As part of my new campaign in the West Indies and Americas in the Golden Age of Piracy I ordered a selection of figures from Front Rank & Dixon just after christmas. I'll post a review here as I found limited reviews on both ranges.
Service by both was very fast and accurate, taking just over a week from order to arriving in the post.
DISCLAIMER
I have NO connection with either company.
FRONT RANK
I brought some of their British Guards, Line Grenadiers, officers and a selection of officer types from their generic WSS line.
The figures are crisply cast with minimal flash. They are well animated and have some nice creases for shading when painting. They are however, a chunky 28mm. Indeed they are chunkier than the Foundry pirates and Darkest Africa figures I have. This makes them seem bigger than they actually are.
There seems to no variation to the figure codes with the exception of maybe what appear to be two types of face in the Guards figures. Other than that they are all identical.
They are lovely castings and really capture the feel of the early 18th Century although they seem a little parade ground smart, but they are Guards.
DIXONS
Now I have a confession about Dixon's figures. I have heard so much about the shape of their heads, style of sculpting etc etc and so I didn't expect very much from them. Well I was taken aback when I opened the box. The figures were superb!
I brought a selection of their pirate figures, some of the rabble types from their Grand Alliance Range and some British infantry from the Malburian lists.
First off they are slimmer and shorter than the Front Rank and Foundry types. The top of a tricorne wearing Dixon figure reaches the eyes of the Front Rank figure and forehead of the Foundry ones I have. Due to the chunkyness of the Front Rank ones they don't work too well together. I'd be happy for them on the same table but not in the same unit. I know some wouldn't want them on the same table though. Strangeley enough they seem to fit in well with the less chunkier Foundry figures and it is hard to notice any difference when they are on the tabletop.
The sculpting is first rate with some lovely detail, nice creases for shade and some realy exciting poses, especially with the pirates. I'm used to the Foundry at the ready, advancing and shooting variations which are good but look very similar. The Dixon pirates have some great poses with pirates charging and thrusting swords forward, others that look like they are running forward under fire. They are depicted wearing realistic looking clothes and would also work well for mob types ashore.
Most of the figures seem to have a number of variants in each code. As an example MA13 'British Infantry Standing Ready' arrived with 7 variants. These were different hair and faces, angle of head, expressions and how the tricorn is worn. This allows a regular unit to look uniform but with enough subtle difference to please the eye. These variations also gives them a campaign feel.
CONCLUSION
They are both fine sets of figures and come highly recommended. However, be aware that Front Rank work with Foundry but not really Dixon and Dixon work with Foundry but not really Front Rank. Dixon cost 95p per figure and Front Rank 98p which is a great price considering what Foundry figures will set you back.
Although a close call, my favourite range of the two is the Dixon one. This is because of the size, sculpting style and number of variants. However, you woun't be disappointed with either range.
Hope that helps.
paints brigs for the British fleet.