Colonel Marbles Miniatures Masterworks November 2001!

Colonel Marbles Miniature Masterworks - November 2001

Nov. 2001

Dec. 2001

02/11/01 Bugger & damnation !! That Copplestone cove has released a load of excellent 'Ngoni' Darkest Africa figures that are crying out to be bought for my Nubian army !! Curses, the dashed blighter has to be stopped before I die penniless ..... Ooo, very nice. Wish he'd get someone to stick a lick of paint on em mind. Time to update the nubian website again I think... -Doc V. nice, esp. them fellahs with the big hair. -UnclEvl
05/11/01 Not much new today other than a few bits from Foundry - the Orclings are their new monthly limited edition giveaway. The Swashbuckler is the first of a new range of Elizabethen Seadogs, which will probably have UnclEvl reaching for the missus' housekeeping again, the scurvy lubber ... That seadog is quite cool I guess a worthy adversary for my over-sized and under-painted "poirate" collection. Orclings are alright I suppose. Like the cherubs issued with the Foundry elves though, why not sell them separately? I might want orclings and no orcs, or orcs and no orclings..? Seems a packaging swizz to me. Like the seadog. Will keep an eye out for others of that ilk. Actually there are a few more "greens" at the Foundry site, no idea why the Colonel didn't post us them instead... Ok, having roused him he said he posted those particular images, and not others, because its 'Col Marbles Miniature Masterworks' and not, perhaps unfortunately, 'Doc Ashton MD's Miniature Masterworks'. Or words to that effect (I deleted the swearing)...
06/11/01 A new Undead fig from Celtos.....
Here's another new Celtos fig... Thought we might be seeing that soon... :) Its one of the nicest Celtos shield maidens I've seen actually. Look- fairly feasible weapon too (guess that counts as a dagger in Celtos land). Very nice. Good proportions, dynamic pose. Like it. But we seem to have moved from "preposterous weapon syndrome" to "preposturous shield syndrome". Still, at least that wouldn't be too difficult to convert.

GB Celts and Imperial Romans. Click for larger image.

08/11/01
Todays pic is from the December issue of Wargames Illustrated- the new Celts from 'Gripping Beast' (still no website).
Super nice figs at a super nice price as always !! What says the Doc ??

Doc says: gottem already, when they were first issued! Every single one, mmm. Let me tell you they are all that good too, recommend to anyone building a celto-barbarian army. But I had to go to a show to see them in the flesh/lead.

GB are a fine producer of historical figs, but its about time they pulled their finger out and showed us their wares! Wheres the website chaps? You may be shy of the kind of detailing we see from big guns like Foundry and GW, but you kick their arses in terms of value for money!

10/11/01
Why is sometimes there are no good figures for days & then, like now, there are so many I don't know which ones to showcase !!? I was debating over some neato new German releases, A&A's new Sassanids and a backlog of 'Celtos' figs when those damn Frenchies showed up again & blew everything else away !!
Stinkys harem will be getting some new recruits!

Yea! Love the 'fertility god' standard bearer, its a nice touch!

I very much doubt these are in "standard" 25/28mm scale, but nice collectors pieces (or race of giant under-dressed women, when I've written up the game stats)

Well there goes my pocket money. Love the new Fianna (of course). The standard bearer is perhaps a bit 'dull', but the musician is full of character and the champion is a very sauce young mare indeed.

(cont...)

...plus an undead dwarf & another big gobbo thing. Jeez, have they never heard of Wood Elves ..?

Love that large Orc/Troll thing too.

Wierd, but cool too.

