Colonel Marbles Miniature Masterworks - SEPTEMBER 2003


The Colonel's daily subscription service is sadly now ended... but remember you can still visit our FrothForum to catch all the latest dispatches and to discuss any of these minis!

01/09/03

Well, all rants about pricing policy set aside, I really like the new GW Daemonettes and these mounted ones are just too cool to ignore. -White Knight

Pics currently available at Mini Art of War

They are indeed rather fine. I was leafing thru WD yeaterday, and the Centigors etc were also looking rather wonderful. Sadly. - Colonel Marbles

I love them. Does this make me a pervert? -Rob

I think that's kinda the point of the whole Slaanesh thing. Like the embodyment of perversion.

The daemonettes on foot are cool too.

Can anyone explain why the boneheads at GW didn't cast the riders seperate from the mounts? They make more money direct-selling bits than they do on blisters, and those riders would have sold like mad for conversions and diorama work. You'd think after the sales on Asdrubel Vect's slave girls they'd have thought things through. -frotherGuest

They're cast in one piece?

Maybe they had trouble fixing them to the mounts as they're in more dynamic poses than most cavalry?

Still... kinda sucks. There go any ambitions of converting a whole army of Daemonettes.

All one pice thats a shame the conversion potential was massive. Even so I will still get one or two regiments for my Chaos army as they are still one of the few decent EE Chaos minis available at the moment. -Highwayman

OK well I don't agree this time. The riders are excellent, truly well put together and very neat conceptually with superb poses. As for the mounts....

- personally I think they are crap. Too poncy and delicate - I mean come on folks they look like bloomin' sea horses stuck out of water.

Not my cup of tea... I never liked that funny pink colour either... -frotherBaz

Wouldn't that make them great Fomorian minis, along with some of those Celtos sirens?

Getting one off of it's mount wouldn't be all that difficult. One might even be able to do it without completely destroying the mount. It would just take a bit of delicate work with a Dremel and a cutting wheel, then some clean up with a very small burr, needle files and putty. -The Imp

yes they are nice I bought one three days ago just to paint (the right most one in the pic) but they are too expensive for me right now to buy a whole unit. They are not cast in one piece but two. But the rider is cast on the mount... its the tail that is seperate..

Because the mounts don't have a harness and the sweet things aren't wearing much pants, its quite hard to sculpt them such that they will fit multiple mount poses properly. For example there are little gaps when you mount the maiden head on the tigers. Besides I usually pin riders on their mounts and drilling a hole for the pin on the rider is disturbing.........

In fact anatomicaly-wise their bodies are quasi-perfect if you compare with modern renderings of running dinosaurs (with the tail used to balance the movement of the beast, etc...).

That's a great improvement when compared to the old version of those minis (go, go, Juan Diaz!).

Speaking of the head... those are daemons after all, they could have horns or a beak, so why not a sea horse head?

It evokates moistness and agility, those are great attributes for a creature of Slaanesh! -LFant

I am really sorry but I have no idea how or why a daemon would have a sea horse's head? Even on reading Moorcock I am not aware of Chaos taking this form especially in the earlier versions - so whats the excuse? Saying that it could be anything because its a daemon is really a bit lame.

I agree that it is the idea of speed which is crucial to them (I did read the report in this months WD) and this they do get across. Essentially however they end up looking like the miniature equivalent of metallic racing cars out of What Car? Magazine. They even have tarts on their backs to sell them to the punters.

-frotherBaz

It's seahorse because it's Slaanesh.

Ever since the late eighties Slaaneshi demons had lobster-claws and sea-creature heads.

Imagine all the obscene possibilities with a mouth and tongue like that... -area23

I've just got a few of these (2 on foot, one mounted) and they are really good apart from a slight smoothness and lack of features in the faces. I suppose this is OK as it makes them look more demonic/chaotic but on the other hand slightly less seductive.

The oddest thing though is that one of the non mounted ones has an extra pair of tits! Which is nice! -bloodfinger

Don't suppose there's any ETA on GW wood elves??

Rumour goes they've been delayed because of Kislevites, and something called "Ogre Kingdoms"- which will feature an all-ogre army.

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Images protected as Games Workshop intellectual property. To see these miniatures go to http://www.games-workshop.com/ and sift through their appalling site layout.

02/09/03

For those that are interested: Tom Meier has uploaded his fourth green from the Parkinson series to his folder in the "1listSculpting" Yahoo group.

Another great green, can't wait until these are released - still can't believe these are 25mm.-gloria_invictus

Well, they aren't 25mm - the other chick seems to be around 35mm or so.

What are these for, again? I can't seem to recall whether they are for a particular company, or range, or what? -frotherGuest

You are correct...I tend to think of 35mm in the same range as 25mm anymore - figure inflation ya know. Still pretty impressive at 35mm though.

The figures are are being produced by Darksword Miniatures. They are doing a boxed set of miniatures based on the artwork of Kieth Parkinson - They have already done a couple of sets based on Larry Elmores work.

Don't know when they are being released though.

Looks really great!

They look to be plain 30mm scale to me (if you use standard measurement from the eyes), it would probably fit with most 28mm minis.

I wonder why the sculptor empties the eye slots, the minis are of great quality (look at the work on those knees ), but this part alone makes them look odd. -LFant

The 4 pics have all been updated and #3 clearly shows the actual size next to a ruler. Some of the most detailed, anatomically correct 25s I've seen... -guildmeister

In the photo, her eyes are right at 25mm, but look where the ruler starts. These are going to be big even for 28's - But I'm getting some anyway.-Ptolomy

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03/09/03

Crocodile Games have posted up pictures of some of their new Asar (Human) miniatures for Wargods of Aegptus. There is also an elephant and beastmaster rider at the bottom of the page. Like the rest of Crocodile Games stuff, a nice addition to their range. -sihook

Very impressed - their figs just get better and better. -UnclEvl

Dammit, I keep trying to avoid another line of mini's to collect, but They are definitely starting to wear down my resolve - very nice mini's!!!!! -gloria_invictus

More quality...possibly overtaking Rackham soon as the manufacturer of minis.

These are very nice. I agree that there mins do keep getting better and better. I really like the Olympus line but then again I am biased .

One compaint with the mins is the elephant. The legs seem somewhat thin. Other than that the mins look good. -Ghost

Yes, they are indeed making higher quality figs - but I refuse to believe this and buy into them until they come out with a Norse gods range -Zelph

Well said that, frother Zelph.

Man! beastmen on elephants!!

The elephant is a little too small, but the legs are actually almost proportionate.

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03/09/03

See the news at Eureka for not only hilarious 18th Century Civilians, but 1920's women and Victorian dancing couples as well. -Mancha

The 18th C party sets are beautiful! I've got all of them. And they paint up very nicely too.

Very nice! Perhaps fatgoblin will pleasure us with painted piccies...? -Doc

These were the only ones I painted, which I arranged around a table with a basket of fruits from the sudanese market stall. I only have a scanner and not a digi camera so I could not take a pic of the assembled dio. I finished it last year to give to a friend.

I also painted one of the dancing sets which I gave back to Nic at eureka. Forgot to scan it in before though... doh!

Very nice! :-D

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03/09/03

Some "not for sale "elfs at Foundry.

They remind me of Arcadians.

I like them, even if they are quite High Elvish.

Nice to see how they give the impression of a lot of models when there really are only five in all...

Roman auxiliary Elves!

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03/09/03

Eastern Front Studios will be releasing a Fathoms Deep line. They have no website that I know of currently. Included are some pictures of upcoming minis (Some of you may have seen them before ), sculpted by Gael Goumon (Fenryll, Reaper)

I like the underwater/ocean theme that they have. However, I think they should have used mermen (or something similar) because i feel that the riders look too human and somewhat out of place of the sea horses.The mins definetly have that Fenryll quality. Just look at the the first two rider. Almost looks like a conversion using Fenryll mins. -Ghost

Wow! Very impressive! Now, how exactly could someone go about having a wargaming session with these babies?

