Baccus V Baccus, Review of the French Horse Part One

Regular followers will most likely know my views on figure reviews, they are only as good as the paint you have put on them. Whilst a good close look at unpainted figures will give you enough for a quick review it's just such a small part of the story. Far more important is how they paint up and what they look like after getting that paint job that really counts. Even so what follows is one of those quick reviews but one I hope that will offer that little bit more.

With Baccus I think most people fit into two categories with the cavalry. Those that are happy with them and would continue to buy them over any other any day of the week. The other group are somewhat more split, they are the ones that really like Baccus but feel that the horse itself is the Kryptonite to that Super Range. Though some grumble but continue to buy said horse whilst others buy the infantry guns etc. from Baccus whilst buying the Adler Cavalry. I have a mixed collection for my French though I do have a few regiments of unpainted Adler but plenty of Baccus all painted up. Today I want to take a look at the size of all the figures and apologies for quality of image, I really need to get a new camera as it does not like the close shots any more.

On the left you see an original Baccus Currassier with the new casting beside him. It's fairly obvious the new figure is larger though the image makes him look a little larger as he is tilted a bit. There is also another reason for this as well. You see whilst in the past all cavalry were the same height Peter now has the Currassier mount as a larger model than all the other cavalry and given the modest Chassar is bigger than the old cavalry you can see that the new figure towers above the old.

I don't think the size difference once on the table will be a major issue. I have played with both Adler and Baccus on the table at the same time and it's not smack you in the face obvious their is a size difference. However I can't say for certain until I have painted and based them up but I am quite confident their will not be an issue. 

Here we have the Baccus Currassier alongside the Adler Prussian Hussar and as can be seen the Adler is that bit larger than the Baccus figure. Good news for the owner of so many Adler cavalry as they are certainly close enough to take the table together without any worries at all. I think if you wanted you could get away with basing both on the same base though personally I do not plan to do this. 

Side on the Adler looks quite a bit bigger than the Baccus which is a half truth as the Baccus is behind the Adler. The Adler are longer as they are stretched out in a charge where the new Baccus are more of a trot, a vast improvement on the standing pose of the past. Anyway I am not actually comparing the detail of the two castings just the ability to mix them on the table.

Looking for problems I have to say I don't see any at the moment. The new figures look to work with the old as well as being a good fit with the Adler so I am thinking that no matter which category you may fit in the new Baccus cavalry will do you just fine with regards to size. So a big plus for that Mr. Berry fellow.

I can't resist a quick comment on the figures themselves at this point. It's hard to not like the new figures, the detail is crisp and in all four types of cavalry, improvements have been made. Clearly it's not just a straight recast job. A quick point on the trotting horses, the heavier horse are trotting whilst the lighter horse has the look of galloping. 

Look towards the end of the week when I hope to have some of the bases painted up.