WZR: Armoured Chasseurs

Prodos Games' Armoured Chassuers is the unit that got me into Warzone Resurrection. In my opinion, Prodos has done great job on the concept of these models - while their execution is unique and novel, they are still clearly inspired both from the original Warzone and from recent industrial science fiction such as Quake. Thanks to that, the result is both fresh and familiar - well done, Prodos!

I have already reviewed these models, but there are still few points I'd like to make regarding the assembly. While Prodos' resin is very easy to work with, due to its softness and lightness be prepared that some of the longer bits such as weapon barrels might curve, warp or even snap. Luckily enough, this is usually hardly noticable - in fact, the only larger warp I can see on these models didn't occur to me until I took and checked the pictures. Also, be prepared that the assembly of legs and torso parts requires some use of green stuff, liquid green stuff and/or filing, otherwise the Chasseur ends up in a rather embarassing pelvic thrusting pose.

I have went with a gray/black paintjob inspired by the artwork Prodos provides for the Chasseurs. In addition to that I've added some blue details, mostly stripes on the shoulderpads. I'm still not decided if these will be markings of the whole army (since I associate Cybertronic with the color blue), or just of the squad; perhaps I'll leave the blue stripes at each Cybertronic model, but use the other details (such as the circular thing located on the arm) to denote squad.

Each of the models has been drybrushed with metallic colors on edges to give the armour a chrome look. One of the most wonderful things about the Armoured Chasseurs are the highly detailed backs - the cybernetic spine is just beautiful.

On the other side, the fact that these guys are so heavily armoured yet wear almost no protection of the head is rather dumb. Subdermal implants are enough when it comes to protecting the brain, I guess. Still, the heads look extremely cool and really give the impression that these guys had their skulls removed and replaced with cybernetics. One head has a visor over the whole face, which I decided to use on the squad leader. I wasn't sure how to mark the leader (it's a shame the set doesn't include any special bits for that), so I have decided to paint a big Cybertronic "C" over its left shoulder. The other method I was thinking of was painting the whole shoulderpad a different color.

There isn't much room for customization in the set - only two optional bits are the plasma rifles. Luckily enough, the material is easy to work with, so for one of my models I've decided to do a small conversion and "straighten up" its arm, so that it holds its carbine as if it is a pistol. I guess one could go crazy with 40K bits on the models, though I didn't find space marine grenades and packs exactly fitting, so I've decided to keep these guys pure.

Regarding the bases, I went the same way as with my Commander Dr. Diana. All hail the mighty kitchen strainer!

I guess it's obvious I really enjoyed working on these models - the amount of details is really incredible, and the concept is such a fresh break from 40k. And now I can think about expanding the force - gotta say the updated Chasseurs and the new Exterminateur Attila Mk.I look particularly nice. Or perhaps I should start the Dark Legion? Well done, Prodos, you got a new addict here!

WZR: Commander Dr. Diana

Ok, quick update on Warzone Resurrection! Below is the lovely Commander Dr. Diana miniature (which I have reviewed before) painted. I've got to say that painting this lady turned out to be quite a difficult task; I hardly ever paint anything outside the 40k range, and the WZR models are both more detailed and realistic than 40k models, which made me rather unsure about the paintjob. in the end, I had to experiment. The result is not too good, but it have teached me a lot.

I have chosen to do my Cybertronic in a grey scheme with black and blue details, but since Diana is a doctor, I have used white instead to accompany the grey. I wanted to make the coat look like if it was made of latex or nylon, so wash was used only lightly. While the white part turned out pretty good, the gray is a letdown... If I could paint this again from scratch, I'd make the whole coat white now.

To enforce the latex feel of the coat, I have painted it with gloss varnish ('Ardcoat). Unfortunately, the result is not as glossy as I hoped for, and it makes the grey look rather bad. I was thinking about some "weathering" such as adding dried blood to the tools and/or coat, but in the end, I think it would have make the model look too busy and perhaps silly. This is not an Ork afterall.

The base was an experiment as well. Since the model was supplied with a rather large base, I wasn't exactly sure what to do with it - so I cannibalized a plastic kitchen strainer and used the mesh to create the base, along with some dirt and random bits... Voilá, the base looks rather good for a post-apocalyptic setting. At least something went right with this model!

Overall, the dirty look the model has was a bad choice, I should have gone with a cleaner style, perhaps with a different color scheme, too. The miniature looks just fine on the tabletop, but as a showcase, it doesn't work.

One final note regarding the model. The resin WZR uses is rather soft when it comes to small, long parts such as gun barrels. Ofcourse, the tiny gun barrel on this model have snipped off... Luckily enough, the pistol still looks alright.

WZR: Commander Dr. Diana Review

Edit (08/2014): Painted miniature can be seen in this blog post.

Alright, time for another Warzone Ressurection review! The first review was about a Cybetronic Troops selection, the Armoured Chasseurs; this time, let's look at a HQ choice - the stunning Commander Dr. Diana.

Important note: Miniature below comes from the Kickstarter reward and not from an official market release, therefore it is possible the final box set might be different. The model did not come in an official product package or with the gaming cards, so I cannot review these at the moment (though I will add information about the cards as soon as I receive them).

Let's look at the concept art / render first:

And now, at the actual sprue:

So, you get pretty much exactly what's on the concept picture - the only difference is the heads. The sprue includes two, one more cyberpunk-ish and the other more serious. Both look stylish and well detailed, though they are different from the concept art - which is possibly for the better, especially when it comes to the second head (the concept was very unappealing). Note the alternate head is the only optional bit, there is no choice of weapons or backpack arms.

