Mini of the Year 2023

[TrawlingCleaner]

Article is here

 

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It’s been another dynamite year for Warhammer miniatures, with two returning Primarchs amidst intense competition for the top spot in this year’s Miniature of the Year awards. In just a few moments, you’ll be able to choose which model you think deserves the crown, from humble teams of Adeptus Arbites enforcers to world-rending Chaos champions.

Some stunning new heroes have joined the battle in the 41st Millennium and the Mortal Realms, giving Lion El’Jonson and Angron a real run for their money. In Warhammer 40,000, Vashtorr the Arkifane’s machinations bore fruit and tore a baleful hole through the materium, while the Twin-Tailed Crusade saw legendary figures like Tahlia Vedra and Trugg the Troggoth King rise to prominence in Warhammer Age of Sigmar.

 

 

The Survey link is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QZKRWMX

 

[TheMawr]

Thats a (for me) suprisingly difficult choice.. I wont go into detail about all the AoS stuff thats competing for my top pick.. the problem is all of them also have a "but"

I would never have foreseen that this year I would likely vote for the very same thing the majority on B&C will vote for...

 

the Desolator marines obviously :p

[Orange Knight]

Easy for me: Lion El Johnson

 

I would have picked the new Lord Solar if not for him.

[skylerboodie]

Nothing particularly stands out for me; Lion is nice I suppose but pretty much what would be expected, and I think Angron is the weakest Daemon Primarch to date (imho). I went with Thricefold Discord, as something more original than the rest of the range.

[TrawlingCleaner]

I don't usually like to be so negative but damn that's a boring slate for 40k and HH. Chaos and 'Nids both ate extremely well and had a really sick selection of releases, everything else was extremely meh for me.

AoS and Specialist games once again, take the most consistently exciting and innovative ranges rather than endlessly release the same stuff.

 

Vashtorr probably eeks out my vote this year, it's close between him, Morbheg Knights, Beastflayers, KT Beastmen and Angron

[CL_Mission]

This will be a really tough choice, the Lion and a bunch of the Tyranid models are certainly in the running for me. Some really nice Hersey releases too but as they are ports of older designs to plastic I'm not really sure I'd count them (just a me thing). The Harbinger of Decay for AoS is also a beautiful model, it looks like it jumped right out of classic fantasy artwork.

Seeing Angron in February was a surprise, for a moment I thought he and the World Eater release was last year. 

[sitnam]

It’s a shame Ushoran is coming out next month, he would of been my easy pick

 

Overall I think AoS had a stronger year of new releases. Seraphon, Cities of Sigmar, and Orruks all got some great stuff. The Tyranids refresh is great, but honestly besides the new Termies the new SM stuff was just fine.

 

I think Angron is going to win it, which is a bit disappointing

[Urauloth]

Wow that's a tough choice. It's been an outstanding year for miniatures.

I think it has to be the Morbheg knights for me, but I wish I had the kit in hand before voting on it - the new FEC stuff is being done a disservice by being put up against models that are on general release. I wish they'd separate kits and characters, too: Angron, Tahlia and The Lion are obvious comparisons, the hormagaunt kit is a different kettle of fish.

[Noserenda]

I was picking between Angron, Lion, the Cerastus Knights and The AOS Nurgle Herald chap. 

Eliminated the Cerastus for being pure technical marvels (Not nothing but not a winner) and then Angron just clawed it over the Rim with his Wow factor, even if the other two were arguably more perfect.

What can i say, im a simple man at heart :D :P 

Bit of a bland year overall though, the Cities revamp was godawful, 40k in general is increasingly irrelevant and the Heresy line has been 90% workmanlike reimagining.

Did consider voting for the Epic marine infantry kit as a joke entry of course ;) 

And agree they should definitely do a series of leagues for this, even the best, most exceptional infantry unit is going to lose out to characters and monsters.

[Marshal Rohr]

Desolators all the way

[Aramis K]

So much fantastic stuff from AoS this year, from the 4 ranges refreshes for Seraphon, Ghouls, Cities, and Orrucks, and the fantastic Dawnbringers minis.

