Some larking around with Sci Fi (Some 15mm figures this time)

[Grumbledook]

Thanks 3 fingers, I'm thinking the fuedal world/archeotech idea could be a setting for some Shadow War campaigns with battles over lost technology and so on. Which sort of led me to my next test painting to figure out what armour I can tolerate painting!

This time it's an Iron Hand:



I was originally going to make him a Death Guard, buuuuuuuuut he frankly looked quite Iron Handy. Now, I've never been interested in them and I normally hate painting black so I was quite surprised with how much I enjoyed making and painting him. I think there could be quite alot of fun to be had with the astartes/mechanicum mashup...... throw in the "Motive Force" hocus pocus and they could turn out to be quite a bit of fun.

Oh my, I must've been enjoying myself as I even managed to finish the base!

Thanks for looking.

[Grumbledook]

6mm miniatures have always been on my wish list of things I've always wanted to have a go at organising and painting. After all, Epic Space Marine was the first boxed game that arrived in my eager paws, but after putting the set together and palying a few inept games I never really got into it.......... I loved the models, but was always a bit intimidated by the sheer tininess of them.

Well here I am more that 20 years later and I've decided to go through some of the impulse buys I've made over the years and feel a bit of a project coming on.

Firstly, for the curious among you I've taken a couple of pictures showing some examples of the various ranges and their comparetive sizes:



from the left we have: Epic Armageddon Predator (turretless), OM (Onslaught Minis) Corrupted Athena, OM Athena Defender, DiD (Defeat in Detail) Novan Elite, OM Hellborn Cultist, MG (Microworld Games) Cyclopean Demon, OM Minerva, OM Nemesis Bike.



Again from the left: SG (Spartan Games) Faust Battle Robot, OM Athena Defender, DiD Novan Elite, EW (Exodus Wars) Edenite Jump Infantry - now I will have to do a Night Lords contingent - and finally the Hellborn Cultist again.

So, a nice selection which cover the gamut of any of the forces I'm interested in.... but I think I'll be starting with the Mechanicus. I think the OM Hellborn Cultists are ideal for Skitarii, tech-guard or whatever and I've been collecting a variety of Spartan Games' Dystopian Wars miniatures which I think will look the part:



Here are a bunch of Skitarii ready for painting and Behind them is a Star Wars Republic gunship (I think?) which I'm going to modify with bits from the Skitarii sprues to make it more Mechanicumy.



Oh, and some of the Firestorm Planetfall and other Star Wars stuff I have is earmarked for Astartes Legions.

Thanks for looking!

[fred]

Interesting project - looking forward to seeing more.

The various new 6mm sci fi manufacturers produce some great looking models - the hardest part is knowing what scales with other stuff. Some of the Dystopian Wars stuff works well, I have airships and big guns as part of my Squat force.

The output of Vanguard / DiD is great - but their vehicle sizes can be a little large, compared with the original Epic stuff. (Not that all the GW epic stuff scaled that well within ranges anyway).

As to painting the little blighters - go simple and bold is my advice. Remember you are painting bases of troops, and you need to be able to tell them apart on the table. 

[Grumbledook]

Thanks, I'm hoping to start some painting this week but as you say I need to be brave with the highlights if I want to see them.

I was always dubious of 10 marines in a Rhino at epic scale so I'm happy to use proxies. I'm quite keen on the tanks from the Planetfall range, they have quite a chunky feel which I think could suit the big astartes figures. Need to start scrubbing some resin!

[Grumbledook]

Not much painting, but I did get the infantry primed.

However, I fancied a distraction and started fiddling about with a converting an Epic scale Primarch, Vulkan in this case, based on a 10mm Orc. He's still a work in progress but you should get the idea.



Yeah, I know, huge skull. But hey, make-believe and all that. Just waiting for the putty to cure then I can get a head in there, fire off the top of his armour, a cape and detailing. I added the other chaps for scale comparison so, as you can see, he's a big bastard. If he ends up looking okay I think I'll have a go at building one from scratch.

Thanks for looking.

[Grumbledook]

Finally got some more work on my diddy epic primarch.



Woah, that scale is completely inappropriate for the actual size of the model. Apologies, I'm trying to do this on my phone again so I will attempt to rectify when I can get to a computer.

[fred]

Super size!!

I've no idea what GW thing you are using as a guide, but I like what you are doing!!

[Grumbledook]

Cheers fred, I always have a bit of trouble photographing things that small and the massive photo isn't terribly flattering!

Managed to paint up the very modest start of my epic Mechanicus force, a woefully understrength unit of skitarii:



Who, since actually looking at a reference sheet, need at least the addition of this lot to make them useable:



D'oh!

And they still need another two stands of infantry, but I think I'll use the servitors from the Defeat in Detail Cybershadows specialists box to keep things visually interesting.

Thanks for looking.

[fred]

They look very good - but you are putting a huge amount of detail on some very small figures. And as you have realised you need a lot of stuff for Epic.

[precinctomega]

...but you don't need much for Horizon Wars! 

[fred]

Perhaps, but its good to field an army!!

[Grumbledook]

Two game systems with very different miniature requirements, although if I go for Epic I'll always have enough to play Horizon Wars..... double win?

I have painted some more Mechanicus infantry, but no photo yet.

Instead I messed around with some 15mm stuff. I sat down one evening with some cork tile, some awesome GZG pieces, scrap and had a go at some scenery:



I was even able to paint one.......... the simplest one:



I'm also working on a 15mm gang for any sci-fi or post apocalypse rules. Based on a band of mercenaries who have evolved into a courier service and are lavishly equipped, they're also utter bastards whose company tagline is “No less trustworthy than our competitors”. Charming.

Here is the leader of the group, the Route Manager.



He's an Ion Age Shia Khan legionary, who I've been umm-ing and ahh-ing about painting since I wasn't to sure how he'd turn out. I think he's come out ok.

Slightly more words on the blog if anyone's interested.

Thanks for looking

[Ockman]

I hate it when I miss posts, and even worse - when noone replies on an amazing post!

Love your terrain and the mini is just adoreable! Great work!

(OK, I might need to detox from exclamation marks, it makes my posts seem too enthustiastic)

[Duke Donald]

I like the 15mm scenery you've created, and nice mini BTW.

[Jagannath]

Absolutely lovely. Im working on some really similar scenery at the mo, those GZG shanties are good eh? Bit of a paint to build though!