Sprue Cutters Union 17: Go Big or Go Home

The theme for Sprue Cutters #17 is Go Big or Go Home! Would I if I had the time go Super Detailed or take on a Large Project? This week I hope not to delete the post accidently like I did a couple of weeks back. Doh!
 
As some one who makes models for Wargaming I could say that every new project to me is technically a Large Project. Where as a modeller may build a massive diorama, a  Wargames Modeller will be building  to fill a table. Many of these will be several small vignettes made with common elements and styles so a gaming table hangs together. These can be vehicles, wrecks, buildings, statues, small details or walls. In fact just about anything  that can be found in the real world. Of course some objectives for the gamer's forces to fight over are needed too. The other issue is that these collections will never be finished. You will find yourself adding more and more models to the collection for various reasons....or just for the hell of it.
 
For me part of the hobby is to make it visually appealing. It has to look good and as realistic as possible, which given that I love to build Sci-Fi stuff is another challenge! The models must also have detail able to survive the rigours of Wargaming. Unlike display models they cannot be fragile. They will be knocked, mauled and dropped. Some may even get attacked by giant Mutant Cats...
 

 
I have made a few large projects over the last few years. When I make them I like to have enough time to get the majority of the work out of the way or I will lose interest. Other projects and ideas creep in or real life raises its ugly head.

There was my Mars terrain for Victorian Sci Fi/Steampunk games.

 
 

 
Then there was the tunnel system inspired by the tunnel networks in the Stalker and Metro2033 computer games. These feature a modular approach to enable a maximum of variations for gaming. The tunnels can be used for access tunnels, secret labs and bunkers. The big issue with the tunnels is that they are addictive to build. I could happily build more and more rooms for this set.

 

 

 
Another big build was my Post Apocalyptic Fortress which is designed to cross a four foot table.
 

 
 
Of course this hasn't really answered the question. You see there are BIG projects to be seen out in the Wargames world. These are normally built by clubs and Wargames companies for displays & demo games at Wargames shows. I would love to build one of these. If I had time to focus on the project in hand.

A multi levelled Post Apocalyptic table with openings into the sewer or underground systems would be a good start. A Frozen world. A version of a Hadley's Hope colony from the Aliens Movie or a table of the interior of a spaceship are also projects I would  love  to make. In fact I could ramble on for days (and days) of the different models I would love to build. I guess that I am a model making addict.


______________________________________________________


Part of being in the Union means you must include links to fellow contributors' posts within your own response. If you liked this post, then perhaps you'll enjoy what some other modelers have to say about this topic!
The Combat Workshop
Yet Another Plastic Modeller
Motorsport Modeller
_____________________________________________________


Want to join the Sprue Cutters Union? Its simple. If you model and have a blog that is all you need to start. Just write a post in response to the weekly topic, copy the link in the comments section for that week's assignment and you're in! Check out more detail about joining the Sprue Cutters Union.

Remembrance

It is time to remember those who fought for the freedoms we often take for granted. To remember those who protect us. Those who take up arms so we do not have to. Never forget their sacrifices. Wear your poppy with pride.

It is also a time to remember those who came back wounded both mentally and physically. Remember the loved ones of those who fell. The widows and orphans.

Never forget.

Your (Post Apocalyptic) Warlord NEEDS YOU!!!

Your Warlord NEEDS YOU!!!


One of the many advantages of creating an entire imaginary world is that there is a lot of space to fill. If you look at the map of Mattblackgod's world there is a lot of empty space. So to fill up some space I thought a new Post Apocalyptic project is in order. A Post Apoc setting based on the Post Apoc Wargames Forum!

Over the years I have made some great friends over there and the forum has developed a life of its own with its own legends and stories. Its been a great laugh and extremely inspiring. In an attempt to give something back and get some interaction going I am giving the good folks over there a chance to make their mark on Mattblackgod's world which can be found in this here thread.

The plan is this....

There is a Warlord in a wasteland which will be modelled on the forum. I have no name for Warlord Dan's (some say he is a direct descendant of the Matt Black God!) AKA Mad Dan Terror of the Wastes, AKA the great Greebo's town or the wasteland they inhabit.

