Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: mikedemana on 29 November 2023, 03:11:57 AM
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(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOg1XOUuiSiqyIiLdoCDn-rQF9SJsA5jYJz7SfpwZHngJw7oktTXVm900DXKGxIjLlssFr5R1GL_fTUEuHWfTGaU8sA9WzbD-YHuIC3znIF-EAicaIE-5GzCtZtOcHQLuTAN8T9nsfYrVMdxExFomJmsMvyXAWqT-XLh4VmQV0qNoh6vd6NjRzthMOPE/w640-h316/BronzeLegion_MarineBatch01.jpg)
My Wiley Games 'Marines' with one Reaper Bones figure thrown in
I plan on using this thread to update my progress on creating forces for Xenos Rampant Sci-Fi skirmish games. Here is the first squad for my first human (or humanoid?) force - the Bronze Legion. The figures are from Wiley Games, who are best known for their Fistful of Lead rules. They are resin figures that seem to be fairly sturdy. I really like their angular look and the armor isn't the overblown, power-trooper armor. More sleek and classic Sci-Fi looking, in my eyes.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OkO3LZB-CgMPSl0nIRc4UPIR3ELpTujUZCjmPgFFwDt-ABhm90M9DFmL0FIzRy3rtHo7AvwFcu97xs0W46JXnWLLtL0Fx7X5CFXQNb_kXwR3SzlfOSMWBc3GG7VISkfyty6oVRkSXoMmtKLiKezxdz147fwJUzS7HoNSJzt8eVsdCafTAjYPJXQpOpc/w640-h306/BronzeLegion_Marines%20A.jpg)
Close up of the 'Marine' and 'Marine Sergeant' in front of my Sci-Fi terrain
My plan for my Xenos Rampant games is to use five 28mm scale figures for 10 strength points. I'll have some sort of casualty marker for when you can't remove a whole figure (2 points of damage). One of my main reasons is because I like the look of a 5-man squad, plus it will make it a LOT easier to field multiple forces to host games...! lol
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8M3MtKPwS0Z20VEfwRyZB2SW1dbiW7qYmba09F6a19DtFR_Czt1oQYbZPN3IuAArihJGX-rdobVbwqTpreK1L-NXHBSH4Vx52NhyHhbj8vnS6HhyphenhyphenynHmOHAVUMRhYwiLz4eQ0aTWau5F8SuJjYtBHefM5m5RQVYbQYsROPFg5GaAimatZNXE20pRP5NU/w640-h292/BronzeLegion_Marines%20B.jpg)
The next two Wiley Games figures - another marine and the 'Marine Sergeant' pose
These Wiley Games poses are a bit bigger than my metal 28mm figures, though they don't look that much larger than the Reaper Bones figure accompanying them to round out the squad. I did multiple layers of a new metallic acrylic paint that I'd picked up (Ancient Bronze) and black wash. I thought it looked too coppery full strength so toned it down with a heavy black wash, then brought it back up with watered down and full strength highlights.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXb3nz7PykcXWyJV-W6FBXDmjF6kto6sjs2TVc6PUfENz4_bB4fQv-3XuUHL9URLcnC-8Wbs8rWLqMnyd4qw0cbnxueA9RHj5cixynezyfjwPHV1IN3jjTNJnS7jhQYKg-26DhYHDX_l0pSPmzn8AaggrLhlSEtFQDKCOoUjq4WV3jcK9p1n8nq7GYc-o/w640-h594/BronzeLegion_Marines%20C.jpg)
This Reaper Bones figure had LOTS more equipment and extraneous detail then the very clean, sleek looking marines
Since I had purchased only four of the marines months ago, prior to deciding to get into Xenos Rampant, I needed another miniature to round out their squad. He was 'Gavin Markus, Nova Corp Hero' and ended up being quite a bit more of a pain to paint than the marines. When painted up in the same color scheme, he matches fairly well with the Bronze legion. I'd originally purchased him to be a leader figure for a force, and I may yet use him for that. Not sure, as I have another batch of Wiley Games figures coming and there is one in there I have my eye on for the Centurion in charge of this legion detachment!
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxknYoNSR7C0hkTCt71P5o6YHXxgKvfsb0oGINE3h1bhyO6Vh4l6Uw50J3c3DnkKKmkK8tO_2rZ9-54EwyQtFTPq61qBzOof3VY6oBE2JQ2we6wlOCH3emmSLLhYEE9rTUztZbfl3BKwXiiC8P4mHbYaX5FM2ryUB9fDZ9hnKR0IwX3luQVEE2XZeY2nI/w640-h512/BronzeLegion_MarineBatch01Above.jpg)
A squad of Bronze Legion troopers investigate an abandoned scientific outpost
I'm really happy with how this batch of figures came out. The black underneath the armor was a bit of a pain to paint, but I think it is an effective look. For the plexiglass visors, I chose Iron Wind Metals 'Steel' and then did a gloss coat over after the figure had been dullcoated. I was wondering how I would like the effect of the Testors Dullcoate on the metallic bronze, and I think I do like it. It gives it more of a dusted rather than burnished look. However, the brush-on gloss on the visors make them pop in person, and I'm happy with that effect, too.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsgLoovCBGzI79-Y7fQz8zetIfVXTEec54ggW41TDIL1Loh9J_hfd7T7CuyfLLuHhj5SvpoGrdw_m7FArEHLkuNLwP3y71ymwaXFEGExLfOjMRCCkF1g32eXLjc3wkCoCBKW1r7u-2kDvLMT1heGufWylYsXxOst02L-A3IsoWg45GmqMbUVIAwVVRj4/w640-h592/TerminatorsTwo01.jpg)
A couple Terminators from my first real batch of figures painted up for my Xenos Rampant project
Stay tuned for more squads and forces on this thread! If you'd like to see the Terminator Machines I painted up for my first real batch for Xenos Rampant, I already posted them on my Post-Apocalyptic thread. Here's the link (and a pic, above):
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=139578.30
Thanks in advance for any comments.
Mike Demana
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good stuff. Nice work
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Very cool figures there! The marines definitely have that sleek sci-fi look. I associate it with the Traveler RPG. The bronze looks quite good on them. The terminators look great, too.
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Looking good! 👍
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I like the bronze on them. They could also double as robots with that look. Nice.
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Nicely done :)
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Those bronze legion troopers look awesome and the reaper Nova Corps guy does fit in nicely. Did you remove some clutter/equipment from the mini, or did you use it as-is?
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Really like the look of these. :)
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Very neat indeed. Under the Xenos Rampant rules, as what do you classify them? Elite Infantry?
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Nova Corps guy does fit in nicely. Did you remove some clutter/equipment from the mini, or did you use it as-is?
I painted him "as is," but there were probably some more things I could have painted in a mix of colors such as the headset. I didn't want him to be a riot of different colors, thus making him stand out more from the marines.
Thanks everyone for the kind comments! From as talented as folks as you, that is high praise indeed!! :-*
Next up on the table are five troopers from the Mercenaries Stargrave pack. I'm trying to match the color schemed to my "Nightstalkers" post-apocalyptic gang. They look Sci-Fi enough that I think fleshing them out to a Xenos Rampant force will be a nice shortcut for another faction.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8vWbyxSotUNIGuDT1i1kBlLtbR-tbxn5NpAD4KR5xvRPPMIHCr7ChVz6DhjKcdx2jw2inCRfTUFytX2-v5jy_r09QT0u3377c3bmBSBF_4aA3hYdp-Im7ElqEvyG03rItjn5KhsYgjmpsb2cPdpVamgR1Gegmik0Va7QuefiA2wjSnAS6D7tOGDJ/w640-h608/NightStalkers_GroupB.jpg)
The Nightstalkers that I will be matching the next force's color scheme to...
Speaking of which, Metternich, I have yet to stat them out. I am trying to look at lots of list already created and published to get ideas. How would you do them? I want them to be a full 10 strength points since I am using 2 SPs per figure for my project...
Mike Demana
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If you want to do them as 2 SP per figure, then Elite Infantry isn't an option (as Elites can only be in 5 Strength Point units and don't have Increased Squad Size); that means they would have to be something like Heavy Infantry (with Increased Squad Size, which allows for 10 SP units). That is a pity, as they look like Elites (which are actually much harder to kill, with Armor 4 instead of Heavy's Armor 3) given their full hardsuit. An option could be to use 5 of them at 1 SP each vice 2 for other figures. By contrast, those Nightstalkers look like Light Infantry (or Recon Infantry), having no armor at all. Up to you of course as to what Options you want to give them - Armor Piercing is always good, which could be by virtue of the rounds used, e.g. gauss rifles (railgun rifles) or HEAT grenades fired from an underslung grenade launcher (and units in full suits, whether Elite or Heavy infantry, could have Mobile and/or Stabilised Weaponry). Doesn't look like any of these figures have a Heavy Weapon.
