"Orc suggestions?" Topic

Hi,

I'm looking to start a new role-playing campaign and would like to pick up a few (4-8) orc miniatures. But here's the problem – I hate the GW style orcs and a lot of companies seem to me to be imitating that style. So, my question is, does anyone know of a figure company (preferably in the UK, but that's not essential) who produce:

a/ 'Realistic' orcs, and
b/ Do a few different poses.

Currently, best choice seems to be the GW ones licenced from the films, but I'm completely open to suggestions.

Best,
Mike

The otherworld ones are very nice:

link

Certainly they are different from the usual mold

I am extremely partial to the 'Celtos' line of orcs, née 'Fomorians'
link
they are the closest thing I've found to what I envisioned on first read of LOTR
(I admit; the oversize weapons may not be to taste)

Here's a couple of suggestions:

Games Workshop Lord of the Rings Orcs. You mentioned not liking GW Orc style but I'm assuming you meant for Warhammer. Their LOTR Orcs are just like the movies ones if a little smaller. The good thing being they make LOTR humans, too.

If you want another option, there's pig faced orcs here:

otherworld.me.uk/store.html

Have you considered looking at Thunderbolt Mountain's goblins? I think they may be big enough to pass as orcs (30mm) and are really quite interesting. link

em4 miniatures have plastic REALLY CHEAP orcs.

link

Tey sell them by bag or individually, and have 3 poses: with spear, with sword and with bows.

But they have too a couple of excellent articles about how to convert their minis for you gaming needs.

link

I have some of their models and the company is very friendly and delivers their products very fast. Oh, and they're in the UK!

Hope that helps.

link for Vendel's offering- Dark Ages orcs. Really nice- they are based on historical weapons and outfits.

Another vote for Otherworld and Thunderbolt Mtn. They beat me to it!

A major 'thanks' to everyone who's taken the time and trouble to make suggestions; I appreciate all your help. Currently, Thunderbolt Mountain are in the lead – very nice and the sort of thing I'm looking for. I just wish they had a little more variety. But don't stop now – I'll continue taking suggestions right up to the moment when I wave my credit card at a company!

Best,
Mike

Anyone know if those EM4 plastic orcs are made from hard or soft plastic?

If I was buying new orcs, I would probably get the ones Volstagg mentioned or a mix of Reaper and Iron Wind Metals. The last of those might be hard to get in the UK.

Also consider the Italian company Mirliton.

Black Tree Design. The orcs from their "Legion of the Realm" (?) line are very realistic and not at all like GW orcs IMO.

Jason

Gangrel,

Here are some comparison photos of Orcs I've obtained.

link

For 28-30mm human figures, Thunderbolt's Orcs are some of my absolute favorites:

link

For 15mm, these 20mm Orcs by Rebel Minis, are fantastic:

link

Hope it helps a little.

CC

The ones that Mirliton Miniatures have (the old Grenadier Fantasy Warriors range) are pretty good.
link

They have some similarities to the Games Workshop ones, but look a little more savage. You could also use the Goblins or the Half orcs.

The Legions of the Realm range by Black Tree Design has some cool figs link The only problem with theirs is that they only have melee troops.

Chronopia do a very nice range of orcs… somewhat similar in sculpting style and proportion to Celtos' Formorians, but with a fantasy Saracen look to them.

They're available from Prince August:

link

And Mega Minis does a great value bargain pack of 20 'old-school-&-proud-of-it' orcs which are well worth a look.

There are some very nice figures in the various Black Tree ranges, but they haven't had a good record on fulfilling orders recently – I'd read the 'consumer affairs' board before sending them an order.

The EM4 Orcs are made of hard plastic.

I think the plastic D&D Miniatures orcs are rather nice looking.

Man… I'm so happy with this thread because I had no idea Mirilton had all those old Grenadier sculpts going on… I've already found a couple dozen figs I had NO IDEA were still available.

My favorite orc ever were some of the old Ral Partha ones… but for 28mm they're kind of small for what the popular notion of orcs is nowadays.

I love the Thunderbol Mountain ones, which are like my first visions of Orcs.

The Mithril Minis Orcs are very nice, though they are huge

link

Mithril is also super expensive!

I have a bunch of Legion of the Realm orcs I can part with cheap.

Yeah Landorl I know their expensive, but if you only need 4-8 of them I think they would be worth the money

Old Glory's aren't bad either:

link

From Colonel Marble:
link

I like Black tree followed by Old Glory's

I'd like to, once again, thanks everyone for their input. I'm now kind of teetering between Black Tree's LotR, Thunderbolt Mountain and GW's movie range. Does anyone know what the Zvezda plastic orcs look like? I'm rather taken with the style of the box art, but would like to know if the contents match the art!

As always, Reaper has nice orcs of all kinds – some of the sculpts for their Warlord game are interesting. US company, though.

Just type "Orc" in the figurefinder:

reapermini.com/FigureFinder

Flashman14:
Good call on the Col. Marbles comparison site:
Don't know how that took so long for someone to suggest!

well, the zvezda orcs are pretty big. about ogre sized.

Thanks for the feedback, Darwin. It's a shame though; the artwork on the box makes them look suitably 'not-over-the-top-and-ridiculous'!