American Civil War
Hobby Lobby 1:32 Scale Toy Soldier Review
Hobby Lobby‘s American Civil War Value Pack offers a random selection of Union and Confederate toy soldiers, infantrymen and gunners, plus two mounted officers, two guns, and two limbers.
Contents
34 Figures in 14 to 16 random Poses – 54 mm height equals 173 cm
- Confederate Officer, Frock Coat and Hat, mounted
- Color-Bearer with Confederate Battle Flag, advancing
- Confederate Infantryman, “Right Shoulder Shift – Arms!”, marching
- Confederate Infantryman, “Port – Arms!”, advancing
- Confederate Infantryman, levelled bayonet, advancing
- Confederate Infantryman, levelled bayonet, running
- Confederate Infantryman, kneeling, firing
- Confederate Gunner with Sponge and Rammer, standing
- Union Officer, Frock Coat and Kepi, mounted
- Color-Bearer with Union National Colors, running
- Union Infantryman, “Shoulder – Arms!”, marching
- Union Infantryman, “Port – Arms!”, advancing
- Union Infantryman, “left Shoulder Shift – Arms!”, running
- Union Infantryman, levelled bayonet, standing
- Union Infantryman, standing, firing
- Union Gunner with Bucket, advancing
- Horse, saddled, black (2)
- 12-pounder Napoleon gun-howitzer M1857, brown
- 12-pounder Napoleon gun-howitzer M1857, green
- Limber, brown
- Limber, green
Evaluation
Good choice of subject, Hobby Lobby‘s American Civil War Value Pack offers a nice selection of Union and Confederate infantrymen, gunners, guns, limbers, and officer‘s horses at less than 18 cents per miniature.
Acceptable detail, folds in the clothing, cartridge boxes, canteens, straps, and muskets are well enough defined and easy to paint.
The Confederate Battle Flag and Union National Colors in this set are nicely sculpted, and will be easy to paint, but both are mounted on a pike without spearpoint finial. The Confederate flag is of the correct size for an infantry flag, but the Union colors are sculpted at only two thirds of their actual size.
While the Union troops appear to be more accurately designed, every single pose is marred by strangely chevron-shaped folds at the shoulders. These chevrons may make painting a corporal so much easier, but not every soldier in the Union army was a corporal, least of all the mounted officer, who also wears Confederate rank markings on his sleeves. The Union poses in this set may be painted as Confederate troops, and vice versa.
The Confederate figures are wearing a rather expensive, double-breasted dress uniform with Brandenburg cuffs and jackboots, instead of a more cheaply produced frock coat or shell jacket and shoes. One wonders if these figures might have been German troops of the Franco-Prussian War at some point in the sculpting process, only to be converted to Confederates later. While these Confederate poses may be painted as Union troops as well, the hats are relatively small and less attractive than the kepis in this figure set.
The Union poses are portrayed in fighting order, but the Confederate figures are wearing full packs, which would have been quickly discarded on campaign. It was much more practical to carry personal gear inside a blanket-roll worn across one shoulder.
Good value for money. Wargamers may want to use these American Civil War troops to field large armies at very little cost, but prices may be trumped up in 2025, as punitive import taxes (tariffs) are levied on toy soldiers and other goods Made in China for the US consumer market.
The 12-pounder Napoleon gun-howitzer M1857 is a nice model, even if there are only twelve flimsy spokes per wheel, when there should be 14. The limber, too, is nice to have, but limber horses need to scrounged or converted from another 1:32 scale figure set.
Acceptable casting quality. While there is little flash and minimal mould lines, prominent ejector pin marks – one on the back of each boot, and a third on the hat or kepi – need to be removed prior to painting.
Compatible with Accurate Figures, Chintoys, IMEX, Italeri.
Historical Employment
- Union Infantry, 1861–1865
- Confederate Infantry, 1861–1865
Possible Conversions
- German Infantry of the Franco-Prussian War
Hobby Lobby‘s American Civil War troops are perfect recruits for a large Union or Confederate army, even if they are only good enough for the second rank of a formation.