"Smaller 15mm Figures?" Topic

Short of finding a mother lode of Empire/Heritage figures that someone has for .10 cents each (or even .25 cents each), I am looking for suggestions for smaller 15mm Nappie ranges. Most of the guys I game with have the Empire range, so today's larger 15/18mm figures (AB, Blue Moon, Campaign, etc.) will tower over them on the board, plus the larger figures would keep me from mounting the figures on the same sized stands as the existing crew has.

So, looking for some suggestions for figures that are more true 15mm…Essex might be one but are there others?

Thanks!

Naismith?

Exactly what I was thinking Naismith

Minifig?

Our group used Minifigs with plenty of Old glory for Empire….no akward problems. OG 15s.

I have the same problem. I have about 6000 painted Naps that adding to can be difficult.

Naismith do work, but I am not very fond of their cavalry. Still in production.

MiniFig 2nd Generation work. OOP

Ral Partha infantry work. They are available from Monday Knight Productions. They are still in production. The cavalry sample I have are too big in my opinion.

I have been told that Chariot Miniatures will work. But I have never seen them.
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Tom

Jocobite, Frontier and I know a lot of my 15mm are British.old tabletop, warrior, mini fig 2nd and 3rd generations, Stone mountain arty for Napoleonic.

I thought that the Empire range was simply AB Figures manufactured in the USA (and sold under a different name, which anoyed Tony Barton, leading to the cancellation of their franchise)?

Or is there another Empire range?

Chariot Miniatures were quite big. On a par with Old Glory.

The Empire range is the former Napoleonettes range made by Heritage.

Naismith have big chunky bases, correct? If so, the figures are decent, but the bases are silly thick. And ordering could be an issue as the Navwar site isn't set up for online purchasing, and I do not believe they accept credit card or PayPal.

MiniFigs may work, but I was spoiled by the US version of that company and their much more reasonable prices.

I was looking at Ral Partha at the MKP site, which really is the reason I posted. They have good and bad figures, but not quite full ranges for their Bavarians. Missing some high command and a bunch of cavalry types. I thought if I could find something to mix with RP then I might be able to put something together.

Thanks for the suggestions thus far!

Naismith do work, but I am not very fond of their cavalry

The riders are fine scale wise, the horses are enormous.

If you are interested in Minifig try looking at ebay. Always stuff there and its cheaper than getting it from Caliver.

Try Roundway figures. Limited line, but a good match for what you're looking for. I've got some and they match well with my 15mm Minifig gen2 miniatures.

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Thanks Winston,

Ah, I've never heard them called that before. My first 15mm Napoleonic army was around 600 Heritage Prussians I found in a bring'n'buy circa 1986. I loved those little chaps, though as has been mentioned, they were quite a bit smaller than virtually every other range.

Nevertheless, I had Heritage, Mk2 Minifigs, Battle Honours and eventually AB all in the same army for a time. The infantry and artillery weren't too bad – the differences generally weren't noticed on the table. However, the cavalry differed enormously in height and the Heritage cavalry looked like a Pony Club gymkhana next to the other cavalry.

Ral Partha are old school 15mm figures, a skosh bigger than Heritage, which are really tiny. Partha had infantry command packs, at least for the Waterloo British. I've mixed Partha rank & file with 2nd gen Minifigs command, and they mix well. 3rd gen Minifigs are a bit bigger, might still work. So might Essex command.

The only figures in my collection that really match Heritage for size are 1st gen Minifigs.

The listing on the Roundway figures page from Navwar looks like the Naismith line which I get from Navwar.

I buy from Navwar by snail mail with my credit card info included. No problems so far.

Thanks for the note on Chariot, Jemima

Tom

By the way, the Naps marketed as Napoleonettes by Empire/Heritage were clearly original sculptings. My boyhood friend Stan Glanzer did the sculpting until very close to the end of the line. I actually saw him doing lots of them.

Tom

Battle Honors were sculpted by Anthony Barton. He fell out with the company and formed AB Miniatures. That's the story as I've heard it.

Vincent – Not so much a falling out as a betrayal. BH was sold from under Tony's feet by a dodgy business partner; that was why he set up AB.

In general terms, would not some of the larger 10/12mm ranges match up with the Heritage "Napoleonettes" (or at least come close enough to them)?

Actually, they are not "Smaller 15mm Figures", but they are true 15mm in size. That is, they measure 15mm from the bottom of their feet to the tops of their head.

The old Heritage Napoleonettes figures are true 15mm figures. At the time they were some of the best looking you can get. Even by today's standards they are still good figures, but because of the scape creep phenomenon, they tend to be shorter.

There were a few companies back then that made true 15mm figures. Sure, the quality varied, but at least they were all that same in size (true 15mm), so they mixed well.

