Author Topic: Your favorite miniatures for a pirate crew? (Read 6289 times)

nomadik · « **on:** November 15, 2009, 07:59:14 PM »

Yesterday I traded a stack of old rpg books I haven't used in almost a decade at my local game shop. I received $90 in store credit, and with that I picked up Legend of the High Seas.
At the moment, all I can do is window shop, but I'm curious what everyone uses for their crew? Right now I have my eye on Black Scorpion and a couple Reaper miniatures.

Captain Blood · « **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2009, 08:23:05 PM »

I have about 120 of the Foundry cutthroats. They really are very good with a huge variety and full of character. I reckon there's getting on for 200 different figures in the full range.

I bought the first couple of batches of the Black Scorpion pirates, but I've never got round to painting them because they really aren't compatible with the Foundry figures, being a good 5mm - 10mm taller, plus the slotta bases (don't get me started.. )
Plus, they are very beautiful miniatures - but distinctively stylised.
As the Black Scorpion range has expanded to now offer quite a large choice, I think if I were starting from scratch now I'd be sorely tempted to go that route.
But you can't go far wrong with the Foundry cutthroats. Amongst Foundry's best figures IMHO.

nomadik · « **Reply #2 on:** November 15, 2009, 08:47:14 PM »

I'm curious now. What don't you like about slotta bases? I've sawed off pewter bases just to fix a miniature onto a plastic base so they would match a group of figures.

cianty · « **Reply #3 on:** November 15, 2009, 09:24:54 PM »

I like the Black Scorpion pirates best.

The Foundry pirates are also cool and the size difference isn't THAT bad.

Some time ago when I first started Legends of the High Seas I assembled a list of pirate mini producers on my blog:
http://cianty-tabletop.blogspot.com/2008/09/collecting-pirate-miniatures.html

Maybe you find some other manufacturers that you also like.

Michi · « **Reply #4 on:** November 15, 2009, 10:31:34 PM »

I really don´t limit them to only one certain manufacturer, though Black Scorpion pirates are indeed particularly nice.

Astor · « **Reply #5 on:** November 15, 2009, 11:01:49 PM »

Black Scorpion really do have some of the best figures around. I've got a bunch of their gunslingers for LOTOW, and I love them - they are huge, though - towering over the rest of my Artizan Cowboys.

Although I haven't got around to painting them yet, I really like Foundry for pirates/seamen -they may be somewhat expensive, but they've got a great character to them, and look great.

For government types (Marines and such), I use Front Rank Spanish Succession infantry - i've just painted some up as Dutch Marines and they look really good, even with my lackluster ability.

Crusader do some nice miniatures as well, but I don't have any.

EDIT: Although, if I were considering a British Royal Navy crew, i'd go with Black Cat Bases.

Captain Blood · « **Reply #6 on:** November 15, 2009, 11:15:17 PM »

Quote from: nomadik on November 15, 2009, 08:47:14 PM

I'm curious now. What don't you like about slotta bases? I've sawed off pewter bases just to fix a miniature onto a plastic base so they would match a group of figures.

We have the 'I love slottas' / 'I hate slottas' debate here about once every six months

This thread was the last time round the circuit... http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=12192.0

Basically, the wargames world is divided 50:50 into people who either like them or loathe them. But really, I'm not looking to re-open the debate yet again. The arguments for and against have been thrashed out repeatedly. Enjoy

Sinewgrab · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2009, 11:50:58 PM »

I built a Pirate Army for Warhammer (based on Empire rules) and I found a mix of Black Cat Bases, Reaper, GW Free Company appropriately armed, and Foundry to be most satisfactory. I didn't know about Black Scorpion until after I was done buying pirates.

I have pictures (mostly of the Black Cat Bases figures) back in "what I painted in" in December.

warrenpeace · « **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2009, 02:22:14 AM »

If you want a small number of pirates for almost role playing scale, then listen to all the other guys. But if you want 100+ good quality pirates with lots of individual character, see if you can buy the Foundry collections when they are on a Christmas sale or some kind of sale that cuts the price down substantially. Old Glory is more crude, not at the artistic level of the folks who frequent LAF, but for mass at a cheap price they could help bulk up your fleet. Otherwise, I think the Brigade Games pirates look pretty good. Reaper is always good for a few special characters, though the per figure price is a bit high. And Moonlight Minis is good for skeletal pirates.

Who will your pirates fight? Dixon probably makes the best late 1600's era soldiers, though there are more lines of good figures being produced for late 1600's now. For early 1600's there are some good lines of 30 Years War and English Civil War. For early 1700's there are many options. Old Glory has some good Carribean cannibals which look far better painted up than they do in the poor photo of unpainted minis on the Old Glory website. Pirates can fight African natives or Zanzibaris and Baluchis, all of which Foundry has. And Foundry has some Chinese also. Old Glory has a nice little vinette of a fat governor and his assistants that is worth buying, along with some victim figures.

Malamute · « **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2009, 08:28:32 AM »

For me its Foundry, Crusader and Artizan. There's something about the Black Scorpian figures that just doesn't work for me....Good job we don't all like the same things

white knight · « **Reply #10 on:** November 16, 2009, 09:05:45 AM »

Eureka Miniatures has some nice pirates too.

bandit86 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 16, 2009, 10:31:35 AM »

I have a bunch of Foundry But I really like Black Scorpion been buy those lately

Lowtardog · « **Reply #12 on:** November 16, 2009, 11:05:51 AM »

Quote from: Michi on November 15, 2009, 10:31:34 PM

I really don´t limit them to only one certain manufacturer, though Black Scorpion pirates are indeed particularly nice.

They look fantastic and the ship is

Lowtardog · « **Reply #13 on:** November 16, 2009, 11:07:53 AM »

Quote from: Malamute on November 16, 2009, 08:28:32 AM

For me its Foundry, Crusader and Artizan. There's something about the Black Scorpian figures that just doesn't work for me....Good job we don't all like the same things

Same for me I have all of the above though I am toying with some of the Brigade ones (on sale at North star) which shold fit in well too.

I do have a couple of packs of the Old Glory European sailors to man my 40 gun man o` War plus their gunners for the lower deck but havent painted them yet. A bit crude but have a more uniform look to them

Bossco101 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 16, 2009, 11:44:36 AM »

http://www.miniature-heroes.co.uk/browse/magpie-miniatures/view/cd04-magpie-miniatures-ben-the-pirate.html

This limited edition chap might fit in well somewhere?

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