Brigadier For Loyalist Brigade 1781

Fife and Drum miniatures added a new British command figure to their catalog.  Unlike the others he is wearing a round hat which makes it a nice change from those in regulation head gear.  I thought he should command my new Loyalist Brigade so here is.  A very well done figure which was a joy to paint.  

62nd Regiment of Foot 1777

  Next regiment in my Saratoga project will be the 62nd Regiment of Foot.  This regiment played a prominent part in the fighting around Freeman's Farm on the 19th September battle.  Holding an angle within the British defensive position the regiment was decimated in the afternoon fighting.

The regiment is dressed in the campaign modified uniform of cut down coat and hat.  It is a very smart uniform and immediately identified the wearing as a member of this I'll fated expedition.  Unlike so very much in The Rev War uniform this campaign dress is visually documented in a series of watercolors done during the tine.  More information on these can be found on this blog at this link,
https://bravefusiliers.blogspot.com/2017/03/von-germann-and-stephen-strach.html

If interested in this campaign and this regiment I would highly recommend visiting the site of the recreated 62nd Regiment here,

 http://www.62ndregiment.org.


 The figures are from the wonderful Fife and Drum miniatures and the regimental colors are from GMB.  Both outstanding.

20th Regiment of Foot 1777

  Fife and Drum miniatures has branched out and added the Saratoga campaign to their figure line.  They have British line infantry in the campaign modified uniform.  They have also added Mohawk Indians and soon will release Morgan's Rufkemen.  This is outstanding as I have long been fascinated by the campaign and have wanted to field a British Army  for the campaign.

My first regiment is the British 20th Regiment of Foot.  They were sent to the relief of Quebec in 1776 and later took part in the 1777 campaign.  They played a prominent role in the fighting in the 19 September at Freedman's Farm.

  The figures are dressed in the campaign modified uniform for the northern theater.  Regimental coats were cut down to light infantry style.  Cocked hats were cut down to light infantry style caps with horse hair crests.  Each regiment had the crest dyed a different color and the 20th appears to have dyed theirs black or very dark grey.  The Regimental colors are from GMB.

  These are great figures and a great start to yet another period within a period.  More to follow!

11th Continental Regiment 1776

The General Assembly of Rhode Island decided to raise a brigade of three regiments to join the Army of Observation during the Siege of Boston in April 1775.  these three regiments were organized and marched to Boston in May.  The three regiments were named after their commanding officers;  Hitchcock,  Varnum and Church.   Brigadier General Nathanael Greene commanded the brigade. The regiments were adopted into the Continental Army when General George Washington arrived in Cambridge and took command on 3 July 1775.

The regiment was re-organized as the 11th Continental Infantry on 1 January 1776. Following the British evacuation of Boston in March 1776, the regiment,  was sent to defend New York City. The British landed in force on Long Island in September 1776 and defeated the  Continentals at the Battle of Long Island. Later the Rhode Island regiments played a prominent part in the Battle of Harlem Heights.  After the retreat across the Jerseys they took part in the fighting at Second Trenton and Princeton.  In the 1777 reorganization the 11th Continental became the 2nd Rhode Island regiment.

Once again there is very little primary documents concerning the 1776 uniforms.  It appears they had either brown faced white regimental coats or hunting shirts.  Again the regimental colors are from later in the war.  They are from GMB  and figures are from Fife and Drum.

Dedicated to my old friend Carl Becker, 2nd Rhode Island regiment.  To cousin Carl from Cousin Mark.

9th Continental Regiment 1776

 After reading a history the two Rhode Island regiments of the Continental line I just had to add both reginents

The Continental Army was completely reorganized at the beginning of 1776, with many regiments receiving new names and others being disbanded. Enlistments were for one year. Varnum's 1775 Regiment was reorganized  1 January 1776 and re-designated as the 9th Continental Regiment. Under Colonel Varnum, the regiment remained near Boston until the British evacuation. It was then ordered to Long Island and took part in the New York and New Jersey campaign, including the battles of Long Island and Harlem Heights. They later took part in the second battle of Trenton and Princeton.   When the Continental Army was reorganized in early 1777 they became the 1st Rhode Island regiment.

Uniforms for this time period have few references.  From what I could find (mostly secondary sources) it appears they had hunting shirts or brown regimental uniform coats faced red.  Flags for the regiment are the colors used later in the war.  They are from GMB.  Figures are from Fife and Drum miniatures.  

A comparison of 25mm American Revolution Miniatures

     Anyone who visits this blog knows I am obsessed with the American Revolution.   Gaming the period, with both board games and miniatures has been a part of my life for too many years.  And during that time I have had three large miniature armies.  My present army has seen me used a number of miniatures.  Not all the figures ranges that are out there but a number of them.  So I thought it might be of interest to show a picture comparison of those figures I use.  Perhaps to help other gamers out there decided which miniatures they will use for their collections.  Please keep in mind that these are my opinions and I would never tell anyone what they have to buy.  Only what I have bought and what I like or do not care for.  I will also show each figure next to each other so gamers may decide what works best for their army.  

Left to right by base  RSM, Eureka, Brigade,
Fife & Drum, Old Glory And Perry Miniatures.

Fife and Drum Miniatures.

