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As readers of my Napoleonics site will know, I am a big fan of the AB brand. The main reasons are twofold. First, Anthony Barton, the sculptor and cofounder of AB, has a real sculptor’s eye for anatomy, proportion and detail. Second, as a painter, not a gamer (though that looks likely to change soon) I like having a variety of poses in my units. True, AB are closer to 18 mm (this Reb measures 17 mm
from boot sole to eye) and have been growing (his latest Napoleonics are fully 20 mm according to published reviews). And, of course, they are quite expensive. As of this writing (June 1, 2004) a single figure cost about $0.64, compared to just $0.33 for Old Glory.
Dem Bones - The Anatomy: It was the outstanding anatomical faithfulness that turned me on to AB in the first place. Here is a nice example. The torso is the right length compared to the legs; the elbows are in the right place; the hands are smaller then the face, as they ought to be. The face has nice detail (I just can’t paint that well yet - sigh).
Everybody Vogue: Poses with AB are always a discussion point. Many consider their poses stiff and unexciting. I consider them realistic. This is a good example. Look at where the weight of this man is - centered over his forward leg. His rear leg is steadying him, but carries not much weight. This looks right to my eyes for firing. Try it.. Now I see perhaps I should bend the tip of the musket down a bit to get it straight, otherwise he might be aiming a bit high. But overall, this is a good look.
Do Those Buttons Read USA or USB? I am not necessarily in favor of having every possible detail sculpted on to the figure. Cuff lines, for example. A raised edge between cuff and sleeve usually looks grossly overstated. The same is often true of over-thick straps - if enlarged to 100% they would be inches thick. The AB style keeps things like straps thin, and using inscribed or etched details like buttons and cuff lines, or leaves them off, to be painted in (I have learned to paint a straight line on a round arm as a result).
Looking at this example, we see in the musket and canteen those details. The belt pouch and buckle are subtly rendered. The canteen and haversack straps are distinct and clearly distinguished.
The Reserves: Other Figures
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