My figures are built around the backstory of a central govt. (Greys) confronting a breakaway province (Greens - which explains why some of the equipment and armor is the same). Off-world help is provided the rebels by the Imp. Marines. There is also the existence of an Alien force (based on Tau figures), which may prove inimical to both sets of Humans or may pick a side.
My figures are mostly Copplestone Castings Future Wars (with my Heavy Infantry in chest and groin armor, knee and leg armor, helmets). (I have two forces, Grey and Green). My Elites are old Grenadier Traveller Imperial Marines (full hardsuit) (two units of 5 figures each), and a Copplestone Power Armor troop (5 figures) as a unit of (Grey) Elite Infantry in Super Heavy Armor (with a range of Heavy Weapons and other options available). The Heavy Infantry have Armor Piercing and/or Heavy Weapon (due to the Copplestone riflemen having the underslung grenade launcher; and some Grenadier RPG men and a Copplestone shoulder-fired Missleman joining the fray; each Heavy Infantry unit is Increased Squad Size - i.e. 10 figures; there are two such units for the Greys and one for the Greens). The Imperial Marines have gauss rifles (AP) and a plasma gun (AP with a vengeance, or AT as the situation warrants). I have a Recon sniper/countersniper unit for each of the Green and Grey forces. For the Greens there is also an Increased Squad unit of Light Infantry (ten figures with Heavy Weapons, due to the 3 machine guns) made up of mostly old Grenadier mercenary figures from their Secret Agent line. There is also a (Green) Support mortar unit; an Infantry Gun (Support Unit - Grey); and an Artillery piece (Grey); two light armor cars, and a tank. In addition, there is an Increased Squad sized unit of Robotic Heavy Infantry.
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Thanks for the thorough examples and explanations. I think I will take a crack at making lists with that in mind. I was thinking that for Elite Infantry, they could be 3-figure squads with a token on them to show they are down from 6 to 5 SP.
Mike Demana
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(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvhiF0LRMA-GqJNmDYYyitLFyf1GbG333kmRiPPMFCM7f9Tk6UyDT-xhyphenhyphenYBRCdg_p9KBVCiKWshqJdUTHwlGT-j3gAD8vx5HAwWq-YbqEa_Yy1ai4alz8T9VlyKftgYnhOOGcpMA7ABsSZZvKdAsw1pRmO5gat5trPgRIysxMUN-Fn9z7sR8VfKYP2CI/w640-h446/SciFi_Andorians_Group3down2up.jpg)
Here's my next squad for Xenos Rampant. I used the Stargrave Mercenaries box, gluing on the "alien" heads. I was actually quite impressed with myself. Normally, I avoid sprue-type figures that need assembling like the plague! I have boasted before that the only thing I have successfully super-glued is my fingers to each other... lol
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUk4Q3BDd2nqZ4duhenq5dwB2hj5dpzOWprSTEf1JWryi6EWLLYt3qiRLZF9bKmFCQHpm0XZ12OcMw_FVOVCRlR1Kdc7g8aUvajLdLiGrpuO6b00zpJ8_oGhkDaRzf1bPq1pj06kKxxgFvSiZuCrqQV58Im3JRcYtJu3DB0XQevUIFkDAoe0fHxOhyuSw/w640-h588/SciFi_Andorians_GroupAngled.jpg)
Back when I assembled them several months ago, I was planning on using them for either Space Station Zero or Wiley Games' "Galactic Heroes." So, I went heavy on the equipment -- giving them handheld devices, suitcases, etc. Those became less important as I decided to go ahead with Xenos Rampant, where they are more infantry and less explorers. However, I still like the look of the different types of equipment on them.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDYhpQoxtFeynBLIEqDqZruNIKuE1fAWUkm66f3FuSX-N4fqJk5eEW2OauR4FqB4HcjzwTdExuy_qCjIQ2jFL3akTLwgN-tSp7H_VwH6piH8He427B9BnuMENJBg3q9yFSdGVSEOOGJqLjtkF9K8l1QWp9oOA2NtOTilH-NvV13D_86XdsZdP30G-MOo/w640-h406/SciFi_Andorians_CloseupTwoRoof.jpg)
Once the clothes were done, it was time to decide how to paint those alien heads. I went back and forth and finally decided on a light blue skin tone. Think Andorians from Star Trek with no antennae. I gave them red eyes to stand out more and honestly really like the effect. I painted the skin a sky blue and did a darker blue wash, followed by a less watered down (and thus darker) blue wash around the eye sockets.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi04CqGnBpTlK0mtnut4fn74o9wkMBi2ndpo9Hhj6NxgFdBfHO_VeSzCzmc-57tA0t8zwyZhqj0Ndb3Qe4VyK9hatNSUnurn-o4XFMVoO9eyk5ADZQpHk5r8cDsBzt6oLD5VIxB6s0kQAdTBdg0udXfVyBi7ZUZ3Tg0u3xque1Li4RxsUBr3twP68bhkvY/w640-h320/SciFi_Andorians_GroupFront.jpg)
I painted their uniform, web gear, and armor plates to match one of my post-apocalyptic gangs, the Nightstalkers. In fact, I plan to port over several of my post-apocalyptic gangs (typically of 7-8 figs) as the core of a Xenos Rampant force. I am imagining that I will need 4-5 squads of around 5 figs (1 fig = 2 strength points in my system). Obviously, tanks and artillery will require fewer figure. However, it is likely that I will need four times as many figures for a Xenos Rampant force as a typical skirmish force for one of the other rules sets.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH82_icYhYaVa2SgfhrrSBo1gIpK6EqVm0NfJlnsqDFg07yboUt6Y5eaA6Xw6KyqD5lx0tbTyy8O29iiR1D3_0q1rTd8S8EhiYz3ZyHoFgIJ6TVPoAfL8Im-2bzeTjuHhbPJdUE-cyb899bTDDj6wASHgjj-ZWqaVDJCPuyKyeFppxwJZKwuKTBOWF/w640-h486/NightStalkers_GroupC.jpg)
Here's a quick look at the Nightstalkers, so you can see what I was trying to emulate and give a consistent uniform look for this force. Of course, these are metal figures -- Battle Valor Games, or the old Sgt. Major Miniatures line. They have LOTS of very flavorful figure designs, each with several packs so you can variety of poses and weapons.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVmDaOBxTBF5hk9dknE1iFJ35Wy1qdwL3e2OqjYDHRMgBqavaCVfZD0rywuF1Ib5Jmu2VvCh8NK9isfkWCbwy0ywzGJEyUIdseFtEKdzBpEOj6VVMKI9pBNfTnheyFRf2UNC3AwJfusT2r4au6jN6eO9P8Wa_IMe_JOntKJun8OQ8gQmhxTNY1NjqXes/w640-h474/SciFi_Andorians_GroupRearArcade.jpg)
I use craft paints for the bulk of my colors, especially the metallics. The base tone for the uniform was called Khaki, with a Howard Hues (much lighter) khaki as dry brush. The webbing was "Wild Rice" with white highlights. That is the one things about painting 28mm in my styles. Pretty much everything gets either a base color and dry brush highlight (eventually followed by a darker wash. Alternatively, for the weapons, I do metallics as a base coat with a dark black vehicle wash over them. I am pleased with the effect of my system. It is not world-beater paint jobs...no "Golden Demons" here. However, they look nice on the tabletop and in closeup pictures usually.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigaRGAMVnBPDeCwKDy5uCujaSDJmnZ4Ltgupc4rENdZMlI7Lq0eUn_xEIw2vaAcLbA9KCaB6eBb03gpFVi91HfQPFEJjWzV0t4l-aahjmkMzmaP7KqvgbryznRKY2HBwPryLPlV3tKxjUf1ltJnxccJxYDYgWUB2ET1qukhWdrgGyYTZwjJxsIZ7q71fw/w640-h360/SciFi_Andorians_GroupTopRoof.jpg)
One final photo of this newest force, showing the Miniature Building Authority Middle Eastern Arcade they are posed with. So many Star Wars settings seem to be desert like that I felt it worked well for these figures. This resin building from their excellent line of terrain actually came pre-painted -- much to my suprise! I did add the darker color in for the bricks and the tiles on the roof. Then I did a dark brown vehicle wash over it all to give a warm color effect. If you are interested in high quality urban scatter or buildings, I encourage you to check out MBA (https://www.miniaturebuildingauthority.com/).