11/11/01 Todays pic is a great new mini from Germany's Assassin miniatures - no details about it I'm afraid since I don't 'Sprechen zie Deutsche!'..... Slightly overdone for my tastes, but not bad. 'llo Col. If you want some more information on the assassin miniatures figure, I can tell you there's not much chance we'll be able to buy it anytime soon. It's a limited edition figure that was only available at a German miniature convention (Messe) in October. As far as I know, the figure won't be released to buy anywhere else. But I could be wrong. -White Knight Cheers for that WK, that's a shame cos I liked that one much more than most of the rest of their figures. I didn't like it at all, and if its not available to buy is there any point including it in the monthly showcase? -curious of New Araby Whether its available to buy is not a consideration for the Col. Perhaps Curious would like to set up his own Daily Posting Service rather than chafe over the annoyingly idiosyncratic, some might say eclectic, editing decisions of the patently deranged Colonel ??? Not while hes editor-in-chief, no. I expect he can just pick and choose what he wants to feature anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if he swapped in some more adventurous features rather than green Celtos figs every other day. :p
12/11/01 OK today's pic a new one of A&A Miniatures 'Sassanid' heavy cavalry, taken once more from the pages of Wargames Illustrated (Dec '01). I like 'em & they will feature strongly in my Nubian army.. Well bring 'em on then! I am sure we can give em a good welcome..... -bAz Not quite as good as GB's Sassanids maybe, and a bit static for cavalry. Was expecting a bit more on the basis of the original shots (those command figures we saw last month). Should be good to mix in for a bit of variety though.
14/11/01 Greetings chummers fom 'Marbles-in-exile' (you really don't wanna know). Here's a couple of new releases from I-Kores Celtos range... Beastmen are getting more popular aren't they? You could almost build a decent army out of them now. The Beastman's very so-so. Standard pose etc, etc. Like the archer woman, but doesn't really excite me that much. We're seeing a lot of the Celtos line lately aren't we Col? How about a change, some sci-fi figs, or Darkest Africa or something for a jaded palate?

15/11/01
Excellent new Copplesone releases for Darkest Africa - British Naval Officers !!

Brilliant.

Splendid show- everyone does redcoats but these chaps'll be just the ticket for port actions (or starboard actions for that matter, narf).

Actually, I was expecting a bit more character tbh. I mean I know I'd probly be critical if it was a collection of stereotypical Victorian 'sea-dogs', but still.

18/11/01
Just back from Paris where I spent next months rent on Rackham figures. (Maynard, got 80% of your Wants list - got all the Fianna - they didn't have a couple of the other packs).

Anyway here's a few upcoming Rackham releases (better start saving for the next trip...)

See more here btw
http://www.newwavegames.com/minis/rackham/confrontation/rumors.html

Hope you had a good one?

That is a pretty good figure. Is that a skull thingy on the top of his helmet?

Haha! Just when you think those frenchies couldn't get any madder!

18/11/01 Doing a bit of catching up - here is a new 'Aeygptus' figure - a 'Harbinger Of Bastis' apparently. How strange, quite nicely modelled. Breasts and a moustache, thats pretty edgy for 28mm miniature manufacture isn't it? :-) Looks like one o' them "Bast" cat people types. Been looking forward to seeing a few more of those, and this one looks pretty cool.
20/11/01 Some new releases from Excelsior (they have taken over the old Chronopia & MC Warzone games & figures). A Xmas special figure and a new 'Eradicator Deathdroid'. Should be handy for my Nubian army, that.... All the old ranges now available here btw http://www.excelsior.cc/ Like the Xmas special, be good as Stinky's little helper - probably impossible to get though. The Death Droids ok, very Droid-like.
22/11/01 New Foundry monks - handy for Maynard's Sangreal army perhaps?? Superb. You gotta be getting those Maynard, or is your army staying on the Pagan path? Ideal for inclusion with compulsory FireWater. Whoa, they are excellent! Out of the blue too, don't recall seeing them on the 'drawing board' sections of the Foundry website. I almost wish my Celto-Barbarian army had progressed to monotheism! Mmm. Remember kids - Marbles is always first for hot new mini's! Mmm... now those are nice aren't they... they would go nicely with my nuns... no really I do have some nuns... ;-) -Maynard

22/11/01
Here's some more nice new mini's from Reaper - they really are running up on the outside track as excellent mini-makers....Love the Cavernworm...

Not impressed I'm afraid. Bit blobby.

Which?

Both.

A bit harsh, I think...

Trolls and cavernworms are meant to be blobby anyway.

23/11/01
Its Col. M's Miniatures Masterworks #100!!

Well the honour of the 100th Marbles missive goes to Foundry, with these nice pre-release pics of their 'Street Violence' Yakuza & B-Team (geddit?).

Like the sumo dude.

Now those are nice!!!

"I ain't gettin' on no plane fool!!!"