The Heritage Napoleonettes being the more popular line, but the early Minifigs (the ones on strips) offered things not found in the Napoleonettes line. There was another good line of true 15mm figs that offered some things not in the Napoleonettes line as well, but the name escapes me at this time.

The Battlehonors are early AB castings. The Empire is the old Heritage Napoleonettes as stated. I bought my first pack of Heritage in 1977. The 1st generation strip Minifigs had some advantages but not many. The cost got up to $1.50 USD per strip when in the 1970s and $2.25 USD the last time I bought them. That meant that they were 50 cents per cavalry and 30 cents per foot almost 40 years ago. Heritage did have price increases as well . I think the first pack was $2.50 USD or $2.95 USD each for 6/8 cav and 24 foot. So they were compatible in price to Minifigs.

Even the mikes Models fire plugs were 32 cents each per foot. The Tabletop came closest to meshing with heritage.
Heritage was bought at a bankruptcy auction in the Dallas area. Blackmon iirc changed the name to Empire. The story was several of the command castings were on moulds that went to other bidders. Later I understood that he stored them in a room at the Reaper factory for decades.

I have some Heritage units in my collection. Most Jacobite miniatures will fit in fine with them as do the Minifigs strip figures. Most lkely range currently in production that would fit are the Warrior ones. Cheap as chips and excellent service.

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Ah, having looked back at my old copies of EE&L, AB Figures were marketed for a time in the USA as 'Imperial Miniatures' (not 'Empire'). They were produced by Emperor's Press, who also produced Empire rules, hence my confusion.

Rumour has it that Tony Barton pulled the franchise as Emperor's Press insisted on marketing them under their own 'Imperial Miniatures' tradename instead of the official 'AB Figures' tradename required under the terms of the franchise.

(What Sup Max said re BH – that experience made TB determined to retain full control of his own product when he started AB)

Coming back to te original topic: That's interesting, as I had no idea that Heritage were also marketed as 'Empire' figures. Yes, they were lovely little figures – full of character and beautifully scuplted and cast. I finally got rid of mine when I encountered much the same problem as the OP – everything else I had towered over the little chaps, so I eventually replaced everything with AB.

I'm not sure if they are being made by anyone (not listed on the current site) but Hinchliffe had a small 1812 Russian/French range that fit in perfectly with Heritage figures.

Also Friekorps did some Peninsular figures. Not currently listed by QRF but maybe they still have the molds? These were also a good match for Heritage.

Good hunting!

Forgot to add that Irregular miniatures French are very small 15mm's too. Not sure about the other nationalities though.

There was a lady on Facebook selling the full range of Heritage/Empire figs, at $9.95 USD per pack. I no longer have her contact info, but she is/was in Texas, which was the last area the Empire figs were advertised. I did some searching on Facebook but cannot seem to find her.

Looks like Warrior figures are 14-15mm from sole to eye…still a bit larger than the old Heritage/Empire figs. But the pics of their Austrians look fairly decent.

I would think that Irregular figs have a decent heft about them, no?

Jacobite…who is making them now? I havce seen a pic of their figs compared to Peter Pig and Old Glory…they are larger than PP by a wide margin.

Warrior are pretty cool castings and fit within the 'true 15' sizing … very crisp and clean, and easy to paint.

I really like their artillery :

and their cavalry have pretty small horses, but look wonderfully antique once they are painted and based :

They are not my best figures by a long shot, but they are some of my absolute favorites.

Great range of early russians as well

I have tonnes of them with many photos here :

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I have a mix of Heritage, Naismith and current Minifigs (and a little bit of Hallmark and Essex baggage).

 

Heritage – some 300 mainly French, not so many cavalry

Naismith – 3500 French, British, Dutch, Brunswick, Nassau, Duchy of Warsaw, Confederation of the Rhine (paint conversions), Bavarian, Austrian, Russian and Prussian

Minifigs – 30 or so command; but mainly caissons, regimental wagons, vivandieres carts, ambulances (usually with Naismith  horses and outriders / drivers)

Hallmark  - wagons, caissons  again with Naismith horses and riders/drivers

Essex – coach, with Naismith wheels, Minifigs team and outriders and a half Essex- half Minifigs Mamelouk driver.

 

Standing figures

Heritage – my verniers show 13mm to eye, 15mm to top of head ( mostly). I've got some French voltigeurs who are almost 11mm to the eye ( yes I know voltigeurs  were small wiry chaps, but these seem a bit too small).

Naismith – 13mm to eye, 15mm to top of the head. Match Heritage perfectly. They do tend to have quite large and thick bases – with care and a sharp X-Acto this isn't too much of a problem.

Minifigs (current) 15mm to eye for standing figures (not had many of these so this is true for the French doctors, orderlies and wounded pack) so a noticeable  difference. However, a current Minifigs hussite camp follower, and the walking vivandiere measure in at 13mm to the eye.

