Michael J. Tresca gave 3 stars to: Chrono

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Chrono: IMEF: Sarah Blitzer (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

Blitzer didn't get the memo, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Chrono: IMEF: Sarah Blitzer (1) Miniature (Toy)

Bobby Jackson's Sarah Blitzer is inspired by Bernadette Mataki from the Gears of War third-person shooter. I was a big Gears fan back in the day; with its gorilla-like men and its lithe women, it was a bit like a throwback to the old days of He-Man action figures, only with more guns. There was a shift in the character models as the game evolved, Anya Stroud, who wore tight skirts and handled communications in the first installment, was a fully capable warrior in the third, wearing armor that covered most of her upper torso. Blitzer didn't get the memo.



It's pretty typical stuff: female characters in armor look a lot like male characters. Except the Gears of War-style apes are so exaggerated that the female models go in the opposite direction: very little armor, a prominently displayed bosom, and long hair. Blitzer's sole excuse is that she's a sniper, so she needs to be lightly encumbered, but still -- not even a chestplate?



Since she's a sniper, she is unfortunately not laying down with her weapon, actually sniping; Blitzer is holding the rifle next to her to demonstrate it's bigger than she is. Which makes for an interesting pose but hardly in line with the male members of the Intergalatic Marines Expeditionary Force (IMEF) team.

Michael J. Tresca gave 5 stars to: Colossal Skeleton (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Colossal Skeleton (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

A skeleton that FEELS colossal, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Colossal Skeleton (1) Miniature (Toy)

I have absolutely no use for Reaper's cheesecake mascot, Sophie, in just about any miniature form -- with the exception of Reaper's most recent Kickstarter in which the company realized that if they made Sophie look like a warrior instead of a pin-up model people might actually use her -- so I switched her out to get this colossal skeleton. I thought long and hard about this, and the reason I picked the skeleton was because there's very few painted miniatures like it. I have a Cthulhu action figure that can't be beat, plenty of dragons (undead or otherwise), and can get a prepainted remorhaz if I'm so inclined. But you just don't find a lot of colossal skeletons.



This sculpt could easily have been boring. Sculptor Jason Wiebe made this horrifying beast a headhunting monstrosity; several of its trophies dangle from its waist, including a human head, a skull, and an orc head. There's a severed hand dangling from its back, and what looks like several banners drooping from its belt. The colossal skeleton has seen some action too; a broken sword hilt just from its rib cage. Interspersed throughout the giant corpse are pieces of wood tied together to shore up its structure, a magical warhammer on one arm, and it even wields a gravestone as a weapon. In short, this isn't just a very large skeleton, it's a skeleton that FEELS colossal.



I've even found use for a miniature like this in a campaign: Castle Amber features an undead colossus.

Michael J. Tresca gave 4 stars to: Mr Bones (1)

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Mr Bones (1) by Reaper Miniatures

Beware the 20th-level true necromancer halfling!, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Mr Bones (1) (Toy)

With the exception of the kobold skeleton from one of the Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures set, small humanoid skeletons are a rare sight in miniature form. This is likely because nobody cares about a small skeleton, which is only slightly less brittle than an already weak normal skeleton. Mr. Bones is here to dispel this myth.



Bones -- that's MISTER BONES to you! -- looks means enough. He holds a shovel in one hand, he points with the other, and a noose dangles from his waist. But his cute lil bony feet stick out from beneath his cloak, and although he's trying to point to his next victim, it's also possible he's picking out a lollipop.



At heart, Mr. Bones is writing checks his bony body probably can't cash. That doesn't make him any less useful if you happen to be facing a 20th-level true necromancer halfling.

Michael J. Tresca gave 2 stars to: Ellen Stone (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Ellen Stone (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

Hey! My eyes are up here!, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Ellen Stone (1) Miniature (Toy)

"Howdy partners! The name's Ellen Stone, and I'm the rootin', tootin', best shootin' cowgal in the Wild West -- Hey! My eyes are up here!