I'll probably go with Ionis Cryptborn (mods, let's call it chaplin on bike proxy).

 

I think the Lion will win, and it is a fantastic mini. My 40k highlights also include Lictors and Arbites. But it feels to me like a weak year for 40k sculpts.

[Azaiel]

I went for a AoS release (Freeguild Cavalier-Marshal) for the 1st time since I started voting in 2018.

[Redcomet]

A packed year. We all know a 40k mini will win and probably either the Lion or the Terminator set.

 

I voted for Talia Vedra. 
 

To me there is no contest, all the best minis of the year are AoS. They are just firing on more cylinders creatively.

1 minute ago, Azaiel said:

I went for a AoS release (Freeguild Cavalier-Marshal) for the 1st time since I started voting in 2018.

It is also a near perfect mini. 

[01RTB01]

Erm... where's Fulgrim?... 

 

Just because he'd autowin.

[Cactus]

I'm not familiar with many of the models and I didn't buy any of them, but I voted anyway. It was tempting to submit a trollling vote for the LI marine sprue or something but in the end it had to be the upscaled terminator kit.

 

I look forward to voting for a square based fantasy model next year.

[Flaherty]

My guess at the final three:

 

3. Terminators, either the squad or the captain

2. Angron

1. Lion

 

I wish they'd blow this out a bit more and have categories – best centerpiece, best unit, best character, etc. Some of the best sculpts are units, but they're never going to get the spotlight in comparison to the big character sculpts.

[Redcomet]

12 minutes ago, 01RTB01 said:

Erm... where's Fulgrim?... 

 

Just because he'd autowin.

Resin model

[Scribe]

Tough one this year!

[de Selby]

40k had a couple of really good models (Lion, Vashtor) but I didn't buy either of them and I always want to vote for something I bought. I'm glad they are at least parting out the big box sets like Leviathan for voting purposes, but I couldn't pick out anything in particular from that. All the heresy models I bought are plastic resculpts of existing designs, coukdn't pick one.

 

Ended up voting for Belthanos, who I am painting right now. I think AoS had a great year, although I expect a 40k model to win again.

[Armchair Warlord]

'Vote for your favourite mini'............... As long as it's plastic!

 

Alas - Hands down winner for me is the Ironhead Squat prospectors Skalvian Explorator.  It's the most imaginative, original, refreshing yet subtly 'universe fitting'  thing I've seen since the Zoat. And I don't even play Necromunda. For me it was the only truly irresistible buy. As 'The Mawr' put it earlier - pretty much everything else came with a 'but'.

 

As much as I love the new plastics for HH, for the sheer speed and convenience of being plastic - I don't really count any of them as 'New'. I'm happy to be corrected on that If I've forgotten anthing that was truly new.

[Halandaar]

Harbinger of Decay for me. I hesitate to use the term "masterpiece" with regard to a Warhammer mini but damn if it isn't close. Not only mini of the year but one of the best models GW has ever produced imo.

 

Honourable mention for the Freeguild Cavalier Marshall which is a mirror of that in many ways, and almost as good.

 

If Ushoran was coming out this year he'd be up there too. AoS really led the way this year. 

[tinpact]

Tough choice between Farsight, the Harbinger of Decay, Lord on Juggernaut, and the Ironjawz Big Pig for my favorites this year.

 

Harbinger takes the cake for me - that profile view is ridiculously strong.

[Dark Shepherd]

Is the flesheater judge nominated?

[Fire Golem]

8 minutes ago, Dark Shepherd said:

Is the flesheater judge nominated?

It isn’t out yet, it’ll be in next years list. 

[Armchair Warlord]

56 minutes ago, TheMawr said:

Thats a (for me) suprisingly difficult choice.. I wont go into detail about all the AoS stuff thats competing for my top pick.. the problem is all of them also have a "but"

I would never have foreseen that this year I would likely vote for the very same thing the majority on B&C will vote for...

 

the Desolator marines obviously :p

Hey, at least the desolators lived up to the dictionary definition of desolation : ' uninhabited and giving an impression of bleak emptiness'....... Unfortunately of fitting 40k style.