On a side note, when I saw the riders I naturally took them to be sea elves, or somesuch. So it seems at least believable. -Zelph

Oh baby! Those seahorses are wankworthy, shame the riders look like standard fantasy humans...but why shouldn't humans tame giant seahorses :-D (that's presumably how you start having a game, mermaid on one side, humans on boats and seahorses on t'other).

Darn nice!

But I suspect if those armoured elves fall off the seahorsies, they would sink to the bottom of the ocean and drown with armour like that!

Fantastic miniatures, look forward to buying a bunch of these when they're released.

With the seahorse riders, surely the riders would have to be able to breathe underwater or they'd drown whether they fell off or not (seahorses are basically fish). I'd assume the riders were somewhat magical and could breathe both air and water (like mermaids). -Bloodfinger

A game with these would be like an underwater dogfight, IMNSHO. With depth markers instead of altitude markers. I have seen a game that used adjustable flight stands (as used for Dogfight games) in an underwater environment. -frotherGuest

These figs are excellent !! Nice find WK.

The Colonel - posting from a secret location in the Aegean...

I think the sculpting is excellent. And I like the choice of subject. -Ian Newbold

These guys really need a web site. Figures as nice as these need decent exposure! -MiniaturesAtlas

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04/09/03

This must absolutely, definitely, positively be the biggest dragon model for wargaming purposes I've ever seen.

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/dragon.htm

I didn't dare look up the pricetag though, since I'm sure that too will have gigantic proportions.

Okay curiosity got the better of me, this dragon could be yours for a 'mere' 125UKP (+ shipping).

OMG!!!! #frothfrothfrothfrothfroth.... -Dead Deputy

Given Forge World's normal prices, £125 is almost reasonable... (and i spent nearly a hundred quid getting the Ral Partha limited undead dragon...)

It's a brilliant model though, up to the normal Forge World sculpting standard. I just don't think my brushes could ever do it justice...

Biggest ever? It can't be bigger than those Reaper ones surely....

UH.....

Wow! Far too big to actually use....it'd mangle my modular terrain beyond all recognition...but....wow!

For that beasty, £125 almost seems good value. -Grom

Really nice dragon!!! Worthy of the title Emperor dragon back when GW had this classification. However the price...OUCH -Ghost

Holy Smoke!

How could you ever use such a monster?

Still, for exhibition games, this would certainly draw a crowd. Think of the possibilities

One player takes on the role of old Listerine, everyone else gets to attack as the angry mob and/or millitia. Heros vie to save some poor wench chained to a rock and a good time is had by all.-Marquis

I wonder if Forge World would rustle up some large undead creature. Not a dragon, plenty of those, but a dinosaur or something else rather hardcore.

Mind you, i'd still want that dragon.

Don't like the detail (or lack therof) on the "palm" of the one raised foreclaw. Pose is a little stiff, too. -frotherGuest

Wow, what a great model.

I agree that the front raised foot does have problems - lacks detail and doesn't seem natural. I wish they had put it on the ground instead, I think that would have matched the stance and facial expression better... nit-picking....

Overall, I really like this model. It seems more like a realistic member of the lizard family than most dragons made nowadays do. I guess its time to order something from Forgeworld - my wife is gonna kill me.

-gloria_invictus

Holy shit!! That's got to be the mother of all Dragons look at the size of it its massive, who needs a gaming table with that you could just play wargames on its back??

The lack of detail on the palm of the front foot is a pity because the rest of the model is very nicely done, this is how a Dragon would really look like a lizard and fecking huge. As for the front foot some modelling putty and a bit of research into what a lizards foot looks like (Think Komodo Dragon Lizard would be best) and you could fix that problem with some time and effort.

What would be really cool would be to glue a squashed knight or hero to its foot and it could be thinking "Oh shit what have I stepped in now!" . Not sure where you could get a suitable model though to look right, could cut a model in half or look for wounded models in ranges. The Heresy minotaur model ripping the Knight in half might be suitable if the knight will come off the minotaur. If you are really lucky to have talent as a sculpter why not make one yourself, if you do show us I'm sure many Frothers would buy one. -Highwayman

it has a really unimpressive head. -frotherGuest

Sorry, are you looking at the same Dragon as the rest of us? -Marquis

Beautiful figure, I could order this, the chaos mammoth, and the ork squigoth then of course I'd have to explain to my gf why sitting on the floor is much better for your posture than sitting on a new couch.

I'm going to think about this. -xipetotec

That has got to be the absolute loveliest dragon I have ever laid eyes on (in miniature sculpting anyways). I... I must, have it.... Yes, my precious, the precious will be ours!

One concern of mine though - besides my pocketbook - Those wings are freakin' enormous! I'm afraid they will be top heavy and start to bend/break supporting so much weight, just like my Ral Partha dragon did. -Zelph

Lucky for you, resin doesn't easily sag or bend, though that does make conversion a bit more challenging. Not that I have much I would want to do to this piece.

Yeah, just noticed it was made of resin as well. Though honestly when it comes to resin I am totally ignorant, isn't resin brittle and breaks easily? $220 bucks though for us American blokes! ouch! Looks like I'll have plenty of time to save up though for it's late October release.... -Zelph

Resin won't sag but if it gets too hot, it might go soft and warp a bit.

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05/09/03

Hi folks,

Just have a look at the new Fenryll amazons... I really think they're piece of art!

As usual, armorless woman disturb some guys...

www.theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=11475

-isabelle

I don't really care for these. In general Fenryll has a tendency to make figures that feel "squished" to me. The top one is O.K. but the other two have overly large heads, skinny hips and formless musculature - but hey, they do have breasts and thats all it takes to sell.

Wouldnt nothing at all be more efficient for scouts than those long "skirts" they are wearing? -gloria_invictus

I like the top two. But, I'm not a big fan of Fenryll's "pointy hair". Just let it flow down. -MiniaturesAtlas

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06/09/03

I don't know if these new Retour Des Dieux have been reported already. There are some very nice skeletons there anyway. -Ugsome

Some nice figs in there indeed, though the humans don't appeal much to me.

Yea those skellies are fantastic, I should really like to see more of those come out! Dippy humans (again), but never mind, least theres a bit of energy in that MU.

The dwarf piper is great fun too.

The bases are interesting too, for all slotbase fans...

Still loving their Chaos, and are those the best skeletons on the market? Might well be...

Hang on, that soft fairy lass is supposed to be a necromancer err, you wouldn't forget her birthday then!

Because then she would summon up her former boytoys..? :-(

I like what I see . Love their chaos line as well. -Ghost

The piggy-backing gobbo is wonderful! -Grom

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06/09/03

Three new figs for Confrontation (Rackham): Alahan falconer, plus King and Tower from the Mid-Nor Clan box, which will also be usable as chess pieces..?

A Confrontation chess set? #froth#

Good stuff as ever: I like the dark dwarfs and these fit in well, while that Falconer is just smart (drop the sword, and you'd have a rather good cowboy).

Oh, those chess pieces are best!

I like these mins. Great stuff (apart from that falcon perched on the Alahan min; looks out of place the way its positioned).

Would like more information on the chess set. Sounds really cool. -Ghost

Are we going to be able to get a full Rackham chess-set, with good and evil pieces? Anyone got any info? -Grom

I've browsed through all the major French Confrontation sites and forums, but noone seems to know more about it atm. The official site seems to be down, so no help there, but they had no information on these minis when I first started this thread.

The falconer himself is superb. The falcon is a little bit 'Iago' for my tastes and I really wish they'd stop using that blue 'metal' painting technique on the weapons.

No comment on the chess pieces. -Artemis Black

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10/09/03

Masquerade Miniaturen have a new pic of their "Gollum" fig... those of you that went to that page early might want to revisit. There is a gollum like figure (with beautiful toes) there now as well and also shows the minotaur broken up for casting.

Didn't know you had a fetish for toes... the feet ARE well sculpted though...

Great figure ! Just hope they don't get sued is all I can say....

Given that they are treading on both the Tolkien estate and EE(tm)s toes I have to say I think it's pretty likely..I hope not, but... -DemonEtrigan

They don't sue Black Tree Miniatures either no? As long as it's not sold as 'Gollum'...

The difference being that Black Tree (or harlequin as the ranges originally were I believe) had a licence to produce LotR figures. They lost it when EE got it and renamed all the ranges.

