Redoubt Enterprises

Napoleonic 25mm

by David Barnes

Redoubt Enterprises new Napoleonic 25mm releases, French Infantry, and Spanish Guerrillas 49 Channel View Road, Eastbourne, E. Sussex, BN22 7LN, and Miniature Service Center, 1525 Bridge St. #163, Yuba City, CA, 95993, USA

First, new releases for the Napoleonic Range. Moran o Franceses! A good book by CS Forester about a British rifleman cut off from his unit in Spain is just the book to give one lots of scenarios to use these troops in. The book's title was "Death to the French," but may have been changed recently to "Rifleman Dodd" for obvious reasons. In Britain it is published by Pan Books.

Oh well, "L'Empereur recompensera. lui qui s'avendera!" I will list these figures, comment and draw some of them, not to scale. There are 18 Imperial Guard, 33 line infantry and 9 dragoons on foot. The latter had to use Shanks' Pony both in Spain and the Retreat from Moscow because of the lack of horses.

Imperial Guard. Les Grognards The Old Grumblers

FR1 Grenadier advancing, musket at 45 degrees, bearskin. Striding out, shouting, huge bonnet de poile.

FR2 Grenadier advancing, level musket, bearskin. I got No. 1 again, with a different head; had to look twice though!

FR3 Grenadier advancing, attack march. Proper march attack too - trigger guard to the Looks slightly right. An impressive figure.

FR4 Grenadier advancing, level musket, greatcoat, bearskin. Some really excellent modeling in this figure. It's difficult to show the body covered up in this way - this success FR5 Grenadier standing, ready/defending, bearskin. A good general figure.

FR6 Grenadier standing, presenting arms, bearskin, full dress. Plenty of pomp a circumstance about this one.

FR7 Grenadier marching, musket over shoulder, overcoat, bicorne. Covered in kit and other portable comforts. Real character.

FR8 Grenadier sergeant in bearskin, company flag in musket barrel, advancing looking right. Also shouting and pointing; striding out.

FR9 Chasseur advancing, musket at 45 degrees, plain bearskin. Not sent.

FR10 Chasseur, march attack, plain bearskin. Not sent.

FR11 Guard voltigeur advancing, shako. His very long plume broke off in the post - but still have it to superglue it back on! Grim expression, musket across the body.

FR12 Guard Tirralleur, advancing, shako. Formed, "De Valladolid, le 16 janier 1809.. furent composes de conscrits robutes et - sachant line et ecrine." [Funken] This chap looks pretty "robuste" and he looks determined - so opposition, don't wave placards saying "Ta, Tirrailleurs" or anything like that, He can read!!

FR13 Grenadier officer advancing, waving drawn sword, bearskin. Looking along the ra calling out encouragements, etc.

FR14 Guard officer advancing, holding drawn sword out, rolled greatcoat, bicorne Peninsular veteran-looking, lean face, ci-devant Clint Eastwood.

FR15 Guard Eagle bearer advancing with Eagle, bearskin. Sword sheathed at his side, striding out.

FR16 Guard drummer advancing, playing, bearskin. Drum slung on his right side - unusually it's usually on the left.

FR17 Guard sapeur advancing, holding axe, bearskin. Leather apron, beard, slung musket heavy gauntlets. I love this figure. I might actually buy one or two says Scrooge.

FR18 Dead Guardsman. Flat on his face. Good for morale state markers or decoration. retreating, facing the enemy, stumbling over your fallen comrades behind!)

Line Infantry

FR20 Fusilier advancing, short jacket, musket at 450, corded shako. Various heads give t figure quite a variety of look.

FR21 Fusilier advancing at the charge, short jacket, musket level, corded shako. He gives a good impression of variety interspersed with FR20.

FR22 Fusilier advancing, short jacket, musket at high porte across the body, corded shako (high porte means across the body - "For inspection porte - arms!).

FR23 Fusilier advancing/standing ready, short jacket, corded shako. A good general purpose figure.

FR24 Fusilier standing firing, short jacket, corded shako. Leaning well into the shot. Muzzle a bit high - unless it's the result of the kick after firing.

FR25 Fusilier kneeling at the ready, corded shako. "Form square to receive horse!"

FR26 Fusilier attack march, short jacket, hide pack, corded shako. A real march attack trigger guard towards the enemy, elbows akimbo! Great.

FR27 Fusilier advancing at the charge, long jacket, corded shako. Shouting "Yah boo rostbifs! I make ze nasty faces at you enfin!" Good action pose.

FR28 Fusilier standing at the ready, long jacket, corded shako. Full of tension, well balanced.

FR29 Fusilier standing firing, long jacket, corded shako. Leaning on the front (left) foot to compensate the recuperation. A good aiming pose.

FR30 Fusilier standing, long jacket, biting cartridge, corded shako. "Mon dieu, It is 'orrible ze taste!" sort of expression.

FR31 Fusilier attack march, long jacket, no pack, corded shako. Goes well with FR26.

FR32 Fusilier in campaign wear advancing, plain shako. Bayonet needs filing down a bit, but that's better than a fragile one.

FR33 Fusilier advancing in long sleeved waistcoat, plain shako.

FR34 Fusilier advancing in dustcoat, covered shako. Dustcoat flapping convincingly "in the breeze." Shouting.

FR35 Fusilier in campaign wear charging, bareheaded. A bandaged head beloved of war artists - "What color of blood Sergeant?" Old British soldiers know the reply!

FR36 Fusilier in greatcoat advancing, level musket, plain shako. Intent on getting stuck in! FR37 Fusilier in greatcoat, attack march, plain shako. Another good billowing cape.

