Thunderbolt Mountain Miniatures Closing.....

Tom Meier is, for me, the most accomplished miniatures sculptor of this generation. I have been in awe of him ever since the first Ral Partha figures were imported by Wargames Publications (Scotland) Ltd back in the 70s. I could not understand how so much detail could be added to a figure.......nowadays it's commonplace for sculptors to stretch the boundaries of their art but back then....well, it was just a 'wow' factor. Citadel / Games Workshop started importing and then producing Ral Partha miniatures and the rest is history. He formed Thunderbolt in 1988 after leaving Ral Partha (there is a history there in itself waiting to be written)....

https://www.thunderboltmountain.com/ (site no longer avaiable)

We have until the 25th december 2017.............

Edit (thanks for the push Jacob!).....Tom's early days were spent at Ral Partha (that history deserves a post of it's own) who are now re-releasing most of his old sculpts, remastered and including some new works......well worth a look through the site......some of the old Empire of the Petal Throne sculpts are in the 'coming soon' sections....

https://ralparthalegacy.com/

If you go to the blog section there are loads of articles includes the old (and new) 'Fantasysmith's Notebook' that I read in my youth and was a great source of both inspiration and frustration due to not getting many of the miniatures over this side of the pond....

In fact, just looking at the site now makes me remember how much Tom has contributed to the hobby....he's awesome! Here he is via Iron Wind Metals You Tube channel (also worth checking out)....

Tom works mainly in the toy industry nowadays although is rarely able to publicise his work as he has to sign non disclosure agreements.....it is far more lucrative than the hobby and games industry and, as such, the time involved in keeping Thunderbolt Mountain up and running has to be put elsewhere..... Jim Ludwig of Darksword Miniatures spoke to Tom a few weeks back and he confirmed this was the reasoning behind the decision. If you check out Darksword's selection of Tom's sculpts you may become as hooked as I am on them.......especially the Game of Thrones minis of course....not based on the TV series but taken from the books and all authorised by George R.R. Martin...

Darksword Game of Thrones

Samwell Tarly

3 of Tom's historical Byzantines....I've just ordered them after finding them on the Thunderbolt Mountain site.....

French Officer from the French Indian Wars....

The Green Knight

Ballerina Fairy Infantry (for his daughter)

Painted here c/o Garden Ninja Studios.....never seen his site before and am gobsmacked!

Go visit http://www.gardenninja.com/2013/07/23/noraland-fairy-princess-ballerina-infantry/

Also on Facebook here.

Ballerina cavalry....

Slug Eat Your Face (for his son)

High Elf Archers...

Best to go and visit the site and pick up these classic sculpts before they become history. It just cost me $120 and I thought I had most!

Tom sculpted a bunch of other bits and pieces whilst he was in the UK in the 80s including some whimsical earrings and badges.......at last count I think I have found 40 different types....

These badges (a small selection, most of which I've never seen catalogued) were only available for a short while.....

 Thunderbolt also released a large amount of small vignette pieces that can be found on eBay occasionally. A good source of pics for all the releases is, of course, the Lost Minis WIKI here but, more specifically the vignettes, here.

Some more Thunderbolt Mountain posts here and various Tom Meier posts here.

Incredible version of one release by Dirk Stiller...check out his site here.

Tom also sculpted a bunch of WW2 soldiers in 40mm 'scale' for Fox Industries....a project that has yet to see the light of day unfortunately (Edit, a little bird just informed me that the miniatures are back on track......no more for now).....details from an old 'The Miniatures Page' post here...last blog post was in 2012 from Fox Miniatures.

I finished sculpting the 1/48 WW2 line for Jim Fox about four or five years ago. He hasn't put it in production and I don't know why.

Here is the list of figures.

