A to Z: Quar

How could Q be anything else? 

There are two creations that hold the rank of favorite independent original creatures for their appeal and the depth of the creatures, setting, concept and game.  One of those is World of Twilight (see tag on the left column) and the other is Quar (also with a tag). 

If you know the Quar then you probably understand.  If you don't, then let the pykpyk outside because you won't want to be distracted, relax, read, and prepare to fall in love.

Zombiesmith

The Quar are the creation of Zombiesmith. You'll be hard pressed to find a miniatures line with a more developed world, culture and history.  I've linked Zombiesmith under 'Places to go'.  You'll find a wealth of information on the Quar, their culture and history under every Quar heading & model description.  The Quar are contagious and delightful in their personality. Their names are a little odd at first, but many of you have a wide range of nationalities and Quar is maybe similar to, but far easier than Welsh (from my cultural relativism at any rate). You'll adjust to the names and ranks quick enough.

The Quar have rotund bellies and long pointed noses.  They are insectivores. They have a technology similar to Earth around the early 20th century.  My girlfriend refers to them as "the nose aliens" and loves them as much as I do. They are simple in their look but very compelling

The Ranges

Quar are 28mm miniatures (though there are also 15mm versions as well). 

They have a style similar to a historical range between the Franco-Prussian war (for Royalist Quar) to WWI (for the Crusader Quar).  They are the two opposing sides of the 'Long War' which has lasted generations. 

The Crusaders were the first to be released, 

Crusader. (Picture from the Zombiesmith site.)

followed by the Royalists, and both are having new miniatures added to their lines.  

 Royalist.  (Picture from the Zombiesmith site.) 

There is also a 'Partisan' Quar line, which could be Quar fighting for either side: citizen soldiers (think French or Polish resistance fighters in a score of WWII movies and you won't be far off). 

Partisan. (Picture from the Zombiesmith site.)

The Forum

Zombiesmith has an active forum, and allegiances run deep for most on one side or the other. I suffer from a need to collect opposing factions, so I have miniatures for both sides, and do like the look of both, but if pressed to chose, I'd say my sympathies lie with the just and true cause of the Royalists.  The forum has many talented people who've made some very fun machines: something about Quar make you want to create machines for them!  In fact, one of the followers of this blog, Bandit86 just made some very cool Quar submarines! Go check out his blog if you haven't already!

The Games

Zombiesmith has two games for the Quar, one is a large scale battle game, This Quar's War, and the other is a skirmish game, Songs of Our Ancestors, based on the acclaimed Songs of Blades & Heroes & other 'Songs' titles by Ganesha Games.  Even if you have other intended games to use these miniatures for, the books are worth buying for the pictures & background alone, I own them both and can say they are both beautiful books.  They're both available as PDFs as well if that is what you prefer.  There is also another book in the works? Something that will have a lot of Quar tanks.. guess I'll be getting a third book!

The Songs of Our Ancestors makes a great way to pick up a couple squads of Quar and have some great games for a small amount of money.. scratch the Quar itch you're sure to develop if you haven't already. 

My Quar

I've posted several updates with the machines I've made for my Quar, which I'm using as 'Phobosians' in a Victorian Sci-Fi Campaign.  Quar are very flexible.  I could imagine using them in anything from Victorian Sci-Fi, to WWI proxy, WWWII to Science Fiction. 

Here is a collection of the first command group for my Phobosians:

A few of my vehicles I've adapted for my Phobosian Quar:

Some of the troops in an early W.I.P. stage:

Quar come with integrated bases, which could be used as-is, but I prefer to base them on 25mm round bases. -See my post 'Beyond the Slotta Base'  for an explanation on why I prefer these particular ones. 

Quar have separate heads & backpacks, and some models have separate arms/weapons as well.  

The range is well supplied with infantry, cavalry, officers of various rank, and light field pieces like machines guns, heavy shotguns & mortars and even a light & heavy tank.  No Heavy Artillery as yet, but there are a lot of other company options- the Zombiesmith forum has many examples of  what people have gone for (check the thread 'Quartillery').

I have my eye on the Woodbine Design Turkish Krupp Gun. 

So lovely.  When I can afford a few I'll get them. 

I've been working 12 hour days lately, so I haven't been making as much progress on the Quar project as I'd like. 

Speaking of cost, like any independent 'boutique' miniatures company, it's going to cost a bit more per miniature than some of the larger companies, at least when compared to getting boxes of plastic miniatures. But when compared to other metal miniatures and for the quality and originality of the product, Quar are a great value. 

One of my first posts I put up the Zombiesmith Quar video, but it's highly appropriate to do so here, so enjoy the movie, it's a great one!