Unarmed Xar

I've been rather busy painting figures for Cthulhu Wars recently but I made time to paint the latest Xar from Ground Zero Games.

A great addition to the range, I love the kung fu poses! I'll need to watch Falling Skies soon, I think...

Xar Heavy Weapons Teams

Two new packs of Xar heavy weapons from GZG: a launcher/mortar team and a heavy beam cannon team. 

Really good fun to paint, with their brain/walnut-like heads and all the legs! I do like a good alien figure, and these are up there with the best. Lovely models, as we've come to expect from GZG.

Hopefully that keeps me up to date with this range, but I understand these went on sale at Salute at the weekend, so I'll have to make sure Jon hasn't sneaked any more out!

Xar preview

I received some advance samples from Jon at GZG this week for his Xar range.

Two packs; a launcher/mortar team and a heavy beam cannon team. I was hoping to get them painted, but Mother's Day ate into my time a bit! Seeing as I don't get a lot of painting time during the week, it may be next weekend before I can finish these beauties, so here's a sneak peek.

The Xar ("Chitters") from GZG

The Xar - often known to human troops as "Chitters" from the rapid clicks and chirps of their speech - are an eight-limbed exoskeletal insectoid race, with six walking limbs ending in three-clawed feet and an upright torso with two manipulating arms.

So says the GZG website, and who am I to argue?

Each Xar miniature consists of 2 parts, a 6-legged lower body and integral base plus a torso/arms/head casting with weapon or other equipment as appropriate.

Continues the site, and it's all true!

I confess; when I first got the figures and held the torso parts to the leg parts I thought they looked a bit awkward and odd. The torso fits at the central point where the legs meet. I was expecting an off centre join with some kind of abdomen like an earthly insect. I was wrong, and I'm glad. 

These guys have really grown on me. Their foot/claw arrangement makes them look highly mobile and the join doesn't look unnatural at all, especially when painted up. The detailing around the face is not perhaps as sharp as I'd like, but that's just me looking for fault where there is none.

I'm going to use these as a light mobile force for my Kra'Vak. I really need to get my Kra'Vak painted.

Ive just realised; this is possibly the second time I have painted a full range! I'm pretty sure Jon has more of these up his sleeve though :)

Xar with beam rifles:

Xar leaders with beam pistols:

Xar command and comms:

(Well camouflaged against the roof top!)

Xar with grenade projectors:

Xar with heavy beamers:

Edit - I have been asked to provide some comparison shots to show how big these guys are. The bases are 20mm in diameter, which is a good fit for the pennies I usually use. I think UK pennies are 20.3mm.

The figures used for the comparison shot are from (L to R): Brigade Games, Armies Army and GZG.

I also thought I'd take a shot of them from behind. I tried to make their backs look a bit fleshy and unappealing.