"What's with all the women running around in panties?" Topic

Seriously. I am a great admirer of the female form, but don't sculptors see the sillyness of dressing their post-apoc/fantasy women like dancers who just escaped from a strip club that was on fire? The woman can be fairly well armed and equipped but she is still running around in her Victoria Secrets thong or boy shorts. She can find a rifle and a knife but she can't find a pair of pants or a skirt ANYWHERE. Do customers really want this stuff or is it just what is being produced? "Why" is the question to both answers. I understand the concept of nudes or pin-up figures, so that is not what I am talking about. Is it because the sculptors or the buyers don't know their way around a vagina and feel compelled to produce or buy the female with rocket launcher, shoulder pads, helmet and g-string? Serious answers are encouraged, sophmoric answers are expected, so fire away!

79th,
No sophmoric answer here. I applaud you and agree fully with what you are saying. Even more so it is irritating when such figures appear in ranges for periods where have no logical reason for existing. Old West, Lace Wars etc. I think unfortunately that many manufacturers are marketing to a small portion of the gaming community.

Nick

I agree, but I don't use the figures in question. But do watch occasionally sci-fi movies and sometimes these figures show up in them.

I imagine the companies produce what sells the best.

Yeah, someone must be buying them… just not me.
It's not so much the lack of clothing, it's the ginormous bewbs and goofy poses that tend to accompany them.

Can you please support your argument with some photographic evidence…please

I'm joking of course.. TBH I havent noticed but I'm engaged more in WW2 so not so much an issue I guess

I really enjoyed minis like that 15 or 20 years ago… I still appreciate nude or semi-nude fantasy or semi-historical figures for my various Amazon projects, but the postapoc panty fashion sense makes no sense from a background viewpoint, and is not on my list of interests these days.

When it comes to women in skimpy lingerie I prefer the real thing.

As far as miniatures go I imagine that the panty wearing post-apoc girls have their place in a collection and can be fun on the tabletop – like you said – survivors from the Bada Bing. What gets me is the medieval fantasy or imagi-Nation type miniatures that are wearing thongs – I know I am button counting but I am sure they never had thongs in those days :)

Would you rather have them running around without panties?

John the OFM. PLEASE do not give them any ideas.

Would you rather have them running around without panties?

Actually, sometimes I would.
I'd find a totally nude 'barbarian' male/female with a sword much scarier than one dressed up like they're about to give a lap dance.
I much prefer primitive monsters, male or female, to be sculpted with proper anatomy… don't put pants on the troll just to hide its wiggly bits. Demons in particular should be proud and loud about what they're packing.

There is a small portion of the hobby that is absolutely obsessed with these types of figures. I used to run a gladiator game at cons and the same guy would show up every year and ask if I had painted up any naked female gladiators yet. When I would tell him no he would basically say he wasn't interested in the game then. I thought he was joking around the first couple times but after several years it became obvious he was totally serious and annoyed that I hadn't done so.

I just enjoy the serendipity.

I was just gifted the Wargames Factory Apocalypse Survivors( the women) for my birthday. Plastic, multipose(kinda) and most are not supermodels in bikinis… there is even a chubby girl with an RPG! Not a bad set. I hope other companies follow up!

I was just gifted the Wargames Factory Apocalypse Survivors

Last time we were in out FLGS, my (non-gaming) wife picked up that box and said "Check this out! This is COOL!"

I was genuinely surprised, but pleased.

I was actually too stunned to capitalize on the moment to say "We can build them together!"

We have evolved to enjoy the female form. You can see more of it when women are undressed.

You are talking about women belligerents armed with weapons, so we are already in the area of silly. Stripping them down to their knickers isn't a big step from there.

Sculptors do what the companies either want or buy.
Companies buy what they think or know will sell.
I dont see an abundance of supposedly inappropriately dressed figures, they are definitely not flooding the market.
I have only seen them in certain genres.
I had an escher gang which i believe fall into your category, also some from various other companies.
There are not any however, in my Baccus Carthaginian/Romans/Persians or Irregular fantasy armies.

