April Miniatures Release

Goldman25 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 9:40 pm

Not sure if its just me, or does it look like Gollum is completely blue? The paintjob on him is terrible, and as for the others: Bilbo and Gandalf look awkwardly posed (although they may look better in a different angle), the Captain of Dale looks alright (but I've already made one from the plastic set), the Captain of Ereobr looks quite good (but I've got one sorted for that too), and Thrain looks awesome!

Jobu · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 9:46 pm

SuicidalMarsbar wrote:

I think that this Bilbo was intended for when the Hobbit was 2 movies, this looks like it could be a sculpt for a 'mirkwood' Bilbo...

I think you nailed it...
there were probably ideas and scenes that were changed in the move to three movies. By that point GW already had a great number of these miniatures done, now they want to capitalize on them.
and i like the gandalf

Pindergorn · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:03 pm

Goldman25 wrote:

Not sure if its just me, or does it look like Gollum is completely blue? The paintjob on him is terrible,

I think he's supposed to look blue. Hes underground in the dark, fishing in his lake. The water and ripples causes what little light there is to cast reflections. It looks to me like a kind of Object Source Lighting. (is that the right term?).

If you took the model and put him in a little diorama of his cave, with dark murky water the colour cheme would make complete sense.

Fin · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:05 pm

Wow... This Gandalf could be some unexpected purchase... Seems to be the first variant to deserve the name "Stormcrow". Waiting for more pics of him and Bilbo though.

Dale captain will certainly be bought. Really like the Eastern look of Dale and didn't have any miniatures like this so far.

LordElrond · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:53 pm

When are these due to be released?

SouthernDunedain · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:58 pm

april 6th

Dr Grant · **Joined:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 1:50 pm **Posts:** 1339

Oooooh pretty new toys....

Nice to be surprised by 5 releases having been discussing three for the last couple of weeks.

I love the Dale and Erebor captains, the Dwarf in particular is very dynamic, makes me want to buy them despite the cost and the fact that I have no-one for them to lead - sign of a good mini in my eyes!

Thrain is lovely, very iconic pose from the movie and nice sculpt.

Gollum is just weird, it's nice to see them doing a genuinely different pose for him but, ignoring the paint job for a minute, it just doesn't look like Gollum :-(

Never mind the fact that he's gonna look a bit odd moving around the battlefield in a boat all the time. Could be good for dioramas though I suppose...

I also like Bilbo a lot. It's nice to get a dynamic pose for a Hobbit and I agree it's probably based on Mirkwood concept art. It does neatly mimc Freeman jumping the fence on the way out of Hobbiton though. That still leaves another Bilbo to be released too (drawing sword), seems like there's plenty of surprise releases left to fill out the year.

And I'm gonna join Jobu and Fin and say I really like the Gandalf, it's a genuinely different pose for him which is quite something after the 10 or so variants we've had over the years. I've had my eye on this one since spotting him in the rulebook and was dreading having to buy the £150 Finecast company to get him so this is quite a pleasant surprise.

Hmm, I might just suck it up and get the Finecast Bilbo/Gandalf pack for once...

IsleStaggerholm · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:23 pm

Are these verified pictures? Gandalf looks far too short and stumpy and the pictures seems to be taken from home pictures. Guess we'll find out in a few days.

Dead Marsh Spectre · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:29 pm

ooooh yes please - see those pics up there Green Dragon I'll have the lot. Thanks

Pindergorn · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:41 pm

Dr Grant wrote:

Gollum is just weird, it's nice to see them doing a genuinely different pose for him but, ignoring the paint job for a minute, it just doesn't look like Gollum :-(

Never mind the fact that he's gonna look a bit odd moving around the battlefield in a boat all the time. Could be good for dioramas though I suppose...

Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy,
Thou shalt have a fishy when the boat comes in.

^ My mind works in strange ways sometimes.

Quality of sculpt and painting aside, I actually quite like this new Gollum model. Its nice to have an interation of him in his happy, friendly Smeagol persona rather than his evil wants-to-eat-you Gollum persona for once.

StonehelmITA · **Joined:** Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:51 pm **Posts:** 10

The erebor's captain looks very good, i really like and i'll buy it. The dale's captain doesn't looks very good, but i can't judge because i'm not objective. I HATE DALEEEE. Trhain is very beutifull and looks like Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula with this Red Armour, but he looks great!!! Please, someone stop Gw producing Gandalf's miniature, there are 1 billion of it!!! ahahahaha

Hashut's Blessing · **Joined:** Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:41 pm **Posts:** 1279

I REALLY like that erebor captain at first look in not too much detail. Have decided I will actually buy him (rather than waiting for someone to trade with me for him).

The Dale Captain: doesn't stand out TOO much fromt he normal warriors, but does a bit. My favourite part is the nearly machievillain moustache - although it's a shame it's not full on machievillain

Thrain: Very nice model - very much want, but have limited funds and can't buy both him and the captain: will trade for him though and save to get him when I can

Thing that sticks out most is his "stare of dubiousness" or "People's Eyebrow"

Very accurate to the film though and nice piece.

Gollum: Has human teeth... Otherwise, I nice little scenic piece. No need for a Gollum model though. Especially not this one.

