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The Purchase: One pack of Gladiator NF1A French Infantry (March attack in Shako). The pack contained 10 figures with two poses (my bag had eight of the one and two of the other). The poses are very similar with the most notable difference being the position of the head. First Impressions: To be honest, I was expecting very little when I received this order. In part because the web site had few pictures, and in part due to the limited Napoleonic range Gladiator offered (Prussians from 1813-15 and French 1809-15 and that’s all). However, on examining the figures I was quite won over. These men have personality! The Thigh Bone’s Connected to the Hip Bone: Pictures don’t lie (well, actually they lie better than words, but not in this case) - these are well sculpted, anatomically Beware of Scrambled Eggs: It may appear from the pictures here that the front of the torso is not well detailed. Quite the contrary. The photos reveal my total lack of experience in painting white-on-white. In fact the cross straps, buttons and other details are all very clean, crisp and well sculpted. God Is In. The Details: At this point I am not very familiar with French uniforms or equipment. However, checking a few sources I do have, everything seems present and accounted for. The shakos look to be the right size (I find many minis feature enormous headgear - perhaps to be noticeable on the game table?) and I like the detail in the muskets. The Verdict: If you need what Gladiator sells, I give them a solid A. As I begin to build my French Army this fall and winter, Gladiator will definitely see some of my dollars. I just wish they would expand their range - with such a narrow range it seems it needs to either grow or it might wither away. How about doing some Spanish troops? Paint By Numbers (My Paint Choices): Uniform jacket - Howard Hues French Blue; Jacket cuffs and collar - Polly S Signal Red; Pants - Flat White; Bedroll - Model Master Dark Gull Gray 4755; Backpack - Howard Hues Geohex Brown; Rifle - Howard Hues Rifle Butt; Flesh - Humbrol Matt Flesh with Model Master Earth Red wash. Click on a thumbnail to see an image full size.
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correct, and fluidly posed figures. They are not posed like one frame from a film but are sculpted as men marching. The difference means they are balanced, their arms and hands are not too large, nor are their legs too short. Even their feet look right.
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