Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
1, Feb 2018
Chris Orr March 2018
One of the most frequent posts on the forums is “I want to do xxx army, are the models from yyy
manufacturer any good?”
GW’s original models have been out of production for over 5 years, which means that they are often expensive to
acquire on eBay etc. Therefore, many gamers look for alternate manufacturers to make an army at a more
affordable price. Very often they wish to mix these models with some GW models.
This raises the problem of comparative scale. GW’s infantry models are 10mm scale, but the cavalry is bigger and
probably closer to 11/12mm scale for many races. This may not sound like much, but when the units are placed
side by side, one unit may look “big” or “small” in comparison. Half a millimetre is quite a lot when the things you’re
dealing with is only 10mm to begin with – and it can be very hard to determine from the very variable quality
images on the manufacturers’ websites.
This list is my attempt to try to solve these problems. It is based entirely on my own collection and personal
experience of trying to fill gaps in my own armies (and also look for nice alternate models as I like a bit of variation).
Clearly the human armies have many more possibilities from their historical counterparts, but there are good
models out there for the majority of the other races.
I am not trying to do too much lateral thinking in terms of what could ‘count as’ something else here – the goal is to
list units that look pretty similar to the GW originals.
For the avoidance of doubt, this isn’t meant to be a critique of scale in general. Warmaster is a game played
primarily with GW models, so GW’s original models remain the ‘reference scale’ for the purposes of this
document.
Because it is based on my own collection there are some models not listed here – manufacturers are very welcome
to send me other things! If I have missed something please message me and I will update the list.
As far as possible the comments are based on personal inspection of the models but for completeness, items that
have a comment in blue are ranges I do not own so the comment is based on an estimate of likely size based on
other models from that manufacturer that I have seen.
I would like this list to be as complete as possible so if you have any suggestions or
additions to the list, please PM me!
Thanks to the following people for making helpful suggestions to add to this list:
Shane Davey
Frank Adams
Matthew Street
Benjamin French
List of manufacturers’ websites
This list includes ‘local’ distributors that I am aware of. I live in England so am not aware of any local US /
Australian distributors. Please contact me and I will update the list.
Abbreviation Name Website
This army has many, many possibilities from the enemies of Rome in the period 100BC-100AD.
Araby
Pendraken AB codes Infantry are a good match
Cavalry a little small but acceptable
Have not seen their elephants
Magister Militum SOS or AMQ codes Infantry are a good match
Cavalry a little small but acceptable
Have not seen their elephants
SOS Flying carpets Quite small so mount 2 per base
TB line Islam range Infantry are a good match
Cavalry & camels are an excellent match
Carthaginian war elephants Elephants are an excellent match
Beastmen
Eureka Beastmen Good match, nice sculpts.
Pendraken Old Warband range Good but now OOP
Pendraken New Warband range These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
Thanks to Shane Davey for his help with recommendations for this army.
Bretonnia
Pendraken ELM, EMM codes Infantry are a good match
Cavalry a little small but acceptable
Magister Militum AOK & LME codes Infantry are a good match
Cavalry a little small but acceptable
TB line European range Infantry are a good match
Cavalry are an excellent match
Copplestone City Spearmen TM19 Good for Men at arms but very “regular” posing
City Archers TM18 Good for bowmen
Eureka Pegasus knights Very nice
Polarfox Aquitania range Excellent models
Hippogriff / Pegasus Knights
Kallistra Medieval Siege Have not seen but probably a good Trebuchet model
Recommendation: there are no historical models with the holy grail on their heads. For Grail knights, maybe use a
different manufacturer from your other knights or differentiate the units via painting.
Chaos Dwarfs
Eureka Chaos Dwarfs Excellent models, nice sculpts
Copplestone Halforcs For Hobgoblins
BOFA Goblins Taller and more lanky than GW ‘standard’ goblins – maybe
good for Hobgoblins
Polarfox Cave Orcs For unarmoured orc slaves
Ironside orcs For Black orcs
Magister Militum Evil Dwarfs Have not seen but have read favourable comments online
Chaos Daemons
Magister Militum FDD Daemons Have not seen but have read favourable comments online
They appear to have daemons which could match with the
four chaos powers if painted accordingly, and some generic
daemons.
