This week I got the weapons crate and the lich on a throne.
The weapons crates are a very hard plastic, same as GW's as far as I can tell (though it may be PVC and therefore not spray paintable). They're as tall as a guardsman and will work nicely as terrain or objectives
(you can just see the tip of Sgt Forscale's head between them)
However they do not open, and the bottoms are hollow.
But then again they're only $4
The shipping crates are better overall but these work well with them for just about any sort of industrial terrain.
The lich on a throne (Dragoth) is a bit bendier than I would like (check on his sword) but came as one piece and will work for a bit of terrain I'm thinking of as 'Emperor on Golden Throne'.
Some other potentially interesting releases below...
three's still dozens more on their site as pending so I guess we'll see them in August.
Picked up the weapon crate in store last week, you can use spray primer on it and paint over that, I had no problem with the spray primer making it gooey.
And hey, just after the kickstarter Reaper releases some new models in the one true casting medium...
METAL!
So let's take a look at what they've put out in...
METAL!
First off is this bit of nightmare fuel
Which can serve as a Stitch Golem, a Rag Construct or a Fabric Automoton with just minimal conversion for each option.
The Ghost Bride can also serve as a Ghost Bridesmaid with a simple pallet change.
Moandain, Who is Not A Ring Wraith, is mounted on... something? Maybe? Or is that just his cloak? And is that a lightning bolt or something?
Zadim is an 'Iconic Slayer' which means what? He slays icons? He slays iconicly? His icon is Slayer?
Spoiler:
Truly a man of mystery
While Kess, the Iconic Brawler is pretty much what you expect.
Boxing head pads, bare midriff armor, skinny as a supermodel, and carrying... a bedroll? On her butt. Yes, when I think of iconic brawlers, this is exactly what I picture.
And finally, Sharda the Iconic Shaman (Shawoman? Shadwarfwoman?). This is a remarkable sculpt because you spend so much time trying to figure out what's up with her hat that you forget to wonder what the @#$% is that thing growing out of the back of her head? A snake? Hair?
So anyway as usual it's a mixed bag (for me the Slayer is the only real must/maybe/possibly buy model), but ain't none of them boring.
Looking forward to more. Especially Sir Castlesuit of Masonwear.
I was surprised that the Stitch Golem was a resin/ metal hybrid. I haven't been too impressed with Reaper's forays into resin, but this guy looked alright.
Sadly they did not have the castle knight on a castle in stock as I would have snatched him up.
Moandain would make for a good Nagash -type lich model if you don't want to pony up for the super giant End Times model.
After a break for their Kickstarter Reaper is back with more of God's own casting medium, yes I am taking about
METAL!
Kicking things off we have some GEAR-encrusted WARriors by Bobby Jackson. Suitable for all sorts of science fiction games.
Provided the game requires people carry around ginormous 8-track radios instead of guns...
Here we have Hakon the Ironic Skol, which is what hipsters drink to show that like they totally don't care about brands man cause like they're individuals and stuff.
Then we have Jonna Sleet and her pet direwolf Specter
Ostarza here is officially sold as an Elven cleric but I know that creative gamers with a bit of green stuff will also be able to use her as a half-elven druid, a fey enchantress, a Calaquendi shaman (shawoman? shaelf? I'm really not sure) or even as a Quendi magos, but I would only recommend that for advanced modelers familiar with OSL and NMM.
Turning to the Bones releases, which are not made of
METAL!
But still are some interesting models.
The pillars of Good and Evil are naturally essential for all sorts of modeling projects.
The pillar of neutrality is expected out next year.
Man Bullywogs, remember Bullywogs? Remember that time in the old D&D cartoon when they met Bullywogs and Eric got turned into one? That was awesome.
Of course these aren't Bullywogs, because Bullywogs are copyright TSR Inc.
They're Squogs.
Sadly...
History has taught me that this is a fetish for someone.
So I know a lot of people have been waiting for a new Lord of Change...
Something with the power and magesty to go head to head with the new Bloodthirster.
Um...
Maybe?
I don't know what I'd use a dozen giant flies for
But suddenly I want them.
Then we have some really useful models.
Dopplegangers
Mimics
And Giant Ancient Red Dragons (using polymorph self)
And finally the most eagerly anticipated model of the year...
All the Bones saucers I've seen in real life were far too warped for even a hot water treatment to save them. I don't know why they didn't use the harder plastic for the main saucer.
Wyrmalla wrote: Hasn't that newest Bones stuff been out for a while? I saw them at my flgs weeks ago (actually I was going to pick up that Pillar of Evil myself).
Some of the bones 2 stuff was packaged in blisters or where shipped as replacements. I've seen a few things on e-bay here and there in blisters that aren't out yet (or weren't at the time). I had a few re-issues from the KS fulfillment due to miscasts and missing parts and they were all packaged in blisters.
Does anyone who has the Bones version of the Grey Aliens have a mini-review? The pictures there look kinda terrible but I know that the white material doesn't always photo well. Do they really look that bad or are they better in person? My homebrew X-com system wants to know!
No problem. I think those photos are of the models in bones. Below is a quick snap of some of mine painted up. I've got 18 and they're...OK. I didn't spend long painting them as there wasn't much to do. Just opted for color coded jumpsuits, grey tech, light grey skin, and black shiney eyes like they tend to have.
I seem to have color coded them slightly differently than they are packaged.
If you want some simple and cheap lgm these can do. I mean on MM they're roughly 63 cents a piece or almost a dollar each for the two 'leaders', so they won't break the bank. This is good, as they are not amazing.
I'm fine with them though, use them as sci-fi civilians, objectives, and occasionally as a faction unto themselves. If you need more thoughts or photos just holler.
Wow that was fast, thanks. I have the metals and I might just get more of those. The bones ones don't look horrible, especially just for civilians or whatever but I was able to repose the metals really well and they weren't overly expensive either :/ Hrm, I think I'm gonna go digging on the Reaper forums and see if anyone has pics of the bones Bathalians.
I haven't painted those yet but I've got them too, they come with the grays. Would you like some photos? I've got one assemed, I think the rest are in their bags yet. Kulathi too.
Kid_Kyoto wrote:Kicking things off we have some GEAR-encrusted WARriors by Bobby Jackson. Suitable for all sorts of science fiction games.
