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I make no secret of being an AB fan. While they are oversized for 15 mm, running on average closer to 18 mm, to me they’re simply the best money can buy. This Austrian, for example, runs 16.5 mm from boot sole to eye. As such, he will probably intermingle with other makes better than some of the other figures in the AB line. Given how long it takes me to paint a battalion, cost is less of a concern for me. (Note: As of 7/29/04 the per-figure cost of an infantry figure is $0.73 and a mounted figure $1.83 - that makes them about twice the cost of other manufacturers.) There are two other nice features to AB. First, each item comes in a variety of poses. Second, they are sold individually. There’s no need to buy a bag of 8 or 12 or 100 just to get three Sergeants and two more figures for your firing line. You can buy exactly what you need.
Taking a closer look at the figure, we see the usual proportionate anatomical scale. All of the body parts are in scale with one another, and all of the joints are just where they ought to be. Despite butchering it with my paintbrush, the face has good detail and a real expression (I’m not a fan of the O-shaped mouth - it always looks frightened out of its wits to me - realistic perhaps, but not a look I want on the faces of my infantry).
The detail on the figure is exceptional as always. The musket hoops and flintlock are crisp and the cantten bands easy to distinguish. The bedroll is clearly rolled and then folded, before being strapped to the backpack. All of the equipment straps are crisp and neatly distinguished. The detail on AB tends to be low-contrast, by which I mean it is generally raised detail, but only minimally so. For example, the folds on the pants are shallow, and the distinctive lace knots on the front of the thigh are left to the painter’s skill (as mentioned above, I have not yet been able to do so successfully).
Posing is another area where I think AB tends to score high marks. Marching is not an activity which lends itself to exciting poses, but I like this one. His right hand is swinging, and his step is energetic. There’s a nice flow to the movement. (Note: Many people prefer each soldier in a unit to have an identical pose - it gives a more “drilled” look to the unit - if that’s your taste, AB is not for you).
Overall, AB gets another A+ for their Austrians.
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