Really Retro Lunar (Game Mats Painted)

[Cat]

With all the current chatter about Lunar, I couldn't help but jump into the space race, especially after it occurred to me to do it with 2" MPC plastic figures (aka More Plastic Cosmonauts).  A thought that just couldn't be unthunk.
: 3
 
They made them in a wide variety of colours, so plenty of force choices available.  Acquisitions have started to arrive from EBay.  Picked up one lot locally today, more in the post.
 
Finding a suitable rover is proving tricky because of the sprawling pose of the seated figure, which is quite unsuited for any sort of space vehicle.  2" puts the figures at ~1/35.  Hunting EBay, I've seen some diecast LRVs that are 1/48 and the seats would likely be too small, and a larger Dinky Toy at 4.5" long which would be about 1/27 but might work.
 
Leaving them unpainted for the full toy soldiers look and reaping a great savings in painting time.  Leaning towards mounting them on clay poker chips for stability.  Easy enough to match figure and chip colours.
 
Lingering question is to flock or not (the chip edge would still be visible.  Currently leaning towards flocking.
 
Whee!
 

[Rick]

Hmm - no backpacks?
Those 'sprawling' poses might be able to be corrected by the hot water bend treatment? Dunk 'em in a cup of hot water, bend to a better shape then dunk 'em in a cup of cold water? I've done it with plastic and resin figures with mostly good results.

[Cat]

The suits are a decent enough reproduction of the Mercury suits that didn't have their own oxygen supply.
 
Most of the figures have a pair of scuba type tanks on the back, which was a reasonable artistic choice pre-Apollo.  The rifle and seated figures don't have any tanks though, in the photo I pictured, you can see they don't have an air hose coming from their helmets.

Heating might work, I've got plenty of spare figures in various poses to experiment with.  Certainly don't need a large squad of cameramen.  Found out tonight that neither white nor orange label Plastic Weld works on this plastic.  Will need to pick up a bottle of PolyZap, that usually works well on the softies.

The figures were released at least as early as 1963 in the Fireball XL5 set.  Considering that some figures in that set were based on the marionettes and others on Mercury astronauts, I suspect the Mercuries were probably released earlier than that.
https://2warpstoneptune.com/2013/01/02/beyond-tomorrow-lunar-space-station-and-the-story-of-multiple-toymakers/

https://www.triangspacextoys.info/SpGAorig/astroOrF/FigOrigC.html
 

[Tarnegol]

Lingering question is to flock or not (the chip edge would still be visible.  Currently leaning towards flocking.

Flock? Surely https://spaceresourcetech.com/products/lhs-1-lunar-highlands-simulant?srsltid=AfmBOooR9G5M4swmgaLkDsJyyfDyEZEFbvOryXkEI2brpO215tQJy5qG

[Michi]

I'd go for transparent acrylic bases, if you don't plan to paint them. This would be quite neutral and neither destroy the toy soldier impression, nor the wargaming purpose.

[fred]

Looks fun

I’d perhaps paint the visors and the guns - would still fit the toy solider aesthetic. Certainly the Britains figures I remember had a few colours on them.

[Daeothar]

Looks fun

I’d perhaps paint the visors and the guns - would still fit the toy solider aesthetic. Certainly the Britains figures I remember had a few colours on them.

Maybe just a slap of silver on the visor and the guns (not too accurate) to drive the point home of them being 'prepainted'. I never had any of these as a child, but I do remember toys of the same caliber being bare plastic with just one colour painted on.

I vividly recall a parachute man who could be shot up from a pistol-like contraption with a rubber band, to drift down again. He was an army green plastic, with just the exposed skin areas crudely painted in a fleshtone...

[mikedemana]

I'm going to swim in the opposite direction and say, "Nah, go ahead and paint them. They'll be EASY! 

Mike Demana

[Cat]

Tarnegol, ooh High Fidelity Lunar Flock at that!
 
Will definitely stick with poker chips for the weight, otherwise the figures would be too tipsy on the slope of a crater or whatnot.  Reading accounts of others who have done toy soldier gaming, the chips are the best option.

