Miniatures?

[kwanzaabot]

So I'm trying to find me a group to play some D&D with (3.5 preferably, willing to learn 4th ed- anyone in the Brisbane, Australia area, PM me!) and I'm looking to get some miniatures. Or just to collect them for the hell of it.

However, having never actually used minis before, I was wondering if the nice people of this forum could point me in the direction of sites that sell good quality ones for cheap- and preferably pre-painted- I don't have the patience to bother with that stuff.

Anything steampunk is a plus.

[Malacode]

Brisbane, eh? I know a little about that neck o' the woods. Check out Mind Games, Stones Corner. They have a fair range of GW minis, and, better yet, Reaper. Reaper is cheaper, better scale, cheaper, easier to convert and cheaper. Steampunk is hard, but Reaper have a line of minis called Chronoscope. They're a pretty eclectic lot, but I know there are some that could work pretty well as Steampunk minis.

Also, the games shop in Queen Street Mall, above the money exchange, sells HEAPS of miniatures, mostly Reaper. They also stock another line that might interest you called Anima. They're a lot more expensive, but the sculpts are incredible and the alloy they use is of the finest quality. Not to mention the fact that the minis are all -very- different, and suitable for a wide range of games. Just one model from that range has served me as a D&D Sorceror, Warlock, Aristocrat NPC and BBEG, a Shadowrun Mage and a Cthulu d20 character who I can't remember right now. That's a lot for me, as I usually have a new model for every character or important NPC.

As for sites, search for Reaper Miniatures. There are other places, but these guys are cheap and good, so I usually turn to them.

[Tyndmyr]

If you ever need masses of a given model type, I suggest perusing the games workshop fantasy line. Now sure, it's not the cheapest, but the quality is quite good, and where available, plastic models are much quicker and easier to build and modify than metal ones are. Also, I know GW products are sold frequently in Australia.

If you're looking for a very D&D specific thing, it probably won't be helpful, but if you need a cool looking mage, or a handful of skeletons, it's perfect.

[kwanzaabot]

If you ever need masses of a given model type, I suggest perusing the games workshop fantasy line. Now sure, it's not the cheapest, but the quality is quite good, and where available, plastic models are much quicker and easier to build and modify than metal ones are. Also, I know GW products are sold frequently in Australia.

If you're looking for a very D&D specific thing, it probably won't be helpful, but if you need a cool looking mage, or a handful of skeletons, it's perfect.

I've seen the Games Workshop models, in fact I've got a few GW shops very close to where I live (the staff at my nearest store are kinda hostile towards newbies, but whatever, their loss, I'll just go the other one if I decide to buy GW minis ), but I'm under the impression that they only come in the unpainted variety, which is not what I'm after. I can't paint to save my life. Especially on such a small canvas.

[Katana_Geldar]

You're right, Reaper are nice but only unpainted. Good thing I had a friend who likes painting minis to paint mine.

The Wizards D&D ones are pre-painted, but there isn't much range.

[Tyndmyr]

That is sadly the case. Very fixable, mind you, and if you're an ebay fan, painted models tend to actually go cheaper than new ones. If you take that route though, don't bid unless it has decent pictures.

It doesn't matter how badly you think you paint, there is *always* a 12yr old out there who is worse.

[Solaris]

Look up a game called War Machine. It's got some decent steampunky minis, but just about all of 'em have guns.

[kwanzaabot]

You're right, Reaper are nice but only unpainted. Good thing I had a friend who likes painting minis to paint mine.

The Wizards D&D ones are pre-painted, but there isn't much range.

I'm sorely tempted to buy the Wizards ones, but they look so... crappy.

I suppose Tyndmyr, yeah, there might be people who paint worse, but I'm incredibly critical of anything I make/draw/etc. I might go the eBay route. It sounds like a good idea. :)

Look up a game called War Machine. It's got some decent steampunky minis, but just about all of 'em have guns.

Actually, I've seen the War Machine stuff (and Iron Kingdoms)... absolutely gorgeous. And guns are perfectly acceptable. :D

But are they pre-painted?

[Katana_Geldar]

You don't have a friend that can do it for you, do you? It wasn't so much the painting that balked me but buying the paint, brushes, superglue for one mini.

[Tyndmyr]

It's a shame you don't live near here...I frequently paint models for people for free, albeit on a very slow basis, just because I enjoy doing it. Shipping charges would be killer though. If you can find an avid painter near you, that might work.

The wizards ones sadly are kinda crappy. I was just staring at boxes again today, because I really do enjoy using miniatures that accurately reflect the mobs instead of the hodge-podge of figures and tokens we usually use, but the casting quality isn't that hot...things frequently end up awkwardly bent, or with very little detail...and the paint isn't done quite right. It'd require a lot of work to make the D&D mini's really look good, in most cases. There's one or two exceptions, though.

Best of luck with the ebay path. =)

[kwanzaabot]

You don't have a friend that can do it for you, do you? It wasn't so much the painting that balked me but buying the paint, brushes, superglue for one mini.

No-one who'd enjoy it, anyway.

[Jack_Banzai]

There is a line of pre-painted Reaper minis.

http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures...y%20Encounters

[kjones]

Is Mage Knight still around? I used to use old Mage Knight figs as minis, since none of us really played... anyway, those are pre-painted.

[infinitypanda]

I think Mage Knight ended.

Edit: Oh wow, it ended back in 2005. Pity.