Alternative 526 Balrog Greater Daemon
Armies
GW Epic ranges OOP but buy Epic scale greater daemons from eBay for
character models. Maybe lesser daemons for cavalry if
suitably based
This is a difficult army to collect. Even GW didn’t make anything for the chariots. MM’s recently released Daemon
infantry may be a useful starting point. Chariots can be made with the ‘donor’ chariot of choice plus some suitable
crew and beasts to pull it. Cavalry could be small beasties with converted riders or simply larger creature(s) from a
15mm range. There are endless possibilities for hounds and beasts in other manufacturers 15 and 28mm ranges,
especially if you want a Nurgle theme. Lots of nice 28mm fire daemon models exist which could work well for
General / Greater daemons in a Khorne themed army, and pox-ridden 28mm models could perform a similar role in
a Nurgle-themed army.
Chaos Mortals
Laran Evil Men Very good match & good sculpts
Especially for Marauder cavalry and Chariots
TUB Wandering trolls Good trolls, suitably chaotic-looking
Mountain Harpies Nice models, good sculpts, good scale match
Warriors of Erebos Nice models, good sculpts, good scale match
Marauders of Erebos Nice models, good sculpts, good scale match
Dogs of War
Warmonger Landschneckt range Infantry are an excellent match and very nice sculpts
(esp. Pikemen)
Reiters Cavalry is true 10mm scale so will look small by
comparison to GW
MM / P Napoleonic horse artillery For Galloper guns
There are many, many historical ranges which can be used to make this army, and / or use many of the
suggestions for other armies. The background suggests that almost any kind of light/heavy cavalry is possible in
this army, so why not have goblin wolfriders alongside dwarfs and Empire Knights?
Dwarfs
Pendraken Dwarfs These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
Kallistra Dwarfs These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
Dwarf gyrofighter is a good gyrocopter alternate
Copplestone Dwarfs TM 20, 21, 22 A little bit on the large side
Eureka Anvil Dwarfs Good scale match
Dark Elves
Pendraken Warband Evil Elves These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
Kallistra Dark Elves These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
Onslaught Stygian Elves Very good match for GW models and excellent sculpts.
Sadly no cavalry (yet)
TUB Mountain Harpies Nice models, good sculpts
Empire
Warmonger Landschneckt range Infantry are an excellent match and very nice sculpts
Reiters Cavalry is true 10mm scale so will look small by
comparison to GW
Kallistra War of the Roses sergeants Good scale match for Empire cavalry
Pendraken Landshneckts Nice but only one pose
Copplestone Heroes & Halflings TM10 For characters, especially if you want Gandalf on your side!
High Elves
Kallistra High Elves These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
MM FEF range Have only seen a few of these but have quite a few of the
Wood Elves in the same range. Good size match.
Kislev
TB line Russian codes Infantry are a good match
Cavalry are an excellent match but no wings
th
Pendraken 16/17 century Polish Infantry are a good match
(P codes) Cavalry are an acceptable match. 2 winged lancers may
look better than single winged version.
War wagons Have not seen
NB: Bears are difficult models to find alternates for. Mongols are tempting as horse archers but historically they rode
smaller horses so the models will always be ‘small’ even beside other 10mm models, regardless of manufacturer.
Lizardmen
Eureka Lizardmen Excellent models. The whole army is there.
You may not need to look elsewhere
Spellcrow Lizardmen These are closer to 12mm scale and look a bit big by
comparison to GW. But too small for Kroxigors.