The characters of his mighty army of raiders will be based upon forum folks using minis from my collection or new ones. This will be of course a bit tongue in cheek fun. The local area will have features named after forum legends (some of the forum characters who made a big impact on the forum who have left the hobby or are no longer of this world. Or many of the daft crazy topics that crop up on that forum).

There will be another town over 200 miles to the south of this blessed place in the Wastes. It was made up from the descendants of a fallout style vault, military bunker and some local survivors. I do not have a name yet for this town. They will have a series of stations that serve as outposts.

One day the Warlord hears rumours of this place of politicians, bankers and accountants. He launches a war to deal with the blight of civilisation that caused Mattblackgod's world to be destroyed.

So I have challenged my Wastelanders to come up with:

A name for the Warlord's Settlement/Fortress
A name for the Wastelands they inhabit
A name for the civilisation that the Wastelanders will invade.
Names of local places in the wastes inspired by forum legends such as Ross, Dawgie, The Outhouse, Rat on a Stick, The cult of the purple helmet and Ol Gregg.

We will put the names to the vote or the moderators will decide. This is purely for fun but I will add the winners as characters in the Warlord's Warband. On 1sr Dec we will decide/vote on the best names.

This is only the beginning. Who wants a mini them in the Warlord's mighty army? All you need to do is to give a outline of your character. Are they a warrior? What weapons do they favour? Any other colour would be good too (this will be open for a while).

So if this sounds fun to you, wander across the Wastelands to the Post Apoc Wargames Forum, say Hi in the Bar and join the Warlord's army in the Wastelands. Go on give Post Apoc wargaming a whirl.....you wont get addicted. Honest! ;-)

The Star Shipyard is open for business.

Thanks to the Josiah Trenchard novels by Jonathon Fletcher and the Privateer novel byWilliam Zellmann my Sci Fi creative juices have been flowing. My Wild Galaxy setting has been getting expanded and further detailed. More of that at a later date. I have been considering a new blog to cover the Wild Galaxy setting. 

For now my creative juices are focused on getting the 1:3000 scale star fleets I have ready for action. Looking at the fleet I built for the Star Crashers game a couple of years back they are at least two classes in larger in Full Thrust. 

The fleet for the Tengun Empire would have 1x Super Dreadnought, 1 Heavy Dreadnought, 2 Heavy cruisers, 2 destroyers and 6 Frigates (see the picture below). That is pretty much a killer fleet in FT. Too powerful for a small pirate nation. So some of them will be becoming other faction vessels. All of them will be getting extra detail as I found them a bit plain. 

These ships are all scratch build from junk & odds n ends. 

The project will see the construction of new scratch built ships, wrecks, asteroids and other space terrain. 

First up for your viewing a Frigate and Destroyer from the Rim Independents nations. These are often single independent worlds or stations which rely on each other for mutual protection from the Galactic Nations & Blocks. As such fleets are often rag tag in appearance featuring vessels from many manufacturers and in some cases converted civilian or merchant vessels. 

These are Full Thrust UNSC ships. As the Independents fleets are often rag tag in appearance they have adopted black and white stripe markings for identification purposes. These are just the start. Lots more to follow. 

Yet more Halloween goodies....

In keeping with the Seasonal theme more Halloween goodies for the table....

These are resin basing items from Ristul's Market glues onto old plastic gift cards (never throw anything out). Based, painted and some static grass. 

Old Mick, Hammer, Anvil and the Skelebots of doom!!

Time for some minis that have (finally)  rolled off the paint table....

The first up is a character for Utopia City. Introducing Old Mick. This figure could be a store keeper, someone's dad or a Private Investigator. 

The figure is by East Riding Miniatures - a Corporate Enforcer. 

I am creating a world of dangers for the folks who dare to leave the walls of their settlements to wander the wastes. One thing is some killer robots. What fits the Post Apoc genre better than some Terminator style Skelebots?? My idea is for some one to wander into a ruin and straight into these things laying dormant. Will they wake up? Will the kill ever human that they come across?? 

