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Post by sgtslag on Sept 3, 2021 21:13:26 GMT
Here is a link to their site which has a video on it, giving a 360-degree view, as well as dimensions: 3.6" long x 2.2" tall x 1.8" wide. Before you think this toy is too large, take a look at the size descriptions for this monster, from the 1e/2e rules: 1e Monster Manual: Size L2e Monster Manual: Size L (7-12 feet) I do not know what size is listed for it in later Editions, but for 1e/2e games, the creatures would be 7-12 feet tall, at the shoulder, which in 25mm = 5 feet scale, would make this particular model 11 feet tall, at the shoulder, well within the 7-12 foot range. Though I have not seen one, yet, the factory paint job looks tolerable -- if not, it can easily be painted to the owner's standard. I bought several old plastic, Marx White Wolves, some years ago. My purpose was to use them as Winter Wolves for my G2: Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl adventure. The Marx Wolves are OK, but they are really lacking details, being quite smooth. I did, however, add a stream of white frost breath to one of them. I used DM Scotty's technique, modified. I took a wedge of plastic sandwich bag material, cut to size; I applied Hot Glue to it, to give it texture -- this also rippled it, making it wavy, like it is coming out in more of a cone shape (nice effect!). I painted it white, and I Hot Glued it into the mouth of the figure. This same technique could be applied to the Safari Ltd. Winter Wolf figures, if desired. I guess I am smitten with the Safari Ltd. Winter Wolves. I may replace my Marx figures with some of these. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Sept 3, 2021 21:18:15 GMT
No matter what I do, I think I will repaint the Marx Wolves, to see if I can improve them just a bit (not a fan of the Glitter Glue that Scotty recommended). I initially wanted to avoid using a black wash on them, but looking at the Safari Ltd. Wolves, I am rethinking my color choices.
Looking at the photo, and the mini's, I realize now that the Marx Wolves are just barely 7 feet tall, at the heads! I think I just might talk myself into buying some new, Winter Wolves...
Hoping to run some games of G2, this Fall/Winter. Need to get my act together, and finish the few Frost Giants left to paint up. Haven't touched the Remorhaz, yet, either. I do have a YouTube painting video to follow on how I might color that, so I should be able to move that train along its tracks -- just paint it by the numbers! I've got around four Yeti's painted up, and I bought a couple of pre-painted D&D Snow Leopards; I also have some bluish Giant Snow Toad toys I found at the toy store. I can make up some White Puddings with my Hot Glue Gun. I need to run through the module to make sure I am not missing any monsters the PC's might encounter... Cheers!
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Post by margaret on Sept 4, 2021 16:27:17 GMT
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Post by sgtslag on Sept 29, 2021 20:04:44 GMT
So I ordered three of the Schleich Toy Winter Wolves set (6 adult wolves)... They are way too big! I ignored the obvious size measurements in the description: I should have held up a ruler next to my Frost Giant miniature (60mm Viking figure), and I would have immediately realized they were too big. (My Idiot Light is flashing again...) Schleich Wolf Photo
Thought I would share this info with all of you. The photo, above, shows a pre-painted D&D Human miniature, being breathed on by a Marx toy Wolf figure, which is actually the correct size for a 1e AD&D Winter Wolf monster, next to a 25mm-28mm Human figure. The 60mm Frost Giant is absolutely dwarfed by the Schleich Wolves! I will gift the Schleich Wolves to my 4-year-old grandson to play with. Now I am planning to visit my FLGS to see if they have any Reaper Bones Winter Wolf figures, and to see how large they are... Cheers! PS: The 2e AD&D Winter Wolves are supposed to be 12 feet tall, so the Schleich toys are actually the correct size, which I did calculate out, mathematically. Where I screwed up, is that my Frost Giants are sized for 1e AD&D rules, not 2E... I really wish they hadn't messed with monster sizes: in the 2e Monstrous Manual, Frost Giants went up from 15' tall (in 1/72 scale, this is 60mm tall), to 21' (in 1/72 scale, this is 85mm tall)! Thanks, T$R... NOT! I concentrate on getting 1e scaled monsters, as much as possible. The 2e size increases are ridiculous, IMO. The problem is that I was paying more attention to the 2e book size, than I was to the 1e book size listing for the Winter Wolves. [ GRRRrrr!]
