From Paper to Plastic: Star Wars miniatures and the EU

I started this when Champions of the Force came out, on the Wizards boards. The problem there is that the average age is 14, the average IQ lamentably lower and English isn't so much spoken as chewed and spat out.

Essentially, what I do is review the way Star Wars minis are translated from the character to the Mini.

It's a chance to comment on how a character is represented in combat form. And given most of you know the EU, you're probably a better audience than WOTC were.

Two links you might need; WOTC for rules, and SW Shoebox for collected stats.

We can look to see if the mini we have in front of us reflects the character's abilities, in whole (say, Wedge Antillies) or in part (all the Maces, or Vaders) - but with reference to source material.

I guess a good place to start would be New Republic, since they're the faction with the most EU to support them and it might make the inital review a little more rewarding than critquing Han or Obi-wan.

Let's start with this fella:

[image=http://wizards.com/starwars/images/CotF/Corran_Horn.jpg]

Corran Horn, New Republic

Cost: 39
Hit Points: 120
Defense: 20
Attack: +13
Damage: 20

Special Abilities:
Double Attack: On its turn, this character can make 1 extra attack instead of moving.
Melee Attack: This character can attack only adjacent enemies.
Melee Reach 2: Enemies up to 2 squares away are considered adjacent for purposes of Melee Attack
Unique

Force Powers:
Force: 3
Absorb Energy: (Force 2), When hit by a non-melee attack, this character takes no damage with a save of 11. Remove damage from this character equal to the prevented damage.
Jedi Mind Trick: (Force 1), usable only on this character's turn, range 2, target non-droid enemy is considered activated this round and cannot make attacks of opportunity this turn, save 11

(I've broken the review into a few categories):

APPEARANCE:

Yep, that's Corran all right - taken from the NEGTC, if I'm not mistaken. He has a goatee, we know that from the NJO Dark Tide books. He wears green. The only inconsistency is saber colour.

Corran has a dual phase saber, which I'll get to later, but it's normal blade is silver. Now, I never, ever liked this, so I'm happy enough with the new colour, but it does constitute a mark-down.

Appearance: 8/10

STATS:
Stats wise, I think Corran is fairly close to what he should be. His hitpoints are solid enough that he can take a beating, but not great. His defence is high - he's short, so he must get a size bonus - and his attack is neat. Less neat if you use Melee Reach 2 through a friendly character and their cover makes it, in effect, +9). 20 DMG is standard.

Corran the character is cocky, tough and capable without being uber. He has a habit, when written by Stackie, of ramming appendiges (fists, thumbs) into his breastbone, which perhaps brought his HP down from 130 . But I guess the characteristic which defines Corran most is his reliability. You can rely on him to get the job done, which I think his ATK/DMG/DEF/HP package accurately reflects. He's solid enough he can take a goodly number of models on 1:1, but not swarms nor dark side gods.

Stats accuracy: 9/10

POWERS:

I don't think anyone could disagree with Corran's powers here. He's known for a weakness in telekinesis which is manifested in an affinity for mind tricks and absorbtion - one moment some of you may recall involved Corran freeing Jacen from the Vong's "Embrace of Pain" by hurting himself and projecting the pain overload into Jacen's mind, which relaxed the machine enough to set him free.

So, we have Mind Trick, which is semi-useful and can be cute - attacking, mind tricking and running away with no AOP for example - costing one force point.

But Absorbtion? Me likey! 2 Force Points not only cancels damage, bur heals you that amount. If you pulled that off on a Corran who's on 25% health from, say, an ATST attack (which does 40 dam

 

Don't forget the Rebelscum Miniatures galleries. They've got pictures of minis from multiple angles, plus the stat cards and other stuff that's not always on the WotC site.

Besides just the figures themselves, I figure this thread can also be eventually expanded to cover miniatures adventures as well, such as those on the WotC site and in the Ultimate Missions game books. Though they're not always detailed, they sometimes include some interesting scenarios and backstory.

 

Definately, RF, definately.

There's a whole world of Katarn scenarios out there, which in itself should sustain discussion...

Out of respect to Mr Ostrander, I may review Quinlan Vos next - and I'll let him know that he can find the review here.

E_S

 

I might paste my WOTC review of Thrawn in as well, Jello.

