Shiney New for 2014, these were a pleasant surprise when I visited the
Askari Miniatures website on New Year's Day. Ali Askari and I had discussed the need for 1890's French Marine gunners to bring the campaigns of Tonkin, Indo-China and Madagascar to the tabletop - not to mention wargaming on Mars post 1889. These figures fill an important gap, as I could not find any other manufacturers who make them.
Packs come with four figures, one with arm raised, one firing, one standing holding a bore-sponge, one sighting with field glasses. The figure with the sponge might be puzzling, where a figure holding a shell might have been
plus approprié - though would still be necessary to sponge the barrel for the older French guns in use in les colonies.
Animation is nice - a different pose for each. Detail is good. Proportions are also good - the figures seem a little larger than the previously released French Marine Infantry (comparison pics forthcoming). I hope that Askari Minis isn't giving in to scale-creep - there are plenty of larger scaled colonial period miniatures available.
Shown below with an
Old Glory French Marine on the left and a
RAFM British Martian "Sepoy" on the right.
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| From left to right: 1 Old Glory, 4 Askari, 1 RAFM |
Askari Miniatures French Marine Artillerists
Animation: 4
Detail: 4
Proportions: 4
Variety: 4
Overall: 4 out of 5
Apparently, I cannot leave the miniatures of mixed manufacturers alone on the photo table, as when I had returned, the poor Old Glory
Marsouin, outnumbered (but not out-gunned), was having the wind put up him by
Les Bigors - allegedly for his hyper-active pose.
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O Marsouin, ne vous regardez où vous sont en marche?
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Ah, the joys of a friendly, inter-service rivalry
...
- finis -
