Old "butt" Champions Mini's

[Wolf]

I thought this would be kewl FYI for some of you.

The other day I stopped into a used book store in my area, and found this ancient Boxed set. It's a Champions Miniature set. It's got an Iron man clone and some other nice archetypes, and an adventure on a single sheet of paper.

Kewlest part is that it's still in sprews and unpainted... I can look on the box for more information, but if anyone knows anything about this please let me know some more about the niftyness of Hero memorabilia that I just found.

-Woof

[lemming]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Sounds like you found a set of the grenadier ones. I think Foxbat was in that set.

[teh bunneh]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Yup, sounds like the Grenadier line. IIRC, they had two boxed sets, one with heroes and one with villains. The villains box had Foxbat, Amadillo, and... can't remember who else. Sounds like you may have gotten the good guys set.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Here's a list someone compiled, ostensibly of all the official Champions miniatures put out by Grenadier: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/grenadier/champions.html

 

According to the History section from the website above, http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/grenadier/history.html , these were released in 1984.

 

Wolf, does your box look like this? http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/grenadier/images/4001-box.jpg If so, the guy in the bottom left corner is Crusader, who was written up in several editions of Champs. IIRC the girl is Mind Maid, a PC from the original test group played by Stacy Laurence/Turner and often mentioned in the credits. Unfortunately I forget the name of the armored character.

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

The villains set also included Sunburst and Lazer (I happen to have these two minis, only those two unfortunatly)

[Tech]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

I have both boxed sets but I can't seem to find them - they're around here somewhere... I hope. I painted them. They're good minis IMHO.

[Captain Liberty]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

The armored figure was never originally named. He was a random illustration Mark Williams did for one of the original Champions books. Later, Steve Peterson did a version of the character he called Aluminum Man. I used the miniature for a late 1930s character, painted garish early age of plastic appliances colors, calling him Plastics Man - the Hero of Plastics.

 

Others in the hero box include Flare, Icestar, Marksman, Gargoyle, Dove, the aforementioned Aluminum Man, the platinum blonde wearing pretty much nothing from one of the original Champions covers, Crusader, and maybe a couple of others.

[casualplayer]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Wasn't there an armored someone with an energy corona around his fist in this set? Kinda an Iron Fist Man?

[wrestlinggeek]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Why doesn't Hero Games get someone to do some new Champions Minis? I mean, one of the few games that requires miniatures to play is also one of the few systems that doesn't have official miniatures? What's up with that? So, how about it, Mr. Long?

[Captain Liberty]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Wasn't there an armored someone with an energy corona around his fist in this set? Kinda an Iron Fist Man?

 

That's the aforementioned "Aluminum Man."

[Captain Liberty]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Why doesn't Hero Games get someone to do some new Champions Minis? I mean' date=' one of the few games that [i']requires [/i]miniatures to play is also one of the few systems that doesn't have official miniatures? What's up with that? So, how about it, Mr. Long?

 

Someone needs to want to do miniatures. To have miniatures done on command, Hero would have to have its own miniatures company. Not in the budget, as I understand what's going on. I imagine various figure makers are assuming that there isn't enough market for Champions figs. Besides, you can always kitbash HeroClix...

[Narratio]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Kit bashing HeroClix and various SF lines has always been a staple. But it would be nice if Mr.Long and Co were to give a license to one of the figure makers... Heck, how about giving it to the HeroClix lads? That might revitalize thier flagging sales. They already do a line of "Independent" comic book characters after all.

 

Steve? Steve? Are you listening Steve?

[wrestlinggeek]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Kit bashing HeroClix and various SF lines has always been a staple. But it would be nice if Mr.Long and Co were to give a license to one of the figure makers... Heck, how about giving it to the HeroClix lads? That might revitalize thier flagging sales. They already do a line of "Independent" comic book characters after all.

 

Steve? Steve? Are you listening Steve?

 

 

That's an awesome idea. "ChampsClix" would so rock!

[Captain Liberty]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Why would HeroClix support another superhero game? Clix are competitors to Hero. A license with a comic book publisher makes sense for HeroClix. But Hero is another game company.

 

And miniatures manufacturers in general are in the business to have the publishers pay them for the privilege of having their creations immortalized in pewter or plastic. Steve and Darren would not be giving the license to a manufacturer. They would be paying a manufacturer to provide miniatures to support their game.

[JmOz]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Why would HeroClix support another superhero game? Clix are competitors to Hero. A license with a comic book publisher makes sense for HeroClix. But Hero is another game company.

 

And miniatures manufacturers in general are in the business to have the publishers pay them for the privilege of having their creations immortalized in pewter or plastic. Steve and Darren would not be giving the license to a manufacturer. They would be paying a manufacturer to provide miniatures to support their game.

 

Umm, no, they are not imo competators, Hero/Champions as a PnP game vs Heroclix which is a wargame, while it is true that they are games the type of games is very different and in my experience, and attract people for different reasons, in otherwords I have not seen anyone say why are you playing Hero when you could be playing Heroclix. I have seen that with GURPS, D20, and Palladium vs Hero, I have also seen it with Warhammer, Warhammer 40k and Warzone vs Heroclix.

[Wolf]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Here's a list someone compiled, ostensibly of all the official Champions miniatures put out by Grenadier: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/grenadier/champions.html

 

According to the History section from the website above, http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/grenadier/history.html , these were released in 1984.