The Skelebots are old Grenadier sculpts supplied by EM4 miniatures. The skulls on the bases are resin items from Ristul's Market. 

I had a disaster when painting these guys. The figure on the far left legs snapped off. Bum! What to do?? I effected a repair with superglue and putty. I don't know how well it will hold. Only time will tell. The figure was leaning and kept toppling over. So I put a pile of washers on one side as ballast (you cant see it in the pictures). This was disguised with some putty to look like a cylinder with a rag over it. 

Feeling like anarchy is ruling the wastelands? Feel like no where is ever safe? Then you need some Law Bringers!! Introducing Hammer and Anvil! 

Hammer (Right) and Anvil (Left) are from EM4's Space Lords - Anvil is a Cybertech Bunkerbreaker and Hammer is a Yoyodyne Shigaru. 

Hammer and Anvil wander the wastes looking for places where the law is ignored and then help the locals enforce it. Hammer usually starts the trouble and then Avnil arrives to help. Anvils armour and heavy assault rifle often makes the job easy. 

More Sci-Fi Trash builds

A few more items from my Trash building madness. These are intended for a mix of settings. A mix of Post Apocalyptic & Sci Fi frontier world and my Sci Fi City - Utopia City. 

First up a frontier building...

This started life as a cardboard packing piece. The door was added from cereal packet card. The windows are insert bases with corrugated card added. The light was a eye from a toy robot. The door panel is a resin piece from Anvil Industries. 

The roof vent is a bottle cap. I like this piece as there is a large ring section. This will be handy for adding a comms array (currently in build) or  a weapons platform. A bit of graffiti was inspired by the Josiah Trenchard series of sci fi novels I have been reading - although Ol Trench would probably wouldn't go for graffiti but who knows what happens when he has been on the black rum?! 

The side - the ladder is wire mesh and the pipe is a drinking straw. 

The other side - Same again! 

The Rear - The pipe here was a cheap felt tip pen. The control panel was copied from a toy using instamould and putty pressed into it. Get some instamould if you love converting or building, it is cheap, remouldable and great for odd little details. 

Another Sci Fi wall - although this one is intended for my Sci Fi city terrain. Many moons ago I worked in a firm that would send out kits in tool cases. Many of the internals was thrown out. In a bit of forward thinking I salvaged one of them. I stumbled across it during a recent turf out....

I stuck this onto a couple of old gift cards. Add paint and some posters printed off my computer. Hey Presto! 

The other side - the wanted poster was knocked up on my computer. I need to do more of these. 

Okay - this next trash build started life a long time ago. I have just re-lifed it by fixing up the base to match my current stuff. 

This started out as a couple of punched bits of metal that fell out of a scrap skip at a place I worked at. I needed barricades for Combat Zone - as getting caught in the open in this game is lethal. I putted them to a scrap of plastic and puttied the plates together. A quick wash sorted the model out. 

Every frontier settlement needs a power plant....or every wasteland needs some place that glows in the dark a fearful marker of the power ancients. 

This started life a chocolate egg box. I think I may have missed some wear on the radiation symbols. I need to fix that. 

The total cost of these builds.....about £3.50 for glue, paint and the odd part. Table top gaming needn't be expensive. All it needs is imagination. You will spend the same amount of time on making them as kits and it is far more rewarding. 

Sprue Cutters Union #14 The worst part is......

I missed last week's union post due to real life gettinga little busy. This weeks Sprue Cutters Union theme is the what we don't like about our hobby.....

I have stated before that I see this hobby in a positive way. I wouldn't say a really hate any part of it but there are time when I find things frustrating.

As I have also mentioned before I dislike rivet counters, fan boys, rules lawyers and (to quote Neil from the Young Ones) negative vibe merchants in general. This hobby is meant to be fun.These people kill it for me.

Lets start with the miniatures shall we. Firstly I don't like mould lines on figures that run over highly detailed areas. By the time you have removed them you have lost the detail. A good example of this is GW Genestealers. A mould line runs right over the ripples on the critters back. You would think the manufacturers of these figures will have found a way around this.

