Lancashire Games Miniatures

My eye has been on Lancashire Games since they produce a range of figures for the mid-19th Century European wars.  From the website photos of the miniatures, it is difficult to get a good grasp of the quality of the sculpts.  What better way to find out for myself than by placing a small, dip-your-toe-into-the-water test order?  Well, that is exactly what I did.

Concentrating on my 1859 project, I ordered enough figures to build two battalions each of Sardinians and Austrians.  The figures were ordered from the UK on 01NOV2014 and the order arrived on the left coast of the USA on 10NOV2014.  Fast!  Communication was good too.

Figures arrived in good shape with a few figures having bent bases; some almost doubled over onto the legs.  With such soft alloy, the bases were easily straightened without any breakage.  I like the soft alloy Lancashire uses and reminds of the good old days of malleable, lead figures.

Pulling a few figures out, I lined them up and made a quick comparison.  No Mirliton infantry remained unpainted for the comparison so a couple of artillerymen were substituted.  These Lancashire figures are on the chunky side of the spectrum especially with stockiness in the upper torso.  These rank and file lads have no neck!  With a slightly oversized head,  I guess neck compression is expected.  I would classify them as 17M on the Barrett Scale. Does anyone still use that metric?

Sculpting style on these figures is very similar to Mirliton infantry with the exception that Mirliton are slightly smaller.  Mirliton have no neck too.  Still, the Mirliton Austrian artilleryman fits in well with Lancashire.  As seen from the photo, size varies even within one manufacturer.  See the the two Mirliton artillerymen in the top row, for example.  The Old Glory figures fit in closely to Lancashire but a little smaller.  Perhaps,16M on Barrett.  Old Glory and Lancashire officers match very well together.  The Freikorps Austrian infantry is in a class by himself at a true 15mm in height.  On the gaming table the Barrett differences between Mirliton, Old Glory, and Freikorps disappear.  Almost certainly be the same when Lancashire battalions are added into the mix.   

First impressions are that I like what I see from Lancashire Games.  My only regrets are that I ordered Austrians wearing their greatcoat when I would have preferred kittel and I forgot to use my Society of Ancients' 10% member discount.  Next time!