Stay tuned for more squads and forces for my growing Xenos Rampant project!
Mike Demana
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My progress lately has been filling out my post-apocalyptic survivor gangs so that they are 10 figures. That way, I can field two 5-figure squads with them. If you remember, I'm doing 1 figure = 2 SP so that a 10-point unit is five figures.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-e67xzCm9kzEdXIs-CZiUGycxpt-jlZoIdmdmeVlOvOYdOrqRQoVMkVZGLZiHLxLUgzkKIoFltYULbVYMYLAXVLOSLcpAUjyTLiI5NdNZEPWb8rTSiHbXknPjDNyRsWOMuseP7GcKKiRqpjOSsgPWKulNXFvKaJaa5Eze5aa22pRUTKmObzd7h3-UmY/w640-h490/Reinforcements%20FTroop.jpg)
First up was F Troop. These former Sgt. Major Miniatures figs in gas masks needed only two more. I had only one actually mini left, though, so I painted up "Torch" -- a Wiley Games miniature with a flame thrower. I really like how he turned out. So far, I'm very happy with the Wiley Games minis I've painted up (the Bronze Legion is from them, as well).
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-V_FDIWe70-wd8P4dQ6Ebgzq-XJn4rqSuga0YobST375F-fVioGYxeGLNbNkCHlMp97b4vaZV2zZg5p1An_uC-r57zxsU7TMB5RdwBeUtFIB8I3zS-nee6SaTAVAqagHRRpOm4cB5p392QB-0O686hFWGKbQrv9bpLgI5rSBxMOeicuwLC3B3VT_BPrw/w632-h640/Reinforcements%20Gorillas.jpg)
Next up were three Planet of the Apes gorillas. These were also originally from Sgt. Major Miniatures (most of whose lines were bought out and are now produced by Battle Valor Games). This gives me a total of nine of them, so I guess I'll have to toss in my mounted gorilla general as the 10th figure (see later pictures of them in two squads of 5).
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShGHG6fq7_cXqxUQlqHdIwbajIzJQzlL_pGMH7XLTOm-DGRgt7gVxg52avSaZtMZyoYosz8spqmJun3OL0BsKX81PFN2vwtN1Kx9Rl2HdAHQ_Dvjum3M6vsestTKqXwzOXK2iKXDbCfDM0_JA1l7DfEK39aI0YKql9CSBB8459xYrQpdwymZbXjvxn6U/w640-h420/Reinforcements%20BassReeves.jpg)
From Foundry's 28mm Street Violence line comes three more figures in long duster jackets. They bring the Bass Reeves, my African-American survivor gang, up to 10 figures. I think they'll make good light troops or mercenaries for Xenos Rampant.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbO4rKHjlERq8b-iuRphcNVigfSw0KWfzzd78xNanYgsc5GjQpjfdcEuP3L3ZIOamvCxB7UOn110bFp5qPaz0qm0zxdJb0z0eEGhu9xsejsauNZkBDqTXKI92kptYJWC2s6YOcKV2kZl6R4w2lDD9XSvEC2mJSwSlFZkebv5qthNkmEidhGHdmFgIXHE/w640-h566/Reinforcements%20Chimps.jpg)
Back to my Planet of the Apes force, here are three more Eureka Minatures chimpanzees sporting a variety of weapons. I struggled a bit on matching the exact colors of the original batch painted, probably most notably on the faces of these. It's always a bit disconcerting when I look at a previous paint job of mine and think it is better than my more recent job. I wonder if my painting skills are in decline?
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SaQJRUNXdNdlIpiJoGUitEVmi07dqgcLxq_aOIZW0_grpMElPL3c1sSvAUrCxRcekLb5XSvWAjrgSb5n64GOr9QRTM4GX3n7ykUQeYAVF7eWmYAJF9HFlZE7xaWdzWvyMQfjfqtHuWndM3zTEUf4GhoXi2XEoKfhQrmiA1fsFlnbEOY_Jh9kFPhqhOM/w640-h524/Reinforcements%20Nightstalkers.jpg)
Like with the gorillas, I didn't have enough figures left of the Nightstalkers to fill them up to 10. So, I assembled a plastic figure from the Stargrave Trooper box. I did my best to match the paint scheme from the original batch. Probably the least impressive, in my opinion, of the five sets. Still, this means that I am about halfway or more towards completing five different forces for Xenos Rampant. It was nice to get them all done and mark solid progress towards running my first game of XR for our Sunday night crew!
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlP6jzzdTcIHOjLusFzwzYGsWJhM_cva0TFRg2uPlMB5Bj4I76C8Nxn_0HoROIG0flaIZ-rkpttxAlyoRSAoYj42s9S62oK95rvZh4G9nANnCPhppYMJLXtXsVMe8cHoBzDjDdNjMvSOfBvP2j5KaljZKEdOl1sRVqO6Ow3YQZ2OI70zPlxbe699OMp84/w640-h166/TwoSquads%20FTroop.jpg)
Now to take a look at those two squads of each force. First up, two squads of F Troop. The two corner ruins behind them are recently-painted ruined buildings sections for my post-apocalyptic (or Sci-Fi) games.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9Gfw27zQ7Q3_GkUjD-MSIZ7T6SHD3NI2n-zn5kCA3SlIcSGYApvMMOiPDPyvqgtP8uEKvtpdgRAm2O4xcN8XWIEyXuV7J0HxCoGvPuJM_wbZR4lP8nHdY4fE7hM6d25W14WMfNhh2Pk07_-CmHMT3pQe1qAYxIHBJHAIW_MeVf0i26tCRoZGjPzXa28/w640-h144/TwoSquads%20Gorillas.jpg)
The gorillas (no, the rock band!). Note the mounted gorilla general. Anyone know where he comes from? I was actually given him by a fellow gamer who knew I was collecting Planet of the Apes figs. So, I have no idea who he comes from.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpXqKqGbANOTm6WZZHIvRNytUF5XFJwSGUu4iEuftiCE7g9vhwjv9uFvwWDsJsnWU9dBuHm_iGRI8ywhw-tqG-EDjXWV0WTiczVD2XXCuy_D5AqvI0AWMEshf0aBW2uSzBgS1-iQiTunJ2No95Cg6kxS51NpEg7UbhtHSy0x4htoVbbMObHweqYfg_GU/w640-h190/TwoSquads%20BassReeves.jpg)
Two squads of light troops or mercenaries is how I will likely field the Bass Reeves. The more I paint up of them, the more I wish I had bought more of Foundry's Street Violence range at the flea market vendor I picked them up from...!
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfhgYQx4KzkamGPmf5OK-O0qdtwTInOrgRIFik4fzGjFjjh1tlYw93JLNWnXzH2_hEKXNGIHrPsoVFiveAADVdzAE5aS-p04LBO2ozqMVVjUjh7fYEpgbO-i-Qzk4Q6F-xuNGpxSxc5YsvBaoZAK2nLbwoivEyeK6fUrKwG1AwKadzZE-LaCV6-2r8Ik/w640-h140/TwoSquads%20Chimps.jpg)
Two squads of five chimps for XR. You have to love the leader smoking a cigar in the left-hand squad! Yeah, yeah, the guy on the other end with the staff...I know! Way, way back when I first started painting the chimps, we were playing Mutants and Death Ray Guns and I had one guy who did not have a gun. We were only given so many weapons in our starting builds, and he was stuck with a melee weapon. I chose the staff because of that scene from Planet of the Apes where the apes are corralling the primitive humans.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiid52aW7oUVIGp9no1qFnN5stA-d6pXKND6mdSkwALQ47SA6qknmBpccsMAATyuGUFNXV966P8BCELz0Mum7HLLVMTU7nxnvXCPs_78CaE99hU0isCQsuZi261-ib88OyH22yOkSBhlutA7Cr09s84gLaY1aqGB1NFaCU9t-EdbsLmH5t0Gfd4vzbtxaM/w640-h180/TwoSquads%20Nightstalkers.jpg)
The Nightstalkers certainly look the part of a Sci-Fi force. For not liking the figures I painted up in this latest batch, I *DO* like the "Blue-skinned" aliens from my previous update. They will be part of the same force.
So, there you are! First update to my Xenos Rampant forces of 2024. What's next? I will likely do some figures from the Eureka Miniatures Gibbon pack. That should round out that force and get it ready for the tabletop. Stay tuned...!
All comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated...