Yes, partial painting is a possibility for faces, visors, and things in hand.  If I go that route, then I would spray each force to match the plastic colour.  Krylon Fusion spray works quite well on soft plastics, and then can use any type of paint on top of it without flaking off.
 
You can't trick me, Mike!
: P
 
 

[Inkpaduta]

Good idea. A way to get into a new project without spending a lot of money and putting in tons of time.

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

A great idea, looking forward to seeing more.

[mikedemana]

You can't trick me, Mike!

Whaaat?? My Jedi mind tricks don't work on you...?

Mike Demana

[Cat]

Another big batch just arrived from EBay, a good sized forces of Orange and Gold. 

The seller also threw in some complimentary 1/72 20–22mm figures.  Bottom of the bases says Giant, Hong Kong.  Astronauts look like re-worked WW2 guys in Mercury suits with scuba tanks on the back.  The aliens have scuba tanks on their suits too. 
 
If anyone wants to do smaller scale games (kinda bazooka heavy), these would be worth hunting down.
 
The aliens could work fine as genuine LGMs with the 2" MPC astronauts!
: 3
 
In other acquisitions, just ordered a bunch of 4" wood pentagon coasters from Amazon to make domes.  There's also a bunch in wood or acrylic on Etsy in various sizes.  3" or 4" would work well with the standard 32mm Lunar figures.
 
Also just ordered the Season 1 Blu Ray of For All Mankind.  By the time I've finished that, maybe the price of Season 2 will have come down more.

 

[Cat]

I had been hunting around to find a 1/35 Lunar Rover and finally found one at a reasonable price on EBay, a 1/35 4D Model Puzzle.  But then I made my saving throw and realised that the Apollonian lander would be too 70s futuristic for my project — I'm really settling in to a retro SF image of the late 60s as envisioned c.1963.
 
Back to teh internets and EBay for a squirrel hunt for 1960s beach buggies or ATVs.  While the Amphicat would technically be perfect as the buggy of the Banana Splits in 1968, Space 1999 has set it in everybody's head canon that it is more futuristic than that.
 
Scored with a pair of ATVs that just arrived: a 6-wheeled Buddy L toy and a 4-wheeled Tootsie Toy.  The Tootsie rides high, but the lower chassis is plastic and can be cut down and the wheels extended out to the side.
 
Whilst hunting for retro-SF STL files, happened upon a perfect Gemini style Lander.  This was designed for use as an Estes Rocket.  I'm still puzzling over what scaling to print it at.  There was an actual Big Gemini project on the drawing boards and even got as far as a 'Big G' mock-up that could carry more crew in the command capsule, plus passengers and/or cargo mix in the rear.
 
Printing the Lander as designed would yield a ~1/35 Gemini.  Crunching geometry of the space required for astronauts' seat, printing at 130% would be large enough for 5 crew in the capsule.  154%, 7 crew and about the size of the planned Big G; now I need to decide if I want that big a footprint with the landing legs splayed out.
https://www.printables.com/model/87671-gemini-lunar-lander

There's not much in the way of retro-SF files out there.  Everything is darkity-dark or Star-Warsy.
 
In other acquisitions, most EBay listings of the Giant brand aliens ask astronomical prices.  I did find one lot at a much reasonable cost.  Here's my full collection of Little Green Men (and Pink and Brown).
 
Picked up the first season of For All Mankind.  Halfway through watching now, truly outstanding!  Only watching one episiode at a time, it's too good to binge.  Also grabbed some more classic space vids.
 

[bluewillow]

Great stuff, I am thinking 1/72 myself but these look great, although I possibly could not resist painting them silver then a wash and add flags for each nation, or go with the Moon 02 with bright primary colours.

For transports look at this link http://www.tobor2.com/MoonZeroTwo/bug200.htm

What about Cold War 1/48 American or soviet or British Armoured cars for transports and change the tyres perhaps.


Cheers
Matt