As primarily a painter in the miniature hobby, I was very much against these when they first came out, but I have seen the error of my ways. The fact is when I want to run an encounter where the party mows through an ork mob (especially with the awesome new minion rules) it is actually annoying to spend all the time carefully painting the models to see them get taken off in seconds. On the other hand bare metal and plastic look hideous on the table. I find them to be a good compromise. I often just through a mix of Vallejo Smoke and Matte Medium (watered down to ink consistency) and the I base and seal them.

Comparing them to Reaper’s Legendary Encounters I am torn. Reaper has a clear advantage when it comes to getting what you want, and I have really enjoyed my Legendary Encounters models. However, I did end up completely repainting my Trolls and touching up my Minotaur. This was easy to do because the sculpts are excellent, but it was time consuming (and your really have to base them if you are using them for D&D). The D&D minis are about the same quality wise, though some of the D&D sculpts are really just amazing (a recent example would be the DoD Oni). However, D&D’s library of figures is much more vast. One set of D&D minis has more models than the current entire LE range. Plus they have an entry with their RPG stats. It is like every card adds to your Monster Manuel.

I really like the D&D prepaints and I sense this set will be excellent. I have made extensive use of them in any RPG I needed mooks (Savage Worlds, D&D, and Dark Heresy). Here is a link to my Dark Heresy project log if you would like to see how I use them for Sci-Fi: http://warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128559

One thing about this set, that I would be concerned about is the blind aspect. It is particularly bad when you consider the increased price and how if you are lucky you could end up with two rares or if your unlucky merely 1. Kindof a crapshoot.

Rico

Personally I would say these prepainted stuff look better than the unpainted or poorly painted stuff that 90% of the warhammer and warmachine players at my local store bring to the table (I don’t mean to denigrate them, and I appreciate the effort of all mini painters, but that’s just my personal view on it). They may have better sculpts and casting, but a bad paint just ruins it all for me.

I can’t comment on the Star Wars figures but I had a sizeable D&D Minis collection and the newer figs were heads and shoulders above the earlier figs. Especially sculpts for things like Giants.

In future instead of saying why I don`t like them, shall I just say they are rubbish and I hate them with no reasons given?

Again, cut the hyperbole.

If I am not allowed to comment especially if politely put and with no swear words, then what is the point.

I have made myself clear. If you have any questions then use the Contact Page to email me.

Number 1:
Have you seen my Christmas tree? While not of a general shape many of them are gaudy enough to be said decorations.

Number 2:
In future instead of saying why I don`t like them, shall I just say they are rubbish and I hate them with no reasons given?

Number 3:
If I am not allowed to comment especially if politely put and with no swear words, then what is the point. I am not going to say they are wonderful, if they do not push my buttons and I wouldn`t expect anyone else to either.

Number 4:
I don`t like most pre-paints and the blind purchase thing is bad (IMHO), but I do have a handful of AVP Aliens, which I have rebased (ughh clikky bases) for use in other games. My son has Halo-clix and Marvel heroclix, so I am not totally anti-prepaint.

I just do not like this particular line, but then again AT-43 does nothing for me either. The taste of these just does not go with my particular tastes, that is all.

SW

I’ve bought retail, and I don’t mind doing it again either. I also buy singles although when I mentioned to the trader that I was going to repaint one mini he looked at me as though I was crazy and uttered a strangled “why?!?”

My perspective on the blind packaging collectible thing is that I buy a blind packed item for a different reason than buying singles. It could be for sealed or draft play but is sometimes simply because I’d like a surprise - and I’m not a collector so I’m not chasing particular rares/uncommons so not often dissappointed. (Maybe my brain is conditioned to not be too concerned by my CCG playing/collecting).

When I want a particular model I’ll go to the singles market.

@Zac it might make an interesting TGN Chat topic to discuss different perspectives on blind packaged product vs ‘what you see is what you get’. What people like/dislike about each one. Especially in view of FFGs recent U-turn on Mutant Chronicles.

Mind you, Rackham had the same problem when AT-43 came out.

I’ve seen people repaint some of the HeroClix figs (I’ve even done one) and in general I think that the plastic prepaints are usually marred by their painting and not their sculpting

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/harbingmini/guide.htm

Sculpt looks pretty good to me!

Sure they’re pre-painted, bendy plastic. And sure they are “collectible”. But the answer to that is don’t buy them retail - shop for singles on ebay.

For cool monsters - especially dungeon monsters (but not exclusively) they can’t be beat. Some of the sculpts - especially from the earliest releases are poor, but many are quite good. The painting is passable even if they don’t paint all the detail - and if you look at the figures up close there IS detail on them, it’s just much of it isn’t painted. One has the option of adding the extra detailing, doing a complete repaint or leaving as is.

I only started buying them (on eBay) this summer having previously been an anti-collectible game, pre-painted mini snob. I still wouldn’t buy them in their pre-packaged format (that’s just crazy!) but picking up singles on ebay is just great. The best figures are as good as any metals out there, and the worst - well you can get some pretty horrible metal figures also.

I use them for fantasy games, Pulp games (especially those with occult or Cthullhu influences) and for retro sci/fi. Some of the figures are just superb, especially the ones with the translucent plastic. The fire and water elementals are the best I’ve seen and come in multiple sizes. The Sahuagin figures are great! The Rot Scarab swarms are great for Mummy-style pulp games. There’s giant spiders, dire wolves, regular wolves, spider swarms, loads of demonic creatures. There are two types of ghouls that are as good as GW’s versions. The Blood of Vol cultist figures are useful. Even the human figures have some good ones - I have a unit of Militia Archers from the last set - they look fine with my 28mm metals.

The one thing is that the figures are more accurately proportioned than many metal ranges, in the same way that Tom Meier’s figures are better proportioned - thinner limbs, that sort of thing.

This latest release has some that look really nice - and others not so much. I agree that the flaming skellie doesn’t have much going for it. The previous version Owl Bear is nicer, but the Huge Carrion Crawler is great! The roper is nice - can’t decide whether I like the older model better or not. I’ll definitely be picking some up on ebay in the next few months.

Howard

Not hyperbole…

Yes it is. They don’t look anything like Xmas tree ornaments. Good or bad ones.

Critique it all you want but lets leave this level of discourse elsewhere.

…just an honest opinion, informed or not up to you?

You know the drill here and if you aren’t then please read the Comment Code of Conduct page.

How hard would a matte seal coat be though? I mean just tkaing the gloss off the minis would do a lot to make them look less sucky.

Oh, is it collectible? I didn’t notice the letters next to the figures until I checked them out for the second time. I wouldn’t want to risk ending up with a dozen Cloaktrick Rogues.