Mike Demana
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(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDN91KdhWoCwXEgkhn-QHtpsgtjdjM98XO7pcHWFXOaKZgEH4ZTwuP6l1-emmcY_Ij0MjhUk-JlB6ymwQHtlrGoUrsV3SEM7igp5gghG9caCQpll3h31bE8kW17XnIZKLzhkSV_ZziLFKx_UQdDnYSL8iBL3KVzeBhY2t5j8gEu6q9oseRSNKGQI8qAw0/w640-h222/Gibbons1_All6.jpg)
A squad of five Gibbon monkeys for the Planet of the Apes "Detachment" I am working on for Xenos Rampant
With this batch of miniatures, I think my Planet of the Apes force is ready for the tabletop. That and a re-reading of the rules and seeing how few units I really need for a 24-point force! Anyway, these are from the Eureka Miniatures Boiler Suit Apes line of 28mm miniatures. They are Gibbon monkeys and are a great batch of miniatures. The poses are lively, and there is nice variety. There's even a monkey on a laptop that I will tap to be a fire control officer for an artillery piece (read Support Infantry for XR).
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSz0DkLXPAId07JNYbXK6BcKrHiw1Z-2-JcOWJKJS7drFi9VFBekQuppGqzjaeit2TO_XD0H77FoE-c4m8nMCABKx91zW0ylKMRhM9IRRB9_CC1UO8oyVLCpBDE3oyVKlGRFIt3T6hiz17g4f7RFKW2jLeGV0KB7wWRA8UJ4TBDWHteCM4svQ1bz13OXs/w640-h548/Gibbons1_BatchA.jpg)
I did a base yellowish-tan color ("Maple Sugar" craft paint), followed up with a dry brush of white. There are more than one type of Gibbon monkey, apparently, and I chose the light tan colored ones to represent. I followed that up with the white and black facial pattern, which I think really makes then stand out on the tabletop. I did a dry brush of medium gray to bring out the facial highlights, but probably should have done more in that regard.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-MzzEbdLY06pCndIYsQAA7qcTTyaQdtfhRDGSvY8TSs74xI30Tw1ND8wjNnT7LGx9HQad5CKDdJouxt1q_Qr69DZBMKFrsGRnr8PcJNMfJBMe4oM5j492OY18XvNbue91xWRDkwHR8hliINX27SqTyUNhcEe1CcPdVgNKN4sh-KGQ9r0yxTDrK2XUgI/w640-h424/Gibbons1_BatchB.jpg)
I went back and forth on what color to do the clothes. Originally, I was thinking an olive drab, but settled on a brighter "Leaf Green" craft paint. I dry brushed them with a very bright pale green color, and think it did a nice job of bringing out the excellent detail on these Eureka castings. The weapons were done in various metallics finished off with a black vehicle wash. I'm very happy with how this squad came out. They are going to be Light Infantry in XR, with the Guerrillas and Fire Support upgades for them to be able to call in artillery strikes.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEZtd1QwKkvmBc5jEI2HIzNoGqzkIjLibpp1futTae8yW8rOv5g3ibf-LrQDqiulASKiKjflukexR6X96EnN6w6_1D1yT6hrb6UDV8m6oZ0hbHOwsdMvrM5zY7VRJI96YsmoaAAegbd3LGV4593FoXqeEbB5ekkRtXyIZyFgqiLuTcOASpbUOJFn4Rz0/w640-h324/Gibbons1_ArtilleryA.jpg)
The monkey on the laptop is a really cool figure. He is tapping away, his assault rifle next to him, wearing a headset. Of course, being a Mac user, I made his laptop into an Apple product. I think you can see the logo on the back of the screen. I also decided to add in a chimpanzee bodyguard for the fire control monkey. Long ago, I had picked up a pack from Brigade Games of "Space Chimp on Litter." I don't really need a chimp astronaut being carried around by two humans, so I instead propped him up against a boulder and he's keeping an eye out on the little fella!
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOC7yCvyMhn7gaBsp6uBx14owo0kUJjP5RJoS0LwAYZnKd3OFW6tMAYdtZUOeMrYo6c3rza3n1nyz1Fr9COqyuYctfI3xJRNrhgJZf6RVs0ZwXuJ6e9f6s73dS7BQNDvWtrY2NHPVp7c2WBb-QzGn_gNbe_ynJ3yX1LlI8eIEricnIREpx9tBxmMqWLA/w516-h640/ChimpBodyguard.jpg)
Here's a closeup of the space chimp. I decided to go with the color that I did to match the uniforms of my other chimpanzee forces. I used Iron Wind Metals Red Brown as a base coat and Howard Hues Middle East Flesh as a dry brush. He came out okay, I think. The photo doesn't show the metallic brown shin and arm pads very well, but they look better in person, I think. Maybe I'll go over them with some clear gloss to be sure, though!
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKC5V9qoCAewC6hA_oUJvD2w0piHDkGghffXqxaUwmnS_VtgXza_PMI_HXlNCjgil0fdCo8WKUzWlUkVD1SS2Eo_Ng50-2vXQ_S5w6CZl5oW7zf8Iy1c1N_MTY20eqL8vIaoW6nKjw7OXz4CDX9yZMa7J5_7_luBKG0Zsn1sAne1HfRL_uoU8estwaHC8/w640-h216/Gibbons1_All6straight%20on.jpg)
One more shot of the Gibbon squad, charging straight towards the viewer. I love their Mac-10 machine pistols, and the way they are representing the various ways monkeys move on the ground (on two legs, all fours, knuckle walking, etc.). Now, to sit down and create an actual 24-point list. After a quick read-though of the section of the rules on creating your detachment, I am actually reconsidering doing the 1 figure = 2 points. It isn't taking as many figures to get up to 24 points. Hmmm... o_o
Hope you are enjoying my monkey business...!
Mike Demana
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These look great!
They make me think of the Ape Gang that was available from Mongoose’s Gangs of Mega City 1 game from about 15-20 yrs ago (!!!).
Having the models have 2 (or even 3) Strength points is one of the real joys of the * Rampant system of games. I appreciate it because it allows a hobbyist to create the scope and look of their warbands however they want, or just use what they have, without being forced by some minimum model count.
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All these apes squads are great and I very like the very cool space chimp! :)
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The new space monkeys look brilliant! I do have one quibble, though - gibbons are apes, so they don’t have tails. Your new recruits are ringers for black faced langur monkeys, though.
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Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the kind words.
As for the mistaken ID of the simians....
Wellll, the Eureka Miniatures page identifies the miniatures as Gibbons and they clearly have tails.
https://eurekaminusa.com/collections/boiler-suit-apes
I did a Google Image search and came up with that coloring. I didn't notice in the images if they had tails or not. This is one of the images I was looking at, called a "White Handed Gibbon."
(https://i.natgeofe.com/k/4c7ec745-129f-42dd-8f15-09b37699f613/gibbon-tan-18778051_3x4.jpg)
That said, now that I examine more photos closely, there does not appear to be a tail. So, I guess my primate knowledge is a bit off...! lol
Mike Demana
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It seems like there probably aren’t a lot of gibbons in Australia, then, if Eureka labeled them that way. lol Or they’re the little known Australian Tailed Gibbon!
I only know about gibbons not having tails because I had to take some primatology courses during my undergrad in anthropology. The easy to remember rule is that if it is an ape it has no tail, by definition. If it has a tail, it’s either a monkey, or a prosimian, such as a lemur (prosimians tend to have long snout faces and bushy tails, although there are some very weird ones). I’ll count that as my factoid contribution to LAF for today!
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It seems like there probably aren’t a lot of gibbons in Australia, then, if Eureka labeled them that way. lol Or they’re the little known Australian Tailed Gibbon!
lol lol Yep. I mean, they are toting machine pistols, so a certain amount of fantasy is involved. I love how they are all in very monkey-like movement poses. Especially the guy on two legs firing over his head!
Now that I am considering scrapping my 1 figure = 2 strength points basis for Xenos Rampant, and just go one for one, I may be purchasing more of those long-lost Gibbon monkeys! And some more of their apes proper... :-*
Thanks for the feedback, though!
