The Assault Group: Miniatures Review

It’s long past time that I wrote about The Assault Group. Based in Nottingham, this miniature manufacturer specialises in white metal models. That’s all they do, and they do it well. The Assault Group’s catalogue spans a wide range of historical periods: from mounted Samurai and Aztec Priests to Tudor Knights, WWII soldiers and present day US Marines. Besides this, they stock a charming range of fantasy miniatures such as halflings (that ride chickens!) dwarfs, hobgoblins and more.

Material:White metal
Ranges:Fantasy: Dwarfs / Humans / Halflings / Hobgoblins / Undead
Historical: Medieval Asia / 14th – 17th Century / Vietnam 1960s / WWII / Modern
Livestock & Animals
Vehicles
Parts & Equipment

Typical Cost:Heroes: approx £2.50/£3 per model
Infantry: £1.50 – £2.25 per model
Cavalry: approx £4 per model
Websitetheassaultgroup.co.uk

To my eye The Assault Group are the gold standard for quality, characterful metal minis. They are hand-sculpted, weighty and detailed, all for a reasonable price. For my hobby, The Assault Group make excellent Dogs of War, standing in dutifully for their eye-wateringly expensive originals.

Overlooking me as I write are Italian crossbowmen as Marksmen of Miragliano, Landsknecht Halberdiers as Paymaster’s Bodyguard, Cossack Fighters as Duellists, and Edmund Blackadder as my cunning Paymaster.

The Assault Group halberdiers
Above: Landschneckt pikemen converted to Tilean Halberdiers

Hand Sculpted Heaven

Like the miniatures of my childhood, The Assault Group models are hand sculpted. While CAD design offers hyper-precision edges, there’s something undeniably magical about a tiny soldier crafted by human hands.

Hand sculpted miniatures invite us into a world of boundless imagination, where the artisan’s unique vision breathed life into a ball of putty. Each figure bears the mark of its creator, telling a story that connects us with the rich history of our hobby. With every brush mark and thumbprint we’re transported to the sculptor’s own experience hunched over the work desk. And as we splash colour onto their work, we gladly take that baton one step closer to the tabletop.

Scale

Scalewise, Assault Group minis are a decent 28mm: not as thin or tall as Perry Miniatures, nor as squat and heroic as some herohammer models. Here are some comparisons for scale:

The Assault Group, Perry Miniatures & Games Workshop 28mm comparison
Left to right: Perry Miniatures, The Assault Group, 90s Games Workshop

As you can see they fit nicely alongside models from other ranges. This includes their built-in base support, which I have cleverly hidden with flock and coffee grounds.

Assembly

Very little, I’m pleased to say. Infantry models come as one lump of metal, each blister containing a range of poses so the unit looks varied. The most I’ve had to assemble is sticking weapons to hands. Easy peasy.

As for casting, the quality is excellent. There’s very little to scrape off, and the details are nice and sharp. It’s a shame that unprimed, unpainted metal photographs so poorly; the photos on the Assault Group’s website do not do it justice. If you’d like to see them in glorious colour, there is a detailed members’ gallery to browse.

The Assault Group miniatures Italian crossbowmen
Above: Italian crossbowmen after priming. Assembly simply required glueing their crossbows.

Cost

Prices range from £2.50/£3 for heroes and £4 for cavalry. The Assault Group offer batch discounts if you are building a unit: 24 pikemen, for example, amount to around £1.50 per model. Even for plastic models this is competitive, and compared with the sky high prices you’d see on eBay, it’s a veritable bargain!

Conclusion

Merchants like The Assault Group support the creative community of talented artists and sculptors who pour their hearts and souls into their work. By choosing these unique, handcrafted gems, we’re not only enriching our games, but also fostering the passion that drives our vibrant hobby. Long may their figures roam the tabletop.

Diceni Norwich Kett's Rebellion diorama
Above: At Diceni 2023, TAG miniatures were used in a diorama of Kett’s Rebellion, Norwich

2 judgments on “The Assault Group: Miniatures Review”

  1. fantastic Work and review! A great representation of the old Tilean faction. Perhaps one day you can bring the the Alcatani Felloship back XD I recently purchased their far east WW2 minis for my Australian Bolt Action force, and I love them!

    Quick question for you, how did you get your white paint so crisp? I always fail to accomplish such a clean color!

    Reply
    • Thanks Nic! Also to add that the owner at TAG is a great chap; I met him at an expo last year and his enthusiasm is infectious. I’d recommend checking out their Facebook group in case he puts up a stand near you.

      Re: white… none of that is ‘brushed on’. I tend to prime my models grey, then give them a spray from above of the brightest white paint I can (currently GW White Scar). I then shade it black, and lift the brightness back up with a white drybrush. The challenge is then painting the rest of the model while leaving the white parts unspoilt!

      Thanks for the comment!

      Reply

Leave a Comment