Akara (mounted) and Troodon from The Drowned Earth

A few weeks back I took a look over the Bondsmen Faction starter box from The Drowned Earth miniatures game; but that was not the only thing that James Baldwin (owner and creator of The Drowned Earth miniatures game or TDE for short) had sent my way. But I didn't want to drop everything into one big article. 

For part two I thought I'd grab two of the four packets (yes... there is more to come) and take a closer look at some more from this original apocalyptic setting.


Bit of dinosaur related fun this time around with the selection.

One being a pack of two Troodons (pronounced Troh-oh-don, meaning wounding tooth according to the Natural History Museum) which are classed as beasts in game terms so fairly universal.

The other is a leader option for the Bondsmen faction in the form of Akara, mounted on a triceratops of all things. And why not if you can do it.

Original packaging


No hard plastic blister packs in this range which might worry some who see blisters as protective, but don't panic. These minis are metal and not something highly fragile (looking at you old finecast). Plus you can still view the parts inside the packet.

This is a highly conscious decision on the part of James with the aim of keeping things as environmentally friendly as possible. Hence the hint to reuse these resealable packets and the recycling information which you almost never see in this hobby.

The little touches like the living sentient caution and the Splicetech Inc. text tie it in nicely with the game setting too.

Inside the packets


If you're a gamer then you'll be pleased to know that all the miniatures available have their stat cards included in the packs. Saves messing about and having to pick up another product to be able to play with them. Always welcome.

Akara mounted


Four separate parts equalling the six parts to make up this figure.

Straight away the casting looks great although having small parts attached directly to the blocks was a bit concerning which I'll talk about more as I look closer. Good to see a large hollow in the beast or you'll be dealing with a door stop.

Priced at £29.95 which feels pretty fair with the amount of metal involved. Comparable to a 54mm figure for sure. 


Two halves of the beast and Akara's legs are well defined. Though I get the feeling that the mould this was pulled from may have a little damage as on the render there is a good gap between the beasts body and the ankles. They look more filled in here. That may of course have been a decision on the caster though to reduce wear on moulds. Sometimes being sculptable in 3D does not mean something is castable.

There is also a slight lump by here inner right thigh which I don't believe should be there.

Overall though; really great looking parts with minimal clean up needed at all. I just wish there were a few extra key and socket joints inside the body to really make sure you line them up correctly and save the need to add a couple of pins for extra joining strength.


The join is pretty good. Will need a bit of filling after cleaning. That'll be the trusty Milliput to see that right.


Akara's torso and the beasts head are on the same casting block. I'm glad there is a little section to give a bit of distance to get clippers in for Akara. I just wish the same was done for the beast as that took some careful trimming away at the block to avoid any damage.

Both parts have great detail and near flawless reproduction.


Her skull hat (which is a Raptor skull I believe which ties in to her fluff) and spear like weapon had me a little worried with their attachment to their casting block.

I removed the skull first. Carefully trimming away with clippers rather than just getting as close as possible in one clip. Doing that would've likely damaged some of the teeth on the skull and you don't want that.

The spear blade was easily the trickiest one I've done in a while as I really wanted to keep the blade edge. A 5mm gap would've made a huge difference in removing that block without bending the shaft (which I did a few times where it's so thin), damaging the ribbon, or damaging the blade edge. If you assemble this just take your time here. Rushing will not be your friend.


I had to show this join. Just had to.

I've assembled a fair few metal beasts and monsters over the years. Often it's a case of put the body halves together, then attach the head and limbs in their places. But when I did this I noticed that the hole is too small and that the connecting part tapers.

I was pleasantly surprised when I tried putting the head in place first, and then putting the second body half in place. This held it excellently and means that you won't have those annoying times where you have to glue the head back on. Excellent.

Troodon 2 pack


The Troodons were released back in 2018 and in comparison to more recent releases are simpler in design. Just two pieces make up each dinosaur. easy to clean and assemble. Just watch those ankles.


Some lovely details on these carnivorous beasts. Wouldn't want these chasing you down with all those teeth.

There isn't really loads that I can say with these as there isn't any issues to point out. Just a couple of bits of flash, a quick clue, base, paint, and hunt some prey. Simple really.

All round video...

I'm still working an these and am a total novice so please let me know if you have any feedback. Cheers.


Of course, if you're viewing this as an email you don't get to see the embedded video player but you can view it here on YouTube.

Final thoughts


For figures designed for gaming, these really have a great level of detail. Not hyper detailed like some companies out there, but enough to have a few different materials to break things up.

Akara, even with the scary casting blocks, assembles really well and has a nice feel of momentum. There is a little bit of a gap raising the beasts feet from the base but that just means you can really get your chosen basing materials under foot.
Would be interesting to see her on a faster looking beast, though you wouldn't really want to be charged by something that could just crush you either. Just be careful with the spear as it can bend easily.

The Troodons are simple but do their job. Plus I can't think of any companies making this kind of dinosaur for your gaming. Just makes me want to watch some older Jurassic Park films now to see people chased down by raptors.

Great minis and a top quality range so give them a look for sure. 

Where to buy?

You can buy direct from The Drowned Earth at https://thedrownedearth.com or check your local gaming store to see if they stock it yet.

You can of course keep up to date on TDE news by following their social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and/or YouTube.

Until next time; thank you for stopping by, stay safe, and enjoy your hobby time.


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