By Len Brewer - 15mm AB BRITISH AND SPANISH NAPOLEONICS - Available from Eureka Miniatures (Nic Robson), 10 Wooray Street, Carnegie, VIC 3163, Australia. When it comes to quality products time after time, the miniature figures from AB are always consistent. S-10 is a Spanish Grenadier officer. S-11 is a Spanish Grenadier drummer and S-12 is the Spanish Grenadier standard. All of these figures are in the bearskins with the rich, colorful bag attached to the back. The officer figure is standing with his right arm raised with sword. The drummer is advancing and the standard bearer has the standard resting on his right shoulder. S-5 is the Grenadier advancing. The musket is held at 45-degree port arms position. S-16 is a Militiaman with round hat, S-17 militia officer, S-18 militia drummer and S-19 is the militia standard. All of these figures have round hats. The officers are firing their pistols; the standard bearers have the standard in their left arm and a drawn sword in their right hand. The militia figures are marching with the muskets on their left shoulder. In the AB listing, they have these figures advertised as militia. When a person reads and studies the Spanish army, there are some Fusiliers and Light Infantry that wore the round hats as well. I plan to use the figures, as you're typically line infantry. B-3 British line infantry officer and B-4 British line drummer. The officers are in several poses. All of the officers are in bicornes with plumes. The drummers are either standing or advancing. The drummers also wear the backpacks with full equipment. B-12 ensign standing with bare pole and B-13 ensign with cast flag. Both of these figures have bicornes with plumes on. Both of the standards are grounded and the figures have a sash around their waist. B -37 British pioneer. The pioneers are some very nice figures. This figure is standing with a musket grounded in the right hand. They have the backpack on with an ax and a large knife. These figures also have the typically leather apron. All of these figures have full bread on them. B-14 Sergeant center company standing. Another fine figure representing a man whose job is to protect the colors. This figure has full equipment and the pike is in his right hand. BC-13 Light Dragoon trumpeter in helmet. This figure has the standard uniform for the British Dragoons. The saddlecloth has a blanket and bedroll on it. The trumpet is being held in the figure right hand. BC-15, BC-16 and BC-17 are British Hussars in busby charging, trumpeter and officer. The charging figures are holding their swords over head. These figures do not have the jackets over the shoulders like many Hussars. The officer sword is in his scabbard. This figure is looking serious while in the saddle. A very nice figure. The trumpeter is close to the one that was reviewed above. All of the AB miniatures will fit in very well with the other manufacturers figures in this range. All infantry, cavalry and horses cost .75. These figures are recommended very highly to anyone who is interested in the Napoleonic range.
By Hal Thinglum - SASH AND SABER CASTINGS - Sash And Saber Castings, 119 Dublin Rd., Raleigh, NC 27609 (919-870-5513 from 9-5 pm EDT M-F; christopherhnc@earthlink.net) is a brand new figu,,e manufacturer and to say I am impressed would be a gross understatement! Where do these talented people keep coming from? Amazing! Chris Hughes is the sculptor and I believe he has done work for OLD GLORY, though I might be mistaken. Thus far, he has released 28mm pewter American Civil War - Confederate (shell jacket w/mix of blanket rolls, packs, hats/kepis)and Union infantry (sack coat w/packs and kepis), artillery crew, artillery (6 types), and two mounted command (John Gordon and Abner Doubleday), Napoleonic French and Austrians (1809) and Russians (1812), and Seven Years War Prussian Musketeers. The ACW packs have ten different castings ($12.50) and ACW regimental packs (40 figures/$40) are offered. Napoleonic and SYW figures come in packs of ten as well (identical poses but there are different packs of poses) as regimental packs of 50 ($50). Single figures are $2.00 each. S&S also offers an interesting 40mm line of ACW (Rebels) and American War of Independence (Continental Line) in packs of twenty including command ($70). They state they will be offering Napoleonics, SYW, and Ancients in this scale in the future. I don't know if I will be able to turn down their 40mm SYW line when it is released! The figures are excellent - one 40mm Rebel marching was submitted for mention - very good figure measuring about 38/39mm from top of stand to eye level. No flash, well animated, in general, truly excellent! The ACW mounted officer (Gordon) is holding his kepi in his right hand on nicely done horse. There were three ACW figures - a gunner at attention w/lanyard (great beard), march attack in kepi w/blanket roll and long thin beard, and marching wiping forehead w/kepi (very good figure!).
