The decision making process for the 2007 Tabletop Gaming News Editor’s Choice Award continues and, after some spirited debate, we have the nominees narrowed down to three finalists. You can see the top ten list we posted earlier to check out the other products that made our shortlist and there is also the full list on nominees.

Check out the site tomorrow when we will announce the winner.

Update: the 2007 Editor’s Choice Award winner has been announced.

Gamezone Miniatures Venerable Thaumaturge

The quality of sculpting at Gamezone has improved dramatically in the last few years and the Venerable Thaumaturge is one of the better miniatures in Gamezone’s last series of releases. This miniature is part of a group of mounted “Empire” characters that include a priest, general and wounded trooper all of which are exceptional sculpts. Gamezone is often criticized for creating “knockoffs” of Games Workshop miniatures and with these figures it is apparent that GW really should be aiming to achieve the same standards that Gamezone have now reached. The Venerable Thaumaturge has exquisite detail and immense amounts of character and is perhaps one of the best 28mm scale fantasy releases this year.

Rackham AT-43

Say what you want about prepainted miniatures but Rackham is really firing on all cylinders when it comes to AT-43. Great concepts for their figures, an interesting background, an innovative game and army building system and a game that people want to play. Did I mention apes in power armour? It has taken a while for some of the kinks in their distribution to be worked out but the fourth faction for AT-43 is now coming out and it looks as if the future is bright for this sci-fi mass combat game. If Rackham can keep themselves in the black this game may save them and may also redfine the company and possibly the hobby.

Asmodée Grand Damné De La Colère

Asmodée’s Grand Damné De La Colère is a literal representation of the word visceral. The model is flayed with sections of its own skin used to attach the two mammoth weapons it carries to its hands. The skin around its neck and head appear to have been crudely stapled to its body and the Grand Damné is wearing a belt made up of the arms of a corpse that is carries on its back. The sculpt is beautiful and repugnant at the same time and the figure is screaming in rage or pain or perhaps both and it charges into combat. No one sculpt better defines what it is that sets apart the Hell Dorado game from any of its competitors and it helps explain the appetite for this game in the English speaking world.