:-)

26/11/01
More minis from Celtos today.
Can't say they are hitting the spot for me lately - their earlier figures were better. For instance Herne, Lord of The Hunt (the guy with the antlers) is a nice idea but why does he look like he's having a dump? The other guy is better, but this is not proving the truly classic range I had hoped for nevertheless...

Why has he only got one leg?

"Your right leg I like. I like your right leg. A lovely leg for the role. That's what I said when I saw you come in. I said, 'A lovely leg for the role.'

I've got nothing against your right leg.The trouble is - neither have you."

Peter Cook (Tarzan Sketch (with Dudley Moore), from Beyond the Fringe)

The whole 'green stuff' thing is pissing me off too. I wanna see the real-deal metal minis.

I don't mind getting a preview in green, its easier to see the fig anyway. But please stop showing us Celtos figs, especially if they aren't really good. Have a bit of dicipline and show us something else please!

People will think you're a one-pony circus (or some other mixed metaphor).

What's a mixed metaphor?

#tries to think of witty reply...

25/11/01 Todays fig is another of these dang limited editions - this time from fan fave Mark Copplestone, 'Tribal Elder'. Now this is only available if u have a standing order (grrrr). Personally I like the fig & would want to buy it for my Nubian army, but I can't !!! Is this right ? Join the debate on limited editions on the frothers 'frothboard' ! Er, isn't it about time YOU joined the debate on the Colonel's frothboard? :-/) No X¬/)
27/11/01 A couple of new VOID sci-fi figs, as unfortunately there were no new Celtos today... So-so. Like the big beast thing. Wouldn't mind squeezing that into the ranks of me Orc Juggernauts. Yea, the monster fig is cool, doesn't look like a very practical mode of transport on a post-modern/futuristic battlefield but very pretty and should be easily adapted to a fantasy army. The other figure is mediocre in the extreme, especially given the price we gotta pay for i-Kore figs in the UK (never mind abroad).
27/11/01 'Doc' Ashton MD has sent a rave review direct from the front line of mini-fandom of this great figure painters site. The Colonel himself was amazed at the beautiful job done on this Aegyptus Basti catwoman type thing. Keep up the good work Doc ! Jennifer Haleys' work is quite superb. I quite like the Angelic Fianna conversion job she did a while back. Very nice. I found Ms Haley's site linked from the Dragons Cave, she virtually swept the board in their 'Female Figure Painting' compo. The rest of her site is worth a look around, really good for tips as well as a tasty gallery. Some useful pointers even for an experienced painter I would think, and looks as if shes got more material on the way. See it here at http://www.wegotgame.net/jen/main.html Anyway, UnclE said he was interested in the Basti and we'd not seen any painted yet.
28/11/01 Well since apparently there are no new "green" Celtos figs... I'm kinda missing my "green-fix" so I found these which I thought were quite nice. 1. Celtos - The completed Crystal Nipple-Tips and friend. 2. Reaper - An unamed Elven Warrior. 3. Reaper - An unknown Orc/Ogre thing. -Ensign Skippy (aka Brother Maynard). Very nice Ensign - you bucking for promotion or something? Promotion Sah?!? No Sah!!! Woz just missin' dem "greenies" Sah!!! Can see why the Elven warrioress appealed to you for your Grail women warrior thing. Crystal Nipple-Tips we have of course already been shown by the Col., so no kudos there, although her friend looks nice as far as kitty-cats go. Like the Ogre/Orc - reminds me of Ral Partha Ogres/Trolls - got a certain 'rough' appeal. Thank you very much Sah!!! Get back in the ranks sunshine !! Sorry SAH!!! Will go back to standing in the background Sah!!!
29/11/01 OK due to a knackered scanner again, I can only bring you another VOID vignette - actually I rather like these 'Nam boys... There's nothing else new out there btw, in case you start demanding more Celtos greens....
30/11/01 Sheer desperation for new figures leads your old Colonel to check the GW site. Here are some of their new High Elves - they look a lot like their old ones to me, only twice the price probably. Plastics? 'fraid so... That it should come to this... Actually they are alright, for plastics that is, quite presentable. I'm sure it'll mean they are also very fairly priced, given the reduced cost of materials. 0:)

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