Spoiler:
Arbites, after a head swap? Something about the boots and knees are giving me that same not-quite-Judge-Dredd vibe.
Then we have Jonna Sleet and her pet direwolf Specter
Spoiler:
Pretty nice. Julie Guthrie? Sandra Garrity?
So I know a lot of people have been waiting for a new Lord of Change...
Something with the power and magesty to go head to head with the new Bloodthirster.
Um...
Spoiler:
Maybe?
I wasn't, but I like that.
And finally the most eagerly anticipated model of the year...
Spoiler:
Well, they're no sheep, but...
Kid_Kyoto wrote:Almost missed this release!
Me too, and I'm looking directly at the photos. Stuff doesn't photo well, does it?
Those IMEF guys are super chunky, but they may work for 40k. I'm pretty tempted to remove one of their heads and put in a space marine helmet, then it would just be the gun that looked super chunky and you could call the rest of the thickness powered/heavy armor. As it stands now though, their heads are like double sized versus a truer scaled model. They're like a step down from Imaginext proportions (who, humorously enough, don't have huge heads compared to arms and feet)
GrimDork wrote: No problem. I think those photos are of the models in bones. Below is a quick snap of some of mine painted up. I've got 18 and they're...OK. I didn't spend long painting them as there wasn't much to do. Just opted for color coded jumpsuits, grey tech, light grey skin, and black shiney eyes like they tend to have.
I seem to have color coded them slightly differently than they are packaged.
If you want some simple and cheap lgm these can do. I mean on MM they're roughly 63 cents a piece or almost a dollar each for the two 'leaders', so they won't break the bank. This is good, as they are not amazing.
I'm fine with them though, use them as sci-fi civilians, objectives, and occasionally as a faction unto themselves. If you need more thoughts or photos just holler.
http://www.litko.net/ They make a host of bases, counters, tokens, and game aids in a variety of materials. You can search for the bases (clear acrylic, mine specifically are 25mmx1.5mm thick) and pop them in your cart like you'd expect, but they also have a custom base creator page (I usually find it by googling) if you need a slightly different size than usual.
The IMEF guns are massive. The best I could do with them is just give the guys a helmet that fits more in line with some of my other models so it looks like they're in thick power armor, and consider the gun some kind of portable artillery for dealing with really *really* nasty aliens.
BrookM wrote: They need to do something about their gun designs. A lot of their minis are outright ruined by horrible gun design.
I don't think we'll see this any time in the future. Reaper is pretty anti-sci-fi. I agree though, the guns on those look like 80s era sci-fi models :/ My boys like it though so it's easy for them to fill up squads of the guys and be happy
BrookM wrote: They need to do something about their gun designs. A lot of their minis are outright ruined by horrible gun design.
I don't think we'll see this any time in the future. Mantic is pretty anti-sci-fi. I agree though, the guns on those look like 80s era sci-fi models :/ My boys like it though so it's easy for them to fill up squads of the guys and be happy
I think you mean Reaper, not Mantic guv.
It's not just their sci-fi ranges though..
Lovely mini, but what the fething gak kind of excuse for a weapon is she holding?
Ah, yeah, I meant Reaper.. lol that's what I get for tab-hopping.
Today's releases
Dark Heaven Legends
03720: Temple Dragon by Julie Guthrie ($32.79) [+1]
03721: Vonsalay, Half Orc Wizard by Bobby Jackson ($7.49) [+1]
Chronoscope
50324: Slyder, IMEF Trooper by Bobby Jackson ($6.79) [+1]
50325: Skids, IMEF Trooper by Bobby Jackson ($6.79) [+1]
Pathfinder Licensed Miniatures
60184: Meyanda, Android Priestess by Bobby Jackson ($5.99) [+1]
60185: Kulgara, Orc Barbarian by Bobby Jackson ($8.99) [+1]
60191: O-Sayumi by Derek Schubert ($6.29) [+1]
60192: Salim Ghadafar by Derek Schubert ($6.79) [+1]
Let's start with the bones and with (for me) the most anticipated model of the year!
Sir Hardcastle! (or Male Paladin as he is listed, because when I think of paladins I think of a guy wearing his castle as a shirt).
Personally I like to imagine he's a 6mm scale giant.
And some similar models Basically there's a whole set of models perched on various rocks and things. I wonder if they were meant to be a chess set or something.
Then we have a pair of models you really should keep looking at.
Spoiler:
Don't blink!
They're followed by a Dwarf Slaver.
Why he only slaves dwarfs I don't know.
And yes, once again Reaper brings the sexy.
Spoiler:
Oh yeah!
They've also put out a couple of 'wererats' which would fit in great with any skaven army.
From the generic
To the weird (Packrat!)
To the sexy! Yes that's 3 sets of teats...
From rats to mice. Like many of you I'm just tired of converting my Mousling Rangers and Scouts into Beekeepers and Druids. Well Reaper must have heard our pleas and has finally come to our rescue!
Similarly there are always calls for more monster undead and well Zombie Ogre is go!
Now I dunno about you but when I think of necromancer i think a withered old man, almost a corpse himself, dressed in rags and covered in filth practicing his unholy arts. Thankfully I don't work for Reaper huh?
A new Bones Succubus, who for some reason is wearing more clothing than the Necromancer.
Some smexy, smexy sea monsters
Then Reaper once again raids the Monster Manual I believe this is called a Type Alpha Demon Type C Type IV Devil Type AB- Daemon
And finally one of the heavy hitters from the old Monster Manual, Tiamat-The Platinum Dragon!
Crystal Golem who can also serve as an Ice Troll or a Blue Lantern power ring construct
And finally some more obscure monsters Mimic Invisible Stalker (on scenic base) Arial Servant
And finally we have a decent troll/ogre
And a fearsome pack of World of Warcraft players
Come back next time when we review the models in the one true casting medium of
They had a Ghoulie Bag promotion last month. I didn't know anything about it. I just happened to order about $40 in replacement paints and a few new ones from their HD series I wanted to try. I can't think of a use for the pumpkin orange, but the other 3 will get use. Also, I got a zombie miniature and a townsperson miniature. The candy was given to trick-or-treaters Saturday...
weetyskemian44 wrote: I am unconvinced by the type C demons wings. He looks like he has a seagull on his back.
