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Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Hupp n at em on February 27, 2012, 03:27:24 AM

Title: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Hupp n at em on February 27, 2012, 03:27:24 AM
Hello all,

I was going to throw together a small sci-fi mining crew for the frontier planet setting I am currently planning, and my first instinct was to use GW Catachans with some conversion work.  However, no sane person, much less a near-broke college student, wants to pay $30 for 10 measly plastic figures. :o  Any ideas for alternatives?

Thanks,
Jim
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Papa Spanky on February 27, 2012, 04:50:10 AM
I sent you a PM, I might be able to help you out.
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: stroblight on February 27, 2012, 04:50:37 AM
I don't know if these fit the direction you're going for, but Old Glory has some models that might work:

http://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SF-HE-15

Matakishi uses them here for colonists:

http://www.matakishi.com/colonists.htm

Also, I'm sure there are plenty of people with spare plastic Catachans if you don't want to pay retail if they better fit your image of sci-fi miners.

Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: bandit86 on February 27, 2012, 10:51:47 AM
his guy is kind of cool
http://www.recreationalconflict.com/
look under workforce heroes
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Dewbakuk on February 27, 2012, 10:51:55 AM
I used GW Ash Waste Nomads but if you're put off by the prices of Catachans you really don't want to see what those go for these days  ;)
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: tnjrp on February 27, 2012, 11:07:52 AM
Well, yes, that on the budget part is something of a limiting factor... There are plenty of post-Apoc stuff that I'd say would work splendidtly but none of them are credit card friendly.

How about EM-4 plastic gangers?
http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/Science_Fiction.html

Finding suitable arms might be a problem but perhaps some of the separate arm kits listed might help there.
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Conquistador on February 27, 2012, 11:10:29 AM
Hello all,

I was going to throw together a small sci-fi mining crew for the frontier planet setting I am currently planning, and my first instinct was to use GW Catachans with some conversion work.  However, no sane person, much less a near-broke college student, wants to pay $30 for 10 measly plastic figures. :o  Any ideas for alternatives?

Thanks,
Jim

Perhaps, if a hostile environment/Asteroid mining, space-suited figures (like the old Airfix (?) ones) with bits for tools?

Gracias,

Glenn
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: tnjrp on February 27, 2012, 11:23:11 AM
For space suited worker figs, I'd prolly go with Cobalt Mercenary assault troopers. They have separate arms so they are quite easy to convert into holding tools instead of weapons. The price may be an issue tho, they are £2 a pop + p&p.
http://www.blackhat.co.uk/online_shop/index.php?cPath=121_182_183&osCsid=3c4c5aacf3401e1d6734eb8862cde0c4
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: v_lazy_dragon on February 27, 2012, 11:43:58 AM
The alphaforge sci-fi line (now owned by Megaminis IIRC, the name of the range escapes...) had some salavge crew types with powertools and the like, as well as some dedicated cyborg astroid miners.
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: zemjw on February 27, 2012, 12:19:31 PM
Pig Iron (http://www.pig-iron-productions.com/kl8-kolony-feral-infantry-p-8.html) have some that might work, again depending on the look you're going for - they'd suit "digging it out the ground" type miners, rather than space suited types.

Studio McVey's Sedition Wars range might be worth checking out, but they're not cheap.

Mantic's new corporation range might be worth a look, although they're more general infantry types.

And, curse you, you've now given me something else to think about buying  lol
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Steve F on February 27, 2012, 12:45:22 PM
I suppose that it depends on what you want the miners to be doing, and where.

If they are hanging around a mining colony, perhaps Heresy's Sci-Fi inspectors or the Woodbine Design Co Colonists (available from Gripping Beast) might be of use.

Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Smith on February 27, 2012, 01:02:57 PM
Four A have some ship crew that might work:

http://www.fouraminiatures.com/page2.htm (scroll to near the bottom):

Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Hupp n at em on February 27, 2012, 11:00:26 PM
And, curse you, you've now given me something else to think about buying  lol

 lol That seems to be the way this hobby works...believe me, I'm guilty of the same thing.  ;)

Also, how do the EM-4 plastics match up with GW bits?  I have a fair amount of IG and other arms that could serve as replacements.
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: James Holloway on February 27, 2012, 11:29:07 PM
Also, how do the EM-4 plastics match up with GW bits?  I have a fair amount of IG and other arms that could serve as replacements.

The match isn't exact -- I have put GW arms on some em-4 figures and they look a little big, but not amazingly so. You can actually see some em4 guys with GW arms here and make up your own mind:

http://combatzonechronicles.net/cozo8/pads.htm
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: supervike on February 28, 2012, 01:37:10 AM
I'll second the suggestion of the old Star Mogul (now called Salvage Crew) minis.

Cheap, good sculpts, and exactly what you're looking for.

http://www.megaminis.com/
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Pil on February 28, 2012, 08:14:30 AM
I think the plastic VOID Junkers (left) or Viridians (right) would make good workers. The Junkers wear an environmental suit and the viridians wear power armour. They come posable with separate weapons so it's easy to change the weaponry and they're £ 5 for ten.

(http://www.stronghold-online.de/Bildergalerie/Void/Viridians/Plastic_05.jpg)
Source: http://www.stronghold-online.de and http://www.stronghold-online.de/Bildergalerie/Void/voidplastic.htm

Unfortunately for some reason only the Viridians are on the Scotia Grendel website:
http://www.scotiagrendel.com/Products/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=2851
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Predatorpt on February 28, 2012, 06:57:56 PM
And have you seen this conversion done by Dwartist?

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=38635.0

That could work as a miner ;)
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Hupp n at em on February 28, 2012, 11:14:46 PM
That's actually quite tempting Predatorpt...an excuse to buy Pig Iron is something I can get down with.  :)
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: MrHarold on February 29, 2012, 03:26:01 AM
Have you thought about 15mm? GZG has some great stuff.
Title: Re: Suggestions for Sci-Fi Miners?
Post by: Hupp n at em on February 29, 2012, 09:01:19 PM
I have too much invested in 28mm to switch scales unfortunately.  lol  Though I've often thought of using 15mm for military engagements.