maandag 31 mei 2010

Hornblower in 1795

This is just a small part of Hornblower, the series. The landing at Quiberon and the attack of the "frogs"





25mm (4)


Another manufacturer who produce a range of French revolutionary figures is Trent, available trough North Star ( http://www.northstarfigures.com/list.php?man=60&page=1 ).
Advertised as one range, the various figures are French, Austrian (see above), Irish, Caribbean and Cisalpine legion. I don't understand this bringing out of various subranges without completing at least one of them (as all subranges only consist of a few numbers).
Having said that, the figures are big but good. I like the generals and the Caribbean and Cisalpine legion  (see under) troops are figures you don't see much.
A Russian 1799 range is announced by Trent and the first pictures are up on their website so let's see how many they will bring out of these before they wander off to another topic. 


Old Glory ( http://www.oldglory25s.com/ )

If you are thinking about Napoleons Egyptian campaign then there is a reasonable range of Old Glory. I know that the quality of Old Glory sometimes is good or a miss but the range, consisting of French and British, is wide.
As I haven't seen them in the flesh (or better metal), if you are interested you better order some (although I don't know if that is possible with Old Glory packing ideas.
Some remark regarding the British, these are not usable for the 1792-1795 or the 1799 Holland Campaign period as they mostly are wearing the early shako and/or closed jacket. The French are only usable in Egypt as they are wearing their curious casquet and closed coats.

Probably also some Napoleonic range figures (eg early French in bicorn) are usable for the French revolution.
Other pictures of Old glory ranges (although in black and white and sometimes not very clear) can be seen at  http://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/categories.asp?cat=13 .

Dixons miniatures
On the Egyptian campaign topic, Dixon also offers a range for this period; but now only French troops.
The French infantry are in the Kleber (short) coat plus in the longer (let's say European) coat. These last ones also usable eg in Italy.
The figures have multiple heads cast on and what I've seen, nice figures.
It's a shame that no pictures are on the website.

Dixon also offers a Ottoman Turk range of whcih some fgures could be drafted as adversaries to the French.

Brigade Games 
As to underline the popularity of the Egyptian campaign, Brigade games ( http://www.brigadegames.com/ ) is bringing out a new serie of French and Ottoman troops for this campaing.
The French are advertised as having suitable figures up to 1806/07. I have seen pictures of this range but can't find them anymore.
The Ottoman troop look very nice on the website pictures (left)










Redoubt Enterprises
Redoubt Enterprises ( http://www.redoubtenterprises.com/ ) has another colourfull range namely "Wellington in India"
Unusual uniformed troops and very colourfull, these troops would grace any wargames table. Seeing some elephants in 25mm always is a joy for the eye.
The only drawback is, that the figures are very big; at least they looked that way when I saw them some time ago.

Maybe that newer figure ranges of other companies, who are also more in the region of 30mm, let them look something smaller.
Sadly, no pictures on the website, only some drawings of some of the offerings.

Elite Miniatures
The always very lively sculpted figures of Elite Miniatures ( http://www.eliteminiatures.co.uk/ ) have the last year received some additions of the French Revolutionary Wars consisting of French (infantry and some cavalry) and Austrian troops. The Austrian artillery on the right is very nice I think.


As additions are made regularly it could be become a good range.  And of course, from other Napoleonic ranges figures could be taken for using in the earlier period as the figures from the Early napoleonic infantry and artillery range in bicorn, side-plumed light infantry for the 1800 campaing. The Egyptian campaign are also represented by Elite.
Although Elite has also early Russians in bicorn, fusilier and greandier hats I think their coats are closed so not suitable for the 1799-1800 campaing in Austria/Switzerland and Holand.

zondag 30 mei 2010

25mm (3)

Okay, the following two companies have only a small (very small) range of Revolutionary 25mm figures but both offer British troops for the 1792-1795 period which also could be used for the 1799 "landing in Holland".
Starting with Reiver castings ( http://reivercasting.wordpress.com/ ), known for their big late 17th century range,  who recently began with a British 1792 range whcih consists up to now of 5 packs infantry.
Haven't seen them in the flesh their site has pictures of all the packs.

The Reiver figures I know are mostly big figures but they look good.

Eagle figures
The other manufacturer who offers 1792 British is Eagle Figureshttp://eaglefigures.co.uk/ ) although they only have 4 British figures, 2 of them (B112 + B115) can be seen in the picture:

Have seen them on a wargames show, they look good but are big figures. As an older range they have only one pose.
Eagle offer also some French revolutionary troops. Both British and French revolutionaries are hiding in the "normal" Napoleonic ranges. A photo of the French troops:

zaterdag 29 mei 2010

25mm Figures (2)

Mirliton of Italy ( http://www.mirliton.it/ )
Mirliton has a big range of 25mm figures for the French revolution consisting of French, Austrian and some Italian (Cisalpine and Sardinian) troops. Infantry, cavalry and artillery is there although missing are limbers etc.
If you want to find them, they form part of their Napoleonic ranges so you have to look between later period figures. Good figures but as this is an older range, they have only one pose and are reasonable stiff (imho) but for eg the Austrian I like it.
Look for yourself for some photos of the ranges available. The uploaded photos don't show the quality of the figures yet but their site has no bigger ones,so I have to do with these.

The first three figures are French, followed by two Austrians and the last one is a Sardinian infantryman.


To show how Mirliton and Eureka compare, I have put them side by side.
 On the left an Eureka French figure, on the right the Mirliton Austrian one.

25mm Figures (1)

As the photos of 15mm are too bad to show, I start with 25mm French revolutionaries.

Eureka of Australia ( http://www.eurekamin.com.au/ )
This firm of course has on this moment the newest range of figures (French and Austrian and promised Russians). Together with the Italian firm  Mirliton, it is also now the biggest range.

I think they are great although some remarks of too big French bicorns and epaulettes and too high gaiters of the Austrians have been made. In my opninion these are only minor issues of a great range and of course I hope that it will expand with the 1799-1801 Suvarov Russians.
And I would love to see Revolutionary British for the 1793-1795 and 1799-1801 (Landing in Holland) period (HINT, HINT).

Of course the range is not complete although the French have infantry, artillery and the first of the cavalry; the Austrians have no cavalry, yet although some pictures of expected Austrian Cheveaux Leger in Kasket are on the web ( http://www.chronofus.net/php/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=277 ). And they are beautiful.


Some French additions of skirmishing troops are on their way as the photos (under) show. Again terrific figures but sadly not available yet. Only Eureka knows when the release date will be.




What I really like about the Eureka website is, that almost all figures (and all French revolutionay ones) are portrayed on the site. I think that is great customer service.

And before I forget, Eureka also has some Tyroleans who could be used for 1796 fights in the Alps (and of course for the 1809 (Andreas Hofer) campaign.

dinsdag 4 mei 2010

Dutch schoolplate (2)

Another drawing made for schools but now situated on the 26th of june 1787 was the stopping of the coach of Wilhelmina (the wife of Stadtholder William V and sister of the Prussian king Frederick William II)  by Dutch revolutionaries at Goejanverwellersluis.
This incident led to the invasion of the Prussian army into the Dutch Republic.
The revolutionaries fled to France and returned some years later in the wake of the French armies. Some Dutch regular troops could be seen on the plate.