Mike Demana
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(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemm1_-LXVd4TXTr28eJfI0MmRS3IgEYlpifmd6LOK-uCTYVHuAfWDBYao6BGQ2-W7vpiCYoVKf8Ql6qjxcElmmGtfMlrcnwtV_OBz7tl-TQfyEmcMCSMY9Z5467g0CBrsVOzW0rmqvT0qg0N6nq2MAHehNvDuYz2nQq7OyebX9ffKnuAhKchhmUzBGMw/w640-h280/Bronze%20HvyInfy%20All5.jpg)
Back to my Bronze Legion detachment! Lately, I am leaning away from original thought of 1 figure = 2 strength points and instead going with a 1-for-1 for infantry. So, here is a squad of Heavy Infantry to reinforce the already-painted Elite Infantry of the Bronze Legion. I used the Stargrave "Troopers" box. I was quite proud of myself in actually being successful at gluing on their arms and heads. lol Seriously, this is a big step for me!! ;D
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4Ov9nP5SPPJyDPTRj4budFNw2oB8-R5D2yB_VBUhhGay_BYL8gfV2Q-U1X8lmD_3Kz44VECqEHHW9QQp8k13NbVUiItokQ_6u_TV5Ru-iFkuUuyoI7jBmYFM72KufpRePulycBzdSoNr1LyqJ4r7w6TVB3hM9aGYKvOP3s7ICVaxvZj1qEXbJC2Pfb8/w640-h546/Bronze%20HvyInfy%20BatchA.jpg)
One of the things I like about the Troopers box is the guy with the rocket launcher. That justifies using one or more of the upgrades for the infantry to make them more effective attacking. I think it turned out rather nicely, too. I like the contrast of the black uniforms with the ancient bronze colored plates. I am not as happy with how it is more difficult to effectively dry brush highlights gray and then get a black wash to "soften" the edges of the dry brushing. When I put a wash on these figs, it essentially erased my highlights, forcing me to go back and redo them.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtt22yGMjktDPjsjiEIxEvOAG_N4knbJ8O3nGhuLTFGkkCdC48_iPw6WR012ZfoYEU7yt4Sy6IyLru4hhN48erDqvwQE7lCTR4Ec68Xxy_0m0PecX6W2RXjoC7cLbs6a3tnZ5DW-ZwKZ-gWoVCHvogO0RWbLRmLLJDSC-tQzRuMQd1dLbpFSGauFx-xFs/w514-h640/Bronze%20HvyInfy%20BatchB.jpg)
The watered down black vehicle wash I used did a nice job of highlighting what you can see of the faces. I like the shine on the visors. I used Iron Wind Metals Steel and then went over them with brush on clear gloss. You can even see reflections on the visors -- nice! The red highlighting on the belt and backpacks is to break up a little of the black and give it accent. I considered doing all the straps with red accent, but thought that would be too gaudy and make them look like they were running around in polka dots! lol
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYADCq-I4UQ8M1RgesrceGwBz2BA9VC3f_k8Szmva-AE9aubsUSC3xS779CqpzZhRrQIHUIR029pQdi0ugdBEbMy3IUFY22fUsZykRE_HdVfKTOGfG400hsOz1jUYSipdfWrAqkEWiXkagVVLuCfCiXRCVhyT-_3y_UkH92tFVDWg1K5r3mjmsZ7KVys/w640-h188/Bronze%20Legion%204%20units.jpg)
And here are the four units of the Bronze Legion detachment, so far. Two units of the Elite Infantry (using Wiley Games Space Marines), 1 tracked robot gun, and the freshly-painted Heavy Infantry.
I'm really happy with my production lately. Not sure how long it will last now that school has been back in session for a few weeks. However, this is a lighter time on the grading, so I'm having more free time in the evening. Hope you enjoy how this project is coming along. Thanks in advance for any comments....
Mike Demana
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Good job on the troopers, they look sharp and fit in well with the guys in the fully enclosed armour! I like the palette, too, the black goes well with the bronze plates.
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I quite like your Bronze Legion.
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Thanks, folks! I decided to do another squad of five of those to finish out the legion. So, it'll be like deja vu all over again... lol
Mike Demana
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The XR detachment looks great!
Why have you shifted back to 1 model = 1 strength point? simply for the visual of a larger detachment?
I use to enjoy assembling and converting models, and not enjoying the painting process. Now... i despise model assembly and just want to paint. I've flipped. So, for me, I currently favor metal over all the great plastics.
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The XR detachment looks great!
Why have you shifted back to 1 model = 1 strength point? simply for the visual of a larger detachment?
No, actually it is because I had not fully realized how few figures I would need at 1:1. I also am guessing now that not every single heavy or light infantry unit needs the "Increased Squad Size" upgrade. Those are the two main reasons. I guess it'll also be simpler for players to take off a figure for each SP lost...
And all of this before I ever play a game... lol ;D
Mike Demana
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Nice painting and figures! :D
For 5 strong units, it just makes sense to use 1 figure = 1SP. It's awkward to split an odd number among figures and it annoys me that Xenos Rampant changed the 6/12 sizes to 5/10 (to accommodate GW figure box sets?).
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And an extra two points (12 vice 10) means throwing two more dice and increases the odds of throwing a 6 (either another hit, or two more hits if your squad has Heavy Weapons) (let alone increasing the odds of throwing another 5 or 6). So it actually changes the game mechanics.
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Great stuff :)
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(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHeaplQzMoGfWcIg7cApgxcl7FNna1tmPgLKzu-yMOY2sXcjuBM3-_0fDSe8eqzmUtfMvn0a0vkbYyMIldVKeNRCwobAOufhqWz3DrLeCshK8UPUIyJNI2OXeZhai0y17zoDY8Z77fMtP18tEGUL_f_urtjVna2_JI3oOrUZh2KEVDcsR2862zuU9qJA/w640-h382/BronzeLegion_EntireForce01.jpg)
The Bronze Legion is ready for battle! I just finished up the final squad of heavy infantry for this force. Folks may remember that the elite infantry troopers are 3D printed Space Marines from Wiley Games. The heavy infantry are from the Troopers box of Stargrave. Seeing them all assembled together, I think they look good on the tabletop.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqa6IkIiqdv6DGxZdl0dxGH_LgnAMuIMD1cfIcpyekY8UcV4YraX0-7BeHTurAMJD7JCOeetRzRCMZVwu4kvAqF_kls0uQypsPcxSL2-6aptIxu_Wv37fL59JvCL-XKDy9SnXKhcg9gjsRl0Jqq1ZPt8jfs_1w71e5lvf1pTQgK-WLrHZ6EsIRbMHcwqw/w640-h372/BronzeLegion_HvyInfy2F.jpg)
I really like the black and bronze color scheme I went with for this force. I am also really happy how that final coat of brush-on clear gloss makes the visors pop when the light reflects off of them. I did remember with this batch to NOT do a black wash over the gray highlighting on the black uniform. I did that on the first squad of five and it effectively erased the drybrushing! >:(
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrtaaPb5sO410EmkSvHFrfDgBn3kc0eylMxX5U6OwSMHLTeKPffORTVcHICnP71fR-F4YR3fnmtpwGcZsNJ8_iHJQZw6suGxgrTKofAGh_qQzKLaS2j97y2o6TBHLqDNxtbI1QSKQhTKASIEQxSByTcVUwyrXpYn5jwkWDdvAf-ppikz9taXmQODGKYk/w640-h312/BronzeLegion_HvyInfy2R.jpg)
I also like the bright red accents on the belt and the glowing power indicator or their backplate of their armor. I hit that with clear gloss at the end, too, to make it stand out more. All in all, I am happy with how the heavy infantry looks and think they stand up very well to the heavier armored elite infantry of the Wiley space marines.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tv41_iB3uH1vQZjMjohhF16XHiCpiBI7yx90Sqx3oPyPrh5705eLYbvjjYhasE7MObi7JuXluXDyf53f1-BXn-46GhKDXEWyutMVH9Jp-8e9NdESIqjHD-TkfEmWET6O_4TGkTPvn9JQj6lEpCztMPBEGZk7FPP8Hzbi_MVQ1lmSVFN6X8zT1CrgBgU/w640-h184/BronzeLegion_EntireForce02.jpg)
Of course, after I finished these last five figs, I had to pull out the whole force for a group photo! It also reinforced for me that I am making the correct decision in changing my original plans of two figures equals one strength point in Xenos Rampant. Going with a one-for-one will make it easier to remove casualties, plus a 24-point detachment really doesn't require that many figures. This force is only 20 infantry and one bot as a fighting vehicle.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_GW4MrFtWSC1MP4qvY5eywiuFtPOWqKVx60EZ4i2JqazlfmhypOdBC6vuL4mR2FSPKSNYg-rNFSVnjkqsFbrxpJkBM6oD-My63p5kcID1XDNSKFLECLaPkFPVMMT6x0Hx_dVBfU-DBWljsQ1Cw8WgttB2vKpiUHZnEHQkWRa4iND8mGmp8XD7fz6s20/w640-h578/BronzeLegion_HvyInfTrackedBot.jpg)
My plans are to add either a fighting vehicle or support infantry (artillery) to each detachment I field. Not only does that give the player controlling them some tactical options, it also makes for a more aesthetically pleasing force, I think. So, how am I fielding the Bronze Legion for these rules? Here is my first draft. Please feel free to let me know if I've made any mistakes or give any hints to the newbie (who has still yet to play a game lol).