The other thing that amazes me is the amount of flash you get on metal figures by certain large manufacturers. They seem to have few quality controls.They are happy to charge through the nose for a inferior product. Smaller figure suppliers such as EM4, Copplestone, Heresy and Hasslefree supply figures with very little clean up. They take pride in their products. EM4 even undercoat some of their metal figures. GW and Mongoose take note.

A certain manufacturer produces very nice Sci Fi figures but they are festooned with Imperial Eagles and skulls. This limits the other game systems you can use them in, not  that is stops anyone. In the early days the figures required the emblems to be painted on or applied from decals. Now I like this companies figures but I have to spend a longtime shaving off these details. My finger tips have been shredded. Maybe dropping all the dumb details will help sell more figures to those who require figures that can be used for other systems? It would make them easier to paint too.

Lets look at kits shall we. One thing I dislike is kit parts that don't fit. Not just a fraction of a millimetre you can fill.I am talking about those kits where two parts are miles apart. Or like the Mitsubishi Zero I got for a terrain idea recently warped at the tail end. Another irritation is single track pieces for tanks. They are fiddly and take for ever to assemble. What sadist thought that up?

Now lets look at the other thing the Wargamers face....rule books. I dislike those rule books that are deliberately aimed at certain figure range. Rules for me must allow people the freedom to use what figures they have, although it will not stop the home gamers who play for fun. Why cant I use Victorian Era or WW2 figures as the armies of the dark future? Why cant the old breach loader or bolt action rifle be a laser rifle? Why cant I mix figures from other manufactures in my armies? This is annoying for me. Not all manufactures do this however. GZG's Stargrunt & Full Thrust, Neutronyork3000, EM4's Combat Zone among other rule sets state that you don't need their figures line to play.

So that's my grumbles about the hobby. I think I am becoming a grumpy old man!
 


______________________________________________________

Part of being in the Union means you must include links to fellow contributors' posts within your own response. If you liked this post, then perhaps you'll enjoy what some other modelers have to say about this topic!
Doogs' Models
Kermit's Workbench
Martin's Scale Models
Yet Another Plastic Modeller
Eternal Wargamer
The DogChuffers Scale Model Workshop
A Scale Canadian
David Knight's Weblog
Lt. Smash's Models
Build the World With Me
Migrant's Wanderings
FalkEins
The Combat Workshop
Miniature and Model Painting
Jay's Scale Model Adventures
Motorsport Modeller
Scale Modeling My Way
Bill Weckel
Martin's Bench Corner
Fill 'n Sand
Scale Model Soup
The Classic Kit Junkie
_____________________________________________________

 

The old buildings

Another set of models built from the trash building frenzy....

Out in the wastes there are old crumbling building. Who knows what the original buildings where for? Now wastelanders have repurposed these buildings.

These buildings can also be on some distant frontier world in my Sci Fi settings.

The old wall, or what is left of it. A wanted poster of some dodgy criminal.

 

These models started life as cardboard packaging. Some spray foam was used to fill it and to renforce it.

 



A set of walk boards have been installed. I have lost the photo of the otherside.

The door is made from cardboard. The lamp is a bit from a model and the door control panel was from a toy playset. The windows are recessed bases with corrugated card. The old air vent was a plastic packing peice from a washing machine.

The pipes are made from drinking straws the ladder is wire mesh.

Again the stove pipe is a drinking straw. The metal plates are made from plastic gift cards. They had to be added as the wall section was attached to the building.

Easy & cheap builds. I cant wait to get them on the table for a game. More Trash builds to follow....

Bunker 69!!

I recently had a mad fit of terrain building out of junk destined for the landfil or recycling. Here is the first of them....

Out in the wastes lies an old abandoned bunker. Bunker 69.

 

The bunker was a old chocolate egg box. The stove pipe is a drinks straw. The window is a old resin peice from Ramshackle Games.

 



Some Vaulties defend the old bunker....

Dont know where the name came from. For some reason I started singing bunker 69 when I was painting it.