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

03 November 2001

Because of the huge number of samples Jeff sent, I've split the review into two. On this page the French are featured. You can find the Prussians, and introductory comments, here.

Physical Properties. The figures are pewter, well cast with minimal flash and are sold in bags. A bag of 8 infantry figures (including command packs and gun crews) or 2 guns for £1.10, 4 cavalry figures (3 cavalry command) for £1.30 and limbers at £1.60 or £2.10 each. There's also "Main Line" bags of 50 infantry or 25 cavalry for £6.50. As well you can buy larger packs for between £27 (French 1st Corps) to £35 (Baden Army).

Note that there's a few different heads included with each pack to add variation to the figures. Some will have a beard with others only a moustache, while other figures will be wearing fatigue caps instead of helmets. There's also some pose variations, such as the three different firing and loading poses in the "Firing Line" packs. The figures themselves remind me of scaled down Foundry products. Which, as regular readers know, is not going to appeal to me. However I know that the Foundry style is quite popular and rather than let my personal bias influence my review I'll restrict myself to basic comments.

French forces. Many of these figures may also prove useful for the more esoteric American Civil War uniforms. The ruler is in 1/2 mm graduations.

All the different infantry seem to be available- Imperial Guards of various types, Francs Tireurs, Fusilier Marines. As I said, I've never seen such a comprehensive listing for a range.

The figures are cleanly cast and well detailed. Note the separate eagle.

The horses are not quite up to the standard of the Prussian ones, being a bit too finely boned. Though they could be regarded as having seen hard campaign service.

Conclusions. This is a comprehensive range of figures that seems to cover every troops type you could name (and, for me, more than I thought existed). The figures are nicely animated, well cast and show plenty of detail. The style, so much like Foundry, doesn't appeal to me personally. However anyone interested in the period should have a close look at these figures. If you like the Foundry style of sculpting then I think you'll be impressed. Certainly the service is good and the booklets offered by the company mean you can get into this period with a "one stop shopping spree". And I know from experience that ringing Outpost will result in a cheerful chat with Jeff's wife Marilyn, or Jeff himself, as well as answers to your questions. Recommended.

Have Fun.

Dal.