Essex

25mm Napoleonic Imperial Guard

By Robert Mosca

It has always mystified me, why the years of Napoleon's decline, i.e. the period from 1812 to Waterloo, has always been given such precedence by figure manufacturers and wargamers alike, over the campaigns of the Emperor's ascendency. Now to rectify this large historical gap comes the introduction of a new range of figures for this period of the Napoleonic early Empire, produced by the prolific manufacturer of 25mm, ESSEX.

Initial releases offered for review are the Old Guard Infantry. As with all ESSEX figures these 25mm are large, compatible in stature with Peter Gilders Connoisseur range, but more robust. This range has a pleasing proportion of height and mass and the anatomical structure is kept in constant scale. Flash, on the figures recieved, was at a minimum and the detail is pronounced and crisp.

Figures received are in two styles: full dress in bearskins and "on campaign" in great coat and bicorne. Readers should note that figures listed as advancing are in the march attack pose. Some gamers prefer the more aggressive "level bayonet" pose, but the march attack is probably the more historically accurate, as well as facilitating ease of painting. The full dress Old Guard figures are truly imposing, and comparing the figures to plates in Commandant Bucquoy's book and the new Osprey Men-atArms Series on the Old Guard, the delineated accuracy of the detail is amazing.

The sculpting on the bearskins reveals all of the cording, plates, plumes, and a good rendering of "fur" texture for the actual bearskin. The faces are well-accentuated, revealing a distinct character for each figure. The draping of the uniform is realistic, the figures are nicely undercut to show folds and creases of the clothing as they would naturally appear. Epaulettes, turnbacks, and cuffs are well detailed, as are the grenade badges on the turnbacks themselves. Buttons are depicted as sunken instead of raised relief.

The equipment on the figures meets the same high standards. All belts and buckles are sculpted in high relief and an Imperial Eagle is clearly seen on the grenadiers' cartouche. The weapons are in scale and show the same fine high relief for flintlocks, knapsacks, etc., as on the uniform itself. One point, the officer's scabbard seems too thin for the sword being carried.

The full-dress drummer is perhaps one of the best figures, and the details on the actual drum, such as the raised grenade decorations have to be seen. Drumsticks are to scale and are held in a natural position.

My personal favorites of the figures received are the officer and grenadier in campaign uniform. The officer in particular has a fine defiant stance, that is duplicated by the expression sculpted on the face. He is depicted wearing bicorne, greatcoat with turned down collar, and half boots.

But the quintessential figure is the grenadier in campaign dress. The figure epitomizes Napoleon's "grognards" on the march. It has the same fine attention to detail, excellent draping of the overcoat, and well-defined bicorne, complete with cockade and carrot-shaped plume. I painted the figure and can attest to the ease which the larger size and undercutting of these figures allows in fine detailing and shading. A unit of these figures would do any French Napoleonic army proud.

ESSEX also produces a separate standard which has a nice Eagle, but the cloth of the standard itself seems too small and bulky.

My only quibble, and it is a minor one, is the redundancy in the range released. Is it really necessary, unless as might be the case, the designer has his eye on the dioramist as well as the wargamer, to have a drummer and standard bearer at attention and another pair advancing, or a kneelingfiring and standing-loading figures which are not popular poses? I would rather have seen their opposite number in the Austrian, Russian, or Prussian armies, as part of the introduction to this range.

In conclusion, it has been a while in the hobby that any manufacturer has produced 25mm Napoleonic figures, and I must admit to a certain twinge of nostalgia when looking the figures over. I am sure that any "old-hands" would purchase immediately a unit or more to add to their armies, particularly as these Old Guard figures are more than worthy of the name. Any of you younger gamers in terms of the hobby, not physical age, that have not succumbed to the lure of 15mm could not start a Napoleonic collection with a better range of figures. Highly recommended.

The Napoleonic early Empire range is available in the United States from "Wargames", 1410 Promenade Bank Center, Richardson, Texas 75080 (214-387-0360).

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