Reading around various forums the main objections to Essex figures seems to be the basic anatomy and animation, 'stumpy' was one description I read. Certainly the range is old now, I was buying these self same figures 15 years ago and very little has been to upgrade the range, but that said I still like them. I had been considering beginning the British for the 100 days campaign using Essex, but time spent looking through the images on the Essex site did little to inspire me. I thought about using an alternative range but all I could see was AB's really, everybody is mad about AB's right now and justifiable so, but obviously they were not going to work with my Essex figs. They are also very expensive. I think this caused me some frustration and possibly led to deciding to sell up.
A couple of days however I came across a review of Campaign Game Miniatures 15mm British Napoleonics, they looked brilliant figures and I noticed that the reviewer made a comment re them being shorter and stockier than the 18mm AB's, mentioning that the legs appeared a couple of mm's shorter than AB's ...... possibly a good enough match for Essex? So I'm going to give them a try and order a few bags of British line. Once I have some painted I'll give them a review here.
I'd not seen this range before, you can see the lists HERE, but they are sold in the UK by TSS. Inspirational photos, I especially like the line troops in covered shakos and the Dragoons.
Images linked from CGM website - lovely! |
The French range is brilliant too!
I think they look fairly similar to Essex in stature, not as lean and thin as AB's certainly!