A time of brave explorers and daring adventurers

Miniatures Showcase compiled by the White Knight

 

In the first half of the 20th century, a period henceforth referred to as the Pulp Era, the world was different from today. The Colonial period had not quite ended yet and vast portions of the 4 hemispheres were still uncharted territories. It is in this atmosphere of exploration and discovery that many Western adventurers, historians and archeologists tried their luck and spread out towards the 4 corners of the world. But they were not the only ones and many nations sent out their agents and spies, in hope of gaining a foothold in these newly explored territories or discovering new sources to increases their power.

No doubt inspired by movies like the Indiana Jones trilogy, The Mummy & The Mummy Returns, The Rocketeer, The Shadow, The Phantom, ... the pulp genre has gained in popularity in miniature gaming the last year or two. A miniature showcase dedicated to the phenomenon was the logical result. So prepare to enter in a world of daring adventurers and archeologists, sinister spies, ruthless mercenaries and powerhungry warlords, mad scientists, ancient artefacts and lost worlds. It's Pulp time...

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1. Pulp Figures

"Astounding Amazing Miniatures by Bob Murch, the two fisted sculptor of choice for manly adventure gamers around the globe." Pulp Figures are a continuation of Bob's GAMA Award winning 'Call of Cthulhu' range for Chaosium and RAFM. Unlike the Cthulhu figs though, the subject matter is now generalized to all early 20th century imaginative film and fiction and is also oriented towards table-top gaming. This is not to say that role-players won't find the miniatures useful. Everything under the Pulp Figures banner will be character driven with fun and personality given priority over historical accuracy. This excellent range of 28mm pulp miniatures has it all (or a lot of it anyway). One of the definititve ranges of the early 20th century pulp genre. The slightly 'rounded' sculpting style takes a minute to get used to, but once seen in the flesh the figures are fantastic.

"They are nicely compatible with Mark Copplestone's famous 'Darkest Africa' series, slightly larger and more beefy but still compatible with my own 'Call of Cthulhu' and 'Space 1889' work." - Bob Murch

"Personalities": Rugged adventurers, archeologists and great hunters, dangerous dames, spies, evil masterminds and freakish flunkies. Even a film crew to immortalise them all...

"Americans": Dashing Rocketmen and sturdy sailors.

"Yangzee Gangs": Chinese character figures, Yangzee gangs andTong gangsters, Chinese Warlords, soldiers and students militia.

"Germans": Zeppelin Troopen and German Seebataillon

"Gangland Justice": Mobsters and tough guys, masked crimefighters, boys in blue and private eyes.

Also Neanderthals and extinct beasties in"Lost Tribes and Lost Worlds", Mounties and Northland adventurers in "Yukon Peril", British and Japanese.


2. Copplestone Castings

Mark Copplestones own company, producing highly detailed 28mm figures. Copplestone castings produces three pulp ranges: "The Back of Beyond", "High Adventure" and "Gangsters".

The Back of Beyond range has European and American adventurers, archeologists and mercenaries, Chinese warlords and soldiers, Bolshevik characters and troops, White-Russians, Mongols, Tibetans, Sikh infantry and British troops.

The High Adventure range has Polar adventurers, Penguins, Inuit warriors, husky teams and sleds, spiders, Amazon explorers, dinosaurs and cavemen, Bactrian camels and yaks, WW1 Turkish figures, ...

The Gangsters range has mobsters, hired hitmen, Texas rangers and armed hilbillies.


3. Brigade Games

Lon Weis at Brigade Games has a few interesting miniatures lines for the pulp era. The 28mm Adventurers are of course the first choice, with female adventurers and a "Stealth Squad" in dustcoats and body armour.

More pulp goodies are found in the new "Mob Wars" range,with gangsters and state police.

If that's not enough, then the "Carribean Empires" range adds US marines, Haitian bandits and civilians (and zombies), Sandinistas and headhunters.

Don't forget to take a look for more suitable figures in the Brigade Games WW1 (e.g. the Arabians), Circus World and of course the WW2 pulp horror range.


4. Cannon Fodder

Australian manufacturer of a variety of 28mm ranges set during the inter-war years. I've been told these figures are very crisp and that the pictures don't do them justice, but haven't been able to verify yet.

"The Troubles": a range of figures suitable for the Easter Uprising of 1916, the Anglo-Irish War of 1919 - 1921 and the Irish Civil War of 1921 - 1922. Only Irish fighters available so far.

"Yangpat" The Yangtze River Patrol has US Navy and Chinese Warlords troops.

"US Marine Corps 1919-1939": these Leathernecks are designed to be equally at home in China, Central America or the Caribbean.

"Kameraden": European revolutionaries of 1919-1923 in 28mm. First up: Germans.


5. Fourcolorfigs: Chaos in Cairo

Chaos In Cairo (CIC) is a fast-paced, skirmish-level miniatures battle game designed to simulate clashes in the Pulp-era of fiction. CIC tells the tale of warbands of rival antiquarians and their associates battling for items of occult power amidst the dusty streets of 1920’s Cairo, Egypt. The range has character figures, French Foreign Legion and evil henchmen.

Fourcolorfigs is also the manufacturer of the "Superfigs" range, which also has some suitable figures like these gunfighters:


6. Frothers Unite! UK

Standing a non-heroic 26mm (to top of pointy head), the Colonel Marbles figurine is perfect for Pulp gaming. The Colonel can be used as the haughty lord of the manor, the out-of-touch newspaper editor, or the eccentric colonial adventurer. Maybe even as the retired army officer! Sculpted by Shane "gwartisan" Hoyle and painted by Ben "Badger-loving flufster" Brownlie.


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Don't forget to visit the Weird WW2 Showcase for some WW2 flavour pulp miniatures.

There are more suitable figures for the Pulp Era in our WW1 and WW2 Showcases.

Since Pulp and Mummies go hand in hand, you can also visit our Tombs of the Pharoahs Showcase.

If you want to share your comments or feel that I left out a company that should be listed or if you represent a company that was left out or whose products didn't get the credit and appreciation they deserve, feel free to contact me on the FU-UK! Froth Forums or directly by clicking here.
Naturally, any free samples you might provide would greatly aid us to form a documented opinion.

To go to the Frothers Unite! Homepage click here.

To return to Colonel Marbles' Homepage click here.