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Author Topic: Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome  (Read 3164 times)

Offline sespe

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 157
Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome
« on: February 28, 2017, 05:17:23 AM »
I will never be as good a painter as all of you.  It is with some trepidation that I even post these.  But here are 4 groups I'm working on for Rogue Stars.  Suggestions on traits are welcome.

First are some classic Star Cops.  They will be rabidly anti-psionic, so no PSI need apply.  Thinking Cossacks here...

A couple even have stun batons.  4 members and a cadet "little brother".  Although cadets are not supposed to accompany combat missions, he is such a help (and boot polisher), they tend to bring him along.  I'm thinking Green and melee weapon only?

Next is my group, made up of some leftover western minis and a couple new ones.

Don't know if they should be traders or pirates. Suspenders man in the back was supposed to be the leader, but now I have big hulking guy with a pet dragonet...  Mushroom man will be highly psionic. 

Here's a good group of Mercs.  They can bring along the big brute if needed. 

Big brute needs something special for his weapon, not sure what.

And finally, my wife's group:

All diminutive, escapees from a travelling zoo (slaves), they now roam the galaxy on a mission to free other slaves.  Hairy Harry is their psi specialist.  The two mice-men wear jump packs to keep up with the bunny.  (Other than Harry, the 3 minis are the first 3 figures ever painted by my wife during paint-and-takes at a local con.  She has always wanted them in a warband.

I'm at a loss as to how to finish the bases.  All my western minis have desert bases, everybody else green grass.  But I want a techno-style base.  Plain grey doesn't seem to cut it.  Any ideas?

Offline Steelwraith

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 83
Re: Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2017, 04:25:21 AM »
What I use are the standard round bases from 40k and cover them with plasticard which has a square tile pattern etched into them. I will then remove the old bases from the figures and drill pins into the feet. Its a bit of work, but they look nice.

Offline rexscarlet

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 27
Re: Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2017, 08:52:43 PM »
Cheapest sci fi basing around;
Old screen , glue on a base, cut edges off with scissors, glue on a model.
Cat-5 Cable, the wires inside, multiple colors as a bonus, twist some into a braid, coil some, pile some, glue on top of screen, cut off to the edge of the base after.
Nickles as a base are .05 cents each, NO TAX.
.
Inexpensive Supplies
.
Wire Hangers; from the dry-cleaners. I prefer the white plastic coated ones. (Cut-out the straight area and save). Then find a drill-bit the same size.
Uses; pinning large items, axles on vehicles, BANNER-POLES, etc… Alternatively, LARGE paper-clips.
Broom (Old); (house/kitchen) with long Nylon bristles. Depending on stiffness can be used as Spears, Lances, Antenna arrays, poles, cabling, and etc…
Stir-Sticks; wood, (NOT Popsicle, they are treated and can have a to-finished look). A handful from Starbucks for free with a cup-o-Joe or a box from a craft chain about $5.
Uses; as wood, for everything wood; floors, bridges, fences, and etc…
Cereal Box Cardboard; Save the front and back of the Cereal-box, etc. the cardboard is treated and very solid.
Uses, a VERY inexpensive substitute for plastic-card.
Rocks and Gravel; from your neighbor’s driveway (I Keed, I keed)
Uses; boulders, and etc…
Old Toys; from your closet, from a yard-sale, and etc.
Uses; rubble terrain, machinery, and etc…
Chopsticks; (fast food for free) Uses; large wood poles, fencing, supports, and etc…
Wrapping paper rolls; (the thicker ones) A Pringles can, oatmeal can, etc.
Telephone DSL Cat5 Cabling (inside wires); they have 4-12 different colored wires inside
Pennies (or nickels fit ROUND bases perfectly as weights; if you are rich lol); (note; I have tried the washer and slug idea, trying to find the right size and driving around is not worth the penny, or the nickel) Alternatively, they could be cut in two (just off-center) to fit in the underside of the slotted-bases.
Roots of small hardy plants; use, dead (spooky) trees when turned upside down.
Hibachi skewers; (made of Bamboo) cost about $1 for a bag of 50 at local grocery store, great for spiky defenses, and etc…
Place-mat for dinner table; (made of Bamboo and other wood slat items) good for fences when cut.
Dykes; or heavy-duty wire cutters; NOT Sprue-Cutters (sprue-cutters are expensive and will get damaged when trying to cut metal or wood). Example; http://www.xs11.com/forum/images/tips/20020902-floatpinremove.jpg
Needle point embroidery colored thread; great for rope (28mm scale and up)
Fisk hooks, the tiny, triple ones, cut off sharp tips with dykes, make sure the eyelet is large enough to accept thread or wire; good for grappling hooks. Add a rope and litter the table with them, to represent places that can be climbed easily, cheaper than buying stairs, ladders, etc.




Offline vodkafan

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3510
Re: Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2017, 11:07:13 PM »
Good stuff! I didn't recognise many of those minis. I like the Mercs best and the idea behind your wife's band is fun. Just shows  what can happen when imagination is used!
I am going to build a wargames army, a big beautiful wargames army, and Mexico is going to pay for it.

2019 Painting Challenge :
figures bought: 500+
figures painted: 57
9 vehicles painted
4 terrain pieces scratchbuilt

Offline The Baggagetrain

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 84
    • the-baggagetrain
Re: Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2017, 10:51:44 AM »
Nothing wrong with yours or you're wife's painting mate, and i love the ideas behind each group. thanks for posting them. I have yet to play Rogue Stars but will be having a go soon. just got to finish all the bands.
Regards
Stephen
The Baggagetrain
http://www.the-baggagetrain.com

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 9302
    • Ultravanillasmurf
Re: Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2017, 10:03:01 AM »
Basing is very much a personal thing.

I use an assortment of basing methods, but about 50% are topped with Slater's embossed plastikard.

Generally, SpyFi figures are on 25mm slot type bases with a disc of the embossed plastic (using a compass cutter). SpyFi uses 7mm pavement.

Super heroic basing is 30mm lipped again with 7mm scale paving.

Judge Dredd and Steam Punk uses 7mm granite setts on lipped bases.

Weird War 2 again uses lipped bases with woodland scenics' fine ballast over Milliput filler.

My non 40k SF uses tread plate or mesh pattern plastikard.

WW2 is on Renedra 25mm flat bases, except where the figure has an integral base when the Warlord lipped bases come into their own. Milliput and ballast to taste.

Frostgrave similar to WW2 though with more rocks and blocks (MDF bits).

Offline area23

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1237
    • area23
Re: Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2017, 08:26:31 PM »
I've been basing sand and bits painted grey for SF for years, but lately i've been switching and repainting to desert sand.  find it makes the figures stand out better while grey kind of destroys the pinted miniature unless itìs painted in bright colours.

Waht miniatures are these by the way? I've never seen hairy harry, the cossacks and the gasmask types before.
If you don't believe in lead, you're already dead.
+++AREA23 BLOG+++

Offline SotF

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 962
  • Shadow Of The Future
Re: Some WIP bands - suggestions welcome
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2017, 09:52:01 PM »
An easy scifi style base technique is to take your base, cut a piece of plastic canvas/granny grating to fit over the top, then use some thin strips of card to mark plate ends on it.

Basecoat the entire thing in flat black, a spray is very good for it because it can get on the interior of the base pieces, then a darker metallic, wash in first black and then a brown, give a light drybrush of the metallic color, then a highlight of a brighter metallic of the same basic color (Steel to silver, or different golds, or whatever you want), then hit it with a very light, patchy drybrush in areas of a dull red-brown if you want more of a rusty look.

 

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