Kitbashing Scrapjacks

As March rattles towards its conclusion and we see the turn of another season (and I see that bus pass edge ever closer), how am I doing with the Scrapjacks stuff I planned last post?

Well, everything is built and I'm on with the painting.  They were generally fun to do, so here's what I've got and how I did it.

Scrapjacks 

There are four types of  'jacks in the Quickstart.  Each has a different role, and, conveniently, they have different equipment, so should be recognisable on the board.  

While I'm not trying to match every bit of equipment, it does give me something to aim at and it should help with identification when playing the game.

The four 'jacks ready for painting; Patch, Torch, Rigger and Yard dog

Patch 

Patch is the medic who also deals with suit breaches; essentially it's their job to keep the rest of the crew functioning.  A big case full of first aid gear and something that looks like it might seal tears on EVA suits will emphasize the role.

I used Stargrave body and arms, with an Anvil Industries helmet. I chose the left arm with big case and found a neat device on another left arm that looks like a staple gun. It was easy to switch this on to a right arm/hand; presumably it seals suit breaches. I used one of the fabric looking packs on the back.

Torch

Torch 

Torch carries a wrecking bar and a coil pistol. Its their job to open things up to find that valuable salvage. The wrecking bar is the distinctive kit, so I modelled something to show it.  I was actually thinking of something along the lines of a Hooley Bar* (Halligan Bar in the US). I'm sure it would do the job nicely. 

The body is one of the Stargrave Mercenaries, with an Anvil Industries bubble helmet. The Halligan Bar is scratch built using plasticard built on the Stargrave arm holding a missile which was shaved down to leave the shaft for the bar and provided the spike.

They have a pistol in the right hand (I couldn't think what else to use). The pack is from the Warpath Firefight GCPS Infantry sprue.

Rigger

Rigger's fancy pack

Rigger is armed with a coil pistol and a vibro-knife, a fairly generic load, but their speciality is getting stuff to work, even if only temporarily; if Torch can't break it open, Rigger bypasses the electronics.  

So some sort of tech device, and definitely the data pad to show the role.

I chose an open helmet. I see it as a clear secondary visor inside the gold tinted one; Rigger needs the best vision possible when working.

The left arm with data pad is was a given. The device in the right hand is the top of the missile from one of the Stargrave sprues (definitely not a sonic screwdriver).

The fancy pack is the Rangers Com Pack from Mantic's GCPS Infantry sprue. 
.

Yard dog (sorry, no pic, I seem to have lot it) is the muscle, armed with a Riot gun and a shock baton.  There's lots of gun options on the Stargrave sprues, it's just a case of choosing a nice one.  

The shock baton is a mace taken from the Oathmark Human infantry sprue, and the pack is a cylindar and greebles from the Stargrave sets.

There are some options that closely match the illustrations in the Quickstart, but I chose something a bit like the Pulse Rifle in Aliens.

Maintenance 'bots 

"Remove all unauthorized organics"

These are the Mechanite Dreadball team, one of two teams that came as multi part kits allowing coaches to choose different accessories. I chose parts that hopefully make each bot look a bit different from it's fellows. I didn't really have a plan beyond that.

The team, like most of Mantic's Dreadball stuff, is made of 'Restic'. This is a resin/plastic, and gained quite a reputation.  It doesn't clean up as easily as either hard plastic or metals and it can need the hot water treatment to fit. 

In Mantic's defence, it allowed them to get a lot of stuff out at a reasonable price, in a short time, and once cleaned up and painted it looks fine.  I don't think they use it anymore, it's been replaced with resin or a PVC style plastic. 

The bits fit together pretty well, though the arm joints don't have a large contact point.  I foresee some drilling and pinning in the future. 

Raiders 

Six Marauders contemplating a career change to Raiders 

Raiders are the basic humanoid opposition in the Quickstart. I'd grand plans for kitbashing these using GCPS troopers or one of the human Dreadball teams, or even spare Star Saga minis.

But time was passing, and in the end I went for an easy option; Warpath Marauders. 

These date back to the original release of Warpath, shortly after Kings of War. They are variants of the plastic orc sprues, but with some Sci Fi bits replacing the traditional axes and shields.

They are not what I imagine the raiders to look like, and if I like the game well enough to buy the full version, I'll definitely replace them with something like the Stargrave Scavengers or the Death Fields Cannon Fodder. But I've a large box of the Marauders (I've already used some for skulks as they have a useful unshielded left arm), so they'll do.

