Kislev Showdown. Slanntastic new teams.
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 2:35 pm
There are currently 2 Dark Elf teams on kickstarter:
The very traditional Vicious Corsairs by Meiko Miniatures. An established BB name. (22 days to go)
The sadly leery Predators Occulte for if you want your DE miniatures to all have pendulous breasts. (7 days to go)
Both funded to the goal already. A new CD team is also preparing to go live on kickstarter this month some time.
BUT, the new black, 2018's rock and roll is.... Kislev.
Yup. Out with the Slann and in with the Cossack/Slav/Polska Kislev (circus). Huzzah!
Three different Miniature manufacturers are all running kickstarters for a Kislev team. One at least has admitted it has launched early due to the first to launch, and now the third has also rushed onto kickstarter. All three are promising to be able to run Norse and Human rosters using the same base team with additional figures for the new positionals required. that makes 3 teams you can coach with one, though large, set of mini's. That's very tempting.
So, because I am tempted and want to make sense of what is being offered by each, and because I love a good scrap and think this could be fun to see unfold, I present the runners and riders:
Link and name:The Leaping Leapers
Form:
First out of the gate. Totally unknown Polish company Hexy with their first ever BB team, track record in other games though.
Looks:
So far we've seen 2 static looking Winged Hussars for the blitzers (wings optional), 2 dynamic looking catchers with droopy moustache and shaved head/top knot. 2 fairly static linemen with Cossack hats. There is some artwork suggesting 2 other Blitzer poses, more dynamic ones. The Bear is thin and angry looking, with prehensile chain. The Thrower sketches look like the catchers and the Ogre is a big Cossack looking sketch. it is not clear if each model will be unique. Very cool 3d Bears Head turn marker.
Cost of entry: $69
Stretch Goal levels:
Started for $3000, stretches at 3500, 4500, 5500 and 8000. All free stuff. Current $5114
Free Stuff: Decals, Coin, Turn Marker, coach/beer maid and Foam lined team Box.
Add ons: Ulfwerners (one sketch), coach, apoth, 2 Cheerleaders (cossack dancing), any single figure, turn/score marker- all $8. Bear/Ogre -$15. Coin and Stunned Marker $6 each.
Expected cost for versatile full set: $114 (4 Blitzers, 4 Catchers, 2 throwers, 2 ulfwerners, 7 linemen, Bear and Ogre)
Link and name:Kickass Cossacks
Form:
Second to start from Italians Gaspez-Arts and sculptor Raffaele Stumpo, the team behind last years widely admired Bull Warrior Chaos Dwarf team. Gaspez-Arts does fine teams, but not cheap.
Looks:
All unique models. 4 aggressive and dynamic Blitzers in Cossack hats and light armour. 4 Catchers look agile and active in cossack hats. 7 linemen in droopy moustache and topknot. the Bear is a work in progress but is huge/fed looking and will be armoured to some degree, so far lacks chain. Ogre is Cossack and pie loving. The Throwers are very traditionally posed and have the topknot look. Very cool coach and dwarf bomber cossack, but nothing else pictured yet.
Cost of entry:€69
Stretch Goal levels:Started for €4000, stretches at 6000, 8000, 10000, 12000, 14000, 16000, 18000, 20000, 22000, 24000, 26000, 28000, 30000, 32000, 34000, 36000 and 38000. Most unlock buyable stuff. their CD team got to €25,517. Currently at €7979.
Free Stuff: 2 balls, turn marker, 3 reroll and a Leader token, 2 Dice, 5 skill marker rings, prone/stunned marker and a Coach Figure.
Add ons: Apoth, Cheerleader, 2 Beer Babes, 2 Werewolves, 2 Beserkers - all €6. Ice troll €15. Playmat €23/€26.
Expected cost for versatile full set: €106 for 4 Blitzers, 4 Catchers, 7 Linemen, 2 Ulfwerners, 2 Beserkers, Ice Troll and Bear. no word on Throwers or Ogre yet.
Link and name:Northern Kyazak
Form:
Vórtice Miniatures, a Spanish company with facebook presence only but a few well liked teams made. Sculptor claims to be 'Vortice Miniatures' but in the past they have used the legend 'Pedro Ramos'. it is unclear if this is his work.
Looks:
All unique figures. 4 Blitzers with germanic spiked helmets, one with wings, one with face mask. All very different. 4 Catchers again with little cohesion between them but nicely in action. 7 linemen in dynamic poses but share hat range with the catchers. Strangely long but very aggressive looking bear, sporting chain. Ulfwerners are feral looking men with beast faces. Nothing else pictured yet.
Cost of entry: €65 (early bird) €75
Stretch Goal levels: Started for €4000. Stretches at 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, 10000, 12000, 14000, 16000, 18000, 20000, 22000, 24000 and 26000. mixing free and add on all the way. Currently €380
Free Stuff: Markers (Bear Claw is cool), Thrower 1, Coach, Thrower 2, Bear Markers, Cheerleader, Team Mascot
Add ons: 2 Ulfwerners €15, Chainsaw Star and bomber Star each €8, 2 beserkers €15, Yehti, Ogre and Alternative Bear each €15.
Expected cost for versatile full set: €120 for 2 Ulfwerners, 2 Beserkers, 4 Blitzers, 2 Throwers, 4 Catchers, 7 Linemen, Bear and 1 of Yehti/Ogre. Comes with Coach, Cheeleader and Mascot.
Whew. Well, you cannot compare oranges to apples. But I've tried to come as close as I can. Gaspez Arts feel a little ambitious in the stretch goals, and a little mean with the free stretch achievements. Vortice have, to my eye, the least easy to differentiate positionals and the least attractive models in general. Still decent though. And Hexy have no track record and may be repeating poses.
