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

February 12, 2001

It's understandable the large Imperial battles of the First Empire receive most of the attention. They are milestones in the rise and fall of Napoleon. But it is often at the expense of the fascinating campaigns of the French revolutionary wars (1792-1799). I find them more interesting, and from a gaming standpoint... more manageable.

I've been on the hunt for miniatures of that period and haven't had much luck in finding good options. Sometime back I reviewed Battle Honors' French Revolutionary chasseurs (see the earlier review) and had a nice chat with the owner of 19th Century Miniatures. He told me he was forced to tack a premium onto these figs, as he didn't receive many requests for them... orders are in effect, "special orders". (Fair enough.) He also informed me that what you receive in a bag of a 100 (retailers have a 50 fig option), were mixed and dependent on which figs are on a given wheel.

It sounded like more pain than it was worth. But as many of you already know, if hooked on a given period, you will make concessions!

I ordered a bag of French line infantry, c. 1792-94, from Emperor's HQ. The line regiments wore the white uniforms of the deposed monarchy until sometime after the First Amalgamation in 1794. They also wore tarleton helmets.

Infantry in Tarleton (sorry about the digitisation in this image- probelms with my computer. Dal).

The BH figures are good. They lack some of the detail of AB's, but I found one or two faces that were better! They're Bartons after all. Measuring in at an exact 15mm from foot to eye-level, anatomically they're well proportioned. The revolutionary range includes Austrian, French, British, and Russian miniatures.

19th Century Miniatures is the manufacturer and I like the quality of the alloy they use. It is comparatively hard but easy to bend. As BH's are somewhat fragile without the typically beefed up and silly looking bayonets, swords and standards, this is a welcome attribute. There is some clean up to do, and several figs had incomplete bases and/or were missing the ends of their right foot. Clean-up's o.k.; missing appendages are another matter, but I was able to fill them in with milliput.

So what came in the bag that EHQ lists as "French Revolution Infantry in Tarletons"? Priced at $15.00USD for 50, it contained, (1) 11 grenadiers advancing with their muskets leveled; (2) 20 fusiliers in the same position; (3) 20 fusiliers in a march attack position; and (4) 9 command figures (3 officers, drummers, and standard bearers.) So, 19th Century Miniatures packed 60!, which easily took care of the fellows sans toes.

The bare castings.

These are good numbers if you're gaming on a 1:60 figure ratio. You effectively can build two battalions, one march attack, one advancing, and have the option to build a detached grenadier btn., with command sets for all three.

There are two negatives: (1) There are no variations; (2) the command figures are wearing bicornes and plumes of the Republic. The drummer has rolled up trousers and wooden shoes. Nice, but it would have been accurate to have them depicted in tarletons. I'm assuming Tony Barton didn't sculpt any and that the same figs are being used for the French volunteers and levied infantry. In any event, it was a fluid period. You can explain your officers are adopting a revolutionary posture so as not to be suspect. And the uniforms for drummer boys are in short supply. (It's a very fluid period in terms of dress, and I may paint some of the line in National Guard uniforms, just to reflect the fact that when new uniforms were needed, the blanc versions would have dried up.)

I'd rate these figures a "7.0". placing them above OG -- and as of this date -- one of only three wargaming ranges I'd recommend (Battle Honors, AB and Fantassin*).

If 19th Century Miniatures starts receiving regular requests for the Revolutionary period, I'm sure an argument can be made for their dropping the price from $15.00 to $12.50 per 50. You can reach them at the following address:

I'm debating whether to try and adapt AB 1798-06 French for the years 1796-98, or go with BH. I prefer the former, but the uniforms really are more indicative of 1804-1807. 3

* The Fantassin range has inconsistentencies. There are good figures, but you must be selective.

Good Gaming!

Mike