A-1 Walking, ready M-1 Garand, sprue A 

A-2 Standing, port arms M-1 Garand, sprue A 

A-3 Walking, port arms, M-I Garand, sprue A 

A-4 Standing, firing, M-1 Garand, sprue A

A-5 Running M-1 sprue A

A-6 Running M-1 sprue J

A-7 Walking, ready, BAR sprue A

A-8 Running, port arms, M-1 Garand, Colt 1911 pistol, sprue A

A-9 Walking, ready, Thompson SMG, Colt 1911 pistol, sprue A 

A-10 Running, ready, M-1 carbine folding stock, Colt 1911 pistol, sprue G

A-11 Running, Radio, M-1 carbine

A-12 Walking shouldered.30 cal Machine gun sprue M

A-13 Walking shouldered, M-1 carbine MG tripod, sprue I 

A-14 Walking MG ammo sprue N

A-15 Walking, shouldered, Bazooka, M-1 Garand, sprue H

A-16 Walking Bazooka Ammo sprue L

A-17 – A-20 Not assigned

A-21 Kneeling, firing, M-1 Garand, sprue A

A-22 Kneeling, port arms, M-1 Garand, sprue A 

A-23 Kneeling, firing, M-1 Garand, sprue A

A-24 Kneeling, port arms,M-1 Garand sprue A

A-25 Prone, firing, M-1 Garand, sprue A

A-26 Prone, loading, M-1 Garand, sprue A

A-27 Prone, firing, BAR, sprue A

A-28 Prone, firing, M-1 Garand, Colt 1911 pistol, sprue A

A-29 Kneeling, ready, Thompson SMG, Colt 1911 pistol, sprue A 

A-30 Kneeling, port arms, M-1 carbine folding stock, Colt 1911 pistol, sprue C 

A-31 Kneeling radio sprue K

A-32 Prone, firing, .30 cal Machine gun, sprue F

A-33 Prone, loading sprue O

A-34 – Not assigned

A-35 Kneeling, firing, Bazooka, sprue E

A-36 Kneeling, loading, Bazooka ammo sprue D

A-50 American Army sergant Thompson SMG

Germans are 'D' rather than 'G' because it's easier to scribe and read on the base.

D-1 Standing, firing, G 43 semi-auto, sprue A

D-2 Running, port arms, G 98 bolt action rifle, sprue H

D-3 Running, port arms, StG 44 assault rifle, sprue I

D-4 Running, port arms, StG 44 assault rifle, sprue G

D-5 Standing, port arms, StG 44 assault rifle, sprue E

D-6 Walking, port arms, G-98, sprue N

D-7 Running, port arms, StG 44 assault rifle, sprue D

D-8 Running, port arms, StG 44 assault rifle, sprue J

D-9 Running, loading, MP44 machine pistol, sprue M

D-10 Walking, ready, MP44 machine pistol, sprue B

D-11 Walking, port arms, G 98 bolt action rifle with scope, sprue F

D-12 Walking, carrying MG sprue W + W1

D-13 Walking, carrying ammo sprue R + R1

D-14 – Running, port arms, StG 44 assault rifle, sprue A

D-15 Walking, carrying Panzershrek, sprue T

D-16 Walking, carrying Panzershrek ammo, sprue U

D-17 – D-20 Not assigned

D-21 Kneeling, firing, G 43 semi-auto, sprue A

D-22 Kneeling, firing, G 98 bolt action rifle, sprue A

D-23 Kneeling, port arms, StG 44 assault rifle, sprue C

D-24 Kneeling StG 44 assault rifle, sprue A

D-25 Prone, firing, StG 44 assault rifle, sprue A

D-26 Prone G-98 sprue P

D-27 Prone StG 44 assault rifle, sprue A

D-28 Prone StG 44 assault rifle, sprue A

D-29 Kneeling MP44 machine pistol, sprue X

D-30 Kneeling MP44 machine pistol, sprue Y

D-31 Kneeling, firing, G 98 bolt action rifle with scope, sprue A

D-32 Prone, firing, machine gun, sprue K + K1

D-33 Prone, loading, macine gun, sprue Q + Q1

D-34 Kneeling, firing, Panzerfaust, sprue L

D-35 Kneeling, firing Panzershrek, sprue V

D-36 Kneeling, loading Panzershrek, sprue S

  

The only miniature hobby work I've done in the last decade or so has been for Jim Ludwig at Dark Sword and a few 15mm figures for Khurasan.

There are many reasons for this but the key one is probably economic. Sculpting miniatures, like crime, just doesn't pay. In 1980 I was paid $300 USD for a relatively simple true 25mm figure, according to an online inflation calculator that's $862 USD in 2014 currency. For the same figure today I would expect to get about $400 USD so in real terms the pay has halved. So while the money was great in 1980 now it's only somewhat better than working at 7/11 when you factor in work hours, self-employment tax and lack of benefits.

