Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Bahir on August 29, 2020, 02:24:19 PM
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Hi all,
I’ve got a new crop of sci-fi war gamers. About 8-10 teenage boys (and one girl) who have actively been playing for about 2-3 months. I’d like to get each of them a small squad of 5 that they can paint and keep.
I’m on a tight budget and I’m exploring all my options. EM4 probably has some of the best budget plastic miniatures but they seem out of stock on some items.
What are you best sources for budget miniatures?
Thanks in advance!
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Have a look at Mantic's plastics, fairly cheap and cheerful.
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I don't think there's much that is as dirt cheap as the em4 plastics.
but have a look at maelstrom's edge, they have a few plastic trooper kits that are 6 troopers for $13, especially the broken infantry sprue gives you lots of options.
CP models has a nice range of metal 28mm minis for about £2-£2.50 each
wargames atlantic have a few sci-fi trooper kits, not much variety yet but 24 troopers for £25
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E-bay ?
Even historical figures can be (easily) converted.
Star Wars is medieval monks with bits stuck on.
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Look for your local buy and sell groups or websites. People are always selling old GW minis.
Also ask around at your local clubs. If this is to get new gamers into the hobby there are lots of people who might want to donate
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Maelstrom's Edge was my first thought. The Terminator Game Resistance Fighters pop up on eBay, then there's Mantic Deadzone figs or Reaper Bones Chronoscope.
Where do you live? US? UK?
Try contacting a company to see if they won't sell/donate some figs for a good cause.
Heck, the members here could probably dig up sprues/partial sets from our bitz box/unfinished projects and scrape up more than enough figs to cover what you need.
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Depends just how tight your budget is and what sort of game you're after.
Considering GW seems to be the entry level for most young gamers, I'd probably look at trying to grab some of the various push fit sets GW has done lately.
Lot ebay buys for Chaos cultists like this (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/warhammer-40k-chaos-space-marines-Cultist-s-X-18/293704786444?hash=item44622b620c:g:2VYAAOSwsQJfREnX&frcectupt=true) would probably be a good start. You could then expand it with things like the Chaos Cultists from the newer Blackstone Fortress expansion, and even the Traitor Guardsmen? They're all lovely minis but simple, and would be a good place to start learning how to paint.
I'm looking at a small scale sci-fi skirmish project based on some of the Necromunda plastics, but this is possibly a step up in complexity and cost to what you're after.
Stepping outside GW, the Maelstrom's Edge (https://www.maelstromsedge.com/medge/store.jsp) would be a good place to start. The Broken faction has a varied plastic base kit which can be chopped and changed for some interesting characters. Pick up a sprue of two of the Epirian Contractors, SecDef Infantry and Karist Troopers and you'll have a fantastic array of parts to make some interesting crews. Think Rogue Stars ;)
If you're willing to go metal, the EM4 Future Skirmish (https://em4miniatures.com/collections/future-skirmish-miniatures) is relatively cheap and full of characterful sculpts. Considering they're Copplestone jobs, you could expand them with bits from his own [Future Wars (https://www.copplestonecastings.co.uk/list.php?cat=1&page=1) range.
The other option is to check out Ground Zero Games and their 25mm Stargrunt (https://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/25mm-stargrunt.html) line.. There's some cracking sculpts in the range and they're at a similar price point to the Copplestone/EM4 minis. All single pose too, so no issues with assembly for young kids.
With news leaking that Stargrave is on the horizon, I suspect there will be a plastic Northstar kit akin to the Frostgrave Soldiers kit if you were willing to wait? In the meantime you could keep them entertained with some mix and match fantasy using the Frostrgrave plastics?
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Bahir,
Sound as like an excellent plan to keep getting more little’uns into the hobby. What sort of time frame are you looking at and where are you? I should be able to dig some suitable bits out of my lead mountain (I’d imagine most LAF’ers could, if they were honest with themselves, spare a couple of minis for such a worthwhile cause), is it just Sci-fi and presumably 28mm? Plastic, Metal, put together or as new? I’ll excavate part of the rich vein of my shame marked for sale tomorrow and see if I can come up with anything useful.
BALM
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Hi Blam,
Thank you for your very kind and generous offer.
There is no time frame per se, because they are currently using my minis. It would be a surprise gift to the teens. We could create a date and then gift the miniatures to the teens and game night.
Yes, it’s 25-28mm sci-fi. We use the No Limits Rules so miniatures from
any manufacturer would work.
If anyone is willing to donate miniatures I would happy to post pics of the teens receiving them. I can also try to help with postage. FYI I live in Austria.