Pendraken Lizardmen, Newtmen These are 12mm so will look big by comparison to GW
Alternative Arms Rhinosaur A well-priced resin model that would make a good stegadon
Norse
Copplestone Horse Tribe range Infantry and cavalry are a very good match
Royal cavalry may look too decorative for a Norse army
BOFA Storm Giant Nice giant model
Humans No beards so maybe not suitable
Old Glory Viking range Infantry are a good match but need rebasing to fill a 40mm
frontage
Goth range Cavalry are acceptable but a little on the small side
Pendraken Viking range Good size match
Magister Militum Angelic warriors FAA 101/201 Valkyries
LYC1 Werewolves Wolfkin
FSK109 Werewolves Ulfwerner
Spellcrow Barbarians 12mm so a little big… maybe use for Berserkers / Ulfwerner
Copplestone Wolves Bigger than the Polarfox wolves
Polar fox Wolves Slightly bigger than GW wolves
Kallistra Romano-British Chariot to convert to Horn of resounding
NB Historical “Saxon” ranges generally do not have beards so may not be suitable for the overall “look” of a Norse
army. You will need a chariot to convert into a Horn of Resounding. There are many historical possibilities for this.
Ogres
Black Gate Ogres Beautiful models. Great sculpts. No messy converting for
Rhinox riders. Look no further.
Polarfox Steppe goblins Good for Gnoblars – clothing fits well with background
Copplestone Snow trolls Good for Yetis
Magister Militum Hill Trolls BMN1 Have been suggested for Gorgers – but BGM models are
better.
Eureka Wooly rhinos Convert into Rhinox cavalry
Troublemaker Ogres Sculpts are good but scale seems to be closer to 8mm. I
have not been so disappointed in a long time.
Orcs & goblins
Polarfox Orcs Excellent scale match. Lovely models, many of which look
better than the GW originals.
Look no further!
TUB Wandering trolls Nice models but the scupplts may look more at home in a
chaos army
Kallistra Orcs & goblins These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
BOFA Goblins, Warg riders OOP but not too hard to find on eBay
Skaven
Kallistra Ratmen These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
Magister Militum Ratmen Good scale match
This is a very hard army to find alternate models for.
Tomb Kings
Polarfox Ta-Kem Necrotectory range Excellent models which feel a lot more “TK” than the GW
models.
The winged sphinx models look far better in this army than
GW’s zombie dragon ever will.
GW Old Warhammer Ushabti Bone giants
Wood Elves
BOFA Elf spearmen & Bowmen Nice models – the backbone of many Wood Elf armies
Elf cavalry (metal) Very nice models but expensive on eBay
Eureka Infantry Surprisingly small – not a good match for other models.
Stag riders Good scale match
Fay sprites Good for dryads
Warhawk riders Nice models, good scale
Magister Militum Elf range Many good infantry and cavalry models
Warhawk riders Good but a little small
Splintered Light Dryads, Wood trolls Very nice for Treemen / Treekin / Dryads
GW 28mm Dryads Treemen
Vampire counts
Kallistra Undead These are 12mm so will be a lot bigger than GW
Ethereal host may be acceptable but Zombies are definitely
too big
Magister Militum Skeletons FSK 101 & 102 Good match
Skeleton cavalry FSK401 A little small but acceptable for Black Knights
Zombies Mix these together to get more varies zombie units
Medieval peasants
Ghosts For Ethereal Host
GW Undead cavalry For the Tomb King army but would work for VC if you want
a “raised from the ground of Sylvania after defeating the
Empire” look
Copplestone Wolves Bigger than the Polarfox wolves
Polar fox Wolves Slightly bigger than GW Dire wolves
BOFA Wargs Very similar to GW Dire wolves
Pendraken Bat swarm Good for Fell bats
Undead Warband These are 12mm so will look big by comparison to GW
Witch hunters
Laran Witch hunter party Coming in 2018
Magister militum War dogs LDN2 Have not seen but they seem to be the only 10mm dogs
available
Carts (if you want to play the “Wagon train” scenario)
Kallistra Romano-British chariots Have not seen but have read favourable comments
Steve Barber Colonial Ox wagon ZW13 Have not seen but have read favourable comments
Lancer ECW supply wagon Have not seen but have read favourable comments