Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Miniatures Review 5: 25mm Dixon Samurai

Dixon Miniatures28mm Samurai of the Age of War

Next miniatures review is more historical figures with Dixon Miniatures Samurai. Dixon's figures tend to be chunkily built with pretty clean moulding with minimal flash and come out as 25mm foot to eye, so about 28mm foot to top of head. The samurai range show good modelling of the characteristic Japanese lacquered armour with a lot of detail that can be picked out when painted. My figures at the moment are only undercoated, but I think that makes the detail more apparent than if they still in the natural metal.

From my references, mainly Osprey's Samurai books, but also viewing actual Japanese suits of armour and weapons at the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum they appear to be very accurate in depicting the weapons, armour and dress of Japanese Samurai and Ashigaru in the Momoyama Period.

The cannon is cast in 3 parts with a crew of a samurai commander and 2 ashigaru. Most of the figures are cast with separate weapons such as yari (spears), arquebuses or naginata (ahlberd) with a hole in the back of the waistband to accommodate a separate sashimono (back banner) though this is easy to fill if you do not want that particular figure to wear one.


Samurai figures - 25-152a, FS01, 25-138, 25-134b, 25-131a, FS05,25-130a

These represent fairly typical samurai warriors with a variety of weapons, including the asymmetric Japanese bow and the uncommon musket. Most of these figures have a hole moulded in the back to fit a Sashimono banner which Dixon sell separately.


Bandit and Ronin figures -BA1, 25-86,25-139a. The first ronin figure matches one of the plates in the Osprey Samurai Armies 1550-1615 book.


Front view of cannon and crew SEG1. The samurai commander with war fan and ashigaru with rammer have holes moulded for a sashimono back banner to be added if desired, these are shown attached, but as the figures have not been glued to the base their posture is a little off place.


Side view of cannon and crew


Ashigaru -25-83a (yari not attached), 25-147, 25-143, 25-140a.

These figures wear the jingasa hat characteristic of Ashigaru troops and partial armour, I need to add quite a few of these to my collection to reflect the actual composition of armies in this period. The only one of these without a hole to attach a sashimono is the figure marching with yari whose jingasa is on his back.

 References used:

Samurai Armies 1550-1615 (Men-at-Arms)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This models are good.I have some of them and from perry miniatures.

Dave said...

When I look at expanding my collection I may add some Perry Miniatures as they should be compatible on size and style.

/*