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With news leaking that Stargrave is on the horizon, I suspect there will be a plastic Northstar kit akin to the Frostgrave Soldiers kit if you were willing to wait?
Apologies for the tangent, but where did this leak from? Any other news on it? I was completely unaware.
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Apologies for the tangent, but where did this leak from? Any other news on it? I was completely unaware.
It's been spotted on the advance pre-order for April 2021 at a number of suppliers, and confirmed by the author on the Frostgrave FB group.
There's some baseless speculation available here (https://mustcontainminis.com/2020/08/osprey-games-stargrave-speculation-frostgrave-in-space.html).
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You might have a look at some old 'cliccies'. Old Heroclix have some things like older Skrull for gun-toting alies, and Sheild operatives for humans.
Even old Mage Knight, in spite of being 'fantasy,' has some figs that might be useful, as well.
Doug
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Hi,
Which mini range (ranges) are they already using from your collection?
Don't seem to have seen mentioned Wargame Atlantics Death Field Range they've 2 box sets with more on the way. 1 is space french with options from a Napoleonic look to a Foreign Legion or WW1 feel, and Space WW2 German Stormtroopers.
Also Gates of Antares have some plastic figure boxes, some of which include drones on the sprues with the figures too for a few extra freebies.
GW do some rank and file boxes for £5 - £10, altough they can range in numbers from only 3 in a box to 5 so check that carefully, number of models in a box usually shows on the front.
Getting as many as 8 - 10 new gamers and with a mix of genders of school age is great to hear for the hobby and for them. Think of the happy times there going to have to think back on, at least those who stick with it.
I've moved house shortly before pandemic lockdowns so not fully set up to fish out any spares at the moment.
Please let us know how this gaming group and hobby fun goes.
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It's been spotted on the advance pre-order for April 2021 at a number of suppliers, and confirmed by the author on the Frostgrave FB group.
There's some baseless speculation available here (https://mustcontainminis.com/2020/08/osprey-games-stargrave-speculation-frostgrave-in-space.html).
Thanks Splod. I look forward to it.
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Hi,
Which mini range (ranges) are they already using from your collection?
Hi AdmrilAndy,
My collection is quite eclectic. We have been using miniatures from Mantic, Games Workshop, Reaper, Hasselfree, Heresy, EM4, Colbalt, and a few others who’s names escape me at the moment.
Thanks for the great suggestions.
There use to be a company that sold a bag of 80 plastic miniatures. 40 of one army and 40 of another. I can’t recall the name of the company. Does that ring a bell with anyone and do you know if they still have that big bag deal?
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There use to be a company that sold a bag of 80 plastic miniatures. 40 of one army and 40 of another. I can’t recall the name of the company. Does that ring a bell with anyone and do you know if they still have that big bag deal?
Was that Prince August with the old warzone plastics? No idea if they still do that though.
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Yes I think its the very old Mutant Chronicles 2nd edition Prince August, who are still around selling that stuff but nothing for the old original starter.
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What about just using plastic toy figures like the old Marx stuff?
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What about just using plastic toy figures like the old Marx stuff?
This was my initial thought on the matter. Scale might be a bit off, but plastic soldier type figures tend to be a decent starting point for some conversions and putty work too. Not hard to chop them up and put them back together in different ways, swap a head, change a gun, etc. They lack some detail, but again this is a place where some really basic conversion work and paint can turn that around.
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I think I may have found a solution. Scotia Grendel has 5 Viridian on a plastic sprue for 5 pounds. https://www.shop.scotiagrendel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=217_218_59_61&products_id=2851 (https://www.shop.scotiagrendel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=217_218_59_61&products_id=2851)
They use to have a plastic Junkers Sprue as well, but I can't seem to locate it on their website.
Becasue they are styrene, head and weapons swaps should be easy (and fun) for my new players (my bits box runneth over).
It does not look like the Prince August plastics are available.
Great suggestions guys, feel free to keep them coming!
