Yes I think if I wanted more Crimean highlanders, I would look for any boxes of the older set.
The uniform issues (bonnet etc) to me are a bigger error than the facial hair, although big beards and moustaches were obviously part of the times then, so at least a good few of the figures should have it. I might be wrong but I think there were some poses in the older set who had just a moustache instead of a full beard.

Thinking about it, if any of you have any of the older Strelets Crimean Highlanders unpainted and still on their sprues with their box, that you dont want obviously, you might make a good profit on ebay soon!!!

Isn't it odd how facial hair defines an era? From the 1690s until the 1830s no self respecting English gentleman would have been seen dead with a beard or a moustache. Soldiers had to be clean shaven, unlike their French opponents who encouraged moustaches in elite units such as Grenadiers and Hussars (although interestingly moustaches were banned in the Horse Grenadiers of the Guard).

Beards became fashionable in the Victorian era. In the 1880s beards went out but everyone had a moustache. Moustaches got smaller in the 20th Century until John F Kennedy and Prince Philip made them unfashionable. The Napoleonic Royal Navy did not allow beards, but as with the Army the Victorian Navy allowed beards but when the Army banned beards in the 1880s the Navy continues to this day to allow them. Strangely, moustaches are not allowed in the Navy. The RAF allowed moustaches not beards until, controversially, this was changed a couple of years ago.

Thats very true, and it is indeed interesting how the different parts of the armed forces apply regulations on it over time.
I would say as well as facial hair/hairstyles, even uniforms of the past have had been influenced by fashion of the time. WSS a case in point... those curly wigs and big coats were all part of civilian society of the time.
Then you have modern military units having some form of camo pattern. The styles used between the nations is quite interesting with the various patterns used. Of course as time goes by, these camo patterns too are subject to change.

But I suppose all fashion changes over time, or makes a comeback later. I have seen some teenagers (& a few adults!) recently sporting hairstyles last seen in the 80s!!!

Not sure why everyone is in a lather over these - they are obviously Napoleonic highlanders in a firing line, and are fully accurate as such. I think the "Thin Red Line" reference is just some misdirection from Strelets.

Well, almost...not the sporrans though, and not the Enfield (?) rifled muskets either. But 90% there as Napoleonic Highlanders.

Lather? Facial hair? Shaving....subtle, but amusing.:grinning:

Well seeing as Strelets has attached the pictures of the masters of these highlanders on their "Thin Red Line" set listing on the main page, I think that actually they were meant to be Crimean.....unless there has been a huge admin foul up? As we have said, one way or another the set has been messed up.

Fully accurate for Napoleonics......get rid of the sporrans than practically yes.
With the muskets, its hard to tell whether they are meant to be the Napoleonic brown bess, or some later model, as these are not the best sculpted.

I just hopr that the other Crimean War Infantry sets that Strelets are
planning to retool are going to be better than this one.