Figure Review:

Our editor recently sent me several 25/15 mm figures for Greek “Colonial” gaming made by Spiros Koumousis of Greece. He started a 25mm Balkan War Range (early 1900’s) and has a complete 15mm Greek War of Independence Range (1820’s).

The numbers across the bottom are G1 through G6 and the figures are NOT to scale.

25mm

Let’s start with the 25mm Balkan Wars. B1 through B5 are Bulgarian figures. B1 is a soldier crouching ready to fire his rifle. B2 is a soldier advancing. B3 is a running figure with a separate rifle to glue on. Spiros uses separate arms for some of his figures. This is great to vary the poses of figures in wargame units. B4 is an officer for urging on charges and B5 is a firing figure.

The figures are large size 25mm and are close to 28mm tall. There is not any flash and no mould lines at all to clean or remove. The poses and animation are very good.

These figures could also be used for Mexican Army, early 1900’s (the Mexican army actually fought Pershing’s force chasing Pancho Villa) and the 1914 landing at Veracruz by the U.S. Navy and marines. I don’t know of any other wargame periods but there should be several where you can use these figures.

Spiros wrote me that he has gamed a few battles using “Contemptible Little Armies” published by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit company who manufactures a 25mm WWI line plus other periods. They are carried by Robert Bowling who has a website at www.rlbps.com.

15mm

I am a lot more familiar with Spiros’s other line, 15mm Greek War of Independence. I have been interested in this period for years. Spiros wrote a 3 part series for “Miniature Wargames” magazine a few years ago and announced that he had figures available. By the way, the series is in issues 196 through 198.

I ordered $300 worth of figures and have been gaming the war for over a year. Just like Spiros’s 25’s, his 15’s don’t have any flash or mould lines. The detail and animation are great. Dry-brushing these figures is easy compared to some other 15’s I’ve seen.

G1 is a firing Greek soldier. G2 is a marching Egyptian. The Turks used Egyptians later in the war. They were formally trained for Euroean drill and fighting unlike the irregular troops that did most of the fighting for both sides. G3 is an advancing Turkish soldier. G4 is a Greek Calvary troop with a separate arm raising a sword. G5 is the horse. G6 is a Greek standard bearer with flag. I painted the flags myself.

These figures are smaller versions of Spiros’s 25’s and are very good. These are large 15’s and are more like 18mm. I have 40 twelve man figure units painted up to game the period. A complete range is offered including armed priests with a musket and Philliphenes or foreign volunteers. These figures are more remarkable because they are very cheap considering the quality.

If you don’t want to game the Greek War of Independence, the Turk figures would be ideal for brigands or North African pirates. They wear a non-Fez type of cap with slouchy pants and vests.

To see pictures of painted figures, go to the Athen’s wargames club web sight at www.strategikon.com and click on the link “What is Independence or Death?” Ordering details and prices are also provided.

For Greek War of Independence rules, Spiros publishes his own set along with several scenarios. I have a variant for “Big Battalions” Napoleonic rules published in England. My variant was published in a past issue of the “Foreign correspondent”.

The “Foreign Correspondent” is the newsletter of the Continental Wars Study Group of the Victorian Military Society. I highly recommend it if you have any interest in European Wars of these types. Contact Ralph Weaver, 37 Yeading Avenue, Rayners Lane, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 9RL. A year subscription is $20 U.S. Also, as you might tell, I highly recommend these figures and wargaming these periods!