FR38 Youthful fusilier in overlarge greatcoat, various fatigue caps ("Marie Louise"). Wearing sabots too - "0! 0! Oh! Avec mes sabots!"

FR39 Fusilier trudging in greatcoat with musket on shoulder, covered shako. Bags of character - bad weather in the Peninsula or Retreat from Moscow!

FR40 Wounded fusilier, lying with hand raised, various head types. Aide moi copain!

FR41 Fusilier officer advancing, short jacket, sword raised, corded shako. Good pose. Base not cast too well, but enough to put on your unit base safely.

FR42 Fusilier officer advancing, campaign wear, covered shako. Allez mes braves! A good all round model - i.e. "works" from every angle.

FR43 Fusilier senior officer, long jacket, bicorne, flourishing sword. Gorget, epaulettes, gaunt face, boots and spurs.

FR44 Fusilier officer in greatcoat advancing, plain shako. Nice proportions. A good workmanlike figure.

FR45 Eagle bearer advancing with eagle, long jacket, shako. Sword hooked up at his left. A pose full of purpose and action.

FR46 Eagle bearer advancing with eagle in greatcoat, covered shako. Capote flapping, shouting "Look out for that Scots Sgt with the ruddy great s ......

FR48 Fusilier eagle guard advancing, march attack, short jacket, crested helmet. Helmet like the Empress Guard Cuirassier and the multi pistol holster-halberd with pennant. "What have you come as?"

FR49 Fusilier sergeant standing with fusil, waving men on. Fusil held at point of balance, across the body in left hand. Interesting pose.

FR50 Fusilier drummer in pre-1812 uniform, advancing playing. Drum on the right - is this correct?? Good action anyway.

FR51 Fusilier drummer in greatcoat advancing playing, plain shako. Also drum on right.

FR52 Fusilier drummer standing with drum slung, smoking pipe. Drum apron correctly on the left. I like this figure a lot. Masses of lace.

FR53 Dead Fusilier officer, shako or bicorne. quite definitely dead. Useful for morale status markers, decoration, or obstacles to movement.

Dragoons on Foot only mounted when they could commandeer the horses, these men were the "Jack of all trades." Clad in helmets and big boots, armed with carbines, they struggled valiantly to do all their tasks.

FR90 Foot dragoon advancing in helmet. Good determined figure.

FR91 Foot dragoon advancing in campaign wear. Baggy trousers - stowed horsehair crest.

FR92 Foot dragoon charging, helmet. Head on one side, shouting - "Stitch that! Jimmie!!" in Glasgewian.

FR93 Foot dragoon advancing, bent forward, helmet. "Go on stick your head up an' I'll get you!" kind of pose.

FR94 Foot dragoon advancing firing, helmet.

FR95 Foot dragoon kneeling firing. Good pose.

FR96 Foot dragoon horse holder. Might have anything up to four horses to hold at a time - when they could find the horses. Rules should take this into consideration, cuts the unit firepower.

FR97 Foot dragoon officer. Sword across his thighs, gesturing with his left hand.

FR98 Foot dragoon drummer advancing, playing. Drum on the right again. Base not too well cast.

Spanish Guerrillas

These figures cost 60p at the time of writing.

The Spanish Guerrillas are only now, I think, being given credit for all they did in the Peninsular War. It is said French messengers needed at least two regiments to protect them when given a mission to complete. There are 10 figures in this opening release. All of them have been given names, besides numbers in the lists, which seems to be fashionable now. I suppose it can be a help in role playing games.

SG1 El Loco. Guerrilla leader shouting, armed with sword and pistol, in top hat with skull & crossbones motif, jacket. El Loco means The Mad One - I wonder if his band addressed him as such - or it may be a shortening of Locoteniente - a one time Spanish army officer. Whatever, he wears reinforced trousers for riding, 3 rows of buttons on his short jacket. Maybe the skull and crossbones is from the Muerte (death) regiment of which he may have been a member.

SG2 El Gordo, portly guerrilla, second in command, stepping forward and waving pistol, civilian long coat, large top hat. Believes "An army marches on its stomach" (Napoleon's maxims) evidently.

SG3 Pancho. Young guerrilla advancing and blowing a large horn, ragged trousers, shirt, shoulder sash, bareheaded. Really well modeled - pose "works" all the way round.

SG4 Don Diego. Dashing guerrilla stepping forward, flourishing sword, uniform coat with epaulettes, bicorne with feather. Possibly the "Will Scarlet" of the band.

SG5 Pedro. Guerrilla advancing with blunderbuss, short jacket, baggy trousers tucked into half boots, bandanna. Wearing a cap of liberty.

SG6 Jose. Guerrilla advancing with carbine with long knife tied to the end, shirt, waistcoat, long hair tied at the back. Ragged trousers and broken shoes.

SG7 Juan. Guerrilla brandishing cutlass and holding knife, short jacket, brimmed hat, baggy trousers, boots. Rather dangerous looking character.

SG8 Enrique. Guerrilla with horse pistol, French shako with feather, short civilian jacket, baggy trousers, boots. Dispense pouch at the front of his belt.

SG9 El Lobo. Guerrilla with pole with knife tied to the end, low brimmed hat, Spanish uniform coat with waist sash.

SG10 Crazy Sanchez. Villainous guerrilla charging, waving club with cruel spike on it, shirt, waistcoat, breeches, cap. Modeling of the same order as SGI One can really feel this figure is moving.

More Barnes' Reviews

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© Copyright 1998 Hal Thinglum
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