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PurpleChest



Joined: Oct 25, 2003

Post   Posted: Mar 06, 2018 - 15:20
FUMBBL Staff
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Grandma Wendy felt it was good form to continue their traditional fullsome support of Blood Bowl by limiting themselves to only producing a few races for Table Top gaming. To fill the void, independent miniature companies have sprung up.

Independent miniature companies seem mostly to launch new ranges by kickstartering them to get them going. Some then appear on sites to be bought, some are 'now or never'. it is not always clear which is which at the time of kickstarting.

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'. In the past they have used the legend 'Pedro Ramos', this time apparently not.
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?

_________________
Barbarus hic ego sum, quia non intelligor illis -Ovid
I am a barbarian here because i am not understood by anyone
Danish_Dan



Joined: Feb 03, 2016

Post   Posted: Mar 10, 2018 - 14:07 Reply with quote Back to top

I'm considering the Gaspez team. I do wish the unlock values were at most half the current values. With 3 Kislev teams out at the same time I do not see them meeting most of them, including the Norse one which for me is the most interesting by far.

They are by far the nicest models in my opinion though. You made up your mind yet PC?
PurpleChest



Joined: Oct 25, 2003

Post   Posted: Mar 10, 2018 - 22:15
FUMBBL Staff
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To be honest I've been in the Gaspez one since the early bird bonus. The models are just at another level.The Gaspez stretch goals do look challenging to the point of unmakeable, but I'm pretty confident we can still have the figures for 3x teams either way. Gaspez has also just revealed an early take on their Ulfwerner and it's great.

Of course the Polish have just revealed Blitzer 3 and 4 and one them is breakdancing. Which is double plus awesome McCool, and have just confirmed all unique models. They had decent backing pre Gaspez launch, but are stalling a bit now.

The Spanish entry, without Ramos sculpting, looks a mess to me, Figures have weird proportions and dont look 'comfortable' in their actions. They seem to be struggling to find pledges too so stretch goals seem unlikely to be hit.

_________________
Barbarus hic ego sum, quia non intelligor illis -Ovid
I am a barbarian here because i am not understood by anyone
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