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Post by philotomy on Oct 8, 2007 7:31:47 GMT -6
What are some good sources for figures? I've used minis with RPGs for years and years, but I've never been into miniatures wargaming.
(I was thinking of using my BattleLore figures with Chainmail rules, just for kicks.)
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Post by jdrakeh on Oct 8, 2007 12:25:04 GMT -6
Reaper is my 'go to' company for fantasy minis (and has been since Ral Partha closed its doors). The CaBil was my sole source of historical minis for several years, though it looks like they're only doing scenery now. Currently, I'm pretty big on the paper minis by Arion Games (I'm on a budget and there's nothing quite like printing out an army of elephant-riding Macedonians in under five minutes to make you feel like you got your money's worth).
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Post by jdrakeh on Oct 8, 2007 12:31:50 GMT -6
Upon further searching, it looks like Noble Knight Games may carry some of the Norman and Aztec figs from the old Cabil range, as well as some of their odd-ball stuff (circus figures?).
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Post by philotomy on Oct 8, 2007 13:24:38 GMT -6
I've been digging through my game closet. I have a copy of Lord of the Rings Risk with figures that scale out around 15mm. The BattleLore figures scale at around 20mm (so does Memoir '44 infantry, for what it's worth). War of the Ring scales at about 25mm.
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Post by thorswulf on Oct 8, 2007 21:37:38 GMT -6
What it really boils down to is how much do you want to spend, and how many figures do you need? If you are building an army, and are on a budget go 15mm. There are lots of very nice 15mm figs out there today, and contrary to popular belief you can paint them! If bigger figures are what you want, buy historicals for all of your human troops, they are cheaper than fantasy figures! As far as size compatability goes, bugger it! Scale is a crock, because what todays 25mm "heroic" scale is, is actually closer to 30mm figures! BUY WHAT YOU LIKE! Oh yeah one last thing to find manufacturers check out www.theminiaturespage.com They have a very comprehensive list of manufaturers. |
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Post by coffee on Oct 8, 2007 23:23:32 GMT -6
There are lots of very nice 15mm figs out there today, and contrary to popular belief you can paint them! Hear, hear! I'm not the world's greatest painter, but I have a bit of experience with different scales. I have some 10mm and some 6mm figures. Believe me, after you paint up a few of them, 15mm holds no terrors. (And 28/30mm figures feel like they need a paint roller!) |
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jrients
Level 6 Magician
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Post by jrients on Oct 9, 2007 11:24:22 GMT -6
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Post by thorswulf on Oct 9, 2007 21:27:44 GMT -6
If you are interested in some very nice conventional and unconventional 15mm figures check out Splintered Light Miniatures at TMP. The goblinoids alone are cool, but the other stuff is jsut as cool! Another good source for bulk 15mm figures is Black Raven Foundry/Forge (can't remember which one it is) available from Old Glory 15's. Get the website from TMP too. These are nice bulk packs of 48 infantry for under $20. Check out Syr Hobbes Wargames at TMP as well. He carries East Riding Miniatures 15mm fantasy figs.