It is true to the spirit of the source. Assuming they are harkening back to the old Type IV (Nalfeshnee) which it looks like they are (but I could be wrong)
AD&D Monster Manual wrote:These demons combine the worst features of an ape and a boar, and their small wings appear unable to bear their ponderous ten foot tall bodies.
weetyskemian44 wrote: I am unconvinced by the type C demons wings. He looks like he has a seagull on his back.
It is true to the spirit of the source. Assuming they are harkening back to the old Type IV (Nalfeshnee) which it looks like they are (but I could be wrong)
AD&D Monster Manual wrote:These demons combine the worst features of an ape and a boar, and their small wings appear unable to bear their ponderous ten foot tall bodies.
The demons are the verbatim description of their counterparts from the 3.x monster manual. Tiny wings is accurate for the description.
I've been waiting for this batch but man alive I'm not paying that much for the lemures.. they show up in droves in game.
Kid_Kyoto wrote: I've been slacking off lately so here's a double or triple dose of Reapy goodness!
...
And finally one of the heavy hitters from the old Monster Manual, Tiamat-The Platinum Dragon!
I think this is supposed to be Orcus, who, as every schoolboy knows, is the.. bah, got nothing. Maybe ask the good folks of BADD (Bothered about D&D)?
Sadly Miniature Market seems to have stopped carrying metal Reaper minis
weetyskemian44 wrote:I am unconvinced by the type C demons wings. He looks like he has a seagull on his back.
Wehrkind wrote:That's why he is so ferocious! While you are busy fighting the demon beast, he steals your french fries. Truly, there is no victory to be had in hell.
Who knew you could kill these demons by tossing alka seltzer tablets at them. Don't let PETA find out though.
Kid_Kyoto wrote: I've been slacking off lately so here's a double or triple dose of Reapy goodness!
...
And finally one of the heavy hitters from the old Monster Manual, Tiamat-The Platinum Dragon!
I think this is supposed to be Orcus, who, as every schoolboy knows, is the.. bah, got nothing. Maybe ask the good folks of BADD (Bothered about D&D)?
Just out of curiosity, does anyone know where Gygax (et al) got their Monster Manual Demons and Devils from? Were they just from fevered imaginations or were they based on something maybe from Dante or some other Medieval source? They have that sort of 'throw a bunch of animals in a blender' look mythical monsters have.
Sadly Miniature Market seems to have stopped carrying metal Reaper minis
Perhaps get a copy of "the Book of Imaginary Beings" or read through Gygax's posts at Dragonsfoot for answers. I have yet to read through all his postings at Dragonsfoot, so I have no idea if he has answered anything about the demons.
I suspect he drew on a lot of sources to make them. Orcus is a Roman god of the underworld, for example.
Yeah, I was surprised to find that Miniature Market was no longer carrying the metal. Bummer.
Red Harvest wrote: Perhaps get a copy of "the Book of Imaginary Beings" or read through Gygax's posts at Dragonsfoot for answers. I have yet to read through all his postings at Dragonsfoot, so I have no idea if he has answered anything about the demons.
I suspect he drew on a lot of sources to make them. Orcus is a Roman god of the underworld, for example.
Yeah, I was surprised to find that Miniature Market was no longer carrying the metal. Bummer.
Well it sucks for you guys, but they are two miles from me and all their metal stock is in their brick and mortar store for extra discount...HAHAHAHAHA.
As promised here's an update on the one true casting medium...
METAL
First up 3 new models for the far future RPG Numenera
As we all know, in the far future things will be settled with sword fights.
And cell phones will be the size of basket balls.
I kind of like this mysterious cloak dude, could a cool Not-Kosh. But not at $10.
On a related note we have the Android Priestess. I'd have to see this one painted though, the detail on this one looks really rough.
Another trooper, great armor design, but will someone please please show Bobby Jackson a picture of what a gun looks like? he's obviously using his circa 1982 boom box as a model.
Rounding out the science fiction we have...
The Space Henchman! I don't know what I love more, his face, or his name. He's not Ramrrtsa of Hni, no he's Space Henchman!
On the fantasy side we have Julie Guthrie's latest.
No snark, it's a damn good dragon and only $30, less than GW charges for plastic.
And this...
Yes it's a sheet ghost, but dang what a great take on the concept! Very tempted. Was thinking of painting it as a US flag and making it a grimdark spirit of America. But it's $8.50
And I can't paint stripes.
Or stars.
And finally...
A group of Sherlock Holmes cosplayers.
Also useful as time travellers who did sloppy research, or a theme wedding party.
Really the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
So we say goodbye to Reaper's metal line for another month. Play us out Manowar!
Am I correct in thinking that Julie Guthrie has been sculpting dragons for over 30 years at this point? I definitely remember looking at Julie Guthrie dragons in... some hobby store in the mall next to the model rockets when I was really young. I think I even own two of her sets from Ral Partha.
Which, yea means I could go downstairs and see if the one box says Julie Guthrie, but still. Damn.
Wehrkind wrote: Am I correct in thinking that Julie Guthrie has been sculpting dragons for over 30 years at this point? I definitely remember looking at Julie Guthrie dragons in... some hobby store in the mall next to the model rockets when I was really young. I think I even own two of her sets from Ral Partha.
Which, yea means I could go downstairs and see if the one box says Julie Guthrie, but still. Damn.
Wehrkind wrote: Am I correct in thinking that Julie Guthrie has been sculpting dragons for over 30 years at this point? I definitely remember looking at Julie Guthrie dragons in... some hobby store in the mall next to the model rockets when I was really young. I think I even own two of her sets from Ral Partha.
Which, yea means I could go downstairs and see if the one box says Julie Guthrie, but still. Damn.
Who got Ral Partha's old molds? Anyone know? Were they destroyed?
Man, I miss Ral Partha models with their pewter spear heads and iron spear shafts. How did that become lost tech to the industry, replaced with wither super bendy pewter spears or silly thick plastic?
Automatically Appended Next Post: Looks like the joined with iron Wind models? http://www.ralpartha.com/
Wehrkind wrote:Am I correct in thinking that Julie Guthrie has been sculpting dragons for over 30 years at this point? I definitely remember looking at Julie Guthrie dragons in... some hobby store in the mall next to the model rockets when I was really young. I think I even own two of her sets from Ral Partha.