"Ahem. Where was I? Aw shucks, yeah, sculptor Bob Ridolfi did a fine job moldin' my likeness, although he could have done a bit of a better job in the clothes department...



"You're lookin' at my chest, ain'tcha? Keep that up and you'll have one less eye tah look with.



"That's better. Now being a cowgirl ain't easy. Also, is it cold in here? Kinda chilly...



"You're not paying attention to a single word I just said, are ya? Ya know what? Forget it! I'm gonna go put on a sensible sweater..."

Michael J. Tresca gave 3 stars to: Rosie, Chronotechnician (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Rosie, Chronotechnician (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

A cute model in work clothes, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Rosie, Chronotechnician (1) Miniature (Toy)

If I were to guess, Rosie is the gal pal who makes all the equipment that lets Sascha Dubois and Andre Durand chase time around. You can tell she's a technician by the work gloves and apron she wears, although she apparently isn't smart enough to put on anything other than a half-shirt. Reaper's web site has pictures of Rosie wielding a big wrench instead of a gun, which would make a heck of a lot more sense.



But alas, the final impression is that a cute model was given some work clothes and a big gun and told to stand next to machinery. Rosie looks too futuristic to create steampunk time travel technology, too poorly outfitted to actually stand up in a firefight to justify the giant gun in one hand, and too underdressed to be taken seriously by everyone else.

Michael J. Tresca gave 5 stars to: The Black Mist (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

The Black Mist (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?", April 9, 2014

This review is from: The Black Mist (1) Miniature (Toy)

You might have noticed that every badass antihero ever wields two guns and a long trenchcoat. Well, before all those guys were even a twinkle in their momma's eye there was The Shadow. That's right, long before the playboy by day, superhero by night archetype originated with The Shadow, who was Lamont Cranston when he wasn't scaring the bejeezus out of bad guys. If you were ever wondering where to get The Shadow in miniature form, look no further! Bob Ridolfi's The Black Mist fits the bill perfectly.



That said, The Shadow's a pretty simple sculpt: black trench coat, black and red cape, red scarf, two pistols. Doesn't matter, The Shadow -- excuse me, The Black Mist -- is in a class all his own. If you're not inclined to include The Shadow in your campaign, then he would make a suitable villain. But I wouldn't recommend it. HE might find out.



"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The...uh, Black Mist knows..."

Michael J. Tresca gave 4 stars to: Rex, Dark Future Hero (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Rex, Dark Future Hero (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

Mad Rex: Beyond Thunderdome, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Rex, Dark Future Hero (1) Miniature (Toy)

Ever see the movie Mad Rex: Beyond Thunderdome? It features one man in a post-apocalyptic world trying to...oh forget it. Tim Prow's sculpt is a simple sculpt for when you need a guy with a sawed-off shotgun in a leather jacket.



It's worth noting that he's got one sleeve torn off for easy access to his shotgun and that his holster appears tied to his leg with a bit of cloth. In other words, although Rex might be a suitable stand-in for a shotgun-wielding villain, there's a few things about him that imply he's not from around these parts. He might also be suitable as a Terminator stand-in.

Michael J. Tresca gave 4 stars to: Deadeye Slim (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Deadeye Slim (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

So cool, his guns put themselves away when he's done., April 9, 2014

This review is from: Deadeye Slim (1) Miniature (Toy)

You can divide the Reaper Bones Kickstarter into several categories: fantasy, sci-fi, and steampunk -- which includes Victorian-era and cowboys, depending on the geographic region. Patrick Keith's Deadeye Slim does an admirable job of filling the cowboy boots.



Ole' Deadeye wields two pistols, wears a large hat, a duster, and a belt full of bullets. That's about it. Not sure where he keeps his pistols when he's not using them, but don't you worry about that. Deadeye's so cool, his guns put themselves away when he's done.

Michael J. Tresca gave 4 stars to: Andre Durand (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Andre Durand (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

A man out of time, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Andre Durand (1) Miniature (Toy)

Unlike his companion, Sascha Dubois, Bob Ridolfi's Andre looks like a man out of time. He has a weird pistol that looks steampunk-y and another hand cannon dangling from his hip. His overcoat screams adventurer, while his mechanical fist implies a poor relationship with his Sith father.