E_S

 

Teh Thrawn:

[image=http://www.wizards.com/swminis/images/universe/38.jpg]

Grand Admiral Thrawn
Cost: 37
Hit Points: 80
Defense: 18
Attack: +12
Damage: 10

Special Abilities:
Master Tactician: Roll for initiative as normal, except you automatically choose who goes first unless you roll a 1.
Unique
Ysalamiri: Characters within 6 squares cannot spend force points. This character and characters within 6 squares cannot be targeted by Force powers.

Commander Effect:
Non-Unique followers within 6 squares get +3 attack and + 3 defense.
At the end of this character's turn, 2 allies within 6 squares of this character may switch position. The 2 allies that can be switched with his commander ability must have the same base size.

APPEARANCE:

I love the Grand Admiral, I really do. As far as I'm concerned, Tim Zahn can't even be touched by SW authors, and he and Mike Stackpole should be given a near monopoly on the writing.

I'm a little let down by the GA's figure, I have to admit. Very true to the art stylings of the Heir to the Empire comic, it's nevertheless not quite right. Firstly, the dude needs a belt. But secondly, I seem to recall that Thrawn was originally described as having a faint blue hue to his skin, glowing red eyes, and blue back hair. Does that skin look anything but blue to you?

And the ysalamiri. One reason Talon Karrde offers to help Thrawn is that they need to be kept in certain conditions, being cessile. Imperial engineers overcome this by transporting them on a portable nutrient frame to survive.

For the record, the pristine white of an Imperial Grand Admiral's uniform =/= a nutrient frame. It's sorta draped there, which won't do it any favours.

Whilst it's still very much Thrawn - the military posture, the white uniform, the small, salamander like thingy on his shoulder - it really doesn't do the character justice.

Appearance: 6.5/10

STATS:

Very hard to say. I don't know why he has the equal highest, unadjusted "to hit" value for ranged attackers, but for some reason I can totally, utterly see it being apt. The rest of his stats are fairly unimpressive, and reflect broad military training without a particular desire to be deadly in immediate combat. Which is OK, Thrawn is a genius, not a dedicated combatant. He respects, it seems, the need to keep fit and trained, but without going to Tierce-like lenghts...

Hmmm...

Stats: 8/10

POWERS:

This is where Thrawn shines. It wasn't that Thrawn thought up some insipid megaweapon, as he just tailored his strategy to exploit the weaknesses of other cultures he could see. It makes him unique, and I still rate the siege of Ukio in The Last Command as a favourite EU battle for the fact it was simple, and utterly devastating.

Thrawn was like a chessmaster, seemingly non-plussed at the loss of a strong piece like, say, a Knight - like at Sluis Van. He moved everything into place, and then let go, and it was damned hard to deny the momentum of his thoughts. By being cocky, Thrawn overextended himself and forgot to defend the most important flank of all - the immediate one.

Master Tactician is really what people hate about Thrawn, but it is so Thrawn. It alone gets perfect marks from me. Controlling iniative is without a doubt of paramount strategic importance, and if you have a vision for your game, he makes it happen.

Just so you know, initiative happens at the start of every round, i.e when both teams have all moved. Each side rolls a dice, and the highest value can decide who goes first.

Unless the Thrawn player rolls a 1, the Thrawn player always choses. This is sooooo important in the game, and it's so Thrawn too. Thrawn dictates the momentum, and rarely is he caught off guard.

The Ysalamiri force bubble, I think, should affect Force Renewel etc, but ultimately, ysalamiri repel the force and that's precisely what this does.

His commander effects are fantastic; boosting DEF and ATK reflects his charisma - like, for example, in the wake of the "tractor beam" incident at Berche

 

Not Jacen. Some student on Bimmiel. You'll be forgiven for the mistake, though, as Jacen was also freed from a different Embrace of Pain in the same book.

 

[image=http://www.wizards.com/swminis/images/clonestrike/24_QuinlanVos.jpg]

Quinlan Vos

Republic
Cost: 26
Hit Points: 100
Defense: 18
Attack: +13
Damage: 20

Special Abilities:
Double Attack On its turn, this character can make 1 extra attack instead of moving.
Impulsive Savagery If a Unique allied character is defeated, for the remainder of the skirmish this character has Savage (This character must end its move next to an enemy if it can and does not benefit from commander effects).
Melee Attack This character can attack only adjacent enemies.
Unique


Force Powers:
Force: 3
Lightsaber Sweep Force 1, replaces attacks: This character can attack every adjacent enemy once.


APPEARANCE:

What's wierd about Quin's appearance is that in my mini, and the ones my friends have, his saber hand is angled down, not up...

