Some impressions: Strelets Brits'n Scots

Hello and all the best wishes for 2018 to you all!

Today I want to show you what keeps me busy at the moment so that my posting ratio has plummeted to the bottom.
It's the new Strelets British line infantry (on the march) and the Highland infantry (standing at ease). I bought both sets to try them out and see if the new generation of Strelets figures is really that nice as it looked on the web.

Trooper, modified to US infantry for the war of 1812

One thing is for sure: the figures have improved a lot. Some years ago, Strelets figures had a bad reputation among many miniature painters. They often lacked correct proportions and moulding quality often wasn't that good, resulting in figures that had 'unequal' sides. When I bought their knights, I often ended up with rather goblinesque or two-face-like miniatures. Every set contained a handful of rather useless figs. But that's not the case with these chaps here. Sculpting quality has improved hell of a lot - these Brits look better then many other plastic figures on the market.

This uniform represents the 16th line infantry regiment

I mainly bought the British infantry to convert them into various US infantry uniforms for the war of 1812. It's easy because the uniforms are generally the same - cut off the epaulettes, reshape the shako plate and cords a bit and there you go. Backpacks can be converted to the blue overcoat version, but mustn't. All that easy. And the uniforms contain a wide range of grey, black, brown and blue. Nice.

Here's another conversion for the war of 1812

It's a trooper of the 15th US line infantry regiment

The only issue I have with those figures, are the muskets. In some cases, they look a bit arquebus-style. That's were Strelets still have to learn a bit - make them guns a bit more slender and everything is fine.

A trooper of the 78th Highland Regiment

Called the "Ross Shire Buffs", the regiments companies fought in various war theatres

The Scots, in fact, are a challenge of their own. The figures - again with the musket issue, but in lesser numbers, are quite splendid. I like that modelling very much. But all these tartans... I mean - it's dozens of figures in tartans. It'll take me a real long time to finish all of these buddies. This one here is complete, 14 others are on 70%, but the rest isn't even primed...
...any condolences? No? Blimey....

You can use that regiment for Egypt, Walcheren, Java and - as far as I know it - Waterloo

Whatever. It's fun painting them and hopefully, I'll live long enought to get them finished, so what?

Happy new painting year, friends!