Spectre Miniatures Goes Back Into The Archive

First up, we have some interesting news from Spectre Miniatures. As Spectre has moved into 3D-sculpted releases, I know a lot of people have lamented the death of the older hand-sculpted metal range. Well, good news! Thanks to 3D scanning, Spectre has digitised its launch-era African militia fighters (originally released on Kickstarter back in 2014) and will soon offer them as both STLs and resin models. They are currently up for sale as a bundle, clocking in at £55 for physical and £40 for STLs. This is a fantastic deal, especially if you’ve never had the original metals or want to add them to your STL collection for the archive (or to scale up to fit newer figures).

However, a few notes: this discounted bundle is only available until the end of October. There is also a 2-3 week lead time on the bundles, so there is a little delay once your order is in. Finally, I’m a little cautious as we haven’t seen any renders of the scanned figures or examples of the figures printed from said scans. Spectre has stated that the sculpted masters have been destroyed, meaning these scans will be of figures cast in metal from them (and potentially with paint on top). I have no idea how good the scanner is, but I would assume they have done all the post-processing needed to make a good finish. On a more positive note, the return of the African figures does mean we may see other ranges return, giving people a chance to own some of the classic Spectre minis.

Meanwhile, over on the Patreon, we have some files delivered. The civilians are not quite ready for , but the Cartel Soldado previously shown off have now been joined by a trio of new fighters (including a Minimi SAW, a Tavor and an M107 .50cal). This set is pretty great for displaying a force with a lot of high-quality gear but mixed levels of training, ideal for both the Cartel Solados and mixing in with your insurgents or other paramilitary forces. The vehicle tier also received the JLTV and the UAZ previously shown, with all three releases on the Spectre Patreon now. We’ve also got some news for some Patreon-exclusive figures coming next week – the Rangers are receiving some supporting models that are not going to be for general release, so stand by to see more details on those.

Black Site Studios Launches Clearance Sale

Earlier this week, Black Site Studios launched a clearance sale on a big chunk of their range, with many of their smaller games included at a large discount. As this blog is focused on Ultramoderns, you can see there are a few sets for Breacher included in the discount, ideal for if you were wanting to pick up some Ultramodern special characters for cheap. Everything in the sale is end of life, meaning once an item is sold out, they are not being restocked. At the same time, the Black Site Studios website has removed its miniatures category, now focusing on the terrain and the various games. According to the Discord, some of these items will return as STLs in the future, so it’s definitely worth checking the clearance sale just in case there is something you have been interested in.

BobMack3d Announces Small Scale Kickstarter with Heroics & Ros

BobMack3d has announced a brand new Kickstarter coming soon, and it’s a partnership with Heroics and Ros. Much like last year’s Tanks of The Ukraine War, this new Kickstarter will be focused on the smaller scales, ranging from 1/100th (15mm) all the way down to the Heroics and Ros 1/300th (6mm) scale. This time, the theme is Soviet Cold War armour, with at least 9 vehicles plus stretch goals. All the vehicles are designed to be printed at the small scales, with slightly exaggerated details to make them “pop” on the table while still being useful playing pieces. Unlike the last Kickstarter, this is a purely STL affair – there will be no physical pledges, but it’s safe to assume these vehicles will find their way into the Heroics and Ross collection. No launch date has been listed just yet, so we’re still in the early preview stage. If you’re interested in getting these vehicles for your own STL library, you can find the Kickstarter preview page, which is already up. There is also a very interesting post showing off the difference between the normal large-scale BobMack3d sculpts and the small-scale model, so you can see the process of preparing them for printing at such a small size.

Haywire Modern Shows Off Final Print Proof

Haywire Modern is getting even closer to a physical release, and the author has shown off an important part – the final physical proof. As you can see, that is a very nice-looking book, with a hardback cover and full colour. The sign of a physical book means it’s almost time for pre-orders to start; be prepared (a little later than initially announced), so you still have time to pre-order your own copy now from Modiphus.

Pegasus Miniatures Details Launch Range

With only two weeks until Pegasus Miniatures goes live with its website, we have more details on what will be released. The opening range will include the Core Rulebook, the first 8 figures (four Paramiliaries and four DET figures), and the counters (all previously shown off). We also have some more details on the rulebook itself for “Contact, Wait Out!”; this is coming as a 44-page wirebound book, with a quick reference sheet also included. The first rulebook provides all the rules needed to play the game, but there will be a dedicated theatre book covering 14 Intelligence Company and their operations in Northern Ireland. This first supplement will be out before Christmas, bringing background, special rules, and scenarios for the theatre, as well as painting guides for the figures.

