Since I don't already have enough unfinished projects on my plate, I decided to grab Micropanzer's 15mm Krystrial Alien army deal, which includes 41 minis for $25. USD Here's my initial impression, for what it's worth ( i.e., not much -- this and $5 USD will get you a cuppa Starbucks ) .
Firstly, the pics on Micropanzer's website (
) don't do these little guys justice. The detail is excellent on them. I was impressed by the level of detail in their faces and carapaces, especially, and the firearms they carry are sufficiently alien to set them apart from just being "rubber suit aliens".
The army deal comes with the following:
1 overlord/commander/dictator-type dude
5 alien war-hounds
12 aliens with a pole-arm and two swords
12 aliens with dual rifles
12 aliens wielding a carbine and two swords
Oh… I guess those descriptions don't make sense if I don't mention that the aliens are four-armed. They have the general look of the "District 9" prawns to them, but have four full-sized arms, making for some interesting weapons combinations. The dual rifles could be taken for a single, heavy rifle, owing to the fact that one is atop the other. In fact, it might just be my imagination that those are dual rifles… anyway.
The minis are in the vicinity of 18mm to 20mm tall, but the Krystrials are supposed to be 8 to 10 feet tall, so the size is appropriate for the fluff. Even for use in other systems, I think they're size is much more forgivable given that they're an alien race.
The castings are good and crisp, with little to no flash and even with a minimal sprue-flue, easily removed. None of the weapons or limbs were underformed or malformed, and while some of the pole-arms were bent in shipment, they were easily straightened.
The only point that gives me pause is the thinness of the legs. The thinness of the arms is actually a good thing for people wanting to reposition the swords for more variety. The legs, though, are quite thin, and I think the minis would warrant more care in handling and storage than anything from GZG, Rebel, or Khurasan.
Of course, you're also getting a mini that has more realistic proportions ( yes, I know they're aliens! ) than some of the "Michelin Man" minis that occasionally hit the market. I can't tell what kind of metal these are cast in, but it seems to be much shinier than the usual pewter minis I buy. Hopefully it's stronger, too.
Overall, I really like these minis; they're something different than the usual Mindless Bugs or Anime-Wannabees. The mix of ranged and melee weapons is nice, and the inclusion of the alien hounds makes for fully five different troop types in one nice starter package.
Now, I'm off to paint them up!
Summary
Price: Good ( 61 cents to 75 cents per fig, depending on which packs you buy )
Detail: Excellent
Casting Quality: Superior
Speed of Shipping: Average-to-Good. It took two weeks from order ( 12/6/10 ) to shipping notice ( 12/19/10 ) , then five days to receipt ( 12/24/10 ) , but that was at the height of the Christmas shopping season, so, honestly, I'm willing to make allowances for a small operation at the highest-demand time of the year. The owner apologized for the delay and I'm willing to forgive it.
Cost of Shipping: Good ( $5 USD from Missouri to Washington State, USPS Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation )
Bottom Line: I feel like this is a great deal for a great product, and I also think the product line is going to help continue the growth spurt in innovative 15mm miniature lines. They have some previews of some great looking races and vehicles on the site, and I'm looking forward to seeing those in the flesh, as it were.
Thanks,
jav98
rediscovers his Scrunts.
