"Front Rank, Elite and Foundry" Topic

I received a unit of Front Rank Austrian Line as a gift, and I love them. Look great and a joy to paint. The only problem is the cost. I went ahead and got a hold of some old glory and old glory second edition, needless to say I not very happy with them. Front Rank has ruined me. From what I can see in pictures, Foundry looks like it will scale well Front Rank, but what do you guys think about Elite. Would I dare put them in the same unit, or would that just be asking for ridicule from the local grognards?

I wuldn't mix them in the same unit because of different sculpting styles but units from those different companies look fine together on the table top.

Follow the Doc's instructions is my advice. We game with nationalities represented by these three manufacturers and others and it works for us. Mostly, they are in units by manufacture.

I personnally wouldn't mix Foundry Austrians (tiny true 25mm) with Front Rank (huge and well fed 28mm) and Elite, even in the same army. But that's me.

But if you think Front Rank ruined you, I don't think you'll like Foundry!

Iannick
Clash of Empires link

I wouldn't mix in the unit but in the army is ok. However you have to keep the basing the same. I am having issues with basing Front Rank for WSS. As all basing is modifiable if all troops are the same I would compare before you lock into a bsed that won't hold the right amoutn of Front Rack castings.

I have some napoleonics but have dont nothing with them yet. IMO Front Rank are the largest 28mm around. They are super clean and paint up great.

I have Front Rank and Foundry and they look OK in the same army – same unit would probably not be prudent

I agree that Front Rank is great – I also agree with the Archduke, if you think doing an army with Front Rank will bankrupt you – you have yet to meet Foundry!

For what it's worth, Foundry Russian Napoleonics were sculpted larger than their earlier (Perry?) stuff. I'm in the midst of doing a large Russki project and these can be freely mixed with the exquisite Front Rank product. Anybody want a bunch of old Minifig and Hinchcliffe Ivans?

Generally I find that Perry and Elite are about the same size, stature and height; while Victrix and Front Rank are the same height but have a different girth and stature. Foundry are shorter than all 4. I find that they can all go in the same army, but not in the same unit.

There is 1 proviso though, Foundry horses are tiny in respect to the other 4 and do not mix well, I have Foundry and Front Rank in my Lepic's guard cavalry brigade and they look like ponies rather than horses, I am hoping to be able to fit the Foundry cavalry men on Front Rank horse and improve the look.

In the same army I would not mix Foundry and the others if I could avoid it.

John

Well shoot, I got a hold of a lot of foundry figs and I'm sure they are going to have holes (i.e. missing command not being able to fill out units, that sort of thing). Just trying to figure out what figs I can use for the holes.

From what I understand Sash and Saber are the same size as Foundry and have an Austrian line, this may help you fill out Foundry units. See Archiduc Charles website (above), I think he has some of both photogarphed.

John

I can easily tell my manufacturers apart from sculpting style and size. Foundry being smallest but matching front rank in style. Perry being slimmer but being nearer the elite active poses.
Once painted up and based by myself I'm embarressed that I can't tell one unit from another and have to turn the figs around to tell which unit is which.
What looks decidely different in their storage trays all pretty much blend into one once on the table.
If you play larger battles with several players supplying troops, then painting and basing style make a bigger contribution that fig manufacturers IMHO.
The smaller the action the more important the closeness in painting/figs.

I took a photo of a few manufacturer's Napoleonics:

picture

The Front Rank figure is a Dutch-Belgian Militia and the Foundry is French. The size of figures in various ranges of
both vary a bit. The Foundry French and British are very small.

Thanks for all the great information and pictures. I'm doing all my French in Perry plastics. Great price, good looking figs and pretty decent selection of units. I am really starting to like the sash and saber figs for my Austrians. Good looking sculpting style and a fair price.
Camcleod, I had no idea that Foundry were so much smaller then the rest. Hopefully the Austrians wont be so bad.

Echo the pitch for Sash and Saber. 1/2 the price of Foundry and mix very well in size. Turned heads, different arm postures, etc give the unit a more varied look. Mounted Foundry command goes well with these figures. Sash and Saber are nicely sculpted. Personally, I prefer their artillerists to Foundry.

I've considered starting an Austrian army but don't want a huge expsnse as I laid out over the years for all my Peninsula armies. So it'll either be plastics or Sash and Saber with a few others for oommand, etc.

Also, my Brits have a few battalions of Foundry. I don't mix the battalions with Front Rank, Connoisseur or Elite because of the size and pose issues.

Paulie

Joining this rather late and agree with the general Foundry are small comments. In fact their Austrians are particularly so.
Still I've got units of Connoisseur, Old Glory, Sash and Sabre,Front Rank, Foundry, Elite and even the odd Hinchliffe! They're all fine when in separate units if similarly based. Only real problem being command stands as the Front Rank command figures do really dwarf the others.
Paul