Dixon Miniatures Vikings Range

Dixon Miniatures produce a small but interesting range of Vikings. As well as the usual combat poses they also have several 'not in combat' figures. These include women and children and raiders 'liberating' stuff like a goose and a chest.

The figures are fairly tall and chunky, but crisply moulded with plenty of detail. Weapons are separate, but included, while shields are not supplied.


This first comparison photo shows, from left to right, Newline Designs, Gripping Beast plastic and Dixon.

Next up we have, from left to right, Redoubt, Artizan and Dixon

Here, from left to right, are figures from Renegade, Foundry and Dixon

And finally today, left to right, Crusader, West Wind and Dixon

Newline Designs Dark Ages Range

Newline Designs are maybe better known for their 20mm figures, but they make 28mm as well. Their Dark Ages range includes Arabs, Carolingians, Normans, Saxons and, of course, Vikings!

The figures are well proportioned and of average height for 28mm miniatures. Swords and axes are moulded in one piece with the figure, while spears and shields are separate but included in the pack. There was a small amount of flash to clean up on the examples I had and the detail is not quite as crisp as some other manufacturers. It is hard to argue with the price though. At the time of writing a pack of 24 foot figures can be had for just £20!

If you prefer metal over plastic, Newline are an excellent way to add cheap bulk to your army!


The first comparison photo shows, from left to right, Gripping Beast plastic, Redoubt, Tanatus and Newline.

Next we have a photo of, from left to right, Artizan, Foundry, Renegade and Newline.

And here is West Wind, Crusader and Newline.

Offensive Miniatures Napoleonic Range

Offensive Miniatures Napoleonic figures are listed under their "Follow the Drum" range on their website. At the moment they are focusing on the Peninsular War and have British, French, Polish and Spanish lines.

The figures are cleanly cast with no flash on the examples that I had. The detail is nicely raised which makes painting easy, even for someone as cack-handed as me! Size wise these figures seem to fit in the middle of the 28mm spread, both in term of height and heft. All in all, a safe bet if you want to add a bit of manufacturer variety to your army!


This first comparison photo shows, from left to right, Offensive, Alban and Perry.

This comparison shot shows, from left to right, Offensive, Warlord and Victrix. The plastic figures are both noticeably larger!

Painted figures from Offensive Miniatures and Alban Miniatures.

A comparison photo showing three Offensive Miniatures on the left and three Alban Miniatures on the right.

Painted figures from Offensive Miniatures and Perry Miniatures.

A comparison shot showing three Offensive Miniatures on the left and three Perry Miniatures on the right.

Painted figures from Offensive Miniatures and Warlord Games.

Here is a comparison photo showing three Offensive Miniatures figures on the left and three, considerably larger, Warlord Games figures on the right.

Painted figures from Offensive Miniatures and Victrix.

Here is a photo comparing three Offensive Miniatures figures on the left with three Victrix figures on the right. As you can see, the Victrix figures are considerably larger.

Alban Miniatures

Alban Miniatures produce a small but expanding range of Napoleonic Wars figures. At the moment Light Infantry feature prominently, making these figures very good for skirmish gaming.

The castings are very good indeed, with almost no flash, good detail and excellent poses. The anatomical proportions are also much more lifelike than many wargames miniatures. The downside of this is that the Alban figures are smaller than those made by a lot of popular manufacturers. How well they mix is down to personal preference. I'd happily use them on the same table but others may be more picky!


Here is a comparison photo showing, from left to right, Alban, Perry, Victrix and Warlord figures.

Painted Alban Miniatures and Warlord Games figures.

This comparison photo shows three Alban Miniatures figures on the left and three Warlord Games figures on the right.

Painted Alban Miniatures and Victrix figures.

This is a photo comparing three Alban Miniatures figures on the left with three Victrix figures on the right.