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Smart Max Miniatures and Smog 1888


Caronte

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I have just recently discovered this new line of miniatures:

http://www.smartmaxstore.com/

http://www.smartmaxblog.com/

Sadly, the scale is bigger than that for Malifaux in order to use proxies. However, I am impressed with the quality of the minis and I think they deserve some attention from all of you who like collecting and painting minis. The scale is 1:35 (about 5-6 cm each mini) and they are casted in resin.

They are planning also a game to be released in 2010 (which I expect to alternate with Malifaux) called Smog 1888:

http://www.smog1888.com/

More info about the game here: http://www.smartmaxblog.com/2009/04/finally-answered-questions.html

Enjoy :cheers:

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I just got a Jeremiah Crow a little while ago. I have to say, I think resin is a poor choice for this type of figure for a game. I think Alkemy gets away with it because their figures are 28mm, and are substantial enough to withstand gaming with them. But the SMOG figures have lots of tiny, delicate parts, which I can see breaking every forty-five seconds while playing with them.

Fortunately, I am not much of a gamer. I want them to paint. And they are in my favorite scale. And look fantatstic. As a painter, tiny delicate parts are a bonus. I am really hoping that I can use Jeremiah for an Iron Painter round, if he fits a theme. (I do wish that Miss Ticklesnot, or whatever her name is, came with the weapon as an option instead of integral. I don't really care for it, but the rest of the figure is amazing, and there is a huge lack of female figures in this scale, and the few that do exist are usually military and not civillian.)

You could probably proxy them in Malifaux a bit. More than one SMOG figure would make an excellent Steamborg.

Edited by Bexley
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Well, that's not true. (Towards nilus, concerning The Cursed Scale.) Inquisitor died because GW abandoned it. I'm not saying it would have been as big as 40K, but supported, it would have made money. Especially since the painting scene has really exploded since then- the game could have been profitable just by supplying really nice 54mm 40K figures for painters.

Don't get me started on Mutant Chronicles. (Seriously, don't. An NDA prevents from discussing it. But man, people only know a fraction of the problems with that game.)

SMOG may never be successful as a game, but many small miniatures companies put out awesome figures without any game at all, and do fine. I think that might be SMOG's aim, here- the game is a nice feature, and if it's a good game, so much the better. But they don't really need to do a game at all, as the figures are very desirable on their own, and the painting-only market is out there to sustain it, game or no.

Edited by Bexley
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The scale is 1/35, which is the most common military AFV scale. So, while odd for a gaming scale, it is the exact opposite of that for modeling, as there are thousands of kits and accessories available in that scale. Which just lends more credence to the "mostly for modeling, but hey, there's a game, too!" theory.

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man that would be sweet.. kind of like the unleashed PP models...... only errr...good.....

I have just about every Smart Max piece and havce to say they hands down beat just about anyone out there for originality quality and design.. There are cuts and pieces in these kits that I just cannot figure out how they are even possible.. definite modellers models ...

@bex .. the alkemy pieces aren't resin they're plastic aren't they ????? .. admittedly a more brittle resin type plastic but plastic..

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I thought I'd read that they were resin.

I just pulled out the set I have- the gates on the molds are only on the bottoms, and are almost certainly not injection mold gates, which strongly indicates resin in a silicone mold. (And I know injection mold gates reasonably well- I got an A on the test in Mold and Die class. ;) )

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As a gamer first, its hard to see such beautiful figures and realize gaming-wise they'll fall under the 'off-scale' game brand for most gaming-first folks out there, possibly missing out on a market they could have appealed broadly to. I've already heard 'too bad they're not (28/30mm) scale, I'd have bought them all if so.

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WOW, ANOTHER TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE! Gaming in 54mm is where I came in; the BIG BOYS were about the only minis available way back then with the exception of SAEs. It's a case of "everything old is new again" I suppose.

The minis are GORGEOUS & the modelling possiblities are MIND BOGGLING, but you'd have to be a VERY dedicated gamer with a few kindred spirits to pull off an on-going interest, PLUS a LOT of room simply to store all the stuff between games...could be worth it though. :guns:

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Has anyone actually played their system?

I'm having a hard time navigating around their flash-heavy site but what I'm finding is rewarding.

Looks like the Alice figure (30mm) will do nicely for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

Also "Winston" the bulldog looks like he might work for 28mm...you never know 'til you see it, though.

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