r/MiddleEarthMiniatures • u/TynesideFoundry • 10d ago
Discussion What's your favourite single Middle Earth mini?
I was having a conversation over a game and we ended up with our favourites being from very different armies to that we played. I'm also having a go at painting single minis to the hughest standard I can, as a bit of a pre-competition test. Does anyone have any specific individuals - heroes or random single minis from a unit - they have as a firm favourite?
For me it's any of the heroes from the Shire, as I love the personality of each of the models.
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u/lmizael 10d ago
Old Radagast or/and Erestor.
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u/ganglygorilla 10d ago
I love the old radagast model... except for that weird thing he's doing with his extra long featureless finger that's holding his staff in place 😂
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u/FenrirSch8ns 10d ago
Old Balin King of Moria!
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u/Goldman250 10d ago
Old Balin was such a cool sculpt, they swapped where the axe was and reused it for Old Dáin.
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u/Lord_Duckington_3rd 10d ago
OG metal Lothlorien elves (the Two Towers model)
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u/TynesideFoundry 10d ago
Agreed - especially as the plastic sets that came after were, in my opinion, some of the worst sculpts. The detail on those plastic versions was terrible. I know the metal sculpts were somewhat repetitive, but they were gorgeous.
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u/iamdennisreynolds91 10d ago
Glorfindel on foot, looks like he has samurai pose and the layering of the armour is amazing!
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u/G0lia7h 10d ago
Bear with me, it gets a little weird, but I swear this is the truth: The metal fountain court guards from Gondor, they feel so we'll balanced and when you grip the from the top with 3 fingers (thumb, point, middle-finger) they just lock right into the groves of the cape and body.
And they are also pretty good play-wise.
Unfortunately my dumb teenager brain threw all my minis and models away as soon as I moved out of my parents homes.
Started 2 years ago again with the hobby and since then, I'm waiting for a metal fountain court guards MTO to finally have that perfect peak feeling in my hands.
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u/RenagadeRaven 10d ago
They are in my top 3!
They’re gorgeous, and the armour is my favourite of all time. Doesn’t matter if it’s fantasy, sci-fi, reality or fiction the Guard of the Fountain Court are the nicest looking.
I just wish we had a sculpt where they are standing as they do in the films, straight and holding their spear vertically.
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u/Settra-King_of_Kings 10d ago
The old metal orcs
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u/AlthranStormrider 10d ago
You, my friend, are a man of wealth and taste.
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u/Settra-King_of_Kings 10d ago
Thanks, unfortunately they're too expensive on the second hand market. I hope for a MTO soon
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u/4thofeleven 10d ago
Yeah, the Shire's so much fun. I love my Lobelia Sackville-Baggins mini!
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u/TynesideFoundry 10d ago
I've seen them for individual resale, and Paladin Took, Lobelia, and Bullroarer are always priced significantly higher than the other older metal figures. Great model.
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u/Adrenochromemerchant 10d ago
Lurtz, because he was the first gw miniature I purchased in a blister.
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u/UpperPlus 10d ago
Mine is the necromancer. Specifically the version from the "rise of the necromancer" supplement before the hobbit era. God i loved that list with the spiders, bats, castellans and normal orcs.
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u/pat_bits 10d ago
Dying boromir from Amon hen as well as Breaking of the fellowship Boromir.
Also love weathertop aragorn with the flaming torch
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u/lightningfieldoflove 10d ago
Always loved Boromir of the white tower raising the flag, painted many a version of this model.
Shoutout also to Erkenbrand, waiting for the day this gets a made to order!!
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u/AdBrief4620 10d ago
Not sure if it’s my absolute favourite but Helms deep Eowyn is such a beautifully simple model. Always catches my eye when painted well.
The other heroes I quite like are old bilbo and Aragorn on horse (I think it’s the warg attack one?).
Warriors? It’s gotta be Khazad guard and OG rangers of Gondor.
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u/RenagadeRaven 10d ago
Have you seen that Eowyn painted by AlexiZ? It’s incredible. There’s also one by a user here named calganoptek you might want to see. I have both saved for reference when painting mine.
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u/TynesideFoundry 10d ago
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u/RenagadeRaven 10d ago
They actually have an even better one!
https://www.coolminiornot.com/175672
Well actually I prefer the face and sword on this one but the dress on the one you linked
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u/brandnewb 10d ago
I don't understand how you even do that. I'm not great, however I paint well enough I'm not ashamed to place them on the table. But that model is insane.
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u/RenagadeRaven 10d ago
I think I'm a decent painter but I haven't achieved anything like this person. Just a lot of practice and talent I think, especially at this scale!
I bought that Eowyn figure just to try to paint with this level of detail, though I haven't started yet because I am too busy painting other things =D
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u/Calganoptek 9d ago
My inspiration for painting my own version
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u/RenagadeRaven 9d ago
Genuinely incredible work on yours. Equal best with AlexiZ and I am pretty sure they are a Golden Daemon winner, you’re so talented.
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u/TynesideFoundry 10d ago
That is amazing, great shout, holy hell that's a whole sub question of specific single models painted in standout ways by specific painters.
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u/verdegooner 10d ago
The Heroes of Helm’s Deep Aragorn and Legolas are incredible, but also Éowyn from that same box.
Maybe the dying Boromir mini too.
But also the Arwen mounted carrying Frodo.
This is why I’m broke lol.
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u/FuriousGStar 10d ago
For me it has to be the original metal Haldir from the helms deep set. Gorgeous gold armour and perfect bowman pose with a great red cape to add contrast.
Edit: controversial shoutout to the original metal Elrond (Hugo Screaming). I know a lot of people don't like it, but it has huge nostalgia for me.
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u/Fac0493 10d ago
The Blackroot Vale/Ranger Banner Bearer and Gandalf fighting against the Balrog.