Under Fire Miniatures Releases Cold War French Infantry

Something I’ve missed for the last few weeks is that Under Fire Miniatures has been fighting its way into getting a set of metal 28mm Cold War French ready for release (there have been a lot of issues getting them to cast properly), but they have now been sold. There are 8 packs currently available, giving you a full platoon’s worth of troops – in fact, you can even grab a full platoon at a slight discount too. As well as the FAMAS that most infantry are armed with, there are also marksmen with the FR-F2 rifles, AA-52 LMGs and LRAC F1 launchers – the whole host of weapons you’d expect from a platoon, and just what you’d need for a 28mm level engagement.

Additionally, but it’s hard now to share because they are cool, we have a set of Cold War East German Counter-Terror troops. Diensteinheit IX was the equivalent of GSG9, a police unit with a set of special gear – in this case, combining heavy helmets with face shields and MP5s bought from the West Germans (as well as more traditional AKMs and PM63 SMG). It’s a cracking little set, definitely worth picking up if you want something weird.

Urban Scatter Gaming Previews Police Precinct

A new month means a new preview from Urban Scatter Gaming. And October is going to be a doozy. With the local area filled with shops, warehouses, and housing, it’s time to give law enforcement a home with the upcoming precinct. This compound is designed to fit within a 400x400mm space and includes all the areas you’d expect from a neighbourhood PD station (see below). I particularly like the decorative entrance with the glass door and embossed logo.

As you can see from the detail shots above, there are plenty of locations for scene setting/fighting through – from the holding cells and connected sally port to the lockers and gun cage, all the way up to the office floor and roof access; there is a lot to play here. I’m assuming that the set will include the interior detail pieces for all the designer tier patrons, so this would be ideal for a small-scale board. Expect to see it in inboxes at the end of the month, but there may be a few tweaks as USG is very active on the Patreon Discord.

Black Hill Games Releases Jiaolong Commandos

Black Hill Games has released the latest set for his September patrons. The Chinese 7th Marine Brigade is the PLA Navy Marine Corps’ special operations brigade, intended to perfect a whole host of naval-related Special Forces stuff. This release includes seven figures, armed with the latest generation of Chinese equipment such as the QBZ-191 family of rifles (including the designated marksman rifle) and a gunner with the QJB-201 LMG. Multiple head options add variety, and all these figures are available now on Gumroad and MyMiniFactory. There is also going to be a bonus for subscribers, adding a pair of operators with the QCQ-171 SMG to give you a few more close quarters firepower.

Speaking of close quarters, there is also talk of an upcoming set being the Hong Kong Police’s Special Duties Unit, another set of special forces operators not seen elsewhere,

Combat Octopus Releases Part 2 of British Army in Afghanistan

After a frantic month of finishing a MyMiniFactory campaign, plus lots of time hunting details for the final release, part 2 of the British Forces in 2007 set from Combat Octopus is now available. This adds four more poses, each modular with multiple weapon arms, plus a new set of heads (including an eagerly awaited pair with just the Bowman headset).

The four poses include two riflemen (supporting all four rifle options), a gunner whose arms fit both the L110S, the GPMG and the L85 with UGL, and a Section leader using his platoon-level radio. With both packs combined, you have four unique poses (although sadly you’ll have to double up on torsos if you want to include the pair of UGLs). Otherwise, this is a great set, covering a unique era not represented in any other existing releases.

Moving on to the next three months, we are starting to see thoughts on the upcoming Verlorene, heavily inspired by German Special Forces on long-range patrol, with backpacks and smocks. More previews coming soon, especially as the sculptor machine has been upgraded to hopefully make things easier!

Modern Miniatures Releases October Files

Finally, Modern Miniatures released this month’s figures, terrain and more bang on time (and I’d expect nothing less). We’ve covered the items during the initial preview earlier in September, but this is just a quick reminder.

If you are a terrain tier patron, you’ll receive a trio of vehicles for the tabletop: a pair of SUVs (including one with a gun turret) and a luxury coupe for them to escort. The figure tier gives you a set of bank robbers straight out of the North End, complete with nun masks and heavily armed. If you go for the all-tier, along with the other items listed for the lower tiers, you’ll also get a PMC gunner to stand in the SUV’s turret, with one pre-mounted to a minigun and another suitable for the selection of heavy weapons Modern Miniatures sells.

Over on the MyMiniFactoryTribe, this month is a double bill – a large rubbish truck and a small motocross bike, both ideal for heisting in a certain West Coast city.

All the various tiers are available now, so jump in if any of them takes your fancy.