 

Wolf, does your box look like this? http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/grenadier/images/4001-box.jpg If so, the guy in the bottom left corner is Crusader, who was written up in several editions of Champs. IIRC the girl is Mind Maid, a PC from the original test group played by Stacy Laurence/Turner and often mentioned in the credits. Unfortunately I forget the name of the armored character.

 

Yup that's the box alright. Thanks for all the information. I knew this would be the place to go.

[wrestlinggeek]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Has anyone tried using the figures from the Heroscape board game? They seem about the right size, and even have hexagonal bases. And now they have Marvel Heroscape.

[MeteorMan]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

If the box is Yellow then they are the Grenadier models I have 2 boxes one says Superheroes and the other says Super villains.

 

The Heroes have; Flare, Dove, Icestar, Marksman, Crusader, Mind Maid, Gargoyle, Starlet, Titian (the Iron man lookalike), Champion, and a do it yourself Hero, and Heroine.

 

The Super villain set has:Lady Blue, Mind Slayer, Utility, Jiant, Wreckage, Lazar, Wyvern, Ray, The Fox of Crime, King Cobra, Anklyosaur, and Sunburst.

 

All in 25 mm metal.

Date on the box lists it as 1984

[Captain Liberty]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

JimOZ Spake -Umm, no, they are not imo competators, Hero/Champions as a PnP game vs Heroclix which is a wargame, while it is true that they are games the type of games is very different and in my experience, and attract people for different reasons, in otherwords I have not seen anyone say why are you playing Hero when you could be playing Heroclix. I have seen that with GURPS, D20, and Palladium vs Hero, I have also seen it with Warhammer, Warhammer 40k and Warzone vs Heroclix.

 

I will concede that there are differences between Hero and HeroClix. I will also concede that players might play both. I will point out that a gamer might, at some point, have to make a choice whether he will follow the Clix or the Champs, if only financially. Both are games; both take up gaming time and money. Both fill the superhero gaming niche, though each in different ways. They are competitors.

 

Lord knows I hope I am wrong. I would love to have me some Champsclix. But I don't think it is likely to happen, especially considering the fact that Hero would have to put out money they might not get back.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Titian (the Iron man lookalike)

 

Wow, a powered-armor hero and a painter! According to the trailer for the Iron Man movie, that puts him ahead of Tony Stark.

[Redmenace]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

Has anyone tried using the figures from the Heroscape board game? They seem about the right size' date=' and even have hexagonal bases. And now they have [i']Marvel Heroscape. [/i]

 

 

I have the Marvel set and they are pretty well sculpted, better than most clix not as well as many metals. They scale well with Superfigs and Heroclix.

 

The modular hex terrain tiles are interesting for making a 3 dimensional battlefirld, not particularly useful for a normal city scene but great for a roughed up one. The hexes are a bit big by hero standard.

[Captain Liberty]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

I'm unfamiliar with Heroscape. What are the non-Marvel figures like? Are they superhero-oriented, or more fantasy? Or what?

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

I'm unfamiliar with Heroscape. What are the non-Marvel figures like? Are they superhero-oriented' date=' or more fantasy? Or what?[/quote']

 

It's a unique mix. I have the first Master set and a few expansions. There are dragons, orcs, WWII soldiers and others. In the expansion packs they have all sorts of stuff. Roman legionaires, minute men, werewolves, ninjas, samurai, western gunfighters etc.

[FireTiger]

Re: Old "butt" Champions Mini's

 

I've got both of the boxed figure sets in my collection, though I seem to have mixed some of them up with other boxes over time. A lot of those Grenadier boxed sets also came with a mini-adventure (usually just a map).

 

The Heroes set had the "1st City Bank," and the Villains set "McClave's Liquor Mart."

 

Until I can resort everything I can't give a full contents list, but here are the ones that are actually in the right boxes at the moment.

 

Heroes: Gargoyle, Ice Star, the iconic Hero System Fred (aka Champion, if memory serves), Crusader, Marksman, a male Hawkman-like character with wings, and another male character w/cape I can't ID. There is also a jet-pack w/exhaust burning, a briefcase, and backpack of some sort for customizing the more generic figures. Found the powered armor hero figure, Megan Pierce, Mind Maid, one I think might be Flare, and one genric female figure in a flying pose w/cape that can be added.

 

Villains: Sunburst, Ray, Lazer, Cobra, Ankylosaur, Wyvern, Utility, and The Fox of Crime. There is also a one-person rocket sled, and a pair of missiles in the set. Found Mind Slayer, Lady Blue, a caped gemale figure I think might be Howler, and a generic villainess.

 

Hopefully I'll be able to list the rest of them when I get all of my old boxed sets properly sorted again (there are Cthulhu critters in the Champions sets at the moment).

 

I'm not positive on my IDs for each figure, but most of them are pretty obvious...well, okay, obvious if one has enough old material to see how several costumers used to look.

 

Okay, I think I've got more than just the two big boxed sets, I'm still finding Champions figures scattered throughout my collection. I just turned up Grond, Gratz the Vampire, Kor Hunter, The Mighty Pinchus, Elt, T't'shlr. three policemen in roit gear, two criminals, a Cyclops-looking visored figure, hmmm...maybe he is supposed to look like Cyclops — I just found a Superman-type figure, another male I can't ID, The Crimson Claw, Ripper, three SAT agents, Foxbat, Dr. Destroyer, Moonsilver, a female normal, Arrowhead, Death Commando, and Frost.