Battletech (N-scale) - large minis for a larger project

[Sgt. Scream]

Hello fellow LAF members. I am sure most of you know about Classic Battletech and that it is normally a boardgame. Some people however play it on tabletop terrain with modified rules. I am going to mix the two together and I am going to do it on the large side of things:
Japanese N-scale, which is 1/150 scale, and miniatures from a lot of sources (mostly unseens, coming as Japanese plastic model kits).
I aim at a size of one CBT mapsheet being a tabletop area of roughly 1.20m x 1.80m (48" x 72"). My project will include bases for trees (to make light and heavy woods), structures (commercial, civilian, industry and maybe even some military), hills, rivers, lakes and obviously vehicles/infantry and Mechs.

Sources for all of these will be scale model kits from Japanese Anime shows (macross, dougram etc), Mechwarrior Dark Age minis (repaints) and some harder to obtain limited run resin models or Ral Partha Museum Scale.
I am still waiting for my hotzmats hex mats to have a large scale mapsheet - so bear with me if there are no hexes on my pics yet.

My models will include House Davion (Federated Suns) 3rd Crucis Lancers, House Kurita (Draconis Combine) 1st Sword of Light Regiment, Clan Wolf Beta Galaxy, Clan Smoke Jaguar Delta Galaxy and who knows - maybe even one Mercenary Unit (not yet decided).
I actually started with this already three years back - I just never got around showing it off in all forums I am member in.

I also have to point out to my plans of using Tomorrow's War rules (from Ambush Alley Games) for my engagements that won't include Mechs (or maybe not many at least), but infantry and tanks only. I could have gone with Battletroops and Clantroops (who remembers those games?), but I think TW will be far superior rules, given the plenty of possibilities that they already include. So don't you wonder why my very, very small scale infantry is based as singles (!!!).

I've been busy with creating tree stands for my games recently and can annoucne that so far 16 have been accomplished. I try to assemble and paint always in groups of eight bases. That's three stands of Light Woods and one stand of Heavy Woods per four bases created. I am looking for a total of roughly 40 of these bases.
On a tabletop of 1.20m x 1.80m (48" x 72") that will create enough forrest to resemble a single CBT mapsheet in N-scale.

I have also carried my completed lances and the first few of my buildings over to my best mates' house and took some pics of the Scout Lances in actual terrain (note that I still haven't received my ordered hexmats).

a small engagement


House Davion Recon Lance advancing


House Kurita Lance advancing (sorry its a bit blurry)


House Davion Scout Lance complete





House Kurita Scout Lance complete





Mechwarrior Dark Age infantry re-based works perfectly with N-gauge houses

[OSHIROmodels]

Looks promising, especially if you do a whole city scape 

cheers

James

[Ironworker]

Sweet!  Great looking stuff.  I really like the Mongoose and raven especially.  My group has recently started using terrain for classic battletech.  If you look a few post down you can see my thread.  It's really the only way to play.  It runs so much better.  By the way I'm pretty sure Reaper's CAV is also N scale and they have infantry too if you are looking for more resources. 

[Sgt. Scream]

Thanks for the comments. I might check out Reaper's CAV infantry bits, thanks for the intel.

And there it is: yet another Mech has been finished. This one is a modefied 1/200 scale Macross "Spartan" kit which I combined with parts from a Gashapon action figure from the same TV show.
Weighing in with an impressive 70 tons, the ARC-2R Archer is a heavy-hitting assault Mech, bombarding defenders over long distances with salvos of long-range-missiles.

This front shot shows my modifications to the upper torso (left and right). I cut off the original missile bays (cause you can't open them) and replaced them with those from an action figure from Macross.


Looking at the back of the Archer, you see no real difference to the original 1/200 kit.


Now here is what does make the difference: the Archer with opened missile bays.


Left and right, mounted into the battle fists, the Archer is equipped with Diverse Optics Type 18 Medium Lasers.


The main weapon system however is the twin racks of Doombud Long Range Missiles (LRM-20) mounted in the left and right torso.


In between the two missile bay doors you can see the barrels of the rear-mounted Diverse Optics Type 18 Medium Lasers. These aren't sufficient to sustain enough damage to any attacker but they are a nasty surprise nonetheless.


Ample bombardment for a long time period... the Archer feels at home in siege battle.

...off to the next one.

[OSHIROmodels]

Very nice    I like the missile bays, it certainly adds an extra level of detail 

cheers

James

[Vinlander]

Awesome work. I always loved the Archer

Looking forward to seeing more. Any chance of a Batrep?

[Westfalia Chris]

Now that's very nice! I did a couple of kits and scratchbuilds in that scale a couple of years ago, but never got very far, sadly enough. It makes me want to dig out some 1/144 Gundams and that 1/60 Wolverine I have lying around somewhere, though...

[Sgt. Scream]

The pride of the Lyran Commonwealth, the ZEU-6S "Zeus", is the latest addition to my growing Davion forces. Some of the Mechs have found their way into House Davion's service.


Apart from the base this is an unmodified out-of-the-box built Ral Partha Europe Museum Scale "Zeus" Mech to add more heavy-weight fighting power to my Davion battleforce. As it is made from pewter it indeed is "heavy"    


The arm-mounted Coventry Star Fire LRM-15 system gives the heavy machine a hard punch over long distances.