• 5 strength points Elite Infantry with Commander: (includes Back into the Fray, Firefight, Ranger), +2 points for Heavy Weapon = total 8 points.
• 5 strength points Elite Infantry: (includes Back into the Fray, Firefight, Ranger) = total 6 points.
• 5 strength points Heavy Infantry: (includes Go to Ground, Firefight), +1 point for Armor Piercing = total 3 points.
• 5 strength points Heavy Infantry: (includes Go to Ground, Firefight), +1 point for Armor Piercing = total 3 points.
• 5 strength points Fighting Vehicle: (includes All Terrain, Anti-tank, High-powered blades), -2 points for Light Armored Vehicle = total 4 points.
Total Detachment Points = 24
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt1qM60fq3DkeXAthuvPVfgSupuS3aF-2hhulqxsKIzo5cbMWk7GoMH4CuhOGHBKz-eh50_ehqJ9o7iw7km_jnkdLvqtF7bJ31Dvn9omcFZzVWVnJD7t3wvA2F1qaKVazL6W-gTGSs6CaSrCFAanOHs5uLlPwZllBlayKjRIgd9gyDS9byOZelaqWNIk/w640-h240/BronzeLegion_EntireForce03.jpg)
Hope you enjoy the pics! Thanks in advance for any kind comments...!
Mike Demana
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Very nice, I think the black and gold gives them a fine space-operatic quality.
Apologies if you posted the info before or in another thread (I re-read the first pages but couldn't spot it), but where's the tracked robot from? That's a rather nice centerpiece itself, although the overall lighter paint scheme pulls it apart a but from the rest of the force, IIMSS. But that may be the light reflecting from its large flat surfaces.
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He is a B3AST, a 3-d printed miniature from Wiley Games.
https://wiley-games.myshopify.com/products/resin-28mm-miniature-scifi-b3ast
Here's a couple more shots of him painted up:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYWK0E-itTWKFh2Uh0ZZ3ZFAIDTG0-wGoPV887qVbfAq6bZc1kSoLFbqJC0cK8v1BDHI6B0d1o_W0KXq6Q0v38kjLHI7NJSr47wXzjf7NhPI5P9grjm3KGYaR5jQUdeIMJjZ2-0o3d03E1Xqq-1ob28Q13U0tu789xCJlh_BjM2qx26cOIK-8Zng5TmQ/w640-h302/RobotsMechs_MechArtyFront.jpg)
and...
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJIO2q5C0htjV791Lhyphenhyphene86K1ktuDBo5Ls96d4vLXopmjWfGZZpf8AKYcGMiGGNA88tdaUP4P1PGNgPjyBtz7Xi-E1AyHOMvjD2ey1n0Hx6Ky29gLZTkrxEZ4tF5Jr96oocapZpFjXPCns8eUTINMYnI1Dc_jN012_i_a1RsYtkr6M57emqM4i61C5QS4/w640-h290/RobotsMechs_MechArtyRear.jpg)
These were painted up before I went "whole hog" into Xenos Rampant, and before the Bronze Legion was envisioned. So, yes, the color scheme is a bit off.
Mike Demana
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The force looks great. The black and bronze are a cool combo. Have fun with Xenos, a good game. I love the Support Bot.
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Love the look of your army :o
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Thanks, guys! Schoolwork and grading has sidelined me from making much progress this week. I hope to be back at it next week. I have a squad of five started for my "Blue-skinned aliens" that will finish off that detachment, too. They're about 1/3 of the way complete.
Thanks for the encouragement, everyone... :D
Mike Demana
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I got to watch a game of Xenos Rampant this past weekend. My friends were in it and I stood by and chatted and volunteered rules I'd remembered when they were stumped. All four players were new, and the GM was also running his dealer booth. So, I could help with some basic stuff.
I really like how the game flowed. The players controlled WAY bigger forces than I would have done in a first game (it was a bugs vs. Starship Troopers scenario). I have a couple questions:
1. Has anyone reorganized the unit profile sheets to make it more intuitive for new players? I am thinking of making it clearer which rolls are activation type rolls with 2d6 and which are single die attack scores needed to hit. I was also thinking of a place to put a photo of the unit.
2. Do people play it "as written" for the Firefight ability. It just seems somewhat cheesy that a unit targeted by artillery gives up its Firefight roll and ability for the turn because it was out of range of the artillery attacking it.
3. The GM interpreted the Courage Test rules as units were required to test only the first time they took hits or lost SP in a turn. I don't think that's what it was saying. So, if a unit is hit by four consecutive units, does it really test only once on the first hit? Or was that referring to losing an SP due to a failed Courage Test not triggering a second one from the same attack?
Sorry to threadjack my own thread for rules questions if you're here only to look at pretty pictures... lol lol
Mike Demana
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Awesome ideas and painting! Love the creativity in this thread!
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(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4ZBKC6gIVOmKb5C8tQSqiqLX_hkHr_PX2mLVsiYi_mhqkcqZcmdJfWJqFdFvMtUEpgBYk0_qCpd2_LcwWChVpW-JndagRlmRVcFv1jmJ7_6eYw6bMEmwAEdISd7QlRGBC0oFLQMnFSn1Fc5zKzc0z6HBepDHtushiMKplcgXKuhM6wqAUXhPfrH06r8/w640-h386/AnadoranDetachmentZoom.jpg)
The Anadorans finished and ready to battle it out on the tabletop!
Thank you, sir! I appreciate your (and everyone else's) kind comments. With the last of the blue-skinned Anadoran squads completed today, I have my fourth detachment ready for the tabletop. In honor of them being ready for battle, I assembled all of the squads for a little photo shoot. Admittedly, the way I purchased this force is very similar to the Bronze Legion (with Elite and Heavy infantry). However, those army lists may be tweaked as I get my first few games under my belt.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1BPnexmgnqvgECiJhZOsFA_xjKyAHHYAXxoSM8aO_f1I209EiKhDpi2fFVceBdESyEN2rmoGdv1RsPeeeSAfxjrzpAkJQ9sAOJv_fz26DisqAZBo2dEH9eWM97W5VIj7Hf75yWPArr-YjaeAq3mxTXCroL3sBTXK5yAtMWTVPl2M_MBpORWTGcyyKQQ/w640-h212/AnadoranHvyInfy_All5.jpg)
The last squad of five heavy infantry for my "blue-skinned aliens," the Anadorans
When will that be? It likely is still a few weeks away. I want to make all of the unit cards and Quick Reference Sheets so things will go smoothly for our group of newbie players. First impressions are important and I don't want our Sunday evening gaming group to hate Xenos Rampant because I'm unprepared.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhPGjAjgDn5OAmGBFQBbcwc7qMokcZ126c-YuWV7md631QW9F71BN3hcBjXhp5XfCpSQ2xFyNDFvQ4bRGoR5WOFiF0IMJ5rd0jbikighQgmgQ8zFK69FAkztvsco3t9vo6pUpl03DscwzFWVCf94ivfwa3unfziLj9ay2BfiZ9nLHgU1_cw1FTjE47Ew/w640-h266/AnadoranDetachment.jpg)
The Anadorans move out after assembling near a power plant, somewhere off-world...
Likely, there will be six players for our first run-through of the rules, or at least four. I have four detachments painted and ready for the tabletop. If I need six, I will borrow my friend Keith's forces that he has already ready to go. See his blog, Orcafinn's Basement (http://orcafinnbasement.blogspot.com/2023/12/well-now-it-is-xenos-rampant.html) for his forces.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXFM6oDV9ozj73RY2EuLCwN8WoutCQXZ4K_BBuex0uTJY8evhQb6gP0ZV_gBCmMRWLYyuqAxbQ1PkNkvTkAP2t2QPWL21MRRMeElVA6mohxlrj7Fj0jcxsINpZtqXNn34RHbjeMhuMnXbFW2-WCtsLZYKOua84RMCvli2q6ATC0qzvD2yT-XlKzLglyw/w640-h470/AnadoranHvyInfy_GroupA.jpg)
Close up of the heavy infantry unit with its heavy weapons specialist
For more discussion on my ideas behind the Anadorans, check out the post about them on my own Lead Legionaries blog:
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2024/03/final-squad-for-anadorans-finished.html
More pictures and discussion there, so feel free to check it out!
