Necromunda 3.0: It's a Proxy Party! - Part 3: Get into the Juve...

It seems like one of the things that a lot of gamers have been left asking for in the release of the new edition of Necromunda is models that are suitable for representing Juves, the callow up-and-commers that tag along with the average Underhive gang in the hope of surviving the fight and gaining enough experience along the way to eventually blossom into full-grown gangers.

I expect that this is something GW will get onto in their own good time, but there are still people out there looking for an answer in the short term, so I've been scouting around for a solution - and I have to say, there really isn't one that's going to satisfy everyone!

The obvious answer would seem to be the Juve miniatures from the original release of the game, but the evident scale creep that can be seen in the new sculpts, scarcity and price, as well as the need to customise the weapons on a range of models that were all metal, could be a real issue when taking that option.

Unlike full gangers, the non-GW manufacturers out there are not replete with sci-fi or dystopian near-future miniatures of the youth, but there are some that could be used at a push.

Stefania by Hasslefree Miniatures

Hasslefree Miniatures offer a massive range of beautifully sculpted, characterful and often distinctly NSFW miniatures that are simply a joy to paint, and taken as an example, it's easy to see how the one above could be adapted for use as an Escher Juve.

Eve by Hasslefree Miniatures

This one is obviously modeled after the heroine of a popular videogame franchise, but could take a more outrageous paintjob and some modifications to raid the Underhive with just as much ease.

Joanne by Hasslefree Miniatures

Mohawks are not solely the preserve of House Goliath, a fact that I strangely feel the need to point out.

Sola by Hasslefree Miniatures

Good things do often come in small packages, and with a Juve at the height of this diminutive miniature, almost anything could conceivably serve as cover.

Kami Riko by Hasslefree Miniatures

Although we're back into pop-culture territory here, the choice of multiple heads makes this one a serious contender.

Louise by Hasslefree Miniatures

I'm not sure if the rules for chainsaws are included in the new game, but surely you could come up with something in the way of house-rules?

Joe by Hasslefree Miniatures

This is one of the few non-Escher suggestions that I was able to come up with, and while he might not look all that young, there is a reason for this, which I'll get to later in the post, so bear with me for now.

Never mind the bollocks, here's the Scabies Punks

Wargames Foundry's Street Violence range has some interesting possibilities as well, and yes, the male punks don't look young, but here's the thing - have you ever considered the idea that Juves might not necessarily need to look so, well - Juvenile?

Hear me out on this one - could a Juve actually just be a fairly mature guy or girl that happens to have little in the way of experience in being a ganger, and carries lesser weapons and gear as a result, maybe who's look is less extreme because they've just started running with their respective gang?

Look at the Gangers, not the Juves, damn it - I'm trying to make a point here!

This one works very well for Goliath in particular, especially when you compare the massive size of the new miniatures to the old ones - wouldn't they be easy to pick out as different from the newer and therefore make pretty good Juves?

In terms of fluff, I understand that Goliath are big on vat-grown muscles, implants and various chems that are used to bulk them up for combat, and so you could argue that they might even use such techniques to speed up the development of their gangers.

I could easily see Goliath Juves in their mere teens that had been given at least the appearance of fully-grown men for the sake of intimidation, and yet retained the minds and experience of their actual age.

It's not perfect, but at least it's something to start with!

As always, please let me know what you think, whether you agree or not, and be sure to let me know of any decent proxys that you've found on your travels as well, all in the comments below.