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Here are some photos of one of our recent games.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fGQCou_uNm1VNmVcNW12Yu2gyIuKipOkFTAePBzXeEfmwaWcje_5M3GuXOz-_sj2Y3G2H7cBcOEhocXqS2hRb0go8hesF6JdYxlN3EPwDuEryGNTyN7q8Gy-Up-KBOjy3oPzvDoZfnAYTJgHxJ0TSzN1X3zvfB15On536JyUwBJOjz1W_oDfKmETDhKS_fs2NbHdufi_yU_OHI1DNAYB4JZc9neemqMbd7w0-QZnXrEC2cdEU5i6Sc2jK46KJb9c0siI9_LfJClnG3ODuRiw1Szt_NMraW8ZhIK9mhjUQEbi5v_8u8WQU3CK0t_J1bJU3WOjuguN-7iWJUQo3aT7Kg1XPDaBu2mtBY0TAGolyKxtfxPG0UBq4DNklQPJ8R4y0hu4bjCihPBWEojn3NeMnKbcNfIf6OKg6vMPeA-vJSclvMvQoXDUJsAUV3aE-aGnuQL_uhcFqfnFiI6AOWycPgiEcTK8YwGQWNh6I1WLSDvuzs6zTy0105WUB1INVZsK0PMwiOVRkqvvyh33IGnbA7ltHsaI_8OjwFeea76jQD3Cgd1TR5agBeiGdvpjv5DjrIyir-kkcCND_9DxKOXvVsVhOMwX5g1Oy4i5Yw7dWmM7t3SXPnDDqe0FJdIZIprsGh8KKZR0gp9VS3SWtguTctvPQocDUNje-RAYvSi_ERcsUP9Fxk4Q_eBeOxBO=w1300-h975-no?authuser=0)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/95zepdYd0UDZ-jTY9DmoMy_EjdnzQiTUrUdc4Its_90oNvXB-Bcz9DeMHq4ALwGfrhmil93wi2yD6iDgeeqLD05SbuWYXxgcPR9KQVNunDn8AoPxkbW1boNAypS0QLqEJel5Zv4C0v2_Kn9SGPMdh1nC4cGuT8fst0Vj-KmrIM8-ntqdFawjzcTJstgNwlIbx9rpNcfG1izVWoNSrhm5XwpzC4ej-2FJXs1nZYt2xQHMJ60N5t4Z1XGK5oiRo325YneypxRqJ_FcCFHy-8sBKCLbxpTUCuBKuim-j1701x07SjlprQefY7UVEgJtHbxuFK9qkIKg3D6hq7hw22btNbk5uEb_1lMXGsQ5_7G87MOOx15K4J7pBmM_kxFeEoiofhkXaC2gGLo7dTV6GI45Elcke9XNUPYF5CDywcXNfrzuo6NI3RfCG8IbPDvBoinIOapycI70r8UQAzcMd4Kx7LymH33y8xntcvAEJCQgsveMLzTLMml7_CDQKmJ6Uay2agHleoN-hIU6F0Ub2HcDdTIQrdACFnlmeVWedB_m_sj4evjvmX0_OsBz9SuU1Jjax45oPlx2xjMek-VDYZp2x0BePGktyh5OeBdihyj3qnNidNlZ-hJLfR3uiXTuTO4X4hHBfg3x9Yco8Hg_3EPFBF1vVM_xkkjin2KfkeoAaVc_DYDxqP-_D8fo9Thw=w1300-h975-no?authuser=0)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jcXVjwdWBjLeaeDgISr00i9qIJogbNaBhZInOxKb2x_-_soAdRuUlbtFfZcOPmJFgsCzob7U3FX5wvdMfFoCtVFXkcDn8Fd1EH8BuvlCzfCP5g6zhQ8gG-vpYs2E3k_wMI8TqGktb5rJOsSqJ9doWsuIiM-DB8HaCNXQ9lI-6-Cv64ruP6djUcsvkdAn2KyvQpzgAyXI31QCj2n_MnU2IacD3PweR9EGfnzFblCctd0W38U0pFOeDcZgiRcm_GrBZDHpHPWm5yqH8CS-er1nJ2iFL5dv5nEo1kazYOzpEKmYNZQXamtrhV3x-c_qhbZzl7svDOkWZsha_3Kl7HbDJBZkZLJVgT-TjEGxj2ym5OGEnVblXcC1vBOaH724NEvlFl2ZhdGBPXNGMlQj1BDjEQC_Se2Cj9wdG2flw-6Tyc1jZ_DbNHZV4nT6gAN2xc5GggC015FbktwawiGGUye5lpu-oy9DuRbfYIadKA6x6KZGE7UKZs95G_Zb_ObmraveFV6HO36kmbJmo6Mx7MSwXArzrSpBkiuQex7Zqcwd67bNmOrQsoDzjBA0U62TSHaY5hqn4vqMfRKgvZa7Ikk1VnJwfVoCNfs1qHXQs_kV1qhWz2xTuInNsLyZcjl22yHmwonbbYisCuib-XAvEAGhW8isB-0W4azOfZg5vNpkNVAl5aQSJuKYoNTKOdxd=w1300-h975-no?authuser=0)
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I think I may have found a solution. Scotia Grendel has 5 Viridian on a plastic sprue for 5 pounds. https://www.shop.scotiagrendel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=217_218_59_61&products_id=2851 (https://www.shop.scotiagrendel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=217_218_59_61&products_id=2851)
There's actually two on each sprue so you'll get 10.