I think everyone is looking at this wrong. It is not the traditional gamer buying these figures or 40K players bringing more evil (wink). But instead, I see this as away for young adults (male and female) expanding from comic books, graphic novels, and anime into our hobby of miniature collecting and painting. I fully expect to see more miniature games based on anime, graphich novels, comics, super heroes, and babes with guns in the future.

Take a look at this link
link

or super heroes. Dang you Wonder Women
link

Or try deviantart.com and look babes with guns or female sculpts sometimes great art work and sculptors post there as well. There are even models and painted figures.

This is what young adults are looking at. It is only natural for them to want to paint a miniature figure that looks like that. I look at a historical print and get all excited to paint up my next unit. Why not paint a babe in her panties carrying a gun? Not for me.

Duane

Bob Murch's figs do not make your argument. Many of Kev White's figures also are completely clothed yet exude sexuality.
perhaps you are influenced by thhe posts on the NMB board?
vote with your wallet.
support Pulp Figures And Hasslefree.
as for me? I enjoy painting bare thighs.
guess I'm just an old pervert.
dont try to change me.
rc

Going back to the point about medieval women in thongs – underwear as we know it was invented by the Victorians. So for the 18th Century and earlier NO knickers is more historically accurate!

@darthfozzywig
They were a gift from my nongaming wife! Of course I think she is also indulging our girls and little man with more "normal" female representations for the Super, Zombie, and Scifi skirmish games we play.

Someone made some nice female scifi jungle troops, good body proportions, dynamic poses, decent equipment… Although a daughter really liked them, I refrained from purchase. I do real grunt work and would not expose that much of my skin to jungle flora/ fauna! I could imagine the revolt of female troops that were shown that new uniform to wear! ;)
Celts and others ran about naked or "skyclad", but excluding modesty, I see no reason to expose my tackle and other sensitive anatomy to damage from enemy/enviroment.
I can see how a scantily clad or nubile nude fem may distract and even lower the intellect of an observer, but then I prefer some reality salted in the fantasy.
There are some Hasslefree, Reaper, and even Ragingheroes/ Bombshell babes that are grounded in full gear and are still undeniably woman. But also the best way to get attention is to yell "Boobs", "Free Beer" or both!
I'll buy the models that suit my games and figure my girls are smart enough to know that running through thickets in daisydukes, bikini tops, and high heels isn't a good idea! They already know that brass just fired will blister skin so shorts and tanktops are a NoGo at a range!

underwear as we know it was invented by the Victorians

I'm not saying that medieval women prancing around in thongs constitutes historical accuracy but the Vindolanda tablets that date from the 1st and 2nd centuries mention Roman underwear.

I think its a simple defence against being shot. I would rather shoot some ugly guy than some hot scantly clade female. She knows her chance of being shot is a lot less.

"I think its a simple defence against being shot"

I think its GURPS that has the ability: Bulletproof Nudity

that has carried over into Paranoia (tm) rules as well.

We are assuming the companies know what sells

I wonder if it isn't the sculptors indulging themselves

I doubt that anyone makes much money out of short production run miniatures

"…shoulder pads, helmet and g-string?"

link

War Panda, you are right about the Romans. Archaeologists have discovered a leather bikini-like garment that was presumably some sort of underwear while digging a Roman well in the City of London.

I'm not sure when womens' underwear stopped being worn but it was absent in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Both Samuel Pepys and the feller who wrote 'My Secret Life' describe women having a pee by just squatting a bit and letting go beneath their skirts!

A bit off topic Syr Hobbs I did find these at that link -

link

Not having been in that situation Stealth1000, I will say I have always looked at circumstances when dealing with females. Back in the day working at the mill when it came to shoveling out a slimes tank with a coed crew, I let the ladies do their share.

So if a scantily clad female were to come at me with a gun, sword, knife, etc. I don't think my reaction would be much different than for a man.