What's Next?

That's the Scrapjacks built, I'm applying paint now. 

I suspect the main problem will be deciding on colour schemes, though I've a few vague ideas.

Scenery wise I've gathered more than enough bits for the POIs, and I've got a spare computer terminal from Star Saga for an objective. Even better, quite a bit of this is already painted, though I might do a bit of touch up as they are quite old paint jobs.

I've also made a 12 inch square board, which should be sufficient to try the game, though ideally I'll make a second one.

I do have other stuff to do too; some undead for the next Dark Shadows game, and I need to start planning for the next live D&D session.  Plenty to keep me busy!

*I first came across this neat bit of real world kit in "What Abigail Did That Summer", by Ben Aaronovitch.

Scrapjacks: Solo/Cooperative Salvage Operations in Deep Space

Last month I teased a new project. Well time for the reveal, it's Scrapjacks, a new game from Stalker7.

Scrapjacks Quickstart cover, artist Andrew Dordor, internet image

Specifically, I aim to put together a set for playing the Quickstart, available on Wargames Vault for my favourite price, free!

I found out about Scrapjacks from Gunbird*, of 20mm And Then Some. He's kitbashed some great 'jacks, and I fancied trying something similar. This was before I even looked at the rules.

As an extra challenge, I'm going to try and do everything with stuff I've already got (with the exception of the new helmets from Anvil Industries).

So What Do I Need?

I'm starting from scratch, so I'll need four 'jacks, one of each type, plus some potential opposition; six Raiders and six small maintenance 'bots.

I'll also need two twelve inch square boards, four doors, eight 'points of interest'; basically stuff that can be searched, and two objectives (computer terminals to access the next board section). Some obstacles and barriers might also be useful.

Scrapjacks 

There are four different types of 'jacks. Torch; gets things open, Rigger; gets things working,  Patch; fixes suits and 'jacks, and Yard dog; deals with any opposition.

To make these I've a few different sprues to choose bits from. I got various Stargrave sprues  (Crew, Troopers and Mercenaries) which will provide the bulk of the components. I can also take bits from various Warpath kits, especially the Enforcers and the GCPS Infantry. The heads will, of course, be the bubble helmets I got from Anvil Industries.

Raiders 

I might base the Raiders on the GCPS Infantry, possibly switching out the weaponry for Stargrave stuff. Alternatively, I might find something useful amongst my unpainted Dreadball teams. 

If I weren't doing this on a budget,  I'd use the Stargrave Scavenger sprues or Wargames Atlantic's Cannon Fodder. 

Another possibility is to add weapons to some spare Star Saga scientists (actually, they'd make pretty good 'Jacks as well).

Bots

For the maintenance bots I'm using the Mechanoids Dreadball team. I've had them since they first came out and done nothing with them yet; here's a chance to get some use out of them.

Scenery etc

I've some old Fat Dragon Sci Fi floor plans that I can print off for the boards, and spare Star Saga accessories and general scenery bits I've collected over the years will do for the points of interest.  When the game comes out in full, there's be some optional official floorplans as well, but I'm making do for the Quickstart.

If I get around to adding walls or barriers,  I've plenty of Deadzone stuff and a box of 'Platformer?' terrain which I've never got around to using. 

Playing the Game

The Quickstart is, by necessity, a shortened form of the game.  It's pitched for solo and co-op play, so I'll give it a go myself and see how it plays before investing in the full game.

I'll let you all know what I think when I get around to trying it.

One nice thing about the booklet is the way it is often presented as a briefing to prospective Scrapjacks.  Vaststar Recovery Group run a franchise system, and a lot of the instructions are presented as if to new franchisees.

What's Next?

So that's the plan. First up, I think, will be the Scrapjacks themselves. 

I'm looking forward to the kitbashing, it's been great fun doing the Rangers and companions, and this promises to be similar.

Update!

As of 4th March, the full game is available, either a PDF via Wargames Vault or a hardcopy via Amazon (though currently US only).

*Gunbird also put me on to the Five Box System, he's a great inspiration

Scatter Terrain Bushes

Rangers of Shadow Deep Mission Two (among others) calls for a good amount of cover and suggests boulders and bushes. 

I used Dave Stone's Paint What You Got Challenge to prepare the stuff for this mission, but as I got on to the terrain, time was running out, so the cover had to be quick and simple.