Do Black Tree still sell those old ranges?

Black Tree still sells them. Smartly called the Legions of the Realm. The new names of the characters are hilarious...

What I mean is, they could as well sue any other company selling halflings or orcs. Of course Gollum is a quite unique character but in the end it could be a mini-ghoul, or a big eyed lesser orc or whatever.

Why does Gollum ALWAYS have a loin cloth? He's been living in a cave in a mountain range for 500 years in a semi-anamalistic state. I don't think he still has them anymore...

I guess because we don't want to see his 500 year old, semi-animalistic goolies. Unless he doesn't have those anymore either! -Bloodfinger

Isn't that what I just said?

Oh, is it, sorry I thought you meant....my mistake.

Still, those Kev Adams' Foundry trolls have neither loincloth nor balls, very silly, imho.

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11/09/03

Only just noticed this 'Gunwitch' mini-

"Green Ronin Publishing will be giving
away a specially commissioned miniature of Nocturnals character
the Gunwitch at the both GenCon and DragonCon. 100 copies of the
mini will be available at each convention."

It looks very nice, but it'll be yet another one I'll never be able to get.

I think this chaps jutting lantern jawline has an uncanny resemblence to one of the Westwind Dark Elves. Hmmm

It's a fairly nice figure, but with only 100 to be sold at a convention, they really shouldn't have bothered.

Why do they do this? It's not like it'll drive any sales up at the convention. -MiniaturesAtlas

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11/09/03

Mike Owen of Artizan has four new packs of Moors out, and more are on the way.

They are really lovely, he seems to be out-Copplestoneing Copplestone.

I need to lie down.

That's exactly what I thought when I saw them. -Ptolemy

Very true. I sense money slipping out of my bank account already ...

That and Mike was nice enough to let me deep link to his pictures ... unlike Copplestone's webmaster who accused me of being a bandwidth thief (somehow the notion that one cannot steal when one has permission didn't occur to him).

I can see that through his hard work, Mr. Artizan has created more work for me (adding his new items to my site and earning the money to buy his products)- MiniaturesAtlas

Aha! There's the helmet that looked rather odd, from a frontal view, on one of the recent cavalry releases. We discussed it a while back. It's on the right-hand archer.

I thought it would turn out all right.

Unfortunately, now that the range is finishing up, I suppose I have to spend some money on them. -aecurtis

Only 3 more and he's finished the list. Wow. Things move much faster when you're solo doesn't it. And he still has time to knock out the odd freelance project...

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10/09/03

News from 1listsculpt, a new green from Masquerade Miniaturen.

While I'm not a big fan of the stick a skull everywhere it looks quite "in place" on the monster and they are very nicely sculpted and arranged. Other bits are nice too.

I think the skulls don't look out of place because on this model they suggest to be trophies from slain warriors. It's not the same as with those "ornamental" skulls in all sizes that you see on a lot of minis. It reminds me somewhat of the Rackham minotaurs too.

So basically you're saying that he hasn't slain anyone in a rather long time... -frotherGuest

Err...

Well, you would have to clean those skulls or it will start to smell no? Didn't you watch predator?

Wow! That minotaur is just brutal. Putting this one on my list. -Ghost

The torso looks to be at an odd angle. The skulls don't bother me at all. I think they are very reminiscent of illustrations of Indian gods and demons. Kali is often depicted dripping with them.

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11/09/03

Fun new football team from Phiggs in the works. Desert Dogs...

Nothing amazing, but not bad either.

The Dark Elf Black Widows look good though. The clothing's a tad impractical for playing football but at least they've got plenty of padding!!
-Bloodfinger

Yea, thats more like it!

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12/09/03

New Vendel Orc & Hill Troll. Is it me or are these rubbish ? Actually the Orc looks like one of those villains from Dr Who - the Sontarans ??

Good call ... in a strange way, I like the figs. They're just not orcs or trolls. -MiniaturesAtlas

If you ignore the phrase 'Orc and Hill Troll' (Orc and Hill Troll my arse), I think they're okay. Good call on the Sontaran Col, but I'd say they were a mix of Sontaran and Silurian. (Which were scaley lizard men).

Forgive my nitt picking, but as science has yet to catalog the anthropological aspects of either Trolls or Orcs, who are we to say if these unpleasent fellows qualify?

As sculpts, they are a little wooden. I still quite like the bald chap though.

I actually prefer this version of orcs over most other companies, although the figs are a little stiff, but that seems to be pretty consistent issue with vendel fantasy minis.

They have been out for a couple of years now though - don't know why they are showing up again everywhere as "new".

Possibly new for the U.S. public?

I kind of like the Vendel orcs, but those trolls are silly, though prof. T. described them as scaly.

With Gripping Beast (same sculptor) 'Irish raiders' as Dunlendings these orcs would make a nice 'alternative' Army of the White Hand.

The orc is quite nice, and goes on my 'to buy' list. but the troll should be melted down. -Grom

So, what's the new stuff from Vendel actually going to be?

Border reivers or rievers, or reavers, or summit based on Vic Reeves.

In the green now - due to be leaded very soon. -si2

 

13/09/03

I'm sure Doc is going to lecture me about image sizes again, but... look at this Micro Art Studio green.

This mini totally blows that Alternative Armies stuff away.

There's no info about it on their website yet, I just hope this is made available commercially.

Has to.

Wow, this looks really good! All the detailing, equipment, textures, face are top notch. A pity the weapon is made of putty though.... If it was metal then it might suggest a whole range of miniatures. I do hope its cast up and offered for sale, would be great to paint one up just for fun and stick it into the display shelf.

Yeh that is class.

'Ere's fourteen shillings on th' drum,
To those wha volunteer to come,
To list and fight the foe away,
O'er the hills 'n fa' away...

O'er in th' hills 'n far away,
From Ys, Avalon and far Cathay,
King Yeorge commands 'n we obey,
Orcs in th' hills 'n fire away...

It's a beautiful figure, and I really want one.

But look at the base. That's a 40mm GW round base. This sucker is huge. I'm not sure if they're really suitable for an entire range. The head, the hands with the rifle, the backpack, and one of the legs looks as if they are seperate pieces, so casting isn't an issue. It's just that they will tower over regular orcs!

It could fit on a regular 1" slot base, I think. And if it's too big, then make it an Ogre or a Troll...

Should be the same size as the Flintloque stuff, right?

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14/09/03

Some new stuff went up on Reaper's gallery for Dark Heaven and Warlord.

Among the new faces is a nice elf by Sandra Garrity. I know I said long faces but the short round face is quite cute on this one

I know what with The Darkness and so forth the 80s are back in fashion, but sandra Garrity never really moved on in the first place. Big hair tastic. -Mr Ed

I'm more a Rapture fan than the Darkness, and similarly this elf archer is not doing much for me sadly.

The male elf archer by Gael Goumon is quite nice, love the cloak and he/she (could be either) seems to be a new sculptor for Reaper. -DemonEtrigan

Gael (I think it's a he), is the sculptor of those Eastern Front sea-minis we've featured a few weeks back.

He also did some stuff for Fenryll.

Yeah, I realised after I posted that he was also the sculptor of the Female elf warrior in a bikini bottom that we discussed a while ago...So his male elf archer wears full armour and is portrayed in a dynamic action pose, and his female elf warrior archer wears a bikini bottom and stands all demurly (is that a word ).

Glad to see he's not too stereotypical then.. :D

In general, I like this miniature ... except the cloak. It's a little too "dynamic" for my tastes. -MiniaturesAtlas

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14/09/03

New 54mm Fantasy from FG Miniatures. - frotherGuest

The dwarf might find use as a beardy ogre.

Not sure about the girls, too small to be giants, too normally proportioned to be ogres. Nice tho.

54mm isn't too small to be a giant, several Reaper and Ral Partha giants are this size!

The details aren't crisp enough for my taste, but it's not bad for a first offering. -The Imp

Drew Williams sculpted the female figs... there is a blow by blow of the process for one of them on his site...

http://www.totalmodel.com/online/pages/online_13.shtml

14/09/03

These are excellent I think - best thing I-Kore have done for a while.

