Thinking Outside the Box

I recently finished painting my Watchmen figures for the Batman Miniature Game  from Knight Models  and am excited about the results. They have been in progress since sometime in June and have only gotten one game in so far, but let's just talk about the models this time. Rorschach was the first figure I completed. True to the movie, like all the Watchmen figures, he is a top-notch one piece model and was quick to finish. Nite Owl is a really dynamic single piece model who proved very each to paint. He's also my favourite character visually from the movie. The Comedian is where I stalled in my progress. Being largely black, it was a challenge to get enough colour and variation to be happy with. Additionally, I'm not sure if I clipped his cigar off when I was cleaning up the model or if it actually isn't there in the original cast. I wanted him to have one so I did a little experiment with a tiny chunk of paperclip. It ended up a touch on the big size, but...

Like many of you out there, I recently received my printed copy of the new Batman Miniature Game  rule book. I've also bought some figures and have been toying around with crew lists at a few different point levels. This brought me to wondering what the desirable number of points are for playing the game. After asking on the forums the general consensus among experienced players seems to be something like this: 150 rep: For introductory games. 200 rep: Good for faster, focused games. 300 rep: Rule book recommended game size. 350 rep: Tournament game size, although some feel it gives too much cash/free agent leeway. 450 rep: Suggested in the new rules as a big game. I’d be cautious of playing a game this size because it feels like it would take an entire afternoon or longer to play. I’ve only played three games so far, all using the free rules. The first game was played at 200 rep with no scenarios or extra rules. It felt a little bit too big. Even with only four or five ch...

Last week I received two packages of stuff for the Batman Miniature Game . The first package ordered was actually the second to arrive. I already talked about these items a few weeks ago. For those not in the know, the VAT (value added tax) is a whopping 21% on orders direct from Knight Models . That makes the purchase price for these figures very high after factoring in the exchange from CAD to Euros. If you order enough stuff you don't have to pay shipping, but it's still a kick in the wallet for those folks on a limited budget. (I promise this will be the last time I grouse about the price. The products are good, so now it's up to you to decide whether they're worth the cost or not.) When my package arrived I was rather deflated to find that the exclusive Red Hood Joker figure was not included with my pre-order. I sent an email to KM's customer service email and received a reply within twelve hours, apologizing for the mistake and promising to send out the m...

According to a post by Knight Models on the official English forums for the Batman Miniature Game the printed rule books have arrived! They posted a teaser image which I thought I'd share here. The KM folks are aiming to begin shipping orders late this week or early next. I for one am really looking forward to receiving my book (Joker limited-edition) and models. I expect it to be several weeks yet, as my order has to wing its way across the Atlantic Ocean. Have you ordered yours?

The Purchase Well this week I took the plunge and ordered some stuff from Knight Models  for the Batman Miniatures Game . Let me say first off...OUCH. If you think the prices on the Knight Models store are high while you're browsing, wait until the shopping cart adds the taxes! Ordering enough stuff to get free shipping will cost you at least 150 Euros, but with the exchange rate and tax (21% VAT) the stuff I ordered cost me over $260 Canadian! That's a lot of money to spend on nine models and a book in my opinion (others of you out there might disagree). I could have ordered fewer items, but then I'd have been hit with shipping charges as well, so the net cost per item would have gone up. With all the cash I've spent on gaming figures in my lifetime, even I feel like it's a ridiculous amount of money for figures I have to build and paint. I'll definitely be looking for a cheaper source for Knight Models products closer to home if I order anything el...