A message on The Miniatures Page asked about the old and new Russian Napoleonic sculpts from Baccus and it just so happens I had recently painted both, but had not put up pictures of the new sculpts. As shown in the pictures below, the new sculpts are on the left and the old to the right.
As you can see, the old plumes on the grenadiers are "weedy" and weak, while the new ones are much more solid. Although the old sculpts may actually be more to scale, it is the effect you are after and they need to be stiff enough not to bend so easily. (Once they get that small, bending them straight without breaking them is exceedingly hard.) Also, the muskets and bayonets are much more solid, if exaggerated a bit.
What is most noticeable between the two sculpts are the lower legs and the "texturing" on the base. The old sculpts make painting the trousers more difficult and sometimes looks like flash (see the second figure from the right on the right stand).
For the most part, the details cast on the figure do not get in the way. The shako cords on the left side can easily be picked out with a paint brush, as can the pack strap on the shoulder.
As shown in the figure above, the faces are detailed enough that you can pick out the cheeks and nose, leaving the underlying black primer as shadows and a moustache.
All in all, the new sculpts are what brought me back to 6mm, as they are easier to paint and the end result looks much nicer. I cannot wait for the French to be re-sculpted, although I will have to, as the Austrians are getting the treatment first, according to the news on the Baccus site.
By the way, the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 line is excellent too. I particularly am impressed with the Bavarians.
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