Expeditionary Force Napoleonic Highland Infantry Other News our very good friend Peter Bergner has given us the latest news. Expeditionary Force is releasing Highlanders. The set contains 9 figures sergeant and 8 soldiers in Flank Coy(in feathered bonnets and kilts). While these figures are being to their expanding Napoleonic line. I can see collectors using them for the Battle of New Orleans. Take a look we have including the press release.
Expeditionary Force Napoleonic Highland Infantry Other News Press Release
Dear All
Greetings from Singapore
Very pleased to inform you that the following set is available for shipment within this week.
54mm Napoleonic Wars – British Army (1812-1815)
54 BRT 02 Highlanders, Flank Coy (in feathered bonnet & kilts)
The box-set contains 9 models with 1 sergeant and 8 infantrymen (flank company) with action postures for skirmishing, defending and advancing.
Officers and command sets as well as cavalry and artillery sets will follow.
We will be releasing the Wars of the Romans in early 2018 to run parallel with the Napoleonics. The Napoleonic Range is too extensive for us to focus exclusively on it as it would result in the exclusion of our other ranges that we intend to continue to support with supplementary sets.
Will keep you posted.
Looking forward to your kind support.
Cheers,
scott
Another home run from Expeditionary Force.
And that announcement of a 2018 line of Romans is exciting.
A few years back Richard Conte announced he was considering a line of Romans in soft plastic. As usual, nothing ever came of it.
But with Expeditionary Force — what they announce, they produce.
And I especially like the strategic thinking that seems to go into ExForce product lines, with the announcement that the Napoleonic line would be so extensive it would necessarily crowd out any other historical period of collector interest, and therefore ExForce will run the two eras (Napoleonic & Roman) concurrently in 2018.
Beautiful figures! Just for the record, the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders did not wear the kilt at New Orleans. They had their kilts made up into trews and wore the Kilmarnock cap.
Yes, agreed they are a well run company!
I’m sure the Romans will be a big hit, but will they be 54mm or 60mm?
They must come with extra heads, I notice that the kneeling firing guy in the skirt is wearing two different head gears. ( I know it’s a kilt) I’m guessing the highlanders didn’t fight much in the really cold weather, huh?
Highlanders fought in cold weather since they are used to it, as it’s pretty cold here all the time 🙂
Well then, I would imagine they froze their …. off. Has to be drafty.
It’s only draughty when you are charging the enemy but even then you might end up with friction burn 🙂
Looking forward to seeing the War Of the Romans figures, But does that mean Roman against Roman? Or Romans against Various Countrys/Barbarians ETC? I would like to see them done in 54mm but I would say they will probably done in 60mm which is also cool.
I tried twice to email ExForce at their “contact us” address, but couldn’t get through either time, with my questions.
As to scale, the ExForce Napoleonic line is, of course, 54mm. But as for Romans, I bet the scale will be 60mm, since that is the scale for all the other ExForce ancients and medievals (Persians, Greeks, Macedonians, and English & French armored knights).
And as for whether ExForce will release opponents of Rome along with the Romans themselves, I would bet anything the answer is “Yes”, since ExForce has yet to release any line without a near simultaneous release of a line of opponents.
I prefer 60mm for ancients and 54mm for 17-18 Century on.
Admin,
Although collectors will use these for the ‘Battle of New Orleans’ , this would not be historically accurate as the 93rd Highlanders there wore trews , made from their kilts, and Bonnets, as seen on the kneeling firing pose.
I believe that Exforce have plans for a set of highlanders to reflect this change in uniform.
However they will be goo additions to any Napoleonic collection.
Hopefully Ex force will do that version. Until then people can use this version despite not being historical accurate.
expeditionary force is doing something right im really intrigued and this isn’t my time period. I love the guy with the spear very dynamic pose, if romans are coming looking forward to it the only problem i have is that they can’t seem to get the size right i’ve seen some in person there ww2 wasn’t as big as i expected im still going to buy them eventually i heard someone say they were exponentially bigger then tssd. the civil war figures i saw were somewhat smaller then i expected and i don’t know if i want to buy them simply cause my tssd civil war figures are my favorite and the standard go too. Bigger is always better then smaller in my opinion i like how they are going more for more unique poses i don’t like figures looking too similar honestly might buy this set cause of how good it is i really liked the gatling guns wish they would revist ww2 and civil war in future and provide us with some really unique sets like some italian paratroops or my personal dream of getting civil war era marines in this scale
How about ACW soldiers tossing grenades !
