Wow, this thread sure has become convoluted.... how many subjects are there?
Paint: I\'ve been painting for about 15 years now, and have used a wide variety of the miniature paints out there (I have stayed away from \"craft\" paint, so I\'ll refrain from comment there). At least 3 versions of citadel (GW) paints, 2 or 3 of Ral Partha, Armoury (house paint, really!), Poly S, Testors, Reaper (yuck), Vallejo, etc. My paint of choice today is Vallejo. Purely on paint alone, they exceed in quality all the other brands I listed. I will qualify this statement by saying I believe a good paint is one that will not be grainy, will mix/blend proverly with other paints (with the addition of mediums if necessary), and will cover in one pass. Vallejo is the only mini paint I\'ve found that fits all these criteria. I still use some Partha, GW, and Armoury, but will probably replace all slowly with Vallejo as they become unviable.
Casting: The durability of a thin sculpt in a mold isn\'t so much a problem as actually filling the cavity later. Silicone molds exist that would not subject the figure to heat and could pick out the finest details (the pressure making the mold is more of a problem, but harder sculpting materials could be used). But when it comes down to it, you still have to get metal in the cavity. There is a reason most minis have thick legs/ankles, or have cloaks billowing about their feet. Other than looking cool, these features allow the metal an easy channel into the mini, as most minis are filled from the feet. Thin ankles alone could prevent the mold from filling, leaving just the tab and feet for your troubles. Thin features in the rest of the model can be just as troublesome, not to mention are prone to bending when removing them from the mold.
Dark Age: I have yet to see a mini in person, or to read one rule relating to the game, so all I have to go on is what I see on the internet. In my opinion (speaking as a hobbiest who also works in the retail of miniatures), there are a couple reasons why they are not in more stores. Primarily, no distributors seem to carry them. I have talked to all the distributors I normally deal with (North America), and none carry the Dark Age line. Alliance, Gameboard, and Centurion are the ones I normally use, in that order. While I\'m sure it\'s possible to purchase wholesale through Dark Age directly, retail stores typically do not have to enter as great a commitment when buying through a distributor. Secondly, though I would like to start carrying the miniatures, the style isn\'t geared towards the majority of hobbyists. Reaper has enjoyed the success they have because of their generic quality. They can be used in a wide variety of games, especially in D&D, which is their primary selling point in my store. The Dark Age line seems very game-specific, and, unfortunately, people are very wary about buying into new games. Thirdly, the man-sized figures are priced way above what the market can bear. Customers will snatch up figures left and right at $3-4/fig (Reaper). Anything more and they pause to think, weighing their options. $10 and more is out of the question, unless the figure is really cool or necessary for the game. Now, I am working under the assumption that these are 28mm. If they are 36mm or so then they may be priced right (North Star).
I will still look into carrying the line and will probably have to contact Dark-Age directly to do so. I will also look at the rules and see what they have to offer. Without the game to support it, this miniature line isn\'t going anywhere (anyone want to buy some Chainmail figs?).
), but after checking out some pictures from artemis-blacks, I have to say i really like the style of the models! Especially the newer ones!