I have done several more 54mm nativity figures, shepherds, sheep and an angel but I haven't put them in a mold. Sculpting is free (for me obviously) but molds are an expense. I intend to work on the project for the rest of this year but I probably won't make molds until I have everything but the wise men done. The stable animals are proving difficult. The style is based on Albrecht Durer's woodcuts and it's hard to get right. I'm also going to make a micro version in HO(about 20mm).

A few 1/72 scale sculpts............

 A random Edwardian villain....

A nice little WIKI history of Tom here.

And to finish, who doesn't need a Hitler in a tutu outfit...........

From the wonderful Goglo Island range by East Ridings Miniatures...although no longer available from them.

As always, enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk

Finieous Fingers - 'The World's Greatest Thief', Miniatures & More.....

The world was introduced to Finieous back in October 1976, courtesy of TSR's Dragon Magazine Volume 1, No.3. The creator, J.D.Webster apparently based his characters on friends he gamed with.

After moving from Dragon Magazine, both Finieous and the then editor, Tim Kask, moved to Adventure Gaming Magazine. The set was released in 1982...this was (as noted below) an attempt to keep 'Adventure Gaming' magazine afloat....

I've had the miniatures for some years although I recently picked up the box, courtesy of the wonderful artist Lissanne Lake. Only the leaflet to find now!

An early advertisement....

Some better images here on the Lost Mini WIKI.

Finieous later moved to Steve Jackson's 'The Space Gamer' and 'The Fantasy Gamer' in April 1984 and finally to Shadis' magazine which was set up by Jolly R.Blackburn in 1990....eventually becoming Knights of the Dinner Table magazine which gave birth to another set of Tom Meier minis to be documented at a later date.....

Jolly Blackburn mentioned on a recent Facebook post; 'We did some Finieous Finger strips in SHADIS. J.D. approved the scripts (but was too busy to draw them) and we contracted a different cartoonist --- who I thought did a great job updating the character. It was going pretty good til JD and the cartoonist had a falling out/creative differences. I remember one strip where Finieous finds himself on a Space Hulk-type environment with aliens running amok.'

 Some years later Thunderbolt Mountain released a set, again sculpted by Tom Meier.....this has caused some controversy recently due to licensing issues. Not sure what happened in the end or if it was justified as I think there may have been confusion in thinking someone had re-released the original set. These are definitely new sculpts (although only 6 in this set).....

According to an article from Comicvine;

He continued to appear there intermittently until 1981's issue 54, and his adventures were collected in The Finieous Treasury that same year. After a brief hiatus, Finieous resurfaced in Manzakk Publishing's Adventure Gaming magazine, before moving to Steve Jackson Games' magazines Space Gamer and then Fantasy Gamer, and eventually Alderac Entertainment's Shadis magazine.

A few comments from a 2004 thread from The Miniatures Page;

......there were indeed fineous figures.

they sometimes turn up on ebay but the molds were destroyed long ago. (actually I think Tim Kask still has them but by agreement with JD, they were a limited run only.) The production molds were burned up in the process of casting as many figs as we were able in the time allowed us.

There were also 10 gold plated sets created at that time.

JD has one, I still have mine, The Gorb still has his I believe. Im sure T. Kask has his and I'm pretty sure T Meire still has his. I have no idea where the other 5 sets are.

I know that one set went for $100 at an Origins auction a few years back.

Thats about all I can remember of them, its was about 20 years ago.

Yeah, and Ravenscraft has the world's only unit of Grond.

The Fineous figures made their debut at the 1982 Origins in Baltimore.

IIRC, Ral Partha lured Tim Kask away from being editor of the Dragon to start Adventure Gaming in 1981. Tim brought JD & Fineous along.

During the big Partha management shakeup of '82, they decided to dump AG. A group of us tried to keep it going but we just didn't have enough capital.

I think after distributor discounts, we were selling a magazine with a $3.50 cover for $.90. The average distributor also had an average-days-to-pay of about 6 months even though terms were 2/10 net 30.

The Fineous figs were a last ditch effort to raise enough cash to cover production expenses. They worked to a point, I think we got out issues 11-13 on that money.

Regards, the Gorb

I believe the Shadis strips were "with permission". They did not look like JD's work, but they were welcome.