Dwarf bagpiper! Why has no one thought of that before (there's a no prize for the first person to come up with another dwarfbagpiper)

Already forgot the new Retour Des Dieux bagpipe dwarf? I suppose the memory is vaning fast at a certain age.

Apart from that I really like these crossbow dwarfs. Usually all the short fellows with crossbows are the most boring unit. -Ugsome

Dear God someone take me to the Sanitorium now...

Rackham do a dwarf bagpiper as well!

Agree about the dwarf crossbowmen, they're great, especially the one peering intently through the slit in his shield.

I'd like to see those dwarves painted up. I'm getting this vibe that the bagpiper half looks like a Gordon Highlander in the Sudan with not even half a kilt. Anyone else think that his helms looks a bit like a pith helmet?

Must be me, but I think it's a bit strange to have crossbows in this kind of 'ancient fantasy'.

After all, afaik, the crossbow was only used from about 300 or 400 AD.

I know it's fantasy and they are dwarfs, who universally have better technology, but still.
Imho the best fantasy is based on history.

I do like them very much though.

Historically, crossbows were used by the Chinese around 350BC, but it's a good point, they are a bit out of place in an ancient Celtic setting.

But I think it's worth bending history a bit for figures as good as these; after all we accept the existence of orcs, undead, elves etc so why not crossbows as well.

In fact the ancient chinese were using repeating crossbows! Damned dark elves, always stealing our technology (it was inwented in China).

The Hellenistic Greeks had crossbows of a sort, Gastrophetes I think they were called. They might have been a closer relation to catapults though.

Wow. Those dwarves look good. Lots of character and detail to them to them. It seems like I like half and dislike the other half of everything in the Celtos line. -Ghost

Definitely the best thing I have seen from Celtos, great poses and a nice concept for a set of miniatures.

Just look at the lower lip on that one glancing through the slot in his shield definitely really nice character...

-frotherBaz

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15/09/03

Gawd, do these Return of the King orcs from Games Workshop look Seriously Evil!!! The big ones next to the southerlings must be Uruks, I guess.
some of the helmets are amazing too.

http://gamesday.games-workshop.com/studio.htm

When will other companies make orcs like this, in real 28mm.!

Your right Area23 they are a great resembalance to the Orks in Two Towers, I like the Southlings best check out that armour and helmets.

I'm getting some for my Chaos army as soon as they come out very nice, as are most of the Lord Of The Rings models by EE (Can't believe I said that ) -Highwayman

Um, the Brettonian King is rather good too.

{is dragged off to be shot in the dank basements of FU:UK 's Command Bunker...}

RotK minis look great.

Some nice Bretonnians in the "Warhammer" section too.

Damnit all to hell. I hate GW so much. How can they keep coming out with such great products? It makes it pretty hard to keep from buying them. Thankfully I can't afford much more than booze right now anyway.

The new hippogrif is fantastic, but I am in general opposed to the idea of knights mounted on pegasi.

Some new ROTK miniatures have appeared on the EE Online store; Radagast the Brown and the Uruk-Hai shaman are rather good. The Heroes of the West set has some nice armoured hobbits too, although having bought the Fellowship and Helm's Deep sets there's a limit to how many near identical Gimlis, Aragorns and Legolases one Frother needs.

By the way, having previously made a twat of myself on earlier threads about Ents and Gollum I'm keeping out of this debate about orcs!

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Images protected as Games Workshop intellectual property.

15/09/03

New(ish?) company Bend Sinister Miniatures doing 28mm Ancients, starting with a limited edition (#hm) general.

Is it just me or is the Moses figure unfinished?

Putting aside my dislike for limited edition figure, i love that general. Most companies make brave, brash figures to lead the troops, while this one looks, worried, shifty or worried and shifty. Which means he'd be perfect in my games .

like that general ... I'll definitely have to fork over the hard-earned pesos to get my paws on it. -MiniaturesAtlas

Hiya

The Moses is unfinished - he morphed into Gandalf along the way and I will be having no more to do with him. Next release will be a Leonidas Spartan style Greek general. Ready as soon as Paul can carve the life into him.

Also progressing into some cute 15mm Libyans. Releases are gonna be sporadic and pretty unrelated as I will get stuff sculpted only as I get the urge and find myself with pound notes overflowing from my pockets. (not often..)

For the record I am not a sculptor, I pay someone with the necessary skills to do the originals. I am also not a caster, I pay a jolly nice chap (ahem - Hi Andy...you're looking great.) who hides in a cupboard full of rubber and talc to do that.

All I do is paint the end product. Glad to hear someone found my little site though. Great Forum and webiste BTW

Best regards, Simon (Mr Bend Sinister..)

We always find anything that's miniature related. Eventually...

Welcome on board.

Yeh welcome Si ! Hope you enjoy it hear. We are friendly bunch (apart from Uncl Evl, who has issues), but we swear a lot.

Tit, wank, cunt, bollocks.

There, I did it again.

Limited edition is just sales talk so i can sell millions and retire to a desert island and live in luxury for ever. So far I am almost halfway to covering my costs for getting the figure made and nowhere near covering the costs for living in luxury on a desert island.

But I can live in hope. Maybe I should get some naked females with ''laser'' guns made?

.....or naked female halfling militia with lasers and armoured badgers?
obviously in a limited edition mega-multi pack, with special stats on the back.

Then I could release the special Halfling wars suppliment publication.

Any takers so far? -Si2

Did your homework I see ... ;-)

I like the General's expression actually it is pretty cool the way he is staring out at you. The problem is I cannot for the life of me figure out what he is trying to do - are those the plans for his new villa? Or is he lost in or around Scotland? Also what is going on with his left foot is that something I am missing in my history - yet again?

As for Moses I tried to see him at 8.30 tonight but he wasn't there any more. Is that true or is the man or bird above trying to send me a message or something?

It is probably my eyesight either that or the cider I had earlier...

Welcome on board and please do keep up the good work!

-frotherBaz

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16/09/03

More of the Celtos underweight Elves have appeared. Everyone flee if you value your lives...

These are new, right?

I think those are terrible.

I hear your pain Rob, and have to agree. :-(

The helmet is actually very funny I could not stop laughing. It so funny!

Not a fan. Seem awkward and bland to me. -Ghost

Big sword syndrome again - obviously these elf types are not very bright - maybe there is nothing under those helmets after all....

The guy on the right (bottom pic) is doing some pretty funky contortions with his neck. I didn't realize that Celtos Elves had goose-necks... -frotherGuest

It would seem we have another consensus. These just don't cut the mustard.

Can anyone tell me if Kev White made these, they’re not up to his usual standards, and they don't look like the excellent Mr Steve Saleh? So is there someone new at the Kore? -PeteB

God, those are really shite. The Elf range for Celtos really hasn't worked since day one (apart from the dragonrider). -DemonEtrigan

Wow...just when I thought things couldn't get any worse. -gloria_invictus

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16/09/03

 

Gentlemen, I came across this ..er..interesting game whilst shopping in my local toy store. Do any of you know anything about this novel and completely unique game?

Make sure to pay close attention to the pre-painted plastic models

http://www.boardgames.com/battleball.html

-Marquis

What's happened to the EE's Lawyers ???

That's a boardgame/toy company. EE are just the top dogs in the miniature world, they're puppies in the toy & game industry

On the game itself it looks very interesting, will have a nose about for UK sellers. -Artemis Black

Well, considering Blood Bowel is just a ripoff of Chaosium's Trollball, I don't see that EE's Thought Police have a leg to stand on! -frotherGuest

That has never stopped EE or anyone else for that matter.... as long as you have access to legal services

Yeah but if your going to copy anything you should obviously come up with a better name! I mean come on! -frotherBaz

And the whole thing's a rip-off of NFL Football (which it actually mentions). I agree with guest, the EE can try as much as they like, but Milton Bradley have just sci-fied up footy, and i'm sure there have been very similiar pure footy games in the past too...

