Mantic Crazy Box 2016

I received a very intriguing package from Mantic Games recently.  Each year Mantic Games sells a special Crazy Box, filled with random miniatures from all their different games.  This year is especially crazy, as there was a chance one of your boxes may come with an even more valuable prize.  I ordered the Crazy Box Bundle which gives me a box of fantasy stuff and a box of sci-fi stuff.  And I got a big prize in both boxes!!!

Fantasy Crazy Box

The big prize is the dragon from Dungeon Saga's expansion Tyrant of Halpi.  The expansion is $49.99, not sure how much the dragon itself is worth, but its a hefty chunk of plastic.

These are some abyssal demons from Dungeon Saga's Infernal Crypts expansion.

And also from Dungeon Saga the orcs and goblins of the Warlord of Galahir expansion. 

This big boy is Grokagamok, an Ogre hero of Kings of War.  Value $14.99.

This is an undead skeletal dog handler, which could only be purchased with Mantic Points.  Sadly I do not see him available any more. 

Kings of War chariot (without driver).  Value ~$19.99.

Kings of War - Forces of Nature - Salamanders (5)

Kings of War - Forces of Abyss - Succubi (5)

Kings of War - Forces of Abyss - Lower Abyssals (5)

Sci-fi Crazy Box

The 'big' prize in this box is the Deadzone compilation book "Containment Protocols".  Value $10.99.  I was able to read the book on our family vacation.  There were some good and some mediocre stories, but overall it was nice to have a little background in the Deadzone universe.

A very random group of Mars Attacks miniatures; two from the Novas Vira Militia and the flaming cows from Civilian Slaughter.

Deadzone - Plague - 12 Plague Mutants, 2 Plague Hounds, and an Aberration (he's $19.99 himself)!

Dreadball - one guy from Midgard Delvers, Trontek 29ers, Skittersneak Stealers, and Greenmoon Smackers.  I don't play Dreadball, so these guys will all be modified for sci-fi skirmishing.

Deadzone - Marauders - 2 Commandos, 2 Goblin Snipers, and 2 Mawbeasts.

Deadzone - Asterians - 1 Overseer and 3 Cyphers.

Deadzone - Forge Fathers - 5 of the old Steel Warriors models 

Deadzone - Veer-myn - 2 Nightmares and a Night Terror ($19.99 himself)!

Deadzone - Battlezone Scenery - Landing Pad Sprue B and I think an Urban sprue that has a crane.

Thoughts on Mantic's Crazy Box 2016

I really like the Crazy Box concept.  It suits my current interests of gathering a variety of miniatures without having to purchase whole armies.  With that being said, its inevitable that you will get something that you have no interest in using.  But for me, I just see that as an opportunity to do some kit-bashing and conversions.  As for the value in each box, I think they were fantastic.  I tried to put prices up for the higher value items under the labels of the pictures.

Out of the fantasy crazy box, I think I like the 5 Salamanders, 5 Succubi, and 5 Lower Abyssals the most, mostly because they came on sprues so I could design them how I want (I love having creative freedom when assembling miniatures).  The dragon is cool too, he's a monstrous paperweight and I'm limited on dragons in my collection.  I don't care for the other Dungeon Saga miniatures since I already have them.

I think I will get more use out of the sci-fi crazy box however.  I've already got plans to incorporate most of the Deadzone miniatures into either Rogue Stars, In the Emperor's Name, or FUBAR.  Even the Dreadball minis will be converted accordingly.  The Mars Attacks miniatures are my least favorite.

One negative feedback about the Crazy Box, and it can be a major or minor complaint depending on your point of view, but there are NO bases for the miniatures.  NONE.  ZERO.  That means I need to order bases for all these guys, which is an inconvenience.

But overall, I like Mantic's Crazy Box.  And depending on how they arrange things next Christmas, I might have to order another bundle.

WIP - Dungeon Saga add-ons

I have continued to paint up the plethora of miniatures acquired from the Dungeon Saga Kickstarter.  These all came from the various add-ons I purchased on top of the core game.

The Lesser Obsidian Golems from the Doom Guard booster pack.  These guys are big, larger than the Trolls.

Here are the Immortal Guard.  I might just use these guys and the Golems in conjunction with regular Dwarves.

The Dead Rising booster pack of Dwarf King's Hold, five Ironclad.

Also from Dead Rising booster pack, the two Shieldbreakers, a throwing mastiff, and a corpse.

Twelve Elf Spearmen from the Green Menace booster pack.

