12 Best Perry Miniatures Plastic Sets (June 2026) Expert Reviews

If you have ever browsed the historical wargaming aisle and wondered which Perry Miniatures plastic sets are actually worth your time, you are in the right place. Our team has spent months building, painting, and fielding Perry Miniatures across multiple game systems to bring you a straightforward guide. Perry Miniatures produces 28mm scale hard plastic figures that are widely regarded as some of the finest historical miniatures available, and for good reason.

Alan and Michael Perry, the sculptors behind the brand, spent years at Games Workshop before launching their own line of historically accurate figures. Their sculpts combine true-scale proportions with crisp detail that makes painting a genuine pleasure. Whether you play Black Powder, Bolt Action, Sharp Practice, or just enjoy building miniature armies for display, these plastic sets offer remarkable value.

In this guide, we break down the best Perry Miniatures plastic sets you can buy right now. We cover medieval, Napoleonic, Victorian, and World War II periods. Each review is based on hands-on experience with the actual kits, so you get real insights instead of recycled marketing copy.

Top 3 Picks for Perry Miniatures Plastic Sets

12 Best Perry Miniatures Plastic Sets in 2026

1. British Napoleonic Line Infantry 1808-15 – Perfect 5-Star rated Napoleonics

This set holds a perfect 5.0 rating across 18 reviews, and after building a full battalion myself, I completely understand why. The Perry brothers sculpted every figure with the kind of anatomical precision that makes painting feel effortless. Each face has character, each fold in the uniform has depth, and the weapons are thin enough to look realistic without being fragile.

You get 40 figures in total: 36 line infantry and 4 riflemen in their distinctive green jackets. The mix gives you everything you need for a Sharp Practice force or the core of a Black Powder battalion. The uniform guide that comes in the box is a genuine help, laying out correct facings and lace colors so even a beginner can get the paint job right.

What surprised me most was how cleanly these figures snap together. The mold lines on my batch ran along the sides rather than across faces or equipment, which meant minimal cleanup before priming. That small detail saves hours across 40 figures.

The Riflemen sculpts deserve special mention. Their poses feel dynamic and natural, not stiff like some competing Napoleonic ranges. One crouches behind a tree stump aiming, another advances with shouldered rifle, and the remaining two are in loading poses that capture real battlefield movement.

Best Game Systems for This Set

These figures are perfectly scaled for Black Powder and Sharp Practice. For Black Powder, the 36 line infantry form a full battalion with a comfortable frontage. Sharp Practice players will appreciate the mix of poses that work for skirmish formations. The 4 riflemen make a natural detached skirmish screen or a dedicated rifle-armed group for scenario play. They also work well for General de Armee if you prefer larger-scale Napoleonic battles.

Assembly Tips for New Builders

If this is your first Perry Miniatures kit, take your time with the arm alignment. The separate arm pieces need a dry-fit before gluing to avoid awkward shoulder angles. I recommend building 5 figures at a time rather than batching all 40 at once. It keeps the process enjoyable and reduces mistakes from fatigue. Use a fine-file on the mold lines along the legs for the cleanest finish.

2. War of the Roses Mercenary Infantry – Most Versatile Medieval Set

This is one of those rare sets that earns near-universal praise, and it deserves every bit of it. With a 4.9 rating and 92% of reviewers giving five stars, the War of the Roses Mercenary Infantry sits at the top of the Perry range. I built mine as a mixed mercenary company with 10 crossbowmen, 8 handgunners, and the rest as pikemen, and every single figure looked distinct on the table.

The versatility is what sets this kit apart from every other Perry box. You can build up to 12 crossbowmen with pavises, 12 handgunners, and 18 pikemen that also convert to polearms. Four command figures round out the set. That flexibility means one box can serve entirely different army compositions depending on your needs.

