Third party model options/conversions for Sisters

[Reichfaust]

Good morning all,

 

Like many here on the B&C I have embraced 6th edition's allies matrix with open arms; a fantastic way to add some variety to your hobby by adding small detachments of units for factions you normally wouldn't have the time nor money to invest in a full army for.

 

I am slowly but surely building an allied detachment for each and every Imperial faction to use with my main force; a custom Chapter using the Space Wolves codex. So far IG and Vanilla Marines are in various stages of completion, and I find myself looking to my next project, a Sisters of Battle allied detachment. However with no plastic Sisters yet available (and I'm not holding my breath for GW to change that any time soon), I am wondering what my options are for third-party models to counts-as or proxy as SoB.

 

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Baw2U0yCMAAozgX.jpg

 

You may have seen these preview pics from Dreamforge recently (pic above related), I feel that with a female head and some Imperial trimmings they could be very good stand-ins for Sisters, but would love to hear if anyone else has experience converting their own or finding replacement models that really fit the bill. Would love to hear what others in the B&C community have done when they didn't want to drop hundreds of dollars on metal.

 

 

Cheers everyone!

[Eddie Orlock]

Well, a this makes a regular appearance in these threads, so I'll just get this out of the way at the start.

[Frater Cornelius]

I dislike the raging heroines line. Just to meh and does not fit the 40k aesthetics I am used to. What you could try is to get some female GW models like Wyches/Succubus as HQ, slap some power armour on and make context sensitive adjustments. You'd have to cover those delicious abs, bit what do I know^^ This will be quite a bit of work though, since you need green stuff a a lot of imperial weapons.

[Denison512]

Meow meow minis did some nice parts but sadly they went under :( your best option is to search for female space marine parts as sisters are sadly far to niche for them to have many bits.

 

Whats also worth noting aout the raging heroes minis, as i own a few, is that they are true scale and have anatomically correct proportions. Which makes them look spindly next to heroic scale minis. Not only that but lets say some of the poses are little bit more "suggestive" than what a sister would be like. Not entirely sure wh but the kickstarter had some good poses in it which is why i backed yet some of the previews are showing with so odd "knocked knees" sort of models :S anyway thats a topic for another thread.

[Onisuzume]

Well, a this makes a regular appearance in these threads, so I'll just get this out of the way at the start.

To supplement that, the three factions already posted on that kickstarter are generally considered to be IG stand-ins.

Leaving their planned Sisters of Eternal Mercy as the Adepta Sororitas equivalent.

Although that project is still in the fridge for the time being.

[Eddie Orlock]

Meow meow minis did some nice parts but sadly they went under your best option is to search for female space marine parts as sisters are sadly far to niche for them to have many bits.

The kicker with 'bootleg' minis like these is that they either have some rather tangential name that if you don't get a tip-off from someone in the know you're unlikely to guess, or, being from small companies, they don't have the warchest to fight the inevitable C&D even if they did have a case and thus by the time you hear about most of them the window has closed. 'Guess the third version I've seen is fly-by-night foreign options in relivitly lawless parts of the world which I catagorise as 'yous pays your moneys, yous takes your chances'.

Depending on where you are, counterfeiting for your own, personal, use may be economic, but I wouldn't advocate that. It takes a fair amount of care to avoid the tell-tale double mould line. This technology may eventually be a viable option, YMMV.

'Course, if all you're looking for is heads with bob cuts on them, there is a wide variety of 'cheese-cake' manufacturers with an objectifying takes on the subject matter for you to choose from. Many of these lines, if you stumble across them, seem purpose fabricated.

Then, or course, there are the 'quasi-historicals' which are full of inexpensive lines, even if they're often in dubious, and occasionally not-safe-for-work taste.

In the end, I suspect this is a quest that you'll probably need to spend at least a fortnight of evenings in the privicy of your own home on, good luck.

[Denison512]

Tell me about it! took me forever to find some female bits for me to add a few chars to my Empire army! some of the things i've seen....

 

Statuesque miniatures do some female heads but they are true scale and look a bit silly on heroic models.

 

Basicks do some fem heads if thats what your after.

[Reichfaust]

Thanks for all the helpful advice guys.

 

I'm not 100% sure on what kind of aesthetic I want to go for with my Space Nuns just yet so I'm open to all ideas. I have seen the Raging Heroes stuff before, and I do really like some of it but two things stick out--one, it's very Imperial Guard-y and it looks like the 'Sisters of Eternal Mercy' won't be coming any time soon, and two, how the hell do you actually buy it? I go on the website and the kickstarter page and see a lot of renders of "heroes" and what not, but do they actually make rank-and-file soldiers for these factions, or just the character/hero models?

 

@Denison512: What models from the Raging Heroes line do you have? Any chance I could get a side-by-side pic with them next to some standard GW models for comparison's sake?

