Odros "The Bagman"

Here comes another figure given a name and a background story in the PA catalogue from 1986. The figure has the same base design as the previous figures in the Character range but with a different type of marking. Instead of  the company name being spelled out, it has the abbreviation PAM and of course the code CH4.

Hooded Thief (Assassin) CH4

Female Elf with Bow

The miniature is markt with PRINCE AUGUST CH3 on the bottom of the base. The figure was supplied with a more elaborate bow then pictured in the catalogue. 

CH3 Female Elf

From the 1990 catalogue

Enemy number one

He looks more like an old circus bear then a beast some adventures might stumble upon in the wilderness. But the miniature is interesting in that it show's the second style of base used for the figures. I personally think is the nicest version as it makes the figures look more like gaming pieces. And that’s the reason way I added a line of gloss paint around the edge.

The model is also a god exemple of the different markings used on the miniatures. In this case the base is just marked AN1 and PAM. The Friends and Foes are marked differently from the character figures in that they are divided in to many subcategories. AN is for animals and OR for orcs and so forth.

The strange codes are probably the reason way they are wrongly labelled Grenadier or Ral Partha miniatures when sold on Ebay. 

AN1 Bear

Where to find info and pictures of PA miniatures

The two best sites on the web for any old oop miniature is the Stuff of Legends site and the Lost Minis Wiki. The later now have the most complete list of the entire range.

There is also a homepage where an old school gamer discusses some of the minis from the range. She has also added some pictures of painted miniatures.

More information can be found on the Mithril Faerylands page and occasionally pictures of PA miniatures turns up on other bloggs like here and here.

So far only one model can be found on the Cool mini or not site, and it’s the dragon DR2. 

In other words this is a much over looked miniature range. 

Old PA catalogues fron the 80's and 90's.

Mailed Elf

One of my favourite figures from the character range is this elf with a sword. The figure is market PRINCE AUGUST and CH2 on the base.

Chris Tubb has re-sculpted it for his new line of fantasy miniatures and it can be found on his Ebay page. 

As pictured in PA Handbook No.3 from 1985

Number one

CH1 Femael Cleric, the first of the character figures. This character look like she was dreamt up in the 1920's and would not have looked out of place on the front cover of Weird Tales back then. In Prince August Handbook No 4 this miniature was named Arionar and given a background as an example of a RPG character. The model also feature one of three designs for bases that were used in the range.

PA split their range in to two basic categories the Character and the Friends & foes. So this figure was marked CHARACTER FIGURE on its blister pack and on the bottom of its base CH1. Also on the bottom of the base are a copyright symbol and the abbreviation PAM. 

CH1 Female Cleric

Front cover by Margret Brundage 

“The beginning is a very delicate time.” - Princess Irulan

This blogg will be about one of the most overlooked miniature ranges out there; The Prince August Fantasy Armies range. This range of ready-made miniatures was released back in the days when a pen and paper rolplaynig games was the new cool thing. They were also quit unique in the market at that time, because they were both taller and more “realistic” than most other miniature that were out there. The new line also broke with the previous figures sculpted for Prince August fantasy moulds, how looked more like the Minifigs and the early Grenadier fantasy ranges.

So, what is it about these miniatures and way still collect them more then 20 years later?

First of all they are what one could call a generic fantasy range, even if they were intended for the AD&D game. Second, they are more or less anatomically correct. Something that is quit rare among miniatures of any type whether they are historical or not. But one could argue that there is still a line of miniatures produced by PA (Prince August) to day that embodies the same characteristics: namely Mithril.

Yeas, they are also sculpted by the talented Chris Tubb but these are based on the works of J.R.R Tolkin. And even if I read the Lord of the rings many times I’m not a huge fan of Tolkins works.

But for me the biggest reason is pure and simple nostalgia. This were the first ready made fantasy miniature I owned back when I was maybe 6 or 7 years old and they were also the most common fantasy figures in Sweden back then. A round 1991 when I got in to the RPG hobby you could still buy rulebooks, adventures and figures in the average toy store. And I guess it was logical to stock miniatures by PA when most toy stores was already selling the moulds by the same company. So for many in Sweden this was the models you used for RPG:s in the 80's.

Hopefully the blogg will grow with both pictures of miniatures and useful information about how to identify them and were to buy them. My goal is to revue all the figures in the range as soon as I have bought and painted them all…

One of my first minis!

CH14 Druid