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Post by thorswulf on Jan 15, 2008 22:12:35 GMT -6
Hey everyone, I found a great new source for a relatively low investment! A company from Russia (I think) Called Caeser Figures has released boxed sets of Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, Orcs, Undead, and Heroes in 1/72 scale. 1/72nd scale is smaller than old school 25mm Partha's foor example, and closer to 20mm figures these days. If the fact that they a plastic and small is a deterrant then don't give this another look. If you are one of the minority who still likes these little guys, or just want a cheap source of figs check out either of the following: www.michtoy.com Or go to the ebay store Ye Olde Toy Soldier to order. Michigan Toy Soldier Shop has the best online photo reference for plastic figures bar non. Check out the plastic soldier section, click on 1/72 icon, and hit the Ceaser listing. At the bottom of the list are the links to the pictures. The Ebay store has them at a dollar cheaper, but no pictures! Most of the boxes have about 30-35 figures in 10 or so poses. Limited, but still enough for a horde of cheap monsters! A word about painting plastic is in order. Clean the sprues in warm soapy water, rinse, and let air dry. When primering them first lightly hit the sprues with a spray adhesive, and then the primer. Or use on of those Fusion sprays designed to bond with the plastic. |
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Post by coffee on Jan 16, 2008 18:06:14 GMT -6
Those Caesar figures look pretty good -- I might have to get me some of them. Thanks for the link!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2008 1:53:06 GMT -6
Ral Partha is alive and well as Iron Wind Metals (dot com).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2008 17:19:44 GMT -6
Ral Partha is alive and well as Iron Wind Metals (dot com). Indeed. That's who I order my mini's from (although personally I don't wargame). |
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Post by coffee on Jun 7, 2008 22:13:29 GMT -6
Hey everyone, I found a great new source for a relatively low investment! A company from Russia (I think) Called Caeser Figures has released boxed sets of Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, Orcs, Undead, and Heroes in 1/72 scale. The company address is in Taipei Taiwan, and they say Made in China. But they're pretty darn spiffy! I picked up the Dwarves, Undead and Adventurers today at my Friendly (not-so) Local Game Store. I wanted to buy something, since I wasn't going to get 4e. These are some of the nicest figures in this size made. One thing that might make them easier to clean and prime (or not), they're not on sprues. At least mine aren't. But they're really nice pictures. Thanks, Thorswulf, for the heads up! |
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Post by thorswulf on Jun 7, 2008 22:19:30 GMT -6
Well as the price of metal keeps going up, I think plastics are going to get very popular! Another source for metal 20mm orcs is Rebel miniatures. Nice looking figures!
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Post by driver on Jun 27, 2008 11:25:33 GMT -6
I didn't see this thread or I'd have replied sooner. I used to paint a lot, and my favorite source for cheap, "old school feel" minis is the former Discount Hobby, now MegaMinis. The prices on rank-and-file types, and assortments of character-types, is pretty hard to beat, especially for metal instead of plastic (which I can't stand using). eBay store: stores.ebay.com/MegaMiniaturesI'd download the "Fantasy" catalog and take a gander. I haven't ordered in a very long time, but I used to order regularly and always got fantastic service. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2008 13:04:10 GMT -6
I personally use the Official Dungeons and Dragons Miniatures for all my fantasy miniature needs, but that's cause I also play the minis wargame that goes with that. Otherwise, I wouldn't really suggest it, as they are random-packed (it's a collectable game after all). But I do think they have nice paintjobs and are very durable, so if you can find some single minis on ebay or a game shop I'd recommend them.
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Post by dwayanu on Jul 21, 2008 21:44:29 GMT -6
For inexpensive historical humans (and some animals and fantasy types), 1/72 (old "25mm") scale soft plastic is one option. I haven't bought any in some time, but I'm guessing a typical "brick store" retail price now (considering oil prices) would be $8 to $9 for a box of 48 infantry or 12 cavalry. A quick look online came up with some offerings more in the neighborhood of $6 to $7 ( plus freight, natch). You can check Plastic Soldier Review to see what's available. (Features/Odd Figure Sets has a link to photos of a LotR-ish line from Caesar.) Metal monsters and heroic types in 28mm are "larger than life," which may or may not suit one's taste. Figures in 15mm can do for dwarves and the like, a la suggestions in the Chainmail rulebook. I have some 15mm reptile men that make for a kobold-like swarm of little nasties. One drawback is that 1/72 takes up more space than smaller (e.g., 15mm) models. Another is difficulty in painting, with two aspects. The first is the plastic itself. For a paint job to last, you need (A) to wash the