[jacqualine47]

Meow meow minis did some nice parts but sadly they went under your best option is to search for female space marine parts as sisters are sadly far to niche for them to have many bits.

The kicker with 'bootleg' minis like these is that they either have some rather tangential name that if you don't get a tip-off from someone in the know you're unlikely to guess, or, being from small companies, they don't have the warchest to fight the inevitable C&D even if they did have a case and thus by the time you hear about most of them the window has closed. 'Guess the third version I've seen is fly-by-night foreign options in relivitly lawless parts of the world which I catagorise as 'yous pays your moneys, yous takes your chances'.

Actually, I closed my store (I ran Meow Meow Minis) because I had four things in my life (work, family, gaming, and the store) but only enough time for three of them - so I chose to concentrate on my family, my job, and my personal happiness. The store was never intended to be as big as it got - it started out with me just helping out Space Corsair (the sculptor) in getting his sculpts to the fans of his blog.

I only had one communication with GW's lawyers. They asked me not to use the Space Marine name or sell specifically the two helmets Space Corsair had sculpted which were exact replicas of the actual SM helmets scaled down. I thought it was a reasonable request and agreed, selling the kits under the 'Galactic Chevaliers' name and removing the SM-style helmets.

Anyway, please don't PM me asking for casts - I sold the molds and the master plates to the sculptor for the cost of materials and sold all my remaining stock at a bulk rate when I closed the store.

Sorry for jumping in (I'm normally a lurker), but I just didn't want GW to get accused of C&Ding when they were actually quite reasonable. Also, for the record, the casts I sold were not bootleg. Stating that they were is libelous since that would indicate that I was illegally recasting someone else's product in the same vein as many Chinese and Russian recasters. The products I sold shared asthetic qualities with another company's range, but no more so than existing companies such as Anvil Industries and Scibor Miniatures. However, they were all original sculpts sent to me by a sculptor whom retained all rights and allowed me to cast and sell them under license with a 10% royalty fee paid per sale. That is about as far from bootleg as one can get. To call them bootleg is akin to referring to Pepsi Cola as 'bootleg Coca-Cola.'

[Warsmith Aznable]

Actually, I closed my store (I ran Meow Meow Minis) because ...(snip)...Sorry for jumping in (I'm normally a lurker),

 

Actually, it's good to hear from suppliers like this. I was wondering what had happened to the site, and if it was ever going to come back, as I'm sure other people were. And now we know. Totally understand your decision, even if I really did want a squad of them eventually.

[Eddie Orlock]

 

The kicker with 'bootleg' minis like these is that they either have some rather tangential name that if you don't get a tip-off from someone in the know you're unlikely to guess, or, being from small companies, they don't have the warchest to fight the inevitable C&D even if they did have a case and thus by the time you hear about most of them the window has closed. 'Guess the third version I've seen is fly-by-night foreign options in relivitly lawless parts of the world which I catagorise as 'yous pays your moneys, yous takes your chances'.

Sorry for jumping in (I'm normally a lurker),...

Well, welcome to the company of the outspoken. No need for apologies, we encourage participation. If you've lurked around here long enough, you may know that it's unlikely I'll leave this unanswered.

... but I just didn't want GW to get accused of C&Ding when they were actually quite reasonable.

Just because they're polite and reasonable doesn't mean they didn't C&D you, nor that they were right or wrong to do so. As you, yourself posted:

I only had one communication with GW's lawyers. They asked me not to use the Space Marine name or sell specifically the two helmets Space Corsair had sculpted which were exact replicas of the actual SM helmets scaled down.

They did ask you to desist from marketing a product and using a name. For at least a while during your enterprise you were arguably, and defacto confessed to being, offside.

Also, for the record, the casts I sold were not bootleg.  Stating that they were is libelous since that would indicate that I was illegally recasting someone else's product in the same vein as many Chinese and Russian recasters.

Dunno, it did attract the action of Goliaths lawyers?

The products I sold shared asthetic qualities with another company's range, but no more so than existing companies such as Anvil Industries and Scibor Miniatures.

I've no comment on Anvil at this time, but Scribor is based in Poland, a country with allegidly lax intelectual property enforcement.

However, they were all original sculpts sent to me by a sculptor whom retained all rights and allowed me to cast and sell them under license with a 10% royalty fee paid per sale.  That is about as far from bootleg as one can get.  To call them bootleg is akin to referring to Pepsi Cola as 'bootleg Coca-Cola.'

I'm not sure you're 'Pepsi' in this analogy. Warmahords is probably 'Pepsi'. You were probably closer to co-op gold.

 

In the end, we wound up with a case where the figures in question were marketed with an obscure name (who'd google 'Galactic Chevaliers' looking for female marines without a prior tip-off) by a small company (which got closed as things were taking off too much, a victim of its own success) which received communication from Gee-Dub legal demanding changes (in response to which it pulled products), and were talking about it after the company closed shop. (which is probably the first time many users have even heard of them).

