More Traveller 25mm - What's your take on Aslan ?

[Metternich]

The Ebay gods have been smiling again and I've been able to score at a reasonable price most of the Grenadier Alien Mercenaries 25mm box, as well as some singletons (4 additional Aslan, an additional Hiver, an additional Droyne, as well as two packs -6 figures total - of the old RAFM Aslan Mercenaries.  The Grenadier Aslan are a bit shorter than the human figures, while the RAFM are a bit taller (per Traveller canon, Aslan bear a vague resemblance to terrestial lions, stand roughly human-sized, averaging 2.0 meters in height and weighing about 100 kg. males; Females are a bit shorter and slimmer).  (For those interested, one of the Shapeways vendors has a classic Aslan, for $10).  Below are pictures of the two types of miniature.  Which do you think best captures the  image of the Aslan (I'm thinking of using the Grenadiers as females, and the RAFM as the more aggressive males):
    Grenadier:
https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/1/0511/27/traveller-grenadier-rpg-aslan_1_85f57cc6991ce7fb8bc3b6a099364a76.jpg

https://www.shopontheborderlands.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DSC04941.jpg

https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images3/1/0511/27/traveller-grenadier-rpg-aslan_1_85f57cc6991ce7fb8bc3b6a099364a76.jpg

RAFM:

https://resources.nobleknight.com/Catalog/Images/900/900/0/1/0/RAF05859.jpg

http://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/images/thumb/7/7c/RAFM-5859-01.jpg/399px-RAFM-5859-01.jpg

 

[Hobby Services]

I'm going to say the Grenadier ones are the "true" Aslan, but that may just be nostalgia speaking.  Funny, I don't think I ever saw the New Era minis in person, despite the fact our FLGS stocked the rest of the range pretty well.  Bought a ton of the ship minis back in the day.

[Metternich]

I generally agree with you that the Grenadier minis look more like my concept of Aslan (based mostly on the below GDW art - of which there is a plastic version available from a Shapeways dealer for $10.), and somehow seem more alien.  But they were a bit of a disappointment when they first came out because they seemed small compared to the human sets (and should be somewhat larger - but then the K'kree seemed too small also).  The RAFM minis, which are more the right size,  look even more "leonine" which is more in keeping with how Mongoose publishing later portrayed them - they gradually began to look more lion-like (much like the Vargr look very dog-like.  But then the Vargr are genetically engineered canines, while the Aslan are true aliens bearing a superficial resemblance to lions).

http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/images/2/21/Aslan.jpg

All that said, I'm not one to waste the minis - Grenadier will be the females and RAFM will be the males.