"American War Indep. Figure - Best Figure Lines?" Topic

I'm starting a new period (like I need a new historical period) and have always been interested in the American War of Independence.

Who makes the best figure line in 28mm?

Thank you in advance.

Boy, are you opening a can of worms (smile).

I'll start first and state my liking for Front Ranks line of miniatures for this period and scale. Detailed, easy to paint, a complete line of figures, etc.

Dan

I have several packs of British Center Company line from Foundry. Nice crisp detail. Perry has a line as well, thou I've not got any yet.

I have recently started this period also. I would go with, in no particualr order. Perry, Foundry, and Front Rank in 28mm.

In my shopping around, these three companies can probably give you the most variety of units.

I really want some Continental Marines. Front rank makes them but, only in Marching pose. (Looking for firing or skirmish poses)

Also check out Old Glory. They have an extensive range, and they fit in well size wise with the other three I mentioned.

Have fun with this period. I know I am, just doing the research on the uniforms and battles, and on hurting my pocket book! lol

Depending on Theater of war, for early northern theater Foundry or front rank,

For later southern theater, the one and only Perry.

For the price you can't beat Old Glory, especially if you join there Army. They have some Second Editions that look nice as well but I have not seen them. Eureka has some nice "Ragged Continentals" which you may want to check out.

For the price you can't beat Old Glory, especially if you join their Army. They have some Second Editions that look nice as well but I have not seen them. Eureka has some nice "Ragged Continentals" which you may want to check out.

Perry!

Agree on Front Rank, Perry, and Foundry – Old Glory is good for the budget minded

All the above feature in my armies
PLUS!!
Old Minifigs -love them
link
Parkfield Miniatures-dead cheap-especially love their militia types and Continentals.
Dixon's have some nice looking figs but the muskets are a bit thin to take much rough handling.
The Battle Honors range looks good but I haven't got any -seems a bit of a process getting hold of their stuff!!
victoriouscolors.com -AWI link on left.

Perry's all the way---I bought some Old Glory and while 'OK' don't really hold a candle to the twins!!

I've tried to think of every 25/28mm AWI range I can recall – I'm sure I'll have missed one, but here goes anyway……

FOUNDRY / PERRY
Both of these ranges are by the same sculptor – Alan Perry. The Foundry range was done first (early 2000s) and is mainly early war British and Continentals/Militia, plus quite a lot of artillery (mostly the larger calibres). The Perry range is the current one, and has focused on mid-to-late war British and Continental, British cavalry, and the smaller artillery for both sides; most recently, he has added an excellent series of Continentals/Militia in "Southern" (ie hot weather) dress and more "Northern" militia and Continental cavalry are in the pipeline. Sold in packs of six infantry or three cavalry, all the figures in any pack are slightly different in pose/kit/clothing, giving lots of variety in a unit.

EUREKA
The Eureka range is designed to be compatible with Perry and generally are special sets and vignettes intended to cover gaps in the current Foundry/Perry range. They also have a 100 Club which allows you to put forward ideas and, if enough people commit to buying, Eureka will consider making them. The "ragged Continentals" pack has 9 different marching figures, plus multi-pose firing line and skirmishing packs, and command.

CONQUEST
Exquisite range of Woodland/Eastern Indians, compatible with Foundry/Perry; they also make F&I War Canadian and civilian types that can be used for the 1775/6 campaigns.

FRONT RANK
These were a very good range when they came out in the 1980s, but never got finished (and never will, as the firm now focuses on 40mm); their 28mm figures are slightly more rotund and shorter than Foundry/Perry, but would make good "character" figures.

OLD GLORY
Their 1st Edition are cheap and chearful (and nowhere near as good as Perry); the cavalry are – in my experience – very poor, with bad fits between men and horses, although I'm told the generals packs are better. However, their 2nd Edition appear to be far superior sculpts and much more accurate historically. I'm not sure how well they mix with Foundry/Perry, but I'm looking forward to finding out (another plus for this range is that their Nap and ACW ranges have very good command sets – so hopefully will their AWI range). As mentioned above, OG score well on price.

BATTLE HONOURS
This range is slightly smaller than most of the others and has some very comprehensive sets for troop types that don't always get covered well (or at all) – eg they have figures for all four regiments of Continental Light Dragoons. Their main drawback is that the sculpting is rather bland, although I've heard they can paint up quite well.

REDOUBT
Don't bother with their AWI range; they are very poor sculpts and nowhere near as good as their other ranges (why they didn't go for the "choice of heads" like they did with ECW and ACW I'll never know). However – the Indians from their F&I War range are very nice, and although taller than Foundry/Perry, can be mixed with their Indians and Conquest's if you are careful with basing; the militia/civilians are big though and most won't mix within the same units (unless you want the occasional "Big Eli" figure for your militia units – you know, the guy who fell in the manure pile when he was a kid). Unfortunately, the sculptor who did the Indians and Militia/Civilians left and the new guy has a completely different style, which I have to say I don't like; if you do, their Rangers and Coureurs du Bois sets could be used as AWI figures.

"SMALL" 25/28MM
Minifigs, Hinchliffe, Dixon, Parkfield and RSM make ranges of varying depth in terms of troop type coverage – Minifigs most, RSM least. Some of the Parkfield stuff is very nice and you could use them for "vertically challenged" and child figures alongside Perry etc.

Finally, a mention for the new "Galloping Major" F&I War range – there will undoubtedly be many figures from this which can be used for the AWI period, and they appear to be compatible with other ranges sizewise.

Who makes the best figure line? Why limit yourself to one manufacturer? No one is complete, and if you limit yourself to just one, you will miss something.

Go with SM's very good review.

A veritiable plethora of choices. Most of mine are Old Glory due to cost and it was really before Perry took off.I think they are decent casts. I have some Perry and Foundry as well. Matter of preference and amount you have to spend.

Perry, and Eureka and Foundry IMHO

Doc again: I am building armies of 25-30 battalions each, at 36 figures per battalion. I.e. 2000+ 28mm minis. A few are 30mm Scrubys I bought in 1960-1961. Several hundred are Hinchliffe bought in the 1970's. But the vast majority are necessarily Old Glory. The line is uneven, but some of them are excellent, and most are good.

I do have a fair many Perrys and Eurekas and Conquest and others to fill gaps and just for general beauty. As the OFM says, get them all!

Oh God absolutely get them all. One of my fav units is made up of Minifigs loading types-they do a good selection of these-they shoot as well as the Perries!
Hell I might even do some Airfix.

My Marbleheaders are a mix of Scrubys (part of the first 50 minis I ever bought, in 1960) and Historifigs (a nice selection of Marbleheaders and sailor types) with command figures and a few rank and file from the beautiful Eureka pack. They are all very happy together.

Yep, missed one – Historifigs.