The Warhammer Inq28 scene is about to get ‘official’ models, or at least the punk equivalent, as the team behind the influential 28 magazine launches a range of resin miniatures. The first three ‘Fist In The Eye Miniatures’ will be available to order in the USA “soon”, and would look right at home in Warhammer the Old World or joining your party of DnD miniatures.
The Fist In the Eye Miniatures range has three minis so far; the explorer, who would make a great Rogue 5e character, and two Orcs. These have already been cast and shipped in small numbers to 28 magazine Patreon supporters. Speaking in the 28 magazine Discord, creative director Alexander Winberg says the retail versions are “close to 90% done. We just need to sort out the [blister pack backing] cards and get the postage costs nailed down”.
According to the Patreon for 28, it is “a free digital magazine that focuses on unique and personal projects that are set in the grimmer, darker corners of the Warhammer hobby”. It adds that Patreon funds are used to cover the costs of web hosting, marketing, and software. Each volume features amazing conversions, sculptures, and original artwork exploring the weirdest corners of Warhammer 40k factions and far beyond.
The first volume of 28 released in 2019, and each edition has been a massive community collaboration. Similarly, the Fist in the Eye Miniatures range was born out of collaboration. Explaining how the Explorer was created, Winberg states:
“Over the years we have often been asked if we will make some ’28’ miniatures so when Andrew May approached us about a collaboration we jumped on the idea. The incredible Nicky Grillet provided concept art and Andrew sculpted what we hope will be the first in a small range.” The Orc model were concepted and sculpted by Aaron Howdle, while Christian Schwager has contributed concept art for goblin goons that are not yet sculpted.
The Inq28 scene gets its name from the original game that inspired it, Inquisitor, a Warhammer 40k spin-off game that used 54mm scale models. These didn’t remain in production for long and most people who continued to play the game afterwards used 28mm scale models – hence, Inq28. As there were no models of Inquisitors and their henchmen available at the time, the community resorted to extensive kit-bashing.
Another major influence was legendary Warhammer 40k artist John Blanche, who was kit-bashing his own outlandish models even before the very first edition of Warhammer: The Old World released. His artistic and model-making style, dubbed ‘Blanchitsu’, was adopted by the Inq28 scene both for its thematic fit and the creative liberation it offers. Blanchitsu can be detailed, but it’s never ‘clean’.
We’ve covered a good number of games that have emerged from the Inq28 scene: Necropolis28, which is like Warhammer meets Dark Souls, Turnip28 (root vegetables feature heavily), the Kill Team spin-off Acolyte, and even the NonCombatTabletop movement, which makes pacifist miniature games with -28 inspired aesthetics.
You can download each issue of 28 magazine from its website, and bookmark the Fist In The Eye Miniatures webstore for sales in the US.