The torso-mounted energy-based weapon systems include the Defiance B3M Medium Laser system (center) and a larger Thunderbolt A5M Laser system (left torso). These give the Zeus a really destructive output over medium and close ranges. The decals are from Fighting Pirannha Graphics.


Note the House Davion "Federated Suns" emblem on the right knee pad and the antennas I have added to the cockpit. I really like the TRO 3025 look of the Zeus - especially this mean shot of the "business end" of the large war machine  :twisted: 


The rear of the Mech shows various ports of the heat sinks. All panel lines were washed using thinned black oil paint.


The Zeus main weapon of choice: a Defiance Autocannon (AC/5).

Off to paint more Mechs now. Stay tuned!

[Sgt. Scream]

a little Kurita love for a change.


The DRG-1G Grand Dragon. One of House Kurita's very own designs, produced by Luthien Armor Works, reinforcing my Sword Of Light units.


Offensive capabilities are based upon a center torso mounted LRM-10 launcher.


Back details include unit insignia, heat sink vents and back banner.


Left arm, sporting unit insignia (ivory dragon crest) and a Victoy 23R Medium Laser.


Right arm bearing a Lord's Thunder PPC.


Details of the upper torso: once again with the cherry blossom theme and a sashimono (back banner). Left and right of the cockpit are another pair of Medium Lasers.

Off to the painting table for more mechs...

[Sgt. Scream]

Some heavier stuff... (Longbow and Rifleman are converted former Robotech action figures, the Shadow Hawk a plastic kit)

[joe5mc]

Great looking stuff. For me, Battletech always felt like a game that should be played at a larger scale.  If you are going to have a full sheet on a mini, it deserves a bigger model!

[kalamadea]

Fantastic stuff man. I used to dislike the clickytech stuff greatly. Hate is definitely not too strong a word, actually. As a battletech player for some time I had REALLY been looking forward to it and when the first set arrived I couldn't have been more bitterly disappointed. Spent a ton of money on it and all I got were aggro and construction mechs and vehicles ruled the system. It was only a few years ago I started to come around to it, mostly because of the awesome models and what people like you were doing with em.

http://s295.beta.photobucket.com/user/darrin-teigen/library/

Anyone even slightly interested needs to check out Spaceman Spiff's gallery of mechwarrior models. He's quite active on the official CBT forums and is amazingly productive. He used to post a lot of conversions and repainted japanese kits too, but much of his newer stuff is mostly custom sculpts. Very inspiring stuff, both his and yours.

[Sgt. Scream]

The latest addition to my House Davion troops is an icon of the Classic Battletech universe and hence not to be missing in my force: the WHM-7M "Warhammer".

This miniature started its life as an 3" tall plastic toy/action figure for Exo Squad, where it is known as Destroid Tomahawk. I gave it a full repaint and a minor conversion (see below).


The front shot in a dynamic pose that every BattleTech fan will recognize immdiately.  :wink:


 With a weight of 70 tons the Warhammer isn't the heaviest Mech of all times, nor is it on the upper end of the heavy class, but it is for sure a fearsome enemy. It stands taller than most other warmachines and its wide array of weapons left its mark on many battlefields.


The detail shot of the upper torso reveals the shoulder mounted Shannon SRM-6 rack and the O/P 1500 ARB tracking system on the opposite side. Below, just over the hip the muzzles of the two Martell Medium Lasers.


The left side arm-mounted Fusigon Longtooth Particle Projector Cannon has an extended range capacity. Visible above the PPC, mounted to the torso, you can see the gatling gun of the Anti Missile System.


The other arm bears the same PPC, increasing the deadly firepower significantly. Above, on the torso, the 7M variant bears a Lindblad LFN Machine Gun which enhances the anti-infantry capabilities.


This back shot reveals the details of the Magna 280 engine and heat sink grilles.


This pic shows a ship-mounted "Phalanx" gatling gun system. These are mounted on modern-day naval vessels to destroy incoming missiles before they hit the ship. My inspiration came from this pic to realize something similar on my Mech.


The picture reveals torso details of the unpainted Exo Squad toy. As you can see it has two dome-shaped barrels to resemble the original 6R variant's two small lasers. I cut off the one marked with the red X and used the other as radar dome of the Anti-Missile-System. I bought 1/48 scale Minigun barrels made from resin that normally go onto an aircraft (AC 130 Spectre Gunship) and added one next to the "radar". See the results below:


Note the torso mounted (right side of the pic) Lindblad Shotgun Anti-Missile-Sytem. The white dome resembles the radar and the minigun is my proxy for a rapid firing defense system that will destroy incoming missiles in mid air before they hit the Warhammer. Hope you like its look 'cause I think it looks awesome 

[Predatorpt]

Glad to see your work here (I've subscribded your topic on Warseer)! And your blog is great too 

[Elbows]

Yep, awesome!  Following your stuff on Warseer was what got my mind turning about using up my excess Robotech minis to do a Battletech game as well.  That's on a backburner way at the back of the stove right now.  I love your stuff.