"Border Reivers?" Topic

I am planning to start skirmishing with Elizabethan period Border Reivers, Which are the best figures available in 28mm?

Any help will be appreciated muchly!

Perry?

I can't talk to quality, as I've never seen 'em in the flesh, but the Sgt Major has the old Vendel range: sgmm.biz/borderreivers.html

Foundry makes them, early Perry sculpts. Also, for large figures, use Graven Images and or Molon Labe. Old Glory also has comprehensive range that is something in between Perry and Graven Images/Molon Labe in size.

You'll find images of Graven Images cavalry here: link
Also check other images in this gallery and in "Insain Irish" gallery.

The Vendel figures are nice. They're what I use.

Perry?

Their border reivers are 40 mm, not 28 mm.

I have the Vendel also. Nice. Somewhat repetitive in pose, but nice.

Graven Images are nice too, but they vary considerably in height. The smallest are a tad larger than Vendel, which are already large, and the largest dwarf the smallest. GI's musket men stand at least a head taller than their pikemen.

I've got lots of Border Reivers & have run Reiver games at Millennium Con. I use the Graven Image figures but IMO they don't match well with any other brand; they're tall & chunky & have thick bases. Their horses' style is "unique". Also, good luck on finding a source for GI.

The Molon Labe/Vendel range is the largest & matches OK with the Foundry Elizabethans. There's a few Old Glory 16th Century figs that can be used but they're small compared to the other lines & are in rather contorted poses. Redoubt doen't have many useful Reiver minis but they do some Eliz. Irish that are tall & thin compared to all the others. Thus, I suggest the Vendel from Molon Labe since you're just starting.

Mine are the Molon Labe/Vendel range mixed with Foundry

I just finished painting up the entire Molon Labe/Vendel range of border reivers for Andy at Sgt Major, and they look great. Very easy to paint up, good faces, generally very little flash and no bad mold lines. And the price is right. If I were to do Elizabethans I'd probably use these.

Actually I was wondering the other day what else they could be used for? Would anything stop one from using these guys as Spanish troops of the same time period? There is a code of figs with halbadiers at rest that would make great pike men if you replaced the weapon.

At any rate I recommend them. I've painted about 160 of them over the last few months and they look great.

Another vote for the Vendal range. Lovely minis with lots of character.

Wotcher!

The ones Mahotsukai has are Jim Bowen's 'Graven images' (now available from Monolith – great sculpts, but mostly they're variations on just a few core sculpts.

Outpost has an extensive Pete Foggin-designed range, but they're notably smaller than most 28's, closer to true 25.

Warrior do a small range, great prices as you'd expect. Some of their ranges are very basic indeed, some are surprisingly good. John is very good about sending out samples, though, so it's worth ringing him.

Foundry has some lovely figures in their 'Elizabethan Swashbuckler' range.

The ex-Vendel Molon Labe are the gold standard, IMHO.

Those are the only full ranges I'm aware of, but there are often odd 'Border Horse' or 'Moss Trooper' figures here and there in renaissance ranges.

Pendraken do an Elizabethan 28mm range with some useful stuff in there.

Cheers guys – lots of ideas of how to spend my hard earned dosh!
I had a good browse, and didnt like the chunkiness of the majority of the figures available.

I have ordered Foundry Swashbucklers and Elizabethan figures. They look nice and suitable for a little modification!

Time to sharpen my craft knife!

Thanks again!

I have some of the Vendel and also picked up another set of figures at Salute last year…can't remember the name of the company that produced them [which is really unhelpful!] If it comes to me I'll post it.

Actually I was wondering the other day what else they could be used for?

Quite a few of them would do very well in the Wars of Religion.

I think it may have been Outpost Wargames Services

link

I have the Graven miniatures which are quite nice.

cheers
matt

Also some Early border horse and other mounted chaps and foot from ECW ranges can be used with a little selection C\atpain Blood on Lead Adventure Forum is an ideal place to look at his lovely Eye candy and ideas.

Heres a link to lovely eye candy, he also has a lovely elizabethan gallery too

link

Thanks for this – keep suggestions coming!

Got the Foundry figures! – nice castings as one would expect from Perry bros!
The only sad thing was the Cavalry are all in Mail!! – this is not normal Reiver wear, so I was rather tee-ed off!

Ordered some of the Molon Labe cavalry – they are at least in Jacks and coates of playte!

Thanks for all the replies – very helpful!

Got the Molon Labe Reiver cavalry today, they look great – can't wait to paint them up.

I recommend them to anyone! – and as 'Ghost' commented, they fit very well with Foundry!

Is there a UK distributor for the Molon Labe/Vendel ranges, or is it best to order direct and hope to dodge the customs bill?

I've ordered the Vendel stuff from Sergeant Major, Andy was really helpful, looking forward to seeing these. Managed to pick up some Graven Image stuff and hoping to find more.

I see Dixon Miniatures do some reivers, photo looks good, any comments from anyone?

Also, I was thinking about using the Warlord ECW Scottish lancers to pad out the mounted contingent – anyone able to advise whether the changes in costume and weapons between 1580-1600 and the 1640's make this a practical proposition? I'm not a purist about details, if that helps!