Alliance

15mm 18th C. Range

review by Ken Bunger

Alliance Miniatures is now manufacturing the Men-At-Arms range under license from Military Miniatures of Aukland, New Zealand. This 15mm range includes figures for the British and French armies of the midEighteenth Century (Seven Years War), as well as six excellent assorted Jacobite highlanders.

The figures are of the slightly "stout" variety. The raised detail is very good and appear easy to paint. The facial detail is also very good with the French Hussars in particular looking very fierce. The average height of the figure from shoe to forehead is 16mm. The quality of casting and metal is excellent which is the norm for Alliance Miniatures.

Now for the bad news. The historical accuracy of many of the figures is not very good. Many of these errors can be corrected with a few slices by the trusty no. 11 X-Acto blade. I'll list the figures with particularly noticable errors. M1003 British Musketeer marching seems to have a "belly" box worn only by grenadiers, and has large cuffs which should have slashes in them. M1004 British Grenadier should have cuff slash and should have pigtail tucked-up under cap. M1005 British Command has ensign with too small of a flag - but this can easily be replaced. M1007 French Command has both officer and color-bearer wearing sashes which were not historically worn. M1008 British Dragoons have cuffs that are too large and should not have lapels (only the Horse and Dragoon Guards had these). Horse housings should be rounded. The French mounted generals and colonels are genuinely wonderful figures but should not have waist sashes. The French Dragoons are in forage caps and open coats. The strangest model is the French gun which has the trail cast upside down! To end on a high note - the cavalry horses are among the best I've ever seen. The French line cavalry charging (M1016) is a superb figure.

I can certainly highly recommend many of these figures, but urge caution with regard to the few with historical errors.

The figures come packaged in packs of 12 foot, 6 mounted or 2 guns and crew. Each pack is $3.50. Generals are $2.50 for three. The range is available from Alliance Miniatures, P.O. Box 2347, Des Moines, IA 50310.

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