Front Rank

25mm ACW

by Paul Koch

In his classic work Animal Farm, George Orwell announced that while all animals were equal, some were more equal than others. This is most certainly true in the case of 25mm figures. Some are scarcely larger than 20mm while others tower to the lofty pinacles of yesteryear's 30s. The first thing to be said of Front Rank's new ACW line is that they are big. They will match with Hinchliffeand some other glandular warriors at the upper end of the scale.

Front Rank has also covered the field in some breadth. They list some sixty offerings in the range. These include some 10 officers, 4 musicians, 6 artillerists, 8 Zouaves, and 6 personalities. They offer as well 10 mounted and 2 dismounted cavalry. Alas, only 14 poses of infantry. There are therefore lots of unususal figures but only one basic "reb" advancing. As an example, there is a rather nice pose of a bareheaded officer advancing, hat in hand, but little variety in the ranks that follow.

I must confess too that while the castings were clean with very little flash, the poses were for the most part dull and lifeless. I should note the exception of a very good hatless Zouave attacking. The horses rank high on anybody's list but their riders not only suffer from "no hip" disease but are recruited exclusively from midgets, their legs being badly undersized.

All in all a nice if not great range which will certainly add some odd figures to collections of large 25's. Choose your poses carefully but they are really good in spots.

Figures are available from Front Rank Figurines, A.D. Brown, 11 Southbourne Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SSO OAG England. They ask for bank draft in pounds and/or IMOs from the USA and if you want them quickly add about 50% for air postage. Foot figures runabout $.42 and about $1.00 for horse and rider.

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