Plastic Soldier Review - Esci British Artillery

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Esci

Set 233

British Artillery

All figures are supplied unpainted (Numbers of each pose in brackets)

Stats

Date Released	1986
Contents	16 figures and 4 guns
Poses	4 poses
Material	Plastic (Medium Consistency)
Colours	Light Pink, Brown

Average Height

24 mm (= 1.73 m)

Review

Some time after Esci produced set 219 (British and French Artillery), they saw sense and decided to reissue the British and French in separate boxes. Alternatively, they may have simply seen a cheap way of adding two new sets to their range by splitting an existing one. Whatever is the case, this set is the British half of that set, with two sprues included to bring it up to strength.

Whatever the motivation, it was a good move. Producing sets of one troop type (and nationality) must be better than mixing them. However in this case it means there is no room for a team, limber or caisson. What you get is four guns and four figures for each.

The figures come in four poses, with one of each pose intended to form a gun crew. In practice two or three times this number would normally serve a gun in battle. The poses chosen are OK if not exceptional. The officer holding a telescope would be having difficulties holding it steady - using two hands would be normal, but very difficult to mould. The figures are well detailed and have virtually no flash, and the only accuracy flaw is that all have tails on their jackets where there should be none.

Two different calibre gun barrels are provided. The smaller of the two measures 22 mm long, which on a strict 1:72 ratio gives a barrel length of 1.584 metres, which in the British Horse Artillery would mean the gun was a 6 pounder. The larger is 26 mm long, which works out to a 9 pounder. Both were in common use. The guns are mounted on the normal Congreve block trail carriage, with the typical axle boxes. Some liberties have had to be taken with both the barrels and the carriages in terms of losing chains and other small items, but the detail is as good as could possibly be expected.

The small number of poses and lack of any horse teams are quite serious drawbacks to this set, but what there is is well executed.

Ratings

Historical Accuracy	9
Pose Quality	4
Pose Number	4
Sculpting	8
Mould	10