The Ongoing Mierce Miniatures Darklands New & Rumors Thread

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**Yodhrin**

Since you seem in the know a bit IronBars - do you have any idea when the metal version of the Erainn slingers unit will be available for non-Kickstarter plebs to buy?

**yxalitis**

Yodhrin wrote:
Since you seem in the know a bit IronBars - do you have any idea when the metal version of the Erainn slingers unit will be available for non-Kickstarter plebs to buy?

Pretty confident that Ironbars knows no more than anyone else outside Mierce.

**Yodhrin**

yxalitis wrote:
Yodhrin wrote:
Since you seem in the know a bit IronBars - do you have any idea when the metal version of the Erainn slingers unit will be available for non-Kickstarter plebs to buy?

Pretty confident that Ironbars knows no more than anyone else outside Mierce.

They evidently know more than I do, which is why I asked.

**IronBars**

Got the info from the mierce forum (http://www.mierce-miniatures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=709) and even quoted it wrong, savrar blades seem to be wave 19, and javlins wave 20, and metals are one wave later most of the time.

**Yodhrin**

Huh, thanks. That's disappointing then, since the slinger unit came in wave 17 last summer. EDIT: Wait, no, derp, that's for backers.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

A bunch more minis hit general release (3rd Feb), the stars are clearly

Nothing quite like the Brute-Corruptors to freshen up your feelings of a February morning! These guys (and gal) are filth, pure filth, which is the way we like our Ysians. Sculpted brilliantly by Jason Hendricks from the artwork by Danny Cruz, the Corruptors of Kraozon, Brute-Corruptor Unit comprises three foul, filthy fellas (and flabby filly) - Fuggug the champion, Udo the fat and the rather tonguey Grung.

although for the lizardly inclined this wyvern conversion looks excellent on his giant base

Ahhh, Gahwn. Converted by Martin Lavat from the original Typhaggahw by Roberto Chaudon, using artwork by Dan Warren and Des Hanley respectively, Gahwn is a huge (100mm base) man-wyvern armed with a bloody great flint-rock thing and a very cute expression. We love this guy!

**Boss Salvage**

Delivery conundrums aside, pretty tasty new releases

Cute conversion on that man-wyvern, lovingly clutching his flint-rock thing what for to bonk with <3

- Salvage

**RiTides**

Yeah that is a lovely converted cast

. Quite tempting!

**Alpharius**

What's up with her right arm here:

That doesn't look too comfortable - or natural - at all!

**skullking**

Yodhrin wrote:
Since you seem in the know a bit IronBars - do you have any idea when the metal version of the Erainn slingers unit will be available for non-Kickstarter plebs to buy?

So Mierce just mentioned on the KS comments, that they're getting more metals for Angelcynn and Erainn this month. So I'm guessing the soonest you could see the slingers is by March. If you are hyped to get them you could probably email Mierce and have them alert you when they get there. I'm sure Rob would let you buy an extra set after they fill all the KS orders, but earlier then when they hit the actual store.

Alpharius wrote:What's up with her right arm here:

That doesn't look too comfortable - or natural - at all!

I'm guessing that's why Rob wants to resculpt her!

**Ian Sturrock**

Thinking about what I do in fairly competitive larp combat archery (arena combat at Odyssey LRP, where arrows ignore armour and do instant incapacitation but are stopped by shields, so you NEED an archer or two on each team!), I think if you're going for the "bring the bow up and then loose" style, which looks cool but is probably not the absolute fastest, you probably have your left arm angled a bit further outward (to the left), so you don't have to do uncomfortable golf elbow rehab stretches* with your right arm.

*I am not a physiotherapist and mentioned golf elbow rehab stretches as a joke. Do not take this as medical advice. But I am pretty sure if you shot enough arrows that way you would need rehab.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

for those wondering about Mierce's printer Tim posted on the KS comments

Tim Fisher about 2 hours ago

Haha - no. The printer will be here next week (can't wait to get my new toy!). There's no way I'd be printing those terrain pieces off using our new printer though. Those terrain pieces were huge and would have used up hundreds of pounds worth of printing resin. I used a 3rd party guy who has an FDM printer.

