Alliance Miniatures

25mm 14th and 15th Century

by Todd Fisher

Alliance Miniatures has just released a redesigned set of Hotspur 14th and 15th Century 25mm figures. They are available through Alliance at P.O. Box 2347, Des Moines, Iowa 50310; or stores that carry the Alliance range. The figures come three to a pack for $2.50 for foot, and $2.00 for a single mounted.

These figures would complement most Hundred Years War and War of the Roses armies. They are sized a little heftier than Minifigs and are a little shorter than Essex, but should easily fit with either. The poses are rather static, but this is pretty much standard for the figures of this period. The sculpting is clean and provides a lot of detail. The painter should in fact be careful to examine the figure so as to take advantage of all of the detail provided. While there is much in the way of accoutrements on the miniatures, there is little in the way of deep sculpting for clothes. This means that the figures will lend themselves better to a paint and highlight style of painting rather than a stain method.

One of the best aspects of the range is that, for the infantry, you get three different figures in a pack. While the pose is the same, each will be a little different, i.e., a helmet, a side arm, etc. This helps break up the uniform look, which should have no place in a medieval army. Further, Hotspurhas given us some poses that I have yet to see before. For example, there are two types of crossbowmen loading; one standing, one kneeling, presumably behind a pavise. All in all, these figures represent a welcome addition to the men of the Middle Ages.

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