Austrian Infantry on the March, 1701–1714
Strelets 1:72 Scale Figure Review
Strelets Austrian Infantry on the March offers a variety of marching Füsiliers, two thirds of whom represent marching infantry with shouldered or supported arms. The final third are advancing with their muskets on the shoulder, making them very suitable as infantry points, flank guards and rear guards of a marching formation.
Contents
52 Figures in 16 Poses – 24.5 mm equal 176 cm Height
- Officer with shouldered Sword, marching (1)
- Ensign, route step (1)
- Sergeant, Halberd on Shoulder, marching (1)
- Fifer, marching (1)
- Point, Musket on Shoulder, route step, smoking Pipe (4)
- Point, Musket on Shoulder, marching (4)
- Flanker, Musket on Shoulder, route step (4)
- Rear Guard, Musket on Shoulder, marching (4)
- Austrian Füsilier, “Shoulder Arms”, marching, looking right (4)
- Austrian Füsilier, “Shoulder Arms”, marching, looking down (4)
- Austrian Füsilier, “Shoulder Arms”, marching, looking ahead (4)
- Austrian Füsilier, “Shoulder Arms”, parading, looking right (4)
- Austrian Füsilier, “Support Arms”, marching, looking ahead (4)
- Austrian Füsilier, “Support Arms”, marching, looking down (4)
- Austrian Füsilier, “Support Arms”, route step, looking ahead (4)
- Austrian Füsilier, “Support Arms”, route step, looking down (4)
Evaluation
Excellent choice of Subject, Strelets Austrian Infantry on the March is unique in this scale.
Useful historic poses, the figures appear very lively and will make excellent marching battalions when painted. Unfortunately, there is only one sprue of four command figures for 48 Füsiliers. While marching Füsiliers may be converted to standard-bearers, the lack of officers and drummers is a serious issue for wargamers using 12- to 16-figure battalions. Clearly, Strelets needs to offer separate command sprues to address this shortcoming.
Excellent wargaming poses. Eleven of the 16 poses are marching with their left foot forward. Marching in step with one another, even if one or two actually appear to be goose-stepping rather stiffly, makes these poses perfectly suitable for close order formations where military step is maintained for better order and maneuverability on the battlefield. The other five poses, four Füsiliers and the ensign, are not in step with the rest. While they are perfectly acceptable as troops marching in route step, these poses don‘t work in close order formation with the rest, unless they are meant to represent an accident about to happen.
The four poses with muskets on the shoulder are incompatible with a formation composed of Füsiliers marching with shouldered arms and supported arms. Three of these appear to be advancing faster or more slowly than the rest, and two seem a lot more vigilant than the marching troops, which makes these figures perfect points, flankers and rear guards deployed in front, on the flanks or in the rear of a column of marching troops. In order to keep up with the column, flankers need to advance more rapidly in the rough or broken terrain they are likely to encounter on either side of a military road.
Nicely sculpted figures, they show much detail in their uniforms, cuffs, buttons, gaiters, tricornes, belts, cartridge pouches and weapons. While the four command figures display buttonhole lace on their uniforms, the Füsiliers do not, although this may easily be painted on if a particular regiment requires it.
All twelve Füsilier poses are sculpted with their socket bayonets fixed, but at least ten of them also carry a second bayonet in its scabbard. While some enthusiasts may be very happy to have the option of showing these troops with bayonets fixed or unfixed, removing 40 to 48 duplicated bayonets from the scabbard or the musket will require some effort.
Austrian infantry of the period carried a powder flask for priming powder, which has been omitted here. The water bottle, tornister or haversack are missing as well.
Mediocre casting quality. Several of the poses are slumped forward or sideways to such an extreme that they need to be straightened prior to painting. This problem may be due to premature extraction from the mould, or the unusual thickness of the sprue resulting in greater residual heat of the molten plastic material.
Noticeable mould lines and some flashing need to be removed prior to painting.
Historical Employment
- Austrian Füsiliers, 1701–1714
- Imperial Füsiliers, Army of the Holy Roman Empire, 1701–1714
Possible Conversions
- Austrian Grenadiers, wearing Bearskin Caps
- Reichsarmee Grenadiers wearing Bearskin Caps
- Reichsarmee Grenadiers wearing Mitre Caps
Strelets Austrian Infantry on the March is a must-have for wargamers and diorama builders interested in the War of Spanish Succession.