One of the figure scales that attracts me most is N-Gauge/10mm, which seems to have gained at least a modest amount of popularity in our hobby. These figures have the advantage of lending themselves to relatively quick painting. Also, big units of these little guys look good on the wargaming table and don't cost a great deal. Although there are several companies that produce figures in this useful and economical scale, I found myself in a nostalgic mood a year or so ago and ended up browsing through an Ultimate Miniatures catalogue. This is the company which produces the old Jack Scruby figures, which many of us remember and love. I was primarily interested in starting or expanding my modest 10mm Napoleonic and American Revolutionary collections, although Ultimate Miniatures also offers N-Gauge figures of other eras, and many of Jack Scruby's old figures in larger scales, as well. The Ultimate Miniautes N-gauge figures are basically attractive, well-proportioned miniature human beings, which is my ultimate criteria for good wargame figures. However, it must be mentioned that some of lack Scruby's figures were known for not having all that much detail cast onto them, and his N-Gauge figures echo this. This is certainly not a disadvantage. This lack of detail on the N-gauge figures allows the painter to convert with paint, even extensively so. For instance, on American Revolutionary N-gauge soldiers, belts can be added or left off; soldiers can be wearing long gaiters, short gaiters, or gaitered trousers; uniforms which historically didn't have lapels don't have to have them painted on. This kind of painting flexibility simply isn't available with larger, more detailed miniatures. I can't write about Ultimate Miniatures without mentioning the company's super-efficient, flexible, and friendly service. Over the course of the last year or so, it has truly been a pleasure dealing with Bill Grant, one of the company's owners, and others at Ultimate Miniatures. They have always been quick to answer questions, sell samples, etc., which is the kind of service I deeply appreciate. It also saddens me to mention that Bill and his wife Christy are seeking to sell their business in order "to pass the torch." So the wise hobbyist would do well to purchase what he needs before it's too late. Some folks might find it strange that I'm reviewing and recommending a couple ranges of figures which was sculpted several decades ago and might not be available much longer. Despite that, Ultimate Miniatures' great service, and the charm and utility of their figures, are worth mentioning and deserve to be known. Back to MWAN #118 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com