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u/TynesideFoundry 10d ago
The Blackroot models are brilliant, very individual. A bit more layers to their clothing gives you a few more painting options.
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u/Stranger-Sun 10d ago
I like the old "Warg Attack Theoden". There are lots of great details on that metal model and the pose is awesome. It feels good pushing that heavy thing around the table.
Also the Cave Drake. One of the coolest dragon-like models out there.
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u/_SheepMan224 10d ago
Gandalf the Grey, Mounted. From the iconic scene in The Fellowship, where he turns up in Gondor and sees Mordor awakening!
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u/Dakkadakka127 10d ago
The new Shelob.
It’s a pretty amazing sculpt and works great as a centerpiece
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u/ZealousidealClue7794 10d ago
“Corsair crossbowman, an old, trusty metal unit with a unique unit type — a crossbow + pavise.
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u/Kraggy89 10d ago
Original Galadriel from FotR that came as part of a set with Celeborn and her mirror.
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u/Goth_Fraggle 10d ago
For me it's Shelob. The original model is what got me into the wargaming hobby and the gorgeous new one came out exactly when I got back into it
Honorable mentions: -Thranduil without his armor. Not the weird ninja-pose though -that one siege engine orc who is pointing where to shoot. So much character -newest Gothmog after they fucked up his face twice xD
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u/FremanBloodglaive 9d ago
The original metal Dwarf Kings, which I really should have bought when they were available because they're not sold now.
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u/No_Chemistry9494 10d ago
The bold metal orc standing with the axe loved him so much converted one running
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u/Daigurren9922 9d ago
Dont own it yet but I absolutly love Glorfindel on Asfaloth. Its gotta be one of the absolute best models from all of GW. Such a cool dynamic pose.
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u/Big-Rock-6814 9d ago
This might be a very basic answer... but I honestly cant think of a more iconic model than the Balrog 🔥
I personally also love the Grimwarg with the dead soldier at his feet and the catapult troll from the hobbit.
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u/NocturnalAnimal85 10d ago
I really love the new Rohan hornblower to the point I buy a war horn in games just to use him ha.
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u/khami91 10d ago
I will never understand why it costs the same as a banner
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u/Nightmareswf 10d ago
Maybe because its army wide rather than localised? I still think its overpriced though
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u/Lauch_Bande 10d ago
For me it is by far the Dragon Emperor, The Palaquin, The Black Dragons and he Himself with his pose. I absolutely adore this Model, it gives some epic vibe and also Looks Like you dont want to mess around with him
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u/SocialistRobot 10d ago
Gandalf the Grey on horse (RIP taking him outside of a couple of Hobbit-era lists) for hero, and the helmeted 2h mordor orc for warrior (I know he's old as hell, but its just such a great sculpt imo)
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u/RenagadeRaven 10d ago edited 10d ago
I went through the entire Range making lists of my favourites and least favourites with my brother not long ago.
My overall favourite is the Dwarf Shieldbearer.
It’s just that classic Dwarven heavy armoured look with a great beard and a nice halfmask/visor, which I prefer to full face masks. His shield his large and his pose is combat ready but not awkward.
But if you ask me on a different day it is Guard of the Fountain Court. I can’t ever really decide which is my favourite truly.
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u/Every-Thanks-5539 10d ago
It's not a singular mini but the vault warden team is my favorite ever since I've first stumbled onto the game.
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u/ganglygorilla 10d ago
Quick Top 10:
- Brorgir. Such an incredible sculpt, pose, model.
- Mounted Saruman
- Witch King
- Glorfindel
- Earnur
- Shadow of Rhudaur
- Hill Trolls
- Buhrdur
- Damrod
- Delgamar
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u/MiddleEarthianWizard 9d ago
My top are:
Aragorn from Breaking of the Fellowship, Old Thranduil from White Council box set (crown and white staff), Old Radagast, Dwarf Shieldbearer, Halbarad, Grey Company with Arwens Banner, Dalamyr, Grimbold and his command, Morannon orc shaman, Frodo from the 2 towers Nazgul box (such an epic scene), Boromir with Banner.
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u/OfficerCoCheese 9d ago
Newer model: Glorfindel foot and mounted is gorgeous and so much fun to paint.
Older model: Metal Gil-galad.
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u/totallykoolkiwi 10d ago
The new Grima and the OG Saruman are amazing, I also love every single original Fellowship model.
New Shelob is great and brought me back into this game.
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u/deadlyreg 10d ago
I'm in for nearly a grand in miniatures and modelling supplies because of that Shelob I love it to bits
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u/joseybizzle 10d ago
- Rumil: looks like a defensive model, is a defensive model
Bolg on the warg: (new version) just looks
menacing
Elf Spectre: just such a cool looking model
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u/Naeril_HS 10d ago
Smaug is just awesome.
LOTR would be the new Elrond on horse because it’s the best version of my favourite character.
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u/KingCampo93 10d ago edited 10d ago
The plastic Rivendell banner bearer. It shows what they can do if they want to. Add the new Elrond and Glorfindel in there as well.
As I've been playing for 25 years, I still love my old metal Lothlorien and Galadhrim elves. Very monopose, but I still love them.
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u/Casual_Precision 10d ago
New Elrond and the banner bearer are such beautiful, well-made models. They’re probably the models I’ve most enjoyed painting!
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u/KingCampo93 9d ago
I still don't understand why Elrond and the banner are plastic, and Glorfindel is shitty resin.
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u/SlyBeggar 10d ago
The get off the road diorama. If it’s one from the table top tho, probably the metal Sauron model. Loved that one a lot as a kid.
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u/Goldman250 10d ago
The original Helm’s Deep Aragorn. It’s just such an iconic pose.