Anyways, this is how the model looks assembled:

  

I think it's clear from the pictures that the model looks simply stunning regarding it's concept and level of detail - the menacing medical tools, the relentless yet feminine look of the face, the bit too tight laboratory coat, everything is finely detailed and helps to create an overall feel of a sexy pulp sci-fi movie female lead. It's true that the "artificial arms" thing has been done to death and the backpack must be damn heavy, but that just helps to build the campy B-grade movie atmosphere Warzone setting always had. Note the model can be assembled without the backpack as well.

Now let's get a slightly more technical look on the assembly and resin quality. The assembly wasn't hard at all if you don't mind superglue. The connection between arms and torso could be more exact in regard to shape, though it's hardly noticable from the outside (the upper ending of arms is slightly broader than the relevant torso parts). The arms can be assembled pretty much only in one way (without converting), the head can be turned as pleased though. Assembling the mechanical arms is more fun in regards to position, though be careful when cutting the bits of the sprue to not damage the joints.

Regarding the material, resin Prodos uses is very user-friendly. There are no bubbles and minimal warping, and any leftover flash is very easy to remove. The resin is rather soft which is good for conversions, but rather problematic when it comes to some parts of this model - especially the needles on the pistol and one of the mechanical arms. Not only do they bend, but they can actually snap off, which is exactly what happend to my needle pistol after making these pictures. Be careful when handling the assembled models!

On the picture above, you can see a size comparison of Commander Diana with a Games Workshop Chaos Cultist and a (slightly converted) Armoured Chasseur. Note that Prodos market their line is 28mm though the true scale makes it slightly larger; more on par with the Inifinity line than with Warhammer. Note the miniature uses a larger base than most other miniatures in the line - very useful for some scenic basing!

Conclusion:

+ easy-to-work-with resin material
+ great level of detail
+ true-scale proportions
+ huge base and two head options
+ fair price for a resin hero model

- material too soft sometimes
- more options would be nice

Verdict: Want a female variant of Dr. Octopus, or just looking for a hot, cyberpunk-ish scientist miniature? Commander Diana is a good choice for both! 4/5

WZR: Armoured Chasseurs Review

Edit: If you are interested in reviews of Warzone Resurrection products, don't forget to check out my review of Commander Dr. Diana, too!

I've received my package from the Warzone Resurrection kickstarter this week and so have decided to review the contents for anyone who is interested in this new growing wargame. I'll start with the Armoured Chasseurs of the Cybertronic faction.

Important note: Miniatures below come from the Kickstarter reward and not from an official market release, therefore it is possible some things might change in the final box set. It did not come in an official product package or with the gaming cards, so I cannot review these (though I will add information about the cards as soon as I receive them).

First, let's look at the concept art / render first...

...and now, let's see the actual content I have received:

In total, that is 5 torsos (all seem to be same), 5 legs (with different poses), 5 right arms with CAW2000 submachineguns (including underbarrel shotguns, how cool is that!), 2 right arms with PR5000 plasma rifles (each with a different pose), 5 left hands with electric gauntlets (of which 2 are closed fists), 5 identical pairs of shoulderpads, and finally 5 heads (each of them is different). All in all, the plasma rifles are the only optional bits.

Note: There is a missing place next to the plasma rifles, I'm not sure if that's on purpose or if something is actually missing on this sprue.

I have to say I was really impressed with the heads; these are beautifully sculpted and hold true to the concept art. The arms with SMGs were bit of a letdown though - all of them look identical or mostly identical, and to change the resulting pose will require some work with green stuff and files. I did not receive the arms on a sprue though, so this might simply be a logistics problem.

Regarding the resin Prodos uses, it seems to be of a very good kind indeed. There are no bubbles and the flash is very easy to remove. Warping is minimal as well. The material is rather soft, but naturally bends back and is therefore very easy to work with. The level of detail is very high, same as Games Workshop's or even above. The models can be easily put together with the use of square slots in the joints, though many of these slots are actually filled with resin and require cleanup (that is, if you really have to use the slots instead of just using superglue).

For testing reasons, I have put one model together with minimal use of files and no use of green stuff (and some excessive use of superglue), to see what you get right from the box...

...and I was pleasantly surprised with the result. The details are beautiful, the pose is not too static and the proportions are very realistic. I can't wait to paint this guy! Assembling the Chasseur together was not hard at all, the only annoying part are the shoulder pads, since they require quite an extensive cleanup on the inside.

Regarding the preliminary rules, it seems the Armoured Chasseurs are going to be the versatile backbone of a Cybertronic army, with their solid stats, good equipment and ability to "blink" (read: teleport) across the battlefield. The chasseurs can swap their SMG/shotguns for plasma rifles (two included in the set) and one can even equip a missile launcher, though that one is not included in the package (fun conversions ensured!).

Finally, for comparison, here is a picture of the Chasseur next to a Dark Vengeance Space Marine (both 28mm scale):

I guess the picture speaks for itself, especially when it comes to proportions.

Conclusion:

+ good, easy-to-work-with resin material
+ awesome level of detail
+ true-scale proportions
+ five multipose models for a good price

- only two optional bits
- torsos, pads and arms could use more variety
- pads are not easy to cleanup properly

Verdict: If you want cool power-armoured dudes in realistic proportions, you can't go wrong with the Amoured Chasseurs! 4/5