"1st Blood Vestal Revealed" Topic

Not Witch Elves I assume.

Porfirio predicts! Demoness with big boobs and high heels.

Where was all this 'positive feedback' they speak of? All I've seen on this site and others was mockery of their stupid logo and lame 'teaser' tactics.

All I've seen on this site and others was mockery of their stupid logo and lame 'teaser' tactics.

And the fact that they've apparently never yet had an idea that did not basically boil down to copying somebody else's product lines. Seems to be an awfully common MO amongst new mini companies these days, though.

Doug

Lessee… copy GW, in better quality for less money… sounds good to me. If I were a Dark Elf fanboy, these would be my witch elves of choice…

To be honest… it's fun to make fun of their logo but it isn't something that would keep me from buying their minis if I liked them.

Most of what I've seen from them is festooned with rococco BLING that obscures whatever real sculpting is going on… but these non-Witch Elves ARE better than GW's (most of GW's 'females' look like trannies).
The only thing that's really funny to my eye is her thong. Not that the costume isn't already silly, that's fine, goes with the landscape… but why the itty bitty thong? Why not sculpt her nude? 'Look, she's got pants on, she must be a LADY!'

As for copying GW… not the most creative choice but most likely a better business decision for a start-up than going off the rails. 'Hey, look at our great new ninja space-frogs and hamster conquistadors!!!'

This is the first of their products I'm thinking of buying. I've always been a Dark Elves fan, and these look better than GW's current ones in my opinion.

Their logo's still terrible though.

Hampster conquistadors would be a poor match for Inca Guinea pigs.

GW copies….great just what the world of wargaming needed. How about something unique and different like, ooh I don't know maybe Khitan Lao…….or Indian Maiden Guards….

Given there is nothing original I can't see me buying any, which is a shame really….nice sculpting as well….ho hum on to better things.

Why the high heels?

"Why the high heels?"

Huf, mu, buh, are you serious? This is the thing you ask, why the high heels?

They might work well as John Carter-esque Red Martians,
perhaps Manatorian (ala Chessmen of Mars).

Hampster conquistadors would be a poor match for Inca Guinea pigs.

But Hamster Conquistadors would be a great name for a rock band.

Indeed it would, and it would also be a rocking miniature line, as would Inca guinea pigs. I'd far rather see someone do those than yet another GW knockoff.

Doug

And the fact that they've apparently never yet had an idea that did not basically boil down to copying somebody else's product lines. Seems to be an awfully common MO amongst new mini companies these days, though.

Doug

Like GW never copied, oh, I don't know..orcs…dwarfs… elves…Arthurian mythos etc etc. I wont be buying the minis but say good on them. There is a market. If Raging Heroes made a Bretanglian King riding a hippogryph that didn't cost $NZ100 for a single 28mm model…I might be interested.

On great, now I want hamster conquistadors.

I do like the sculpt--quite beautiful and I'd probably buy some as an impulse buy in a store (which is how I got my nuns with guns). I'm a little nervous about it being too close to Games Workshop's IP.

She does remind me of the gladiatrix in Star Trek.

There are lots of possibilities out there, Aztec temple maiden guardians, for example

Like GW never copied, oh, I don't know..orcs…dwarfs… elves…Arthurian mythos etc etc.

Are you seriously trying to equate common elements from fantasy that go back to fairy tales and ancients legends to something as specific as these (not) witch elves? Go on, pull the other one.

Even if the cases were remotely comparable (and they absolutely are not), why would that make these blatant knock-offs any less ridiculous? Or are you suggesting that two wrongs do, in fact, make a right?

On great, now I want hamster conquistadors.

Me too, and Inca guinea pigs, too, but I want them in 6mm, so I'd need them to be GIANT hamsters and guinea pigs.

Doug

Volstagg has it right. These remind me of Red Martians from the Princess of Mars.

Looking at the current crop of Witch Elves that GW is hawking I'm not sure I see all that much resemblance apart from them being scantily clad warrior 'women' with swords.
Fantasy art is FULL of images like that so I think proving they're a direct borrow from GW imagery would be kinda hard.
There are a number of minis in Reaper's ranges that hit similar buttons. Is the issue that these are being put out as a unit, vs. Reaper's tendency to make just one or two of a type?

I'm getting some as soon as they are available.

The miniatures are quite nice. They could work as drow, as well.

Lovely!

As underlined above, scantily clad fantasy chicks in bizarre armor are too common to be ®: they appeared on zillions of illustrations, book covers &c… Less a rip-off than the now almost compulsory suppository-shaped Elvish helmet taken (first by Minifigs for the Aureola Rococo range) from Rodney Matthews book covers. 'Fantasy Amazons of non-Greek type' is a less prejudiced description.
Certainly not as close to GW 'archetypes' as some Dwarves, Elves…
Actually the oversized weapons are the only blatant GW-like element, and it's quite widespread for some time: remember Rackham Kelt Fiannas, e.g.

Raging Heroes is steadily building an all-female unit: troops to follow the commander and banner group already available; missile troops are lacking, who would make the unit more versatile / self-sufficient and push it away from the Witch Elves type of troop.

And the fact that they've apparently never yet had an idea that did not basically boil down to copying somebody else's product lines.

No problem for me, if they are *improving* over the 'model'. Do you complain because Minden Miniatures is producing SYW types that were done by dozens of of other manufacturers before them?

Anyway, 'Fanatic, 2SA' (a sword in each hand) is a historical warrior type dealt with in WRG Ancient rules since at least the 5th Edition. As soon as fantasy illustrators and sculptors 'translate' historical types in ± scantily clad warrior women, no need to imagine a passing through GW inspiration.

but why the itty bitty thong? Why not sculpt her nude?

For the American market, I suspect?

But I have another answer: precisily to allow to use them as Red Martians! As I suggested on several recent TMP threads with John Carter in the title, Red Martians, being egg-laying mammals, are monotremes like the platypus. A biological fact with some interesting consequences, one of them being: 'nothing to see'

And indeed, rather than thinking 'Witch Elves', you can't deny she looks like Dejah Thoris

with some bits of armor from the movie

YouTube link
YouTube link
YouTube link

The sculpts are absolutely gorgeous. Doesn't bother me that they are copying an older GW "style" because it gives the models compatibility, and they are meeting various forms of demand.

For me, the most important part is that these are one-piece metal casts, and they are decently priced. Generally speaking, I hate plastic. The only thing keeping me from getting a units worth is the bare breasts. I'm not skilled enough to do the greenstuff cover-up and just painting over never looks quite right.

Are you sure they are really bare-breasted, not with a tiny ("burlesque" fashion, I concede) cover such as:

(Red Martian reference again! The planned 'Sci-Fi' version, probably with sword in one hand and pistol in the other, would provide excellent Barsoomian amazons.)

Paul Hoerner:

I don't understand why you dislike the toplessness? Miniatures are art in my eyes, and nudity in art is… Well… Classy? Just look at all the greek and roman statues, many of the classical oilpaintings (heck, most european churches features nudity in art and sculptures! ).

I heard a american friend ask if the SAW III-movie contained nudity, as he wanted to know if he could allow his kids to watch it.

So, it is OK to show people being hacked into pieces with chainsaws, but if you among the slaughter could spot a naked breast it suddenly became a movie not fit for kids?! (The other way around I could understand… )

Anyways, I will most likely buy both the fantasy and scifi versions of the vestals; My Dark Eldar need proper Wyches and my Mantic Dark Elves need proper witches (and maybe, with some greenstuff, my Slaaneshi needs proper demonettes)! :P