Eureka Miniatures 18mm
SYW French
PART 2
I've been able to get samples of more of the Eureka 18mm French figures, the pre-production moulds- infantry with turnbacks, Chevaux-Legere and artillery. Below are the photo's.
Infantry in Turnbacks. These are basically the same as the other infantry, but with unbuttoned coats and turnbacks. They use the same officers, NCO and musicians as shown below.
Front and back views of the infantry
The Cavalerie Legere wear the cuirass under the coat and come with three different poses.
Front and back views of the Cavalerie Legere
Cavalerie Legere command and musicians- the kettle drummer will be fun to paint
Another mounted officer- some of these will command my battalions.
The artillery are depicted in waistcoats, with the officer/NCO figure wearing a coat. The artillery of the period were all fairly similar, the pom-poms of the Prussians and the boots of the Austrians being notable exceptions. These figures can do duty for most armies. There's also a 4lb and 12lb gun.
The gunners
The 12lb (left) and 4lb (right) guns
For the release dates for this range, please contact Eureka Miniatures.
PART 1
At CANCON I was fortunate enough to see the new 18mm SYW French range that will soon be released by Eureka Miniatures, sculpted by Mike Broadbent. I was given the chance to buy some pre-released figures and bought two battalions of infantry (coats not turned back), a squadron of dragoons (in stocking cap), some staff and some heavy cavalry to act as escorts. There were also figures in turned back coats, chevaux-legere, artillery (dressed in waistcoat), guns, dragoons in tricorne, hussars and other goodies. I will be getting more of them, once finances allow and the range is released, as my French contingent will eventually consist of four battalions in two brigades (though there may be five battalions, or perhaps six....), a brigade consisting of dragoons and chevaux-legere (I know- the chevaux-legere will just have to learn to like being brigaded with dragoons) and a battery of guns.
THE DRAGOONS came in three poses that I could find, with the officers, drummer and standard bearer in tricorne. The troops are available in both stocking cap and tricorne, but I liked the look of the stocking cap. Besides, I have the a tricorne-wearing cavalryman or two already.
Dragoon command figures
Dragoon troopers
THE INFANTRY come in three flavours- hatman in turned back coats, coats not turned back and Grenadiers de France (coats turned back). The hatmen have four poses that I found and their coats are buttoned. I grabbed enough figures (coats not turned back) for two battalions (96 rankers and 10 command, to form the 1/Bretagne and 1/Aquitaine) on the Saturday morning, which was just as well. When I went back to get some more on Sunday morning, they were all gone. I like these figures, they have some of the best faces Mike's done for this range and the poses look like they were taken straight from Knoetel or Funcken illustrations.
Infantry hatmen and drummers
The command figures include two officers(?) with muskets and two SNCO with partisans. The poses of each are the same, just the weapons changed.
Infantry command, including the mounted officer
THE STAFF come in mounted and dismounted sets. There's two generals and two ADC/staff officers. I'll be using one of the ADC's (on the right, below) to command an infantry battalion.
Three of the mounted staff set
THE CUIRASSIERS du ROI and HEAVY CAVALRY in BEARSKIN will attract plenty of interest. But I decided I'll get the chevaux-legere and use a few of these as escorts for the generals. There's at least three poses for the cavalry and two for the cuirassiers. The heavy cavalry horses' tails are tied with ribbons, as can be seen below.
Cuirassier du Roi trooper on the left, cavalry in bearskin in the centre and on the right
I will be getting the infantry in turnbacks (1/Nassau Prince Louis, 1/Rooth and perhaps 1/Royal Scots because of the great looking flags), perhaps another one with coat not turned back (1/Chartres), a battery of guns and a squadron of chevaux-legere (not sure which regiment yet- but one with uncomplicated shabracque lace!), which are designed with the cuirass under the coat and posed at the trot, when the range is released. When I get them I'll take some more photo's.
Dal.
A question on horse size
Some people have remarked that Eureka's horses are too big. The comparison below may be of interest. Many thanks to James D Gray for using photo's of my son riding my horses and his miniatures to do the comparisons. He matched the rider's size to the silhouette of my son to compare the size of the horses. Minifigs and Eureka are the best matches, with Eureka's having the best proportions.
On the chart above the figure's head was lined up with Ray's head, to get a common reference for each figure and rider. Ray was 19yo and 175cm when the photo's were taken (2001).