 

Mounted figures

Heritage cavalry are slightly more problematic, I am not so sold on their cavalry. Some of their horses have an air of rocking horse about them. Their horses also vary in size considerably, some light horse are bigger than heavy horse e.g. French dragoons have quite small mounts and look as though they are sitting in their horse rather than on them, yet guard chasseurs a cheval are the same size as cuirassiers. Mounted figures appear smaller than their standing figures, certainly more slender. As mounted figures are harder to measure accurately, my cavalry comments are based upon 'by eye'. I am less of a fan of Heritage cavalry (although their chasseurs a cheval of the guard, and guard lancers are beautiful sculpts) and have ditched most of my Heritage cavalry in favour of Naismith.

Naismith cavalry. Difference between  light and heavy horses again isn't that noticeable. Some horses look like their riders will sit inside the horse, rather than on them, but once rider has been fitted they look much better. There is one horse (supplied with French line lancer), which has very peculiarly posed legs, I used needle nose pliers to lift the body and straighten the legs. Naismith riders look a good match sizewise for Heritage  and Naismith  standing figures and the Heritage  cavalry I have kept ( cuirassiers, guard chasseurs, officers, artillery train – the guard lancers are noticeably  smaller, but they are my favourite cavalry figures, so they are staying).

Minifigs – both horses and riders marry up seemlessly with Naismith. Some of the personality figures have enormously long scabbards (easily solved), otherwise nice sculpts.

 

Equipment

All three ranges match up nicely sizewise. Naismith and Minifigs French artillery wheels are identical, Heritage marginally smaller. Heritage gun carriages seem small though, from standing next to guns at Les Invalides and where they come up to on me, they do seem quite low and less bulky next to their gun crews. I have an Essex general's carriage which I've put Naismith wheels on, matches in okay, with the original Essex wheels it looked enormous. Hallmark wagons look right with Heritage (and Naismith).

 

So, from my experience the Naismith range matches in with Heritage pretty well, and with careful  selection modern Minifigs can fit too. I have mixed Heritage and Naismith on the same base with little discernable differences. Naismith's range is sufficiently  broad to cover most things,  meaning I have only really dipped into the Minifigs range for command figures and baggage train.

 

Other ranges

Essex, much too tall, a whole shako taller. Roundway standing figures marginally taller, but are much stockier figures so look very incongruous alongside Heritage and Naismith. Their cavalry, however, match Naismith and Minifigs well. I used to have some Jacobite figures (leaving aside their semiflat appearance, strange horses and a tendency to snap at the ankles) they were almost a whole shako taller. Old Peter Laing figures were much too dainty and looked like children in comparison. Hinchcliffe haven't been in production for a very long time, didn't they drop them when they started producing Heritage under licence?

 

I haven't  tried Warrior or Ral Partha. I have read that the Magister Mililitum 15mm range match in well sizewise, but haven't  seen any of their figures.

 

Certainly on ebay UK there seem to have been a steady trickle of Heritage figures in the last year; mostly painted and listed with 'manufacturer unknown': there are a few Prussians, French and Brunswick listed at the moment. But not exactly bargains – seem to be going for £15.00 GBP for 30 infantry.  There were a lot of new unopened bags at one point, these sold for a lot of money. Clearly a lot of interest in the range – suggests the current owners of the moulds might be missing a trick! Heritage were available  a number of years ago via Facebook, but that source went cold a long time ago. Quite a few early Minifigs crop up too, but again quite pricey. The Jacobite range is still in production.

 

New Naismith, and Warrior are much more economical. Naismith are currently  £1.50 for 6 infantry or 3 mounted figures, Warrior are similarly priced. I believe  postage across the water is quite steep though. As for Navwar, Tony runs his business in a way he feels comfortable, and from experience  I have to say he is very efficient. No you can't  order online, but you can create an order online then print it off. Either post or fax your order to him, and yes you can pay by debit or credit card. I have found that if I post my order on a Thursday the package (no matter how large or small) arrives on Monday  morning. Which is a lot faster than some online orders from other retailers. Obviously  you'll have to factor in extra time for crossing the Atlantic.

Minifigs.

I picked up a variety of figures from Monday Knight. Some poses are good (mostly the advancing and attacking ones), others are baaaad (the "on guard" and "firing"). All in all not as horrific as I remember from 25 years ago, and the pricing is excellent (.29 cents per foot figure when buying packs of 20). I will be going with them for 1806 Prussians although the cavalry does not have command, and the one general officer is for 1813, which means I need to find a supplemental range to fill in those holes. And based on the limited 1806 ranges available, looks like it will be Chariot!

I have a bunch of old Jacobite napoleonics that I have been trying to sell/give away for a while. Anybody interested?