First troops

Yes the first actual troops for this project as opposed to "vehicles"! This morning  I have finished my first squad of "snake-men" (Astragar as Critical Mass games call them.  Here is a LINK)

I find painting Sci Fi Figures hard. Yes you are right what ever colour you paint them is "right" there really is not a "wrong!!" So for now these will do and do well. There is some tidying up to o..... when is there not? But overall I am happy with their progress and finished look.  They are not perfect but non-the-less I am happy with them.

The vehicle is an APC or Battle -bus by Brigade games (see previous blog posts for a link and know that they are no longer easily available). It is an organic breed in a tank "Vehicle!" As such  factories might well be very different from our assembly plants. They might be so different that it might be easier to transport to a new world. (something to think about!)

This APC seems to fit well with my concept of the race and how they are. As such I shall say no more about them I have yet to stat them for the Grurntz rules so perhaps my initial thoughts might change. At present I have 3 of the APCs so that limits me to the size of the force. (Just 3 squads.... what ever I decide a Snake-men squad is.

This picture shows what I have painted so far in the vehicle range by Brigade  Models But I have 3 more varieties of vehicle yet to paint before I get sidetracked. (And I shall soon like it or not! I know what I am like)

The last pic just shows me that I have at least 2 more squads to paint (possibly more) and I have at least 9 more "vehicles" to go (Not pictured). Therefore I have enough 15mm sci fi to keep me going for a bit.

With luck I shall do the next lot quicker as NO decisions or re-paints need happen (although I bet they shall as MY typically hap-hazard way of doing things unfolds)>

Until next time take care, have fun and get some painting done!

All the best Clint

AZTEC FARM

A scratch built 15mm sci fi farm. No this is not a farm for growing Aztecs! Nor is a farm built by the ancient Aztecs. It is just the name I was using as I built this.  Nor is it complete. as it would require several further tunnels to finish it. But it will do for now!
Below is a step by step guide on how it was made.

Firstly I needed a concept. It needed to be easily built and cheaply. So I used only Items I could either scrounge or had already I am sure there are beter options and I look forward to seeing them.

This was actually the hardest part. Using "Grey board" (extra thick cardboard) I cut out some semi circles. I cut them the wrong size. Feel free to laugh andI am sure many of you will. This is actually quite gruelling and requires some effort. So Rather than re cut them to the right size I went with it. Not Ideal but what in wargaming or I life is!

I used  some spare 6mm MDF to make a base board. This was easy and straight forward and I was able to use power tools so little effort bu some time was required. For the actual tunnel I decided on an old "Pepsi" bottle. Feel free to use something else. I nearly used "7UP" as the bottled were lime green in colour and I thought (and still do) that might make them more sci fi in appearance. But I had a pepsi bottle so that was pressed into service.
There are molding lines and I used these as a guide to get some pieces hemispherical and using the molding lines was accurate enough.

I did a dry assembly first and then once I was "Happy" (BTW I am never happy) first stick the end pieces in place and then set about making the interior. The interior was first painted then dry-brushed and then commercial "Tufts" were added to reflect crops.  Again |I used what I had and the next version will probably be cheaper! Yeah I am a skin flint!


When ready (and left over night) I used a cheap (Bought from the 99p store) Uhu glue To hold in all in place. It is not perfect but did the job I required cheaply and efficiently.The interior was painted black on the walls and any other colour would have been acceptable, Personal choice and what, in this instance, I had to hand. Thick card board (actually Mounting board) was used on the sides. Again UHU was used but feel free to use any other general glue.



At this stage all the inside was done and a coat of grey paint was applied to the appropriate areas. As I had not been super neat (such s my way) I used thin strips of "Plasticard" as a junction between the "clear"  and the grey walls. Yes I split glue more than a few time and If working commercially would have taken more care. Superglue was used to hold the plasicard in placeas my "Mekpak" had all dried up and superglue was all I had handy! Again more care should have been taken but it was not and I have learnt not to beat-my-self-up about it.

Finally I painted to finish ad blogged it. I added a solar panel from the "Blotz" company (LINK) and a figure for scale. The solar panel and the figure are separate and can (and will) be used for other things!

Yes lots to get "right" in the future, but at least my sc fi 15mm people shall not starve straight away.  Yes I need to build a few more (and in different sizes) or supporting life will not be easy and shall be expensive. But not a bad place to start.

Below are some more finished pics just do you an see all the mistakes. Don't bother pointing them out I am already aware of them and all it does is make you look stupid!

Thanks for looking and no doubt see you soon. All the best Clint