Castaway Arts
25mm Ashanti and Ancients

Figure Review

by Brad Smith

A trio of figures.

CASTAWAY ARTS are a northern Queensland based company run by Gerry Webb who specialise in an unusual but fascinating range of figures. We recently received a healthy sample pack that contained a drool-making sample of nearly every figure in their ranges. Currently Castaway are producing figures for modern (19thC Colonial) and Ancient periods. The Colonial range consist of British and native figures from the Ashanti Wars in Africa (see the accompanying pictures we 'borrowed' [thanks Gerry!] from the Castaway web site).

These are superbly sculpted and caste figures of the highest standard - it's satisfying to see that we out here in the Antipodes can produce figures of a standard as good as any produced in Britain or America. In quality these figures readily rival some of the 'Rolls Royce' figure manufacturers such as Foundry and Gripping Beast etc. The detail, definition and animation of these figures are uniformly excellent and (unlike quite a few 'better known' brands), they are all sturdily based.

The Ashanti Wars range include the usual British troops in tropical dress with canvas gaitors and pith helmets as well as a nice selection of Native troops. Like their Ashanti(?) opponents they are beautifully sculpted figures with clear individual detail for faces etc. The warriors include several with feathered headdress and others clad very similarly to the Moslem warriors led by the Mahdi in the Sudan campaign. They would fit in very nicely next to your Fuzzy-Wuzzies charging Kitchener's steady squares!

As good as these are though the best figures, to my mind anyway, are in the Ancients range. These include a number of Early Kingdom Egyptians with cowhide shields, a bald drummer thumping out commands, a priest and officer figures. If Gerry starts putting out some Hittite opponents the Foundry's Perry twins will have a serious rival to their much lauded Biblical range! Without a doubt though, the piece d'resistance of the samples we received was the Sumerian War Chariot. This is a magnificent set with the box-like chariot coming in eight finely detailed pieces (front, sides, base & 4 wheels) that fit together well with little trimming or cleaning required. It is a hallmark of the excellent casting that none of these figures have any significant flash or blobs of mould-lugs to be trimmed. Drawing this sturdy box are a team of four mules. These are NOT truncated horses, large Shetland ponies or your Mexican donkey - but actual mules in perfect anatomical proportion. Each mule comes in a slightly different pose giving a nicely animated effect to the team. Finishing the piece are three Sumerian warriors in their trade-mark chamber-pot helmets and shaggy f leece cloaks. One is a driver hauling hard on the reins (YAH MULE!!) And the other two are spearmen, one with spear hefted on the shoulder and the other about to launch his missile. Nice solid spears are supplied for each figure in addition to an 'ammo-box' of them that attaches to the chariot. All in all a beautiful set and one that I can't wait to do up for showing off. I'll publish the finished result in the Kriegspieler to give all our readers a look at this magnificent set.

To support all this is a very functional and neatly set out Web site where you can view finished examples like the ones we've got here, get free painting guides, a set of skirmish game rules for the Ashanti figures, a bit of historical backgound etc, etc, and...oh yes - you can also order the figures! Well worth a look. These are not only lovely figures but, being Australian-made they are also very reasonably priced. How can you go wrong? CASTAWAY's contact details are as follows:

Web site: www.castawayarts.com.au
Email: castawayarts@ozemail.com.au
Phone/Fax: (07) 4041 2079
P.O. Box 7599 Cairns
Queensland 4870

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