Although I love Ancient Romans and there History there are so many Roman figures around that I would be more interested in the Romans opponents, And lets face it there are many exciting foes that Ex-Force could make including Egyptians, Spartacus, Ancient Britains, And the list goes on. So I will be looking out for these with a lot of interest. As for the size of the figures yes I agree with Don that they will probably be 60mm which is fine with me if they are a true 60mm scale. As ive mentioned on here before my preferred size of figure is 54mm but 60mm is ok. However if they are bigger than 60mm I dont buy figures that are bigger than 60mm anymore as they will not go with my collection of several thousand figures and I would have to disappointingly decline from buying them, But lets see how they turn out and I cant wait to see them.
I don’t actually know what the historically accurate Highlander Infantry uniform was at the Battle of New Orleans in 1814, other than what I read here — although it sounds like Nick Stern and Les White has researched the topic and know what they’re talking about.
But I checked You Tube to see the final Highlander assault in Cecil B. DeMille’s movie “The Buccanner”. The movie depicts the Highlander Infantry wearing the feathered bonnet ane kilts, just like the new ExForce set. If we can’t trust Cecil B. DeMille, Charleton Heston, and Yul Brynner, then who CAN we trust?! Ha Ha Ha!
So the new ExForce Highlander Infantry set, as is, will be good enough for me to use in my Battle of New Orleans toy soldier set-ups. Besides, when I use Highlander Infantry, I want to see them in KILTS, whether its Napoleonic Wars, Battle of New Orleans, 19th Centruy Afghanistan, or in the Sudan with Gordon fighting dervishes, fuzzie wuzzies, and Mahdi riflemen!
My friend went to college (I can’t remember where) on a bagpiping scholarship, believe it or not. He wears a t-shirt that states, “REAL MEN WEAR KILTS.” I think I might make a battle flag that says this, and add it to my diorama.
Where I grew up wearing a kilt could be detrimental your health.
I visited Chalmette some years back where the battle occurred; we were visiting some friends who lived there. Though the area is pretty well built up, the battlefield is (Was? This was pre-Katrina.) pretty well preserved and surprisingly compact as my understanding was the actual field wasn’t much larger than the park. But with the surrounding terrain (before “civilization” encroached) it would make sense and I think accounted for the slaughter.
The museum had illustrations and some paintings that had the Scots accurately portrayed in trews and tams. That wasn’t isolated to the BNO, either – if one looks at the uniforms of Scottish Regiments at Waterloo (Mt St. Jean is a good site) there were a couple who didn’t wear kilts or the signature bonnets.
A side note here; on our visit I discovered the ancestral mansion and home of Confederate General PGT Beauregard over looked the battlefield and was well preserved in 2001. I read somewhere it got wiped out during Katrina, but saw a recent picture of the battlefield, perhaps in a documentary, and the mansion was still there; I guess they restored it. I hope they did.
The BNO scene in “The Buccaneer” remains one of my favorite battle scenes of all time – I just wish it had been longer; but the battle was short too. You gotta love DeMille – as with his “The Ten Commandments,” perhaps the movie didn’t portray things the way they happened, but the way they SHOULD have happened?
Until they come out with “properly” uniformed highlanders I guess we’ll have to go with the kilted versions; thus perhaps perpetuating the error (as with thumbs up/down). In 1/72 scale HaT has already moved into that direction with extra heads in their Peninsular British Infantry and Command sets so one can swap heads with tams and convert standard British units into Highland regiments and paint if desired to suit.
Hopefully, one day HaT will resume their 1/32 line (not totally given up on but on the back shelf) and one of the projects tossed about at one time was doing some of their superb Peninsular Brits in larger scale. THAT would be great news to me as we might get some extra heads and be able to do the swap in 1/32 scale. I know, I’m dreaming…
Exforce has already thought through the head variations for the Napoleonic British and the Infantry body that they already produce with the bonnet head from this set will give you the correct ‘look’ for unpainted figures.
They are producing the shako with diced band and tourie for the Highland Light Infantry at Waterloo and the Penninsular Campaign, this regiment didn’t wear kilts or trews but the standard light infantry uniform with a unique shako.
Also to come the Stovepipe Shako and light infantry shako , so anything that HAT might eventually get round to, but doubtful, can be done using Exforce sets when they are fully available in 2018.
