The Thistle and The Rose

15mm Picts and Gauls

by Rod Burr

As promised, The Thistle and The Rose have now released their range of Picts, along with a new line of Gauls and chariots that can be used aseither Pictish or Celtic. As with previous releases, the range continues to includea wide variety of poses produced for each army.

The samples sent from the Pict range include 21 different foot figures, counting variations on several basic positions. These include four spearmen with separate wire spears, one additional spearman with a cast on spear, a javelinman, an axeman, three swordsmen, two warrior maidens, two crossbowmen, and seven naked fanatics (one female). The figures appear to be loosely based on Pict figures in both WRG's ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF IMPERIAL ROME and ARMIES OFTHE DARK AGES books and include ones appropriate for both the earlier battles against the Romans and later ones with and against Vikings and Scots. Mounted Picts are promised for future release. The Picts are sold in sets of 20-24 figures such as archers, crossbowmen, naked fanatics and footwarriors. The figure sentfor review appear to include ones from several of the sets.

The new Gaulic releases are also all foot figures. With about 18 different posesavailable in thesamples sent for review, these offer a similar variety of figures producing an attractive mix for your warbands. The figures include six different swordsmen, one axeman, five javelin men and one chieftain or standard bearer with a longer spear. The figures'clothing ranges from none for some naked fanatics, through just trousers for othres, on up to trousers, tunics and helmets for the most affluent. While the naked fanatics and chariots (see below) are most appropriate for early Gaulic armies, most of the other figures are useful throughout the period up to the Roman conquest of northern Caul. As with the Pict set, there is at least one female warrior included in the Gaulic samples.

Available in a separate set are two chariots for use with eitehr Picts orearly Gauls. One chariot has the semicircular woven wicker sides shown in ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF IMPERIAL ROME, while the other has sides with two open arches, along the lines described for the Padua chariot in the same book. Each chariot comes complete with two stocky horses to pull it, but does not appear to include crew figures.

These figures are intermediate in size between "true" 15mm figures and Mike's Models and 18mm figures like Minifits and could probably be mixed with figures at either end of the range of sizes. They are only slightly larger than the Essex 15mm Vikings and Saxons and should mix with these quite well. There is a good variety of poses without any really stiff or static ones, although in general the poses of these figures is more two dimensional than the earlier Rus, Viking and Saxon lines. The price for these figures is $30 per foot figure, and $5.40 per set of two chariots. For a price list or to order, write to The Thistle and The Rose Miniatures, 3079 Bridgeton Court, Woodbridge, Virginia 22192.

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