AWI (American War of Independence) miniatures are used in AWI wargames, role-playing games and dioramas.
Miniatures come in a variety of scales, from as big as 54mm to as small as 2mm. The 25/28mm miniatures are the most common for wargaming but smaller scales of 2mm, 6mm, 10mm and 15mm are often used for large mass-combat wargames. Miniatures larger than 28mm are often used as toy soldiers.
Traditionally, miniatures are cast in white metal, which is an alloy of lead and tin. Yet, many American miniatures manufacturers now use non-lead alloys, due to a series of lawsuits over the safety of using lead in the figures. Some miniatures are also made out of plastic to make them more affordable.
The following is a list of the best AWI or Revolutionary War miniatures:
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28mm AWI Miniatures:
Perry Miniatures are considered some of the best miniatures in the industry. These plastic 28mm Continental Infantry miniatures by Perry Miniatures come in a box of 38 figures with the option of four to six command figures and up to four riflemen. Flags, unit bases, a drummer and two sergeant arms are also included.
The figures are unpainted and come with a full painting guide. The soldiers are wearing Continental uniforms and come with three different types of headgear: the cocked hat, the short-brimmed round hat and a peaked cap.
These plastic 28mm British Infantry miniatures by Perry Miniatures come in a box of 38 figures which include two casualties. Flags and unit bases are also included.
The figures are not painted, require some assembly and come with a full painting guide. The soldiers are wearing British Infantry uniforms and come with three different types of headgear: the cocked hat, the un-cocked hat or broad brimmed hat.
These plastic 28mm British Infantry Regiment miniatures by Warlord Games come in a box of 30 figures which include 24 musketeers including command group of two officers, drummer, Sergeant and two ensigns and six light infantry soldiers.
The figures are unpainted, require some assembly and come with a 4-page background guide. Glue and paints not included.
In addition to these figures, the Black Powder American War of Independence line also sells a British Starter Army set that comes with 140 28mm British army figures and a smaller British Infantry Brigade set.
These plastic 28mm Continental Infantry Regiment miniatures by Warlord Games come in a box of 30 figures which include 24 musketeers including command group of two officers, drummer, Sergeant and two ensigns and six light infantry soldiers.
The figures are unpainted, require some assembly and come with a 4-page background guide. Glue and paints not included.
In addition to these figures, the Black Powder American War of Independence line also has a Continental Starter Army set that comes with 140 28mm Continental army figures as well as a smaller Colonial Militia set, a Hessian Regiment set, a Woodland Indian Tribes set and a Field Artillery and Army Commanders set.
15mm AWI Miniatures:
These 15mm Blue Moon AWI Miniatures aren’t “true” 15mm because they are actually slighter larger, coming in at 18mm.
The company has an expansive AWI miniatures line though with a variety of military units such as American militia, American dragoons as well as British, French and American infantry, artillery and riflemen units and a series of Saratoga British infantry and artillery units.
The units range from six to 30 figures in a pack and are priced accordingly. The figures are made out of metal and are unpainted.
Stone Mountain Miniatures has a line of 15mm AWI Infantry, 15mm AWI artillery, cavalry, & command, and 15mm AWI Army Packs & Single Figures. The figures are made out of metal and are unpainted.
Peter Pig is a British company that has a line of 15mm AWI miniatures such as boxed 15mm British and Continental AWI armies as well as small sets of British, American and French infantry, dragoons, generals, artillery, militia, etc and regiments of Hessians and Indians. The figures are made out of metal and are unpainted.
Essex Miniatures is a British company that has a line of 15mm AWi miniatures that includes American, British and German AWI figures. They don’t sell any large boxed armies, mostly just sets of three to eight figures. The figures are made of metal, which contains lead, and are unpainted.
10mm AWI Miniatures:
Pendraken Miniatures is a British company that has a line of 10mm AWI miniatures that includes American, British, German, and French AWI figures. The figures come in sets of 3 to 30 figures. The figures are made out of metal and are unpainted.
Old Glory Miniatures is an American company that has a line of 10mm AWI miniatures that includes American, British and Indian AWI figures. The figures come in sets of six to 50 figures. The figures are made out of metal and are unpainted.
Lancer Miniatures is a British company that sells a line of 10mm British AWI figures. The figures comes in sets of three to four figures. The figures are made out of metal and are unpainted.
6mm AWI Miniatures:
Baccus is a British company that has a line of 6mm AWI miniatures that includes British, Rebel, French, Loyalist, German and Indian figures. The figures come in packs of 4-96 figures. The figures are made out of metal and are unpainted. The site offers free pdf painting guides for each army.
Adler is a British company that has a line of 6mm British and American AWI figures. Each infantry pack contains 32 infantry, command packs contain 4 strips (usually of 4 figures each) and mounted officer and cavalry packs contain 8 figures. The figures are made out of metal and are unpainted.
In addition, If you’re looking for larger-scale miniatures to use as toy soldiers, check out the following article Revolutionary War toy soldiers.
Sources:
“Wargamers Guide to the AWI.” PBworks, wawi.pbworks.com/w/page/8555938/Websites
“2mm, 3mm, or 6mm. Help!” The Miniatures Page, 16 Mar. 2017, theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=449103
“Best 15mm AWI Figures?” The Miniatures Page, 3 Dec. 2015, theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=405151
“American War of Independence: British Infantry Regiment.” Warlord Games, us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/american-war-of-independence-1776-1783/products/british-infantry-regiment
“AW 200 American War of Independence British Infantry 1775-1783.” Perry Miniatures, www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?products_id=2832
“AW 250 American War of Independence Continental Infantry 1776-1783.” Perry Miniatures, www.perry-miniatures.com/product_info.php?products_id=3050
Bruce, Andrew. “Useful Wargaming Manufacturers.” 10mm Wargaming, 8 Dec. 2009, www.10mm-wargaming.com/2014/12/useful-wargaming-manufacturers.html
Powers, Jack. “American Revolutionary War Minis.” BoardGameGeek, Boardgamegeek LLC, 30 April. 2012, boardgamegeek.com/thread/797394/american-revolutionary-war-minis
Our new BrigadeGames.com AWI range (first 18 packs are released), sculpted by Paul Hicks.