Age Of Sigmar Cities Of Sigmar Carmine Dragon Miniature

Okay, let’s talk about dragons. Specifically, Age of Sigmar dragons. And especially the Cities of Sigmar Carmine Dragon. I know, I know, dragons are supposed to be the coolest thing ever. Epic. Majestic. The kind of creatures that make you want to shout dramatically into the wind.

But… and this might be an unpopular opinion… is it really all that?

Dragons, Dragons Everywhere!

Look, I appreciate a good dragon as much as the next person. Smaug? Awesome. Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion? Totally terrifying (and slightly problematic, depending on your Westeros allegiance). But sometimes, I feel like dragons are the go-to “epic” thing when writers run out of other ideas. "Need to make this battle feel HUGE? Add a dragon!" Instant epicness. Right?

Except… maybe not? Maybe we’re all a little dragon-ed out. Maybe we’ve seen so many dragons breathing fire, hoarding gold, and generally being dragon-y that the novelty has worn off. Don’t get me wrong, the Carmine Dragon miniature looks fantastic! The sculpt is beautiful. The paint jobs people are doing are incredible.

But the whole concept? Sigh. It feels…safe. Predictable.

Carmine: A Colour, A Dragon, A…Sigh?

And the colour choice, too. Carmine is nice, a rich deep red. But is it really inspired? It's not bad! It's not terrible! It is...just there. It is a perfectly adequate dragon, in a perfectly adequate colour.

I saw someone paint theirs bronze and, wow, that's a dragon I can get excited about. I mean, picture this: a dragon, but turquoise. Or neon pink. A dragon with rainbow scales! Now that's something different. That's a dragon that screams, "I'm not your grandma's fire-breathing lizard!" That's a dragon that truly feels at home in the mortal realms!

Maybe the problem isn't even the Carmine Dragon itself. Maybe it’s the context. It’s part of the Cities of Sigmar, which are supposed to be, well, cities! I love the idea of these brave humans and duardin banding together against the horrors of the realms. I picture them as gritty survivors, making do with what they have, scratching out a living in the face of overwhelming odds.

And then a massive, magically-charged dragon lands in the middle of their carefully constructed city, looking all regal and… dragon-y. It feels a little off, doesn’t it?

Ironic Detachment is My Shield

It’s like showing up to a punk rock concert in a tuxedo. You can do it, but you’re probably going to get some weird looks. And possibly a beer thrown at you. (Disclaimer: Please don’t throw beer at people in tuxedos. Or at anyone, really. Unless they’re asking for it… and even then, maybe just offer them a stern talking-to).

I will admit though, seeing that huge base on the tabletop is intimidating and, perhaps more importantly, fun. And if my opponent brought that beast to bear against me, I would probably be quaking in my boots. That is the point after all, isn't it? To intimidate on the field of battle.

Of course, all of this is just my opinion. You're perfectly entitled to love the Carmine Dragon with every fiber of your being. Maybe you’re a dragon enthusiast who collects every single dragon miniature ever made. Maybe you've spent hours painstakingly painting each scale to perfection. And that's great! More power to you!

But me? I'm going to stick with my humble handgunners and my slightly-too-enthusiastic flagellant. I'll leave the dragon-slaying to the professionals. Or, you know, whoever manages to roll a six on their hit roll. Because in Age of Sigmar, anything is possible.

So, go forth. Paint your dragon however you want. Give it rainbow scales or make it metallic. The Realms need more colour after all.

Just maybe… think about painting your handgunners first? They're much less likely to set your house on fire. (Probably.)