Beyond historical wargaming, I have seen painters use these figures for Dungeons and Dragons encounters, Frostgrave warbands, and even as proxy troops for fantasy settings. The late medieval aesthetic with sallets, padded jacks, and bill hooks translates well across genres. Multiple community members on forums specifically recommended this kit for anyone wanting figures that work outside pure historical settings.

Building Different Unit Compositions

The beauty of this set is that you are not locked into one configuration. For a Black Powder army, build them as a pike block with handgunners on the flanks. For a skirmish game like Frostgrave or Rangers of Shadowdeep, build a handful of crossbowmen and polearm-armed soldiers. The 4 command figures give you a captain, standard bearer, drummer, and an officer that anchor any formation. I recommend planning your build before clipping parts because the sprue layout requires you to choose between weapon types.

Painting Approach for Best Results

These figures take paint beautifully thanks to the crisp sculpt detail. I started with a dark brown basecoat and worked up through earth tones for the padded armor. The metal weapons benefit from a black undercoat followed by a careful silver drybrush. The pavises for the crossbowmen are a great opportunity to add freehand heraldry or geometric patterns. Even a simple two-color scheme on those shields makes the unit pop on the tabletop.

3. French Napoleonic Infantry Battalion 1807-14 – Most Figures Per Box

Forty-four figures in one box is generous even by Perry standards, and every one of them carries the detail you expect from the Perry brothers. This set covers French line infantry from 1807 to 1814, which spans the campaigns of Austerlitz through the invasion of Russia. I built mine for a Peninsular War project and the figures looked fantastic massed in column formation.

The standout feature is the 8 elite company skirmishers. These figures come in dynamic light infantry poses with separate arms and equipment that let you create genuinely individual models. Having voltigeurs and carabiniers in the same box means your battalion looks complete rather than like a uniform block of identical poses.

Reviewers consistently praise this set for kitbashing potential. The separate heads, arms, and equipment swap easily with other Perry Napoleonic kits. I mixed some of these French torsos with British heads for a convincing allied Portuguese unit. The included uniform guide is thorough, covering correct button colors, facings, and equipment placement for the period.

Scale Compatibility With Other Ranges

These French infantry are true-scale 28mm, which means they look natural alongside Perry metal figures and Victrix plastics. However, they will appear noticeably smaller next to Warlord Games Bolt Action figures, which use a heroic 28mm scale with exaggerated proportions. If you play games that mix ranges, keep the Perry figures in their own units for visual consistency. The proportions are anatomically correct, which makes them look more realistic but slightly less bulky than heroic-scale alternatives.

Assembly Time and Difficulty

Expect roughly 15-20 minutes per figure for clean assembly. The thick attachment points on the sprues are the main complaint from reviewers, and I agree. You need sharp side cutters and a file to clean up the connection points without damaging the figure. Building all 44 took me about 14 hours spread over a week. The lack of detailed instructions means you need to reference the box art for correct arm-weapon pairings, but the parts are intuitive enough that most builders figure it out quickly.

4. War of the Roses Infantry 1455-87 – Classic English Medieval Set

This is the set that started the Perry plastic range, and it remains one of their best sellers. You get 40 figures that can be built as bowmen or billmen, plus 4 plate-armored commanders that add instant visual weight to any formation. I built mine as a Wars of the Roses retinue for Lion Rampant, and the mix of archers and men-at-arms felt perfect for skirmish-level gaming.

The 36 different heads are a highlight. You get a mix of helmet styles from sallets to open-faced barbutes, plus several bare heads with period-appropriate haircuts. This variety means your unit looks like a real medieval company rather than a clone army. The separately molded sheathed swords and bucklers add secondary weapons that make each figure feel complete.

Who Should Buy This Set

This kit is ideal for anyone building a Wars of the Roses, Hundred Years War, or general late medieval army. It works for Lion Rampant, Saga, and Black Powder out of the box. If you play fantasy games and want historical-style infantry, these figures mix well with Perry metal command figures and even some Games Workshop kits for a grounded look. The archer poses with arrows thrust into the ground are a particularly nice period touch that elevates any table layout.

