In search of ghouls. Any advice?

[Kanto]

Hi.

I'm looking for ghouls but can't quite find any that would match with vision I have in mind. Finding those with the common trademarks of a ghoul (skinny and twisted appearance) causes no trouble, but in addition to those I'd prefer them to be in ragged clothes rather than running around in loincloths like complete ferals and this is where it seems to get tough.
One option I've considered, and would fit nicely with the look I'm after, is buying these Undead legion mindless from Gripping Beast and converting them to look less dead, but many of them are beyond my converting skills and many have that feral look I'm not so fond of.
I'm also wondering if they'd be closer to 25mm scale since there's so many in one blister? Anyone knows if that's the case?

If there's any recommendations for alternatives I'd appreciate any help.
I'd need miniatures to be 28mm scale and either plastic or metal, having to do simple conversions shouldn't be a problem. Preferably miniatures should also be in somewhat animated pose rather than doing zombie-like shuffle or just standing and staring.

Any advice is welcome.

[Cory]

Would the mantic Ghouls work? They are in rags.

[Kanto]

That's a good call and I should actually have one or two of those sprues stashed away somewhere.
The thing is, I could use at least 8 (but preferably 12) ghouls but hate painting dublicates. Mantic sprue has 2 or 4 different poses, I think?
I also remembered those two ghouls from frostgrave, they should also fit right in and that would make either 4 or 6 down.
Thanks Cory, progress is being made.

[Kanto]

Hmm, double post for some reason?

[Cat]

They're plastic, so a bit of repositioning and/or shiffting the rags around is easy:
 

[Kanto]

I guess it's a matter of taste, but to my liking they do look a bit too samey and would require more converting than my skills allow to make them look different enough.

[Dean]

I have the Gripping Beast Mindless pack, they are spot on 28mm scale and match in nicely with Heresy and Otherworld - https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=143327.0;attach=215348;image

[snitcythedog]

Other than the options that have already been mentioned, these are the only others that I can remember. 
Croooked dice picked up the Otherworld Ghouls.  They are waiving their naughty undead bits around. 
https://crooked-dice.co.uk/product/ghouls/
Heresy Miniatures don't seem a fit becasue they are in loin cloths. 
https://heresyminiatures.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=128&products_id=488
Bad Squiddo just did their Ghouls Kickstarter.  Again mostly waiving naughty undead bits around. 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/badsquiddogames/ghouls
Reapers all seem to have loin cloths.
https://www.reapermini.com/search/ghouls
Etsy has options from several manufactures if 3d printed is an option.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/market/28mm_ghoul
The Ghasts from Otherworld might fit the bill for you but I have not found who the rights have been sold to yet. 
Maybe mixing the Gripping beast with others that have loin cloths or naughty bits will work for you. 

[Kanto]

Thanks, gents!

I have the Gripping Beast Mindless pack, they are spot on 28mm scale and match in nicely with Heresy and Otherworld - https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=143327.0;attach=215348;image

They do indeed seem to fit the bill, thanks for the pic! Can't really say how much battle damage they have on their backs, so do you think my idea of converting them would be doable with basic converting skills? Removing any excess swords sticking out from heads and patching up smaller wounds with green stuff I can do, but those two with their guts hanging out and half of their head missing are well beyond my help.

I'm also warming up to the idea of having some of them more far gone and feral (as long as most of them still know how to put some clothes on). I imagine most of them being only at the beginning of their wondrous corpse-eating career, sort of trainee ghouls.
This also leaves me room to possibly add snow flock to bases one day. It would make sense ghouls weren't so cool that they wouldn't feel the chill too.

I think this'll do for what I need, though if anyone has more suggestions they are welcome. Even if just for the future hobbyists looking for same weird style as I am.

[Dean]

Sounds like a plan, you’ll do fine I reckon

[Hobgoblin]

It might be an off-the-wall suggestion, but I like the Frostgrave gnolls as ghouls (with an appropriate paint job) for three reasons:

1. They're easily distinguishable from zombies.

2. They're in line with folkloric depictions of ghouls (the Arabic ghul has a kinship with the hyena and can sometimes change into one). Gary Gygax appeared to pick up on this by having the gnolls and ghouls share a god in AD&D.

3. They're reminiscent of HP Lovecraft's ghouls with their snouts, meepings and gibberings. And it's not at all hard to imagine them gnawing on carcasses.

[Kanto]

That's an interesting idea and good reasoning behind it.  Personally I like the human appearance better; just very twisted, gaunt and sickly looking humans and for that look gnolls are too muscular and well clothed. Paul Muller's sculpts capture well my preferences... except for them always sporting that loincloth or going full-on Ned Flanders.
At one point I did consider using Oathmark goblin slaves but their scale might be slightly smaller than average 28mm miniature and all the arms in that box seem to have shackles around wrists.

[BeneathALeadMountain]

I did something similar recently (for a friends game at club) but my only option at the time was the god awful GW ghouls I had sitting in my lead mountain. I wanted almost exactly the look you are/were looking for.

The GW chaps have stupid spikes and random nonsense (I’m looking at you digital sculptors) all over them which I hacked off and then green stuffed (actually procreate because it’s usable) rags to cover over any problem areas. I’m not sure it was worth the effort - I only slapped paint on them quickly as we needed some opponents (built, converted and painted over two short evenings) for a skirmish game. They did die in satisfying droves and managed to claw down a few heroes. I will try and dig them out and get a picture. Maybe even give them a better paint job…..

My overall verdict was any option other than GW would have been better (unless that’s what you already have!)

Andrew
BeneathALeadMountain

[anevilgiraffe]

I ordered this set of vampire spawn, ended up using one as a ghoul, but with the right paint job all would pass…



https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1003796254/

[anevilgiraffe]

More vampire spawn here that would work

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1448097550/