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These Wraiths are just crazy (good) value for money. As G.G. wrote, they have a very interesting style, and these wraiths are just awesome. Modern GW fantasy "realism"? No thanks, not anymore. Not anymore.

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:

Bloodwin wrote: But I think it's misguided to jump at the first sign of an alternative as it suggests that people are still trapped in a fantasy battles with block infantry mindset and that's a shame when there are other games out there. At least Warmachine and Hordes are distinct and have models that excite me.

But what if people actually like fantasy and block units? Are they trapped and jumping at the first sign of an alternative?
I don't want Warmachine/Hoarde stuff. I could prolly find better stuff than theirs if I did. Not there is anything wrong in those games tbh
But in terms of quantity and quality Mantics are doing okay.

I like fantasy and block units, which is why KoW was what I turned to when GW threw this year's price rises at us and tried to explain at least part of it away with the "we're changing to resin" bullcrap that doesn't really work because everyone here knows it's cheaper...

I'm not in the least bit "trapped in a fantasy battles with block infantry" mindset, nor am I jumping at the first sign of an alternative (it was simply the only alternative that appealed to me).

Was I supposed to choose Warmahordes instead, Bloodwin? Have I broken some sort of unspoken rule by not liking Warmahordes and going for KoW? Because it'd be really disappointing to find out that you have such a closed mind when it comes to the preferences of others.

Pricing: Great!

Wraiths: Meh at best. Static posses and don't really catch the eye.

They are wraiths, incorporeal spirits that presumably glide around.

I think they are adequately represented as such. Not sure they need to be baroque arabesques.

Personally, I like 'em. Granted, I don't play Vampire Counts at the moment, so I'm not all that emotionally invested.

That said, considering they are less then half the price of GW's Cairn Wraiths, so I have to once again applaud Mantic.

Moopy wrote:Pricing: Great!

Wraiths: Meh at best. Static posses and don't really catch the eye.

They're not really any different than anyone elses Wraiths aside from a cosmetic call on making them kind of thin.

When you really think about it, even the Ringwraiths aren't that particularly detailed.

This news piece is awesome. Looks like the rival mini companies are starting to strike while the iron is hot (which is a good thing IMO). The faster the GW ship sinks the better. I like the look of these wraiths as they scream "conversion potential"!

Well, somehow the Otherworld fit better in with the rest of my Mantic army, cause most of the times I get questions from which company they are when I field the Mantic Wraiths from a friend.

Mantic: Wraith


I put one wraith in the middle to use him as champion and he is flanked by one Shadow on each side. The Otherworld miniatures need a little bit more footspace than the Mantic Wraiths, but since only the footprint of the unit needs to be the same size they work out fine and are much more impressive.

Otherworld: Wraiths und Shadows

FWIW Otherworld have a sale on until the 6th June
Very nice will be a tenner for the pair +postage normal price (£8 in the sale)

Like the wraiths a lot but it is perhaps a little unfair to compare them with the Mantics with 5 per box?
Not as keen on the Shadows

I support this and wish I had an army I could incorporate these into just to support them with my $.

Avatar 720 wrote:
I like fantasy and block units, which is why KoW was what I turned to when GW threw this year's price rises at us and tried to explain at least part of it away with the "we're changing to resin" bullcrap that doesn't really work because everyone here knows it's cheaper...

I'm not in the least bit "trapped in a fantasy battles with block infantry" mindset, nor am I jumping at the first sign of an alternative (it was simply the only alternative that appealed to me).

Was I supposed to choose Warmahordes instead, Bloodwin? Have I broken some sort of unspoken rule by not liking Warmahordes and going for KoW? Because it'd be really disappointing to find out that you have such a closed mind when it comes to the preferences of others.

