Peoples thoughts on the new Mantic Orcs?

[Brummie]

http://www.manticblog.com/?p=3008

The link above shows the 3-up painted orc and his... offspring I believe! Of all the races Mantic has produced this is the one I have been eagerly awaiting, and can't wait to see more, since these seem to harken back to a more modernised version yet with tons of character that make it definitely unique in my eyes!

Certainly if the rest of the range meets the standards of this one then In my opinion, they beat GWs orcs hands down.
I know there are a number of people here who dislike Mantics stuff, but I for one certainly support the company and love what it chews out!

[Svennn]

It looks like an orc, nothing wrong with it and nothing exciting about it either in my view.

Very reminiscent, including the shield shape, of the West Wind multi-part ones of a few years ago but with a Kev Adams style head.

[DeafNala]

I rather like their take on the Beasty. Unlike G.W.'s current Orc(k)s he isn't bow-legged or pot bellied, & he has a nose. The armor & weaponry are pretty cool. SO I guess I'd give him a thumbs up.

[Gibby]

Can't stand the heads, either on the Orc or the little Snotling thing. Otherwise, not a bad model!

[Damien]

They look ..... odd, just odd. Look very generic with little character.




Damien

[magokiron]

In general terms, I like it, but still will wait to see the options included within the sprue, as a single model hardly can reflect the whole range.

The "snot" looks stiff and cortoony to my taste, but as an "extra" I guess can be used for several purposes.

And lets hope they continue developing new model, both for their existing armies, and for new ones.

Best wishes.

[Doomhippie]

And yet he looks just like the GW orc next door. I wonder when people will shake that off. I've always pictured orcs less cartoony and more like the Lord of the Rings-like.

[Calimero]

Like Damien said, there’s something odd about them… still they are way better than their Dwarfs…

[mweaver]

Very reminiscent of the GW orcs to me.  Which is OK, I like that style pretty well.  Whether I pick any up or not will depend a lot on how flexible they are in terms of assembly.  So far I have only bought one Mantic set (ghouls), and I was disappointed to find that you basically had two bodies and only three (or 4?) heads to work with.  I have been spoiled by the GW approach, with a large selection of bodies and heads allowing for everyone in the unit to look individualized.

Mind you, they are cheaper than the equivalent GW figures. 

[Verderer]

The proportions are very different from GW orcs, imho. This one stands more upright, and is more top-heavy, if not to say athletic looking. Hard to say on the basis of this one orc, but I think I might prefer this to GW offerings, which have been horrid. Altough I haven't examined their latest orc minis.

[rob_alderman]

I have to say, I'd like to see more. I wonder what it would look like if it wasn't Green?

However the Wargames Factory Orcs looked a lot more interesting.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Actually it's a pity that Mantic, a company with such lot of power and a strong financial base, is just coming up with some boring looking copies of GW products instead investing all that in some new and innovative ideas.

[Brummie]

As far as I know, when talking with the Mantic bunch whilst at a few shows, they are somewhat insisting that they want to do the more well known stuff before they attempt anything unique. Reason being is, though they probably do have the capabilities to make something truly unique and truly awesome its way too risky.

Afterall I believe the basis of their first reason of coming to be was none other than provide pretty cheap, easy to put together and paint -large- armies that could be used and mixed in with anything.

Thus why their figures do have a generic look to them, because their sole purpose was to be an easy alternative to more expensive stuff.
 
I doubt we will see anything awesomely unique from them for at least a year or so. Then again, they have done Elves, Dwarves, Undead, Chaos Dwarves, and now Orcs and they will be releasing Dark Elves sometime later on.
Save for humans (which I doubt they will do anyway) they have covered the most well known 'fantasy races' save for Goblins. And where they go from there is unknown.

[Sangennaru]

Actually it's a pity that Mantic, a company with such lot of power and a strong financial base, is just coming up with some boring looking copies of GW products instead investing all that in some new and innovative ideas.

exactely my though, prof.

[rob_alderman]

I say they are going about it in the right commercial way. They are selling stuff to GW followers at first, getting them interested and then they will release something off the wall once they are strong followers.

Very smart, but it's a risky business whatever way you look at it.