Saw a TV ad for that the other day. Wish there were some bigger pics of the figures though...-The Imp

For those with an interest, here is the main web page:

http://www.hasbro.com/battleball/

You can get a better look at the miniatures here. Enjoy

Saw the commercial for it last night. The mins looked pretty cool. Wonder if they have any plans for expamsion teams. -Ghost

Still really bad pics. But the figs look like they have good proportions at least.

Cor they really need someone to check their text though, most of the "player profile" text is actually repeated at least once on the same text box... I thought I was losing my mind at first, like being in a bloody Philip K Dick book!

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17/09/03

Drew Williams site has more zombies for Zombiesmith. I know we saw the first batch but now I can't remember if we saw the second batch.

Anyway, the zombies have multiplied. He also says:

"Check our Workbench Update next week to see some new figures for Zombiesmith " -Drew Williams

Hmm... I'm pretty sure that we have seen these.

I recall posting that the fourth figure from the left looks a lot like Rob Zombie, and another of our esteemed company pointed out that Mr. Williams has already made an official Rob Zombie figure.

I think there are more zombies in the picture now than last time.

But let's discuss them again anyway! Still a fairly good batch of figures (not great, but better than most), and i like the one peering into his empty stomach.

It is nice to find a line of flesh eating undead bastards who are NOT from the arse end of time. All those cool modern Zombie flicks, and yet so few modern Zombies! -Marquis

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18/09/03

New Confrontation figs... The Frenchies are back on top form IMO !!

Hmm. The top one looks a bit like those Sons of Kronos "Green Men" from Chronopia, except even bigger, more animation and less resemblance to the Swamp Thing...

Yea, thought the same thing when I saw it. Veridian Lords I think they're called. I do like the top one. Has a 'Death Dealer' feel to it. One underneath looks ok...nothing special from the likes of Rackham. -Ghost

I think their great. I was thinking of getting an engineer type fig for my EE army and he fits the bill. Now how much are these things? Oh yeah I forgot I'm not supposed to question that! -Sturmpioneer

Why bother questioning it, you know your going to buy it anyway? -DemonEtrigan

I really like the top one a lot - a bit generic perhaps but still very nice. Anyone know what faction (race) he is supposed to be associated with? - looks a bit like a drune perhaps?

The second, although well done is just a bit to weasely for my tastes. Of course maybe thats what makes it such a well-done mini - It would grate on my nerves to lose to any side that had him on it.

He is indeed a Drune. Oh my poor wallet.

The top one's gorgeous, the second one's just good! (I think weasles have their place).

Love the second one! A must buy. -Sumo

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18/09/03

Note sure if this jas been reported, but some new Warlord mins are available from Reaper. My favorite is the demon along with the Crimson Knight. See here. -Ghost

Yeh its good but a little OTT for my tastes, but thats a great shield !

I don't like the way Jackson's style is evolving, too much drapery, unrealistic armours, over-dynamic poses, yurk... It reminds me too much of what I dislike in Rackham and Dark-Age miniatures!

On the other hand, Siens' demon looks quite good (the armour doesn't look very realistic either, but as it's meant to be more decorative than protective, I don't mind ). -LFant

I prefer platemail, it doesn't need dry-cleaning after every battle. Or ironing.

I've never liked big wing things on helmets - it's bound to get in the way when you go through a doorway or turn your head. It just looks daft.

Cool shield tho. -miscuedon

Not caring much for that drapery myself either - reminds of curtains from the 70's for some reason. However, I do like the sheild - reminds of Foundrys warorcs sheilds. I think the Demon was the best one of the bunch but doubt I will end up buying it - waiting for Heresy's new fallen one instead. -gloria_invictus

Would be a cool miniature EXCEPT that it's left handed - GAWD, I hate that! -frotherGuest

Erm, isn't hating that now illegal? ;-)

Hey, I've got lefty friends. If you want to bitch about something sinistre, then complain about the Royal Bank of Canada's new logo/heraldry with its Sinistre Lion...

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18/09/03

Remember all those pieces of concept art from VOID before people like Wayne England were there? Well, one of those pieces is now done. I've got no good or bad comments on it (though it might go well with the Bauhaus Hovercraft...)

As a whole, I don't mind the Void Vehicles - they seem to stay true to the concept art.

But lately I can't figure out where Void is going... I have already done a HUGE rant on another forum about Wayne England's latest Sandrunner Artwork.

People used to bitch that GW changed their Fluff/Background on a whim... But with Void you never know what your going to get style wise for your army. All depends on this weeks Guest Contract Artist or Sculpter.

Now my Junker Army is going from a Roman Legion look to everyone and thing having Huge Gas Masks and looking like Desert Scavengers...

As for Wayne's Sandrunner Concept... Does i-Kore NOT send these guys a sample of whats already been done???? How does as Junker Sandrunner go from having NO FORE ARMS OR EARS to suddenly looking like a Viridian Dino with a Gas Mask...

When I see a new Void Concept Sketch... I can't tell if it's for Void or 40K. -Junk Runner

But then they're only concept sketches, i.e. an idea of one artist.

Those Celtos Sidhe don't look like the sketches either.

I think I-kore just uses these non-news items as a sort of adverts. After all Wayne England is known by many old GW-bashers and -fans.

If I suddenly saw sketches or paintings for a game by Paul Bonner I'd have a look at their products. Whatever happened to Paul Bonner actually? The last things I saw from him were for Vor; the Maelstrom.

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19/09/03

North Star and Wargames Illustrated Subscription offer: Subscribe to Wargames Illustrated today to receive free figures!

How’s that you may wonder. If you subscribe to Wargames Illustrated you will receive not only 12 copies of the magazine, but also two 28mm promotional figures. One is Biggles, designed by Mike Owen of Artizan Designs, and the other is Saladin, designed by Mark Sims of Crusader Miniatures.

Must admit I'm well tempted too.

I mean the Copplestone Napoleonic cavalry general figure is bloody excellent on its own - still that could open the floodgates to a whole new world of expense.

Its an amazing deal -still, if you subcribed say last week you've ogt to be well cheesed off.

D'argh. Still can't believe I missed last year's Gonville Bromhead minis... :-(

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19/09/03

100 Kingdoms have relaunched their website, and the Avalon Army...

And a new Avalon king to celebrate ...

Not my favorite tho...

I like these guys. Completely nuts of course, but that is what makes them so much fun

Has anyone actually played 100 Kindoms? Is it any good?

I want more monkeys!

Yep more monkeys !!!!

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19/09/03

Starplayer has pics of the rest of the Confrontation Mid-Nor chess set. Well just the queen, bishop, and knight really, as well as another Drune model. I suppose you will have to use your regular warriors as pawns.

The pics suck, but news is news. -The Imp

Is it my imagination or does the queen have a beard?

For some odd reason, I think that EE's horribly mishapen gut-only dwarves are better than the Rackham ones (and by my description of EE's, I've seen better, like Ral Partha or RAFM...). And the price. $CAN12 is the average for Rackham figs! Somehow Foundry's stuff seems much more affordable (if what I was looking for was available...

IMO the best Dwarves out there at the moment are the Vendel ones, followed by Black Tree. -Grom

Yes, but I still haven't seen them in RL, so I can't comment only on pretty pictures. I hear that they are big and possibly incompatible with Ral Partha. But until I see them, I can't confirm. Great design, definitely!

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19/09/03

Jungle Explorers from Pulp Figures... These guys look good, I think. Suitable more for 20th century exploring that 19th, and what better for those searching for such rareties as poisoinous trees, prehistoric fish and whatnot...

Given that the entire pulp range is about early 20th century it sounds like they have hit the mark again

Damn those are good figures, that whole range is getting harder and harder to resist (Especially when you add the Copplestone Minis BoB and adventurers ranges in as well)..Sob -DemonEtrigan

Bob Murch is Evil. Not just evil, but Evil.

He knows what I like and produces it. His order page calls me now. I can hear it ... "get the new minis ... while you're at it, get some of those nifty rocketmen ... and, I know there's more ..." -MiniaturesAtlas

Nice ones. I'm still resisting the lure of this period, but how much longer?

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19/09/03

Here is a Celtos Orc musician.

Nice fig. Doesnt look much like an Orc tho'...

