"15mm AWI Figures-which to choose?" Topic

Any feedback on Blue Moon, Old Glory, Stone Mountain or Musket Miniatures 15m AWI figures? Either line more complete than the other? Either line's figure easier to paint or look better once painted than the others? How about customer service?

I am interested in taking the plunge into the 15mm AWI pool, but I am unsure of which 15mm figures to go with.

I am in the USA so because of shipping and current currency exchange rates I am going to limit myself to 15mm figures made in the USA. I know I will miss out on some excellent 15mm figures from overseas, especially from Great Britain, but that's the way it is.

I am currently looking at Blue Moon, Old Glory, Stone Mountain, and Musket Miniatures lines. From what I have read so far, Blue Moon and Old Glory are similar in size and will mix well together, while Stone Mountain and Musket Miniatures are similar in size and mix well together.

As far as pricing goes, other than Musket Miniatures, there is really not much difference in price per figure;
Blue Moon are .36 cents per figure after the Old Glory Army discount
Old Glory are .32 cents per figure after the 20% discount
Stone Mountain are .35 cents per figure without a discount
Musket Miniatures are .43 cents per figure without a discount

I do not know how easy or well BM, SM or MM 15mm AWI figures paint up. I have painted Old Glory 15MM Napoleonics and I found them not only difficult to paint but I also did not like the animated poses of the figures. I do not mind some variety in figure poses within a unit, but I thought OG provided too much.

Do 15mm AWI gamers have a preference between Blue Moon Old Glory, Stone Mountain, and and Musket Miniatures?

Thank you in advance to all who reply!

Has Musket stepped up their game? Last I heard they were extremely slow to ship. I sent them an email asking a question about their line, and I never heard back from them. I'd make a small test order first. I don't think they are particularly detailed, but I like them and they paint up well.

I know you said USA only, but I'd also look at Peter Pig. They have a pretty comprehensive range. If you make a large special order, you might be able to have Brookhurst make it for you as part of their regular resupply, and just ship it to you.

Stone Mountain has excellent service, if their AWI figures are like their ACW figures they will be full of character and look good once painted up. Here's a link I believe most of the figures can have photos you can look at linked to their product codes.

link

Blue moon are nice but are 18mm.

Blue Moon are superb figures but my first love will always be Stone Mountain.

BM gives you a fuller range; SM not so, but if you are happy doing minor conversions (my British Legion were Continental Dragoons with modified hats) they will serve you well.

Just a thought. I know you said you were limiting yourself to US but is this a false economy. I get my 15mm from Dixon's UK. They have much more character than US models in my view and they shipped my last package for $6. USD I also emailed them and asked for a discount and they knocked off 10 per cent. Down side is I think they work out more expensive per figure.

Most of my American forces are Stone Mountain-- I've ordered from them during this pandemic and received excellent, rapid service.

One thing to consider is that some lines are compatable with others in term of size and styling, while others are not. Try to choose a "core" line, then find out which other lines can be used to compliment that core.

A website with comparable pix.

link

Note: This site is a bit dated. It doesn't have any Blue Moon. And the site notes Polly Oliver as a dead line, but its back in the UK from Magister Militum.

For my money, I find the figs described as 18mm are easier to paint than "true 15s" as the 18s better lend themselves to stain/wash painting techniques.

Now is the time to order from the UK. For the most part their postage is reasonable and the US dollar certainly has it over the pound sterling. The Polly Oliver range is available from the UK. That range was considered the AB of AWI.

PeterPig has a comprehensive range of superbly detailed figures which I believe is available from Brookhurst Hobbies on your side of the pond.

I'm going to say Peter Pig as well. Very nice figures.

I recently bought some Eureka ragged Americans and they match up with Blue Moon very well.

Not on your list, but as mentioned above the Peter Pig range is very extensive and lovely figures.

Blue Moon are beautiful figs, but they are significantly larger than most 15s, much more around 18mm.

PP has a very nice range.

I think all of mine are Essex with some conversions.

Peter Pig would be my recommendation if it works out you can get them economically ‘over there', with Blue Moon as the next best.

Not an AWI gamer but I used the following for my 1788 Norwegian army:
Essex, Miniature Figurines, Peter Pig, Musket and Jeff Valent.
Since Peter Pig is available (or was) from Brookhurst Hobbies, I'd go with them. From time to time, Jeff Valent AWI (packaged as 'Washington's Wars') come up on Ebay – these are the best guns and gunners in my opinion. Miniature Figurines are more 'static' but very solid, Essex are gorgeous, though, again, a bit static.
Musket Miniatures are very nice and very economical if Kris will only answer his emails. I've also got a battalion of Polly Oliver in my Norwegian army and they look great and are very dynamic figures.

In general, all of the above mentioned lines are compatible with each other – I've mixed all makers (except Musket Miniatures) in my battalions and they work quite well together.

OG15s AWI line has some very strange poses and their 'tricorns' look a bit like bicornes turned sideways, at least to me. Their artillery packs are quite good, as are their cavalry but I'd go with Musket or Peter Pig for the infantry.

It really depends on your painting style. I'm a 'block' painter and I don't do shading – I like the old 'toy soldier' style, so for me, Jeff Valent, Musket, Essex and Peter Pig were the easiest and the most fun to paint. If you do shading and all that jazz, then I would guess OG15s or Blue Moon might be your best bet.

Hope this helps.

The pictures of I've seen of Blue Moon show that they are beautiful but a bit too big for my armies.

For 15mm AWI, it seems that I like certain ranges for certain types of figures. In general I prefer 15mm to the more recent 18mm ones.

I have purchased 15mm (and 18mm) AWI figures from a variety of manufacturers. Minifigs are nice 15s. They make nice British "Light Bobs" (although all the same pose), a variety of Continental Army types, mostly posed attacking with musket at 45 degrees. They have some good cavalry. I also like to use Minifigs SYW Prussians as Hessians.

Stone Mountain are 15s and compatible with Minifigs. They have some great generic marching figures. They have other infantry posed like Minifigs with their muskets forward.

Essex make some useful figures as well. I especially like their British infantry in cocked hats, although I believe Polly Oliver probably make the best British hatmen in 15mm. Polly Oliver also make some fine Continental irregulars.

I do have some Peter Pig figures. They tend to be on the smaller side of what is designated 15mm. Their range is pretty extensive with a variety if Continental militia, riflemen, British in round hats and British guards.

I plan to use a few 18mm Blue Moon. I like their marching British hatmen, British in cutdown coats, and their Continental militia. The Blue moon figures will have to be in separate units because of their height.

Cheers!

Gallo

Stone Mountain and Musket are compatible, the workers at both companies worked together for many years. As stated being true 15mm, they are similar to Minifigs especially the cleaner 3rd Generation MF. The Washington War range of the 1990 s is similar but rare. I prefer these since they are in poses that reflect 18th century. Less variation.

Nothing wrong with Old Glory but I prefer them for skirmish mounting. Never able to get Blue Moon for my store.

Frontier is another company that is similar to Minifig but bulkier clothes.

I was never crazy about the Old Glory cocked hats, at they looked too 1790s to me. Peter Pig's cocked hats are pretty bad too, look too 1750s to my eye.

Blue moon but a nightmare to paint in the bastion lace, Stone Mountain are my favorites for nostalgia and ease of painting. But blue moon are nice

My army is gonna be basically Blue moon as what I have seen from them before in ACW was excellent. The only thing I am not getting from them is Artillery ,that will be from Stonemountain. 2 reasons,more tonnage variation and cheaper.

The stonemountain guns are nice, but a tad small since the BM figures are 18mm. That said, I have both in my collection.