The new shrubbery

Construction; Basic Shapes and Texture 

A while ago Grim gave me some spongy packing foam, not the really soft stuff used for storing minis, nor expanded polystyrene - this is fairly rigid, but still flexible enough that it shouldn't damage easily. It cuts easily with knife or scissors so I cut some to vaguely blob like bush shapes.

To add extra weight I inserted random screws in the base of the bush shape. The foam is soft enough that this can be done just by twisting and pushing with fingers.

I used hot glue to fix them on to foam board bases (the plastic stuff used for signs, not the XPS/card sandwich I use for buildings). In some cases I hot glued extra bits of foam on top to give a more rounded shape. 

The basic structure

The bush shapes were then coated with PVA glue and covered with dark coarse turf. I used a combination of scattering it over and pushing it on to the glue on the shapes to get full coverage.

Sealing the Texture 

Left on it's own, the turf texture would quickly rub off, so the bushes were sprayed with isopropanol and then watered down Mod-podge was dripped on to seal everything in (in theory). This takes a while to fully dry, I might save any more for the Season of Scenery Challenge in summer.

At this stage I also added a sprinkle of lighter coloured turf to add some variety to some of the bushes. 

The sealing stage = messy

Once everything was dry, a quick burnt umber to neaten the bases and done. 

They are very simple, but they do the job. I'll certainly make some more, they're great for skirmish games like Rangers of Shadow Deep, and I suspect they'll turn up in Middle Earth as well.

Once I've a large number done I might add a bit more detail, such as extra texture on the bases, and perhaps a bit of drybrushing to highlight the foliage. 

Green Fingers 

A note of warning. I used cheap turf - entirely appropriate for this low budget project - but the dye used isn't fast. It runs when wet, especially when sprayed with isopropanol and slathered with watered down Mod-podge. You can see the runoff on the photo above. 

If you're tempted to make some yourself, either buy dye-fast turf or put plenty of paper down, including a top sheet of baking parchment (otherwise the bushes will just stick to the surface). Once the Mod-podge dries, it should be protected from further moisture and resistant to shedding the flock.

Paint What You Got Challenge 25/26 Roundup

Well that's Dave Stone's Paint What You Got Challenge over with until December. 

I set myself a couple of goals: paint the minis for the second Rangers of Shadow Deep mission and paint the minis for the Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game storybook Fellowship of the Ring,  or at least the first half. I did a breakdown of the requirements in December if you're interested. 

How Did it Go?

I'll confess that I didn't manage everything, but I did manage a lot of it. Let's have a look at what I did manage. 

Rangers of Shadow Deep Mission Two 

I assembled (taking advantage of Anne's 2026 Miniature  Assembly Challenge for extra impetus) and painted 15 plastic gnolls, 1 metal gnoll Shaman and a kitbashed Ranger and a Reaper Bones Vulture. 

Gnoll sergeants, shaman and vulture

The gnoll 'staff'

The Warriors

Six gnolls running away?

Gnoll archers

'Dum-de-dum-de-dum-de-dum'

The gnolls go together pretty well, and bits from other Frostgrave kits can be used, as I did with the great axe for one of the sergeants.  If/when I build the remaining sprue, there's a two handed hammer on the Barbarians sprue that I think I'll use.  

While they were fun to paint, I regret making the decision early on to use as many different colours on the cloth as I could.  

Another Ranger (of the Shadow Deep)

Kitbashed from many sources

The ranger is made up from bits from the Frostgrave Barbarians sprue and the Oathmark Human Infantry sprue, with the scabbard from the Light Infantry set.

I also painted a couple of resin tents and a resin piece with fallen lög, shields, backpacks etc. for the gnolls' camp. These are from Scotia Grendel; nice models, if, perhaps, not quite 'gnollish'.

The campsite

Nine homemade bushes for the first scenario in Mission two.  These were a quick build, there's a full description coming sometime soon.

Ranger and gnoll hide and seek among the shrubbery

The second scenario requires a lot of scatter terrain for the inside of the tower.  Here's a start, but I'll need a lot more.

The crates and the board use Crooked Staff Print and Paste textures; the Build Along Dungeon for the floor textures and 19; Chests and Crates for the crates.  There are many similar products available; I like the Crooked Staff stuff as its cheap (Build Along dungeon 1 is, I believe, free, and the rest are pay what you want) easy to make and generally relatively low on ink use and I like the art style. 

I may print off some more floor texture and base the crates in small groups once I've built some more. 

Fellowship of the Ring Journeybook 

This was the big disappointment.  I managed two Rangers of the North, that's all. These took a lot longer to convert than I anticipated, it's my own fault for being too fussy (or too tight to buy the actual minis). 

