The Astro Shipyard.

[mattblackgod]

I have been scratch building ships for the Star Crashers game. http://www.ironhands.com/starcrashmodels.htm

I thought some of you may be interested in seeing them. These ships may also be used in Full Thrust but as a class or two higher. Most of the fleets are designed for my own space opera setting.

First up the Tengun Empire (background fluff can be read here http://s1.zetaboards.com/Post_Apoc_Wargames/topic/3910215/1/?x=25)


This is the Fighter Squadron. They are made from plastic missiles from a Robogear model, a plastic bead for the engine and rhinestone for the cockpit. In Full Thrust (FT) they will be used as Corvettes.


The Bombers. These are made up from three Robogear missiles, two beads and two Rhinestones. In FT they will be used as Frigates.


A Grabber Ship and Scout. Both ships are made the same way as the fighters. The Grabber got a grabber from a Robogear model kit and the Scout's "Golfball" Sensor array is a bead.


On the Left is the Battleship (a converted civilian Cruise Liner) "Big George's Fist" and on the Right the Cruiser "Snot-em". The Battleship is made from a plastic bottle cap, a large plastic holder (for a syringe), Rhinestones, bits of straws, plastic caps, GW las guns, bits of toy cars and tanks. The Cruiser is made from a old broken action man fire extinguisher, a plastic tube, a bottle cap, plastic beads, plastic missles and other bits.

In Ft the Battleship would be a Dreadnought class vessel and the Cruiser a Battleship.


A Freighter being escorted by Snot-em! The hull is from a old model space station and a golf ball. Lots of beads, old tank parts and rhinestones found their way onto the model.



Another Cruiser - The Dodgy Pete.

Fleet Shot

[mattblackgod]

A small VIP yacht and a small cargo vessel




Left is a VIP Yacht made from a 1/72 bomb and Right is a Cargo ship that started life as a EM4 plastic robot that broke. Nothing else has been done to them.

This is my favourite ship so far....the Pirate Cruiser...



It looks like it wants your money, your wife and your first born child. It was a Revell easykit pocket Star Wars Sith infiltrator. I took off the wing tip panels (they are now fitted to the Freighter) and added a couple of Robogear missiles. I them added lots of guns from a 1/1200 scale model warship. It got my standard pirate paint job (awful red markings). This vessel will be used as a Heavy Battleship in FT.

A Space Station - a vital part of any space game. This will probably be used as a objective.



It is made up from various sized bottle tops, some solar panels from a 1/76 space station kit and bits from the bits box.

What is space without random lumps of rock - Asteroid!

Made from a lump of that spray foam you use to fill cracks. Easy work.

Blue Demons Cruiser


This ship is fast and acts as a escort or interceptor. The ship was a 1/144 scale Eurofighter Typhoon kit with bits added.

Swabia Fighter
The Space Nation of Swabia is noted for its lack of tolerance to anyone breaking their laws or attacking its citizens. Add to this well armoured and armed ships it makes Swabia a force to be reckoned with.

This was a multi-melta off a plastic GW Titan. I glued some bits to it. I have another couple some place.

Junkers...
The Junkers are Space Scavengers with operate in the Galaxies debris fields and old battle fields. Here we see three fighters.




And a scout and grabber



Out in space there are many Merchant Adventurers...once such Vessel is the Cruiser sized Space Yacht the Purple Avenger captained by a man called Scouse. The ship has upgraded engines, extra armour, weapons and some other surprises for anyone stupid enough to attack it!






The ship came from a Kinder Toy as some sort of speed yacht. All I added was the engines, some rhinestones as sensor arrays and weapons. It then got a nice layer of purple paint.

These are the result of a space ship building frenzy from the bottom of my bits box and I have learnt quite a lot.

C&C welcome as there are more planned for future builds.

[Westfalia Chris]

Some creative use of leftovers, with great results! I like the space station best, somehow. Can't say why.

[Sangennaru]

i love them, brilliant!

i was thinking to try Full Thrust, how is it?

[commissarmoody]

I always loves scratch bult ships, keep up the good work

[dijit]

One of the great things about spaceship gaming is being able to use all sorts of random junk as building pieces for ships, it's incredibly satisfying and easy on the pocket too.

[warrenss2]

Now THIS is Future Wars!

Excellent stuff. Giving me ideas too.

(edit) What rules are you using? Never mind... I reread your post. 

[Christian]

Matt, I've always admired your ability to put objects together in a really unique way. I saw a lot of this over at your forum. This stuff is brilliant. Anyone can buy a fleet of ships, but this really is something else...

[mattblackgod]

Thanks for the kind comments. As dijit mentioned it is wonderfully cheap and fun making toys from junk. Plus it empties out the old Bits Box! 

Full Thrust is quite easy to play and I have always enjoyed it. I have not tried Star Crashers yet but I will one day.

[digimortal]

By the way that ironhands site rocks.  The road wolf with the cars and terrain is great.  The Mobile Suit Gundam section was fantastic nostalgia.

[v_lazy_dragon]

Nice work as always Danny!