Bilbo/Gandalf: don't look like GW models. 'Nuff said. For more specific info - Bilbo's face is different (from what can be seen), Sting has had it's shape exaggerated and he's in heroic scale. gandalf is too small and dumpy and again is in heroic scale with a staff too short and sword too thick. Might be some of the new sculptors that don't it GW's traditional style - the one's I hate and think should sod off to Rackham miniatures where they belong.

Bottom line: these are comments based on second-rate images. I may change my mind with better pictures (like WD/GWOnline ones) and/or in person (where my final judgement lies).

FallenMairon · **Joined:** Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:39 pm **Posts:** 11

Though i can understand every single one of the critisms being put forward towards some of the aspects of a few of these sculpts, i have to admit that despite their faults im still loving every single one of them. To me these have captured the nature of the characters in the film a lot better than a fair few of the other The Hobbit releases. Though thats just me. Im only dreading thinking how much each of these is potentially going to set me back...

And plus i cant really complain about another Gandalf, he is pretty awesome... :gandalf:

Sticky Fingersss · **Joined:** Sat Oct 09, 2010 11:20 am **Posts:** 1776

Thrain and the Erebor captain are absolutely brilliant! Gollum is hilarious and I think it is the paintjob that lets it down. The Dale Captain is good but I can't stop thinking of Borat. I think Gandalf and Bilbo has the potential for really good dioramas but I need to see them in better pictures or close up before I can judge them properly.

Oingo Boingo · **Posted:** Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:55 am

Sticky Fingersss wrote:

Thrain and the Erebor captain are absolutely brilliant! Gollum is hilarious and I think it is the paintjob that lets it down. The Dale Captain is good but I can't stop thinking of Borat. I think Gandalf and Bilbo has the potential for really good dioramas but I need to see them in better pictures or close up before I can judge them properly.

Thanks a lot, you have just ruined the Dale Captain for me! When i first saw it i was like 'that's not bad i think i'll buy him' now thanks to you i can't look at it without picturing Borat in a mankini wandering about in my mind.

My wallet thanks you though...... :rofl:

Fin · **Posted:** Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:56 am

Sticky Fingersss wrote:

The Dale Captain is good but I can't stop thinking of Borat.

City of Dale, greatest city in Middle-earth.
All other cities are run by little girls.
City of Dale, number one exporter of magic toys.
Other cities have inferior magic toys.

Thanks! Now I have my battle-hymn!

Mithaearon · **Posted:** Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:06 am

This range is good for Gollum releases, its nice to have a Gollum that is not humping a rock like the LotR ones.

I will be getting the Dwarf releases for sure. Won't get the Dale Captain as I wont ever be getting a Dale army as I thought it was cheeky to release only 10 warriors for the same price as 12.

When I first started with LotR way back in 2001, I would of got the Gollum, Bilbo and Gandalf because I was a collector and wanted to get every single thing released but at today's prices it is no longer feasible so now only get stuff I actually need.

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:56 am

As one who does the hobby side only I love the Gandalf, he appears to be bending on a front leg looking down, plenty of possibilities for a pose like that.
Gollum can be played with for a nice black water scene maybe replacing the fish for the ring and filling the dark scene with a gold OSL
The dwarves are just endless so plenty to get he mind around.

SuicidalMarsbar · **Joined:** Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:14 am **Posts:** 1712

Only problem with these releases that, in game terms, Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin are probably the three best options for an Erebor army, so Thrain and Thror will probably never be picked up by myself.

Hirumith, the Grey Knight · **Posted:** Thu Mar 28, 2013 12:35 pm

Thanks for posting photos! All in all not a bad release, from my perspective.

The Erebor captain looks nice - nothing special to me but he fits his troops and is still suitably heroic-looking, based on both his pose and his weaponry.

I'm personally a fan of the Dale captain, but I do see how his face might look a tad silly. If I had any intentions of collecting Dale, I might get him though.

I like Thrain better than Thror, although for me that's down to WETA's decisions more than GW's. Both models are well-execcuted, but I really like the look of this one. Maybe the first Hobbit model that I buy...

Honestly, I think Gollum looks awful. The pose would be fine as more of a collector's model (and lord knows GW have done plenty of those, so I'm not complaining about that), and the paint job is cool given the context of the miniature (underground lake), but the sculpting looks very blocky, crude, and amatuerish to me. I'm just not that impressed.

I quite like both the Gandalf and the Bilbo, but that's because I'm a sucker for hobbits and always looking to get more, and the Gandalf is in an interesting new pose, despite the fact that there are already plenty of Gandal poses out there. Might be the second Hobbit set I buy...

The real shame here was already mentioned by The Arkenstone, though:

Quote:

The captains can easily be converted out of the existing plastic ranges so these single Finecast models for $15-$20 each are not a good value IMO

Even if the models look nice, I just don't think they're characters that can reasonably command that kind of price. A more powerful, unique named hero to lead an army? I can see them being a bit more expensive, but a generic captain who doesn't stand out that much from the troops, no matter how nice the model is, shouldn't be priced comparably to epic named heroes for practical reasons, and are more easily replaced by conversions from the troop boxes.

April Miniatures Release

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