Review: U.S. Infantry, Full Dress, 1898
Legions of Empire is a line of traditional-style new toy soldiers in 54mm size for collectors and wargamers. It depicts the armies and opponents of the empires of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, both in their full-dress and campaign uniforms. Every effort has been made to keep these figures affordable, to encourage beginning collectors and to allow wargamers to field them in quantity.
Their toy soldiers are crafted by hand. They are sculpted in the size and style of Prince August, so that collectors can supplement them with their own castings. Because this is a small operation, it may take some weeks for orders to be filled.
Many miniatures wargamers view H.G. Wells as the father of their hobby, although Little Wars is not actively played much anymore. There is a nostalgic attraction to the hollowcast Britains which he used, although today those soldiers and their modern equivalents are often too expensive and delicate for use on the tabletop. Increasingly, however, there is interest in the use of 54mm miniatures – both plastic and metal – in tabletop wargames. In order to promote this development, they distribute Edwardian Splendour, their own set of miniature wargames rules for use with toy soldiers. The rules are now available as a free downloadable PDF.
The review sample sent was a boxed set of painted U.S. Infantry, Full Dress, 1898 miniatures measuring 54mm in height and cast in white metal.
The Good
There are no major mould lines or runnels and no pitting. There was no flash and no mold slippage was to be found.
The best way to describe these beautiful figures is charming. While younger gamers may not like the purposeful lack of detail and rigidity of sculpts, older gamers and collectors have but no choice than to admire them for their simplistic beauty. Add on to this the wonderful box that they shipped in and you have a set that could easily sell for $50 more.
The Bad
None.
The Ugly
None.
Scale: 54mm
Cost: $50
Rating