That wasn't what I was thinking at all, just that i'd rather people made informed decisions about their gaming rather than masses of zombies frothing at the mouth about everything Mantic do because they aren't the 'evil' GW. If someone makes a conscious decision to play KoW that's cool. As I said in the rest of my post I like what Mantic are doing in terms of their products help get people out of the mindset that they can only support one company at a time. There's loads of game companies out there and people should try lots of games. For me I prefer Castle Ravenloft over Mantic's dungeon game. Partly it's because I'm not thrilled about Mantic's minis and partly because I DM DnD and the minis are aimed at that game. I stress that my opinion on minis is a personal point of view and I'm not trying to dictate to anyone. Mantic aren't for me but if others enjoy them that's great. Also back in the day there were some shockingly bad minis made by Citadel... hang on... no... they still make a few duff ones even now. I Play Beastmen and loads of people loathe the Citadel Minotaurs and Razorgore, I love them because they remind me of Slaine's warp out from 2000 AD (which was nicked form Irish Mythology). Oh and definitely dont jump on a Warmahordes band wagon but by all means play it if you enjoy it.

I just can't get into Mantic's style.. just don't really like any of their models. I like how they are giving folks a cheaper alternative, but so far they haven't offered anything I want..

Cant say GW has given me anything I want in regards to vampire counts either. At least in the battle of "dont really care" the mantic stuff is a ton cheaper

Price is everything tho when you want to actually build playable armies on a non infinite budget. The big question is if you ARE going to buy a vampire counts army (As in.. not might, not thinking of, not "after i finish this other army".. If you are seriously going to buy one would you rather pay 11.50 per wraith or 10 for 25$?

I mean if you arent ever going to buy a vampire army then it doesnt really matter if you arent going to buy mantic wraiths.. You arent going to be buying any wraiths

That wasn't what I was thinking at all, just that i'd rather people made informed decisions about their gaming rather than masses of zombies frothing at the mouth about everything Mantic do because they aren't the 'evil' GW.

That, old chap, is as far as I got with your post.

If you wish to lump everyone who disagrees with you as a rabid zombie, that is up to you.
But it is not going to help convince anyone that you are correct.

It also contravenes Rule 1
If you are sensible you will tone it down in which case I will edit this post
thank you

Bloodwin wrote: For me I prefer Castle Ravenloft

Have you tried Robinloft 1 and 2? They were converted to HackMaster rules. Pretty deadly versions.

I also play DnD and find the Mantic Skeletons, Zombies, and Ghouls to be a very cheap and awesome way to get a ton of undead on the table.

RiTides wrote:

dietrich wrote:A minatures company giving twice as much product for the same price? That's inconceivable!

Guys, GW did this with Chaos Knights a while back- old metal box was 5 for $50, plastics are 5 for $25... and better.

They also did it with bloodcrushers, which went from metal $50to a plastic 3 pack for .... goddamit, the site is loading in french for me. WTF, gws. Anyway the plastic 3 pack is 42 euros. So like $58 bucks.

It's not impossible (or even inconceivable!) even for GWS. Just rare.

Maybe now Mantic can make some Grotesques and Wrack like models so I can get those for cheaper then GW and I'll be set.

I'm loving these hella smug press announcements that come on the heel of Games Workshop's similar announcement.

Also, even though they are more expensive than mantic (and cheaper than GW), Reaper makes AMAZING wraith models. They look better than both companies.

http://www.reapermini.com/FigureFinder#detail/06134

I used to own a bunch (sold them ) and the bare pictures don't do justice: they truly are awesome sculpts. But Mantic has generally impressed me with less than cartoony models. Sure, some are misses (most of the elves) but the undead and dwarves are awesome and I think a bunch of the orcs look pretty good so far too. I tried to get people in my area to use Mantic models, alas they would only keep feeding the beast (GW).

I've never really considered Mantic Games, but I had a snifty around their website....I must say, i was impressed.

Free rules and the promise of updates (also for free), free army lists....and I had a look at the miniatures.

The Elves suck.....sorry, just being honest here, they look like Tinkerbell on coke. The Orks, meh, soft details, and unfortunately for them, they've followed the GW "let's make orks comical and stupid looking"....

However, the Dwarfs really do rock, and the Abssyal Dwarfs have got some serious attitude....nice. I even liked the undead miniatures, I mean, in so much as they arn't any worse than GW's attempts at Skeletons and the such like.

