Painting WIP of Current Projects

Here's a series of pictures showing where I've got with  painting this set of models. Above is my running CASE-2XC Mod 2 command Dog.

Below is the rebuild of my CAS-1-Mod-1 Ape that I previously painted, but wasn't happy with. Quelle surprise.

And because I want enough Dogs to form a squad the second basic CASE-2X combat armor suit that will bring my current model count up to three.

My bunch of combat androids is coming along nicely too. Twelve to accompany Ferretti's Buster, or two groups of eight for squads.

And finally, my Toyota Technical conversion of the Peter Pig two door pick up into a four door crew cab variant.

I managed to get a white finish that I can live with, I think. I've already stripped this model back to metal twice, but part of me that now I've mastered how to shade white that perhaps I should strip it again and get a better finish.

OMWB: Subatduku Combat Armor

 

My District 9 exosuit inspiration for the Subatduku combat armor still remains a work in progress. It has taken me longer than I anticipated to finish the sculpt largely because I keep making changes and modifications to tweek the design, see here.

I know that is just so me.

The head required a rethink, but it now swivels nicely. The arms are a pair of repurposed legs from my battletech box of spare parts. Still got to to change the ankle joints into hands, and some extra details to add to the legs too.

Also, this model is currently sidelined as I slap some paint on the mecha and combat androids I'm working on. Still, it is good.

Progress: Three Mechs Ready for Paint

Finally, got another two combat armor mech suits ready for painting. Above is the running version of the CASE-2XC Mod 2 (backpack with two weapon mounts), and here it is broken down ready for primer.

Below is my second standing CASE-2X Mod 1 pose completed.

And below broken down ready for primer.

 

And for those who remember the CAS-1-Mod-1 Army construction combat armor mech suit has been tidied up and is also transferred to the paint shop.

Big Little Wars: Post 7 - Play Testing Round 1

I got distracted by a shiny idea. But this post is is an update on play-testing Big Little Wars.

I've found two more volunteers who are interested in seeing the rules, and two of my original volunteers are still working through the, but as people have noticed there is a lot of stuff going on in the world at the moment.

Enough distractions and anxiety to upset even the best of people.

As I've said to everyone who has shown an interest in the rules, the current timeline is for feedback by mid to late July. I'd rather do things thoroughly than force anyone to deliver feedback before they are ready.

I learnt my lesson way back in the day that thorough play-testing is a must. My main concerns at this stage are.

1. Are the rules too wordy?

2. Are the rules clearly written?

3. Do the game mechanics make sense?

4. Does the setting spark joy?

5. Have I missed something obvious/glaring that jumps out, however small?

Currently, the scenario section is the least fleshed out section, as I ran out of steam when I wrote them. However, I'm compiling ideas (stealing from others and making them my own) to expand this section.

Oh yes, the above is a Subatduku mech suit to support the alien infantry I painted a while back. Obviously inspired by District 9, I'm melding two of GZGs Crusty exosuits together to make a more robust military mech.

That's all for now.

OMWB: M2084 Conversion and Progress shots

I got distracted by a post on on social media, as one does, by Rattapoom Kotchapong about making a HEMTT like truck. Excited by the tease, I offered him some reference pictures (some being 36mb of pics).

So I pulled down one of my two Matchbox HEMTTs and starting working on scaling one to match my mecha by first comparing it to an old 15mm HEMTT casting from QRF. 

After comparing the length, I was satisfied I could convert the Matchbox 8x8 into a 10x10. I'm basing my M2084 HEMTT on the Oshkosh 10x10 HEMTT PLS, which is larger than the earlier 8x8 series (HEMTT portal).

After cutting the castings apart, the major job will be narrowing the cab and engine casing.

 

All I can say is that I have a lot of work ahead of me. The price of me being me.

Two Steps Forward; One Step Back

 

A picture of three mecha I'm currently working on. Still some work to get the middle mech drilled out for the magnets, before adding the backpack and weapons. 

Other stuff in progress is the continuing upgrades I'm working on. Here's the roll cage.

And I couldn't resist rebuilding the arm joints on my command suit, which of course meant I had to retrofit ball joints on the work mech too. Hence the title of the post.

There's still a lot of filling and sculpting and building brackets to to do.

This is the way.

OMWB: WIP Conversions

Pearson's ride that I've rebuilt to improve the pose still needs a few more grab rails and a roll-over cage to finish. This repose required a fair amount of cutting and fitting with a bit of sculptingto fill the gaps.

I've also started cleaning up two more pairs of legs. The top one is a pretty rough casting from a mould slippage.

The other pair of legs was better cast, but I've had to re-sculpt some detail to punch them up. Again, still a work in progress.

And finally a better picture of the running pose showing off the work so far.

Still procrastinating on what weapon loadouts for the four suits.

OMWB: Combat Androids

And here are the figures for my North American Confederation androids. These are Ral Partha Europe Blockhead mercenaries, which in my mind capture the look of the robots from Elysium.

These are ready for painting, but I want to finish the rest of my current mecha conversions before starting because I only have room on my workbench to make or paint, and I know how to easy it is to spend time clearing models to switch between each.

So that's all for now. Catch you on the bounce.

OMWB: WIP Progress Running CASE-2XC-Mod-2

Work on this project is progressing slowly. The conversion has generated a few surprising challenges.

The first problem being from reversing the orientation of the backpack. I chose to have my mecha backpacks to have the engine cylinders facing down, because my feeling is it's better to lower the center of gravity.

This meant I have to add the butt plate to the lower body.

This required some radical surgery and sculpting to fill the holes from the supporting rods, and the gap created from angling the butt plate.

I've now got to make the weapons to mount on the backpack, and attach an autocannon to the right arm before I can begin applying paint.

Big Little Wars: Post 6 - Platoon Primer

I realize that what I know versus what I think other people know are often at odds even when we share the same hobby of wargaming. So here is an explanatory video on what is a platoon.

Important because the rules I've written are based of players fielding a platoon.

There's a lot to digest, but consider this a primer for the command and control concepts behind Big Little Wars that outlines the origins, concepts, with examples for context.