Originally Published on the Spanner and the Yank Web Site. Used by permission.

September 9, 2002

FP&B is a small company in Minnesota run by wargamers that produces figures for the American Revolution, Wayne’s Legion vs. the Northwest Indians, the War of 1812 and Plains Indians vs. cavalry after the ACW.

They also have siege artillery, Seven Year’s War European figures including Dragoons and Horse. No hussars in mirlitons, though. They also publish a set of miniatures rules called the Complete Brigadier, which I’ve not played. They have no web site, only a postal address, no listed phone number. It took me three weeks to get my order, which was complete save one box not yet being produced. If you send for a catalog ($3 USD, deducted from your first order) perhaps you might ask them to specify which are not yet in production. Most are. Double-check your order. I ordered too many mounted militia instead of infantry militia, so needed for warfare in the colonies. They are sold in boxes, but you can order individual figures too. My order was about half special, filled correctly.

The figures are 20 mm and fairly clean. I have not taken the knife to any of the scanned figures, just straightened bayonets and such. Nothing broken in an order of about 300 figures. I’m pleased with them. They do not have the exquisite detail of Foundry figures, but they look like people, not dwarves. The bayonets are also in scale, not those broadswords many little soldiers flourish. They cost $.40 for foot and $.90 (USD) for horse, another major difference from Foundry. You can buy an army and still pay the rent. The thin bases means these figures require mounting on stands, no problem for most of us, and will make for easy flocking. Thin metal one inch stands are included.

I ordered Americans, British and Hessians. I didn’t get any French because aside from the siege of Yorktown they were not at many battles in the colonies. I’m more into playing historical battles. On to the scans:

Note the cast-on flags. Not much at conversions, I’ll leave them that way and paint ‘em. Something for you paper flag lovers to consider. The highlanders are in trews and bonnet.

The catalog lists all of these positions as marching. Mostly that’s march attack, but the highlanders would be more precisely described as at high port or advancing.

They can fight their Indians, which come in a variety of poses and headdress, with not a bow to be seen. Just as well, since Braddock and St. Clair both were defeated by Indian musketry.

The infantry militia are in a variety of poses, but I mistakenly ordered mounted ones in their place. Sigh. Time to send in the next order, for what’s a rebel army without swarms of militia to bolt from the redcoats?

There are Continentals in hunting shirts with tricorns and round hats. The pose is defending. Hunting shirts were widely used by the rebels. It’s too bad some are not in the same poses as the other Continentals so they could be intermixed, to show uniform shortages. But nice figures they are.

Here are light dragoons, rebels in turbaned helmets and British in crested helmets, on serviceable horses.

The one disappointment is the horse the staff officers come with, a heavy lumpish beast. Too bad, since the generals get scrutinized most often. I thought to banish them to the ranks of the cavalry, but the cavalry have cast-on saddles, clean horses and the staff is the other way around. I’ll have to think about this. No white horses for the generals, though.

All in all, if you want 20 mm figures in this period, check these folks out. The figures are good, reasonably detailed and well-proportioned. If it’s Seven Years War you want, the Prussian-inspired Hessians and the period specific English, Austrian, French and Russian infantry they make should satisfy your little metal desires.

Snail mail is the only way to reach these folks:

Frying Pan & Blanket Amalgamated LLP
2283 Apache Street
Mendota Heights
MN 555120 USA

Worldwide surface mail is an additional $5.50 USD, international airmail is 30% of order. Not that extortionate 50% many folks charge.

by Vincent Tsao