The biggest shock though, the price on some of the army sets is amazing....I mean, how anyone can mince about the "quality" at this price.....ok, I'm not suggesting that people should accept poor sculpting, not in this day and age, but having said that, when you look at the price, the sculpting isn't that bad, even on the Elves and Orks.....not to mention, these are gaming pieces (I don't think these were ever designed to be display figures) and as gaming pieces viewed from, what, 3 feet, with a half decent paint job they will look amazing.

I don't play Fantasy battle type games, but Mantic has convinced me to download the rules and army list, and I'm seriously considering getting a Dwarf (Good or Evil) army. I know the guys in my gaming group would be up for it, and at that price the buy in investment isn't soemthing that, if we played one game and never again, I would lose sleep over.

Well done mantic.

The individual orcs when first released seemed a bit of a curates egg.
On seeing a unit painted up and based on a movement tray, I thought they really looked the part as a unit.

I tend to agree about the comic look, but then again having been rolling around laughing at the Puppet Wars Soviet Ork heads, am willing to forgive that.

Also was unsure about the Abyssal Dwarves until I watched a RHQ TV review, with the figures on a rotating table. The detail was much better than I originally thought

Am I the only one who thinks there studio paint jobs don't show the models in best light - not just these but across a few of their range?

Their paint jobs don't always show the models off as well as other styles could. I think they should contact some people who can paint in the French and Spanish styles and get them to paint the promotion figures.

I like the wraiths. I'm also a fan of the more realistic proportions and weapon sizes across their ranges (though I think the elves are a bit too slight). They turn a lot of GW players off because GW has people used to unrealistic cartoony figures, so when people see ones with realistic proportions, they look wrong to them.

Tend to agree Fullhead.

They are not bad, but don't show off the minis to there best advantage.
I think they are done with a more naturalistic styled and may look better in the flesh. 'Eavy Metal's style of painting tends to be more photogenic. I sometimes wonder if it was developed to enhance the models in photos for WD and later the website.

That would be one thing that GW actually got right imho
even though I am not a big fan of the style, have to admit it works well.

PS totally agree about proportions Frozenwastes
Said that elsewhere today

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:

That wasn't what I was thinking at all, just that i'd rather people made informed decisions about their gaming rather than masses of zombies frothing at the mouth about everything Mantic do because they aren't the 'evil' GW.

That, old chap, is as far as I got with your post.

If you wish to lump everyone who disagrees with you as a rabid zombie, that is up to you.
But it is not going to help convince anyone that you are correct.

It also contravenes Rule 1
If you are sensible you will tone it down in which case I will edit this post
thank you

If you had bothered to read the rest of my post you'd know I wasn't lumping everyone who disagrees with me into one camp. As for the zombie thing, I stand by it 100% The amount of bitching over GW policy did seem to me like lots of reanimated corpses with no will of their own. I was using it as a metaphor for constantly repeated grouching about what was obviously an upsetting issue without anything new being said. As I said in the post you didn't bother to read because you'd rather condemn me out of your own ignorance, I am supportive of people showing free will and making conscious decisions about their choice in gaming even if it's something I don't personally like. Also please dont edit your post. I didn't post with malice and I choose to assume you aren't. This is a forum where people debate and in order to have that debate people need to discuss contrary positions. Reading back at my original post it seemed harsh on Mantic but it should stay there because it's what I honestly felt at that time and still do.

Wow the wraiths armor looks exactly like these :'D

You are still saying everyone who disagrees with GW policies is "bitching" and therefore a Rabid Zombie.
You are lumping everyone together by your own admission.

If you feel compelled to disagree do so by PM as this is off topic and dull as ditchwasser to everyone else, it certainly is to me at least.

Back to more sensible issues.

Yes Luna the curraiss and horse hair plume are similar
Does this mean Mantics will be issued with a C&D from the MOD?

I like them, i think this is another grate move from Mantic. In infatery blocks games, detail does not matter that much and their models are not half bad. I dont like the elves but they were their first shot at this. I love the rest of their products. I have not played fantasy in a while, how ever i am considering dropping my empire army for an undead army, using mantic models and making it a Kings/Vampire army.

What exactly is the weird headgear supposed to be

Whose weird headgear?