Have the junkers moved to Seb games?
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The Plastic Viridian Miniatures from Scotia Grendel arrived and I divided them into bags of 5 minis each and I dug out some heads, swords, and weapons so they can try their hands and converting. I'll hand them out on Friday to the teens. Scotia Grendel even threw in some scatter terrain! It was very kind of them.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rw6cJKHeVXdayt3lbRxm1kEvHUx4gs9xFSABdmXIDZHde-RjgVqoj6BclMysvylfIth_tIGDc5P8MJ6QgJptxTmKzDYYevBuNAPhZY5P6pxTV7-pmF-xPfaKEPp_3-m68GyD0xobqw=w2400)
I'm looking for a cheap source for Jump Packs (GW or Non-GW). For some reason they LOVE using jump packs in games, and so I want to see if I can find some to add to their bits bags. Any suggestions?
My local games shops would normally be my go-to place, but with COVID trying to find them open during a time I can go is tough.
Thanks in advance.
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Is it me? I can't see any of the pictures.
Jump packs? :- Cut some sprue into same lengths & trim/file.
Look at bits from electrical shops, often have big bags of tiny parts.
Make a small ball of putty (Miliput or similar) stick it onto the back,
then using...well just about anything (pens, screws etc) emboss a
design into it. Let it set & paint it.
Cannibalise bits from old kits. e.g. one 1/76th tank's road wheels
would do the job.
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Yeah pictures seem to have gone.
I'm looking for a cheap source for Jump Packs (GW or Non-GW). For some reason they LOVE using jump packs in games, and so I want to see if I can find some to add to their bits bags. Any suggestions?
Off hand I can think of
hasslefree http://www.hfminis.co.uk/shop?product=jump-packs~hfl201&category=sci%252dfi-%26%0D%0Aweird-war~sci%252dfi-armoury
Anvil indysutries https://www.anvilindustry.co.uk/backpacks-jetpacks-and-cloaks#/pageSize=6&viewMode=grid&orderBy=0
and Kromlech https://www.kromlech.eu/EN-H15/bits.html
Not sure if they're cheap enough and I'm sure there's some other places, nbut can't think of them right now.
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Is it me? I can't see any of the pictures.
I still see them. I wonder if google photos has done something to make it so that only I can see them.
***Edit***
All this time I have been embedding photos from Google Photos. Apparently that is not supported because the links can change at any time. Anyone have any suggestions for free workarounds?
****Edit****
Well I found this site that creates link that allows a photo from google photos to be embedded. https://www.labnol.org/embed/google/photos/ (https://www.labnol.org/embed/google/photos/) If you can see the image of the miniatures in the bags then it worked lol.
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Bahir,
I have GW jump packs along with the other bits to send you. My hand is nearly usable again and I should be able to start searching for more bits in my mountain again. I PM’d you for your address a while ago but got no reply if you could send me your address I’ll try and arrange a way to get them to you (still shielding and my county is in total lockdown).
BALM
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Bahir,
I have GW jump packs along with the other bits to send you. My hand is nearly usable again and I should be able to start searching for more bits in my mountain again. I PM’d you for your address a while ago but got no reply if you could send me your address I’ll try and arrange a way to get them to you (still shielding and my county is in total lockdown).
BALM
The me BLAM, with my studies I’ve not bee. As regular checking my PMs. I’ll take care of it, thank you!
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Bahir,
I have GW jump packs along with the other bits to send you. My hand is nearly usable again and I should be able to start searching for more bits in my mountain again. I PM’d you for your address a while ago but got no reply if you could send me your address I’ll try and arrange a way to get them to you (still shielding and my county is in total lockdown).
BALM
PM sent
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Bahir,
I have GW jump packs along with the other bits to send you. My hand is nearly usable again and I should be able to start searching for more bits in my mountain again. I PM’d you for your address a while ago but got no reply if you could send me your address I’ll try and arrange a way to get them to you (still shielding and my county is in total lockdown).
BALM
Hey BALM,
I sent a PM with my address (twice actually) but it does not seem to be going through. If you like you can email me at gryskiewicz at gmail dot com.
Thanks,
Bahir