I was going to mention playmobil,but decided not to in case i got shot down in flames.
They are pretty good, i have recently purchased my young one (14months) a wild west set,includes a fort,cowboys,stage coach,civil war sets,ranch etc.They are quite
expensive toy,but stand the test of time like lego.The range seems very popular on mainland europe(the toys are still made in europe)less so in the uk i mainly buy off ebay,i know they are still trying to crack the US market,but are having limited success,mainly due to the total lack of movie licenses,free play is encouraged!
The roman amphitheater is outstanding, i bought this range and the wild west as my sons introduction to toy soldiers
Before somebody says whats playmobil got to do with toy soldiers i post this link,beats taking your king and country into the garden,and gets the kids involved
http://www.gardenwargaming.com/index.html
steve