HeroQuest Project Reboot - Alternate Hero Models

I decided to reboot my Classic HeroQuest project. When I first got this game in 2012 to play with my son, I decided I would start painting miniatures. And that if I was going to invest that kind of time, I would also replace the 1990's figures with newer stuff...  Realizing that GamesWorkshop was still in business, I bought paint, brushes, and some miniatures and got started.  Unfortunately, GW did not have acceptable proxies for every figure and my set became a mix of new and old figures.

Fast forward to today and my painting skills are much improved, I'm much faster at painting, and willing to do more research and pick things up on eBay...  I'd like to complete this set.

Here are the first four miniatures (all of what would be RED plastic) which are almost ready for varnish.

The Dwarf

This fellow draws inspiration from the dwarf fighter in the video game Golden Axe, and is seen here holding a HeroQuest "Heroic Brew."  "Tilt one back with me dog!!"

Gilius Thunderhead (from Golden Axe)

This dwarf was painted a little while back for games of Rangers of Shadow Deep. He was assembled from the GW Dwarf Warriors box ~2004 which was still produced through the transition from GW Warhammer Fantasy to AoS.

I removed the annoying GW specific Dwarf tokens from the axe and had to re-sculpt part of his right hand because of it.  If I painted him today, he would be a bit brighter, but it really works here. His base needs some updating to match the other heroes.  And I will keep trying to get a better "Non Metallic Metal" paint job on the axe head.

The Elf

This fellow draws inspiration from Legolas (LoTR) and the classic video game Gauntlet (or "Get Medieval"). He carries a bow which is not available in the Base System HeroQuest game so I just re-skin the crossbow as a bow in the game.

Eryc the elf (Get Medieval)

This elf figure can be built directly from the Games Workshop Glade Guard (wood elves) box.

The Barbarian

My Scarlet Citadel (Conan) booknook (here)

For a dissertation on where this miniature comes from see Ampersand's quest for the ideal barbarian miniature on Something in the Dungeon. To recap, this barbarian is a now out of print Hasslefree Young Wolf miniature with head swap from an old GW Space Wolves box.

Clearly the HeroQuest barbarian was meant to be a Conan clone. And if you are a Sword and Sorcery fan and have not read the original Robert E. Howard Conan short stories you are missing everything.

The Wizard

Who doesn't want their dungeon crawl wizard to be a good bit like Gandalf?

My LoTR Dwarrowdelf Booknook (here)

I used the metal Brandle Birchstaff miniature from Reaper miniatures. It was speed painted it shows in the photos, but the colors are bright and the contrast works. It would be worth going back and smoothing out these blues and adding highlights by hand. But honestly it looks spectacular on the table, so I may just seal it and be done.

More views of the group