15mm Sci Fi - Old Crow Trojan Light APCs

I managed to bang these three Old Crow Trojan APCs off this afternoon.  I had these three vehicles and quite frankly could not decide on what to do with them.  However, one thing I did not have is unarmed transports for cargo.

Old Crow does make the Provider Transport, in wheeled, hover or grav versions.  However, I did not have any wheeled models available.  However, Trojans are the next best thing.  

So, after a few modifications I now have another three vehicles which are dual purpose: APCs armed with autocannons, heavy machineguns/rockets and finally, unarmed.  

Old Crow Trojan APC

The weapons and hatches on each vehicle are removable (I drilled out a suitably sized hole in the top cupola to accommodate the GZG weapons .  I had enough bits to allow for all three vehicles to be deployed in the same mode (3 autocannons, 3 heavy machineguns/rocket pods or 3 unarmed cargo transports).  I really did not need more APCs, but I prefer to have modular vehicles if possible.

Because these will likely be used as unarmed transports, I dispensed with vehicle stowage on the sides of the vehicles.  The top stowage is also removable.  It is always nice to have vehicles for rebels to ambush and steal precious cargo.

Cannons, machineguns or unarmed...its really up to you.  

Well, that completes my vehicle pool in the Red Oxide scheme.  Only 24 vehicles left to go.  :-/ 

15mm Sci Fi - Old Crow Vehicles in German Red Oxide Camo

 This weekend I finally got around to finishing off part of my Old Crow vehicle pool.  These have been around for about 18 months now, waiting for some time at the paint booth.  My issue was I could not decide on a pattern to paint them in.  The sheer number of ideas I had lead to gridlock in my mind.

In the end, I decided to go with something a little....out there....World War 2 German Red Oxide Camo.  I have never seen evidence that Wehrmacht vehicles ever left the factory in Red Oxide Primer.  But, the color is rather striking and certainly fits the bill for Sci Fi vehicles.  I still have to add numbered decals (I dread this).  Luckily I have small ones that will fit on the the turrets nicely, avoiding me placing them on the hull.

The scheme was very simple, done via my two Iwata airbrushes.  Tamiya paints are thinned with 99% alcohol.  The Eclipse BP Plus was essential for highlighting the smaller raised panels.  

• Black Primer (I could have used Grey, but I wanted the initial Vallejo Hull Red color to be very dark to create shadows and contrast; Black makes this possible).
• Vallejo Model Air Hull Red 71.039 (this is a very dark red, much darker than the Tamiya Hull Red)
• Tamiya Hull Red on the upper/lower raised panels 
• Vallejo Model Air Brown RLM26 71.105 as the first highlight
• Vallejo Model Air Light Red 71.086 as an extreme highlight on raised areas.  This was done very sparingly.  
• Tamiya Metallic Grey on the metal bits (this is a great metal color)
• Tamiya NATO Black for the tires and tracks.
• Vison slits were done with Black, Vallejo Game Color Imperial Blue, Magic Blue, Electric Blue and Glacier Blue.  
• Stowage was painted by hand in various colors.  
• The vehicles were given an airbrushed coat of gloss lacquer. This darkened the colors and have them a very “rich” look.  I then sealed with matte sealer.  
• To finish them off I used Tamiya Weathering Pigments - Mud, Sand and Light Sand.  These kits are fantastic and have the benefit of not loading up a model with paint like a drybrush does.  

No washes of any kind were used on these models.  Normally I would use a thinned amount of Polyshades Tudor, however this time I choose to dispense with that.  Old Crow models are mostly flat panels making an all over wash approach a bad idea.  The panel lines are also not very deep, making pin washes difficult as well.  

Solution: By using 45 degree angles with my airbrush I was able to keep the recessed shading more or less intact.  Also, an all over washes would have darkened the  models to an unacceptable level.  

One thing to keep in mind: Jez at Old Crow uses some type of resin that bonds VERY quickly.  Within seconds.  Once it is together, thats it!  So, you better know what you are doing.  Take extra care to make sure everything is lined up perfectly before you touch the glue bottle.  

Otherwise, you are fucked.  

Roof Stowage is attached via Blue Tac.  It is removable.  

I used an older version of the Support Turret for the Lancer Heavy APC.  I wanted a tank/APC hybrid and this turret allowed that.  Missile Pods are from GZG.

Reactive Armor blocks were unused bits from Khurasan Red Banner tanks.  

Pintle mounts are a mix from Old Crow and Brigade Models.

Stowage is a mix of Old Crow, Brigade Models, GZG and Khurasan.

If you believe it, I still have another lot of tracked vehicles, in the same quantities and types above to paint.  Those will be done in a modern Chinese PLA color scheme.

15mm Sci Fi Display Cases

Several months ago I decided to modify the five wall mounted display cases I purchased off Amazon to display my 15mm Sci Fi collection.  They each came with four shelves, which for me was simply not enough.  I have far too much to display for such a paltry amount of square footage.   

