Below The Curve Gaming: A Song of Ice and Bewbs

So, I've been buying Hasslefree Miniatures models (http://www.hfminis.co.uk/) for years now but never really with any aim other than they were nice models. Sure, Ben and I used our Fantasy Football Kalee models for Bloodbowl, and I used the Hayden model with a pistol as Guardswoman Sally Marbo. But there was never really a reason to collect them as such. Mind you, Ben did write a zombie game using some of them as characters, but then some git on Kickstater wrote pretty much the same game but with their own models, so that was that.
But recently something has changed. Ironically it was Danielle (my long-suffering fiancee) and I pledging to the Raging Heroes Toughest Girls In The Galaxy 2 kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/loudnraging/tgg2-light-and-darkness) over a year ago that changed things. Recently we received the first part of of our pledge (I thought it was going to be the whole thing, but...) and I decided to try playing Frostgrave. For the uninitiated, Frostgrave is a fantasy skirmish game with 10 or less models per player that can be played using any range of models; the rules are generic that way, and it's designed to be played as a campaign between a group of players with certain characters getting better (the wizard, apprentice, and sell-sword captain) and the rest being unnamed warriors who serve to die gloriously in pursuit of treasure and fame (https://ospreypublishing.com/frostgrave). However without my expected figures turning up I was at a quandary: how could I play this latest game with 14 character models (I can only have 3), some of whom clearly would not work in the system (4 mages,,,,). So, I needed new models, preferably ones that fitted together into a warband, as well as a summoned daemon or two, and maybe a zombie/skeleton as well. Naturally they should be female models, with the bare (heh heh) minimum of clothes on, to continue my 20 year habit, and affordable. Whilst they should look like a warband I didn't want them to resemble a single unit, so GW models were out. This realistically left Reaper or Hasslefree. Reaper is a nightmare to get hold of over here; EBay has a small percentage of the range, and I'd cancelled our pledge to their Kickstarter when I'd realised that the models were soft white plastic. Danielle had bought a couple and we had both hated painting them, watching paint fall off the flexible weapon and hat on the wizard. Plus they suffer from having loads of sculptors and having been on the go for ages there are marked differences in quality between old and new models. So, Hasslefree it was. Well, that was easy!
So I opened various boxes until I found the one I was after-the one I'd banned Danielle from looking in (and she'd complied without question?? The fool!) as it had all the nudey models in it. Inside I found Taxxis (three different versions), my three Succubi, and the 'skyclad' models I had bought in resin on a month years back when I was feeling flush with cash. I ordered a suitable (semi-clad) leader and three women at arms/barbarians (Bruce had spoilt my intro game with them) and I was good to go. However looking at them I realised that I had no ranged models; definitely an issue. Hasslefree do 1(?) female archer, scandalously wearing clothes. An obvious oversight I felt. I was about to email them and complain when Facebook saved me (said no-one ever). They were about to launch a Kickstarter in three days' time, for 4 female models, three variants of each (clothed, nude, and very clothed). One was an archer. It was meant to be. There would be (blood) stretch goals for more models. There would be artwork cards. And choice of metal (yes) or resin (likely out my price range). And a Triceratops (no bewbs). I was sold.
On the Sunday evening I pledged (I was the 30th pledger!). I went for the half-dozen; 6 lovely ladies for me. Then the stretch goals hit and holy shit there were 12 models. I would need to bump it up to the £50 Baker's Dozen pledge. Danielle might not see this as a wise investment. So I took the sensible, manly route and upped my pledge whilst in London and 'forgot' to tell her. I did cancel my other pledge to the Female Pirates, inspired by Werner Klocke, Kickstarter though as I'm not a total arse and I knew I'd want to eat food this month (both due to finances and the real possibility of having my teeth punched out). The final stretch goal was that all Baker's Dozen pledges would get 13 models.... I could get all the girls, including the 'female' skeleton, and an extra archer! I can summon the skeleton if I decide to use my wizard as a Necromancer instead of a Demonologist. Or I can ditch the extra archer and get the nude male model based on the artist who drew them all.... decisions decisions! Now, all I need to do is convince Ben and Sean to play and my victory will be complete and I will ascend to Godhood!!!!!
Here's the Kickstarter link for those who are interested: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hfminis/kev-white-does-matt-dixon-female-fantasy-miniature/description

The crew so far: