Pushing for New 15mm Ventauran Poses from Eureka

A 300 Club Campaign

By Zachary Brahams

Current 15mm Ventaurans from Eureka Miniatures

Hi Guys,

As some of you may have noticed I am trying to get a few more Ventaurans made by Eureka Miniatures via their 300 Club, see the link http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=329977 I have received some interest and so far I have six backers and one hundred and seventy pre ordered miniatures secured. This has taken about two months and as I have mentioned on TMP at the rate we are going we will never get to have the extra Ventauran’s produced before we all reach retirement, so I’ve contacted Nic from Eureka Miniatures and to help things along he has agreed that if I can find ten backers and get four hundred pre ordered miniatures secured he would agree to have them made. 

Now comes the favour that I need to ask you guy’s, would it be possible to post up a short news paragraph informing the 15mm community that do not visit the TMP what I am trying to achieve? Obviously the more 15mm gamers that hear about this opportunity the better it will be so were better to inform the masses but on the Dropship Horizon blog. We now need four more backers and two hundred and thirtyish pre ordered mini’s to make this happen, I hope you can and won’t mind helping me out in this matter.

Many thanks,

Zac

The Ventaurans have Landed

Struck down with a headcold, I was at home on Tuesday when the postman dropped off a little packet from Eureka Miniatures. Upon opening it, I discovered my pre-ordered Ventaurans, freshly emerged from Eureka's 300Club.



The figures are as good in the flesh as they appear in these photos Nic released earlier, with the distinctive Ventauran helmet and the tight fitting light bodyarmour and light backpacks.

Weapons-wise, the Ventaurans are armed with light automatic weapons, and have a heavier SAW, plus missile launcher and Autocannon as support weapons. While the weapons are mid-tech, and quite nicely LBB Traveller, the missile launcher and the autocannon are just a little too retro for my liking. I think I can tech up the missile launcher but the autocannon, to me, poses a bit of a quandry. It seems too heavy to be made easily mobile on its ground mount, which seems a little at odds with the general light infantry vibe of the rest of the range.

But having said that, I really like the Ventaurans and I'm glad they're available. I expect them to appear on the Eureka website soon and have included the figure codes on the above pictures for those keen to get in and order some.

Edit:

Ventauran technical - Ventauran autocannon on Ground Zero Games Utility Grav sled (V15-29A). That's blu-tac around the gunner's hands, BTW.


Another view of the technical.


Left to Right: Khurasan Felid, GZG New Israeli, Rebel Miniatures Earth Force Marine, 15mm.co.uk HOF Retained Knight, Eureka Ventauran, GZG UNSC-L rifleman.


Left to Right: GZG New Israeli, Rebel Miniatures Earth Force Marine, Eureka Ventauran, GZG USMC-L Rifleman, Khurasan Felid

Eureka Ventaurans Sighted!

This in from Nic of Eureka Miniatures:

"We are pleased to be able to announce that the masters have now reached completion. Please find attached some preview images for your consideration."







Nic is back from Historicon in mid July when he should have release dates for these figures.

- David

In The Pipe...... 300 Club 15mm Ventaurans

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Eureka have contacted me to say that sufficient interest has been received in the 300 Club Ventaurans for them to now judge if it's worth going ahead with the order.

Mike Broadbent will sculpt the helmeted figures shown below:

Over the past twenty plus years up to just three years ago, I would have eaten their hands off. Two years ago, there was still merit.  I put my name down in March 2009. Now, February 2011, yes 2011, why would I want standy abouty figures when there's ranges like GZG's New Israelis and Khurasan's Federal Army available  in a wide range of active combat poses with a full package of command and support weapons?

Whilst I still love the design of the helmets and armour, I'm sorry but I really cannot support what I see as a backwards step and have declined.

Cheers

Mark

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300 Club Ventaurans

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Nic over at Eureka has informed me that we need THREE more people to sign up to the 300 Club Ventaurans for them to go into production.

These will be 15mm versions of Chub Pearson's classic 25mm Ventaurans. 

25mm Denizen Miniatures 25mm Ventaurans

These have potential to make great proxy 15mm Zhodani! So Eureka, 300 Cllub, Go!

Cheers

Mark

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300 Club Ventaurans

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Are you a closet fan of the Zhodani? Well it's time for me to don my clamshell helmet and come out of the transporter to declare "I AM a Zhodani!.... and so's my wife!"

It's nothing to do with their culture, spirituality or even military prowess. I, shallow being that I am, just like the uniform!

Oooh! Suits You Sir!

I contacted Nic at Eureka about the Ventaurans listed on Eureka's '300 Club'. These would be 15mm counterparts of those produced by Denizen Miniatures in 25mm.

Denizen 25mm Ventaurans

For those of you who don't know, the '300 Club' is essentially a wish-list for bespoke miniatures. Once a minimum of 10 customers place orders totalling 600 figures, the miniatures will be sculpted and put into production. Nic kindly replied to my query:

"Although the Venturans are over 400 they are still only two thirds of the way top the 600 figures we need pre-ordered before we can look at producing them. We have permission from Chub Pearson to make his figures in 15mm form, but with the current number of figures and pre-orderers, we would only be looking at four to six figures. We need more people on board before we can look at a complete range. My reading of the original request is that the 25mm poses should be reproduced in 15mm. This could be discussed amongst the members of the Club when we reach the 600 figure and ten customers that we require to go ahead." Best wishes, Nic

Thanks for the reply Nic!

I was glad to hear that the gamers committing to the 300 Club had a say on the sculpts. These days I'd certainly want more 'aggressive' poses (cough! Who said tell them to look at GZG New Israelis!).

Would these 15mm Ventaurans or other potentials for Zh'ol Commandos pique your interest?

Cheers
Mark
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