So GW recently released a teaser for another gang they're bringing to their new-ish Necromunda game. And the units that they included for the Van Saar gang take the 90s cyberpunk aesthetic and spins it in a slightly different direction. But I can't help but feel like the models look oddly familiar aspects between the poses, colors, helmets, and "tactical rocks." Example of multiple eyed helmets and Cybernetic braids. "Tactical rock" on the top left, and familiar pistol and two handed gun poses. P.S. I'm not accusing GW of ripping off Infinity before anyone ropes me into that statement.
It still looks like GW's style (chunky and huge shoulder pads), but yeah, I think there's been some cross-polination. And Van Saar are my faction for Necromunda.
Concur with the Analysis of both. . . While these are sleeker and more lithe than usual Games Workshop Miniatures, their aesthethical style is not so different from the more nimbler examples of Warhammer 40.000 pieces (such as Assassin Cults, Eldars and Dark Eldars). . . The Spider Masks and other "Steampunk Arachnid Imagery" (as the Skull-Spider is the "Totemic Image" of House Van-Saar anyway) make Me think back to the "Scorpions of Dirz" faction of the failed "Confrontation Fantasy Skirmish Wargame" in a manner. . . The bankrupted Rakham Company (a joint venture of French and German tabletop producers) were the first to pioneer a slightly more Advanced Culture (technically Victorian Horror Alchemists and Mad Scientists styled Viktor Von Frankenstein, Herbert West and Doctor Moureau) in a Setting where there were far more primitive factions. . . Their cool and terrifying aesthethics (Purestrain Humans enhanced by Magic Combat Drugs, Mind-Scrubbe Clones and horrible Animal+Human+Demon Hybrids created by an "Insane Dark Alchemy" that would make Praxis Chimeras blush in embarassment) presented a lot of weird gasmasks, lither and athletic builds (rather than "Steroid Conan" in a Full-Plate) and leathery full-suits. . . It was later "Very Inspirational" for a lot by other companies, such as not only the aforementioned Dark Eldars (their Homunculi shambling hordes seems a direct, higher tech rip-off) but also Privateer Press for the Necromancers of Cryx, the Malifaux brand of "Van Helsing Vs. Dracula" adaptations and even some very successful Videogame Franchises (such as the first two "Bioshocks" featuring a similar "Alchemist Horror Apocalypse"). . . As for somehow being these last stuff by G.W. being a roundabout inspiration for Infinity Ideas, I would really dig them for some kind of "Shaasvastii Hybrid Infiltrators". . . . .!!!
And 90% of that aesthetic is down to them having one sculptor to design their "iconic" models. Jes Goodwin, who got given the reins for the Eldar in 1990 to revise the model line and aesthetic, and also did all 4 of the assassin temple sculpts (2 of each) and then the DE were given his treatment (the 5th ed do-over, not the 3rd ed version - he was busy with SM stuff as well as WHFB and regular eldar at the time). Jes also did a chunk of the Van saar models for original Necro. These lack a certain something compared to his usual stuff, so I'm inclined to think he's had nothing to do with them.