I would expect the Highlanders for New Orleans may come around the same time as the US infantry, Shawnee Indians and the like for the War of 1812.
Of course, the HAT Napoleonics were very well done, and came in at slightly less than one half the price of ExForce Napoleonics.
With less options ,more static poses, lots of marching guys and no British.
I think unfortunately HAT discontinued production of the series after making French, Belgians, Prussians, and Russians, and didn’t quite make it to the British.
But it seemed for each army that was issued, HAT ran a box of marching poses, a box of firing/attacking poses, and then a command set consisting of officers, NCOs, flagbearers, and drummers. Are you sure you exposed yourself to the full HAT line, Les?
I don’t think any reasonable person can complain on that score — that HAT only or primarily offered marching poses. It just isn’t true.
As to the poses being “static”, I think I would instead characterize the poses as the type you would expect to find in a Napoleonic battle formation, with lines of troops doing the same thing as a unit —- firing, loading, advancing, marching. After all, Napoleonic fighting formations did not resemble a Sioux Indian attack.
It’s OK if you want to prefer one company’s line over another’s. But your comments do have to be fair —- and accurate.
Don,
My comments are fair and accurate with regards to the entire HAT line from my point of view. We all have different opinions which is fine.
The price difference is simple ,HAT produced one piece figures which is a less expensive way of doing it whereas Exforce produce multi part figures which is a more expensive process but give options for creating more sets using the various parts. I do realise that HAT made couple poses with plug-in arms and that the SYW Prussians had hat options.
I didn’t buy any HAT figure sets as I don’t do a lot of Napoleonics or Ancients and their ACW stuff was terrible. They did not want to branch out into other eras so they didn’t get any of my money.
I respect that you have a different outlook.
The owner of HaT had a heart attack in the middle of the night and the ambulance took him to a hospital not in his medical plan……… So his policy refused to pay anything and he could not pay his bills to China for mold storage and the Chinese have taken over and changed the HaT name to Pacific Coast. I doubt few new sets will be made in either 1/72 or 1/32 scale.
Thanks Kent for explaining that. He is doing much better now, from what I understand.
The thing is, the guy STILL has possession of numerous masters waiting to be made and is trying to bring those into reality.
I do know he is trying to work with PCC to get the ball rolling again. I’ve been told even 1/32 sets aren’t completely out of the question, though not in the near forecast.
The problem with 1/32 scale IMO is HaT’s customer base which tends more to 1/72. A recent attempt was made to crowdfund a 1/32 scale set of Napoleonic Brits but no interest was found.
The ACW set (Zouaves) was among their first efforts – much improvement has been made since then. If you would look at their masters for 1/72 ACW marching sets they will be beautiful if they can ever get them through the pipeline.
I don’t think it’s necessary to defend one company by criticizing another company, justly or unjustly. Each has its own business model and target customer base.
HaT Napoleonics were excellent IMHO – that line didn’t do so well as the armies they produced such as Wurttemburgers, Bavarians, and the like won in their customer polls but from what I’ve heard from Stateside sellers didn’t sell that well. Their MAC Prussians have done well from what I gather.
I agree, the ExForce figures being multi-piece are superb. But the tradeoff is the price and each of us must decide whether or not the quality is worth the cost. Someone must like it as ExForce has become prolific in their output. Many of us here do not have the discretionary income to put out that much money for figures – particularly when certain subjects require large numbers of figures to use realistically.
With the original HaT format I’d buy three or four boxes of a set (such as the French Elites) to give me formations that looked reasonable for Napoleonic warfare. Add a command set, I’ve bought four boxes about 96 figures. With MAC format such as their Napoleonic Russian and Prussian Infantry series, I ended up buying one or two boxes of Marching, (32 figures); two or three boxes of the Action poses (32-48 figures); and at least one Command set (16 figures) that’s between eighty and ninety-six figures to get something that looks like a Napoleonic formation – I paid a LOT less for sixteen figures than ExForce costs for eight. There’s no way I could justify spending the money it would take to buy that many ExForce figures.
I am glad they are doing well as I think their success does improve the hobby and paves the ways for others.
Very nice !
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn’t catch them, down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.
Not the highlanders they were all lying in front of the redoubt.
The Highlanders were not “all” lying in front of the redoubt. In the face of substantial casualties, the accounts of the battle indicate they broke and ran. Completely understandable in the circumstances. Maybe not “down the Mississippi” or all the way to the “Gulf of Mexico” — But we’ve got to allow Johnny Horton a little poetic license.