My favorite line of miniatures out there.  I have lots of these and the company continues to grow and add new figures.  Again, this is a true labor of love.  Jim is into the period.  If you are familiar with Minden miniatures these are by the same sculpture.  He has also done the figures for Crann Tara miniatures.  These are slim figures with realistic proportions.  Again, the equipment and weapons are in scale.  Jim also is very open to customer suggestions and you just might get that one of a kind figure you wanted. He does British in campaign kit, and has one of the only correct Brigade of Guard's figures out there.  Outstanding Native American Indians.  And the line is still growing!  Super customer service and highly recommended.

Kings Mountain Miniatures.

     King's Mountain Miniatures is a sadly underappreciated and and should be better known.  It is a brilliant line of figures, and extremely flexible.  Most figures have separate heads;  and the owner provides a wide variety of heads and head gear to match.  You want Philadelphia Associators?  You can do it with this range.  Cocked hats, round hats, cousins caps and helmets all available.  The figures are slim and fit in very well with Fife and Drum miniatures.  Best of all these are a true labor of love for the owner.  Bill is a true Rev War enthusiast who commissioned the range to make sure he could the figures he needed.  He is great to do business with and a wonderful individual.  When he found out I was looking for a certain flag he sent me reams of files of flags he had collected over the years to help.  Please take a look at these figures, you will be glad you did!  When I restarted my American Revolution armies these were some of the very first figures I brought. 

http://www.kingsmtminis.com/catalog/

RSM Ltd.

 

     Most 18th century gamers know this company for their Seven Years War range.  Not as well know is their American Revolution line.  Not as extensive as the SYW line the Rev War line has the basics of any army; infantry, cavalry and artillery.  These are slim figures with realistic proportions.  They look like soldiers should look.  Muskets look like the musket I carried in reenactments for years and not oversized clubs.  PLus, they are extremely cost effective.  A bag of 36 infantry cost $29 dollars.  You get a lot of figures for a small amount of money.  For those collecting while on a budget consider this line.  My only negative is that she is starting to show with the molds and sometimes figures are not as detailed as they should be.  Otherwise I highly recommend this line of figures.

http://www.dpcltdcom.org/rsm95_012.htm

Old Glory (second editions).

These are the second edition figures from Old Glory.  Far superior to the original line of figures done years ago.  These are also sold in very economical battalion packs.  Add a sold glory discount card and it's hard not but these figures.  A little taller and more robust then Fife and Drum they are a little smaller then Perry miniatures size wise.  Standards are cast into the figure which is a drawback to me.

Eureka Miniatures.

    Another not familiar range of miniatures which deserves better publicity.  Eureka make some great fugures, and figures you cannot find anywhere else.  I bought the figure range they did for the 14th Continental Regiment (Glover's Marblehead regiment).  A brilliant range with plenty of personality.  There is also a line of "Ragged  Continental " who look, well ragged.  Great and useful fugures.  These created a different regiment then we usually see on the table too.  Certainly not neat parade ground soldiers but hardened men.  

Order within the United States:

https://eurekaminusa.com

Home of Eureka miniatures:

http://eurekamin.com.au

Brigade Games.

     A very new line of figures.  I picked them up because they are the only figure line out there with figures wearing the correct 1775 Bounty Coat.  I felt a couple regiments with mixed bounty coats and regimental coats would look great. These are a very nice group of figures which adds to any army. The variety of clothing and uniforms adds to any regiments appearance.  

 I have not bought any of the British (they wear the regulation uniform ) and the Hessians have not been released yet.  Some of the figures in civilian clothing look a little pirate like, to me as earlier period clothing rather then 1770's. And unlike many of the other figure lines you need to spend some time cleaning up each figure before painting.

Perry Miniatures and Wargames Foundry.

Possibly the most widely used figure for this time period.  They are available in both plastic and metal castings.  They have almost every type of uniform or clothing and also make unusual uniforms like the Volunteers of Ireland.  All are done by the talented Perry Brothers who also did the line for Wargames Foundry.  Because of this and because the two lines compliment each other I have included them together.   Again a little taller and better fed them many of the other ranges.  But on the table top they all work together and your eye makes adjustments.  I would not mix these with other figures in the same regiment. 

Progress painting and new figures

  Although busy with regular life after vacation I have managed to work some Painting in.  The Light Infantry battalion is finished and needs to have its based painted and grass added.  The Grenadier battalion is coming along very nicely.  With snow in the forecast this weekend I should be able to finish it up.

  For Christmas time I got a number of miniatures.  These are American Rev War figures from Old Glory and Brigade games. About a brigade's worth ( Four battalions of thirty figures each) from both  companies.  The brigade figures are brand new from their kickstarter and the Old Glory are from their second edition.

  Old Glory figures are American continental line.  They come in bags of  38 figures with command figures (officers, standardbearers, drummers and NCO included).  Uniforms are the regulation coat or hunting shirt.  I have bags of the line in cocked hats, slouch hats and hunting shirts.  these should produce four slightly different regiments.  If you have a Old Glory Army card these figures are very affordable.

  Brigade Games has Continental line in uniform as well as militia in the bounty coats offered by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress in 1775.  When I was at Minute Man NHP I worked with Henry Cooke to have some of these coats made for the park.  They were a short working man's jacket with false cuffs and no lapels with regimental buttons.  A very comfortable and practical garment.  I had to get some of these!  They have a nice variety of mixed hats and equipment in each figure to give you regiments a slightly non regulation look.