Which, yea means I could go downstairs and see if the one box says Julie Guthrie, but still. Damn.
I only got into this hobby around 2000-2001, but I think some of Julie Guthrie's mid-eighties dragons for Grenadier are still some of the best in the hobby.
I think the thing was, as might be made plain by that 'not-allosaurus-with-wings' blue dragon, she actually knows a bit about animal anatomy, which informs her fantastic animal sculpts. (Fantastic in both senses of the word) Unlike a lot of mini sculptors since, who often don't seem to understand human anatomy.
On the topic of her sculpting dragons for 30 years: I'm not sure where or when I heard this, or how true it was, but I'd heard she stopped for some reason relating to her late husband, Dennis Mize. Who was certainly no slouch himself, given his dragons that are still available through Dark Sword, or his Reaper dinosaurs. So... the feeling's tempered by the possibility that it's related to his passing, but I was pleased to see new dragons, sculpted by Julie, appearing on the Reaper site.
Ahh thanks for the link! I do indeed have the 9902 Red Dragon painted and on my shelf, done when I was... 12? Maybe? At least 20 years ago. Not a half bad model at all, especially given the age and limitations of casting at the time.
I think you are right on the money too, Julie definitely has a good grasp of how things actually work, and can extrapolate from there to fantastic models that make intuitive sense, even if they wouldn't work exactly in real life. They just have that believable aspect that helps so much.
I didn't know that D Mize and her were married, or that he passed away. I remember him from my old RP catalogs, which I ought to dig out of the basement one of these days. Its always sad when you learn such folks are no more. He has quite the legacy of figures to remind people of him though.
Ok gentlemen, I don't think that model is the only one getting excited at this point. Behold this toadally different masterpiece.
Spoiler:
Spoiler:
Not perhaps, the glorious metal this thread is tasked with, but I imagine more folks are watching this thread than the kickstarter. someday, this could be yours in Bones!
Making up for its lack of ferrous content with derpy, murderous glee.
Pshh, Frogemoth was like the first thing I ordered in the PM.
I wonder if I could have a Kings of War army consist of giant weird Bones monsters like this guy and the giant worm thing from the last campaign if they're on large enough bases...
Thanks for forever ruining the aerodynamic hero I had planned as the commander of my space fleet. Rear Admiral Plugg. He was to be a really tough character who stopped any in it's tracks while you your enemy in the with your massive space force. Sadly, your juvenile jokes have cast those dreams asunder as now I only see him as Captain Falus. Such a lowly rank and a flacid name for such a strong character.
As for Froghemoth.. yeah.. that's the first thing I removed from my PM. Not keen on the artistic liberties taken.
Ah, I didn't have you pegged as the Rear Admiral Plug sort. It's a shame they won't insert that character into Gates of Antares to put a stop to Fartok.
BobtheInquisitor wrote: Ah, I didn't have you pegged as the Rear Admiral Plug sort. It's a shame they won't insert that character into Gates of Antares to put a stop to Fartok.
Oh I'm not, but when your opponent has it coming, there's nobody better than Plug to take them down a notch while you destroy their forces.
Oh.. That figure could also represent a female character... Mary Tallaide. Galactic Emissary of the Vibratium Empire!
Well the days are getting colder, the nights a bit loner and soon it will be time to close out the Reaper 2015 thread, only for it to emerge phoenix-like in 2016...
But first we can take time to celebrate...
THE 12 DAYS OF REAPER!
(we don't have a Christmas tree icon but that guardian head does nicely and doesn't the chaos star make for a nice snowflake?)
Starting Monday, December 7 and ending on Friday, December 18, every order over $35 (€, £, etc.) gets the mini of the day listed below.
Dec 7: 01523 Reaper Con 2013 Ringmaster Sophie by Derek Schubert Dec 8: 01524 Reaper Con 2014 Cowgirl Sophie by Bobby Jackson Dec 9: 01511 2010 Warlord Tournament Miniature by Bobby Jackson Dec 10: 01559 Malena the Sorceress, by Bobby Jackson Dec 11: 01503 Reaper Con 2006 Bourbon Street Sophie by Bob Ridolfi Dec 12: 01553 Christmas Familiars by Julie Guthrie Dec 13: 01549 Headless Mousling Reaper Artist Conference 2014 by Gene Van Horne Dec 14: 01405 Christmas 2001 Sophie by Werner Klocke Dec 15: 01554 Holly, Christmas Elf by Bob Ridolfi Dec 16: 01580 Christmas Surprise! TBA Dec 17: 01501 Reaper Con 2004 Sophie by Gael Goumon Dec 18: 01581 Christmas Surprise! TBA
Pumpkin minions! (out only a month after anyone might possibly have been interested! )
Undead wolves! Also usable as quite dead wolves through the simple expedient of putting them on their sides.
Tombstone of protection
Tombstone of sorrow
The tombstone of joy (with a radiant angel dancing a jig) is due next year.
Remember when Reaper's versions of wraiths were all invisible with just the clothing shows?
Funny how they dropped that when they did a female one.
Meanwhile on the bones side...
Another deep cut form the monster manuals, one of the more obscure demi-human factions.
I believe they are called Gully Dwarves
Then we have a homage to a classic Nintendo boss Doctor Eggman
Another deep dive into the monster manuals Ettercaps!
Reaper is also adding another model to its line of 1:1 scale insects Also usable as a 6mm scale kaiju!
Speaking of Kaiju... At last a Red Slaad for your undersea campaigns!
Y'know, even I'm not sure what these guys are. But wow, I can totally write a scenario now where the heroes are put on trial for their crime of eating mushrooms.
In all seriousness I've been looking forward to this one for a while thinking it was big. But looking at the $4 price tag it might be human sized, anyone know?
Useful models for that Lion King wargame I've been meaning to write for a while now.
Not the best zombies I've seen, but at 5 for $6.50 not the worst either.
Interesting the first version of these guys came with a stereotypical scantly clad sacrifice (the bit is called 'virginal victim' I don't want to know how the sculptor represented the virginal part on the model). Now sure what they're supposed to be doing now. Sacrificing rocks to the dark gods? Attending a dagger and evil tome convention?