Incidently Les, I’m half Scottish myself, so I certainly don’t begrudge the fighting qualities of any of the Highlander regiments, in any number of wars. But let’s stay real, and not get too caught up in our own glory.
Congratulations, you were the only one to get it.
I have to make a correction in my previous comment: The “History of the 93re Highlanders” states that while other British units at the Battle of New Orleans did in fact break and run under the American fire, the 93rd actually held firm until ordered to retreat, and then did so in good order, considering that of 960 Highlanders in the attack, there were casualties of between 300 – 500. It was only a few days later that, under orders, the surviving half of the 93rd Highlanders “departed” — “down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico”. I just can’t get either the words or that tune itself out of my mind!
That’s from a song, The Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton. ( I think)
Sure is, Ed; ‘love that song. I was just singing it to my grandkids today (to their bemusement). The lyrics paint a great picture with the words and capture the spirit of the thing. No, the Highlanders stood their ground bravely and paid a terrible price for their courage.
When one looks at the battlefield and terrain, it is understandable how it turned out to be such a bloodbath as the advancing British were “funneled” by the bayou terrain into the killing field. I don’t think there is any shame – except on the part of the commander who ordered those brave men into such a death trap.
When I did a diorama of the BNO at OTSN a few years ago, I had to school my wife, Colleen on the Horton song. Good thing, since about 2/3 of the old guys who came into our room, began singing the song (none of them realizing that we she had been hearing it all day). Back to the subject at hand – I wish I would have had these ExF figures back then.
If only I was rich, better looking and 25 again.
Highlanders also broke — and ran — at Cullodan, which you Les, being Scottish, should be well aware of. The Scots historically have made good fighters. But they’re not invincible.
The valor and bravery of highlander regimented are far above most english forces in battle were used as part of british units,they been used in many of critical battles as stoppers and w great success ,also had been defeated as any force in world,they courage as typical celt /briton descendant as above and beyond in battle ,yet english officer and army had been used then and wasted some times not all in countelles action with out regards of stupidity.Battle of Carrillon
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carillon)
Where near actual fort ticonderoga is a clear example,when u go there you find countless valor description given by French who often admire then in battle but say english officer send then to die in pile with not use at all.Run in battle often is given to mass not quite individual effort or just realizing m not make sense stand and died in vain .Soldiers at front line often vacillate when they realize they are humans and not simple mechanical tools used by high command .
I honor scottish valor above any in UK.And many important victories of UK are and should be given to scottish units at specific battle but had not been fully credited.
My thoughts.
Best.
“We fired our cannon ’til the barrel melted down.
So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.
We filled his head with cannon balls, and powdered his behind
And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind.”
The cannons would make interesting conversions – finally a use for the Captain Blood alligator.
Before this gets challenged: not sure firing an alligator like a cannon is “scientifically and historically accurate”, but, hey, it’s in the song. Maybe the ancient Phoenicians were able to shoot cannon balls out of alligators.
The XForce Highlanders are now available for purchase on the XForce site (Napoleonic section, not the 1812 section):
http://www.expeditionaryforce.com.sg/Catalogue/54-BRT-02-Highlanders,-Flank-Coy.-p-279.html
The future releases page has some new photos, including RHA and French Carabiniers.
I have just got the highlanders and British marines also the American militia they would go well as Alamo defenders and Napoleonic Spanish guerrillas. We have got every set he has made so far we always buy four boxes of each they make great add ons to our armies. So pleased with everything he has made so far looking forward to his new stuff that he is going to do. It is great he is one of the few keeping the plastic soldiers going where some of the others have ceased production of new figures all we rely on is going to the toy soldier shows to get old figures we do not have but there is not many of them to get now. Ebay is ok but people go mad with the bidding we get most of the new figures from our friend Steve Weston.
I envy you that you have every set of Expeditionary Force which has been made so far.
All things considered (price, quality of plastic, sculpting, historical accuracy, multiplicity of historical periods, etc.) I don’t think you could have any better collection of plastic figures than to acquire the whole line of Expeditionary Force.
The seats even come in high quality, very sturdy boxes which make great, already-labeled storage containers.
I wish now I had made the decision to purchase just one set a month of ExForce when they first started being produced. That would have been an affordable way of doing it. At this point, I suspect I would have the whole collection myself, rather than face such a daunting expense of trying to obtain them all as a complete set now.