The five Napoleonic infantry submitted are also very good - all march attack, equipment is very nice, poses are great! Knowing my love for the SYW, Chris sent me eight SYW Prussian command and ten Prussian musketeers advancing at shoulder arms. There are two officers, two drummers, two standard bearers (w/o flag pole), one sergeant w/pike, and one enlisted man at march attack. All are differently posed! The musketeers are in a "goose-stepping" march attack pose - WOW! All of these are 28mm in size. I am going to have get a few units of these! Highly recommended and my congratulations to Chris for a job extremely well done! By Hal Thinallum - B&B MINIATURES 20MM NEW RELEASES - B&B Miniatures has released some additions to their 20mm American War of Independence and Samurai lines. Brookhurst Hobbies, 12188 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove, CA 92840 carries the full B&B line. First of all, SAM23 Samurai in kimono & sword (20 figures/$22.50); there are four different poses including two officers, all of which have separate weapons. Weapons are well cast - the weapon hand would need some filing to clean it out. Figures within a certain pose have different head positions. Secondly, there are two packs of American Rev figures: AR6 British Grenadiers advancing, and Hessian Une Fusiliers firing (each pack has 24 figures/$27.50). The Hessians have four EM poses (5 standing firing, 4 loading, and two different poses of at ready. In addition, there are two differently posed standard bearers (w/cast on-poles - very sturdy), one drummer, and an officer. The British Grenadiers have two differently posed advancing rapidly and two of advancing more slowly as well as an officer, two standard bearers, and one drummer. I like the B&B style - chunky and well detailed. Bayonets take a beating in transit, I've found. Highly recommended figures!
By Hal Thinglum - BACCUS 6MM NEW NAPOLEONIC GENERALS - Baccus 6mm, 29 Highcliffe Drive, Sheffield, S11 7LT (phone: 0114-2302761; baccus6(&ao1.cotw litip://baccus6.warpaitic.coni) has released 6mm Napoleonic Mounted Generals. NFR11 French Generals and NBR9 British Generals; each has five strips of three mounted generals, all different poses on standing horses. Outstanding detail and casting! There are eleven packs of French, nine of British, and ten of Austrians thus far in this line. Cost is 1.80 pounds per pack. Baccus 6mm is one of those 6mm manufacturers who get more detail on a 6mm than we used to see not so long ago on 25mm! Highly recommended!
By Bill Widrick: The Wargames Figure Company www.wargames-figures.co - Located in Scotland, The Wargames Figure Company offers secure online ordering for most major manufacturers and some minor ones as well. Of interest to me was the extensive line of Pendraken Miniatures in 10mm. This includes my new interest in the I Omm WWII line. I was not dissapointed in what the line has to offer. Never having ordered from a European company before, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was not let down. I had my complete order from them in about 3 weeks. The service continues to be wonderful. They offer a shopping basket type setup, and once finished shopping, secure credit card transaction checkout. A confirmation of your order is sent via e-mail, and you are notified when your order has shipped. I have ordered from them 4 times so far and not had one problem. They are also setup to answer any questions that you may have, with the e-mail addresses on the sight. I highly recommend this sight for their impccable service and extensive offerings. Drop by and check them out.
By Bill Widrick: Perrin Miniatures- www.perrinminis.com- This company, located in Wisconsin, offers 10mm lines that include Franco/Prussian, ACW, WWII, and others. My interest is in their line of WWII vehicles and infantry. The castings are very well done and nicely detailed. I prefer the Pendraken infantry, but that is just personal taste. The Perrin infantry are very nice and fit in well with the Pendraken infantry, and even the Minifigs 12mm WWII line. Minifigs advertises their line as "12mm-1/160 N Scale". Actually N scale is 9mm, and all three lines, Perrin, Pendraken, and Minifigs, go very well together. If, like me, you are thinking of changing scale, or are looking for a scale for your first dive into the WWII era, check out this scale/line. Perrin offers outstanding quality, and service. I have ordered from them about a half dozen times and have always had my order in about one week. Perrin also offers secure online ordering with a credit card.
By Bill Widrick: Connoisseur Ministum 25mm Napoleonics from J&T Miniatures 31216 County road 112, Peguot MN 56472- Send $2.00 for a full catalog of these absolutely beautifid minis. I have the French light infantry in campaign dress, Cuirrassier, Dragoons, and 81b and 12lb artillary. All the castings are great with lots of detail, and various poses within the bulk bags. The Light infantry are very well done with little cleaning needed in preparation for painting, and have about 5 different poses. This includes covered shako's, forage caps, and bandaged heads. The cavalry horses are a bit thin for my liking, but are very nicely done. As for the artillary, it is the best that I have seen in this scale. Each bag of artillary contains two guns and one howitzer, plus four crew figures for each gun. Very highly recommended.
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