Need to see a better view of the face. Their orcs ain't the caricatures that some companies are. Take the new Dwarf Wars figures. I can see the ad: "Sculptor wanted for Orcs/Goblins; large 28mm scale; Skill Not Required." -frotherGuest

Maybe, but i know which i prefer...

The sea-shell horn is different - GW has us conditioned to see it as an Elvish artifact.-frotherGuest

It goes with Fomorians, though. Since they came out from the sea...

I really like their orcs, although I'll have to Dremel the weapons.

And yes, them being Fomorians a shell horn makes sense. Just paint it weathered.

Anybody thought of what the paintscheme for the skin could be? I'm imagining a black prime, a turquoise-grey main colour with a moss green highlight...

He's drinking a yard of ale, isn't he? -Von Bork

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20/09/03

The Coppers are Here! Runaway, Boys!

OK, no need to really run away. The figs, from Bobby Jackson, look great.

RIOT!!!!! A.C.A.B.!!

Hurray, I love these cops, need al the mini's and the Brigade ones too.

Pictures are a bit fuzzy though...

Yeah, but since the minis aren't as monstrously detailed as GW or Rackham figs (it's a 19th century police officer!), a little fuzziness is nothing. However, I don't mean the fuzzyness or lack of clear detail you find of figs on the Old Glory website (30 figs all SHINNEY photographed at an angle that hides the facial features... Grrrr....

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21/09/03

More from Alternative Armies. Sure the paintjob is crap. But it still looks cool.

Not bad. With the right paintjob this could be made to look real good.

I find it mediocre really...I think it's because we saw those fanastic orc infantry. AA could do a lot worse than hiring that guy to redo Flintloque.

I agree 100%, but I think AA does all of their development in house. Owner/Sculptor scenario you know. Micro-Art is also a Polish firm. I'm not sure what complications are involved in importing and exporting original toy soldier sculpts. Can't be that hard though, Reaper imports Klocke's greens all the time.

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23/09/03

New stuff from Freebooter, a Warmachineesque gunslinger in high-heeled combat boots, and a building: -Mancha

I thought she looked a bit like Sorscha when I saw her on another site. Personally I don't care for the figure. I think the combat boots and the trousers clash with the rest of the design too much, and the way he has her side arm slung doesn't look at all natural.

I think it would have looked better either with a more form fitting pair of pants or without the hat and coat. I'm not sure what's going on with the thick spear she's got behind her either.

Looking good as always.

Great mix of styles, works really well...but how would you draw that pistol easily? Quality stuff as ever...

I find her pose weird. Who would go on the battlefield then stare at their bust (assuming they have one) wondering if there's enough padding?

Maybe what she's really looking at hasn't been sculpted yet. Please tell me these won't be exclusive to New Wave...

I know a lot of women who stare at their breasts.... -frotherGuest

I dunno ... it looks to me like she's staring at her pistol thinking "How am I going go draw this thing?" -MiniaturesAtlas

I just got around to reading the German babble that comes with the pictures and it would seem that she's a huntress on the job and looking at the tracks of her prey.

I guess the breasts just kinda got caught in her line of sight.

Actually, now you've mentioned it, there is a paw print on the base under her l.o.s. I'm still putting a flattened squig there though...

(Did i avoid mentioning her wazzlers?)

Close. ;-)

Saucy, I like.

Looks like she's sliding that right hand down to the groinal region, transfixed by the lovliness of her own thrp'nies. Or is that just me?

8-O

Thats definitely you....

This is a great fig, Freebooter are on the rise (not the only thing on the rise, from the sounds of it). Heres a thought... are Freebooter one of the few companies whose humans are better than their monsters..?

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24/09/03

A drop dead gorgeous female elf lies in the sculpting yahoo groups folder of Mr Steve Buddle, for anyone with the access to dig it out. Check it out, you won't be disappointed. If needed to classify, would probably be a wood elf (or maybe dark).

I really like this mini. Any idea where we can buy it? -MiniaturesAtlas

My guess is spyglass at the Cool Mini or Not shop, sometime in the future.

Why's it got to be a "wood elf" or "dark elf?" Why can't it be an undisclosed nation of elves that reside solely in the multitudinous folds hidden between Mr. Buddles ears?

The costume makes me think he's seen too many episodes of Sam Raimie's Hercules or Xena. Either that or she comes from someplace very warm. My only real criticism of the figure is that the hands seem out of proportion with her arms. It certainly won't stop me from getting one though.

She might be suffering from anorexia? Sorry to see the elf females get so worried about their appearance. Come to think of it it might be a genetic condition I ain't ever seen a fat one -frotherBaz

I think it's quite clear: she comes from the Land of Big-Handed Elves Betwixt the Ears. -MiniaturesAtlas

Wherever she came from, I think Mr. B is going in the right direction with his elves. I like this one a lot. As for being thin, well, it IS what we asked for when he wanted our input. Not that that would prevent us from ranting if necessary...

It's good to see he managed to make some sense out of the blurry guidelines and advice we tried to give...

The fact that she might have anorexia is merely a discussion point I am not complaining! It is a very good miniature of course.

Lovely fig, superb attitude.-UnclEvl

Glad you guys approve :D

The very slim anatomy was 100% on purpose. I wanted to try and make her look elven rather than fall into the traditional trap of 'pointy eared human'. I don't think the hands are far too large although they could have been a little smaller. But I didn't have time to redo them.

She would indeed be a Wood Elf. Although I think she's probably an adventurer so her attire isn't quite as Wood Elven as you may expect from an army troop. The biggest giveaway is her necklace (which is practically invisible on the photo). The pendant is a leaf shape.

Oh and, as correctly guessed, she'll be available through Spyglass Miniatures in a few weeks along with that Sherlock Holmes I sculpted. -SteveB

Lovely mini. :D

Hmm. If I add some huge shoulder pads and some really pointy vertical ears... Sugoi! It's Pirotess! She looks so kawai!

Baka no Jakari!!

Wonderful mini. - love the direction Steve is going with this elf. Like the physique a lot (I think it feels very elf-like). I even think the large hands help accentuate the whole feel. Face is perfect and I am glad he went with the short hair as well.

Ive been waiting a long time for the perfect elves to build an army - Now Steve only needs to sculpt about 50 more and I'll be happy.

Pirotess? Damn, I meant Deedlit. Can't I tell a High Elf from a Dark Elf...

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26/09/03

Pop on over to Reaper:

The greens gallery was updated today.

ooh! Mini-Aragorn! (Woody the Halfling)!

The Werner Klocke ones are nice (are they coming out with a fairy game?) The Iron Golem looks good to fit into Scientific Romance/Pulp settings...

The Goblin Sgt. also has his knack.

Very nice set this time around. Love all of the Klocke stuff (I believe the fairies will be released with the nymph that we saw a couple months ago).

Sandra Garrity did a wonderful job on the Griffon (wish she would do more work like this). I don't care for the Wereboar, but thats about it.

Yep. I like most of those with the exception of the Golbin (goblin ) Sergeant and Woody the halfling.

I really like the Nefsokar Grunts. Bit mysterious looking them...

Yes, less boar, more were, and the Klockework is excellent. -okheir

A very good crop this time around, and by eight different sculptors. Reaper must be doing quite well these days. I must say, Weib's Goblin Sergeant looks an awful lot like a Rackham Strohm Warrior though...

Of the lot of them I think I like Klocke's Christmas piece, Siens' Serpent Priest, and Ridolfi's Mummy best. The only piece I really don't like is Elliot's Nasithe. What the heck is it anyway? An elf? A water spirit?

Those Nefsokar Gaunts could make great martians/orcs...

Anyone interested in buying a Woody the halfling to go with GW's Fellowship Aragorn.

"I shall call him... Mini-Me!"

The Griffon is awesome. I love Sandra Garrity's work.

I'm not into the goblin though. Just a style difference thing for me. I'm hooked on the arabic looking Chronopia Goblins. -Goldwyrm

I think this year Reaper is going to get all my Christmas money. :-) -nudspinespittle

This is a great set!!! Love the werewolf, iron golem, demon seargeant, nastiche and smilodon. Must get for me. The rest are very impressive as well but can hold off. -Ghost

Thats a very impressive collection! Can't fault it really, the wereboar is a bit silly but still a really nice sculpt. Only weak point is probably seasonal sally (or whatever) but then I'm not a big fan of christmas figs.

