Thursday 24 May 2018

Necromunda Bounty Hunters & Hired Guns 02

Having showcased my old school Necromunda bounty hunters and hired guns last post, this time I want to show some of the figures for the newest version. These four are produced by Forge World and as such are shockingly expensive. If you thought Games Workshop's prices were bad, check out those of Forge World! 😲 These four figures cost me £38.00 in total - £20.00 for the three humans and a whopping £18.00 for the Beastman! Note that these are all resin cast miniatures, and as such, are highly detailed and exceptionally well sculpted. However, in no way do I think that justifies their high price tags.
Gor Half-Horn is a Beastman - a mutant of the strain Homo Sapiens Variatus - and as such is possessed of horribly animalistic features and an unpredictable and violent temperament. These characteristics serve to make Gor a figure of dread in the underhive, but equally they make him a target for every raving zealot he encounters. As a sanctioned bounty hunter, Gor is entitled, in theory at least, to go wherever he will in pursuit of of his targets; in reality, he has often found himself the quarry, though so far none have bested him. Because it is so rare for a Beastman to be sanctioned as a bounty hunter, Gor has become the subject of numerous legends throughout the underhive. Some say he was once a member of an Abhuman Auxilia attached to an Astra Militarum regiment and the sole survivor of a battle of apocalyptic proportions. Others whisper that he was once in the employ of an Inquisitor, whose service he fled for a life among the damned. Some have even claimed that he was not born an Abhuman at all, but a noble scion who developed hideous mutations in his adolescence and fled downhive lest he be put to death by his own kin.
Gor is armed with a Chainsword, Plasma Pistol and Shotgun. He came in seven parts, not including his base and despite his high price, I do think he is an awesome figure.

Yolanda Skorn is also a bounty hunter. There is little mercy for gangers who challenge their leaders and fail. Most end their end their days rotting in the bottom of the Sump. Sometimes, though, a rival is so impressive, simple execution seems like a waste. This was the case for Escher bounty hunter Yolanda Skorn. the leader of her former gang, the Bloodmaidens, looked into Skorn's crazed eyes, even as she grinned through sheets of blood from her freshly carved exile scars, and decided nothing so cruel and beautiful should be taken from the world.
Yolanda is armed with a Stub Gun, Stiletto Knife and Frag Grenades. She was the figure I most wanted from this set. Being a huge fan of the Eschers, I was drawn to her as soon as I saw her. Incidentally, Kal Jerico often ran with a sidekick called Yolanda, who was once an Escher ganger. Coincidence? I don't think so.
Moving on to the hive scum hired guns, we have Mad Dog Mono second from the right. He works the great Ash Gates of Port Mad Dog when he is not hiring out his services as a mercenary to gangs, Ash Wasters and outlaws alike. Born into the Longshore clans, he grew up on the edges of the Palatine Cluster, the great hives visible only as shadows against the toxic horizon, their spires taunting him with the promise of safety and wealth. Life for a Longshore clanner is usually short and brutal - if the poisonous winds don't get them, then a faulty cargo lifter, angry Ash Waster or wandering wasteland creature probably will. Mono's fate was changed, however, when a scavvy trader sold him a strange, one-eyed hood. It turned out to be an ancient strato-pilot helmet, and as Mono discovered, its oculus augur gave him a unique views of the world and amazing reactions as a result.
Mad Dog Mono is armed with a Stub Gun and a Grab Hook. He is probably my least favourite figure out of this set.

Not so long ago, Grub Targesson (aka Lumpy Nox) was an upstanding member of the Merchant Guilds in Hive Primus, then one day he woke up to find an odd lump growing out of his shoulder. as the cycles ground by, the lump grew and Grub found it harder and harder to hide his deformity. Then, one day, it spoke to him - which is when Grub fled to the underhive.
Grub is armed with a Shotgun, a Fighting Knife and Frag Grenades. I like him slightly more than Mono but nowhere near as much as Yolanda.

24 comments:

  1. Lovely model Bryan as all nicely painted, I would agree whole heartily about the price but I've bought FW models myself in the past, I guess if you want them you want them :)

    I enjoyed the little back round stories for each of them as I feel things like that bring the models to live every bit as much as painting them does.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you and well said, Frank. Yes, I did want these figures so I gritted my teeth and paid the asking price for them. Whereas I can buy GW products at much cheaper prices from other retailers, sadly, the same is not true for Forge World. Captive audience, huh?

      Delete
  2. Nicely painted set of figures Bryan, Forgeworld is expensive, £18 for a character is the same as GW, just as you say you can get them from other retailers making them cheaper. Having seen some of the pieces not released yet, they certainly don't seem to be slowing up on Necromunda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Many thanks, Dave. It is good news that "Necromunda" is being so well supported. It's just a shame about the sky-high prices. :-(

      Delete
  3. Hi Bryan, nice write up on the characters behind the figures but the sculpts look quite nondescript to my untutored eye and grossly overpriced, way outside my budget. However the only thing that matters is if you are happy with them and you sound very positive so that's good. I think we all have a trigger that says, that doesn't make sense but I'm going to go for it because I want to anyway, so go for it.
    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, John. You're absolutely right. As soon as I saw Yolanda, and to a slightly lesser extent, Gor, I knew I wanted them. The two hive scum came with Yolanda, but again you're right, they are rather meh! Still, I am happy I have them. :-)

      Delete
  4. Most excellent looking scum and villainy! Lovely brushwork on these Bryan they all turned out great!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I blinked at the price of these Bryan! Jeez that’s a pretty penny paid

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, that's Forge World prices for you. Ridiculous!

      Delete
  6. Splutter! What? You paid how much? Much more than I would have paid but if it made you happy was money well spent.

    "I guess I am a cheapskate! Oh well" He says grumbling and mumbling into his wallet before the moths escape! Feel free to call me a miser!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, Clint. I'm fortunate in that I can afford to support my hobby and I am happy with the figures. But I still think FW prices are a rip off.

      Delete
  7. I flinched when I read the price at the start of the post Bryan, but then seeing the painted minis and reading the character descriptions, I can fully appreciate just why they joined your Necromunda collection :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Greg. For me, Yolanda and Gor were "must have" figures so I bit the bullet and paid the asking price.

      Delete
    2. "Sometimes, a man's gotta do, what a man's gotta do"
      and I can't fault you my friend! :-)

      Delete
    3. LOL! Absolutely right, Greg!

      Delete
  8. Like all the others these are looking great Bryan; Stop being so prolific :D ! My Escher are progressing at a snail's pace, and I really have to turn up the jets to have then ready for our June campaign. I think week one commences on the second so it helps to lurk here and get some inspiration to get things done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Many thanks, HP. These were the last "Necromunda" figures that I painted and I don't have any more on the painting table but I do have plenty more waiting to get painted.

      Best of luck with your own campaign.

      Delete
  9. Really well painted pieces Bryan, who doesn't like a beastman!

    The prices are what drove me away from GW years ago, especially once I discovered all the other glorious miniature that were out there, so much cheaper.

    Cheers Roger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Roger. The high prices that GW charge is just one of many reasons why I fell out of love with them in the mid-1990's.

      Delete
  10. Forgeworld do make some very nice figures, but the price really sticks in the throat for a cheapskate like me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers, Hugh. Even though I can afford their prices I still baulk at having to pay so much for a figure I want.

      Delete