For terrain you use an FDM printer - cheaper to make terrain pieces - the quality is not prototype quality and they can't do fine detail. But for terrain they make some robust, light pieces that do a great job. The raw material is also relatively cheap. it's something we 'might' look at 'one day' in order to make some cool Darklands terrain (kindred specific) that we could obtain some FDM printers and print and ship rather than casting in resin (expensive)

For prototype/master use we need a higher end printer that works in a very different manner to the above. Instead of printing extruded plastic from above it 'prints' by raising a print bed from a resin vat. The resin is cured by laser before going through a couple more finishing/curing processes. This type of printer is more expensive, slower and the raw materials are very expensive. The max size of the prints is also much smaller - but the quality is far, far higher level. The only terrain you would want to print from such a printer would be a master copy that you would then mould for resin casting. Even then you would have to break the terrain piece down in multiple parts and assemble for moulding due to the size limitations of the SLA printers.

**Alpharius**

Hopefully this means that the backlog will soon be getting cleared out at a much, much faster pace.

**Taaloc**

Alpharius wrote:
Hopefully this means that the backlog will soon be getting cleared out at a much, much faster pace.

Hopefully- my oldest outstanding order is dated 14th October 2014.

**yxalitis**

Wait...so how are they printing the big parts of Thuulac?
What IS the size limitation?

**Bossk_Hogg**

yxalitis wrote:
Wait...so how are they printing the big parts of Thuulac?
What IS the size limitation?

They're printing the master with the new printer, then will use that copy to make molds. They're saying the new printer wouldn't be suitable for printing off tons of terrain to use for funsies because the material is expensive and it prints slow. Same reason why they arent going to be 3d printing the our minis, but casting them from the prototypes. The people 3d printing gaming terrain for sale are using a different type of printer and material.

**yxalitis**

Bossk_Hogg wrote:
yxalitis wrote:
Wait...so how are they printing the big parts of Thuulac?
What IS the size limitation?

They're printing the master with the new printer, then will use that copy to make molds. They're saying the new printer wouldn't be suitable for printing off tons of terrain to use for funsies because the material is expensive and it prints slow. Same reason why they arent going to be 3d printing the our minis, but casting them from the prototypes. The people 3d printing gaming terrain for sale are using a different type of printer and material.

Read carefully:

For prototype/master use we need a higher end printer that works in a very different manner to the above. Instead of printing extruded plastic from above it 'prints' by raising a print bed from a resin vat. The resin is cured by laser before going through a couple more finishing/curing processes. This type of printer is more expensive, slower and the raw materials are very expensive. The max size of the prints is also much smaller - but the quality is far, far higher level. The only terrain you would want to print from such a printer would be a master copy that you would then mould for resin casting. Even then you would have to break the terrain piece down in multiple parts and assemble for moulding due to the size limitations of the SLA printers.

Hence my question, Thuulac's upper and lower halves are huge!

**skullking**

But whereas terrain pieces are typically VERY large (an 8 inch wide piece of terrain is fairly common), most large minis don’t come close to that. At best, I can’t imagine thuulac’s center pieces being more that 80mm in diameter, which m sure would fit a lot of printers. I can only assume Bob broke this down into pieces that they knew a printer could handle.

Even if that’s not the case, Bob works in house, so he could break it down further if needed. It’s not going to be an issue.

**Ulfhednar_42**

yxalitis wrote:
Wait...so how are they printing the big parts of Thuulac?
What IS the size limitation?

Depends on the printer and I didn’t see a specific model. If they went with a form 2 it’s 145mm x145 mm x 170mm.

**bananaman**

yxalitis wrote:
Wait...so how are they printing the big parts of Thuulac?
What IS the size limitation?

The terrain we were talking about (elsewhere, not on Dakka so I fear something has been lost in translation) was about the size of a dinner plate (for the largest piece) that terrain has nothing whatsoever to do with Mierce or its printer. It was some personal terrain that I had printed to take with me to an AoS tournament my gaming club ran. That's all. In any case as I stated, I'd never print those terrain pieces off on a high end resin printer as the costs would be astronomical. They were instead printed on a relatively low quality FDM printer (via a 3rd party that I know) that produces lightweight, yet robust pieces with a very large print bed (about a foot square!) and at an affordable price. The detail isn't great but for terrain it's absolutely fine. Comparing those terrain pieces both in size and in terms of print quality to the printer we have coming is an apples and oranges situation. As is comparing Thulaac's abdomen with a building-sized piece of terrain that is larger than any assembled mini Mierce produce.

The printer we have coming is not meant to print pieces that are larger than an assembled Archaon! (the terrain mentioned above is that big!) It has a print bed as big as we need it to be and if we ever need to make any parts smaller to fit and then assemble before moulding, we will do. That's why we have a full time digital sculptor after all. Indeed, once printing does commence we may find it necc to change some pieces in order to improve them (as we have in the past with 3d stuff) as on screen vs in the hand can be very different so we might change some stuff if needs be. Again, it's another reason why we employ a sculptor. We have flexibility.

