"A mild rant re Wargames Factory AWI British." Topic

As I understand it current research indicates that the British troops in America fairly quickly modified the 1768 warrant uniform to suit conditions in the field. This meant the folded hat was unfolded to block the sun and the coat was cut down making a very different appearance. I understand that the regulation dress would have been rare after the Long Island campaign.

Knowing this, why did Wargames Factory decide to do the same old thing and make the same old British infantry in dress only suitable for the first year or so of the war?

Are we not strong enough to handle the truth? I guess wargamers are no more educated than the general public when it comes to wanting our redcoats in tricorn hats and full length coats.

Very nice figures for the money though, especially considering there's not much choice in plastic figures for 18th Century.

I generally like to make a unit look as historically accurate as I can, but to make every unit accurate for the entire war and for every theater would be unreasonable for a single collector like myself.

Knowing that there is a common denominator for most units in their early war garb, saves some headaches. One can always run home to momma, uniformly speaking of course, when there aren't figures for or enough variety of a particular uniform modification.

Seeing the numerous options that do come in each box, I think they did rather well for their first attempt at the period.

I prefer mine in early war, they look proper!

My thoughts exactly! That being said,I received my first box recently. Today received the Continentals. I was going to make the Brits all light troops. Till I realized only four figures have the short coats. Also,the figures look rather, toy soldier-ish to me. I probably won't be purchasing anymore,as I'm a big fan of the Perry plastics.

Bob

I bought several AWI WF sets last weekend. Once the militia set comes out, I intend to round out my continentals with drafts from that set. Having the British in official uniforms doesn't bother me, but I want my continentals to appear more ragged. Totally illogical I know.

The general consensus on what the majority of the British infantry looked like from August 1776 onwards, suggests the Perry figures rather than these – very much 1768 Warrant. However, that's not the end of the WF pack's usefulness.

Post-1775 you can use them for regiments that have just arrived from Europe (as late as 1781, the 3rd, 19th and 30th Foot arrived in the South with unaltered Warrant uniforms); or you can use them for Continental regiments with buttonhole lace (eg NC/SC/GA regiments from 1779); or some of the nattier Loyalists who also had buttonhole lace.

They are also useful for Marines landing parties, and any European actions, such as J P Jones landing on the est coast of England, or the French attack on the island of Jersey in 1781.

Remember also that the light infantry style jackets and slouch hats were very much due to the influence of Sir William Howe and others of the "American School."

Once the Army was under the command of Henry Clinton there
is some evidence that hats were worn cocked again--at least in the main northern army.

Whether breeches and short gaiters were also brought back, I don't know. But I do think that the figures are useful.

v/r

Joe