The Men Behind The Miniatures

The men behind the Miniatures

Now some what confusingly I’m not going to be talking about the sculptors (these men and women are already so horribly talented people that don’t need me waxing lyrically about them), I am instead going to talk about the Special Characters of our favourite war games.

Every one has a soft spot for one or more of the special characters weather they be the Warcasters of the Privateer Press Iron Kingdoms, one of the multitude of Games Workshop heroes or villain or one of the hundreds of other games you play. What makes them special is not the table top rules nor the abilities or bonuses you get for  taking them, what I want to talk about is the personality of the characters and what makes them so loved or hated.

Working at the shop I’ve met and spoken with so many new people but one thing we all have in common is our love for the worlds the games are set in, the war torn dystopian universe of Warhammer 40k to the steam powered Iron Kingdoms they are all so steeped in detail and turmoil that its hard not be drawn in to it.

For now I want to talk about Warhammer 40k, it was the game that got me hooked and it also opened my eyes to the Black Library and their wonderful novels. It has also allowed me to make a lot of new friends, many of whom still play and the one thing we all have in common is the love of a particular character or faction.

I’m going to use some of the regular gamers as examples to prove my point with their Warhammer 40k collections as proof.

Take Mr Ant Evans (see his blog The Anarchy of Anton!) as an example, he is a sucker for a bad guy and as such plays Chaos but he doesn’t just play Chaos he lives, breaths and dreams the ruinous powers. But what makes them do appealing? His first foray into the forbidden was at the side of a Legion of Thousand Sons (much to my annoyance as I couldn’t beat them ever!) and after speaking to him about them its clear why he fell for the machinations of the weaver of fate.

It was Ahriman of the Thousand Sons that had snared him, a more trajic hero there has never been a warrior mystic torn between duty and conscience he broke faith with his Primarch Magnus the Red and cast a spell to save his Legion but little did he know the consequences of his actions until after the deed was done. A man hell bent of learning of a way to restore his Legion and right the wrongs done to him he wages war only when he must and only when it will benefit him.

This is the reason Ant fell in love with the Thousand Sons it was the back ground the story of tragic betrayal and the driving will of one man to put right his mistakes, the Thousand sons aren’t evil just misunderstood but what came next for Ant sealed the deal and turned his soul black for ever – but that is a story for another time.

Ant chose the Thousand Sons because he loves the underdog but also has a soft spot for the bad guys, but Spencer on the other hand is a genuine good guy in every way, there isn’t much he wouldn’t do if you needed help and that is reflected in his table top choices.

Almost the polar opposite of Ants Legion of automatons Spencer has a respectable force of Grey Knights the shinning exemplars of purity and protectors of humanity. These super human warrior enter each battle fully accepting the fact they will have to give their lives to ensure victory, they are the ultimate good guys, the heroes and the martyrs. Now I know its the hidden darkness of the Inquisition that holds Spencer in its grip but it was the fire like brightness of these pure individuals that drew him like a moth to the armies of the Holy Ordos of the Inquisition.

So we have Ant who plays the ultimate bad guys because of his love of the dark side, because no one gets to have more fun than the villain and because the story grabbed him and wouldn’t let go.

Spencer plays the ultimate good guys because long ago the story grabbed him and wouldn’t let go, because the good guys in the end always win over the bad guys and because something about being a 9ft tall psychic killing machine appeals to him (lets face it who wouldn’t find it appealing).

And then there are players like me, I like to walk the line not committing to being a bad guy but not entirely sure I’m a good guy either some of you might have guess which colours I fly and some of you will already know that I am a Dark Angel through and through.  I don’t know for sure which side I’m on (I’d like to think I know but no one can be sure) and I absolutely love the fact that I can go to war against Ants Legions of Chaos and sing the praises to the Emperor AND I can go to war against Spencer’s Grey Knight still singing from the same hymnal (all be it with a glitter of knowing in my eye).

So what drew you to your army? Was it the back ground or the miniatures? If it was the miniatures what do you think about your faction’s story?

Did you choose your faction or did it choose you?