The exact dimensions, brand name etc will not be disclosed. Just like we don't tell people what resin, silicone, casting machines etc etc we use. It's stuff that we will remain behind closed doors, I'm not in the habit of giving others a leg up into what materials, machines etc we use. They can do the hard graft, trial and error and research just like I had to.

The printer we have on the way is the bee's knees. Divvent worry about that. There would be no point in buying one if it couldn't print the minis we need to print to the quality we require.

TLDR?

"They're printing the master with the new printer, then will use that copy to make molds. They're saying the new printer wouldn't be suitable for printing off tons of terrain to use for funsies because the material is expensive and it prints slow. Same reason why they arent going to be 3d printing the our minis, but casting them from the prototypes. The people 3d printing gaming terrain for sale are using a different type of printer and material. "

Bossk_Hogg was bang on. Printers are very much a case of horses for courses. We have the right horse for our course.

**yxalitis**

bananaman wrote:
yxalitis wrote:
Wait...so how are they printing the big parts of Thuulac?
What IS the size limitation?

The terrain we were talking about (elsewhere, not on Dakka so I fear something has been lost in translation) was about the size of a dinner plate (for the largest piece) that terrain has nothing whatsoever to do with Mierce or its printer. It was some personal terrain that I had printed to take with me to an AoS tournament my gaming club ran. That's all. In any case as I stated, I'd never print those terrain pieces off on a high end resin printer as the costs would be astronomical. They were instead printed on a relatively low quality FDM printer (via a 3rd party that I know) that produces lightweight, yet robust pieces with a very large print bed (about a foot square!) and at an affordable price. The detail isn't great but for terrain it's absolutely fine. Comparing those terrain pieces both in size and in terms of print quality to the printer we have coming is an apples and oranges situation. As is comparing Thulaac's abdomen with a building-sized piece of terrain that is larger than any assembled mini Mierce produce.

The printer we have coming is not meant to print pieces that are larger than an assembled Archaon! (the terrain mentioned above is that big!) It has a print bed as big as we need it to be and if we ever need to make any parts smaller to fit and then assemble before moulding, we will do. That's why we have a full time digital sculptor after all. Indeed, once printing does commence we may find it necc to change some pieces in order to improve them (as we have in the past with 3d stuff) as on screen vs in the hand can be very different so we might change some stuff if needs be. Again, it's another reason why we employ a sculptor. We have flexibility.

The exact dimensions, brand name etc will not be disclosed. Just like we don't tell people what resin, silicone, casting machines etc etc we use. It's stuff that we will remain behind closed doors, I'm not in the habit of giving others a leg up into what materials, machines etc we use. They can do the hard graft, trial and error and research just like I had to.

The printer we have on the way is the bee's knees. Divvent worry about that. There would be no point in buying one if it couldn't print the minis we need to print to the quality we require.

TLDR?

"They're printing the master with the new printer, then will use that copy to make molds. They're saying the new printer wouldn't be suitable for printing off tons of terrain to use for funsies because the material is expensive and it prints slow. Same reason why they arent going to be 3d printing the our minis, but casting them from the prototypes. The people 3d printing gaming terrain for sale are using a different type of printer and material. "

Bossk_Hogg was bang on. Printers are very much a case of horses for courses. We have the right horse for our course.

I never subscribe to TLDR< especially when it was only a few sentences.
Yes, I had assumed "terrain" was 60mm - 100mm bases.

All good then, let's see when they actually start shipping these older 3D sculpts!

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

Looks like Mierce day was early this week,

This is it, folks... what you've all been waiting for. Today, now, this point in time is the end of Darklands: New Kindreds - at least in terms of miniatures! - a fact for which we shall all rejoice, to much muttering and so forth. This project has drawn to a close, finally, and we'd like to thank each and every backer for their funds and their forbearance, because this project has taken a lot longer than we'd hoped to finish.

But: we are here! It is the end!

Sob, sob.

Right. This week we have:
•sculpt work in progress updates from Yannick Hennebo;
•a link to the forums where you can see this project's fulfilment;
•...and anything else you can expect from us over the next few months.

Here we go...

One miniature to reach the end, one miniature to find it, one miniature to bring it to a close, and in the darkness bind them!

Or some such nonsense.

Just one miniature to show this week, and it's for the Byzantii!

The last miniature from New Kindreds reveals his ugly head, for Unmasked Velchior is truly ugly. Truly, truly ugly... but he's meant to be that way, and Yannick Hennebo has only fulfilled his brief!

He'll be a Wave 20 shipment!