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Post by sgtslag on Sept 29, 2021 20:42:33 GMT
I did some size calculations, years ago. I found that if a 6 foot tall Human at 1/72 scale, would be 25mm tall. Per the 1e AD&D Monster Manual, a Hill Giant would be 54mm tall, in 1/72 scale; a Frost Giant would be 60mm tall. I found 54mm Cave Men toy figures, at Wal-Mart; I found 60mm Viking toy figures on the Internet. I figured Gygax must have gamed using these same, or similar, figures...
That was my working theory for many years. In a D&D forum conversation, I learned from someone who gamed with Gygax, that, "No, he gamed with 40mm Humans, and larger monster toy figures." That blew up that whole theory, which fit into a nice, convenient package!
Back in the 1960's, and to this day, AirFix makes plastic toy soldier miniatures in 1/72 scale, for multiple periods. I figured Gygax, Arneson, and friends, all gamed with AirFix figures. I was so far off...
Gygax espoused using 1/72 scale (25mm = five feet) dungeon scale, along with 25mm figures, in the 1e AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide. It seemed to all fit into such a nice, neat package...
Truth be told, it still works rather well for me. It worked rather well for more than a decade for all gamers, as the 25mm "scale" miniatures were the go-to, for fantasy gaming. Then scale creep reared its ugly head, higher and higher.
I enjoy the 25mm figure 'scale' used in the 1e AD&D Monster Manual. It just works, without stretching the imagination to the breaking point, like 2e AD&D Monstrous Manual sizes do. The Hill Giant is the classic example: they were 10-1/2 feet tall, and they had a 19 Strength; Ogres were 9 feet tall, with 18/00 Strength; and Humans maxed out at 18/00 Strength, equal to an Ogre. In the 2e AD&D Monstrous Manual, the Hill Giant climbs to 16 feet tall, but they still only have a 19 Strength! That is where the sizes fall apart, for me; the Ogre is still just 9 feet tall, and it still has the 18/00 Strength. The size-to-Strength proportion just does not work for me.
When I see a WotC, 2e Giant figure on the table, next to a 28mm-30mm Human figure, it really breaks the suspension of disbelief, as they look utterly ridiculous, to me. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Oct 16, 2021 5:23:11 GMT
So I ended up buying some Reaper Bones Winter Wolf figures. I only eye-balled the smaller, white Bones Wolves in the store. I went online to order more (the FLGS only had two in stock), I discovered they offered a second pose. So, I ordered two of each model, thinking they would all be the same size/scale... Wrong answer. Thank you for playing. Next contestant, please!So here are some photo's of the Winter Wolf models I have in my collection: The whole collection, L-R -- Marx, Reaper Black Bones, 60mm Viking/Frost Giant, Schleich (see below), 28mm Human, Reaper white Bones. Reaper Bones, L-R -- Black Bones, 60mm Viking, White Bones. Another Bones view, L-R -- Black Bones, 60mm Viking, White Bones. Marx and Black Bones, L-R -- Marx #1, Black Bones, and Marx #2. I am sorely tempted to take some of my soft plastic Viking figures to modify them to a sitting position, using Green Stuff, and then set them atop the Schleich Wolves, to make Frost Giant Cavalry!... Tempting. Very tempting. To be honest, I like the Marx Wolves and the Black Bones Wolves for full-blown, 2e Winter Wolves (up to 12 feet at the shoulder), but the Reaper White Winter Wolves are really the best size for 1e Winter Wolves. I think that I will be set with the Marx wolves, the Black Bones, and the smaller, white Bones. Now to paint them up... Cheers!
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