A very fine 15mm fantasy manufacturer that has not made an appearance on this blog as yet is Battle Valor Games. This is no reflection on Battle Valor’s offerings themselves but on my tardiness to get around to painting up some of the miniatures I ordered from them quite some time ago (that was long before they got a UK distributor Dragon Frog Games which will help with excessive import duties and fees!). I hasten to add, gaming buddy Sam set up his own online shop specialising in ’15mm for the skirmish-orientated’ which has pulled together some great offerings from across the 15mm market under one roof – including Battle Valor Games miniatures. Check his shop here – 15mm Skirmish Supplies.
As an enterprise BV is a relative new comer to the market but they (when I say they, I mean Ed) have made quite a prolific splash already. Amongst the several ‘units’ that I acquired were also a few ‘Personality’ packs which offer quite an interesting and varied mix of character types very suitable for the ‘skirmish-orientated’. The three fellows below are from the Orcian Personality Pack (mini on the left – I am sure there is a logical reason for his inclusion alongside the expected orc warriors and shamans) and the Frigian Personality Pack (centre and right minis). Together they make a fine themed trio of brigand/pirate/thief types.
More posts on more completed Battle Valor Games miniatures in the near future.
I wanted an ‘historical’ opponent for the growing horde of pirates I’ve accumulated (other than undead and rats, coming soon) and these Barbary Corsair Pirates seemed to fit the bill. They will also double nicely as Arabian Nights foes in fantasy or pulp settings (I do love multi-purpose miniatures).
They are from 2 different manufacturers. Most are from the States – Thoroughbred Miniatures (pack link here – TB01T 15mm Tripoli Pirates). Great service.
The others are from War Modelling Miniatures (Spain) but their site appears to be down at the moment so I cannot confirm pack details. They are mostly the ‘command’ figures and are really nice miniatures. Facebook here.
Continue reading Barbary Corsair Pirates in 15mm →
I’m not 100% sure where the lines are drawn between Steampunk, Victorian Science Fiction, Pulp gaming or Science Fiction a la Firefly where the old (Western) meets future technology. And I don’t really care. Except it does mean labelling these miniatures is a bit difficult.
Labels aside, they are a fun group full of character. I’ve a modest queue of similarly themed miniatures which, if I were actively gaming, would all make an appearance in Pulp Alley, In Her Majesties Name, Rogue Planet or even a post-apocalyptic game such as Across the Death Earth.
I really must get that field of depth on the photos sorted!
Yet another project on the slow burner is a Pirate centred game. I have a stack ready to paint and added a few fantasy elements to make the thing more ‘me’. Also converted a couple of Megablok pirate ships to work with 15mm (or 28mm if needed). More on those later. (I started with two ships that used to be my son’s, gathering dust in the attic – before I’d finished three more were purchased off eBay. No, I never learn).
So I thought it high time I actually painted some of the jolly rogers. For some reason I see the whole thing as a multiplayer game so split my collection in to ‘balanced’ groups of around 8 men each with the intent of painting with a unified, but ‘not in your face’ colour scheme. Go team pirate!
This first crew got dark green and crimson.
For the life of me I’m trying to get my camera to give better field of depth but am failing. I will try and get better at pics. I have set up this ‘stage’ though. Think it works.
Miniature figure collector and painter (in that order) and solo wargamer whose opponent has lost his gaming mojo
