The errors, missing bayonets on these guys , hats on the Scots is frustrating , more so because they are on Brits and Brits of any era are on my to buy list, but I will be giving them careful thought before buying ,one box of the waterloo brits will probably be bought to see if I can satisfactorily fit bayonets .

I guess just about everything that can be said about this set has been said. But essentially, this looks like a set that could have been 'great' but is not, simply because of a few errors that could have been fixed easily at the prototyping stage: basically, bayonets (lack of), headgear and (probably) muskets.

But to my mind there is also something wrong about some of these poses. Several of them look to me like men firing shotguns, and this is perhaps because the barrel lengths are a little too short for what should be a long (42 inch barrel) Brown Bess musket. Muskets pointing downwards don't look right either, when the correct drill position for cocking the musket was upright, with the weapon then being brought down to a level aim at the target.

It's frustrating because very good information about the prescribed poses involved in loading and firing, applicable to British Infantry of the period, is readily available: You need look no further than the excellent book in the Osprey series by Stuart Reid and Richard Hook titled 'British Redcoat', which has a series of well-executed photographs showing the whole loading and firing sequence from beginning to end. Whilst this book focuses on the second half of the 18th century, the drill positions for line infantry remained pretty much the same into the Napoleonic era.

Definitely a set for a slight but important re-design as soon as possible, please.

Mark, you sum up what I think perfectly.
Its not just the forage caps, weird looking muskets & not having fixed bayonets that is wrong, the whole "feel" of the set is off.
It just doesn't look like it will form a really good, realistic firing line. Far more at home on the moorlands during Grouse season I would say!!!

As for seeing the set getting redesigned.....yes please!! Absolutely!!!!
I would indeed love for that to happen, BUT.....I don't think it will.

Ah well Roger, maybe there will be a consolation prize in the following two sets:

1: British Infantry in Defence: Designed to model a square, a mix of standing and kneeling poses, plus a few more casualties, a command sprue with a decent standing officer firing a pistol, a sergeant 'persuading' the ranks to close up, an heroic colour bearer ("think of England !!") and a bare-headed drummer. All ranks with fixed bayonets and Belgic shakos.

2: British Riflemen in Skirmish order: A mix of poses, firing, loading, advancing, running, and a command sprue with bugler, sergeant and...bareheaded officer with slung rifle and cavalry sabre...:grinning:


Over to you, Strelets!!:relaxed:

I don't think Strelets will change this set but if enough people buy it then they might release British firing part two with the the wish lists corrected.:laughing:

😂 😂
Steve... I like your sense of hope!!
But there is a little flaw in your reasoning!
If enough people buy it....why would Strelets see a need for a set no.2?! The set would of been a success in that case!!!

Whether that is likely.....who knows?! All I know is I was intending on buying several boxes of such a set, only to now want just the 1 box (well.. under half a box actually!)

Nope, I would much rather set no.1 was done properly to start with than wait for a unlikely set no.2!!!

I wouldn't bet on any kind of retooling unless the mould would be damaged or something. This isn't a high profit business and they'd have to pay the sculptor again and make a new mould. And as they've shown the sprue it's safe to assume that production is already under way. Let's just hope that it doesn't generate a big net loss and call it a day.

Very true, it isnt a high profit business. Which perhaps makes it all the more important to do a good job to start with! But yes I do find it extremely unlikely the set will be redone or a 2nd set made. Really disappointing and what with other issues occuring, Strelets is starting to taint the regard I held them in.

If Strelets were to make big losses on any sets due to a lack of research, poor design decisions, poor sculpting or simply trying to rush sets out to meet demand because they have overstretched themselves, its their own fault really, and if their reputation suffers with it, again thats on them. The WSS range, is perhaps their saving grace at the moment.
I suppose its like this....if I did a bad job of keeping the grounds of a country estate neat & tidy, not once but a few times, I wouldn't of expected to get a pay rise. Far from it!!

Lets hope we do indeed see an end to these various problems occuring, but going by recent masters, I think there will be more to come, at least from this sculptor or set designer. How bad? We will see.

The majority of the issues seem to be around some Napoleonic sets. I think there haven't been any mayor complaints about WoSS (except perhaps the pikemen and the short French muskets in one set) or the Foreign Legion, Arabs, WWI or WWII sets, so there's still a large proportion of sets which are fine. No idea what may be the reason behind the issues with the Napoleonics but they should look into it, it's nothing that cannot be resolved with some better advance planning and supervision.
Just an idea: Rename the present set "British infantry in defense" show them firing from behind windows or walls at Hougoumont on the box and you have a selling argument ... :sunglasses: And if you follow up give me a job at marketing :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Changing the name to something like "British at Hougoumont" or "in defense", still wouldnt change the awful muskets, or the fact that if at Hougoumont, there are definitely far too many forage caps on show for the foot guards!! Not to mention I still think they would of had bayonets fixed, at the very least for defending the wall. There are poses which just dont look right in any setting (apart from on a Pheasant shoot!).
Besides, I thought it was the light companys from the foot guards that held Hougoumont? In which case these figures have no shoulder wings. Nope, its just a poorly done set sadly.

Yes, it does seem to be the Napoleonic sets currently most effected, although the new Crimean Highlanders hasn't got that era off to a great start either, if a revisit to it is on the cards.
On the whole though, from what I can tell, the much later eras are better. The WW1 French Field Kitchen is certainly a very novel idea and a well executed set.
A reminder that Strelets can produce a great set when they put the effort in, thus making the issues with the other sets even more annoying!!

I can only hope that the French & Prussians for 1813-1815 have much, much better & accurate firing lines, if they are in the pipeline that is.

Oh well, these "Crimean" Highlanders look so very Napoleonic (apart from the sporrans) that I just counted them among as such ... and there's that.
And yes, it was the Light Companies of the Guards inside Hougoumont proper. Other companies were sent to the orchard later.

I had to look three times before I posted this and, maybe it's because I am a retired teacher who is obsessive about spelling, but.....does that new box for Thin Red Line say Thing Red Line?

It does.

😂😂 yes it does!! So don't worry, your eyes are not playing tricks on you!!

To my mind, the latest strelets production is a bit like viewing the brilliance of the Mona Lisa, but wearing a big red nose. I can’t fault the crisp sculpting, the regular issue of new figures and the pioneering of new eras, but the errors ………