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So, since this is a radical departure from my 40K world, I have decided that a new plog should be started. this one supports my efforts to become one with Catalyst Game Labs, and will document:

Shadowrun

Battletech

Leviathans

At GenCon 2011, I purchased, finagled, and bribed my way into a set of materials for CatLab's three primary game systems. I intend to demo and showcase these games in the Boston Area.

Here's the British and French Fleets for Leviathans: Monsters in the Sky. This is an alternative World War One history, where flying battleships rule the skies. The game is solid, fast paced, good mechanics, and the miniatures are pretty right out of the box. Of course, I'm going to paint up one of the fleets to show both options, during the demos. I was very impressed with the level of detail, and that all the turrets work. Excelsior!



Next up is my Battletech collection. I had a few 'unseen' minis leftover, so I excavated them from the pit, and started 'em up. I am a little disappointed with the overall quality of the plastics. It is obvious that they are cast from metal miniatures, but they're assembled cheaply, and the plastic is hard to work with/clean up. It'll take awhile before I am ready to paint. I'm looking at some nice btech decals from the official supplier, and I'm going to build some 'mixed lances' for purposes of demos. I am, however, happy that you get a LOT of mechs. It is a GREAT starter box, with intro rules, mechs, maps, and tons of background info. A really GOOD way to get into Battletech. Rar! Smash! You'll see a couple of helicopters as well as some Clan and IS tanks. Off to the side are some 3rd party generic tanks and infantry stands.



And here's a couple of photos of the two Clan Mechs that come in the intro package. I'll paint these up and use them as demo fodder.





More to come! And, no, I will not be shirking my IG plog.

--Brian

Here's the intro box 'mechs cleaned up, some old unseen stripped, and some primed 'mechs on the battlefield, as my friend Jonah and I played out a training scenario. I am annoyed that the FIRST scenario in the Intro book is, technically, unplayable as you need two sets of identical 'mechs, and the box set minis are a random hodgepodge.

Also? The plastic 'mechs are awful. AW-FUL. They're made from the same plastic as cheap army soliders. the plastic just shreds when you try and file them or trim off the flash. OMG flash. So. Much. Flash. I did the best I could, and gave them a solid priming.



And here's some of the primered 'mechs moving around on the VERY NICE maps in the intro set. Kinda makes up for the crappy minis.





It is important to note: I'll take a $50 box with 24 miniatures, heavy duty map sections, a bunch of fluff, rulebooks, tables, and a poster. HONEST. My only real gripe? Only one set of tables. Nicely printed! But the box really needed two copies of it.

--B.

I love Battletech, but have no one to play with ATM.
I know what you mean about the Plastics, they totally suck, I will never paint mine. I did paint up some metals: a Star of Clan Jade Falcon and a Lance of IS Kurita mechs (oh and some elementals) about 10 years ago, I'll do some pics if you're bothered.
It's annoying the 2 sets of maps don't match ie 2 desert or 2 foresty ones..
Is this the new BT starter set then? What edition rules are they on now?

PS Sexy arms though that might be the gin talking

(sorry, got pulled to wrong thread...)

Okay, going to semi-necro my own thread because I'm FINALLY getting around to working on my Leviathans, so I can take them to GenCon. I know. A little short on time.


More progress!

I started with a dark primer, and then went over with a medium grey. I realized that I was just annoying myself.



So, I switched to a lighter primer (Thanks, Krylon!) and Secret Weapon Minis Soft Body Black Wash.



I'm working on applying actual WWI paint schemes to my ships. I've repaired and added extra masts, so I can hang flags and some cabling/rigging. The French Fleet is a mid-darker grey, the British Fleet is a lighter grey.



The French were washed with SWM Soft Body Black, barely diluted. The British were washed with the same Soft Body Black, but diluted with about 4 parts water. I kinda wing my washes, sorry.

And here we go! Two fleets, ready to go show off at GenCon. Not ENTIRELY happy with the rigging, thanks to some goopy superglue, but that's what I get for rushing. Not happy with the flags, either. Going to have to sit down and make better, or buy some off of a website I found. WE SHALL SEE.

Here's the Brits, with their holystoned light wooden decks, and lighter hull color.



And the French, with their darker hulls and darker wooden decks. I find I prefer the lines of the French Fleet which, thankfully, do not have to surrender.



Each battleship is flying a correct-for-the-era Commodore pennant.

There's more detail I want to add, gun rings, more funnel details, whatever. But, sometimes, you just have to draw the line and get some SLEEP.

Briancj wrote:

And the French, with their darker hulls and darker wooden decks. I find I prefer the lines of the French Fleet which, thankfully, do not have to surrender.

But do they eat cheese and Whine?

Ver' nice Bri

Thank you for bringing yet another range of intresting miniatures that I have no time or space for to my attention