 

Here I rest the case and look forward to your increased participation around here. It reads like you have an interesting and informed perspective.

[jacqualine47]

I am not nor have I ever been a bootlegger or recaster.  I have not been involved in any criminal activity.  Eddie, your last post served no purpose other than to imply otherwise and thereby maliciously defame my character in a personal attack.  Please refrain from continuing to do so.

[Eddie Orlock]

I am not nor have I ever been a bootlegger or recaster.  I have not been involved in any criminal activity. 

Never said you were a recaster, nor have I accused you of criminal behaviour. Unlawful perhaps. You, however, so accused me. My post was mearly establishing that my opinion above was congruent with your own related experiences if cast in a different light. The truth is a defence against a charge of libel.

 

I fear, since we seem to adore this word, that your third sentance has libeled me. Please refrain from continuing to do so. Establishing the relation between your acts and my generalisation is a seperate purpose than your allegation of character assasination.

[thade]

Please stay on topic. This thread is about 3rd party options for Sisters models, few as they may be. Not really the place to discuss international law or courts.

 

ADDENDUM: I hid the off-topic posts just to make it easier for us all to stay the course. <3

[Reichfaust]

Please stay on topic. This thread is about 3rd party options for Sisters models, few as they may be. Not really the place to discuss international law or courts.

 

Thanks thade. I'm not one for politics... I just want some plastic Sisters ._.

 

After scouring GW's website it looks like there's nothing that could be easily converted into Sisters of Battle, sadly... Dark Elf Witch Elves could almost be used as a stand-in for a Repentia squad (a little too agressively posed & underdressed for a regular SoB squad), but they all have these weird circlet/tiara things that don't look like they could be easily removed. Same deal with the High Elf Sisters of Avelorn, unfortunately.

 

The search continues.

[Warsmith Aznable]

How big do you want your allied detachment to be, and what do you want in it? If it's going to be small and specialised it might be better to just bite the bullet and get the original GW models. If your primary interest is having a complete set of allies rather than looking for super effective combos, then I'd wager it would be more satisfying to have the original models even if you had to limit yourself to purchasing one blister a month for the next few months.

[Reichfaust]

How big do you want your allied detachment to be, and what do you want in it? If it's going to be small and specialised it might be better to just bite the bullet and get the original GW models. If your primary interest is having a complete set of allies rather than looking for super effective combos, then I'd wager it would be more satisfying to have the original models even if you had to limit yourself to purchasing one blister a month for the next few months.

 

Sage advice, Max--I'm holding onto this as the "nuclear option" in-case I can't find anything else. At this stage I am just looking at having the mandatory 1 HQ and 1 Troops (10 Sisters), and maybe converting myself an Exorcist and/or a Repressor.

[Eddie Orlock]

I recall that the manditory troops now only number 5.

[Reichfaust]

I recall that the manditory troops now only number 5.

 

I do like my allied detachments to be worthwhile in-game as well--is 5 an optimum number for a Sister squad? And they can also go to 20 models a unit now, is that correct? Lord help me if I need to buy 20 pewter Sister models...

[Eddie Orlock]

Five with a leader fits in an immolator and min-maxes the special weapons.

[*Furyou Miko]

Sisters squad is 1 Superior and 4-19 Battle Sisters.

 

No matter what size the squad, you can take 2 special weapons, one of which may be swapped for a heavy weapon.

[manufactorumaccipiter]

Try looking here: https://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Chronoscope there are some females with guns, that are less of the "heroic pose". They recently started casting in plastic, so you do not have to deal with metal.

 

Couple of Ideas:

Troops: https://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Chronoscope/latest/80013

HQ/Elites: https://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Chronoscope/latest/50274

HQ/Elites: https://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Chronoscope/latest/80008

HQ/Elites: https://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Chronoscope/latest/50238#detail/50238_w_1

 

Anyway, there are a pile of "Girls with Guns" that you can sub in, Many are in some form or power armor. I use them all the time in my Cyberpunk games. 

[Fibonacci]

I'll pass.  80's big-hair bimbos in a halter top will never pass for power armor.  Just say no to sex doll sisters.

[AdmLancel]

Would need some green stuff to better Sister-fy them with power armor. Could make a useful base for such modifications though.

[tvih]

Getting a minimum-size SoB detachment is indeed very easy. A HQ - I love my Canoness, though I have Celestine as well - one blister of 3x bolter sisters, two special weapons of your choice... done! Though adding an Immolator kit certainly isn't a bad idea, and Exorcists are very good as well, for which a Whirlwind makes a nice substitute model.

 

Haven't really seen any worthwhile third-party options. They just don't have the SoB aesthetic, and I happen to love that aesthetic. The TGG models are absolutely awesome for the most part. I backed the Kickstarter at the "Lieutenant Box" level and am/was even tempted to add more... but they're just not Sisters. I'm basically getting them purely as display models.