We already throughly discussed this one And if people really think there's a market for 28mm Caryatud Columns in Bones plastic, who am I to argue?
Similarly, if someone wants to say they need a female dwarf riding a bear, who can say no?
I've loved Reaper's angels for a long time And I'd be all over these. If I didn't already have them all in metal still waiting for paint.
I can confirm that the Avatar of Sokar, that Birdy- headed Egyptian looking Ra stand-in clocks in at around 75mm from integrated base to the top of his headdress. Maybe a little more actually, as mine has bit of a drunken reeling going on due to the Bones Bends.
BobtheInquisitor wrote: The metal Avatar seems roughly the same night as the Bones Giants, but it's less chunky. $4 is an amazing price, half of what I was expecting.
I can confirm that it is both big and a bargain at that price - and is heading straight into my Kings of War Empire of Dust army.
The Auld grump - until I remembered that I had him in my Bones box, I was looking at spending $30 for a model to do the same job....
highlord tamburlaine wrote: I can confirm that the Avatar of Sokar, that Birdy- headed Egyptian looking Ra stand-in clocks in at around 75mm from integrated base to the top of his headdress. Maybe a little more actually, as mine has bit of a drunken reeling going on due to the Bones Bends.
Kid_Kyoto wrote: Remember when Reaper's versions of wraiths were all invisible with just the clothing shows?
Funny how they dropped that when they did a female one.
I always thought this one was female:
Looking at it again, I'm pretty sure Dat Pose (along with Dat Leg Armor, Dat Invisible-Probably-A-Bust, etc) means it is female. Also that Werner Klocke sculpted it
EDIT: I do like the upcoming Tombstone of Joy though. May stuff that into an army somewhere.
The zombies seem to be fairly "generic" which is good from my point of view. They could be wh40K nurgle types, or not. Modern or fantasy. Reaper would sell more bones if they paid someone minimum wage for two hours to basecoat and wash them before photographing them.
highlord tamburlaine wrote: I can confirm that the Avatar of Sokar, that Birdy- headed Egyptian looking Ra stand-in clocks in at around 75mm from integrated base to the top of his headdress. Maybe a little more actually, as mine has bit of a drunken reeling going on due to the Bones Bends.
Yup. Bit of effort to get him to get over those BBs, but a nice, towering monster.
kestral wrote: Reaper would sell more bones if they paid someone minimum wage for two hours to basecoat and wash them before photographing them.
OMG, yes this. I love their models but half the time I can't tell what a bones model is supposed to look like.
Heck I wonder if the couldn't change the formula to some kind of gray.
People keep telling them that, and they keep saying that they don't want to mislead people about what the Bones miniatures will look like when they buy them.
Maybe they could do a side by side - washed and unwashed?
The Auld Grump - Bones miniatures are just plain fun to paint.
I have to disagree on the fun part. The prep work is a pain. I find that they are exceedingly difficult to get mold lines off of. Knifework is prone to overcuts and filing just makes a mess. Same problem I have with most 1/72 figs. But, they are cheap and great if you don't mind a bit of bend/mold line here and there.
jmurph wrote: I have to disagree on the fun part. The prep work is a pain. I find that they are exceedingly difficult to get mold lines off of. Knifework is prone to overcuts and filing just makes a mess. Same problem I have with most 1/72 figs. But, they are cheap and great if you don't mind a bit of bend/mold line here and there.
Agreed. I've been going out of my way to find metal versions of Reaper sculpts I have a use for, and picking up Bones when there's no metal or the price is just too good to turn down (i.e. lots of the big Reaper monsters). Just horrific stuff to clean up, thankfully the price point matches the material - unlike Failcast, for example.
I've become something of a lapsed believer when it comes to cleaning minis, so Bones is a great medium for me. Plus, it's easy for my son to paint without damaging the minis or 'ruining' an expensive model.
You're a braver man than I Bob, letting your kids paint your stuff. Aren't yours younger than mine?
I've seen the results my kids have unleashed on some of those ceramic paint your own dinosaurs/ ponies/ disney characters/ whatever, and the results have been... interesting to say the least.
My six year old is certainly showing a lot more promise than the 9 year old when it comes to painting. She's asked me a few times to try her hand at some Bones stuff.
Maybe I ought to just suck it up and let her give it a shot.
A drowned spirit who can also be used for that wet T-shirt contest diorama you've been planning.
Tess McFadden, a sensibly dressed and equipped modern/near future soldier.
Wow.
And the unholy love child of Flash Gordon and a Spartan's legs. Not really sure what's going on here. Cyborg? Struggling pirate who can only afford half a suit of power armor? Rebel who was interupped while still getting dressed? Who can say.
And some sort of bat-like creature. A were-bat perhaps? A winged ghoul? Or maybe some sort of mummy? I'm not up on my 5th edition Monster manuals.
And finally the most fearsome creatures yet...
I'm going to hide them behind spoilers for people with a weak heart.
Spoiler:
Parents of toddlers will know how scary these two are.
"We have come to suck all your free time!"
"We will throw an hour long temper tantrum because you wouldn't let us wear our princess dresses to school"
"Why can't we eat ice cream for dinner"
I'm shaking just thinking about it.
Also they have guns. I suppose that's scary too.
highlord tamburlaine wrote: You're a braver man than I Bob, letting your kids paint your stuff. Aren't yours younger than mine?
I've seen the results my kids have unleashed on some of those ceramic paint your own dinosaurs/ ponies/ disney characters/ whatever, and the results have been... interesting to say the least.
My six year old is certainly showing a lot more promise than the 9 year old when it comes to painting. She's asked me a few times to try her hand at some Bones stuff.
Maybe I ought to just suck it up and let her give it a shot.
My son just turned 4. I don't know if bravery has as much to do with it as the sheer quantity of expendable Bones minis that came with my KS pledges.
The results are pretty horrifying, especially the times when he confused acrylics for watercolors. I now have a skirmish-sized pool of tie-dyed ghouls and bugbears. The Bones minis are so cheap and plentiful that I don't ever regret sacrificing the minis to spend some father-and-son time painting minis.
adamsouza wrote: Just think of it. If you teach them young they can become awesome miniatures painters.
