Kaiser and Affuns Sci-fi Challenge Log Extravaganza! (Update 3/11)

[affun]

While talking last time we played a game, Kaiser and I realized that we both had various remnants of half-started Sci-fi projects laying about. Thus, we agreed to set a challenge to each other. This log is meant to chronicle that challenge.

The idea is that, each week - preferably on sunday - one of us posts a picture of a sci-fi miniature we've painted. This means that, in the ideal world, we'll each paint a miniature every other week. The goal is to be able to play some games that are different to the fantasy we usually do, at some point in a month or two.

Should one of us miss a deadline, the penalty is a beer.
And the mini still has to be finished.

And so, without further ado, here's my first miniature:

The lady is from East Riding Miniatures. A sort of crude sculpt that I still immensely enjoyed painting. A lot of nice clean surfaces to work on. The gun is from some mantic kit I found in a drawer.
I envisage her as a behind-enemy-lines femme fatale agent. The miniature is more of a warm up to the theme, than actually destined for a specific warband. I am thinking she'll prove pretty useful for scenario play and such.

I'm quite pleased with the finish. Its not too visible due to low image quality, but in particular I think the dress turned out really well.

Next week, we'll hopefully get to gawk at a miniature by Kaiser. So until next time - Cheers!

[Reed]

You are right that the sculpt is fairly crude, but the painting is ace as usual with your jobs. You could use her as some kind of rogue agent, armed civilian or else.

[kaiser]

Great start! I really like the hair. Just started painting the next entry yesterday.

[Daeothar]

Indeed; loving the hair; it's looking metallic! Surely it's the latest trend in the Mega Metropolis she plies her trade in...

Great initiative to get painting. Good luck to you both!

[Dr. Zombie]

This is promising to be a great thread.

[affun]

Great start! I really like the hair. Just started painting the next entry yesterday.

Good to hear! really looking forward to seeing it. I just started mine for in two weeks. So you better deliver ;P

Indeed; loving the hair; it's looking metallic! Surely it's the latest trend in the Mega Metropolis she plies her trade in...

Great initiative to get painting. Good luck to you both!

I wanted to make it look extremely synthethic to really home in the futury aspects of the mini. I think it turned out extremely well, so I'll definitely be trying out some more outlandish colours!

You are right that the sculpt is fairly crude, but the painting is ace as usual with your jobs. You could use her as some kind of rogue agent, armed civilian or else.

Thanks. Thats absolutely the plan. There's a couple of neat scenario ideas - Extract the uncovered agent, escort the agent with intel and the like - that should be pretty fun to game. At some point I definitely want to get a few more civilian types.

This is promising to be a great thread.

I hope we can keep that promise  We figured the LAF might as well benefit from the project, as well as keep us commited.

[Michi]

Pretty good idea that painting challenge! I look forward to see some nicely painted sci-fi miniatures here soon. Th first entry is promising a lot of goodness! 

[kaiser]

Good to hear! really looking forward to seeing it. I just started mine for in two weeks. So you better deliver ;P

Don't worry, I will. This is an excellent way for me to up my painting speed a bit.

[affun]

Don't worry, I will. This is an excellent way for me to up my painting speed a bit.

Uh ohhhh. It's just about to be that time 

[eilif]

Wow.  If you can do that with that sculpt, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing more of your work!

I don't have anything against ERM Corporate Wars (They're priced great and I have all the Slicks x2) but the line definitely has a simplistic style that sometimes leans into crude.

[kaiser]

Uh ohhhh. It's just about to be that time 

As I said, don't worry 

So, this guy is called Olaf. He is part of a pillaging gang who calls themselves The Cyborgs, because every high ranking member has a mechanical enhancement.. Olaf is not a high ranking member. He is getting up there in age and is hoping to earn some kind of mechanical aid so he can cling to whatever youth he's got left.

[affun]

As I said, don't worry 

So, this guy is called Olaf. He is part of a pillaging gang who calls themselves The Cyborgs, because every high ranking member has a mechanical enhancement.. Olaf is not a high ranking member. He is getting up there in age and is hoping to earn some kind of mechanical aid so he can cling to whatever youth he's got left.

Just poking you. 

That guy turned out extremely nice. I'm surprised at how well you've made the Tau gun work with the frostgrave guy. What a cool character.

I was going to ask you whether we should do small back-stories for the guys as we paint them, but you're ahead of me on that one.
The OSL bit on the gun works out really well, as do the eyebrow.

[kaiser]

Just poking you. 

That guy turned out extremely nice. I'm surprised at how well you've made the Tau gun work with the frostgrave guy. What a cool character.

I was going to ask you whether we should do small back-stories for the guys as we paint them, but you're ahead of me on that one.
The OSL bit on the gun works out really well, as do the eyebrow.

Thanks, man. I don't really enjoy seeing the OSL so close like in these pictures, it looks better a little further away, I think.

The Tau gun does work surprisingly well with th frostgrave kit. Just remove the crossbow, and it's an easy fit.

I'm exited to see what your next model is going to be.

[affun]

Here's the next entry from me:

Kaya works as part of a specialist Insurgence Team of the Civilian Security Corps, Civsec, classed with the investigation and neutralisation of criminals beyond the scope of the street officers. Their work often brings them into heated conflicts with the various gangs of the Low Security Sectors, and thus the teams are chosen and trained as regular soldiers. Apprehension is not always an option, or even financially desirable, and a Civsec Insertion Team will not hesitate to use lethal force if necessary.
Lately, Kaya and her team has been investigating the heightened trade of illegal body-augs, and unauthorized cult-like rituals and activities in concurrence with this.

Kaya is sharp of mind and eye. A Sharpshooter of the highest calibre, though years of service has left her personality a bit grim. She is wholly committed to her job, and has even had certain augs of her own, improving on both her physical and mental abilities. Only after several beers on her evening off does she loosen up a bit, though she always exhibits a certain waryness.

This miniature, as far as I know, is from the Urban Mammoth range, now carried by Scotia Grendel. I picked it up from a bits-box for the hell of it, and actually ended up liking it quite a bit. Even though the way she is carrying her gun is a little silly. I especially enjoy that she is a bit more squat and muscular than, for example, the skinny and strutting women of Corvus Belli.
It very much looks like an early Kev White sculpt, though it is of excellent quallity. Smooth and clearly defined detail made it fun to paint, and there actually was a lot of room for interpretation. I ended up going for a cat-suit of a kind, going for a very cyberpunk/scifi-esque infiltrator look, but I've seen it painted to very different themes.

The colour scheme - though a bit hard to see due to the blue tone of my awful phone-cam + lighting - I've kept very green throughout, with the only true contrast coming from the pale orange-reddish skin. I also went with another atempt at shiny hair, this time a saturated green as I felt that wasn't too out of place with a sniper type character, and I liked how it bot fitted into the rest of the colours and, again, gives her a very sci-fi vibe.

I'm pretty happy with the end result

Cheers!
~Affun

[Reed]

She seems to have the right attitude for the job. I see that you've made again that iridiscent effect on the hair, which I like a lot.
And yes, you're right about the Infinity miniatures. I don't get why the female miniatures have to be considerably skinnier than their male counterparts (even when they are wearing a power-armor), or look like pin-ups if they are profesional soldiers.
And don't get me started on boob-armor or combat heels. Ugh 

Anyway, hoping to see the next issue of your sci-fi cosmic challenge stravaganzza