Using These Figures Across Multiple Periods

The late 15th century styling of these figures means they can pass for troops from roughly 1450 through the early 1500s. I have used the same unit for Wars of the Roses battles and Italian Wars scenarios with just a change of banner. The armored commanders especially look the part leading early Renaissance pike blocks. If you collect multiple periods, this set gives you excellent crossover value that pure Napoleonic or WWII sets cannot match.

5. British Infantry Zulu War 1877-81 – Colonial Era Standout

Colonial wargaming does not get as much plastic coverage as Napoleonic or medieval periods, which makes this Zulu War set especially valuable. You get 38 British infantry in the classic red coat with pith helmet, ready to form firing lines or square formations. I built these for a Rorke’s Drift scenario using The Men Who Would Be Kings rules, and the figures looked fantastic arranged in their historic defensive positions.

The inclusion of Home Service Helmets is a clever touch from Perry. With a simple head swap, the same bodies can represent troops in different theaters and periods. This adds genuine versatility for anyone wanting to build a Victorian British collection without buying multiple kits. The multi-pose nature of the figures means you can create natural-looking firing lines and advancing columns.

Best Rulesets for This Period

The Men Who Would Be Kings is the natural pairing for these figures, handling colonial-era skirmishes with elegance. Black Powder also works well if you prefer larger battles with multiple battalions. For a more focused Rorke’s Drift experience, the figures are perfectly scaled for the TooFatLardies Sharpe Practice rules with minor period adjustments. Each figure carries enough detail to reward careful painting, from the equipment pouches to the rifle slings.

Expanding Your Colonial Force

One box of 38 figures gives you a solid core for most colonial scenarios, but serious collectors will want at least two boxes for a full battalion. Pair these with Perry’s metal Zulu warriors for a complete opposing force. The figures also work for Sudan campaign games if you paint them in khaki instead of the classic red, giving you even more gaming options from a single purchase.

6. Agincourt French Infantry 1415-29 – Best Value French Medieval Set

Forty-two figures in a single box at this quality level is hard to beat. The Agincourt French Infantry covers the French side of the Hundred Years War with crossbowmen, men-at-arms, and peasant levies that capture the desperate feel of the 1415 campaign. I assembled mine in under a weekend and had them table-ready faster than any other Perry set I have built.

The ease of assembly is what most reviewers highlight, and I agree. The parts fit together cleanly with minimal filing required. Green bases come included in the box, which saves you a separate purchase. For anyone new to historical wargaming or Perry Miniatures in particular, this set is an approachable starting point.

Beyond pure historical use, I have used several of these figures as Frostgrave soldiers and they look the part. The mix of heavy armor on the men-at-arms and lighter gear on the peasant figures gives you visual variety that works for fantasy settings too. Multiple reviewers confirmed this crossover appeal, which adds to the set’s overall value.

Pairing With Other Agincourt Sets

This French infantry box pairs naturally with the Agincourt Foot Knights (product 10 in this guide) for a complete French army. The Foot Knights provide your heavily armored dismounted men-at-arms while this box fills out the ranks with crossbowmen and lighter troops. Together, the two sets give you 78 figures that can field a convincing Agincourt-era French force for Lion Rampant, Hail Caesar, or Black Powder.

Historical Accuracy and Detail

The sculpting captures the diversity of the French army at Agincourt with period-appropriate heraldry options on the shields, correct armor styles for the era, and even the distinctive French crossbowman equipment. The Perry brothers researched this period extensively, and the figures reflect that deep knowledge. Arms and armor details are crisp enough that paint goes exactly where it should, making even a basic paint job look professional.

7. Agincourt Mounted Knights 1415-29 – Cavalry for Medieval Battles

Mounted knights are the centerpiece of any medieval army, and this set delivers twelve cavalry figures with enough options to make each one unique. The convertible design means you can build knights with full plate, partial plate, or cloth coverings over armor. I built mine with a mix of styles to represent different levels of nobility within the same unit, and the visual variety was striking on the table.

