A can of weird!
I have been trying to develop sets of Sword & Sorcery and Fantasy Rules for OMOK and Shambattle. These genre have been supported mainly by metal figure makers. I wanted to find an affordable alternative.
Audrey and I were in Toys R Us to pick up some toys for another occasion. I decided to see if they had any Army Men type figures. Though the Medieval and Modern troops were figures I had sen elsewhere, the Mythical Heroes and Pirates sets were intriguing. Not bad at $9.99 a can. I surmised that these might provide affordable figures.
The Mythical Heroes set comes with a stone bridge, stone dais, pillars, fake rocks, 2 sandbag bunkers, 10 little candles and a red dragon. There are also 42 figures.
The accessories have a sort of medieval feel to them and would work with figures from 28mm to 54mm size. The figures themselves run from around 48 to 54mm in size, 50mm being average. I would guess the inspiration was a mix of Conan the Barbarian and Lord of the Rings. There were seven poses: a Conan / Schwarzenegger type swordsman, two sorceresses, woman with two swords, Orque / Goblin with axe, an Archer and what might be a Dwarf. He looked like the Dwarf in Lord of the Rings, but has a Thor-type hammer. I think the figures are put in randomly, as there was no consistency in their numbers.
Detail and animation of the figures was pretty good. I am sure that an average painter could get great results with these figures.
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| Sorceress and Female Sword Fighter |
At the price, a person could build up a couple of armies large enough for Shambattle for a lot less than he would spend on metal castings. The real shortcoming of the set is the number of poses. Those with a talent for converting figures might be able to extend that count. The other problem is that all of the figures are cast in the same color. They would have to be painted to indicate two different armies.
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| Archer and Sorceress |
Figures could also be used as is or converted as larger characters for 25mm and 28mm Fantasy gaming. The Goblin / Orque and Dwarf would be easy to convert into Ogres and Trolls. Here is an easy and cheap way to expand the big monster contingent of your fantasy forces.
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| Thor-Hammer Wielder and Conan-type Swordsman |
A nice set for the money! The True Heroes Mythical Heroes set is an affordable Fantasy / Sword & Sorcery resource.
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| Goblin / Orque and Plinth / Headstone |
What came in the set:
Bridge
Dais
2 pillars
5 rocks
1 plinth
2 bunkers
1 dragon
10 Candles
42 Figures:
6 Thor types
6 standing sorceresses
4 sorceresses waving wand
5 swordswomen
7 archers
3 Conan type swordsmen
11 orques / goblins / Pennsylvanians
You can get a free copy of our skirmish game, OMOK, and other games on this page - just scroll down: http://www.thortrains.net/milihistriot/downloads.html
Although Fantasy (as a generally understood genre) is not my thing, I can see all kinds of potential in a set or two like this. Some very simple conversions into your 'film extra' type of palace guard spearmen should be a doddle, and some the female figures could equally well be converted into a unit of spear or bow armed female soldiers/warriors.
ReplyDeleteI painted a number of the figures and used some with warhamers as dwarfs. Others were used as Viking types. The female warriors I use as Dark Elf wyches with red hair, pale skin and black outfits.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the sorceress converted into a Viet Cong.