I recognize I already have enough models in my inventory to last me a good deal of time before I finish them, but I'd love to paint up a great dragon model as a centerpiece for my army. There are a lot of potential models out there, and I've tried to come up with a few "guidelines" on choosing the best one for my needs:
- Price: As this would be a centerpiece for my army I don’t expect to find the model on the cheap, and I anticipate something in the range of $50 - $150.
- Pose: Not necessarily looking for a dynamic pose – this is moreso about how good the model looks overall.
- Size: Oddly enough, this is a big one for me – some of the models out there are just too big for my liking. Generally looking for something that’s 6 in tall or smaller
- Character: I think of “character” as the overall ability to use the model in a High-elf themed army. This is pretty binary – either the model works thematically or it doesn’t
- Material: Essentially, metal vs. plastic vs. resin kits. This is less of a consideration for me, unless it means sacrificing a certain level of detail on the model.
Now, with those established, here's the short list of some of the models I've considered. Please feel free to suggest others!
Battle Wyvern (Shieldwolf Miniatures; €70 + 0 Shipping) -
http://www.shieldwolfminiatures.com/ind ... duct_id=90
Checks all the boxes for me – good looking resin model, middle of the road price, nice size, could have a nice high-elf feel when painted in the right color scheme. One potential downside is the lack of any “scales” on the model – not a deal breaker by any means, but scales would feel a bit more thematically appropriate (and potentially also easier to paint).
Elmore Dragon # 5 (Dark Sword Miniatures; $100 + $5 Shipping) -
https://www.darkswordminiatures.com/sho ... ragon.html
Another model that ticks off many of the boxes for me – a very handsome model with a stately pose (feels very appropriate thematically). On the larger side for my criteria, and made of metal (2 pound model!).
The Dragon (Heresy Miniatures; £350) -
http://heresyminiatures.com/shop/index. ... cts_id=260
I’ll say right out that this one is outside of my price range. However, it is a great looking model and came with an amazing story (a “tale of woe” as stated on the site) associated with the figure
PARAWN, DRAIGLLAI OF IDRIS (Mierce Miniatures; £76) -
http://mierce-miniatures.com/index.php? ... bs_531_000
Good looking model with a dynamic pose. Not sure that it fits quite as much thematically, but I do quite like that you can buy the parts a la carte (good conversion potential)
Carmine Dragon (Forge World; £64 + £10 Shipping) -
https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/Carm ... id=5471818
Another great dynamic pose, but again I’m left with the feeling this isn’t quite what I’m looking for thematically speaking. It’s also taller than I’d like (8”)
Emperor Dragon (Creature Caster; $93 + $20 Shipping) -
https://www.creaturecaster.com/products/emperordragon
I really like the pose / feel of this model, but again it’s a bit taller than I’d prefer (8.5” tall)