What makes this set special is the inclusion of six extra whole mounted bodies beyond the twelve complete knights. These extras are perfect for conversion work or for creating command figures with custom poses. The multiple head options include open and closed visors, which adds another layer of individuality to your cavalry.

Assembly Challenges With Horse Barding

The main difficulty with this set is fitting the barding onto the horses. The armored horse covers need careful alignment and some gentle bending to sit flush against the horse body. I found that a slow-setting plastic glue works better than superglue here because it gives you time to adjust the fit. Take it slow with the barding pieces and test-fit everything before committing to glue.

Using These in Tournament Play

For tournament players, these figures are tournament-legal in most historical wargaming events and measure correctly for 28mm scale requirements. The flags included in the set are period-accurate and can be painted with specific heraldry to match historical knights at Agincourt. For open events or casual play, the figures are compatible with other Perry medieval plastics, letting you build a visually cohesive army across infantry and cavalry units.

8. Elite Companies French Infantry 1807-14 – Skirmisher Specialists

This set differs from the standard French Napoleonic Infantry Battalion by focusing entirely on skirmishing poses. All 40 figures are sculpted in light infantry attitudes: crouching, kneeling, aiming, and advancing at the ready. I used these as voltigeur companies in my Black Powder force, and their active poses immediately distinguish them from the line infantry standing in rigid formation.

The sculpt quality matches everything else Perry produces. Equipment detail is sharp, faces are expressive, and the separate arms give you meaningful pose variation. The uniform guide covers the correct colors for voltigeur and carabinier companies, which is essential for getting the distinctive colpacks and epaulettes painted correctly.

Best Uses for Skirmish Figures

These figures shine in Sharp Practice where skirmish formations are the default. A single box gives you enough figures for multiple groups of 8-12 skirmishers, plus command figures to lead them. In Black Powder, use them as attached skirmisher screens for your line battalions. For a dedicated Napoleonic skirmish game like Songs of Drums and Shakos, one box provides your entire force with plenty of variety left over for casualties and objective markers.

Combining With the Standard French Infantry Set

If you already own the French Napoleonic Infantry Battalion (product 3), this Elite Companies set is the natural companion. The standard box gives you the formed battalion while this set provides the detached light companies. Together, they represent a complete French infantry regiment as it would have appeared on campaign. The separate heads and arms are interchangeable between the two kits, letting you create even more unique combinations.

9. Austrian Napoleonic Infantry 1809-15 – Highest Figure Count

Forty-eight figures makes this the largest Perry plastic set in the range, and for army builders that is a major advantage. The Austrian Napoleonic Infantry covers the 1809-1815 period, but the inclusion of both helmets and shakos means you can represent troops from as early as 1805 through the end of the Napoleonic Wars. I built half mine as 1809-era troops with helmets and the other half as 1813-15 troops with shakos.

The value per figure is outstanding. With 48 plastic soldiers in one box, the cost per miniature is among the lowest in the entire Perry range. For anyone building an Austrian army for Black Powder or General de Armee, this single box provides the core of an infantry brigade. The uniform guide covers the distinctive Austrian white coat with colored facings for different regiments.

Multiple Periods From One Box

The flexibility of this set is its strongest selling point. With helmets, you have Austrian infantry from the 1805 and 1809 campaigns. Switch to shakos for the 1813-1815 campaigns. The Landwehr head options add citizen militia forces for the 1809 and 1813 wars of liberation. This means one purchase covers essentially the entire Austrian Napoleonic experience, which is unmatched value for collectors on a budget.

Shipping and Packaging Concerns

The main complaint from reviewers is packaging. Several buyers reported that the sprues arrived loose inside the box rather than being secured, leading to bent or broken parts during transit. I recommend ordering from a seller that takes care with packaging, or contacting the seller directly to request additional padding. The figures themselves are excellent, but the delivery experience has been inconsistent for some customers.