Although I recommend using plastic army men tyoe figures at first.
That's the idea. Free labor to paint my minis some day.
Unfortunately, he is not allowed to play with little army men yet. (My wife and I are not anti-gun per-se, but we want to control his exposure to the ideas of violence and killing. His cousin gave us a very vivid example of a toddler who plays inappropriately with weapons and finds the violence he commits on others entertaining.)
There in an exception for Star Wars toys and miniatures.
When you think that the soca done, there's more soca to come!
And when you feel that the wining done, there's more wining to come!
Who the heck releases new products the week after Christmas?
Halfling farmers who can also be Hobbit freeholders and (with some greenstuff) Dwarven seasonal agricultural workers.
I love figures that make a statement. And the statement this female vampire is making is "does this dress make my butt look big? I don't have a reflection y'know."
And this dwarven cleric makes a statement too, his statement is "Dude, think before you answer, IT'S A TRAP!"
Lately Reaper has made a couple of these elfs with spiky bows, is this like a new thing? I mean I can kind of see it would be useful, basically a fantasy version of a bayonet. Save you the time to draw a weapon. It's not really useful, it wouldn't actually work, but in a fantasy world sure, why not.
No snark here, just a neat minor demon good for all sorts of games and scenarios. Can also serve as a greater demon for 10mm, and a city-smashing kaiju for 5mm games.
And they round out this week's collection of METAL with some retro ray guns.
Maybe something to go with their line of grey aliens? Maybe it's finally time for my grey alien count as Necron army?
Or not.
Over on the Bones side of the house...
A truly terrifying 5mm scale Equine Kaiju mounted by some sort of alien giant.
Also usable as a knight in your 28mm games.
A couple of figures cast in translucent purple for shadows or illusions. Or just paint over it.
Anyone else remember that spell that created hoards of shadow tentacles? I think it was from Unearthed Arcana. So glad I stopped playing D&D before I saw Uratsukidoji or we'd never have seen that spell that same way again.
I'm not sure what makes this version of Sophie 'Troll Slayer Sophie' I mean she has a sword, and I suppose that sword can be used to slay trolls, among other things. But wouldn't an ax be better for slaying trolls, to hack off those limbs before they regenerate? And maybe a torch to cauterize the wounds to the trolls can't just re-attach their limbs?
These are the things I think about.
Yes! Both a Baslisk and a Dracolisk so you don't have to convert your Baslisks into half dragon/half baslisk monstrocities!
Seriously... a Dracolisk... for when you've completely run out of ideas for monsters.
I know I've mentioned him before but here's the Bones version of a rock hard barbarian clutching his long, erect... ax.
Perhaps he's going troll-slaying?
And his female counterpart lovingly stroking a long, hard... ax.
Perhaps they're both going troll-slaying together?
That's what the kids are calling it today right? Troll-slaying? When I was in school we used to call it 'firing the volcano cannon'.
You know what I mean.
And a Dwarf cleric clearing telling his fellow adventurers...
Wait a second!
So Reaper is doing the same figure in bones and metal at the same time? Interesting. I always thought of metal as the deluxe 'hard cover' version followed by a bones 'soft cover' later. Maybe they're selling to different audiences? Maybe the metal one his delays? Weird.
And an elven ranger with a spiky bow which might actually be practical because...
OK. Yeah. Moving along.
A female wizard dressed for the hazards of the underdark with her slit skirt, sleveless blouse and trailing scarves. Because really, who needs basic protection when you have magic amirite?
A nice looking gnoll, although I just can't help but wonder what is up with that buckler? I mean OK, bucklers are small but that's like trying to protect yourself with a salad plate.
I have no idea what this is but I totally want to paint one for Saint Patr... I mean Saint Andrew's Day.
Finally! A peryton! Now all I need is a pseudo dragon and my collection of 1st edition monsters who start with a P will be complete!
No snark here either. Very nice type 5 demon. Remember that time in Lolth's spider ship when there was a Type V demon who was her overworked secretary? See it was funny because she has like 6 arms and she's a demon but she was still overworked. I think we killed her. Which makes me sad when I think of it. Because I mean she was just doing her job. Then we kicked down the door to Lolth's throne room and got hit with the dispel magic and then walked into the quicksand that was the same color and height as the floor.
Good times.
Is that the monster's front?
is this?
Or this?
Whichever it's just ick. Nothing I would want to fight. Especially in a slit skirt and sleeveless blouse. I don't have the legs for a slit skirt.
No snark, this cleric actually looks dressed for travel.
I like the armor but I feel like this dwarf is overcompensating for something. I mean just look at that beard.
And finally speaking of monsters that start with P...
Reaper's long-awaited stalagmite set!
With some conversion (recommended only for advanced modelers) these can also be used as stalactites!
See my photoshop below.
And of course once you've managed the stalactite conversion (again recommended only for advanced modelers), they can count as Piercers!
Well unless Reaper plans a bit release on Dec 31 this should round out the Reaper 2015 thread. Come back next year for more obscure D&D references, debates on the plausibility of various weapons and barely concealed innuendo!
Kid_Kyoto wrote: Well unless Reaper plans a bit release on Dec 31 this should round out the Reaper 2015 thread. Come back next year for more obscure D&D references, debates on the plausibility of various weapons and barely concealed innuendo!
And a great set to end it on, bountiful 'axe' jokes and all
Seriously... a Dracolisk... for when you've completely run out of ideas for monsters.
Awww, I kind of like the little guy. Look at that face! Who can hate that underbite?
Thanks for the quality reporting Kid, catch you next year.
BrookM wrote: Wow, the Bones treatment has not been kind to this one..
Spoiler:
It actually isn't too bad. I got it with my Bones 2 pledge, and it painted up well. The lips are a bit different shape which makes the face different, but not really bad.
Really the worst part (not helped by my fairly lazy paint job) was cleaning up the lines. I didn't notice how bad her right ankle is till just now. Then again, she is ~1.25" tall to the top of the head, so it is easy to miss stuff
Automatically Appended Next Post: Really, Reaper needs to airbrush prime then put a wash over their bones models. They just don't look like anything in all white like that.
The complaint about poor photography of the bones minis is common, but the answer I've heard is that Reaper wants people to see what they actually get.
