Mentors, Mutants and Masked Vigilantes

Continuing in the spirit of finishing things off, I’ve completed almost all of the batch of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles miniatures I picked up just after Christmas.

The models are all Heroclix sculpts as most of the characters are fairly hard to find proxies for. Also, Heroclix, even if ordered from across the pond, are cheap as chips and, for the most part, decent models hidden under ropey paint jobs.

As such, I have simply tidied up the paint work on these four and thrown a wash over them.

Yes, I’m lazy. But I’m my opinion, it works.

Of the four, Splinter is probably the model I’m least happy with. This is mainly because, as ever, these photos jave down up some bits I’ve missed, such as the toes and trim of the robe which I’m going to have to revisit. However, it’s also a bit of an odd model.

I actually bought a Splinter proxy some time ago from TT Combat’s Rumbleslam range. Unfortunately, I’d never seen the miniatures in the flesh and, quite frankly, it is massive, about the size of a GW Black Orc.

There are actually plenty of alternatives for Splinter out there. Obviously there are probably Skaven options amongst the GW back catalogue, but I can’t be bothered tracking them down, Greebo Miniatures do a couple of excellent, if expensive, versions, and Mantic have a suspiciously Splinter-like coach amongst their Dreadball range.

However, for the moment I’ll simply tidy up the missed bits and be happy with what I have.

Rocksteady and Bebop, the Shredder’s loyal, if stupid, minions are quite characterful miniatures. If I have a complaint about these two, it’s the fact that they are small, my Turtles tower over them. However, in the 80’s cartoon, they weren’t big and they are only extras in the 7TV rules and so shouldn’t be too imposing as they won’t last long against the heroes in a half-shell.

Again, Greebo Miniatures do two impressive sculpts for Rocksteady and Bebop, and certainly Rocksteady is big enough to be given the large trait in 7TV. If I’m feeling flush at some point, I might place an order with Greebo, however, pricey models, shipping costs from Poland (I think) and the fact that my TMNT casts aren’t really in regular use, might mean that this will some time in the future.

The vigilante, Casey Jones, is the model that there are most potential alternatives for out there. Hockey-mask wearing thugs are quite popular and easy to find, however, seeing as I was buying the other, more specialist, models, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to spend another pound.

As it happens, Casey is probably the one of the four I’m most happy with and which required least tidying up.

And so both my Turtles and Foot Clan casts are complete...well, almost...

I have the Krang to consider. I still have a model for Warlord Krang to paint, however, I will probably wait until I have something to use as the Krang Droids...Necrons or Terminators (based to match my TMNT stuff) are probably most likely, I just need to work out a way to put Krang aliens in their bellies.