I guess I tend to just ignore these figures. I do wish manufacturers would make more historical females, because the historicals also get gals who are scantily clad beyond belief. Historically, though, most female wariors were either disguised as men (think Eowyn/Dernhelm from Lord of the Rings) or wore women's clothes, perhaps slightly modifided to pull up the skirt a couple inches off the ground. Neither approach will get you the mega-hot babe.

As I understand the situation, scissors weren't invented until 1200 or so, and all clothes were cut with a knife, by hand, and you didn't get darts for the bust, or tailored, wasp waisted gowns or a lot of the things we thing of as female clothing before then. Spandex and other types of stretchy cloth that would emphasize the female form are even more recent inventions. And, no, no thongs for Viking ladies!

One of the few instances of female units being engaged in warfare was the French campaign in Dahomey in the 1880s. The French don't seem to have avoided shooting the Dahomean females out of some sort of sense of chivalry. In fact,the French don't seem to have known they were shooting down women until after the battle when they examinied the bodies.

I suppose you could argue that some of these ladies had not had time to dress properly (the place they did their pole dancing caught fire, as somebody said) but nobody seems to be calling for special AWI Stony Point British, though they were awakened in the middle of the night to fight a battle, and many no doubt appeared in various sages of undress.

I guess the only time I pay much attention to the post-apocalyptic ladies is when I need something to convert to a historical lady. So, yeah, I pick these figures up from time to time, think "Gee, they were sculpted nicely," wonder what I would do with them, can't think of a thing, and wander off to spend my money on more hirsute Viking warriors.

Grelber

Dear 79th PA

You REALLY don't want to go down this road do you?

It's going to lead you to a very deep, very dark, very horrific place in the human psyche.

Bring a shovel.

Hint- hint. What do you think the role of females will be in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by force, violence, brutality and lawlessness-- especially after their ammo runs out. Raped, murdered, and probably eaten.

Look at the post-apocalyptic literature to find out.

"Hint- hint. What do you think the role of females will be in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by force, violence, brutality and lawlessness-- especially after their ammo runs out. Raped, murdered, and probably eaten."

Not the least unpleasant sequence, but definitely not the most.

OSchmidt: I don't know what road you are going down, but your post doesn't address my post.

OShmidt?
that's where both men and women will end up.

try answering 79ths question instead of spewing your usual nonsense

79th
I think it really is down to what sells.

I have a tendency to add clothing to mostly nude minis and no one seems to have a problem.

but if I need a quick ebay sale? buckassnekkid always sells.

I have a belief, possibly utterly mistaken, that my buyers are able to tell the difference between a mini and a real person.

When I am sculpting a woman, honestly, the first thing I want to do is put her in a thong, topless. So, then I talk myself down and make it a regular panty. Then I talk myself down and she ends up topless in shorts.

This is all before I've added any armaments.

have a tendency to add clothing to mostly nude minis and no one seems to have a problem.

It's like getting a modeling dolly with a little more detail. This is why I like male and female 'Clix figures in tight spandex as bases for conversions (well, that and the price). This Kali conversion is based on an exploitatively dressed 50' woman (which is actually true to the cheesy source material) and fully dressed – but in tight spandex – other females.

THAT was a freaky conversion….

etotheipi: Needs More Boobies!

Has Enough Arms Though. :)

Wow. That heading got my attention!

There is such a thing as post-apocalyptic "literature"?

There is such a thing as post-apocalyptic "literature"?

post-apocalyptic litterature … better? :)

I'm all about naked women but count me with those who thinks it makes no sense for female figures to be predominately dressed this way.

Cheers,

The Bandit

A large number of our brethren are…. Not skilled with the opposite sex… I think it's as close as they might get…. And a lot of the gw crowd are only 13-15.

It's sad, but sells. No different to comic book super heroines who all fight in tight fitting Lycra.

