25mm Wild West Figures

Guernsey Foundry

Reviewed by Craig Martelle

Guernsey Foundry Wild West figures. The Foundry LTD, Huberts Lane, Off Doyle Rd, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, Great Britain, GY1 1RG or The Foundry LTD, 1549 Marview Dr. Westlake OH 44145. I bought Cowhands, Shootists, Apaches, Townsmen, & Sgt O'Brien's Detail - US Cavalry.

Starting with the the Townsmen, if you intend to run a wild west game and you have unarmed folks about, buy the Victorian Bystanders pack (you'll see that I didn't). All the Townsmen models are packing! These figures range from 25mm to 28mm according to the Barrett scale, but this isn't a visible difference. I was surprised when I measured them because they all look just super standing together. The six-shooters appear to be Colt .45s, the rifles - Winchesters, and then there's the double-barrelled shotguns. The most obvious is OWT-18, Homesteader Woman. There are models which are very similar in appearance, where you must take a closer look to tell them apart. For example, OWT1a and OWT1b are both shooting their pistols, in the same pose. Both with mustaches and short coats, one has a bowler and the other a felt hat. Then there's OWT2b and OWT3b. Both are wearing caps and pretty much the same outfits, but one is firing a shotgun and the other a rifle. You could paint these two figures identically, then switch them if they change weapons during a fight! The other Townsmen provide a good mix of figures with various weapons. For some reason, in my deal I received VB3a in addition - The Pugilist. But I also must confess that I bought these "deals" through Outland Games (1061 Bertram Ave., Dayton, OH 45406, (513) 276-2336). The Sheriff, The Bartender, and Sneaky Pete round out this deal of 24 total figures. There is very little flash on just a few of the figures. Overall, detail is superb, poses are realistic, and they just have the right feel!

Next, let's look at the Cowhands (18 figures). As cowboys were wont to do in the Wild West, these figures represent the dressed up and packing crew. A number of the models are wearing chaps, most have vests or scarves, all have pistol belts, and even a couple are bare-headed. The most imposing figure is the Trail Boss, who appears to be an exact replica of Sam Elliott in one of his roles. The rustler figures (OWC1b and OWC2b) make a good team and I accept the challenge of painting the bandannas over their faces! A good red-black plaid should do it. The Ten-Gallon Hat figure looks as silly as history painted him. Once again, I received a bonus figure - VB15, Haughty Saloon Girl. Now what would she be doing with a bunch of Cowhands? The Cowhands make a good deal to fill up the muddy streets of your western town.

The Shootists (26 figures) are an absolute neccessity to buy in order to get all the personality figures you'll need to run a wide variety of games, to include the shootout at O.K. corral. I like the Enforcer figures the best, for they represent the Earps & Doc Halliday. The figures have the detail you expect and give you such a wide variety that you could portray both ends of the spectrum of good and evil. You get Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill, you get a one-legged veteran, Ugly Bertrand, ZZ Gibbons, southern gents, Big John, and Injun Joe just to name a few. In this deal, I saw virtually no flash, very good detail, and realistic poses. And again, an added bonus. The Hanged outlaw is part of the deal, but I'm sure the Pugilist was not. Now that I have two Pugilists, maybe I can stage a scenario where a fight breaks out because of a boxing match! Or maybe that is a little far-fetched... At the very least, The Shootists are a must buy!

The Apaches represent superb detail and a good variety of combat poses. With this little war party, you should be able to challenge any stalwart crew or small wagon train. Lone settlers won't have a chance! The detail is very good and the Indians have a lot in the way of accoutrements. This will provide for a very colorful and imposing lot. You even get a couple Indians with bows. And if you were me, you'd get an added bonus, again from the Victorian Bystanders deal, VB1 - Doctor with Fob Watch. Could I call him the medicine man? These Apaches are well-done and could fit into just about any game - from Custer's Last Stand to any town shootout, to cattle rustling.

Finally, I have Sgt O'Brien's Detail. This deal represents the best in quality and detail of all the deals I purchased. I suspect that these models come from newer molds. You get 9 horses, 9 mounted figures, and their identical unmounted version. Total of 18 figures. These figures could be used in a number of different scenarios, whether it would be as a posse chasing outlaws, the outlaw band riding into town to shoot up the saloon, or just use the dismounted figures as extra shootists & cowhands. The nine horses are in three different poses, all of them running. I consider Sgt O'Brien's Detail a must buy! The combination of the mounted and unmounted figures, along with the superior detail and superb poses make for a welcome addition to any 25-28mm wild west set.

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© Copyright 1997 by Craig Martelle Publications
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