By Bob Barnetson

Empress Miniatures recently released the first 16 sculpts in a new line of 28mm metal figures for the 1879 Zulu Wars. Four packages of four figures are available, with each package priced at £5.00. These packages are all of British red coats, including figures marching, standing to, firing and a command group.

Empress Miniatures is a new UK company, run by the wives of two avid wargamers who, in time, became enamored by the hobby themselves (perchance to dream…) and subsequently started their own miniature company. Their line of 1879 Zulu Wars figures is sculpted by Paul Hicks and will soon be expanded with some Zulus, followed by some more British.

Initial Impressions
The 10 review figures arrived well packaged and without any damage. Moreover, they arrived transatlantic 9 days after I first indicated I might like to review them. This is exceptional service—rivaling domestic shipping time. There was no significant flash on the figures and each figure stood flat on the table out of the packaging.

My first impression of these figures was that they would be great Northwest Mount Police Officers doing a bit of cross-border work in my old west campaign. Historical purists at the club were aghast that I would pit these fellows against anything but Zulus, but did eventually concede that the figures would be useful stand-ins as generic colonial red coats for a variety of 19th century games.

Command Group
The four-figure command group contains one figure with a rifle, one with a bugler, one reloading a pistol and one with drawn pistol. The review package contained the latter three figures. All figures except the last are wearing pith helmets.

The bugler (technically known as a drummer) holds the bugle at the ready but is, refreshingly, not blowing it. Instead he appears to be engaged in observation or discussion. This makes the figure useful in both line and command units (what CO wants a bugler playing while he’s trying to give orders?).

The figure is 28 mm tall from foot to eye (32 mm to top of helmet). This sizing is consistent throughout the range. Assuming scale creep continues, this figure will look contemporary in terms of size for some time. The fellow also comes with a sharp looking moustache, but otherwise appears bald under his helmet.

The reloading figure has both pistol and sabre. The handguard is elaborate and nicely rendered, with a clearly defined grip and shield. While I make no claim of expertise in British colonial dress (and thus defer to the knowledgeable staff at Empress Miniatures), the positioning of the saber on the left hip with the handle rotated 180 degrees out of position would make it difficult to draw (even on horseback). Perhaps that is why the figure has his pistol broken open and is reloading so intently! Again, this figure has nice facial hair and details, as well as lovely epaulettes.

The final command figure is wearing a cylindrical cap with brim and holding a pistol. His facial hair includes some large “porkchop” sideburns (the ones my wife won’t let me grow) plus hair sticking out from beneath the back of his hat. The detailing on his coat is nicely rendered with a clear seam (or perhaps piping) visible at the edges of the coat. Like all of these figures, this fellow is wearing the correct gaiters (not puttees) above his boots.

Marching
The marching pack shows the most diversity in poses, with each of the four figures being reasonably distinct. Two carry their rifle in the right hand, one with his helmet off to wipe his brow. This figure is likely more useful in dioramas or skirmishing than for putting together large units where the repetition of the unique pose would be jarring (“on three, troops doff helmet and wipe… one, two, three, WIPE!”).

The other two figures have the rifle resting on the shoulder and held across the breast respectively. All four figures carry full campaign packs and kit. This is a nice difference from the other figures, which have dropped their packs for action. The gear creates a lot of opportunity for the use of washes or the magic dip to create depth on the figures.

Standing To
The review package contains two figures that are standing two. Both are similar figures, standing with bayonets fixed. They differ slight in details (one with beard, the other with moustache). These figures, like the entire range as far as I can tell, are wearing a five-button serge coat with trefoil cuff lace.

One of the figures in this pack that was not included with the review figures is wearing a Glengarry cap, the standard undress cap of the period for British soldiers. All four figures in this package are remarkably similar in pose, which can be useful in putting together ranked units.

Firing Line
This pack contains one firing figure, one reloading and two standing with rifles ready. All appear armed with the Martini-Henry ’45 caliber rifle common at the time, at the reloading figure is correctly loading the single-shot rifle from the rear. All figures have the pair of cartridge pouches and, again, the wild facial hair of campaigning soldiers is evident.

I was struck that there was no kneeling figure in this package. Despite some Internet sleuthing, I was unable to determine if firing from a kneeling position was common during the Zulu War, so I’ll defer again to Empress Miniatures’ research. If historically accurate, a kneeling figure would be handy—surely some fellows much as ducked for cover regardless of their stiff upper lip!

Commentary
These are lovely figures and a spectacular effort for a new company. There is enough variety here to start a skirmish force or begin collecting “same pose” units popular among old school gamers. A bit more variety would be appreciated as the range expands. On the Empress workbench include the first release of Zulus, suggesting that the range is a going concern and (assuming sales are reasonable) additional releases will be forthcoming.

As I noted above, these figures are also quite versatile for those prepared to overlook some slight differences. For example, with some khaki paint and ignoring that they’re wearing gaiters instead of putties, one could use these figures for the Sudan or the Northwest Frontier. They could also be used as British regulars during Canada’s Riel Rebellion or even (unmounted) North West Mounted Police.

The sculpts themselves are neutral in styling, allowing them to work with a wide variety of other manufacturer’s figures. If this was the intention, it was cagey as many gamers will have figures from ranges with more stylized sculpting (e.g., Old Glory’s tall and reedy figures) that Empress’s figures can complement. Combined with the versatility of the figures themselves, this ought to increase sales.

The figures are of comparable quality and price to the Foundry, Blacktree Design and Redoubt Enterprises figures that are available. I don’t have any of these figures on hand so a more detailed comparison (e.g., height compatibility) is not possible, although I recall the Redoubt figures are very large for 28mm and Foundry tends to be a bit smaller (more 25mm). The Black Tree Design figures also appear to have ridges on their helmets, something that Empress has (wisely) avoided.

Conclusion
This range is a nicely executed and a promising start for Empress Miniatures. There is enough variety to encourage gamers to buy into the range. The company’s expansion plans are clear, sensible and evidenced by pictures of greens. This pattern of establishing credibility appears to be the new standard (e.g., the plastic Romans issued by Warlord Games and Wargames Factory) and build confidence in the company and range.

I have avoided colonial gaming, in part because I was unhappy with the figures that were available. These figures might well make me change my mind. The sampler pack will be immediately painted up to fit into season two of my wild west game. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were joined by a horde of Zulus in time.

Pros:

• Crisp, realistic sculpts.
• Competitive price.
• Extremely fast packing and shipping.

Cons:

• Current selection of poses (16) is limited.