I hope they do expand the fairy range, a unit of those flapping around my Celtoi will give those ratmen and greenskins the right hump.

I like the goblin sergeant too. Ugly, but great. :-)

So that's what Garrity was up to when she knocked out the last crop of tat...I think this is the first Reaper update where i've liked everything. Even the silly Christmas figure.

I look at Nasithe and think "Evil Bride of (Garrity's) Iron Golem". And, to me, the Iron Golem looks like something out of a Disney gone-straight-to-DVD movie.

On the other hand, Garrity's Griffon is the best one I've ever seen. I'll spend a week's allowance on five or six of these beasts.

The werewolf is just too stylish for my tastes. And, the wereboar is too much boar, not enough were.

Guthrie's Nefsokar Grunts are really cool. Going near the top of my list. As is the Warlord Mummy (never too much undead for me).

Wiebe's Smilodon is weird ... in a good way. Definitely not something I've seen before. And, I like that in a fantasy miniature. Not another "me too".

And, as usual, I like all of the Klockenworke. -MiniaturesAtlas

Personally I like the Gobbo - bags of ugly menace. Praise for the Klocke Fairies too though unsure just what the top one is doing and she does seem to have a fairly hefty set of thighs on her. Still superb though, and a must have for Fairy Meat. Hope they bang out a few more.

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26/09/03

2 new Rackham pics here.

The top one's got a nicely sinister lack of face, but he's running with scissors, and is sure to trip over that long skirt and hurt himself. Lovely paint job on the cloth, though. -Von Bork

I agree with Von Bork (I've always found faceless masks sinister), and really like the figure. But the second one...i'm sure it's great, but i've never liked pistol bayonets. Still, nothing the new dremel can't cure...

The second figure is kind of gawky - are you sure it's from Rackham? Mind you the Valkyries were gawky as well, so... -frotherGuest

Second one would like right at home in a Warmachine game. I also don't like the pistol bayonet. Looks like something he would use to cut a roast. -Ghost

The first one looks cool. The second one has that "give me a hug" pose that makes it look silly. Plus, how can he fire that pistol accurately with that "bayonette"?

With you man. Nothing looks more unwieldy and unbalanced than a big knife strapped to a hand gun. -UnclEvl

The top one is great - the second has an extremely stiff pose - very unlike rackham.

I'm not even going to mention the cleaver attached to a handgun.

Come to think of it, how does the scissor device work on the first one? There needs to be some sort of pulley so that the blade can be moved from the handle. Though, given the size of the sword, perhaps it's hollow, with the mechanism inside. He could keep sandwiches in there too, or maybe a change of underwear.

the second figure is rather crappy for Rackham, wich explain it's a limited edition for "Le monde du jeu" next week in Paris, they hope to sell it as LE anyway regardless of the figure's quality -Sylvain

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26/09/03

Peer of the Realm is a new project from retail store JaxHobby, with design and sculpts by "Vamp". Apparently this is an upcoming range of miniatures for a new tabletop game. The first green seems to indicate a slightly different style than most and perhaps slightly weird/goofy?

that a finished green? The legs need more work, surely? Anyway, looking forward to seeing what they've got.

Does look interesting and would like to see more of what is planned. Agree with Rob on the legs. The min looks like it is going to collapse at the knees. -Ghost

Just like Rackham's knock-knee'd Keltos Giants! -frotherGuest

What strikes me about the legs, and so on, is not any point of aesthetics but that they will be torturous to cast. There are so many load-bearing fine sections on this figure that they are going to be breaking coming out of the mould, bending in packing and generally not going to be robust.

Basically it looks like the sculptor is not especially familiar with the casting process.

Of course there are others on this board who know loads more about casting than I do. Maybe I'm wrong, but it does look bad from where I'm sitting. -SteveB

Here, here. -PeteB

Besides being so top heavy it would be easily knocked over as the centre of gravity would be too high. Too many knocks and the weak knees might give.

Still its nice to see someone going (way!) outside the small square GW have set up. The idea is interesting, we'll just have to see if it is well executed. With multiple races, hopefully at least one will turn out nice.

They wrote on their website that they emphasis with Confrontation minis, maybe that's the reason? That's an orc and Rackham orcs also have ridiculous legs (but of course R's designs and sculpting are far better).

Looks interessant to see different styles though. -Sylvain

The casting issues could be resloved by using resin rather than metal. I like it. I'm always looking for really unusual stuff and I think this definitely qualifies.

Prob. just the lack of weapons, but the Orc looks a bit 'Bloodbowly'...

You can see some updated green pics on the website www.jaxhobby.com We have plans to create a seperate website for peer of the realm, also the first miniatures are in production now.

I am the president of JaxHobby. The first miniatures will be offered on the website as well as a few distributors at first. We will expand as more minis are produced. If anyone has questions or comments feel free to email me at neil@jaxhobby.com Thanks

-Wombat

This is Vamp,

I hope that every body enjoys my new line. Many new sculpts will be comming soon. Expect the unexpected..

-Vamp

Engineering aside, I like the figs. They seem to have a very 'cartoony' or carictatured look about them, but I like the stylisation. Certainly different enough, but I don't think too far outside the box to be used in conjunction with other lines.

I, too, like how they're different. Although, I'd like it if the knees on the first mini were thicker (from a style perspective).

Regarding falling over .. I'd just re-base it anyway with something more appropriate. Most manufactuers don't have adequate bases for my taste these days. Maybe that's why I've butchered hundreds of pennies ... -MiniaturesAtlas

I am no expert, but how can you judge this miniatures' knees strenght based on this picture; without having actually seeing it?

I'd assume that if it didn't collapse with handling during the sculpting process, it should hold up just fine. It's not like it is going to physically battle the other miniatures!

It is different and interesting. I definitely look forward to seeing the final product. -Palhacinho

Well the people offering those comments are (largely) experts, and didn't get that way building figures that get buggered up in the casting. Still, if they've done a few runs and get the process OK theres nothing wrong with stylised figures.

They're not my bag style-wise, but I do like them... nice to see something deliberately different that is neither a)totally incompatible with all other manufacturers' outputs or b) utter shite.

Keep it up Wombat and Vamp, feel free to stick around (and post us with anyt developments) if you need an honest (if sometimes brutal) sounding board...

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27/09/03

Two new greens for upcoming Dark-Age miniatures "Forsaken" miniatures. Sculpted by Gael Goumon.

Pretty slick. Other than his horses I really like Gael's work. The blunderbuss is quite whimsical. My only criticism of these is that I think the leg armor could stand to be a bit more chunky or a bit more fluid. It just doesn't seem well defined to me.

Looks like these ones wouldn't look too bad in Warmachine either. And is that less of a Brom influence on their design?

Not less of a Brom influence. The male figure is directly taken from a Brom piece called Haniel. The female figure is a variant based on the same design.

The style is a little different though. Gael's sculpting is different to most of the DA figs and the Haniel art is a little different to most of Brom's pieces.

But I do like these two. -SteveB

Quite frankly, I can hardly identify the first as a "female". There's something too "fem-boy" about her. She looks more like a male elf in drag. -Mancha

Not every female figure has to be an inflatable Pammy/Jordan type, surely?

I should think not!

She's petite. She's got an "A" cup. She's a Tomboy.

So when's the natural opposite to this mini coming out (around 250 lbs of hips, thighs, and everything else)?

Grafter is gonna hate me for saying this but I prefer the female.

The male looks like the Eagle guy from the Muppets.-Artemis Black

And doesn't it look like Gael simply took one his recent Reaper minis and sculpted some detail over it? -Mancha

Same armature, perhaps. Standard practice, I thought.-frotherGuest

Funny, I thought he looked more of a underbuffed Metabaron in armour...

Great scott, decent Dark-Age figures! Yeah, I prefer the lass too...what's wrong with being a bit androgynous?

Personally, I don't find her to be androgynous at all. Looks like she has a solid B-cup to me. And, if you look at the exposed mid-riff, those are definitely female-shaped cuts on the stomach muscles. -MiniaturesAtlas

I like em. A tad more mainstream than some of the other Dark Ages material mebbe, but all the more usable for that.

