2nd Squad, Armoured recon. check it out ...

[Gern]

Hi guys. Here's why I've not posted anything on my Tiger build for the last couple of weeks.

I've always wanted to do something with a Sci Fi theme and Dweller's (You've not posted your name) recent posts convinced me to look into it. I checked out the Warhammer stuff and read a couple of books. Unfortunately I couldn't get interested in the background and the kits are very expensive - although they are nicely detailed. I thought I'd try out the Robogear stuff from Airfix and got hold of their starter set off ebay for about £15.

This set was originally designed for war gaming and consequently there are a LOT of issues for serious modellers. What the heck - beggars can't be choosers and I don't see a lot of choice out there so I have to live with that. Anyway ....

In the box there is a LOT of plastic. There are 20 figures, 8 machines, a load of assorted panels which can be clipped together to create structures, paints & brushes, and a whole lot of game-related stuff with cards, rules, and missiles for the firing weapons (I TOLD you it was designed for games). I selected just eight figures, three machines (there are four different types including a rather ridiculous flying thing which I felt was unuseable) and spent an afternoon creating a couple of structures - can't really call them buildings as you'll see.

The biggest majority of Sci Fi figures always seem to be painted in an exciting variety of metallic colours - some of which are superbly done. However, most armies nowadays at least make some effort to keep their guys and equipment a bit safer by trying to get it to blend into the background - I see no reason why that trend shouldn't continue in the future. I've also tried to tone down some of the weaponry, which is again typical of what you see in most Sci Fi kits - huge, impractical and OTT.

I've done lots of pics so I'm going to do several posts. I'll start with what's left in the box after I've taken all I want and the figures which are finished. Please let me know what you think.

Gern

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[Gern]

OK. Now for the structures.

I made two different types but I wasn't satisfied as I couldn't see any purpose to either of them - two temporary buildings stuck out in the middle of the wilds? Then I had a bit of a brainwave ...

I'll have the scanner mounted on top of a pole coming out of the base with guy wires to secure it.

I'd got a spare piece of scaffolding so I thought I'd include it as one that had been damaged and abandoned.

Gern

PS Scott (Noble) might well recognise the unlikely source of most of the bits of my scanner.

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[Polux]

Everyday love more the Sci-fi models, now I know why!!

Looks very good mate!

Polux

 

[Gern]

Now the machines.

I picked one of each of the three ground machines and a selection of the different weapons provided. I played around with them a little to try and eliminate some of the more excessive stuff. Detail in the cockpits was very sparse so I raided my spares box and cobbled together some control panels.

Gern

PS Just noticed some bits of touching up to do.

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[Polux]

Seems a funny work.

 

[Gern]

And finally, the groundwork.

I'll be using the grass plants from Fredericus Rex (Green Line) which are expensive but good. I'll also be using some old paint brush bristles and I've scratched some small plants from some small beads. I'll be getting more stuff this weekend but I'll wait until it arrives before posting.

The base is 600mm x 450mm (24" x 18" in old money). I've used oddments of polystyrene to create basic contours, plaster to make the ground and fish tank gravel and budgie grit for the actual surface. The placement pic shows roughly how the structures will appear and where the figures and machines will go.

The stream was filled with clear bathroom sealant but I managed to spill grit all over it which wouldn't brush off. I've removed the sealant and re-coated the stream bed with PVA. Once that's set, I'll build up the water with more clear sealant.

The road surface (bottom left) is just some fine grit emery paper, and the 'concrete' stands for the structures is fine grit sandpaper.

Gern

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[noble]

And finally, the groundwork.I'll be using the grass plants from Fredericus Rex (Green Line) which are expensive but good. I'll also be using some old paint brush bristles and I've scratched some small plants from some small beads. I'll be getting more stuff this weekend but I'll wait until it arrives before posting.

The base is 600mm x 450mm (24" x 18" in old money). I've used oddments of polystyrene to create basic contours, plaster to make the ground and fish tank gravel and budgie grit for the actual surface. The placement pic shows roughly how the structures will appear and where the figures and machines will go.

The stream was filled with clear bathroom sealant but I managed to spill grit all over it which wouldn't brush off. I've removed the sealant and re-coated the stream bed with PVA. Once that's set, I'll build up the water with more clear sealant.

The road surface (bottom left) is just some fine grit emery paper, and the 'concrete' stands for the structures is fine grit sandpaper.

Gern

Looks good so far can't wait to see it finished .

Scott

 

[Gern]

Thanks Scott. Did you recognise the bits?

Gern

 

[noble]

Thanks Scott. Did you recognise the bits?Gern

Look like rail gun parts but could be wrong.

Scott

 

[Gern]

Look like rail gun parts but could be wrong.Scott

You got it. I don't know who designed the sprues for the Dora, but you'll find there are LOADS of extras on duplicated sprues. I seem to remember there being about 30 doors - when you only need about 4!

Gern

 

[Gern]

More progress on the groundworks.

The tall grasses are small clumps of bristles broken away from an old paintbrush. Small hole in the surface and a dab of PVA for each.

The smaller clumps of grass are the Green Line bits - again, just a dab of PVA on the base and press them down.

The buildings are now fixed in place. The guy wires for the scanner mast are made from EZ line painted silver. I added a wire for the power using aluminium wire fixed in place with masking tape.

I was planning to get some more vegetation on Sunday but had a rare night out on Saturday and didn't sober up in time to go get them! Probably fix them tomorrow along with the stream then all I gotta do is place the figures and machines.

Gern

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[Gern]

Got my plants today - just got the figures and vehicles to add.

You didn't think I was going to BUY them did you?

Gern

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[spanner570]

That's ma boy....dio's for nowt!

This is looking good Dave, I'll be waiting to see the finished article.

Ron

 

[Gern]

That's it. I'm calling this one done. (I can't believe I've actually finished summat!).

I've really enjoyed this build despite, or maybe because of, the limitations of the kit. If I'd opted to do this sort of thing using WWII GIs and a couple of half tracks from Tamiya instead of the Robogear stuff, I'd have had to spend a lot more time trying to get everything more accurate - to match the quality of the kits.

Still, I've enjoyed it and learned a few things about doing dios as I've gone along so next time it'll be better. More skilled 'scratchers' could use these figures as a starting point to create a really good Sci Fi dio. The figures are scaled at 1/48 which means there are accessories, scenery etc. readily available.

Gern

PS I'm well pleased with the way the camo pattern I dreamt up works.

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[Gern]

And finally ....... some more pics.

Gern

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[aaron]

This is very cool Gern, it reminds me of starship troopers.Nice scene.

 

[mossiepilot]

Cracking dio Dave.

Tony.

 

[noble]

nice little diorama Dave like it.

Scott

 

[Polux]

Terrific little dio! Love the camouflage on the figures and the vegetation.

Cheers

Polux

 

[Gern]

Thanks guys. Finishing this has given me an appetite for another one, but I'd better finish my Tiger first else it'll cost me a fortune in Eccles cakes for Ron at Cosford next year!

Polux - As you can see the vegetation is some real plants I found on a piece of waste ground. They're sprayed with matt varnish but I don't know how long that will keep them looking like this. Be interesting to see what they look like when they're dead and starting to decay. I'll try to remember to post some pics when that happens.

Gern