The sculpting is good but the molding execution on some of the models is suspect. For one, some heads seem to be molded not quite in the right position. That is, heads set up a little too high at the shoulder and barely hang by a thread. Not as many as is the case for the Austrian infantry. Weapons also seem to suffer from molding issues with detailing on some muskets lacking. Still solid and functional foot for the forthcoming French masses and the sculptor did introduce much character into the figures. The poses and uniform details remind me of subjects in Detaille's paintings.
Freikorps 15s are clearly the smallest with Old Glory coming in at the next smallest. Lancashire Games are the largest but on the gaming table these size differences disappear.
Many more French from both Old Glory and Lancashire Games remain to hit the painting queue.
Very nice, and I especially appreciate the side-by-side comparison pic; those are very useful indeed.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found the comparison useful!
DeleteThanks for stopping by for a visit!
Great unit(s) and the comparison picture is great indeed thanks for doing that Jon!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Phil! The comparison helps me too!
DeleteNice looking minis and comparisons!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteNice looking units and a good review Jonathan. Looking forward to more!
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Thank you, Christopher!
DeleteVery nice unit, Jonathan. Those red trousers are most appealing.
ReplyDeleteI am partial to pantaoon rouge too!
DeleteIn terms of pure proportions and also judging from the details revealed by your comparison picture, I like the "When Navy Walked" lot the best. They seem like very well proportioned minis. Where did you get these? (I can only find a reference to a board game when googling this brand)
ReplyDeleteSoren, for "When the Navy Walked" figures, check out the following link:
Deletehttp://www.diewaffenkammer.com/landships_steam_tanks_and_figures.html
I picked up a number of French and US when Northstar was remaindering their stock. My hope was that JTFM Enterprises would produce Spanish to go against the US troops but I think the line is dead. nice figures but I find the weapons to be a bit too fragile (i.ie. bendy).
The pickelhaubed Prussians and French might be useful for your Great War, perhaps?
Nice looking troops, Jon; they all look quite satisfactory together, I think.
ReplyDeleteI agree! My plan is field all of them on the table top.
DeleteReally lovely Jonathan, beautiful uniforms, not much difference in the different manufacturers?
ReplyDeleteThank Paul. The figures are very similar among the manufacturers although Freikorp 15s are the smallest. I do like them all, however. The jury is still out on which is my favorite French figure.
DeleteHi Jon. Beautiful work on these figures. I've not experienced the same difficulties from poor casting that your batch of figures seemed to have. I was wondering why you have painted the epaulets in different colors (green, red, yellow). Except for the Foreign Legion, I have not seen them depicted in these colors in any sources that I have.
ReplyDeleteDon
Thanks, Don!
DeleteAs for the French epaulettes, company distinctions (yellow for voltigeurs, red for grenadiers, green with red crescent for fusiliers or center companies) remained in effect (I believe) from 1855-1868 at which time epaulettes became red for all.
I imagine red is the usual configuration seen since the FPW was the BIG one and few concentrate on the earlier conflicts. Those that do game 1859 probably do so along with the 1870 conflict and the French serve double duty. The French in Mexico would seen the same arrangement as in 1859.
For an illustration, see Lienhart & Humbert:
http://www.grosser-generalstab.de/lh/lh3/lh3_43.html.
Jon, thanks for lending your expertise on this, and providing that link. I went back and closely examined some paintings depicting the French infantry at Solferino and Magenta and did pick out this distinction (non-red epaulets) although it's difficult to detect as the red ones predominate (naturally, the grenadiers always get top billing). Shame on Osprey for not featuring this distinction in their color illustrations for the Solferino book. Now the BIG question is whether or not to paint up a few hundred more French infantry with yellow and green epaulets for my 1859 campaigns. They certainly look cool, and maybe that's enough incentive.
ReplyDeleteGlad to help clear the water, Don!
DeleteIf your plan is to concentrate on 1859, you know you will want to repaint the epaulettes...do it!
Jon, a close examination of your French 1859 figures shows the distribution to be 3 line companies, 1 light, and 1 grenadier company. Is that about right?
ReplyDeleteDon, my 12 figure French battalions have notional company representation. That is, a French battalion during this period consisted of eight companies with six fusiliers, one voltigeur, and one grenadier. I over represented the elites by having two each of voltigeurs and grenadiers. The remaining eight figures are spread between fusiliers and command.
Delete