more DUST repaints... this time scenery

[Agis]

Was the illustration on 'Rosie' free painted, or a transfer? I wondered if you'd used water slides from a tank/aircraft kit? EIther way, it looks awesome and adds a superb piece of realisim to the kit.

Thanks Rob. 
The Rosie transfer is from DUST!
See: http://www.dust-models.com/products_d.php?nid=12&id=56

[Legionnaire Bert]

Thanks Agis!

[Parriah]

My local game store has Dust:Tactics. Is this any good, or should I look for the original? It sells for $100.00 USD here, Is that outrageous?

[Agis]

My local game store has Dust:Tactics. Is this any good, or should I look for the original? It sells for $100.00 USD here, Is that outrageous?

What is the DUST original?
IIRC so far only DUST: Tactics is out!

[Hat Guy]

The Original DUST is a bit like WWWII Risk and has been out since before Dust: Tactics.

We sell it at work I think, don't know much about it.

[Willypold]

There are two different games so far for the Dust setting. The one that is simply called Dust is a boardgame published by Fantasy Flight:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=1&enmi=Dust

The other game - Dust: Tactics - is a board game with miniatures:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=123&enmi=Dust%20Tactics

It's a boardgame in the same way Space Hulk is a boardgame (although no other similarities), and as such it's a simple game with complex possibilities and fabulous 1:48 scale minis. Fantasy Flight has also announced a regular wargame using the minis - Dust: Warfare - to be released later this fall.

What's the connection with AT-43? Paolo Parente, all-around nice (and strange) guy and a great artist, has played around with the weird war idea for a number of years. A collaboration with Rackham led to the AT-43 setting, which was originally conceived as "alternate timeline - 1943", but for some reason Rackham walked away with the game in a slightly different direction. It's really no wonder that the UNA looks like German paratroopers and the Red Blok like the Red Army...

Paolo also has his own web page about Dust:

http://www.dustgame.com/

Now that the collaboration with Rackham is history Fantasy Flight and Paolo have returned to the original concept, which Paolo has been pushing in comics and illustrations for quite some time. Several of the walkers Paolo has envisioned as illustrations have also been turned into model kits in 1:35 scale.

I don't know if AT-43 was meant to be exactly 1:48 scale, but the models are close enough in size compared to the Dust models that it is possible to use those armies with the Dust stuff without any problems. Fact is, both ranges even use the same base sizes and the base cross-sections are the same, although the Dust bases are a little more decorated, almost like someone told the designer about the concept of scenic bases...

It's quite obvious, though, that both the Red Blok/UNA factions of AT-43 and the US/German factions so far of Dust: Tactics have the same highly creative artist/designer behind them and the model quality is simply excellent!

[Willypold]

A question for Agis:

Any problems rebasing the models? Things I should be aware of? Have you tried rebasing any of the AT-43 models? I'm not absolutely happy with the sunken nuts along the edge of the Dust model bases, at least not when combining them with models from other ranges.

[Agis]

A question for Agis:

Any problems rebasing the models? Things I should be aware of? Have you tried rebasing any of the AT-43 models? I'm not absolutely happy with the sunken nuts along the edge of the Dust model bases, at least not when combining them with models from other ranges.

None at all.
The DUST minis were simply cut under the feet at the base and put on a wooden base that was thinly covered with still soft Miliput.
That was most of the time enough! Only at two or three minis I needed some glue!

Same for AT-43; see:

For some of the resin bases I used some wire to pin the feet.

[Andym]

Great stuff! Like everyone else says, it makes me want to go and buy the 'Dust' game after seeing your minis.

[abhorsen950]

Amazing work, your brush work is awesome!

[Chief Lackey Rich]

You put my efforts to shame, but I have to agree, there are a lot of models in the Dust Tactics range that are entirely worthy of a good repaint, and they're quite easy to work with when it comes to rebasing and modifying the figs.  Even some nice stuff for use outside of WWW2 settings - the Axis gorillas in particular are right at home in pulp, superhero, horror, and even post-apocalyptic gaming.  I can remember playing a Gamma World character back in the 80's who they would have made perfect minis for.   

The walker tanks give me an itch to try doing Ring of Red (the old PS2 game) as a miniatures project.

[Willypold]

The Panzer walkers look great, a lot better, actually, than the US walkers, as the tank turret looks just a little bit odd. To me it feels like there is no real place for both a gunner AND a pilot on board, together with some kind of engine, while the Panzers look like they have just a pilot space with auto loaded guns attached to the sides like arms.

The first reaction when I opened the starter box in the store was like: "Hey, it's got Tiger fan housings!" from the store owner when he looked at the Panzers.

Aside from that the detailing is fabulous and looks probable. I wouldn't say "realistic", as we really don't know what an actual armored walker would look like, especially one built in the 1940's, but I'm happy. Just bought  a box of the Axis zombies yesterday, together witt the light panzer walker, at the moment configured as the Heinrich with FLAK guns.  :-)

Time to find a suitable rules set so I can pit the Axis against the Red Blok for some crossgame shootouts!

[Chief Lackey Rich]

Time to find a suitable rules set so I can pit the Axis against the Red Blok for some crossgame shootouts!

Secrets of the Reich has a fairly robust design-your-own-vehicle system that should handle any of the current Dust vehicles with ease.  The infantry side of the game can be a bit of a bloodbath unless you have a lot of cover on the table, but the vehicle rules generally work quite well.