Mike Demana
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Mike,
Thanks for posting the make-up for your Bronze Legion. To each his own of course, but I would have made the Heavy Infantry one 10 Hit Points squad unit instead of two 5 Hit Points teams. Your two teams cost a total of 6 points (Hvy Inf at 2 pts times two = 4; plus AP of 1 pt. for each = 2 more pts. Grand total 6 pts). An "Increased Squad Size" unit of Hvy Infantry with AP cost only 5 pts (cost 2+2 = 4, plus AP cost of only 1 pt. for the larger squad vice 2 for the two smaller ones, for a grand total of 5 pts vice 6.) In addition, five Hit Points teams are more brittle than a ten Hit Points squad (you get to half strength faster with only 5). Furthermore, a Ten Hit Points squad Shoots better (Attack value 5+ instead of 6), Attacks better (5+ instead of 6) and Defends better (4+ instead of 5+). And the saved point could be used to add an upgrade to one of the Elite Unit teams (Armor Piercing; Mobile; or High Powered Blades).
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Good point! I hadn't thought of that. Makes sense...
I plan on tweaking them after a game or two. That will definitely be one that I look into doing. Tactically, it reduces the force from 5 maneuver elements to 4, but I'm not sure if there's much of a downside with that. I guess there could be in certain scenarios...
Mike Demana
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Mike, if you think you need an additional maneuver element (5 vice 4), another option is that you could also spend that leftover 1 point on Militia Rabble (i.e. colonists; hastily armed civilians; local criminal gang; penal battalion, etc. etc. etc.) instead of an upgrade for one of the other units. Militia Rabble are "cheap as chips" and just as brittle (with armor of only 1), but they do come with 10 Strength Points and can soak up damage that otherwise might be inflicted on a better unit.
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Militia Rabble are "cheap as chips" and just as brittle (with armor of only 1), but they do come with 10 Strength Points and can soak up damage that otherwise might be inflicted on a better unit.
Buuut...you gotta paint 10 of them, as opposed to five! lol Seriously, good advice. Waiting for a detachment in which militia makes more sense than my current paradigms... :D
Mike Demana
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So, I guess I wasn't finished with the Planet of the Apes detachment. Just for completeness sake, here they are:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQxoWaDTkP0BsPO4Uux14VVOJKZn8ikNnf4_YQzsVv2cnyqi4CRHGqVOiOTBikxAUnmYhMwz0K83AevRYyrNXe8jMEi0oqo3lMFtUhLpJwyClnUCtWBjBugqV4IIvgJmLlyx4DKJlkz1Q4sRBsfRrhw0j8TUXoDAKD-NeBNTAoakARh57TArOM4YdFtY/w640-h228/GorillaCav_All5.jpg)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqoROrAFQGP_JzNnH2YvSLfrLbdi1GFZN5Pip-tThPNhnfVydbUs5BEu0-WitBH5YH8QO6JL7vBWZWvD3qzX8CycUOQHdsQVnxh2Wg821bCS_PQUUFxD9y0wC2K8fa7xeurOwn9LZ7vA7f_kxbV4lC4EbNzNTRjaGpx6pUWQJ7Rdy-dJmRYLRSHRspIQ/w634-h640/GorillaCav_3BValor.jpg)
Battle Valor 28mm metal minis (former Sgt. Major)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHV8qaJ9RmN5OHJiu9HOTvUTuJiCeWaz8JmwwQIjLH28lN-r4TCMWTvEwmS3Bcy40zKcK4Lb_JyjDbHxLTQNWlAoJmz_N_0aElNzXi4jSTUvt6zGlIHxbHvtAU-Nar7xksM5XNcQTkWR1JZE2LZZnRBrROI4aSu0rGju9s-mmZqBb-7LSpGbVDw6XG1U/w406-h640/GorillaCav_2JSWarg.jpg)
3-D printed from JS Wargamer Printing
Painting these side by side reconfirmed my preference for metal miniatures. Old school! lol
Mike Demana
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Mike,
You are right about the Militia Rabble (unless you want to go the route of having 5 at 2 points each). I forgot the plain old Light Infantry (also cheap as chips at 1 point, but with better shooting than Militia and a pretty fast pace at 8 inches movement).
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Time for some 3-D printed scatter terrain that I'll use on my game boards. I probably didn't really need to paint all these up, but I'd bought them and it made me feel like progress getting them ready for the tabletop. Plus, I'd have felt silly if I ended up needing them in my first game of Xenos Rampant!
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdOZRFloPfGG1kxqSVSK4qQo19Bx39-pG9g1legcAegfsFsZ9EWzhsBRzVsQfABayYGyJzJmGnzaYg92QbIcrClyWwaD2j-N5Tvu2-3YTPBJQpF_IGiJ6KpdgL91RZSeFaay-SLVWiT4k0QSzY7Nwsz3CW-hlTe_FBq8gnMngss1KJ0IcO88GeU8JBFI/w640-h318/PowerGenerators2_Diabolical.jpg)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfHtDtFtR23ZFAsZ3eMiXD-HfwiLCzx8OhsUDFWJrroAFgLwtq8rv0SIccYoc_JGTgGDo65znoBv1cwd9MXR5f0Q-m-k-g2vxebC_P702WJrNS5twWCRSRKcfSVu748X_yCecOAfjl5pSuQ_rgTde5MHxlpN9Mv3W74VZqH4c_LFLiBb3f-RfkgyDL4I/w640-h472/PowerColorShift2_Diabolical.jpg)
These power generators (that's what I'm calling them) are from a US company called Diabolical Terrain (https://diabolicalterrain.com/). Quality stuff that I've used for some of my post-apocalyptic terrain. They come to many of the regional shows, and as such, feel obligated to support them...! :D
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqsnRRKK3yjHK_f9H0Df48kfLdk80ojteHU85wjj9c9DYXEUOxTUgJOWJ6ol3nFwiRKLL0Q5_pJtwrSYwiRYX0HDk8Npt-kGQ5Albl9DXMXudjtN9t3UEB3tiXz3FRDBHPjm9x79dxgqHvZf4M4637cpHQF6JnyerwnpsrhbK3oJxAQh5fTBFKChNsbc/w640-h430/Refinery_Critical%20Hit.jpg)
Refinery (?) from a new 3-D print company I found called, A Critical Hit. This is a fairly large piece of terrain, as you can tell by the 28mm figures next to it. It painted up extremely quickly. Various shades of metal and then a dark wash over it. I really like this piece and will use it in modern games, too, I imagine.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsetcASS8hF5ElN5p_c_1iwZznLuR2itqpn-vwcZcpyY2CN_SyXYrtjcI4Ql-P0i2mv12t54Sp8ruLYAHGQG0qseYN3koR3GcgrCHLWMjdlnQ7oOdC9iuMNx43RX3UOdl3qCtsX4P0Heqlp2hjXNsHyZSr_3CKbw7W4tWFl6vU9_NCffbosHaFTVEpNaI/w640-h408/PowerUnit_Critical%20Hit.jpg)
Power Generator from the same company as above. This is probably my favorite piece of terrain from this scatter set. I don't know if I just happened to like the color scheme I used or it's almost Victorian Sci-Fi feel. It was a good find discovering this company as a vendor at Cincycon 2024. They have an Instagram page here (https://www.instagram.com/criticalhitnyc/?hl=en).
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nLnyJ16OrAymBSKiPsFa9U5YJy0Mb7CpckCGsM06i2X2rwc1ZgUmScx8adr2wqdclFL_OcSz3GaT1k9Jt6f5zFNmkpCPJOJZUzN_nH56sJ-Qn-0AwZbqmam0Y9W6mAfa7fQfXEjpwMeD9sJo6-Lac_VjOeMcgQuDgdznBsphR9_8iON_nklWXX8KVZ4/w640-h442/SpaceDrill_SeaDog.jpg)
Sci-Fi giant drill structure from Sea Dog Games. This was in the running for my favorite piece. It doesn't have to be a drill. It could be any random piece of machinery on a Sci-Fi game board. Sea Dog Games got into 3-D printing early, mainly to create ships for the Sailpower game. However, they create a lot of other stuff for all periods. I have garbage dumpsters, crates, etc. from them as well as Zodiac rubber boats.
These all painted up relatively quickly and am pretty happy with how they look. Thanks in advance for any comments...
