I was generously provided with a bag of samples by Mike Thompson at Stronghold Miniatures. When I first opened the bag I thought the figures in general looked pretty stout - a well fed set of soldiers they looked. This figure measures 16 mm from sole to eye. I admit I was predisposed not to like them very much. Having collected a dozen infantry samples I primed them all white and gave them a nice wash with brown ink. I often use a black undercoat to generate strong contrasts, but this technique gives a very pleasing “dirty” effect. Once primed, I found I really liked this figure on closer inspection. The overall proportions of the figure are quite good, and I realized it was the blanket roll that really made  him look so plump. The face and hair are quite good and give this figure some real personality (without becoming cartoonish or grotesque). The hands are a bit on the basic side, and the trigger hand does not seem to really be holding the musket. But the overall appearance is quite pleasing.
One note - I don’t know if it’s the metal Pioneer uses, something that happened during shipping (in a nice padded envelope, from the UK to the US), or my own damn fault, but I somehow managed to snap him off at the ankles. A few drops of super glue make him sturdy enough for my display case, but I wouldn’t bet on his ankles surviving extended action.
Dem Bones - The Anatomy: This is clearly sculpted by someone who understands human anatomy. His face is outstanding.
Everybody Vogue: I can only assume this fellow is at Chattanooga and firing up hill. Otherwise he’s experimenting with indirect fire. If you can live with that then the pose is fine.
Do Those Buttons Read USA or USB? This is another of the lines that have a highly dramatic sculpting style. Clothing is rippling like a stormy sea and gives the painter lots of easy purchase for highlighting and shading. The detail is good - the musket is complete, and all the equipment nicely detailed.
The Reserves: Other Figures: Here are some photos of other figures in the line, with some brief comments (primarily calling out differences from the above comments).
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