Reference Material for "Aliens" project?

[cheetor]

I am trying to get my Aliens project up and running for once and for all. While I have the DVDs and have grabbed images from online to help with colonial Marine camo/equipment etc I am considering buying a suitable Aliens reference book.

The "Aliens" Colonial Marine Technical Manual was mentioned elsewhere and is available on Amazon for £20+ shipping, which is a bit on the expensive side for me.  If it is worth it then I will probably try to get my hands on it, but I dont want to get it if it is a bit of a dud.  After all, ~£25 will buy me a nice number of miniatures instead.

Presumably there are many "Making of" type books for Aliens, in varying stages of OOP-ness.  Do any of you guys know if any of them hit the sweet spot as a painting guide, yet is easily available and doesnt cost a lot (unlikely I know, but worth trying anyway...)?

[Westfalia Chris]

I am trying to get my Aliens project up and running for once and for all. While I have the DVDs and have grabbed images from online to help with colonial Marine camo/equipment etc I am considering buying a suitable Aliens reference book.

I have to say that is probably the best way to start.

The "Aliens" Colonial Marine Technical Manual was mentioned elsewhere and is available on Amazon for £20+ shipping, which is a bit on the expensive side for me.  If it is worth it then I will probably try to get my hands on it, but I dont want to get it if it is a bit of a dud.  After all, ~£25 will buy me a nice number of miniatures instead.

20 quid is okay, but near the top limit, I'd say.

Pros:

It's a thick paperback, well-bound (I've had mine for 10 years, read it more times than I can count, and not a single page loose).

You get a lot of images, although a lot is not from the movie (which in itself is okay, since you get a better look at the equipment).

Illustrations range from superb (the x-ray drawing of the Cheyenne is first-rate and generally all line-art profiles follow that) to okay (colour vehicle profiles and drawings of Marines in various types of gear).

Cons:

You don't get all that much on the Aliens, in particular as for images. All rather indistinct movie stills, and some linearts that don't really tell you anything.

The style of the book is "in-universe", i.e. you don't get anything on "The making of" or such. The main text is appropriately dry and sober, with supposedly funny Marine "quotes" (some are plain annoying, much like in the Shadowrun books) mixed in "for good measure".

Overall, I'd say it is a good one if you are predominantly interested in the USCMC. Lots of stuff and good pics of the camo pattern. 20 pounds is, as said, the top line, or would be for me, so if you find a cheaper place, go there - I'd nonetheless say that, if push comes to shove, you won't get ripped off with the 20 pounds pricetag.

Presumably there are many "Making of" type books for Aliens, in varying stages of OOP-ness.  Do any of you guys know if any of them hit the sweet spot as a painting guide, yet is easily available and doesn't cost a lot (unlikely I know, but worth trying anyway...)?

I've been looking for such for years, but have never found anything not hilariously pricy, sadly enough.

[Onebigriver]

I'm sure there was a Cinefex published at the time, probably hard to find.

[cheetor]

 

Thats a pretty comprehensive answer re the Colonial Marine Tech Manual WC, thank you very much.

That book really is tempting, but for the price I cant really justify buying it when I have yet to shell out for an APC model for example (or God forbid someone actually makes a passable Powerloader figure,  That would cause a serious pain in my wallet).

I'm sure there was a Cinefex published at the time, probably hard to find.

Now that you mention it I am almost certain that I had that issue of Cinefex in my hands at some point when I was in college. Without even checking however, I would be very surprised if it doesnt go for big bucks. 

A good call nonetheless as a buddy of mine has collected Cinefex for years.  Its possible, if unlikely that he might still have that one.

[Commander Vyper]

I have the Colonial Marine Technical Manual, great book. Add this to the old Leading edge rule book, and you've pretty much got most things covered.

The former you should grab if you can find in on amazon, the latter is getting even rarer but worth it. I've got some prop pictures from the london museum of film (armour, helmets, weapons etc...) Pm me if you want me to send em over.

The Commander

[Comsquare]

One more for the Technical Manual.
There is also a version of it on CD-Rom which a guy sells I think at Ebay.

