Dixon Miniatures

25mm Pirates (figures)

Reviewed By David Barnes

Review of Dixon Miniatures 25mm Pirates, available from Spring Grove Mills, Linthwaite, Huddersfield, W. Yorkshire, HD7 5QG or Wargames, Box 278, Route 40 East, Triadelphia, W.V. 26059, USA de

Shiver me Timbers! Aye Jim Lad! Brace the Topgallants and pass the Black Spot! Er, yes, well, these figures look an of that and more. All of them, except personalities, have multiple head variants per code for extreme variety and you can use Dixons "Grand Alliance" range for marines and have a prup. All codes 65p at the time of writing. I will list the examples I have, comment, and then draw some, not to scale.

Dixon are the last of the "Big Guns" to join in with a piratical range, so Har Harr! me hearties, pass the grog and prepare to walk the plank. Dixons intend a range of 40 - 50 figures with assorted different weapons, facial expressions, head gear and what have you.

Here we have well modelled and crisply cast additions to the Pirates range. gamers seem to be working up to the flexible possibilities of such a range - when provided with marines and matelots it will spread even further. Not just raiding and ship to ship fights, but "cutting out" expeditions, invasions, and general mayhem, all at the comfort of your own table. (I've just been to an excellent Royal navy presentation; ships seem so technologically complicated these days, I don't know how they manage to fight the ships as well as every thing else!)

Pirate Crew

PT 1 Captain, advancing - cutlass. The designer is the same one who does the AWI figure range by the look of it - and good the modeling and animation is. Tricorne and full skirted coat plus breeches. He spoils an earring. A gritted teeth expression.

PT2 Pirate standing waving cutlass. Tricorne, pistol in his sash, baggy mid-calf breeches, shirt sleeves "Boarders Away!"

PT3 Pirate with cutlass and dagger at ready. He's in the Kung Fir "horse position" or he's just lear onto an opponent's ship and is yelling fit to bust. He also has two pistols stuck cross draw fashion in hi waist belt. Menacing.

PT4 Pirate advancing - outstretched cutlass. Bandage round his head and over one eye, baggy trew, weskit and sash, yelling through his beard. An evil looking fellow.

PT5 Pirate standing firing musket. Bandage round his head and patch over his left eye. Good straight forward firing pose.

PT6 Pirate laying (sic) on one side loading musket. (Lying is the proper word. He's not a hen.) A unusual pose and one I tried to get Dixons to do of the Samurai "left behind" men. That is, specif marksmen to lie among the wounded and bump off unsuspecting enemy leaders. Such a figure could b used by British Napoleonic riflemen too. They were taught to load (and fire) lying down. An exceller pose.

PT7a 1-pdr swivel gun. In a bag with it's support. Often used on the quarter deck in case of mutiny or to repel boarders from the "nerve center" of the ship - the wheel, binnical, etc.

PT7b Pirate swivel gun operator. He's bald and has the end of the swivel in his left hand and a port-fix in his right. Powder horn slung on his back.

PT8 Pirate standing blowing horn - drawn cutlass. Pistol in his sash, cutlass in his left hand. A tat figure.

PT9 Drummer, shirtsleeves, beating drum. Beating with a single stick. Tricome. Even his socks have wrinkles!

PT10 Captain, standing, firing pistol. Tricome with plume, another pistol in his belt. Left hand on his sword hilt. Opulent looking coat and waistcoat.

PT 11 Pirate standing, boarding pike and drawn sword. A pistol stuck in his sash, patch over one eye.

PT12 Pirate standing, boarding pike. Also with pistol in his sash. Delicately modelled and crisply cast.

Treasure Burying Party

PT13a Pirate using shovel, shirt sleeves. Long handled shovel. Bandage round his head and over or eye.

PT13b Pirate using long hoe, bare chested. The "large hoe" I would describe as a mattock. Good for digging or fighting. Medieval peasants used them for both.

PT13c Treasure chest. Every self-respecting pirate has at least one of these!

Naval Guns

NG 1 Six pounder. Very neat bit of kit, on its carriage. If you want a good description of what a navy cannon should look like read the book "Jim Davis" by John Masefield. A "Long Tom" maybe, a "bow chaser."

Pirate Gunners

PTG1 Spongeman. Crouching, barechested, a good active pose.

PTG2 Kneeling barechested, powder scoop. One end is the powder scoop, the other is a rammer. Snarling with the effort of serving the gun. The noise! The smoke!

PTG3 Carrying shot, bare chested. The pose really makes you feel the weight of that shot he's carrying.

PTG4 Carrying bucket bare chested. Well muscled character with a bandaged head.

Personality

PTP1 Captain Kidd. A good solid mature seaman in tricorne. Left hand on his cutlass hilt. Right fist the hip of his full skirted coat. A real commanding presence about this figure. Pistol in his belt.

More Barnes Reviews

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