That said, there's nothing about Andre that makes him look like a time traveler. For all her faults, Sascha was at least holding a pocket watch in one hand. That doesn't make Andrew any less useful though -- he's certainly a suitable steampunk-style inventor.

Michael J. Tresca gave 3 stars to: Sascha Dubois (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Sascha Dubois (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

I thought she was a pirate, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Sascha Dubois (1) Miniature (Toy)

Confession time: I thought Sascha was a pirate. Can you blame me? She's wearing a captain's overcoat, has a pistol at her hip, and keys dangling from her belt. I thought she was holding gold in one hand, although I realize now that's supposed to be a timepiece.



About the only thing that distinguishes Bob Ridolfi's sculpt as a "time chaser" is the sonic screwdriver next to keys. I thought it was a periscope.



A good sculpt for pirates or time travel.

Michael J. Tresca gave 5 stars to: Ape-X (1) Miniature

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Ape-X (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

The best miniature ever, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Ape-X (1) Miniature (Toy)

Your miniatures sucks. You know why? Because it doesn't have enough ape in it. Therefore, by process of elimination, Jason Wiebe's Ape-X is the best miniature ever, because it's full of apey goodness.



Where to start? The fact that this is an ape with a mechanical skull cap? Shall we discuss the extraneous wires that an enterprising hero might cut? Or the cybernetic fist replacement? Or the huge Gatling gun affixed with massive rivets to Ape-X's other arm? He even has a villainous cyber-monocle! Seriously, can Ape-X be any better?



If you are in need of a villain to catch your super speedster or befriend your brain in a jar, look no further, true believers!

Michael J. Tresca gave 2 stars to: Dita the Steampunk Witch by Reaper Minatures

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Dita the Steampunk Witch by Reaper Minatures by Reaper Miniatures

I have no idea why this miniature exists, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Dita the Steampunk Witch by Reaper Minatures (Toy)

I have no idea why this miniature exists. I mean, being a steampunk witch requires a very specific set of circumstances that brings up other questions like, why a witch would go through the trouble of turning her broom all steapunk-y if she has access to technology that would most assuredly provide better alternatives for flying than riding a broom?



Still, Bob Ridolfi's created a decent sculpt of a witch. The steampunk elements are primarily limited to her goggles and the weird metal accents on her broom, but that can be easily excused as magical attributes of a staff that happens to be a broom. Also, her left arm appears to be made of cybernetic -- excuse me, steampunk -- material.



A weird sculpt that will likely have little use in most campaigns. But if you happen to have a steampunk campaign combining witches and technology, Dita's got the market covered.

Michael J. Tresca gave 5 stars to: Nova Corp

Michael J. Tresca reviewed:

Nova Corp: Sergeant (1) Miniature by Reaper Miniatures

Are you a game master in need of guys in armor who can't shoot straight?, April 9, 2014

This review is from: Nova Corp: Sergeant (1) Miniature (Toy)

Are you a supervillain looking for a means of demonstrating your awesome power against nebulous named police forces? Are you a dark lord who needs to force-choke someone important enough to intimidate the troops but not so important that he can't be replaced? Are you a game master in need of guys in armor who can't shoot straight? Well then NOVA Corp has got a deal for you!



Bobby Jackson's NOVA Corp (he's sculpted all six figures in this series) are Reaper's answer to Stormtroopers, without the storm. I chose to paint them white with blue markings in the tradition of a police force of the future, which makes them very useful. NOVA Security agents are all outfitted the same: a self-contained environmental suit of armor with a backpack filtration system, a high-tech rifle that has a pump action grenade launcher, six (let's say) tear gas grenades, and that's it. In the tradition of Star War's clone troopers, sergeants carry pistols as well.



This sergeant is pointing (i.e., leading), which is exactly what a sergeant should be doing before he gets mowed down, force choked, or misses yet again with his pistol.