So, after a trip to Home Depot I added another 4 shelves to each display case, care of MDF molding and some black spray paint.  This doubled the amount of space and allowed me to get all my infantry out of foam cases and into the light of day.

I originally paid $99 each for these cases. I don’t know what they are now.

The unit could be found here: HOMCOM 5-Storey Wall Shelf Display Cabinet, Shot Glass Display Case with 2 Glass Doors and 4 Adjustable Shelves, Black : Amazon.ca: Home

Closeups follow these.

Closeups below.

These hold most of my 15mm collection.   Only my GZG NSL and Robots are still in foam cases.  Not for long though.  I  have plans.  :-)

Next up is my 28mm Fantasy cases........

15mm Sci Fi - More Characters for Five Parsecs from Home & Showdown at the Stardust Saloon

Yesterday was a semi-productive day for figure painting, 11 done.  Not a huge number, but considering half  of them were characters I call that a good day.  

I had these guys kicking around for awhile.  So, they received some much needed love (closeups always make my stuff look like shit  ugh)  

GZG Robots, Rebel Minis Android (Soulless) & Commissars/Assassins

Robots and psychotic assassins/police.  What could go wrong?

The metallic droids allowed me to play with the Vallejo Shifters paints again.  You cannot tell from the photos at all, but they do change color...slightly, depending on their angle.  Another 16 figures to go and my inventory will be almost clear.

Bonus:

On Saturday I managed to get a game of Five Parsecs in with a friend, Stephen, who was kind enough to join me in a Cooperative game.  Sadly, I did not take photos of the two games we played.  It was a long day and my attention span does not hold.  Our band was outfitted with an upgraded shuttle on the planet Outpost, an Imperial world located in the Drexilthar subsector of the Reaver's Deep sector of the Third Imperium.  

Our fateful crew of starport scum: bot (I call him Clint due to his bizarre accuracy with firearms), a human criminal (I am ashamed to say I forget his name), Wes Sykes (former miner), Ray Meers (former gang member and small time crook  with stolen combat armor), Linda Collins (another former gang member and computer hacker and Ray's sister and Wes's lover)...and one Soulless...just because (he wanted to experience love I think).

The first battle was against Kra'Vak colonists, an aggressive alien species native to this sector (K'Erin stand ins).  Our party of 4 humans, 1 bot and a Soulless had to get across and exit the field.  We got lucky and only had to deal with 4 Kra'Vak and their nasty pet dog.  The battle raged around the central hill, with Kra’Vak warriors charging our position in the attempt to enter into a brawl. We killed them rather easily with very accurate fire from Clint and finished the mission.  Only Clint went down during the fight, engaging during a duel with a rather excitable Kra’Vak (he had a Glare Sword and still lost). Luckily all Clint needed was a new paint job and he was ready to go.  

Sadly, during the Post-Mission wrap up, Ray (one of my humans), misplaced his Combat Armor.  :-/

How do you "misplace" Combat Armor?  

Anyway, we made enough to pay off out shuttles debt and get some advanced bot training for our group (with two robotic crew members we figured this was a good idea).

The second game was more intense, "Shoot-Out at the Stardust Saloon".  

Our group was ambushed by one of my rivals prior to embarking on our next mission.  Apparently Ray's past finally caught up with him and a psychotic techno-gang of 8, lead by a renegade PSI leader tracked him down, upset at his latest scheme of selling contraband goods in their territory without paying the appropriate kickbacks.  Ray is an idiot.  

We added civilians to the mix (they counted as cover and would possibly flee due to gunfire...they intelligently fled soon after the blasters were firing).  It was a straight up kill mission (ideally with our foes the ones who would be killed).....do or die.  

Shoot-Out at the Stardust Saloon

We advanced along the one axis of the town.  The techno-gang was armed with infantry lasers and two shell guns.  Luckily, the Outpost was plagued by "Reflective Dust", limiting their lasers effectiveness.  We slowly and methodically eliminated each group of gangers, with the majority deciding to hide in various buildings to the horror of the terrified citizens.  The did manage to take take pot shots from various windows throughout the game.  The PSI leader took cover in the Last Chance Motel, trusting to his supernatural powers to save him.   

Sadly, luck turned against us quickly (I am a jinx).  Our trio of crew members (Ray, Wes and Linda) each fell to enemy fire in quick succession, as did our robot who bravely advanced down the center of town, blasters drawn taking the fight to the enemy.  

However, in the end, our two remaining crew members finished off the gang (well most of them ran away actually, otherwise we would been in trouble) and their psionic leader.  However, four of our characters were gunned down: our trusty bot gunslinger came out with only a couple of dents, however our carbon based units were not so lucky.  Ray and Wes each lost a leg (they did not have enough credits to afford medical treatment) and, sadly, Linda lost her life, vaporized by the gang leader (at least it was quick).

Ray, your an idiot.  

Linda, Ray and Wes are about to be in a world of hurt.  Ray was making due with Halloween Costume combat armor at the time.

Despite this setback it was a good time and we plan on revisiting the Drexilthar Subsector soon.