Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: Tim Haslam on 20 April 2017, 10:24:19 PM
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I love the Copplestone 15(18)Mm Barbarian range, simply stunning.
Can anyone recommend a similar quality range that would bulk out the Copplestone range?
Also what rules to use for large games in 15mm?
Thanks
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Dragon rampant is always a solid go to, you can scale it up and down as you like.
The ral partha demonworld stuff is great, as are some of the miniatures from 15mm.com, just be selective because some stuff liek their undead is massive.
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All these are nice but can't say how they scale fig size wise with the ones you like.
Splintered Light 15mm stuff is nice.
http://www.splinteredlightminis.com/1518mmfantasy.html
These are some nice figs
http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/15mmfantasy.html
And there is also these, which look really nice:
http://www.battlevalorgames.com
You can use Kings of War in 15mm - just use cm's not inches for all measuring/scales.
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Most of the Demonworld stuff available via Ral Partha will work very nicely and is well sculpted. These would be my first choice.
There's also the historical minis from Donnington New Era that are also the right size and scale, and are again lovely minis if you want a more medieval look. Alternative Armies (previously 15mm.co.uk) are ok, but the quality of the sculpts is mixed and they tend to be smaller.
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Is it just matching barbarians you want, or wider fantasy ranges? If the latter, there are plenty of ranges that scale well with the Copplestone barbarians. I've attached a photo that shows a Copplestone warrior with Essex orcs and a dwarf, a Blood Dawn "great orc" (from Magister Militum) in the background and some goblins (also from MM, again from the Blood Dawn range, I think). They all work well together.
The Chariot range from Magister Militum is a bit on the small side: true 15s - although that doesn't matter for orcs, etc. But I imagine their humans would look short and weedy next to the Copplestone chaps.
As for rules, I'd second nic-e on Dragon Rampant but also recommend Hordes of the Things (HOTT). It's a superbly balanced set of rules that has only required a single rule change in the 25+years of its existence, despite being popular throughout. Most people play it in 15mm I think (I don't know why, to be honest, as it doesn't require much space or lead to play in 28mm). Anyway, it's a great massed-battle ruleset - one of those "easy to learn, lifetime to master" games - and its basing can be used for Dragon Rampant (which is really a "large skirmish" game) and other good massed-battle rules such as Mayhem, Rally Round The King and (from what I hear: my rules are in the post) Sword and Spear.
Basing is really the key thing here. If I were starting in 15mm, I'd base most (80%) miniatures to HOTT/DBA requirements, as that's the nearest thing to a universal standard. It's 40mm frontages, I think. Then I'd put the remainder on individual bases. That allows casualty removal in Dragon Rampant and gives you individual heroes and leaders for Mayhem and (I think) Sword and Spear. And the individuals also give you a skirmish force into the bargain (for Song of Blades and Heroes or whatever).
As an aside, I think you can trace the DNA of HOTT in both Dragon Rampant and Song of Blades - which is no slight on either. They're all great games with some slight common ancestry (I think). The three of them cover massed battles, large skirmishes and small skirmishes quite nicely.
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More 18mm type 15mm figures - there are some on the Rebel Minis web site.
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Yeah most of the demonworld range scales well - some of the barbarians I'd even mix in with the Copplestone ones. The cultists make great, Conan-esque baddies.
I've been painting up some historical 15s (from Forged in Battle) as vague, desert warriors for Far Harad setting I'm planning:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/27/577_31_03_17_8_12_05_1.jpg)
Definitely there's some historical stuff worth looking at.
For me, ranges tend to gel better than people think as long as your painting scheme is consistent. That's the trick for me - approaching all my 15s with the same techniques tends to tie them together (and consistent basing helps).
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Jagannath - those are lovely. Where are they from?
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Thanks - they were my first round LPL entry this year. They're actually Forged in Battle Picts
http://www.forgedinbattle.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=126_161_179
Painted to give a more desert/eastern look. I've got another batch on the painting table at the moment too.
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Good information, thanks.
I shall digest.
I fancy using some of the Copplestone barbarians on a big woolly mammoth! Any idea where I get a 15mm one of these?
KoW appeals as a rule set, plus well supported.
:-*
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Oops!
Just spotted the mammoths!
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Take a look at he Demonworld line:
http://www.ralparthaeurope.co.uk/shop/demonworld-15mm-c-76/demonworld-classic-c-76_151/the-warlords-of-thain-c-76_151_99/?sort=20a&page=2
Bottom of this page onwards has a few beasts. I think Khurasan does one too in the caveman range (can you tell I've ready poised this particular furrow...)
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Battle Valor games do some in the frigian force as well. They have them with and without a platform for the riders. Below is a link to one example.
http://www.battlevalorgames.com/frigianwarmammothandcrew1figure.aspx
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...Demonworld...would be my first choice.
Mine too.
Painted examples here LINK (http://www.orctrader.co.uk./DW.html) but no barbarians. ::)
I recently bought some more. First thing I notice is the casting quality. Not only are they terrific sculpts, but they take very little clean up. Unlike more and more 28mm figures. >:(
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Mine too.
Painted examples here LINK (http://www.orctrader.co.uk./DW.html) but no barbarians. ::)
I recently bought some more. First thing I notice is the casting quality. Not only are they terrific sculpts, but they take very little clean up. Unlike more and more 28mm figures. >:(
100% - rap partha are my number one choice for castings.
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The Ral Partha minis I ordered recently are really good. As mentioned, hardly any clean up.
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I have photos of quite a few 15mm/18mm fantasy miniatures on my thread here - http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=83555.0 - including mammoths with Copplestone barbarians on page 10.
This was my reply to a question about matching figures on the same thread.
The Donnington are true 15mm (base to eye) but as they are civilians they do not need to be standing next to the reat of the figures so it does not bother me.
Nearly all of mine are large 15s (16mm to 18mm base to eye). I use-
Eureka fantasy 18mm (the Men of Grandeur are high middle age)
Blood Dawn (Magister Militum) 18mm
Blue Moon Manufacturing ancients 18mm
Demonworld (Ral Partha Europe) normal figures are 16mm or 17mm. Characters/heros are 17mm or 18mm.
Splintered Light miniatures 17mm
and of course Copplestone.
I have heard that the Black Raven Foundry miniatures are also big but i do not have any and i am waiting for some from Khurusan at the moment.
Cheers
Robert
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Theres a scale difference in the donnington range. The older ones are true 15mm, but the 'New Era' are much larger.
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Dragon Rampant has a direct lineage from Ral Partha's Chaos Wars. The rules have very similar concepts although several mechanics have been upgraded, tweaked or improved. I really like Chaos Wars. Dragon Rampant does some things better. CW will handle larger armies. I wish DR would cover artillery and larger units. Really good set of rules!
Thanks.