I'm a red blooded male. I enjoy the female figure and female company. I do think fantasy and sci fi figures could do with more female figures and the few that exist are almost entirely sexualised. What does that say to the few girls who might show half an interest. I don't expect it to change though.

I wouldn't want to be running around a battlefield in just my boots and boxers…. Though that site could possibly rout even the most steadfast of enemies…

Maybe it would make a good poll suggestion – how many semi-naked / naked female "girly pinup" style figures do you own ?

Either that, or maybe some manufacturers could fess up – do thyey sell these by the bucketload ?

If you narrowly define the definition as you have I have about 40 figures, mostly 80mm and they are Ezzex Follies or Midnight Mascot Miniatures. These go in the display cases set aside for them.

When you talk about large 25-30mm figures I have about a hundred, some painted and about half not painted. These are used in dioramas and "vigniettes." These "vigniettes" are little scenes I work into the troops and ARE used in games. The stands are large so there' a little room. One of them in the unit of the Mackattack Indians from my 18th century set up, has six stands of Indians in it. All of the stands have various vigniettes and scenes. Each stand has six Indians on it. One of them has a few rocks, brush, shrubs and small trees right on the stand. Four of the Mackattacks are firing forward, but two are peering over a large brush off to the side (not paying any attention to the battle at all) here they have found a couple "en-flagrante delicto" in the bushes.

In another example, in my Ancient Armies I have a group of 12 War Elephants. Each War Elephant has it's own vigniette. For example, one is called "Rubadubdub" and has a howda made of cedar hot-tub with two guys in turbans and two women "au-naturelle" lounging in it. There is a side tray with drinks and scale ice chest strapped to the side with beer and wine. The Mahout has had his long goad replaced with a shaft and cross pieces turned into a towel rack with towels hanging on it.

Another, called "Whamboppawham" has the middle eastern turbined types all converted into a band, while on a platform above the howda there is a pole with a stripper doing her act. "Dang it was hard coverting her to have the tasseled pasties!"

On my terrain, I have small vignettes as well. My forests are all "hexagonal boxes" in which you can place troops and they are totally hidden. A "hat" with foliage on top closes it. These are all made with the box set in about 1" all the way around. This provides a flange on which I can put tree trunks made from twigs, rocks and other things to make it look realistic. I also put scenes here. Many of them are scenes from fairy tales, Hansel & Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, etc. with little cabins poking out of the woods. One of them has a gazebo on one of the hexagon faces, and in it again is a couple, again "In the throes of passion" On the next face back is the ladies maid rushing to warn her, on the next face before that a bunch of gillies and beaters raising a ruckus, and on the face before that is an old, fat ugly husband being hauled in a cart, his gouty foot up on a pillow and him brandishing a cane.

Many of th buildings in my town have mademoiselles taking baths or cavorting with lovers, inside rooms purposely built to house the scene.

Wargames is a wonderful hobby.

Of course I have more than a hundred of armed and barely covered up female fighters which I use in my Amazon army.
But that's not what you're talking about.

I know wargamers is lazy but it's well past time you bought some green stuff. I am all for girls having clothes but they are too often sculpted with waistbands halfway down; why not leave it and I'll sculpt whatever I want on her? That said, after the apocalypse there wouldn't be so many people around to tell her what to wear.

The really weird bit is the mountain of VSF/AMF/Steampunk figures dressed like saloon girls or soiled doves, when they're supposed to be walking around 1896 London at night in winter, looking for monsters?

Of course there is the phenomenon of the gun kept loaded on the nightstand in case you have a break-in in the middle of the night…

I have a belief, possibly utterly mistaken, that my buyers are able to tell the difference between a mini and a real person.

Sounds like your customers are collectors….. now war gamers on the other hand.

am all for girls having clothes but they are too often sculpted with waistbands halfway down; why not leave it and I'll sculpt whatever I want on her?

Grab some 'Clix, mate. Most of the males and females in spandex are just sculpting dollies that already have faces, hair, and hands done.