This is Quinlan wearing not his Jedi robes, but his armour which IIRC, he wore during the clone wars and when he went over to the Dark Side. Given how bland and generic the brown Jedi robes can look, it's a nice change.

His dreadlocks are well detailed, and he's well painted - a rarity in Clone Strike. Aside from his skin being a bit darker than I remember it, this is a great looking mini in a set with some subpar minis.

9/10

STATS:

Quin's stats aren't terribly exciting, but until Champions of the Force came out he was a great Republic piece because of his cost. Quin is a beatstick, in gaming parlance - a fighter. He's got enough hitpoints to survive a few attacks, a solid to-hit rating, and a decent defence.

Given what Quinlan has been through, including surviving Order 66, he deserves higher stats. More hitpoints, a 19 in defence, and +15 to hit would do him fine.

The problem, I guess, is mainly that John made him a very layered character and this only represents his ability to fight others. I can, I suppose, excuse WOTC to a point because of the limits of the game, but I'm not sure Quinlan is really done justice here. He's not bad, but he's not Quin either.

7/10

POWERS:

Double attack means if Quin doesn't move, he can attack twice. I really like this, because it's great for Jedi who don't shoot. You have to move them into combat, and they open up.

This is pretty common on PT Jedi, I think to represent the flash 'saber moves.

Implusive Savagery I think is nice, and works well. Commander effects, like Thrawn's, represent leaders making troops better. When someone unique dies, Quin goes postal on the opposition and as such, "defies orders" or is in bloodlust, however you want to put it.

I think this sums Quin up really well, at least part of him.

Lightsaber sweep can be great, because it's basically a giant swing at anyone next to you. It's also very heroic, and I think it suits him.

7/10

Overall, Quin is let down by a few factors. Firstly, he came earlier on when the game was new. Secondly, he's a complex character over simplified, and thirdly, the Jedi Weapon Master made him obsolete in the game. He looks great, which is nice consider alot of Clone Strike didn't, but he's basically just underwhelming.

Pity...

6/10

What else should Quinlan be able to do? What do you think a new Quinlan should be able to do, if he's done again - what does he do in the comics that isn't covered here?

E_S

 

Well spotted, and thanks.

E_S

 

The interesting thing about Qiin, though, is that he isn't a battletank. His master was Tholme, remember? Quin is sneaky, he's good at hiding and spying and investigating. In most battles, he gets tossed around until he finally finds his center and overcomes by hooking up with the Force. It's one of the things I love about him. He's not yet another uber-warrior or sage master. He's a Jedi detective and spy, basically.

Since I don't think his stats reflected that well, I'm going to have to say that that's a pretty weak miniature that doesn't capture Quin at all.

 

Is Thrawn holding a kangaroo head? 2ndQuest's Aroo!

I like this thread. Keep it coming. I'd like to know which of the notable names are considered what class of Jedi (consular, etc).

 

Well, I should say, I use beatstick because to me, tank means something entirely different (thank you WoW).

Quin probably should have had stealth; he wouldn't have been the first Jedi to have it.

But yeah, my Quin knowledge is scant - I read Twilight when it first started, and then picke dup random TPBs and issues of the Jedi: series, but not the Republic stuff en masse.

Lucky for you, I spared you from Aayla's... aborted mini...

So you reckon Quin needs stealth, Havac? Tell me, was Quin also a good commander of others? I have an issue of Republic in which he appeared to be leading people, so that's why I ask...

E_S

 

Nope. He hated his clone commander and his clone commander hated him. Quin was more of a loner.

What Quin stories do you have, by the way?

 

Um, Twilight, Rite of Passage, Jedi: Dooku, Emissaries to Malastare, and a few single issues from Siege at Salucemi.

Ex; The guardian/consular distinction will go with next year's RPG, but both Quinlan and Corran are Jedi Guardians under the current rules.

E_S

 

I'd have thought Vos's coverting would make him a sentinel. Jacen, a consular.

 

Sentinel was made up for the KOTOR games and isn't a starting class, Ex.

Jacen's a guardian with levels of... something.

Consulars include Clighal, Yoda etc

E_S

 

And Mical the Disciple, apparently.

 

Neat thread, i wish i knew more about the minis.

 

Yeah, Quin, Tholme and Aayla know how to more or less make themselves invisible to the basic senses using the force, so there should be some sort of stealth there...

