A nice surprise!

   
    

One of the really nice things about writing this Blog is that every now and then I get a nice surprise in the post, as opposed to the nasty surprises, which makes a pleasant change as all those nasty surprises I keep getting are mainly utility bills. Seriously, I'm considering powering my house with hamsters! Any way today I had a package from Ax Faction turn up. I have to say I was a little bit surprised it didn't contain anthrax, or botchulinum after my review of the Gilded Saint Dragon Hunter. So they've braved sending me out their latest creation, Raen of Rannoch, Giant Hunter. On first glance she seems more suitably attired than her Gilded Saint counterpart. Here are a few pictures of what is contained in the box:

Review: Ax Faction Gilded Saint Dragon Hunter

I've been noticing more and more that there is an increasing trend in the production of overtly sexualised female miniatures within our hobby. It crept up on me maybe two or three years ago at first, and it was only a smattering initially, but now it seems to be an entire subset of the industry... and it's growing exponentially it seems. Well a few weeks ago I obviously reviewed the second miniature to be released from the Ax Faction range, the Victorian Darling Kraken Hunter. A beautifully sculpted little miniature she is too, and although there was a flash of pants and clearly sexual overtones to the piece, it wasn't over the top, or over done for me, and was actually quite tasteful. What? She was was! True the miniature existed purely, from an aesthetic standpoint, for the titillation of male viewers and I get that others might not be OK with her. Am I OK with that? Yes I am, as long as a miniature meets my own personal standards on taste and decency. Well the same can't really be said of the first miniature that Ax Faction have released, the Gilded Saint, who is clearly so proud of her magnificent boobs (and they are magnificent) that she feels the need to share them with the world!!! Subtle she is not, but that doesn't make her a bad sculpt or a bad miniature necessarily. Aesthetics are a personal thing, so what do I personally think?

Product Description

This is a multi-part resin miniature came secure in a nice little plastic blister packet that can be seen at the top of this review. Inside the various delicate pieces are placed in sealed zip-lock bags, which I'm personally grateful for as they mean none of these delicate pieces are lost in transit, although I did ultimately lose a piece, but more on that later. the miniature is cast in an exceedingly good resin and that is instantly noticeable when you remove the miniature from her packaging, again it is the equal of miniature ranges like Studio McVey, BaneLegions and Kingdom Death. The miniature is comprised of 10 resin components and one round plastic slotta base. Unlike the Victorian Darling this miniature doesn't come with a scenic base. The largest component is the main body of the Gilded Saint, followed by the lance and lance tip. The Dragons head is made of three components, the main head and two horns. There are also a number of really fiddly components you'll need to be very, very careful with. Firstly there is a halo that attached to the back of the gilded Saints helmet, a visor that attaches to the front of the helmet and finally two very small wings that fix to the side of the knee guards on her two boots.

FAO Blackbrunswicker!!!

   
      

My good man you posted the 5000th comment on my Blog, on the review for the Ax Faction Victorian Darling Kraken Hunter, and for that you've won yourself yourself... fittingly... an Ax Faction Victorian Darling Kraken Hunter. You see, I also value my commentators and regular old school followers too. I accept that my current prize giveaway follower drive might mean that I'm not rewarding those of you who have stuck by this Blog and have supported me for a long time. I'm hoping this sort of giveaway might rectify all of that, and this is certainly the sort of thing I'll be looking to do in the future. To say thanks to those of you who have been active members of the community we have here. So any way, Mr Blackbrunswicker if you could email me at:

TheFrontlineGamerBlog@gmail.com

I'll see about getting you your miniature too you ASAP. Peace out!

Review: Ax Faction Victorian Darling Kraken Hunter

       
      

As those of you who read my Blog regularly (shame on those of you who don't) you'll know I picked up this delectable miniature figure, of a slightly less than refined Victorian Steampunk strumpet / vixen at the recent UK Games Expo 2012, held here in my native Birmingham. Paul's stand was actually one of the few highlights for me at the show. I'm always on the look out for exciting new miniature companies who are devoted to producing nothing but great miniatures to paint, and wandering by the Ax Faction stall I spied two extremely well sculpted miniatures. I don't know how well Paul did that weekend, but I was alarmed his stand wasn't swamped when I saw the quality of his wares. What was wrong with you all? True there were only two miniatures on display, the attire challenged Gilded Saint Dragon Hunter and the Victorian Darling Kraken Hunter, whom I ultimately plumped for of the two. Call me old fashioned but I prefer my sex symbols to actually leave some things to the imagination! On getting home I instantly went into research mode, who were Ax Faction and what were they up to? Well on their website I found a nice bit of fluff / back story justification for the production of these miniatures. It's all to do with some family journal / book or other, the Nilrem family and some secret Government agency called ASLAP, it's not too long and it's actually quite nice that a company would actually bother to produce any sort of justification for their miniatures. Any way time to get on with the review.

Product Description

The version of the product I got was actually provided supplied in a zip lock bag, as opposed to a box or the normal blister pack you'd get with their standard releases I'm reliably informed, and a piece of card stapled to the front. This was because the Victorian Darling Kraken Hunter was actually released at the UK Games Expo and Paul had only got his supplies of the miniature a day or two before the show... so we'll let him off on that one as the packaging for the Gilded Saint was more than adequate to ensure the miniatures they provide will arrive intact and unscathed at their intended destination. Moving on to the components themselves the miniature is cast out of a resin, much the same as you'd expect to find from other small boutique producers such as Kingdom Death, Studio McVey and BaneLegions, yes I know, that's some illustrious company to be putting Ax Faction amongst, but hey, if the cap fits! The miniature has your standard 32mm round lip plastic base, the sort you'll find supplied with your HoMachine or Mofaux miniatures. There is a base insert that sits on top of the plastic base, and provides a nice scene and context for the miniature, there are two mechanical kraken tentacles that attach to the base and provide further animation to it. The next major component is the main body of the Victorian Darling herself, followed by the trailing bustle that attaches to the back of the main body, and hides her modesty, not to mention her perfectly formed peach like buttocks! More on that later. There are five further components including a top hat, complete with steampunk goggles, a pistol in a holster, her two arms wrapped around a rather large looking harpoon, and a teeny tiny lantern that literally hooks onto the end of the aforementioned harpoon. All these components are extremely delicate and I'd advise extreme caution when removing them from their spru's, and when cleaning them. All in all their are eleven components. Here have a look for yourself.

The components you get with the Victorian Darling Kraken Hunter.