As to JD, a late '70's graduate of Auburn NROTC and the best D**n GM I've ever played with, the last I heard, he was married with a teenage daughter (Proof: There is a Dept. of Cosmic Justice.), flying for Northwest, and living in Michigan (?). As for the models for some of the crew, BoredFlak (Borflac/Everette Burge) was back in Selma, IDemandMore (Ozyamadas/Grant Castlebury) is doing the areospace thing for REAL money in TX and FF (me) is delivering mail in B'ham. I was going to get with JD at DragonCon '90, but that was when I started with the post office, and I missed him. Personally, I liked his mailing cover efforts for Space Gamer. Think Nuclear Hand Grenade.

Now he's gonna find me and claim I owe him $5 for that pizza back in '78...

For those with a real Fineous jones, I think Boredflak's "targeting ring" is still available from Atlantis miniatures.

comes with a nice ruby looking stone.

cant remember the price. If Atlantis isnt alive and kicking you can try contacting Thunderbolt Mountain Miniatures who did production for Atlantis.

Man, do I miss Fineous!

If anyone knows anything the 'targeting ring' mentioned above (or indeed the gold plated sets) please let me know. I can't find Atlantis Miniatures (barring a new UK organisation).

Heroes of Asfar Expansion.

This was an addition for the original game (details here).

Images edited but borrowed from Boardgame Geek, full post here.

enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk

Ral Partha CS1 Wood Elf with Bow.....Tom Meier Old School.

I haven't painted any of the Ral Partha Collector Series in a long time so decided to have a go on one that had turned up in a job lot. Having completed one I have the caught the bug for more but I have no idea where my box of them are so he will have to do for now. Excuse his left eye - I missed the mold line somehow when cleaning him up and eventually gave up trying to paint that eye......just need to finish the base and varnish him now.

When this range first came out I was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the sculpts....no-one, in my opinion, had managed to capture the beauty of the Elven form like Tom Meier. Today it is different with the likes of Werner Klocke, Kev White etc but back in the day Tom ruled almost unchallenged. 

The full CS range is listed on Lost Minis here and also on Stuff of Legends here.

I've borrowed the listing off Stuff of Legends to point out that there are gaps in the numbers - does anyone out there have any idea of anything that should be filling them? There are no catalogue clues anywhere.

02-001  Wood Elf with Bow

02-002  Wood Elf with Bow and Sword

02-003  Wood Elf firing Bow

02-004  Wood Elf with pike

02-005  Wood Elf Cavalry with Spear

02-006  Sea Elf with Pike

02-007  Sea Elf Advancing with Pike

02-008  Sea Elf with Great Sword

02-009  High Elf Strikiing with Axe

02-010  High Elf with Sword

02-011  High Elf Advancing with Sword

02-012  High Elf with Spear

?

02-014  High Elf Firing Bow

02-015  High Elf Cavalry with Great Sword

02-016  Elf Horse Archer

??

02-019  Elf Command Group

02-020  Elf Chariot

02-021  Deep Elf Firing Bow

?

02-023  Deep Elf with Halbard

02-025  Deep Elf Cavalry with Lance

Iron Wind Metals have re-released a lot of them in their Chaos Wars line (here) and Tom has added a couple of sculpts to the line. Tom really is the master of the Elven form - check out his Thunderbolt Mountain sculpts here.

enquiries@deartonyblair.co.uk

Thunderbolt Mountain Badges - Tom Meier

Some years ago Thunderbolt Mountain Miniatures were produced under licence in the UK and I managed to pick up some gold plated badges and also some earrings designed by the incredible Tom Meier, one of my favorite sculptors of all time....the earrings were sculpted for 'House of Spencer' - the website is no longer up and running so I am unsure as to what has happened to the molds / masters etc and if indeed there were any other sculpts. Good fun stuff anyway.

  

22nd September 2012 - update from the man himself. Tom has posted on Frothers Unite Forum;

'I’ve made lots of relief work for badges and other jewelry. The largest single project was a lot of sea life themed stuff for ‘Atlantis’ a company run by a friend here n Ohio, maybe fifty or sixty items. I think I have the molds around here somewhere. The fantasy badges were some of the first things I did in relief, I think there were about six, made in the nineteen-eightys sometime.

I don’t recall ‘House of Spencer’ and I still hold the copyright to that flying pig. They may have ordered some years ago and repackaged them though if they are of recent manufacture they are pirated.

It’s a curious thing, I’ve known quite good sculptors in other ways who can’t do relief work well or easily, I wonder what makes it different from work in the round for them.'