LotR miniatures in D&D... anyone?

[meme4tunef]

Hi,

This is for the Miniatures Gamers out there:

I`m just curious and would like to know if there is anyone else out there who likes to use the "official" Lord of the Rings line of models (made by that.. er... other company) alongside WotC`s range of collectable miniatures?

Myself, I play a Middle Earth-y type game using just about any figures which comes to hand (as long as the scale is right, and they look good). I say Middle Earth-y because I have turned MY VERSION of Tolkien`s work into something more akin to a TV series BASED upon the novels... a bit like Xena, or Deadwood, etc - but a lot more Tolkienesque.

Naturally, I need to fill the gaps a bit with figures which haven`t been covered by WotC, hence the reason why I use minis from other companies as well - namely the "unmentionable" one I alluded to earlier.

Heres a clue: Sounds a bit like BABES WAXSHOP *wink*

lol anyway, let me know if I`m the only one out there mix and matching figures... or is this a big no no in this site?

Cheers


meme.

 

[nerfherder]

I've mixed and matched figures from all kinds of source, including Citadel, but I tend to only use the plastic WotC ones now for convenience of carrying them round.

Cheers,
Liam

 

[Aeric]

Most of my miniatures are from companies other than WOTC...in fact, off the top of my head, I can only think of one WOTC mini that I own and use currently, and that's because nobody else makes warforged minis.

I'd say 50% of my figs are Citadel and 50% are Reaper.

 

[Kanegrundar]

I use minis from just about every fantasy line out there. Most of my plastic figs are either Mageknight or DDM (rebased MK figures that is), with some Citadel plastic figs worked in as I get them painted. I also have a large collection of metal figs from Reaper (primarily), Citadel, WarCrow, Hasselfree, Privateer, Freebooter, and Rackham.

Edit: Oh yeah, I can't forget Heroscape figures. They work great in a pinch.

 

[meme4tunef]

ooooh cool!

That`s really encouraging to hear.

I have no idea why sometimes (very rarely actually) I listen too closely to extreme opinion, and even more surprised at myself for pandering, at times, to peer group pressure... especially when I`m a happy `solo` gamer 95% the time... by choice I should add.

Basically, I was starting to wonder if I wasn`t perhaps being a bit of a `second rater` because I like to mix and match my miniatures collection. A common opinion I see expressed from time to time throughout on-line sites (not this one yet) states that gamers should find a model company they like and stick, loyally, to collecting minis from that source - exclusively.

Reasons given seem to vary from: matching sculpture imagery, matching bases, perfect scale consistency, and (occasionally) even a bit of hobby snobbery.

My modelling skills may not be the best in the world, and my knowledge of conversions, dry brushing, inking, and toning of colour may not be perfect a lot of the time... but my several thousand strong collection (gathered together, lovingly, over 20+ odd years of gaming) is one of the pride and joys of my Hobby Room.

I have miniatures ranging from Asgard, Minifigs, Skytrex, Ral Partha, Citadel, Celtos, Fantasy Flight Games, Wizards of the Coast, Twilight Creations, Wizkinds, Hasbro, Airfix, and a few others... and I treasure ever last one of them.

Its really good to hear there are a few others enjoying their hobby to the full, and not caring over-duly about cross mixing of their models

cheers lads, and happy gaming.


meme.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

When I started playing D&D ... a while back ... I didn't use any miniatures at all. Just dots on a graph-paper map - "Yer here, here, and here."

After 3.X I slowly sunk into the minis "thing". At first it was buying a 1" grid play mat. Then buying some cardboard counters. Then MAKING some cardboard counters. When the D&D minis came out, I wasn't hot for buying boxes of randomized minis, but I DID like getting proper-scale pre-painted character minis for 0.50-0.79 apiece. So for a while the only minis on the table were the PCs, in plastic, and the badguys were all in cardboard chits.

The group I play with now is coo-coo for minis. Where I thought I was hot stuff for drawing out my map on Tact-Tiles ... they use Dwarven Forge and Hirst Arts terrain to build every combat room. Where I had a handful of plastic minis for the PCs ... they've got minis of every shape, size, material, and manufacture.

For instance ... my character is a mid-level Cleric of St. Cuthbert. There were no really good minis portraying a human male in armor with a great-club. So our resident miniphile took a 28mm Uruk-Hai LotR mini .... cut off the head, added a new one, added sprues for other weapons, backpack, etc. Repainted the whole thing in proper colors.

When my character casts Lesser Holy Transformation and turns into a Protectar, we've got a Heroscape winged mini in armor that we replace him with.

When I cast Enlarge Person or Righteous Might we've got a LotR poseable toy figure that's about the right size that we add a club to.

So, at least among us "hobbyist gamers", I think it usually boils down to what will do the job. I haven't met the hobby-snobby types who think all minis must be Reaper minis or whatever, but I haven't met enough barking mad gamers yet.

--fje

 

[Odhanan]

Same thing as others above: I use miniatures from all kinds of sources, and not only fantasy (I may use some Star Wars miniatures for some games, for instance, or some Warhammer 40K minis for some weird tech/Shuul in Ptolus). I have used some Goblins of Moria and the Army of the Dead miniature sets as far as LOTR games workshop lines are concerned.

 

[meme4tunef]

That`s so cool HeapThaumaturgist

.... and a truly fine way to become fully immersed with minis.

Similarly; back in the old days I thought I was pretty hot stuff because I used a few miniatures now and again for my dungeon crawls (dreadfully painted... if at all, but hey - so what lol). Then I met a small group who used to play real wargames using fully painted models - and woohoo I was totally hooked from that moment on, over the years I slowly collected bits and pieces for Fantasy (and historical) wargames, and rpg, until my collection became utterly massive.

What I`m trying to say is, that your story made me smile because I think it describes perfectly the very best way to get into miniatures... a bit at a time. So many gamers nowadays simply discover the hobby at their local club (probably the right way actually hahaha)... fully painted master-piece models, wonderful 3D terrain, huge sand tables, and loads of people to teach us the ropes. Where as we (sad types) discovered the joys of the hobby slowly over time, as layer upon layer of detail opened up to us.

Likewise Odhanan, I use sci-fi and fantasy side by side a lot of the time

 

[The_Gneech]

To a semi-old-timer like myself, this is one of those "This is a question?" type issues. Back in the Reagan administration you didn't have "different lines" of minis -- you just had whatever you could get ahold of from wargaming figs to model railroad scenery to green plastic toy soldiers! I remember using the troll from the AD&D cartoon toy line as a giant on more than occasion.

Use what you've got, says I!

-The Gneech

 

[Ghostwind]

Most of my miniatures are from companies other than WOTC...in fact, off the top of my head, I can only think of one WOTC mini that I own and use currently, and that's because nobody else makes warforged minis.

I'd say 50% of my figs are Citadel and 50% are Reaper.

Want a warforged? Try this:

Vambrace, Guardian Construct from Magnificent Egos

Perfect warforged figure for my needs and bigger than the ones that Wotc offers.