Dare I ask, but I take it these are standard 28ishmm? -UnclEvl

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28/09/03

The Confrontation chess figs look very cool, here is are more chess dwarfs (plus other news) from Creafigs (cool site, if you want to visit).

looks like you'll have to buy two boxes per side though...-Sylvain

The pawns suck. If I put together a chess set I'm difinitely going with Mid-Nor warriors instead.

The other Drune warrior with battle axe clinches it though. They are definitely on the shopping list. And I am extremely happy that the unidentified Dirz figure is a Vicar. I hated the last sculpt.

Why are the bad guys always so damned cool???

Nice.... 8-) I don't think the pawns are so bad, they go rather well in my opinion. Whats that about two boxes a side though?

 

28/09/03

There's a green of a new "Zeppelin Troopen" on the Pulp Figures site. -Mancha

Hmm. I think I should show this to my club for their Rubberboots game...

Yea its pretty kinky.... funnily I'm just off to a 'Nazis in rubber' ball myself...

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29/09/03

Run Away! Run Away! Amazons on Chariots! From Amazon Miniatures...

The model isn't top quality, but the humour is there. I wouldn't want to be pulling THAT chariot...

The idea is great, with a better sculptor this could have been awesome.

What is she supposed to be wearing? Looks like a Lara Croft top™

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29/09/03

New Machete Girls from Shadowforge's tribals...

And there are 4 new archers as well. Command, Shaman and Berserker to follow shortly.- frotherGuest

Nice with some really good poses. No pot bellies though.... :-( -frotherBaz

Some of the Foundry Valkyries are rather, err, "big boned"...

And some of the old Citadel Fantasy Tribe Fighters were "Big Girls", as well. -frotherGuest

And all of the OG "Ghost" Valkyries. Wagnerian opera stuff... and Excalibur has a female orc that's kind of a 'big mama'. Not my thing tho...

Look I am not talking about big mama's or big bones - I want pot bellies....

I see... well some of the Foundry Nymphs fall into that category.

I've never been a huge fan of Shadowforge's faces (that may be the painting, since I've never seen one up close). But, they do a really great job on the posing (as someone probably wiser than I posted already). And, at three feet, poses is what counts.

Yet another company that makes me wish I was rich. -MiniaturesAtlas

The idea of showing one breast while hiding the other is indulgent and merely discloses their intended market.

Amazons (as probably everyone here knows) were said to cut off their right breast as it interfered with their archery/swordwork. -okheir

It is also said that this was not true at all.

First of all, women are perfectly capable of firing a bow without having to resort to such drastic measures.

And most importantly. If they indeed did this, then they'd have died out quickly because an operation like that in those days... Not a big chance of surviving it.

It was reported IIRC by Herodotus. Mind you, he also said that the sperm of Nubians was black. Are you saying there is an ancient source that the Amazon's did not cut their right breast off? -okheir

Are you nuts? How many texts refer to self-mutilation non-practices?

"The Celtoi are tall in stature and given to not removing their left testicle" -Diodorus

I don't have strong views on the matter one way or another, but I did write the post because the sculptor has one fullsome breast showing and one covered. Obviously this refers to the Greek myths/recountings of the Amazons, but it is totally senseless otherwise. I don't really see that you have addressed that aspect of the miniatures. Possible explanations why they are sculpted that way? An Amazon custom to use alternate days for breast tanning?

There are some references to Amazons on horseback i.e. that they were a Scythian people (they certainly weren't Greek)...it may be that developed breasts do interfere with horse archery. Who knows? I'm a flat-chested guy who got thrown by a horse and learned to use the FNAL. -okheir

And probably everyone else knows modern scholarship refutes such an idea as, at best, a mistake and, at worst, bollocks. Attributing the blame isn't quite so clear though...

IIRC, there are no ancient vase paintings, friezes or sculptures showing amazons with anything but two breasts. Most literary sources are silent on the subject: I don't think Plutarch's life of Theseus (who is supposed to have defeated the amazon attack on Athens) mentions tits anywhere.

One theory is that Herodotus (or his source) was working from a false etymology, trying to explain the name "amazon" as deriving from "a mazos", meaning "without a breast". Alternative etymologies include "without corn", an Armenian phrase meaning "moon-woman", or the most honest "we don't know where this word comes from". -Von Bork

Oh right. The "who is this fool who does not know who we are?" or "Your finger, you fool."

There is also not one single piece of evidence of this practice in any remains, and bronze age surgery of this kind would not only be incapable of leaving a majority of patients alive, it would not be able to achieve the result without marking the bone.

I recall having this conversation with Dead Dep a while back (its in an old masterworks I believe). We decided I think thats its better to cast the figures with mammaries intact, as you can always perform the operation yourself with a sharp modelling knife if you really want to (you sicko).

Back to the minis: yes, the faces are a bit mask-like, aren't they? -Von Bork

Does any of the history point towards the peponderance or other of the odd pot belly...?

As to the figures, it seems a bit of a return to the Shadowforge 'mixed bag'... none are appalling, but only half are really great (a shame since the last tribals release was uniformly excellent IMO).

I think the one on the left has a bit of a belly on her though bAz.

Oh, Sorry. My bad. If modern scholarship says Herodotus was wrong 25 centuries ago when he wrote that account, well that's dispositive, isn't it? That means, what, there was no such story of the Amazons, or he heard the wrong story when drinking a glass of wine in Lydia, or he misremembered what he was told or made the whole thing up?

Really, what a load of shite. Herodotus was telling a story. It wasn't important to him that the story was scientifically and historically accurate by 20th century standards. The Histories are filled with, amongst other things, the mythic tales and folklore of the lands surrounding the Eastern Mediterranean where he travelled. He was told of the Amazons. He didn't say he had met the Amazons. He didn't say he was told that the Amazons bared one breast. If he had, then the sculpts would be understandable.

My post was about the sculpts. I think the ones with one breast showing are ill-concieved. If they want to do ladies showing one breast, Shadowforge should do a line of late Middle Ages ladies of the French Court.

And Doc, don't be such a langer. ;-) -okheir

I don't think the fact that the loose clothes these "tribals" have draped themselves has anything to do with Amazons or the Amazons myth. I really don't see your point. -frotherGuest

Well, too bad you didn't chime in earlier. You could have saved us all a bit of trouble, as we seem to have thought one breast was intentionally shown.

Otherwise, I think you see my point just fine.

I second the call for pot bellies.... every range should have one (or three).

Excellent a man after me own heart!

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30/09/03

The new Netherlord from Heresy... 8-0 #froth# 8-0

...says it all really.

#fear!#

Wouldn't want to get a hug from that. Spikey. The Winged Netherlord looks pretty amazing too... #froth#

and the painted figures on that page are pretty amazing too -DemonEtrigan

amazing. If we keep seeing this I am going to buy one you know....

Oddly, I think i prefer the wingless version...

Wow, looking great! -PeteB

Ta very much, all... -Andy

I guess there are benefits to waiting......

Perhaps we should wait some more for the next version...

I suppose we could...but then Andy may run out of money before he could produce it. We can't allow that. We would never get to see any angels.

Well, don't hold your breath...I'm most definitely and heartily sick of looking at netherlords for now! I do have one halfway through but i'm going to finish some of the smaller figures that have been hanging around forever now.

Run out of money? I haven't got any money to start with! Never mind having to compete against my own trade accounts undercutting me, (which I'm gonna have to put a stop to) that netherlord costs a fortune to post!
I'd really like to do some angels now, gotta get these other figs finished and do some of the design contest winners, and the Fallen Santa looks like being voted for as the Christmas Mini this year, so I'll have to tfind time to make that too!

Back to work then...

Angels! Can't wait for that! :-D

It's kind of you to pop in and post to us though Andy. Really appreciated.
Not at all. I have no real friends...and I usually check here to see what's going on in the world of froth!

Small metal friends are better any way.

but...but....Andy....we're all you're Friends...

At which point Andy decides that no friends is definitely the better choice -DemonEtrigan

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