Mick Leach has released one of the concept drawings by Anthony Ackland for a proposed set of beastmen figures for the upcoming Antiquis Malleum project. The emphasis on these designs has been a return to the beastmen of the early '80s that were more of a hotchpotch of different creatures rather than the ubiquitous goatman.
So what do you think? How would you like your beastmen?
Just before I go, I would just like to point out that these images are concept sketches for the miniature sculptor rather than illustrations for publication. Their purpose is to inspire the figure sculptor into producing something close to what the project managers are after. The dimensions of limbs, pose and other interpretations will be down to the chap who sculpts the model. After all, they often have the knowledge of what works best.
Thoughts please!
Seriously, this would make me so happy. I've spent many an hour in the last weeks searching for the 'right' type of beastmen. I would love a line of dark, disturbing, mutated, weird, humourous, and (above all) non-goaty. 99% of the available beastmen are built upon the goat model and enough is enough - we demand the return of the weird - crocodiles, hippos, monkeys, snails, mice, etc. Or put differently, a return to the idea that beastmen are mutated men and animals in a chaotic variety.
ReplyDeleteReally hope they manage this!
All the best,
Kasper
Same as Kasper, Goatmen ar efine but we want BEASTmean now, consideirng how popular runequest broos are at the moment, I'm pretty sire there could be some demand for real mutants like th eone above. Get us more animals and give them big bellies like old broos.
DeleteOh, almost forgot, weird bodies as well - creeping, crawling, jumping, bulging, insectoid bodies!
DeleteLike slugman? An infamous 80s beastman if ever there was one! Oh, and horseman too!
DeleteYep, I'd like to see all the different animal heads again. Crocodiles, eagles, lions, all that stuff. Not just goats!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are not 'progoat' in your beastman Kev. I always found it strange as the years went by the beastmen changed from chaotic mutants with infinite variation into a rather generic pans minus the flutes.
DeleteI'm fine with the goat style (think about Olley's) but some new blood would be appreciated as well; good idea!
ReplyDeleteYou are right about Olley's beastmen, but his style is so radically different that even though they are 'goaty' (to coin a technical term) they seem original.
DeleteI'm very happy about the idea of these beastmen! I'd prefer about 50% based off the goatly type, because of it's traditional 'evil' quality, and the rest, a proper chaos mix of beastly wierdness. At any rate, individual variety is what's important to me, the mixed guy in the above picture is ace.
ReplyDeleteI think that Mick should just get his sculptors to roll off a half dozen times on the mutations table in Slaves to Darkness and see what comes out. Plenty of beastly wierdness then!
DeleteSame as Kasper and Assleman... Goat is enought!!! A mix is better!!!
ReplyDeleteNice these will fit quite well with the Ral Partha Beastmen I just bought :)
ReplyDeleteThat range you were showing off look excellent! Well done on discovering them!
DeleteFor beastmen I like to think of what "fits" in the Old World, so goats, pigs, horses, sheep, cows etc should be the majority before we get to the "truely weird" ones.
ReplyDeleteI always loved the mutants that were mentioned quite heavily in the Enemy Within campaign. Much more human but with terrible defomities. Perhaps there should be a scale of mutations for beastmen and mutants depending on age?
DeleteFor me this is more exciting than all Games Workshop releases of the last ten years put together! Let's hope for full command too. That would make me happy >:-)
ReplyDeleteFull command? Now that is an idea. I will suggest it to Mick.
DeleteBeastmen are cool!! I loved drawing them too - remember this?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=685085514852910&set=a.571774852850644.90255427.169096993118434&type=3&theater
or this one...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=797118600316267&set=a.571774852850644.90255427.169096993118434&type=3&theater
Thanks, as always Tony, for sharing more of your iconic work. Though I have heard rumblings that you will soon become involved in the project! I am looking forwards to seeing your take on some old school chaos!
DeleteHodgepodge of different animals, I still remember that fish-headed beastman that I never found on sale anywhere!
ReplyDeleteWhat the Picean warrior? I think it was a limited release and sell for about £60 now. Ugly model though.
DeleteI would like to see some ape like beastman!
ReplyDeleteSounds nice and 'Robert E Howard'. Or like the 'ape-men' in Conan Doyle's Lost World. Good idea, I shall pass it on!
DeleteI definitely prefer a mix of different animals. Some of my all time favorites citadel miniatures are the Runequest Broo/Beastmen and the C38 beastmen. Snakes, Monkeys, Horses, Goats, Rhinos, Beavers, Flies, Mantis, Walrus, Hamster, Lions .... or why not a Swan: https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1/1904200_797118666982927_1543153383_n.jpg
ReplyDeleteA swan headed beastman? You could call it Edyth Swanhack for a dash of '80s punning, couldn't you?
DeleteLove it. Looking forward to seeing some truly freakish creations!
ReplyDeleteMixed up animals are definitely the order of the day. Not so keen on the bird legs though, they just look a bit too weird on there to me.
ReplyDeleteLike I said before, this is just a concept sketch for a sculptor to begin work. Things change in the hands of a talented sculptor and they may well be able to pull off the legs (not literally) and make them work.
DeleteWell, without going into the super weird stuffs, just the good old beastmen from the 1980 are like the best beastmen. Goat, aries and bulls, BULLS!!! the one with his eyepatch is clearly one of my favorite mini ever.
ReplyDeleteOther animals would be more than welcome: boar, pig, rooster, iguana, Buffalo, dogs, wolves, turkey(?) ...
Concerning mutations, i would suggest not overwhelming mutations ; like one or two mutations for one beastman would be cool. Do you guys know about Fenris broos? The one with reverse torso is just too weird for me ... and he s got hands for feet ... I had to convert him because no, just no ...
Agree with Chico - the Ral Partha beastman really rock the early 80s Citadel vibe without you having to remortgage. If I had one beastman on my wishlist, I recall the pics from the Bryan Ansell collection that contained some unreleased figures - they'd be a great reference point. Specifically there was one that looked like a badger playing a flute (I shit you not). It had a real weird-folk, Wicker Man animal parade feel. Now something like would get my hard earned cash.
ReplyDeleteHaha I've never heard of anyone converting a mini because it was too weird. That tickled me that did :-)
ReplyDeleteYeah i replace his legs by the legs of an ant warrior from d&d. So now he s got four insect like legs. It seems more appropriate ... for obscur reasons ... :D
ReplyDeleteThere is talk of some insect variation on some of the beastmen due to the links with the Malign background. So its a case of 'wait and see'.
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