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Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Warboss Nick on June 15, 2024, 06:12:33 PM

Title: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet cargo ship)
Post by: Warboss Nick on June 15, 2024, 06:12:33 PM
A couple of years ago I started a project for Gamma Wolves using DUST mercenary and axis miniatures

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=130174.msg1649598#msg1649598

Now a friend at the local club talked me into 28mm BattleTech using modified Bolt Action rules. And what would be more suitable than those DUST miniatures?
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech
Post by: Warboss Nick on June 15, 2024, 06:16:49 PM
The problem is, the DUST mechs are a tad on the small side, more like very light scout walkers. And while my friend promised me rules for that, I still need larger mechs, too. So I decided to give a  Luther that was lying in my pile of shame a lift.

First step to get the Luther from a height of 10cm to 12-15cm was to stretch the legs. The next step was to give it larger boots by putting a bit of plasticard under them, cut to size.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech
Post by: Warboss Nick on June 15, 2024, 06:19:58 PM
Finally I enlarged the main body, again with plasticard. That also opened up the opportunity to add rocket launchers to the hull. That brought the main frame up to 13cm. As a happy little accident the hatch sprung open to add a little extra visual higher along with a mercenary pilot.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech
Post by: Warboss Nick on June 20, 2024, 07:30:13 PM
And now fully painted. It will count as a light mech with autocannon, two light lasers, KSR and an MG.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Light Mech fully painted)
Post by: Daeothar on June 21, 2024, 08:20:20 AM
That's really pretty  8)

Are the DUST mechs still commercially available? I had been thinking about using a few as count-as Sentinels in my IG army...
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Light Mech fully painted)
Post by: Warboss Nick on June 22, 2024, 08:02:29 PM
Some shops have Limited stock left, and you can get them on eBay. However, you will really have to check prices twice - some are just ridiculous. But you can also get lucky.

The official site https://ammodrop.eu/?lang=en is also still operational and has the original prices. Just make sure you check the modelling kits and primed edition, not the fully painted premium edition.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Light Mech fully painted)
Post by: Warboss Nick on August 07, 2024, 08:27:00 PM
BattleTech needs infantry, too, at least in 28mm. So more DUST mercenaries had to be painted including special weapons. Who’s to say if that is a recoilless anti-tank rifle or a laser cannon in the far future?
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Mercenary infantry)
Post by: Warboss Nick on August 09, 2024, 06:51:26 PM
Next up a gunship. The model is a plastic kit by mantic games with the side guns being resin bits. I really quite like this one with its boxy design even though it has  little space for decals, at least larger ones.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: eilif on August 14, 2024, 12:43:43 PM
I love this project!

A great reuse of Dust Models and your Luther mod is a thing of stompy beauty.

I've been doing 28mm Mech combat for a while and while I haven't yet brought any of the Mecha into my game (still all in boxes) I found the Soviet Helicopters a very nice addition
https://www.chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/2017/03/adepticon-prep-part-5-quadruple-copters/
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Warboss Nick on August 15, 2024, 08:23:55 PM
Thank you @eilif! Good to hear I‘m not the only lunatic doing this.

Love those soviet copters, too, but they are hard to come by even for DUST standards. So for now I settled for the Hornet.

Next up are some transports and an improved Koenigsluther aspiring to become a medium mech.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: tomrommel1 on August 16, 2024, 09:15:00 AM
A very nice project indeed. I am thinking about doing some battletech stuff in 28mm for a while now myself. This is very good inspiration!
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: OSHIROmodels on August 16, 2024, 09:36:54 AM
Brill  :)
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Warboss Nick on August 17, 2024, 04:59:18 PM
Thanks, guys! Your appreciation motivates me.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Warboss Nick on February 16, 2025, 03:37:21 PM
A VAB APC to give the light infantry a little more mobility. The plan is to have a number of different vehicles that fit reasonably well into the theme. The model is a 3D print.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Ragsta on February 16, 2025, 07:54:14 PM
Love what you did with the dropship, really makes that model look so much better!
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Freddy on February 17, 2025, 07:57:54 PM
What a great project! I really like it.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: tomrommel1 on February 18, 2025, 06:25:53 AM
Nice additions :-*
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Battle Brush Sigur on February 18, 2025, 06:00:20 PM
Very, very cool project there. :) I've been eyeing that Mantic drop/land/whatever ship a few times now. Very tempting.

Anyway, 28mm Battletech sounds cool. :D Really like what you did with the walker. Where did you get the pilot/mechanic from?
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Warboss Nick on February 26, 2025, 09:39:52 AM
Thanks everyone!

Love that Mantic dropship and got a second one as Transport / Cargo ship under way. The Model needs some clean up / gap filling, but is still good value IMHO. It helps to watch the assembly video though.

@Sigur: All infantry models and pilots are DUST miniatures from the mercenaries range. Unfortunately mostly discontinued und hard to come by, but you can still find some miniatures here:

https://ammodrop.eu/prodotto/k-me112-april-compatible-edition-plastic-kit/?lang=en
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Neldoreth on February 28, 2025, 11:41:20 PM
Love all the stuff for this project, it's looking great!
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Warboss Nick on May 01, 2025, 02:23:21 PM
It’s been way too long since I updated this topic. So next up are a couple more vehicles that I recruited for this project. The tracked one is a 3D printed snow mobile, the AMX-10 RC is also a 3D print I bought online, and the BTR-60 is the excellent kit from Rubicon. The BTR pilot was modified a little with green stuff, the other crew are DUST mercenaries. And of course some stowage had to be added.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet Gunship)
Post by: Warboss Nick on May 01, 2025, 02:28:10 PM
Also added some more DUST mercenary infantry, along with some shots along with the new vehicles.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: vehicles and infantry)
Post by: Warboss Nick on May 03, 2025, 07:44:01 PM
Another Hornet, this time as cargo ship. Not sure yet if I will attach the container to the ship. This one has also fhe landing gear extended.
Title: Re: DUST goes BattleTech (Update: Hornet cargo ship)
Post by: HerbertTarkel on May 04, 2025, 01:34:29 AM
Really nice stuff!