Mike Demana
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(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpGreVTdFkjDNGfbfE6iOekX_4ji6rJ5R-32bRXlqMNW9UxlY6rXljq6jkQ1nR-pvw9TQxyuSW625u6Z24vVbpkK64UfGZmopXHqe1_hISPp_WwXKEf21sslDk4Dt7em43Mqr20CNudy0WW2mmi_RpuQjKtr0Wcm3HdABjHi2wLrZOcfbvWqi-nOnP4s/w640-h268/AlienGraysAllZoomDark.jpg)
A little threadomancy here on my own thread. I painted these 12 Alien Grays up just for the heck of it. I'd picked them up from my friend John who runs JS Wargamer Printing (https://wargamerprinting.com/) and carries pretty much all of the Big Mr. Tong STLs. They don't really fit with what I'm painting at the moment (Vietnam War), nor with my ongoing Sci-Fi skirmish using Space Weirdos.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvapMAHxySSijn7DkEJ585753K_1I733CETM7FbEvGZBe-owWqMJ2AZolACDLDzoQhA-SOwZX8oFYhuQddzdsbmUOVz_v2PhlBpYCpxafDMzn5zlZsjTW4w9x8B_DaC9wtANFf1fCEJWXRgT6DudJH93Rl-o5ySz2xz7MJ3CaxFtV0yVq2-HluPtS7NqY/w640-h260/AlienGrays_ConeBlasters.jpg)
However, I wanted a small change of pace and I'd been wanting to paint these guys up. I kind of felt that I would end up selling them off, either at the Origins Game Fair consignment shop this month or at the Historicon flea market in July. I think that is what I will end up doing, unless someone contacts me frantically wanting the little blighters before then!
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPWx-bq8lomuEi7dmXmh_U2zVLBhE_6mmZ4dkT1hld136tGYFAUZIQdTSC3bi6PcVpYknemUmszmoHaw8xswQaK8K-DA7MG-BJLwQ2s3oxgLQym8wxz8CoCEAlcnLSFq1WZwRlPAmVthqgEJ1-t3BqTT538Qjm7Q6CA511I4L2Ndw0EmKn0OkJi53th0/w640-h272/AlienGrays_NeedleBlasters.jpg)
I trimmed off the "slotta" that they were printed on (I detest slotta bases). I used the plastic round bases that my Vietnam War figures come with because they high lip bases seem to be popular for some reason. May as well get some use for them because I was using purchased plywood bases from Litko for my Vietnam guys.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpsCijrDfVFEinFYI2ZXbX49ZtzybhRa9hyphenhyphenKtd4nh4Oou_fGHFNDX7XhaSnobIfz9oX1EpyfWH8pBBFNEv4thVtmt-sEh3rKahqxJ7DzVID2ilknuxtMltVw7b3T62p9RxLXEazFj-tjylstsIidIZ1HUOXp1x-h65zUmKsCpwcCg43eakNBR0zsjdTM/w640-h212/AlienGrays_Helmets.jpg)
Anyway, I primed with White Gesso first. I used a medium gray skin tone with a lighter gray highlight. I went back and forth on what color to make the space suits. I decided to use Turbo Dork Curacao Blue metallic. I'm glad I did -- very shimmery and retro looking. I used a dark blue-green on the space suit trim with a very understated medium blue highlight.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdlaq5-8w06vS4xapKfP0T7jc1wsx_UVPn4INWSkVAapIe7KI_zcBcHy1mU46HvtZYe_v9DY4tuSTbhRHoxNP1IpPl-h8lox1_d7vCLTOFHM1CQX6olSGgsgFzzzhVFH-Hfhk_ERxufN_y3mTQ8ZgIn9STnD7GkPbWcbqWAGTXj0Au50r5H8mHlPxYvg/w640-h186/AlienGrays_Skulls.jpg)
So far, so good -- I was liking how they were turning out. I painted the faces with black for their eyes, nostrils, and mouth. At the end of the process, I would add a clear gloss over the eyes. I really like how the faces turned out. Very much like the images you see online of these little voyeurs who, according to some, have been spying on us for decades! :D
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilP0AbEuWg6-Oak4AM1iH4ppHHxMEzOrOkWAxsaUJ10s78tZ22MmJX-jflq8liJ3ApxTNsG7pGW2cSTE6p3zaYpOh-kvn5pOVvmQsHIhHVFpHQ5bFf2v4wmNLL94GMwe4EEfp4RmV2Th9WRLPUW5F0OfXwyHFxpuqaLPFE-DWjVk5aQaLJg73_Snf1LZg/w640-h260/AlienGrays_ConeBlasters2.jpg)
The weapons continued the retro them with copper and metallic red. There is a decent variety of poses in the pack, including two just fingering human skulls seeming baffled or upset by their mortality. There's even one just carrying a honking huge adjustable wrench. I guess there is universality when it comes to hand tools...! lol
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbb4Aaaa9NlRETyo2KdaQktS8SR5TeNNFqD6-4-S3lrDAiFGXBdvWjFf60IhZhKYZqkiR6-NZZAGcxT5ad93bkAfjd-RuAHekZhQ8sClEpA1lT9SmgfzwJHNopfN7Y_I_OmevNYDepg7eAizIgjVgzx9M7cr7t-72T21cGRTdOZ5c04M0TcxcPo1MPb4/w640-h450/AlienGraysAllUp.jpg)
The three poses with the space suit helmets over their heads gave me the most pause. I went back and forth on this, too. I gave up trying to do a clear glass look with a blurry Alien Gray head inside. That's for the true master painters on the forum -- not for a journeyman like me! ;)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6r_RDcUP6vnFUJ4yg6xmhg1qrqtspzLL6_u_UtPgZt2tAYETHhsYF-j8jVfj59ZxtSv6UsUuMW0W8Ifdq6l8pXYjcExzk_LBXHXBzkcvAASZml_tWQV1l-XSCtdGoe6bCe1IXPrkeHvXH7aZCBxfxeLxqwJslA6-Yp8Yudo6n5gmAm_Afpqart-X-RNI/w640-h348/AlienGraysAllLevel.jpg)
I ended up painting them slowly brighter shades of metallic, staring with steel, moving to gunmetal, then pewter, then silver. Not that you can really see the layers. I then tried to use Folk Art Dragonfly Glaze Spectrum glaze. Complete failure to get any effect out of it. I watched a YouTube video on using the glaze and read up on it, but it simply would not show up my silvery surface. Oh well, at least it gave it a glossy look, saving me painting that step up! lol
All in all, I'm happy with these guys. I'd probably be happier with the cash. So, I will likely be selling them and they're presence will be lost to time were it not for my Lead Legionaries blog. Check out my post about them here:
https://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/2025/06/alien-grays-forwell-heck-of-it.html
Thanks in advance for any comments!
Mike Demana
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They are cute!
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really cool ! the overall project reminds me the old videogame UFO enemy unknown
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Everything looks great. I love the Grays!
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Nothing finer than Grey Aliens!
Although I do like a black-rimmed base lol
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Maybe I should go back and paint the rim black? It does seem popular, though I usually prefer mine an earth color, or gray if most gaming will be in urban areas.
Thanks everyone for the kind comments...!
Mike Demana
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I don't think the colour matters that much, just a solid coat wouldn't hurt
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Finally finished these 3-D printed scatter pieces. They look to me like they belong on a flight line. So, they will likely make in my next game.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Wa2UFUUCF8uzqx4YuZVSVY53rWXbrMG2lBP2e46uouKaVurA4xMOU_EBN0fJvMnze1Ms1OeVtQpyUXhyVGb73mlIJP1QiJBzaa60CQqzkn8lHkhggo-L7fSh5AP9tyAuUrn4zzINQdt9DSd8H9xvMX7WiMDpnDvLcN2Tzr4SinURQdFbD08Ck9lPIUo/w640-h336/SciFi%20Flight%20Line%20Arrays%20All03.jpg)
A little bit of a closeup...
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01Q-GFF0t7LoQLP7y4W1lt8BLmWgu_eRhyCHmK38QSQnHJmd7paIbb5p8xPYNm2yeLqzQxqoVx6_boX53IMLeQ7ycLNufynIBgcM3eMqKaJf9kmtzpzS5Ww7gqIk-lJzheSVozXrpBhPNESZbFP00fP6zzfY_F0b6XbYZ5SLu6qlgxv4EBHgTASRKK7o/w424-h640/SciFi%20Flight%20Line%20Arrays%20Zoom01.jpg)
Thanks in advance for any comments.
Mike Demana