It's a shame, because most of the bones stuff looks a lot better than you'd think based on the pics online.
Polonius wrote: The complaint about poor photography of the bones minis is common, but the answer I've heard is that Reaper wants people to see what they actually get.
It's a shame, because most of the bones stuff looks a lot better than you'd think based on the pics online.
Most bones minis have a painted version as well, which I've found very helpful.
BrookM wrote: Wow, the Bones treatment has not been kind to this one..
Spoiler:
The model itself is fair as far as the detail goes, though the sword is far too flimsy. I kind of sort of had to add on some extra armour to mine though (for "oh hell I've just been stabbed through the chest" reasons").
I Like the alteration to that one. I'm still trying to find a skintight spandex/bodysuit look that I like to use the twins (somehow I got two of them.. probably didn't get something else but it was too hard to check every single one to be sure) as space/future/time travel/alternate dimension barbarians/raiders/pirates. Like, the Masters of the universe movie where everyone's got laser guns but they still have swords and stuff, or fun things like in that Kung Fury movie where there's a viking riding a dinosaur with a Gatling gun and so on.
BrookM wrote: Wow, the Bones treatment has not been kind to this one..
Spoiler:
The model itself is fair as far as the detail goes, though the sword is far too flimsy. I kind of sort of had to add on some extra armour to mine though (for "oh hell I've just been stabbed through the chest" reasons").
I just assume 'arena armor' - gladiatorial armor really does go for 'cool' over 'effective' - blood loss is kind of the point....
GrimDork wrote: I Like the alteration to that one. I'm still trying to find a skintight spandex/bodysuit look that I like to use the twins (somehow I got two of them.. probably didn't get something else but it was too hard to check every single one to be sure) as space/future/time travel/alternate dimension barbarians/raiders/pirates. Like, the Masters of the universe movie where everyone's got laser guns but they still have swords and stuff, or fun things like in that Kung Fury movie where there's a viking riding a dinosaur with a Gatling gun and so on.
Bwahaha, nah just for my shelf and when I feel like pushing models around without any real direction. They'd tool around in a classic 3rd edition 40k dark eldar raider.
Wyrmalla- I really like your mod. The chest armor is consistent with the original sculpt and far more practical than the original sculpt. Why you would only armor half your chest, and leave your stomach exposed to pointy, slashy things, I have no idea, other than sculptors seem to like their lady warriors more centerfold than competent.
In all fairness, it isn't as though naked warriors are uncommon in early times. Lots of cultures had warriors that went into battle naked, and nearly all had plenty of warriors that wore whatever clothes were available, and maybe a little armor here and there. What is more odd is that her right side has armor at all. It isn't inconsistent with shield use, where your left side is protected well enough by a large shield that you don't encumber yourself, but then she has a sword and ax. That's a little odd.
But still, for most warriors through history, armor wasn't about maximizing protection, but optimizing a trade off between protection and having to wear and carry the damned expensive stuff through the entire campaign. Even more professional late period soldiers leaned pretty heavily in the direction of only wearing what was most necessary and stripping off what wasn't. Throw in early period limitations of cost, availability and over all effectiveness (nothing early was stopping an ax that connects cleanly) and full armor was often a poor investment even for those who fought a good bit.
Wehrkind wrote: In all fairness, it isn't as though naked warriors are uncommon in early times. Lots of cultures had warriors that went into battle naked, and nearly all had plenty of warriors that wore whatever clothes were available, and maybe a little armor here and there.
I'll bet it wasn't about giving horny little nerds something to ogle, though.
Wehrkind wrote: In all fairness, it isn't as though naked warriors are uncommon in early times. Lots of cultures had warriors that went into battle naked, and nearly all had plenty of warriors that wore whatever clothes were available, and maybe a little armor here and there.
I'll bet it wasn't about giving horny little nerds something to ogle, though.
I claim no expertise on the subject but didn't the Romans have female gladiators that were basically the foxy boxing/mud wrestling of the era? Smexy armor, bare breasts, blunted weapons etc.
Yup, most of the gladiators were dressed for titillation (male or female) and not really effectiveness in combat.
However, I was more referring to Gauls, Celts and the other literal barbarians the Romans and Greeks named such;
Discussed a bit here Lots of early peoples just didn't have a lot of clothing in the first place, and certainly not armor as they had to supply their own gear, a trend which was pretty standard until the semi-professional armies of the middle ages through much of Europe. Going shirtless was pretty normal unless the weather was cold or you had some armor to put over top. The Zulus were still rocking that style in the 1800s, despite having the capability to produce decent leather and steel armor. A big shield and the ability to be highly mobile and organized shock troops was more valuable than a little more body protection.
If you want to grumble about anachronism, female warriors in general are the strange and rare thing, not the lack of armor** or clothing. Given that we expect (and enjoy!) female analogues of every archetype it seems odd to quibble that the female barbarian doesn't have enough clothing and armor, considering her male counterpart is equally bare.
** Note I am not referring to porno-plate style armor, which is certainly silly
Automatically Appended Next Post: (Side note: Is the movie Zulu so little known these days that Google didn't come up with a single image from it when I searched for "Zulu Warrior"? Such a shame, great movie with super young Michael Cain!)
Totally OT but we used to watch Zulu religiously. RELIGIOUSLY. Our non- gaming brother was addicted to it. Probably at least once a week we watched it, if not more.
I can't tell you how many times I've seen that movie. That theme song is forever burned into my brain, made even better by the sad and degrading VHS tape that warbled and distorted the first 20 minutes of the movie or so from having watched it so much.
Kid_Kyoto wrote: Well unless Reaper plans a bit release on Dec 31 this should round out the Reaper 2015 thread. Come back next year for more obscure D&D references, debates on the plausibility of various weapons and barely concealed innuendo!
And a great set to end it on, bountiful 'axe' jokes and all
Seriously... a Dracolisk... for when you've completely run out of ideas for monsters.
Awww, I kind of like the little guy. Look at that face! Who can hate that underbite?
Thanks for the quality reporting Kid, catch you next year.
- Salvage
I just realized the dracolisk has 6 legs, compared to the Baslisk with 8.
