Brits & Boxers Review

Although we did cover these in anticipatory enthusiasm when they were first announced, we’ve had the chance to actually get out mitts on some of the latest releases from Wargames Atlantic for a proper ‘opening the box’ review. So here come the British Bulldogs and the Boxers.

Dealing with them in reverse order, the Boxers – at £25 a set – are finely sculpted and, with six sprues in the box making 30 figures, work out at less than a quid each (and cheaper if you buy them en masse). Set in the 1899 period, these figures are perfect as Chinese for the new Caliver rules (reviewed on the next page.) This box can be used for other periods like the Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, the First Sino-Japanese War, and into the 20th century. Fourteen different heads with a selection of hats and helmets (including one of the Tigerman jobs with ears) come in the set. There are pigtails/queue to add to the heads which can be fiddled with for animation. There are a variety of arm selections with weapons including spears, a trident, two bolt action rifles and a Mauser C96 style pistol. These are, as I’ve said, absolutely ideal for the Chris Swan and couldn’t have turned up a a better time. Height wise they are about 30mm tall and what I would describe as ‘moderately proportionate’ with good detail. Each figure as a small, oval base moulded onto the feet and all torsos are one-piece, minus the arms and head.

The Bulldogs are another thing all together. The ‘Colonial British Infantry in space’ models are designed for the Wargames Atlantic Deathfields range and are slightly more ‘heroic’ in stature than their historicals. I painted some quickly using Army Painter Speedpaints and they go together very well. I wanted to use some as fairly low-tech/historical options so I didn’t feature too many ‘ray guns’ but the 24 figures on the sprues do come with lots of weapon choices: light machine guns, assault rifles, plasma and flame weapons, grenade launchers, and pistols. There are also four headgear choices with a Brodie style WWI helmet, a Foreign Service ‘Pith’ helmet (with and without the obligatory gas mask), berets and officer style caps... there’s 37 head choices in total plus a couple of field packs and the odd cutlass. The torsos – split at the waist to give options with the legs (five standing and one crouching set) all sport shoulder armour and the knees all have pads which is really the main thing that makes the uniforms look overtly non-historical.

Let’s be straight forward here, these figures are really going to appeal to fans of the long out of production GW Praetorian Guard which are only available as expensive resin from Forgeworld or independents like Victoria Miniatures or maybe on eBay as old ‘pre-loved’ models (or some that might have ‘accidentally’ fallen into a mould...). And that’s all fine and dandy except for the expense of all of those. Even the Victoria Miniatures models in resin – nice as they are – are five times the price of these figures from Wargames Atlantic. Let’s not even talk about the eBay route.

When assembled the figures are maybe 33mm tall and – if I was inclined to put them on a thick slot base and measure to another point on them (like the top of their helmets or their eyes...) that would be ‘bigger’, so they’ll fit in well with their forebears as well as the rest of their Deathfields compatriots.

Personally , I thought I’d use them as figures for a Wellsian ‘Space 1899’ game: I can just see them fighting off hoards of ravening Martians: “farsands of ‘em”.

Highly recommended.

Looking for more?

Find reviews, news, and features in Tabletop Gaming Magazine, which is home to all of the latest and greatest tabletop goodness. Whether you're a board gamer, card gamer, wargamer, RPG player or all of the above, find your copy here.

Get your magazine here

Read More... 

A game that hooked a thousand gamers, it's 40 years of Fighting Fantasy! We take a look back at some of the titles and that changed a generation of gaming, and how it became the behemoth it remains.

40 Years of Fighting Fantasy

Sign up to be in the know

Be the first to hear about the things we're excited about, whether that's new games and launches, our own magazine, gaming news and interviews or a few surprises, you'll be the first we tell if you sign up to our newsletter.

Sign up here

Treat Yourself! 

Have you visited our game store? We have everything from mystery boxes, to games and accessories, so you're bound to find your newest favourite. Head over there now to claim it for yourself!

Visit the Game Store

Sometimes we may include links to online retailers, from which we might receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate links do not influence editorial coverage and will only be used when covering relevant products