models clean of mold-release and oils/grime from handling, and (B) to apply an appropriate primer. I've had good results with Elmer's Glue-All, Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement, and Future Floor Wax; I've read that a special Rustoleum primer is excellent, and I imagine that's a spray. Using one of the first three as a varnish gives extra durability ("sandwiching" the paint between flexible layers to prevent cracking). Acrylic paint holds up better than enamel, in my experience. With that problem solved, soft plastics end up being tougher than metal minis. They bend (and usually flex right back) instead of breaking, and don't get dented if dropped or even thrown (don't ask). They can be left loose to roll around together in a box with relatively little risk of harm. The second difficulty in painting is the lack of deep relief, especially with realistic sculpting. If one is used to painting bigger or more exaggerated models, it may take a while to adjust. For actual gluing together of pieces, I use a cyanoacrylate "super" glue. Ease of cutting, and of altering poses by bending after heating in hot water, makes soft plastic figures pretty nifty for conversions. A soldering iron, wire, and epoxy putty open up more possibilities. ------ If a battle involves many chariots, elephants or artillery pieces, then plastic or 15mm (or smaller) metal may be much easier on the budget. For some, one appeal of a 1/300 or 6mm "micro" scale may be that, from a few feet away, fine detail is nigh invisible and a very basic paint job can look splendid. Savings in space and (moreso) money may give way to the desire to deploy the little guys en masse. Not only does it look impressive (and require little investment of painting time), but handling tiny bases can be a bit fiddly. I think Games Workshop's WarMaster line was 10mm or so, and it looked like a nice compromise. I vaguely remember a game long ago with tiny figures from a board game; I think they had pegs on the bottom, which we stuck into clay-lined trays. One might come across materials for a fun scenario in a toy store or at a garage sale. Junior General is one source for print-your-own paper troops. They're not exactly gorgeous if you look closely, but talk about quick mustering! I've used some "paper dolls," from a couple of books the publisher of which I don't recall offhand, for American Revolution games. |
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Post by thorswulf on Oct 24, 2008 12:12:10 GMT -6
Since Halloween is right around the corner I thought I'd mention afew sources of cheap monsters and scenery. First, buy a cheap bag of those plastic spider rings, snip off the ring part and you have a horde of large spiders! Better still buy it the day after Halloween when they discount everything! Another thing to look at are those collectable village sets and the sundry accessories associated with it. I have purchased snow covered trees at 90% off- I paid 5 cents apiece for cheap trees! Some of the buildings might work too, but mostly I look at trees and the flocked mats. There's a very nice cobblestone mat that makes lovely roads.
Some of the other Halloween stuff could work as is or with a little work. A 12" rubber skeleton makes a very cool terrain piece (Here fell the last of the Titans....), or snip off the heads for a cool accent to any evil altar or temple! Some of the smaller cauldrons have inspired me to use one as the cauldron of the Lord of Death, etc.... The packages of bare willows look nice and creepy with cotton ball fog wisps placed within and around them on the gameboard.
Take a look at the premade wooden birdhouses and paper boxes in a craft shop. I have made African villages out of the cardboard round birdhouses, but a barbarian village could also be made. Some of the wooden birdhouses are in the shape of a two story castle tower/keep, with the stonework cut into the wood! A quick paint job and you have a nice tower to explore, or monsters/PCs to defend!
Well that does it for now, but I hope it inspires some of you to see what you can do. My wife really married me because I LIKED going to the craft store!
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Post by thegreyelf on Jan 23, 2009 13:58:24 GMT -6
I didn't see this thread or I'd have replied sooner. I used to paint a lot, and my favorite source for cheap, "old school feel" minis is the former Discount Hobby, now MegaMinis. The prices on rank-and-file types, and assortments of character-types, is pretty hard to beat, especially for metal instead of plastic (which I can't stand using). eBay store: stores.ebay.com/MegaMiniaturesI'd download the "Fantasy" catalog and take a gander. I haven't ordered in a very long time, but I used to order regularly and always got fantastic service. Holy crap, what a great Ebay store! Combine some of those set dressings with some of WotC's Dungeon Tiles (or ones you make from the Fat Dragon Games sets) and you're good to go for making some sweet dungeon sets! |
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Post by verhaden on Jan 23, 2009 14:55:21 GMT -6
I'll have to second that. I've been looking for something like this for some time.
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Post by thegreyelf on Sept 25, 2009 9:00:54 GMT -6
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