 

Yeah, in the Clone Wars issues that you're missing, he's basically set up as the Jedi Order's primary spy in the CIS ranks. That's more what he's all about.

 

Ah, ok. That explains, well, alot.

OK, I'm willing to pretend to be democratic (as a dastardly, bastardly fascist mod) and take a quick opinion poll on my next review:

1) Kyle Katarn
2) Calo Nord
3) Wedge Antilles
4) Talon Karrde

E_S

 

Kyle Katarn, definitely! That bendy lightsaber of his amuses me greatly.

 

Mine is straight, at least... wouldn't want Kyle to be bendy.

Any other takers?

E_S

 

Just do them in that order.

 

[image=http://www.wizards.com/swminis/images/universe/52.jpg]

Kyle Katarn
New Republic, 31 pts
Hit Points: 120
Defense: 18
Attack: +12
Damage: 10

Special Abilities:
Accurate Shot: This character can attack an enemy with cover even if it's not the nearest enemy.
Lightsaber +10: Damage against adjacent enemies.
Stealth: If this character has cover, it does not count as the nearest enemy for an attacker farther than 6 squares when choosing targets.
Unique


Force Powers:
Force: 2

OK, I admit it, I'm a huge Kyle-from-the-good-days (DF and DF2) fan. So a little biased...

This piece has been described by Rob Watkins, WOTC's lead designer, as a disappointment and one he's like to rectify. He is right, in a sense, because Kyle costs too much. For 6 points more you get Aurra Sing, who is just far more devastating a piece.

This is Kyle from Level 3 of Jedi Outcast, when he has the saber and a rudimentary knowledge of the Force.

APPEARANCE:

Perfect, save for one minor flaw. From the beard to the slight larger lightsaber handle, to the green (!!!) blade and the Bryar pistol holstered on Kyle's left hip with the butt facing out, it's Kyle Katarn and there's no doubt about it. The minor flaw is that Kyle only had 1 shoulderpad, this model has two. Still, not enough to significantly matter. I this model.

9.5/10

STATS:

Solid, but not great. What makes Kyle versatile is that he's got a good To Hit value, he can shoot which only 2 other lightsaber wielders can (Aurra Sing and Bespin Luke), and he's got enough Hit Points to last. His defence is better from range, with cover (cover in SWM adds +4 to defence), which is apt.

Damage 10 is a letdown, since both Luke of Dagobah (ESB Luke) and Aurra Sing shoot for 20. Kyle can melee for 20, but from range 10 is very little. It will of course kill Stormies and things like Gamorreans (2 shots though), Tuskens or Gran.

Which, as you would know from the first half-dozen levels of Jedi Knight, is perfect in terms of what Kyle int he game does versus what the mini can do.

You would expect more, though, for the cost.

7/10

POWERS:

Accurate Shot is nice. Normally, shooters must target the nearest legal target, which means the closest mini usually. Accurate shot means he can pick through the scrubby soldiers to the officers or heroes at the back. Don't underestimate the usefulness of punking shots into the guy who makes Stormtroopers shoot better or more often.

This represent's Kyle ability to shoot at whomever he damn well pleases. Who says no to Kyle anyway?

Stealth is awesome. If your opponent lacks accurate shot, they can't shoot back at Kyle so he's skulking around like a manly bearded ninja, our of the major firefight. Really perfect for Kyle, since it allows him to engage a dozen stormtroopers without getting shot in return, unless they're close. It also allows you to shoot and not get shot back, which you do in the game. Plus, Kyle is a ninja.



Lightsaber means if Kyle goes up to melee something, like a Dark Jedi/ATST etc, he does more damage. Cute, since you wanna get close to him to hurt him.

What lets Kyle down is the lack of force powers, a higher base damage, or at least double attack. 2 Force Points in this case just get used to reroll failed attacks for saves.

Again, you expect more for the cost.

6/10

OVERALL:

I have used Kyle Katarn alot in SW minis, because as a fan I enjoy the character. He looks fantastic, one of the best EU minis to date.

He is let down by not having more for his 31 points, but in terms of the translation of Kyle - he is perfect.

This model is brilliant and taking down stormtroopers, random grunts (Gamorreans, Tuskens, Gran) and will have to work at taking a generic darksider down. This is Kyle circa the beginning of Jedi Knight, and that's what you do. YOu kill lots of generic foes.

What would make Kyle better is Grenades and double attack, which would represent the "z" alternate attack from Jedi Knight. Still, a great looking mini that a