Eureka 28mm Wars of the French Revolution figures

[18th Century Guy]

I want to say that I have now seen, touched, and held some Austrians, Russians, and French from the Eureka range and they are magnificent. I know that in an earlier post I complained loudly about the pricing of them and said I'd never purchase any until said price came down. Although I've not purchased them yet, my partner in crime - Bill Amick - did and I saw them today. Let me say now very clearly that they are more than worth the price.

Bill and I compared them against Foundry, Front Rank, and Elite. We found them to have the same quality of sculpting that you expect from Front Rank. We thought that the issue of how realistic the proportions were between the different lines was done better by Eureka. I know some people may like the thin look of the Minden figures and yes they are nicely done but for my tastes (and mine only) they are too thin. The Eureka figures strike a nice balance and look very life like.

I loved the look of the saddlecloth on the Austrian Chevaux-leger. The saddlecloth edging has been sculpted for you but not the detail is not raised so much that it stands out. They are beautiful. The horses that go with them are also some of the best we've seen. The animation on them is near perfect.

My final recommendation - Eureka is a BUY. I know what I may have said in the past and for that I sincerely apologize. John, you've won me over by the sheer quality of your product. Please keep up the good work.

18th Century Guy
aka Greg

[Gunfreak]

I did not want to know this, you are a very bad man for telling me this.

[Duke of Plaza-Toro]

Thank you for the very kind words Greg. No apology necessary! After all, your original comments were broadly correct – our figures are on the expensive side from the perspective of you chaps in North America and Europe. All we ask is people realise that this is entirely due to the fickle nature of World currency markets and the current strength on the Australian dollar (which has gained some 40% in value over the US$ in around three years). Certainly no price gouging on our part – our figures used to be the same price (internationally) as everyone else’s and we’ve not had a price rise in more than five years. In truth all Australian exporters – big and small – are starting to struggle now; orders are falling and people are losing their jobs – but that’s another story…

We like to think that the quality of our figures will get us through this, and it is very gratifying to see more and more of our French Revolutionary Wars figures popping up around the Blogs. So it’s a sincere “thank you” to our USA and European customers who been prepared to take the plunge and ‘invest’ in a few figures – whether it’s direct through us, or via our representatives. (Rob Walter - Eureka Miniatures USA - is a huge supporter of the project and seems to be running his own version of a “membership has its privileges” club for the French Revolutionary Wars range!)

There will be a raft of new Revolutionary Wars releases as this year wanes – some of which put in a teasing appearance at Historicon (e.g. French Light Infantry and Horse Artillery), and some surprises that did not. Meanwhile I’m about to start work on the background research for 1790’s French Dragoons, plus 1799 Russian artillery and Jägers.

And for those not so interested in this period, you might be interested to know that we are going to dip our toes into the mainstream Napoleonic Wars market, as we’ve been commissioned to make some 28mm 1812 Saxon Heavy cavalry (Yes – the Raevsky Redoubt stormers!) Alan Marsh will be the sculptor.

Thanks again Greg for saying nice things – and thanks to everyone else for listening.

DPT
John Chadderton
Eureka Miniatures

[quindia]

I second what Greg has to say about this line. If I didn't already have so much invested in other periods (both in time and money), I would have corps sized collections of these models. I painted a handful of Revolutionary French artillery as Spanish for my Peninsular collection and found them to be outstanding figures and a pleasure to paint...

http://quindiastudios.blogspot.com/2010 ... llery.html

[Friedrich August I.]

....
And for those not so interested in this period, you might be interested to know that we are going to dip our toes into the mainstream Napoleonic Wars market, as we’ve been commissioned to make some 28mm 1812 Saxon Heavy cavalry (Yes – the Raevsky Redoubt stormers!) Alan Marsh will be the sculptor....

That wont make my life easier
I sense a certain individual behind that commission, a czar or so

Anyway I m looking forward in what style of uniform and after what sources they gonna be sculpted. If you need any details I m willing to share all I know with you. Knowledge comes mostly of german/saxon sources.

For the King
Gersdorff, Gen.Mjr
Chief of Generalstaff

[Duke of Plaza-Toro]

Anyway I m looking forward in what style of uniform and after what sources they gonna be sculpted. If you need any details I m willing to share all I know with you. Knowledge comes mostly of german/saxon sources.

For the King
Gersdorff, Gen.Mjr
Chief of Generalstaff

Help always gratefully received Günter! I am busy with the Revolutionary Wars stuff, so the boss (Nic Robson) is currently 'project managing' the 1812 Saxon heavy cavalry. However, I am more than happy to act as go-between and pick your brains on his behalf.

I think we are OK with the basics for the Guard du Corps and the Zastrow, but as usual some questions of detail are being debated and we are unsure as to which direction to take. From memory (I will have to double check things with Nic at work tomorrow) some of these details are as follows -

1) No cuirass for the Garde du Corps in 1812 of course as they left them at home, but a few of the sources imply they wore their greatcoats or a blanket roll across their bodies (presumably as an improvised defence against sword cuts?) Our range commissioners are keen for us to model this feature. What are your thoughts on this please?

2) The Saxon heavy cavalry in 1812 are often depicted with something (a blanket?) rolled across the neck of the horse, in front of the saddle, either on top of - or just in front of and partially overlapping - the pistol holster covers. (Sitting at home typing this I can’t remember if this is especially relevant to the Garde or the Zastrow or both… but again we’d be interested to know if you aware of this Günter).