10. Agincourt Foot Knights 1415-29 – Heavy Infantry Showcase

With 95 reviews and a solid 4.6 rating, this is the most reviewed Perry Miniatures set available, and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. The Agincourt Foot Knights represent the heavily armored dismounted men-at-arms that fought on foot during the Hundred Years War. I painted mine in a mix of heraldic colors, and the large shield surfaces gave me plenty of room for freehand designs.

The detail on these figures goes above and beyond what you might expect at this level. Each suit of plate armor has individual rivet detail, and the cloth surcoats drape naturally over the plate. Reviewers consistently mention the quality of the sculpts, and having painted hundreds of miniatures across multiple brands, I can confirm these rank among the best plastic figures available for medieval wargaming.

Kitbashing is where this set truly excels. The separate heads, arms, and weapons mix easily with other Perry medieval kits. I have used spare parts from this box to upgrade metal command figures and convert figures from other manufacturers. The parts are easy to cut from the sprues without breaking, which is not always the case with plastic miniatures.

Historical Context and Gaming Use

These figures represent the elite of the medieval battlefield: knights who chose to fight on foot rather than mounted. At Agincourt, many French dismounted knights advanced through the mud on foot, and these sculpts capture that heavily armored, ground-pounding look. Use them as dismounted men-at-arms in Lion Rampant retinues, as heavy infantry in Hail Caesar, or as elite units in any medieval wargame that distinguishes between troop types.

Painting Plate Armor Efficiently

The key to painting these knights quickly is a good metallic undercoat. I spray prime them black, then drybrush gunmetal over the plate areas. Follow with a selective silver highlight on raised edges and weapon blades. The surcoats add color contrast and can be painted in bold heraldic patterns. Even with a simple paint job, the sculpt detail does most of the work to make these figures look impressive on the table.

11. WWII German Infantry Afrika Korps 1941-43 – Bolt Action Ready

If you play Bolt Action and want an Afrika Korps force that does not cost a fortune, this is your set. The 38 hard plastic figures come with enough weapon variety to build multiple infantry squads with support weapons. I built mine as a standard Bolt Action platoon with an NCO team, two rifle squads, and a light machine gun team, all from a single box.

The sculpting captures the distinctive Afrika Korps look with tropical uniforms, webbing, and equipment appropriate for the North African theater. The multi-pose nature of the figures means your squads look natural rather than cloned. Reviewers specifically note that these figures scale well alongside vehicles from other manufacturers, which matters when you want to add Panzer IIIs or trucks to your force.

Bolt Action Army Building

One box of 38 figures gives you a solid core for a Bolt Action Afrika Korps force. Build an NCO with an SMG, two rifle squads of 8-10 men each, and use the remaining figures for weapons teams and casualties. The weapon options include rifles, submachine guns, and light machine guns that cover the standard Bolt Action armory. You will need a separate weapons team blister if you want medium machine guns or anti-tank weapons, but the core infantry is fully covered.

Comparison With Warlord Games Bolt Action Figures

The most common question on forums is how Perry WWII figures compare to Warlord Games. Perry figures are true-scale 28mm with anatomically correct proportions, while Warlord uses heroic 28mm with exaggerated hands and weapons. Perry figures look more realistic but slightly smaller next to Warlord minis. For a pure Afrika Korps force, Perry gives you better value and more figures per box. If you already own Warlord Germans for other theaters, keep the Perry Afrika Korps in their own squads for visual consistency.

12. Mounted Men At Arms 1450-1500 – Maximum Customization Cavalry

This set pushes customization further than any other Perry cavalry box. With 14 right arm options, 12 head options, and 7 different horse heads, the combinations are nearly endless. I spent an enjoyable evening just mixing and matching parts before committing to any glue. For painters who love converting and personalizing their figures, this kit is a playground.

