FIW Comparative Figure Size

There are many figure manufacturers out there offering 28mm miniatures for the period of the French and Indian War.  I thought I would post this up as an aid in choosing which figures to use or mix together with each other.  I've owned (but since sold) figures from RAFM and Old Glory Miniatures and can provide comment on how they compare to the various figure manufacturers shown in the picture below.

This review is only within the scope of "28mm" miniatures - 15/18mm miniatures is another story --- but I only play 28mm scale.

Before I get started, there is a great article over on the Unlucky General blog that includes one miniature range I have not owned or seen in person - Blue Moon Manufacturing.  I will not re-post his comparative picture here as that I believe would be inappropriate "blog" infringement (at least without asking first) ... but if you check his post you'll see that Blue Moon clearly fits into the "larger" class of miniatures.

Covered in the first picture is Galloping Major, Northstar Military Figures, Redoubt Enterprises, Front Rank Figurines, Conquest Miniatures, Eureka Miniatures, Perry Miniatures, and Wargames Foundry (apologies, I don't have any FIW from Foundry, just some Napoleonic's but it works for comparison).  Crusader Miniatures is another that has miniatures available, but I currently only have a single figure in my collection and it is currently painted (French Officer).  For that comparison I've added the second picture that shows painted/based Conquest Miniatures, Crusader Miniatures, and Redoubt Enterprises.

28mm Comparison

Based on the picture above you can see which lines would mix very well together:

• (large class) Galloping Major, Northstar, Blue Moon, Redoubt, and Kings Mountain (see end of this post for picture of Kings Mountain Miniatures)
• (standard class) Front Rank, Eureka, Crusader, Conquest, and Perry
• (small class) Foundry - which can also go with RAFM and Old Glory

I have fully painted, based and completed Conquest Miniatures, Front Rank, Crusader, Perry Miniatures and Redoubt Miniatures currently mixed together in both my French and British armies and I it looks just fine -- although I think the key there is that they are not mixed in the same units so it works.  If you are looking to mix in the same unit stick to the "classes" listed above.

Comparing Conquest Miniatures (left),
Crusader Miniatures (middle), and Redoubt Enterprises (right)

As you can see above, Crusader Miniatures fits in between Redoubt Enterprises and Conquest Miniatures - but I have to say, Crusader and Conquest mix well together.  

So far as Redoubt is concerned, they have a large and robust miniatures line for FIW but I've seen inconsistency in their miniatures line as a whole.  Most notably (speaking from the miniatures I own), is the difference between the British Light infantry and the British Highlanders.  The British Highlanders are "skinny" for Redoubt and so mix well with the more "true" 28mm miniatures like Conquest.  The British Light infantry however are very chunky and look large even beside other Redoubt miniatures.

RAFM and Old Glory I used to own and have seen them beside my Crusader and Conquest figures.  They are definitely in a class of their own - I call them "true 25mm" miniatures as they are the smallest size wise and really don't mix well with the miniatures pictured above. 

UPDATE:  Added Kings Mountain Miniatures (separate post here).

Kings Mountain Miniatures (right) with
Conquest Miniatures (left)

That's it for now - hopefully this helps not only list the various FIW miniature manufacturers but will also aid in buying decisions and help those who want to mix the various lines together.