I'm up for one (especially if I can play 3 races with it), but which?
The very traditional Vicious Corsairs by Meiko Miniatures. An established BB name. (22 days to go)
The sadly leery Predators Occulte for if you want your DE miniatures to all have pendulous breasts. (7 days to go)
Both funded to the goal already. A new CD team is also preparing to go live on kickstarter this month some time.
BUT, the new black, 2018's rock and roll is.... Kislev.
Yup. Out with the Slann and in with the Cossack/Slav/Polska Kislev (circus). Huzzah!
Three different Miniature manufacturers are all running kickstarters for a Kislev team. One at least has admitted it has launched early due to the first to launch, and now the third has also rushed onto kickstarter. All three are promising to be able to run Norse and Human rosters using the same base team with additional figures for the new positionals required. that makes 3 teams you can coach with one, though large, set of mini's. That's very tempting.
So, because I am tempted and want to make sense of what is being offered by each, and because I love a good scrap and think this could be fun to see unfold, I present the runners and riders:
Link and name:The Leaping Leapers
Form:
First out of the gate. Totally unknown Polish company Hexy with their first ever BB team, track record in other games though.
Looks:
So far we've seen 2 static looking Winged Hussars for the blitzers (wings optional), 2 dynamic looking catchers with droopy moustache and shaved head/top knot. 2 fairly static linemen with Cossack hats. There is some artwork suggesting 2 other Blitzer poses, more dynamic ones. The Bear is thin and angry looking, with prehensile chain. The Thrower sketches look like the catchers and the Ogre is a big Cossack looking sketch. it is not clear if each model will be unique. Very cool 3d Bears Head turn marker.
Cost of entry: $69
Stretch Goal levels:
Started for $3000, stretches at 3500, 4500, 5500 and 8000. All free stuff. Current $5114
Free Stuff: Decals, Coin, Turn Marker, coach/beer maid and Foam lined team Box.
Add ons: Ulfwerners (one sketch), coach, apoth, 2 Cheerleaders (cossack dancing), any single figure, turn/score marker- all $8. Bear/Ogre -$15. Coin and Stunned Marker $6 each.
Expected cost for versatile full set: $114 (4 Blitzers, 4 Catchers, 2 throwers, 2 ulfwerners, 7 linemen, Bear and Ogre)
Link and name:Kickass Cossacks
Form:
Second to start from Italians Gaspez-Arts and sculptor Raffaele Stumpo, the team behind last years widely admired Bull Warrior Chaos Dwarf team. Gaspez-Arts does fine teams, but not cheap.
Looks:
All unique models. 4 aggressive and dynamic Blitzers in Cossack hats and light armour. 4 Catchers look agile and active in cossack hats. 7 linemen in droopy moustache and topknot. the Bear is a work in progress but is huge/fed looking and will be armoured to some degree, so far lacks chain. Ogre is Cossack and pie loving. The Throwers are very traditionally posed and have the topknot look. Very cool coach and dwarf bomber cossack, but nothing else pictured yet.
Cost of entry:€69
Stretch Goal levels:Started for €4000, stretches at 6000, 8000, 10000, 12000, 14000, 16000, 18000, 20000, 22000, 24000, 26000, 28000, 30000, 32000, 34000, 36000 and 38000. Most unlock buyable stuff. their CD team got to €25,517. Currently at €7979.
Free Stuff: 2 balls, turn marker, 3 reroll and a Leader token, 2 Dice, 5 skill marker rings, prone/stunned marker and a Coach Figure.
Add ons: Apoth, Cheerleader, 2 Beer Babes, 2 Werewolves, 2 Beserkers - all €6. Ice troll €15. Playmat €23/€26.
Expected cost for versatile full set: €106 for 4 Blitzers, 4 Catchers, 7 Linemen, 2 Ulfwerners, 2 Beserkers, Ice Troll and Bear. no word on Throwers or Ogre yet.
Link and name:Northern Kyazak
Form:
Vórtice Miniatures, a Spanish company with facebook presence only but a few well liked teams made. Sculptor claims to be 'Vortice Miniatures' but in the past they have used the legend 'Pedro Ramos'. it is unclear if this is his work.
Looks:
All unique figures. 4 Blitzers with germanic spiked helmets, one with wings, one with face mask. All very different. 4 Catchers again with little cohesion between them but nicely in action. 7 linemen in dynamic poses but share hat range with the catchers. Strangely long but very aggressive looking bear, sporting chain. Ulfwerners are feral looking men with beast faces. Nothing else pictured yet.
Cost of entry: €65 (early bird) €75
Stretch Goal levels: Started for €4000. Stretches at 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, 10000, 12000, 14000, 16000, 18000, 20000, 22000, 24000 and 26000. mixing free and add on all the way. Currently €380
Free Stuff: Markers (Bear Claw is cool), Thrower 1, Coach, Thrower 2, Bear Markers, Cheerleader, Team Mascot
Add ons: 2 Ulfwerners €15, Chainsaw Star and bomber Star each €8, 2 beserkers €15, Yehti, Ogre and Alternative Bear each €15.
Expected cost for versatile full set: €120 for 2 Ulfwerners, 2 Beserkers, 4 Blitzers, 2 Throwers, 4 Catchers, 7 Linemen, Bear and 1 of Yehti/Ogre. Comes with Coach, Cheeleader and Mascot.
Whew. Well, you cannot compare oranges to apples. But I've tried to come as close as I can. Gaspez Arts feel a little ambitious in the stretch goals, and a little mean with the free stretch achievements. Vortice have, to my eye, the least easy to differentiate positionals and the least attractive models in general. Still decent though. And Hexy have no track record and may be repeating poses.
I'm up for one (especially if I can play 3 races with it), but which?