Conan Kickstarter’s “Vanir Valkyrie” (aka Not-Red Sonja)

Conan Kickstarter. Vanir Valkyrie, Red Sonja

Today I have another model from the Conan Kickstarter. Well, the first one, not the current one that’s in the midst of a Pledge Manager clusterfuck. This model is of a character called “Valkyrie”, which implies the Arnie film version of Valeria, except, well the art seems to imply otherwise.

Because, you know, Valkyrie.

Kickstarter Text: A feisty warrior who is in NO WAY RELATED TO ANY CHARACTER YOU MAY KNOW is a character that can be used as both a Hero and an overlord minion!

However, Paolo Parente’s box artwork, seems to indicate someone else. Someone a bit more specific. I’d make a dumb joke about how I’m not sure who, but I already kinda gave it away with the heading. Not that you’d much help to guess who based on the art.

Conan Kickstarter. Vanir Valkyrie, Red Sonja

Like oh-so-many of my models, she was started a decent little while ago. Realistically, it would have been right after I finished the last roughly-human-sized Conan model, since I have a habit of starting a new model that relates to a thing right after finishing one. Which just means I end up with tons of half-painted models, hence my whole Neglected Model drive for the moment. I didn’t realise what was wrong with her leg until I was attempting to complete her a few days ago, when I figured out that she was missing a scabbard for a dagger on her thigh. So, basically, I got a dodgy model and didn’t notice until now. Not much I could do about that, so I went looking in my old bits boxes and found a 1/35 modern military sheathed combat knife and glued it on there, and then painted it up appropriately.

Conan Kickstarter. Vanir Valkyrie, Red Sonja

This model was pretty disappointing in terms of details – it’s basically only a half-steb above the original Bones models in terms of soft, chewing-gum detail. I mean, it’s fine as a boardgame piece, but it’s not what I’d consider a high quality miniature. Look at that awful fur and how soft the cloak is – not to mention her soft-looking NERF cosplay sword! Yeah, this wasn’t a model I wanted to spend extra time getting realistic looking fur. I just wanted to get her done and outta here. I also went with Contrast for the backs of her loincloths. Got them done, and good enough for this model.

Conan Kickstarter. Vanir Valkyrie, Red Sonja

Speaking of cosplay, I went against the box art for her front loincloth and combat bikini top, going with gold instead of fur. If you’re doing the chanmail bikini thing, you may as well go all the way, right? Anyway, she’s done and if I ever get around to playing Conan, she’ll see some tabletop time. Or if we ever need a fantasy chainmail bikini chick for anything else, I guess…

A Mystery Dwarf Slayer…

 

Dwarf Slayer

I’ve had this particular metal model for quite a few years. Picked up amongst a baggie of second-hand plastic dwarf models back in the day, it’s a slightly confounding model that I’ve never quite been able to place. On the surface it looks like any other Citadel Dwarf Slayer, right? Thge thing is, it’s base tab was blank. Doesn’t mean all that much by itself, though most of us from the metal age would know how that’s quite unusual to not even see a “GW1995” or whatever on the tab. Oh, and I haven’t been able to place him in any of the series of Slayer models that I’ve looked at.

Dwarf Slayer

From the back he looks reasonably normal as well. Pretty standard “flat” pose, typical of the 90’s and 2000’s metal production. Typical “roided-up, muscular baby” GW dwarf proportions.

Dwarf Slayer

The side view is where it’s much more interesting. Look at the details of the mohawk and also the earring. That’s not usual sculpted hair. It looks to me like the model was made for a much simpler 2-part mold as the whole thing has been designed to remove the undercuts that you get with a silicone mold. Maybe a hard mould? Is the model a prototype of some sort? A recast? Metal recast of a plastic model? (of this quality? Seems an …odd choice) Or from one of the many third parties that make not-models of various types for not-Warhammer?

If you know from whence this model came, dear reader, please do let me know in the comments. It’d be good to put a final lid on this model. He took this long to finish painting for a reason, and it’s because the odd (lack of) details on him were rather uninspiring, so thanks to “The Tray” for being the thing to finally motivate me to get him done and out of here!