It's what happens when a dragon (4 legs) mates with a basilisk (8). You get a critter with 1d3+4 legs (to represent magical genetic variation in a random "good enough" manner).
Ian Sturrock wrote: It's what happens when a dragon (4 legs) mates with a basilisk (8). You get a critter with 1d3+4 legs (to represent magical genetic variation in a random "good enough" manner).
I know and that's what depresses me!
I mean banging together two monsters is a pretty lazy way to make a new one and then throwing in things like that as if Dracolisks were a 'thing' with their own lore and history just makes me more depressed.
I mean shouldn't it have just one wing? And only one eye that turns people to stone (the other being normal)? Should it just breath 're' or maybe 'fi'? Or maybe a breath weapon of pure oxygen, as long as you don't cause a spark you're safe...
But yes, seems to be that there are more than enough old mythological critters that didn't have to be halfway between existing critters, that Gygax and his buddies shouldn't have invented so many new ones. Or at least, shouldn't have put them in books, where everyone could read about them.
The dracolisk looks awesome to me. It could pull off the alien dragon look with a suitable paint job and even represent a powerful Lensman with some bits from the DFG accessory sprue. He could be Dr. Lazarus's childhood pet that died in a tragic time travel accident.
Right there in the dustbin next to 2015! Even I know what year it is, Alph, although admittedly I didn't for about 40 minutes until my wife informed me.
Ian Sturrock wrote: It's what happens when a dragon (4 legs) mates with a basilisk (8). You get a critter with 1d3+4 legs (to represent magical genetic variation in a random "good enough" manner).
I know and that's what depresses me!
I mean banging together two monsters is a pretty lazy way to make a new one and then throwing in things like that as if Dracolisks were a 'thing' with their own lore and history just makes me more depressed.
I mean shouldn't it have just one wing? And only one eye that turns people to stone (the other being normal)? Should it just breath 're' or maybe 'fi'? Or maybe a breath weapon of pure oxygen, as long as you don't cause a spark you're safe...
The wings take up the leg spots, obviously. So it still has 8 limbs total.
Alpharius wrote: I wasn't questioning if it was an actual word or not ...
Sorry Alph, didn't intend to get all word elitest there. I hadn't heard the word until a few years back, when my brother's now-wife-then-gf replied to something obnoxious he suggested with a "Merrrrrhaps ....."
@ Kid, want to see these column armies too, preferably on round bases. This is what Age of Stuff was made for!!1
Ian Sturrock wrote: It's what happens when a dragon (4 legs) mates with a basilisk (8). You get a critter with 1d3+4 legs (to represent magical genetic variation in a random "good enough" manner).
I know and that's what depresses me!
I mean banging together two monsters is a pretty lazy way to make a new one and then throwing in things like that as if Dracolisks were a 'thing' with their own lore and history just makes me more depressed.
I mean shouldn't it have just one wing? And only one eye that turns people to stone (the other being normal)? Should it just breath 're' or maybe 'fi'? Or maybe a breath weapon of pure oxygen, as long as you don't cause a spark you're safe...
The wings take up the leg spots, obviously. So it still has 8 limbs total.
Somebody has been schooled in Common Core Math
Speaking of the year, Thread Title?
It is an old tradition to combine parts of differing creatures to create a new one, and Gygax et al were just following that tradition. It would have to be an acid breathing dragon that mated with the basilisk though, since the acid breathers are immune to petrification-- according to nethack anyway. And as any schoolboy knows, dragons will mate with anything and everything. They are the sluts of High Fantasy. Or slovens, for the males.
Even more OT (: but if you don't know the inspiration for other creatures in the D&D-iverse, here you go. Amusingly, the Owlbear was not a mashup of two monsters, but actually "existed"! And you still might be able to get your own original bulette -- who knew it was a "Realistc" dinosaur??
I'm not talking about anachronism, though. I'm aware of gladiators and nekkid celts. I just dispute that they're anywhere near the intent of too many female warrior gaming minis*. Or that the primary occupation for women in a lot of fantasy worlds is as a sexy show fighter.
"This fantasy mini has it's tits out because real people in olden times didn't have many clothes." That's a new one on me, though. Does that let me stamp the top middle square, here?
*That said, I recognise that Reaper is pretty even-handed in this matter.
I'm not talking about anachronism, though. I'm aware of gladiators and nekkid celts. I just dispute that they're anywhere near the intent of too many female warrior gaming minis*. Or that the primary occupation for women in a lot of fantasy worlds is as a sexy show fighter.
"This fantasy mini has it's tits out because real people in olden times didn't have many clothes." That's a new one on me, though. Does that let me stamp the top middle square, here?
What is the primary occupation for women in fantasy worlds? In the historic world it was "wife", not fighter, with all the work that has entailed. Then again, the primary occupation for men has not been fighter either. We war gamers tend to get a rather biased sampling of the occupations in our miniature collections.
And for reading comprehension purposes, you will note that you are misquoting me. I wasn't perhaps as super clear as I could have been. People in ancient times didn't have a lot of clothing, so it wasn't unusual to not wear your only set of cloths during an afternoon you were likely to get muddy and bloody. Dispute the intention of female warrior gaming minis if you feel that is helpful, but don't misquote me when I went to all that trouble to find pictures and references for my post.
Not only the bulette,, but also the rust monster were based upon plastic toy "animals" that were available in the late '60's and into the early '70's. Personally, I always thought the rust monster was based in part on the Wetapunga. ( A very large insect from New Zealand)
1 Papa 'Red' Dragon, 1 Mama Basilisk, 16 Baby Dracolisks
While I waited for most of the family to arrive, I cleaned up the pup I was able to get locally. It was not as nightmarish an experience as I had feared, but the Bones material is going to prolong the building phase for certain. Left to do is the GS work. Wary cultist dude shown for scale.
I don't really want to give them wings - I guess they take after their mum there - so will have to GS in / re-scale those shoulder holes. This also means I'll have 16 pairs of pretty decent wings if somebody wants to hurl me some PayPal. PM me and we can chat (US preferred because shipping)
Now just waiting on some MDF bases I'm having lasered up. Tempted to pop up a short-lived plog for this crew, but frankly cleaning all that vinyl is going to push updates far apart I fear. Will post a link over to P&M if I decide to go for it!
in it's tracks while you 