I have both, the printed one and also the CD, and, if you're interested in the Colonial Marines it's a must-have.

You can also visit this sites:
http://harryharris.com/welcome.htm
http://forum.alienslegacy.com/
http://colonial-marines.de/

By the way, I'm a member of the Deimos Squad, so if you need pics the pattern of the Uniform I can make some of mine.
Sadly, I have not finished my new armour, and my old one is still in germany

[Hauptgefreiter]

Maybe this is also of use:
http://aliens.humlak.cz/aliens/aliens_papirove_modely_gb.htm

[Hastati]

I'll also chime in for the Technical Manual.  It is very well written and the section on Colonial Marine's organisation and weapons is excellent.  Lee Brimmicomb-Wood took some minimal info available from the film and turned it into a very plausible and detailed examination of the Colonial Marines.

[bandit86]

Prince August has a nice power loader in the future war range.  And even though the driver is male you coule add bits to it to make it Ripley

[bandit86]

WOW   I just looked up the Book on Amazon here in the states and they only have used ones.  1 was listed for $145 they other was $284 yikes

[TheMightyFlip]

Yeah Amazon is a joke like that, went looking for a DVD of Venus Wars and 80's anime, and its listed as £110, anyone got a copy?


Forgeworld has a sentinel load lifter, though its bulky and pricey.

[Hastati]

I think you'll need to get it from ebay.  I got my copy about three years ago for $25 or $30 from ebay.

[cheetor]

Thank you all for your helpful input on this one.  I think that I will keep an eye out for the Colonial Marine Technical Manual, although I will only pick it up if I can get it for a reasonable price. 

Multiple hundreds of $$$ is not what I regard as reasonable for a book such as this.

Again, thanks guys.

[Westfalia Chris]

Multiple hundreds of $$$ is not what I regard as reasonable for a book such as this.

You're certainly right on that. 20-25 Pounds (or 30 Euros) would be the top limit of what I would consider reasonable value for money for that book, provided it's in okay condition.

[cheetor]

Fractionally off topic here but I am pleased enough with my new Aliens related purchase to post here

Prince August has a nice power loader in the future war range. 

I had no idea that Prince August sold a figure like that, which is funny considering their factory and factory shop is an hours drive from my house and I visit it every so often.  Thank you very much for the heads up bandit86

The Future Shock range is just a tiny bit on the slight side but in my opinion very useable with my other stuff.  As I havent seen a powerloader miniature available for years I ordered the BTV4 Auto-Loader with pilot yesterday.






I was wary from the photos that the loader would be titchy.  As I have a Horrorclix Alien Queen I didnt want the Loader to be very small (although that would be preferable to it being too large in comparison with the Queen).  All the same, with the lack of suitable miniatures available I would be happy with a suitable proxy.

The Loader arrived to work this morning and I brought in a couple of figures to check scale.  While the loader isnt very big and is probably a tiny bit smaller than the one in the movie I am actually pretty pleased. 

I forgot to bring my camera to work for a comparison shot (but I will get a hasty one together this evening).


The figures dimensions are as follows:

The pilot is 31mm from the sole of his feet to the top of his head, which is about 2mm taller than the Hasslefree Signee.

The chassis is 45mm from sole of the feet to the top.

The "hips" of the chassis are ~19mm at the widest point and the arms are approximately the same.


The whole thing is very cleanly cast and is very crisp.  The pilot is a slightly androgynous male with shades and a cigar.  It would be very easy to swap or resculpt into a female head and similarly easy to add boobage, should that be desired (I will be leaving it as is and painting it to look like colonial marine gear or else Spunkmeyers flight suit thing (it was Spunkmeyer who drove the other loader in the movie, wasnt it?).

Finally, the Future Shock range is not in production these days and although Prince August has stocks of some of the codes, others have been removed from the range in recent months.  The staff member that I spoke to in Prince August warned me that the loader may not be available, but they obviously had at least one.  So the bottom line is that if you are interested in one, then get it sooner rather than later.

I will post up a scale comparison shot later for anyone on the fence.