guard Grenadier command pack and SN10, Hussar Command pack, both of the later Napoleonic period, apparently 1813, but not indicated. Since basic infantry, cavalry, artillery, gunners and limber sets were not submitted, this review must be accordingly limited.

Set SN6 consisted of two figures each of officer, drummer and standard-bearer. Flash on all these figures was minimal and cleaned easily. The slightly crimped left leg of the drummer straightened nicely with some care required. Detail on these figures is good - both officers wear the brassand on their left sleeve to commemorate the palace revolution of 1772, a good touch The musket was nicely done with a visible embossed grenade badge and well defined caterpillar crest and separate standing plume. Staying with an established rating system, detail (.7), animation (.7) anatomy (.7), paintability (.7), casting (.8), for an overall rating of 3.6 of a possible 5.0.

Set SN10 consisted of one figure each of officer trumpeter, guidon bearer and trooper (NCO?). The Swedish variant of the Hussar shako is well defined with plume on the left top, ribbon bow, minimal cording and embossed badge. The limited animation of these figures, which should ease painting, is apparently a concession to the production difficulties of 15mm figures. The horse supplied with the cavalry is a sturdy wargaming animal as opposed to a delicate collector's model.

The problem with the cavalry should be shown in the photograph: each cavalry figure consists four (4) separate pieces - Hussar, Horse, sadd blanket and pelisse. Given that good painting in 15mm is difficult enough to begin with, one has to ask whether or not we need assembly as well. While I would be strongly tempted to say no, these figures have sufficient detail to be worth some added effort. The rating then, is detail (.7), figures (.7.), horse ( 6.), animation (.6), anatomy (.7), figure (.5), horse, paintability (and assembly) ( .5), casting ( A), totally some 10-1 1 of a possible 5.0.

I was sufficiently impressed with this Jacobite figures to contact the importer for more details. I learned that the cavalry packs would consist of five (5) figures (as opposed to an advertised 8) and that as now being sold the saddle blanket is cast together with the horse, although Hussar pelisses are still separate. This latter information solves in part my criticism of the cavalry previously noted. The range of available figures appears to be quite good, including not only the standard French, British and Prussians, but the important minor armies of Swedes, Poles, Bavarians, Danes, Wurttemburgers, and Badeners which add so much color to the Napoleonic period

Overall, these large 15mm figures are good troops, even if somewhat larger that either the Heritage 15mm Napoleonettes or the new super- detailed MiniFig 15mm line. Were I painting a 15mm Swedish contingent, I would definitely give these figures close consideration, particularly if I were using a high ratio of figures to men, such as 1:60, which would mean painting and assembling fewer of the cavalry figures. Because of the intricacies of the Swedish uniform, I believe that these Swedes would make a good contingent for an experienced painter.

As I noted earlier, this review is quite limited because of the small selection of figures submitted; I, for one, would like to see more and follow up this review, hopefully, at a later date.

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