Infinity (or other near future games) - Matchbox Drones

I found a couple of Matchbox toys which could be useful for games like Infinity. The toys are called SB94 Drones. They are diecast metal, painted in a sporty lime green, with little missiles on pylons moulded under each wing. (Not PC, Matchbox, but no worse than any other armed toy.) They were for sale at a local supermarket, for AUD 3.50 each. Bargain!

The missiles aren't very well moulded but will stand out fine with a good paintjob. The propellers and landing gear are plastic, and they can turn (or at least they would if they weren't gummed up with paint.) The other details such as cameras and panel lines are at the level you'd expect for a toy of this type, just like doors and mirrors on a Matchbox or Hot Wheels car.

Since these are fictional drone aircraft, scale is up to you - they could be anything from model aircraft to airliner size. I have included an old 28mm scale figure for comparison. In a roleplaying or miniatures game these could be props, objectives or actual UAVs.

The Matchbox paintjobs are actually quite thick. If you look closely at the starboard wing of the drone behind the figure in the overhead photo, you can see a chunk of paint is missing from a mid air collision (which happened in my car on the way back from the supermarket). If you were really keen, you could strip the paint off and start again. I didn't bother.

I gave them a coat of Tamiya grey primer, which was the only grey spraypaint I had handy. Next will come some markings, perhaps an Evil Corporation, and picking out panel lines, weapons and surveillance equipment. The underside of the drones has the usual manufacturer's and copyright information, in raised lettering. I didn't bother removing it, but you could probably file it off.

 

WH40K: Even More Dakka on the Dakkajet!

The rest of this kit has been built straight from the box. However, I used a lot of the optional pieces, to maximise the number of guns and bombs this contraption will carry. It's not in accordance with the rules for the model in the game, but it is the way my Orks would go!

The vertical stabilisers on the tail are from old Ork War Trukk kits, and the lower stabilisers on the wings are from the Tau Skyray variant of the Devilfish/Hammerhead kit. I also assembled the ork pilot and Grot gunner, a gun turret, and assorted missiles and bombs, but I will paint those separately. The tan coloured rocket pods are from an old robot model kit that a friend threw into my bits box. I also changed the 'anchor' at the back of the plane for a double chain axe head. The pilot thinks it is funny when that digs into the runway or whatever is on the ground during one of his flybys.

Planned paint scheme will be metallic grey or silver all over, for that classic 1950s look, with dark red highlights on areas like the stabilisers to match the rest of my Ork forces. If I can be bothered, I will add suitable nose art. Any suggestions?

WH40K: Ork Dakkajet Needs More Dakka!

I bought the new Ork Bommer kit, and decided to build to my fancy, rather than a specific choice from the game rules. It will pretty much be a 'Dakkajet' but with lots of extra weapons and 'gubbins'. It's a great kit, by the way, and I recommend it to anyone who plays Orks or wants a clanky looking, steampunk sort of fighterplane model kit. Put simply, it needed more dakka!

Gatling Good! These photos are from www.hlj.com and show model kits for sale there.
You should buy some!

I also wanted to make use of the Gatling Gun, made by Kotobukiya for Gundam and similar Mecha type models. It's a brilliant bit of model making, about 14cm long when completed, and it's clockwork, so the barrels rotate! It could be used on a 'giant killer robot' or futuristic tank model, or a science fiction themed 1:6 figure could also carry it. I found the Gatling Gun on Hobbylink Japan's website. (Good value and excellent range of kits, from science fiction and real world themes.)

It took a bit of sawing and fiddling about, but I jammed it into the fuselage of the Ork plane. I also put some aluminium tube over the windup bit of the clockwork, extending through the body of the plane and out the exhaust, with a cog and some more metal bits on the other end. That was so I could wind up the gun and make Dakka! Dakka! Dakka! Dakka! noises during a game. Unfortunately bits of plastic dust and glue have gotten inside the mechanism and made it a bit unreliable. That's a lesson learned - clockwork, glue and fumble-fingers don't go together.

WH40K - Deadly Deathraider ... Of Death - mostly painted

Here's the Deathraider, with a slap of paint. I have to say that the aftermarket resin pieces I added are all very nicely sculpted. I decided on basic black, with a sort of tombstone grey for the stone work, and bone for the skeletons and skulls. Tamiya metallic spray for the weapons and tracks, with a little black ink here and there to tidy up spills and mess. I will have to re-do the black parts again, because I am getting sloppy with my drybrushing. As usual, I am going for tabletop, arms length quality, rather than 'Eavy Metal.

A quick rundown of the extra bits:

- Angel of Death side doors and ramp, from Chapterhouse Studios
- Rectangular and angled panels, from Scibor
- Tombstones and grave markers, from Renedra.

Chains from a craft shop. About $5 for two metres.  I just drilled small holes and used little nails to hold the chains on.

Skeleton from the Warhammer Giant plastic kit.

WH40K: Puppetswar Big Gun

Big Momma gun add-on kit from Puppetswar.eu

Another conversion/add on for a Warhammer 40,000 vehicle model, this time from Puppetswar. They are another Polish creator of resin miniatures and accessories. These Poles certainly know how to make a nice wargaming product!

All aboard the Warbus!

I really like their Ork style Warbus, but I plumped for the Big Momma cannon, because I had a spare Rhino in the stash, and the Mekboss in me likes really big guns.

The main piece is a single mould of the big gun and front/top armour, which can be glued straight on to the top of the Rhino kit. (You need both sides, all the floor pieces, the top piece, the rear hatch and the tracks from the original kit. You will also need a hatch, the headlights and any accessory pieces such as badges that you want to add.)

There is also a rear piece with fans moulded on it - this goes directly over the rear door of the Rhino. There is a dozer blade (very large), an ammunition crane, and four ammunition pieces.

In the pictures you can see some brass bits and bobs which I added, partly to hide some gaps, and partly just for decoration. I also used brass tube to extend the crane. I just wanted to strengthen the crane pieces and decided to make it taller.

I realised that, unlike the Vindicator, which this resembles (but much bigger gun - some sort of envy, perhaps?) there is no driver hatch or vision slits. So I added a couple of pieces from the bits box to represent sensors for the driver, who presumably is watching a screen to steer this thing. I also put a spare eagle on top of the gun, for martial decoration.

That dozer blade is huge.

Puppetswar sells it and a similar piece separately as the 'War Plows'. It it would be a wonderful cow catcher for the armoured train I am going to build (one day).

WH40K: Maxmini Siege Guns - mostly painted

Here are the Siege Guns with most of the painting done.

I usually paint track pieces separately. I put them on double sided tape on a bit of board. I spray with Citadel Black and then Tamiya or Mr Colour Gunmetal. 

The vehicles are undercoated in Citadel Black, then Tamiya Light Sand. The tracks get glued on, then I go over them with paint markers for weathering. Silver paint marker for wear and tear, and various mud and dust colours for dirt. It's not precise, and it won't win any modelling prizes, but it's good enough for the table top. 

When I was building these kits, I accidentally dropped one of the guns, breaking the resin in a couple of places. Luckily I found a couple of the small fragments and glued them back on. Superglue (cyanoacrylate) adheres to resin very quickly, which is tricky if you are trying to adjust the placement of pieces on a model, but it is a very strong bond. Once painted, the join is hardly visible. I couldn't be bothered repairing the handle on the breech, because I expected it would just break off again during game play.