D&D has shaped the fantasy genre in a lot of ways over the years. After all, the core game is filled with magic and monsters and it’s no surprise that it’s become one of the central sources of inspiration. Take, for example, the humble Kobold. Folklore depicts them as child-shaped, fire-inspired horrors that lurk in mines and the like. The D&D version makes them more lizard-like and draconic and this has become the modern take on these creatures.
D&D Kobold Warband – Icons of the Realms is a collection of eight pre-painted minis for use in D&D or other tabletop games, at the traditional 25mm scale. It’s an instant encounter in a handy blister pack. All of these beasties are mounted on small bases (they aren’t meant to be big baddies), and they’re sort of cute in the fox-like lizard sort of way. They’re red-skinned and are sculpted in a way that implies they have some sort of dragon-like ancestry. (In various D&D settings, Kobolds claim to be related to the mighty dragon and tend to be minions for such fiends.)
Starting off, there is the basic Kobold model; he’s sculpted dynamically using a sling, which (thanks to the use of a translucent disc) looks like it’s being swung around with great enthusiasm. The Kobold Underling looks like he can barely use its crossbow and short sword, making the poor thing perfect cannon fodder. (Or this case, fireball fodder).
The pack features two ‘Kobold Commoners’, one carrying a pick-axe, the other is carrying a club. These are quite fun, though if you play them as written in the rules they’re present literally no challenge. But they are meant to be civilians, so there’s that. On the other hand, the Kobold Dragonshield is a hero to his people, a brave defender of their tribe. This would be an ideal choice for a player piece. The same can be said for the Kobold Inventor model, who is overloaded with widgets and contraptions. Perfect for a player character artificer also.
We also get two ‘winged’ kobolds; one is a sorcerer with mock wings and is casting a fireball, the other is ‘proper’ winged koblds and is sculpted with the right amount of arrogant poise.
Overall, this is a set that is perfect for games that want to run lots of Kobold encounters. The models are different enough from each other to make it easier to set up and track on the table. Great fun for players and dungeon masters alike.
