Essex

25mm Thracians

review by Lance McKenzie

Essex Miniatures has recently added a line of Thracians to an already extensive, but ever-growing range of 25mm wargaming figures. These nicely done I igures consist of: MP-1, javelineer/peltast, wearing helmet; MP-2, javelineer/peltast, wearing foxskin cap MP-3, javelineer/peltast, bareheaded; MP-8, light cavalryman, helmeted, cloaked; MP-9, light cavalryman, bareheaded, cloaked; and MP-11, mounted general (this fellow would be great if he had a cloak billowing out behind).

The general figure is leaning forward slightly with his right hand held out in a 'stop!' gesture. All weapons and shields are cast separately. The shields provided are of the oval, thureos variety, and have a pair of javelins molded to the interior. Only MPA seems to be supplied with a rhomphaia, and isalso the only foot figure wearing a cloak.

I wish Essex would produce two or three more of the rhomphaia and cloak peltasts like MP-4 for variety. As mentioned in a previous review, the greatest drawback to these figures is a general incompatibility with many other manufacturers' figures due to the large size of the Essex figures. The large size does add a great deal to paintability, though.

The crispness of detail and casting is excellent with mold lines being held to a minimum, and no flash apparent at all. The quality of metal is excellent with no impurities being evident. As far as detail goes, clothing and facial features, which is about all there is to detail on a Thracian, are well produced. The W.R.G. list makes Thracians a considerable threat on the wargame table, and with these figures to tower over their enemies, the prospective Thracian commander cannot go wrong. Thracians represent the debut of Essex Miniatures entering the Classical period. Hopefully, in the near future, more troops from this period will be added. Lance's average rating is 3.5.

Rating: Casting-0.9; Varietyof Line-0.7; Detail -0.8; Anatomy-0.8; Pose - 0.6. A total of 3.8 out of a possible 5.0.

More Reviews

Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. V #3
To Courier List of Issues
To MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1984 by The Courier Publishing Company.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com