Just back from holiday, a lovely break in Mallorca. Great to unwind with several good books.
Returned to find the postie had delivered a few packages for me. The first was a flat DHL envelope which foxed me a bit. This turned out to be three samples from Cibo's Little Dudes, a firm in Italy specialising in the Risorgimento. Neapolitans, Austrians, Piedmontese, French and Papal troops are all available including Foot, Cav and Artillery.
I received what I take to be a Papal Zouave, an Austrian Artilleryman and I think a Piedmontese Grenadier (he's got a bearskin in any case!).
The figs are chunky, fairly tall with a sculpting style that recalls the Scarab mini's WW1 range. Detail is in fairly high relief.
Size is broadly similar to Gringo40's range. However the figures are not so well sculpted and wouldn't really mix with another range. That being said I'd be happy to use them and I am particularly keen on the Papal zouaves.
The second package was a delivery from Footsore miniatures, a few packs of their 2nd Empire French. These are well sculpted and well animated. I really like these and they have an animation which suggest them moving at pace. I'd like to couple them with Perry ACW Zouaves and I think they might go with Foundry FPW cavalry and artillery. I hope however we don't have to wait too long til other figures are added to this range.
The third package was the book that got me interested in the whole thing - when I was in my early teens I found a copy of this book in Aberdeen Central Library. Patrick Turnbull's "Solferino - The Birth of a Nation" in hardback. I'm looking forward to catching up with this once more.
So a nice wee bundle of stuff. Added to this I have figs out getting painted and I have seen the lovely new Neapolitan Artillery and Picciotti from Gringo40 - this range just keeps getting better and better. I will finish my Garibaldini and Neapolitans first, then add a French force to defend Rome from the Redshirts.