I enjoyed building and painting them, and I'll continue with them, but possibly with a more realistic timescale. Once I have enough finished, I'll do a post discussing how I make them, and possibly why I bother. 

And yes, I know the bases are untextured; I'll do all nine at once when they are finished.

Two Rangers of the North

"Shadow Deep? What's that?"

Hints and Mysteries

In my last post I suggested that I had a unit painted for my undead that I was keeping secret.  Well, on closer inspection, I haven't finished the shields, so you can rest easy on that front Dave.

Challenging Fun 

Once again I really enjoyed taking part in the challenge and thanks to Dave Stone for all the work he puts in to organising this and the Season of Scenery challenges every year.

If I didn't finish everything I wanted to, it's my own fault for either being too ambitious or too distracted, especially as I've had a lot of rehearsals to fit in as well for April concerts.

What's Next?

I'll continue to prepare stuff for Mission Two, and I want to get more MESBG stuff done, but I promised something new for March, so expect some Deep Space action soon.

Paint What You Got Challenge 25/26 - Photo Finish

Today's the final day of Dave Stone's Paint What You Got Challenge and, while I haven't finished everything I planned back in December, I've got to a straight edge, so I'm calling it done.  

This is what I've managed to get painted in the time allowed.

The Finished Haul

I'll do a longer post soon, discussing the minis, but for now, here's a photo showing it all*

*Actually, there is more. I've got a unit done for my undead for Bodvoc's Dark Shadows campaign, but I'm keeping them a secret for now.

A New Project for March

These arrived in the post today from Anvil Industries, part of a little project I'm planning for March. 

Mystery heads

I'm not saying what it is yet, but, with the exception of these heads, I should be able to source everything from my existing collection of stuff. If you want a clue, it's a Quickstart version of a game currently in development. 

Feel free to guess what I'm planning in the comments (Bodvoc, you already know, so hush).

Paint What You Got Challenge, Two Weeks to go*

Dave Stone's Paint What You Got Challenge finishes on the 26th of February, so how am I doing?

Well it could be better, a combination of other tasks and obligations (not to mention concert rehearsals) means that I've not had as much time hobbying as I'd like. 

Still, I'm well on with the gnolls for Rangers of Shadow Deep. 

Progress so far

I've finished the first batch of five gnolls, plus another five from the ones I built for Anne's Miniature Assembly Challenge.  I've also finished off the last little bits on the vulture and the campsite bits.

Ten Gnolls

 

All the minis were painted with Army Painter Speedpaints.  I was looking for fairly washed out colours, old cloth that the Gnoll have stolen or scavenged. I think Speedpaints work rather well for this. 

I prepared the first five with a grey prime, black shade and white drybrush.  For the second batch I primed in light brown, washed with Army Painter Strong Tone and drybrushed with Vallejo Game colour Off White (the campsite was a test of this). I'd hoped it would give a warmer effect, but I'm not convinced there's much difference.  

I've also changed slightly the way I did the metals.  I used VGC Chainmail after the bulk of the Speedpaints were applied, then shaded it with Gravelord Grey.

I might add a few extra details, such as teeth and claws, but they'll do for now. 

Gnoll Archers 

The shooty gnolls. These are armed with bows, but I've a couple more with crossbows to paint. 

Four gnoll archers

Twang

Gnoll Soldiers 

The fighty group.  There's a good variety of miscellaneous weaponry here. I thought about shield designs, but then I see them as crude wooden construction.  Anyway, the gnolls don't care.

The warrior section

Gnoll Sergeants and Recon

Gnoll sergeants use two handed weapons, there are two options on the sprue.  I like the idea of the hood like cloth denoting rank, I just wish I'd thought of it when I built the first sergeant with the axe, but I've kept the red theme in  his eyepatch. 

They are accompanied by their vulture.

Sergeants and vulture

I'm pleased to have got these done, but they were, at times, a shore.  Part of the reason is my decision to go multi-coloured on the clothing.  I think I over did this, and I got a bit obsessive in trying to make the different models look as different colour wise as possible.  I'd have been better off choosing three distinct colours and applying them over all the minis.

What's Next?

I've the remaining five gnolls, plus their shaman already started, and three rangers to finish too, one of the Shadow Deep, and two of The North.  I'd like to get some more done, but I think time is going to run away with me.  I wonder if I can claim the Julian Defence again?

* Probably considerably less by the time this gets posted.