1:72 Ukrainian cossack infantry. 16 cent. Set 2

Ukrainian Cossack infantry, 16th century, 2nd set, 1:72 (Red Box)

A set of figures in 1:72 scale from the maker Red Box, the second package of the numbered line of 16th century Cossack infantry. It follows on from the first set on the same theme and scale. The practical point of the second package is to give a scene a second layer of figures.

The real subject

Cossack foot detachments in the territory of present-day Ukraine in the 16th century. The clothing followed from the period customs of the region: a belted outer coat, looser hose, a soft head covering. The armament was mixed, the protection of the body partial and not uniform.

Scale and the depth of a diorama

The second set is an opportunity to build a scene into depth instead of into width, and in 1:72 that is a noticeable difference. A small scale tempts one into spreading the figures out into one plane along the front edge of the base; the result then looks like a display case, not like a tableau. When the second group is placed a way back and partly behind a terrain feature, a slope, a fence, a cart, a space arises between the layers that the eye reads as the continuation of the scene beyond the edge of the base. The painting can help with that: keep the rear layer at a lower contrast and in a slightly cooler tone, the front one on the contrary with a more pronounced difference of light and shadow. The difference does not have to be great; at this scale a shift of one step of lightness is enough for a scene to gain depth without a single extra detail.

Who the set is for

• Modelers who already have the first set of the line and are building a larger tableau
• Builders of dioramas working with depth and several layers of figures
• Collectors of historical figures in 1:72
• Wargamers playing an early modern campaign

The figures are supplied unpainted. Paints, glue and a base are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.