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Miniatures in Shadowrun

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mrjbrownfield

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« on: <01-16-11/2313:42> »
Does anyone else use miniatures in their Shadowrun games?  I've been playing a lot of D&D 4.0 since it came out and have found that using minis can make combat run much more smoothly for new gamers or wargamers giving RPG's a shot.  If you do, what minis do you use?  I usually resort to Star Wars minis (mostly because I have a ton of them).  The old Ral Partha Shadowrun models are hard to come by.  Also, what maps do you use?  The old 1st edition DMZ maps are too small.  I have used both Star Wars and Heroclix maps with great results.  Any opinions or ideas are appreciated. 

Later

Acme

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« Reply #1 on: <01-17-11/0236:15> »
If you're looking for the old RP stuff, Ironwind Metals got a lot of RP's molds and are still making them.

FastJack

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Dead Monky

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« Reply #3 on: <01-17-11/1538:10> »
I second the Lego vote.  You can't go wrong with Legos.

John Schmidt

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« Reply #4 on: <01-19-11/0030:35> »
I use miniatures, Ral Partha (a.k.a. Iron Wind Metals) but there are a great many others that can fill in the gaps. Antenocitis Workshop (out of the UK) has some good minis, especially if you are looking for futuristic vehicles and their scenery bits are just AWESOME! Another greath source is Wargames Foundry, you do have to search their site a bit to find them though. You go to their site click on Fantasy Miniatures, then on Collections, and then Futuristic...Street Violence is great. Not cheap but the miniatures have plenty of character and excellent detail.

If you are like me though, finding vehicle models is always the toughest part. First we have three scales floating about...25mm is 1/64, 28mm is 1/58 and 30mm is 1/54. Before you rush out to buy up 1/64th scale vehicles I should warn you...that scale looks really bad with our miniatures. This comes about as a function of those miniature bases which jack up the height of the minis an average of 5mm. The end result is that 1/43 scale vehicles IMO look =much= better. There are a few inexpensive ones but most of the mainstream ones are fairly pricey and they don't have that futuristic look to them. The best that I have found to date have been the ones from Antenocitis Workshop. Would love to hear if anybody else has found other sources though.
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Fizzygoo

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« Reply #5 on: <01-19-11/0132:11> »
Vehicles have always been "the worst" as far as trying to find "to scale" to fit with the standard miniatures. I have a collection of the old Ral Partha Shadowrun stuff that I keep using, but other than a few bikes, there's nothing good (that I have) for vehicles. Right now I'm poised to buy hotwheels and just "switch scales" if it goes to vehicle combat. I'll have to check out the 1/43 scale stuff from Antenocitis Workshop.
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Chaemera

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« Reply #6 on: <01-19-11/0552:15> »
For vehicles, I take a very "practical over pretty" approach. I'll estimate the size and shape of the vehicle, then cut one out of foam board or posterboard. Then I label it, possibly add a little color for ease of identification at the table. End result? Something that's roughly the right size and shape, with a label and colors to aid in identification, that looks ugly but can actually carry passengers and very well priced.

If I've got the time and patience, I'll consider busting out my giant box of LEGOS and build something with them, then it usually looks a little nicer.

If I find I need a vehicle I hadn't planned for, index cards and old dice boxes make rough stand-ins.
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Caine Hazen

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« Reply #7 on: <01-19-11/0940:40> »
Vehicle size; 1/43 is perfect, but 1/48th is a good match as well.  Lots of avalible models in that scale as well.  Also 1/43-48th scale translates to train scale as well; look for O scale models, you can occasionally find some nice industrial peices for scenery, and things like box trucks and semis.
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FastJack

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« Reply #8 on: <01-19-11/0947:23> »
Hell, for vehicle combat I just use Hot Wheels/Matchbox cars. Nothing brings out the adolescence in my players like a good die-cast car. Lots of "vrooms" and "squealing tires" abound.

John Schmidt

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« Reply #9 on: <01-19-11/1222:18> »
Caine is right, 1/48 works very well and you can find some that are even reasonably priced. A great deal of what you are going to readily find are going to be military models (especially aircraft). O scale architectural models will also work very nicely...being frugal (some would say cheap) I scratchbuild the vast majority of the needed buildings/sets. Actually pretty excited over the stuff that I got from Antenocitis Workshop. am planning on building some pieces in the not so distant future.  ;D

It is interesting that more than 20 years after its (SR) release that we still don't have a good selection of vehicles. I will give props to Ral Partha/Iron Wind Metals for the motorcycle minis though.
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Caine Hazen

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« Reply #10 on: <01-19-11/1356:54> »
I gotta give props to Antenocitis Workshop, I haven't visited in a year and this thread made me drop in to see how things were.... damnit, I'm gonna be spending LOTS of money soon.
If you try and take a cat apart to see how it works, the first thing you have on your hands is a non-working cat~DNA
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John Schmidt

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« Reply #11 on: <01-19-11/1606:29> »
For the record I do not receive kickbacks for directing traffic there (these are not the droids that you are looking for).  :D

If anybody has other sites to visit please give a shout out.

Here is one just for inspiration!

http://combatzonechronicles.net/table.htm
It's not the one with your name on it; it's the one addressed "to whom it may concern" you've got to think about.

Bull

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« Reply #12 on: <01-19-11/1933:43> »
Also, this time of year, hit Big Lots, Walgreens, and K-Marts.  Christmas decorations are getting clearanced out on the cheap, and those little ceramic Christmas Village buildings, town sets, and trees and such make good mini's fodder.  Probably not as much for Urban Decay like Shadowrun, but...  Still, some stuff for modern towns or even some things useful for D&D.

Bull

Kot

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« Reply #13 on: <01-19-11/2045:13> »
The stuff from Infinity off course. :)
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John Schmidt

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« Reply #14 on: <01-20-11/0726:34> »
Good idea there Bull.

Pretty impressed with those minis Kot going to have to order some! Thanks.
It's not the one with your name on it; it's the one addressed "to whom it may concern" you've got to think about.