The period coverage from 1450-1500 means these knights suit late Wars of the Roses through early Italian Wars. The separate horse armor pieces let you build fully barded cavalry or lighter mounted troops depending on your army composition. The 8 included flags give you heraldry options for specific historical battles or fictional units.

Navigating the Assembly Without Instructions

The biggest drawback of this set is the complete absence of instructions or assembly diagrams. With so many interchangeable parts, figuring out which arms pair with which weapons can be confusing for new builders. I recommend laying out all parts by type first: group heads together, sort arms by weapon, and organize the horse pieces separately. Then build one complete figure as a test before batch-assembling the rest. Reference photos of the box art help with correct arm placement.

Expanding Your Late Medieval Cavalry

These figures pair beautifully with the Agincourt Mounted Knights (product 7) for a combined cavalry force spanning the entire 15th century. The parts are compatible between the two sets, so you can swap heads and arms for even more variety. For a complete late medieval army, combine this cavalry with the War of the Roses infantry sets and you have a force that covers every troop type from foot archers to heavy cavalry.

How to Choose the Right Perry Miniatures Plastic Sets?

Picking the right Perry Miniatures set comes down to three things: the historical period you want to game, the rules system you play, and your painting experience level. Here is how to narrow down your choices.

Match the Set to Your Historical Period

Perry covers four main periods in plastic: Medieval (1350-1500), Napoleonic (1805-1815), Colonial (1877-1881), and WWII (1941-1943). If you want medieval knights, the Agincourt and War of the Roses lines are your starting point. For Napoleonics, the French, British, and Austrian infantry boxes give you the core of any European army. Colonial gamers should look at the Zulu War British, and WWII players have the Afrika Korps for North African campaigns.

Consider Figure Count for Best Value

Perry sets range from 12 mounted figures to 48 infantry figures per box. For the best price-per-figure ratio, the Austrian Napoleonic Infantry leads the pack at 48 figures. The medieval and Napoleonic infantry sets typically include 36-44 figures, while cavalry boxes contain 12 mounted figures. If you are building a large army, start with the high-count infantry boxes and add cavalry separately.

Game System Compatibility Guide

Most Perry plastic sets work across multiple game systems. Napoleonic figures suit Black Powder for large battles and Sharp Practice for skirmishes. Medieval figures are ideal for Lion Rampant, Saga, and Hail Caesar. The WWII Afrika Korps set is purpose-built for Bolt Action. Colonial figures work with The Men Who Would Be Kings and Black Powder. Because Perry uses true-scale 28mm proportions, the figures look correct alongside most other 28mm ranges, though they appear slightly smaller than heroic-scale figures from Warlord Games.

Assembly Difficulty for Beginners

If you are new to building plastic miniatures, start with the Agincourt French Infantry or the War of the Roses Infantry. These sets have simpler part configurations and fewer fiddly assembly steps. Save the cavalry sets and the Mounted Men At Arms for when you have a few kits under your belt, as the horse assembly and numerous arm options add complexity. Every Perry set requires plastic glue, side cutters, and a file for cleanup. Paint and primer are additional purchases you should factor into your budget.

FAQ

Final Thoughts on the Best Perry Miniatures Plastic Sets

After building and painting across all twelve of these sets, the pattern is clear: Perry Miniatures consistently delivers quality that rivals metal figures at plastic prices. The British Napoleonic Line Infantry earns our Editor’s Choice with its perfect 5.0 rating and outstanding sculpt detail. The War of the Roses Mercenary Infantry takes Best Value with 40 versatile figures and a 4.9 community rating. And the French Napoleonic Infantry Battalion stands as the Top Rated pick with 44 figures and the most reviews in the range.

Whether you are assembling your first historical army or adding to an established collection, the best Perry Miniatures plastic sets offer a combination of detail, value, and historical accuracy that is genuinely hard to match. Pick the period that excites you most, grab a box, and start building.