3) Details of the saddle furniture are often contradictory – such as the shape of the pistol holster covers. Also (my apologies again because I can’t recall which way around it is - Garde or Zastrow) illustrations sometimes show one regiment with a round ended valise behind the saddle, while other pictures show a ‘squared’ shape. Other sources show BOTH regiments with a round ended valise.

4) The carbine is invariably shown suspended on the right side with the muzzle pointing down. However, one source we have shows it inverted with the stock pointing down towards the horse’s front leg. Should we be worried about this?

5) Our commissioning customers want us to leave the side plumes off the helmets of the rank and file, but retain them for the officer / trumpeter / standard bearer figures’ helmets. Does that sound OK to you?

OK – enough brain picking for now! I will make sure of the details tomorrow – or perhaps I forgot something... In the meantime Günter we would be most grateful to see anything you have on them. We have a few bits and pieces, including an article or two from French ‘Tradition’ magazine but I’m sure you have access to a lot more. You can email anything you wish or any comments / criticisms to my work address at johnc@eurekamin.com.au

Many thanks for the offer of help!

John
Eureka Miniatures

[Friedrich August I.]

1) No cuirass for the Garde du Corps in 1812 of course as they left them at home, but a few of the sources imply they wore their greatcoats or a blanket roll across their bodies (presumably as an improvised defence against sword cuts?) Our range commissioners are keen for us to model this feature. What are your thoughts on this please?

It is correct that the Garde du Corps wore their greatcoats as a roll across their bodies because they had nothing else. They never had a cuirass as body armor. The Officers of the Zastrow Cuirassiers had partially left the rich embroided Cuirasses at home because the fear of loosing them so many of them too wore only the white greatcoat rolled across their bodies.

2) The Saxon heavy cavalry in 1812 are often depicted with something (a blanket?) rolled across the neck of the horse, in front of the saddle, either on top of - or just in front of and partially overlapping - the pistol holster covers. (Sitting at home typing this I can’t remember if this is especially relevant to the Garde or the Zastrow or both… but again we’d be interested to know if you aware of this Günter).

The Reason for this blankets over the horse necks are described as to be because of loosing so many horses out of exhaustion that they have to use horses from fallen comrades of the light cavalry, i.e., the polish lancers or such and often kept the blankets of the previous owners for them self.

3) Details of the saddle furniture are often contradictory – such as the shape of the pistol holster covers. Also (my apologies again because I can’t recall which way around it is - Garde or Zastrow) illustrations sometimes show one regiment with a round ended valise behind the saddle, while other pictures show a ‘squared’ shape. Other sources show BOTH regiments with a round ended valise.

All of the Saxon heavy regiments wore the same cut of uniform, all of them had the same sort of saddle. The Holsters of the Officers and their shabracks were 'squared' while all other rank and file had rounded holsters and shabracks.

4) The carbine is invariably shown suspended on the right side with the muzzle pointing down. However, one source we have shows it inverted with the stock pointing down towards the horse’s front leg. Should we be worried about this?

All troopers had the carbine on their right side, barrel down to the right forefoot of the horse.

5) Our commissioning customers want us to leave the side plumes off the helmets of the rank and file, but retain them for the officer / trumpeter / standard bearer figures’ helmets. Does that sound OK to you?

On the day of the arrivel of the IV.Cavalry Corps General Latour Maubourg received a letter from Napoleons HQ in which he was given orders that the Saxons and Westphaliens have had to wear their best uniform for the glory to come. So most of the officiers wore their full uniform while the lower ranks did what they could to look splendid.

OK – enough brain picking for now! I will make sure of the details tomorrow – or perhaps I forgot something... In the meantime Günter we would be most grateful to see anything you have on them. We have a few bits and pieces, including an article or two from French ‘Tradition’ magazine but I’m sure you have access to a lot more. You can email anything you wish or any comments / criticisms to my work address at johnc@eurekamin.com.au

Many thanks for the offer of help!

John
Eureka Miniatures

I will send you some pictures

Hope that helps

Günter

[Duke of Plaza-Toro]

One of Mark Churms' better paintings that - really good!

Thank you very much for the answers Günter. Most helpful.

If you have some illustrations that you think we should particularly base our 1812 Garde du Corps and Zastrow on we would certainly be interested to see them. Please feel free to contact me directly at johnc@eurekamin.com.au if you wish.

We may have a few more questions for you as we go on. Are you OK with that?

Best wishes
John
Eureka Miniatures

[Friedrich August I.]

One of Mark Churms' better paintings that - really good!

Thank you very much for the answers Günter. Most helpful.

If you have some illustrations that you think we should particularly base our 1812 Garde du Corps and Zastrow on we would certainly be interested to see them. Please feel free to contact me directly at johnc@eurekamin.com.au if you wish.

We may have a few more questions for you as we go on. Are you OK with that?

Best wishes
John
Eureka Miniatures

John,

A picture heavy E-mail is underway to you. Please be mindful with two of them as they are not to be shown on the I-net. Thank You. Any questions You have I will be glad to help you with.

FAR
(Fredericus Augustus Rex)

[Duke of Plaza-Toro]

Very kind - thank you.

It will have gone to my work email so I won't access it until Monday.

Any material you supply will be treated in confidence. Outside of Eureka's four walls only the sculptor is likely to see anything.

Many thanks once again

John
Eureka Miniatures