Frontier Miniatures

15mm SYW

By Ken Bunger

Frontier Miniatures (formerly called Pass of the North) is a new company which has come into the market this year with an amazing variety of 25mm Colonial ranges and an extensive range of 15mm Seven Years War figures. The figures in both scales are excellent.

The 15mm SYW range has over 100 types of Prussians and Austrians. By the time this review appears the French, British, and Russians should also be available. The catalog also lists many personality figures, but I don't think they're available yet.

These figures are without exception excellent. I've see all of the Prussian and Austrian infantry and many of the cavalry. The representations of the uniforms are all absolutely accurate, down to the NCO's cane on the standard bearers (a very nice touch!). A few lack pom-poms, but that's not a serious flaw in 15mm.

All of the figures wear full campaign gear, including haversacks and water bottles. There is a great amount of detail on these figures similar in degree to the Frei Korps range. The figures' height matches the Minifig range, but these figures are "bulkier". The figures are very well proportioned. The cavalry includes separate riders and horses, with the horses having the horse furniture cast on them. The line infantry are available in either marching or advancing poses. The jaegers are in firing positions. The grenzers are particularly good castings with the long flowing capes. These are available in three poses -- standing firing, kneeling firing, or advancing. The pioneers all have the appropriate aprons and axes.

The quality of the castings are uniformly without fault, except as to the occasional bayonet not fully appearing. The metal is fairly flexible. I highly recommend this range.

The catalog is available from Frontier Miniatures, 629 Centennial, El Paso, Texas 79912, (915) 877-3048. The infantry riders are $.21 per figure and the horses are $30 each. There are discounts of up to about twenty-five percent. For $3.00 they'll send you a catalog and sample figures. Frontier also has an incredible number of colonial figures available. The quality and size are the equal to Rai Partha's new ranges. Ranges current-ly available include Boer War, Sudan, Pershing in Mexico, Boxer Rebellion and assorted French Legionnaires. The Mexican-American range will soon include over sixty different types. By the time this review appears more Boxer Rebellion era cavalry should be available as well as more French Colonials, Filipino Moros, Maximillian in Mexico, War of 1812 and some American Revolution. I've also seen the first of what promises to be an extensive range of American Indians and U.S. Army in the Old West. As a last note, if anyone out there knows where one can obtain a 1:72 scale "Jenny" for Pershing's air contingent, please write this SYW editor.

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