Six Elf Archers.

Two Elf hero types and a couple corpses.

WIP - Dungeon Saga / Kings of War Orcs and Goblins

I have slowly been working on the mound of miniatures I have accumulated over the past year.  I've reached a small milestone of sorts.  I have completed the base colors of all the Orcs and Goblins that I got with the Dungeon Saga kickstarter.  There is still more stuff needed to be done, basing and washes etc., but at least now I feel confident taking pictures of them while playing games.  They are officially ready for tabletop usage.

These guys were from the Dungeon Raiders add-on.  It includes 3 Trolls, a Mincer, a War Trombone, a Goblin Biggit, and a Goblin Wiz.  The little Orcling was from some random sprue.

These guys were from the Green Rage booster pack.  There is a Troll Champion, 3 Orcs (Morax, Greatax, Archer), 3 Goblins (2 Warriors, Archer), Mawbeast, and Orclings.

And these came from the add-on of Dwarf King's Hold called Green Menace.  There are 2 Orc Greatax and 6 Orc Ax.

Dungeon Saga Orclings came together on a stand.  The extra Orcling (I deem him an Orcling Hero/Champion) was from a sprue, which I believe came with the Green Menace Orcs.

The metal Goblin Biggit and Wiz were fun to paint.  I just wish I could paint better, very characterful models.

The War Trombone was interesting.  I like the gunner and loader models, even if they are just for decoration.

The Goblin and Orc archers will be great additions to my greenskin collection, I don't have many archers for them.

The Mincer is an odd contraption.  Its basically a steam-powered chariot with spikes and a large drill.  I wonder how I could stat this thing up for Song of Blades and Heroes.

Here is the Troll Champion and three Trolls.  I'm already making plans for these guys in a future skirmish game.

Now I wonder which group of miniatures I should focus on next.  Dwarves?  Abyssal Dwarves with their Obsidian Golems and Harpies?  Elves?  Undead?  Valandor Expansion?  Or perhaps back to Reaper Bones minis?  Or the newly acquired Alkemy stuff?  Or the load of Arcane Legions?  So many choices....

More dungeon delving

Today my son and I dived into Dungeon Saga and then Wrath of Ashardalon.  He made it through the first two quests of Dungeon Saga and lost the third at the end, as I had drawn the last Overlord card.  For Wrath of Ashardalon we played the first adventure together and won without using a single Healing Surge (yes I know its supposed to be for solo).

End of the first quest of Dungeon Saga.  The heroes were barely scratched.

End of second quest of Dungeon Saga.  The heroes won without too much problem.

This was the setup of the third quest of Dungeon Saga.  Lots of undead and tiles.

Finally made it through the undead to open the first door and lots of zombies hanging in the new room.

End of the third quest of Dungeon Saga.  The wizard reached the final door, used Break Ward once (it needs a second to unlock), and then Overlord turn there were no more cards to draw.  So the Overlord won.  Muahaha!

This was Wrath of Ashardalon, reached the Tunnel Exit tile and defeated the Kobold boss.  My son played the rogue and I the cleric.  It really helped having the ability to heal each turn, when able to do so.  Encounters are so vicious.

Dungeon Saga heroes

I was able to paint up the heroes for Dungeon Saga.  My son is working on the monster pile of undead.  There is SOOOOOO much painting we've got left to do.  The workload has tripled in size thanks to Christmas.  Yay.

Madriga, Rordin, Orlaf, and Danor, the core heroes.

Vinetia and Ibrahim.

Keldan and Blaine.

Logan, Hordin & Gnasher, and Ally.

Kapoka, Hratth, and Arianya.

Dungeon Saga has arrived!

The eagerly awaited kickstarter Dungeon Saga has arrived!
 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1744629938/dungeon-saga-the-dwarf-kings-quest

I received a hefty Carton A on my doorstep.  This contained the core game and all the extra kickstarter stretch-goal goodness.  All the add-ons that I had ordered separately came a couple weeks back, all glued and primed and ready for painting.  Now with the core game I have an all new pile of plastic primed and waiting for painting as well.  Should keep me busy for at least the next couple decades.

I really like the 'book box' design for the game.  Its creative, original, and aesthetically and thematically genius.

Here are the piles of plastic just from the core kickstarter.  All the undead are hanging out on the back left plate.  The Abyssal and Orc/Goblin kickstarter exclusives are on the back right plate.  The core villains, big undead trolls, and Valandor exclusives on the front right.  And all the heroes are to the front left.