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 Barzam wrote:
I figure I ought to share a couple interesting tidbits that showed up during this weekend's Wonderfest in Japan.

1) more Dougram models, including the Bushman, a Blockhead type C, and the Maverick carrier helicopter. Large picture spoiler'd below.

I am amazed some of you guys know Dougram. Most US robot fans know these designs from Battletech. I am from the US, but I grew up in South East Asia and was there around the time Dougram first aired on TV. It was one of my first favorite robot shows. Loved the kits.

Took me years to figure out the story background, and many years after moving to the US, found a guy in Japan who helped me get as much Dougram stuff as he could. I compiled it on my first website I ever made while in college at www.dougram.com (if you can believe it that domain was available to register). But after a few years I got over it and let the domain expire.

There have been cooler and most realistic robot designs since, but there is something about Dougram I just love. Kind of has a WWII with robots feel to it.

I first saw them at Toys R Us around the time Transformers came out and we were all robot crazy. 83? 84?

I had Dougram and the green guy. In my head canon version of the Transformers they were human mechs made to match the invaders from Cybertron.

Then the designs showed up in a DC comic called Robotech Defenders.

Some of the model kits were imported and available from Monogram. Others were around at import stories like Forbidden Planet. They had a great look but I never bought them.

Now I'm sad.

I still have a vintage slipcase hybrid model Soltic hanging around somewhere at my parents' house. I ought to dig it out just for nostalgia.

Speaking of Toys R' Us, one of my worst memories I can recall was finding the big Godakin/ Chogokin DX of Gardian, the robot in a robot in a robot (Yo dawg, I heard you like robots...) for the clearance price of a measly 5 dollars.

I begged, pleaded, whined and tried anything and everything I could to get my parents to buy it, explaining it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The famous words were uttered "It'll be there next time." Yeah right.

KTG17 wrote:


I am amazed some of you guys know Dougram. Most US robot fans know these designs from Battletech. I am from the US, but I grew up in South East Asia and was there around the time Dougram first aired on TV. It was one of my first favorite robot shows. Loved the kits.

Took me years to figure out the story background, and many years after moving to the US, found a guy in Japan who helped me get as much Dougram stuff as he could. I compiled it on my first website I ever made while in college at www.dougram.com (if you can believe it that domain was available to register). But after a few years I got over it and let the domain expire.

There have been cooler and most realistic robot designs since, but there is something about Dougram I just love. Kind of has a WWII with robots feel to it.

The guys above clearly know Dougram, but I think alot of us Battletech fans only know the name and some of the designations because we did just enough research to know where the designs came from.

That's about how far my knowledge goes anyway. I know just enough about Dougram, Crusher Joe, etc to use them as search terms on ebay and Japanese hobby shops.

This book is your friend.



Barzam grew up with one, and prior to that used to pour over my old Sunrise and Super Robot books.

Plus it's just a neat book if you're into old robot stuff.

Volume 2 is all super robots and not as relevant to the discussion here.

Yeah I LOVED Crusher Joe back in the day too. You wouldn't believe how cheap many of those kits were back then. I could buy a typical Crusher Joe kit for less than $1. Same with the 1/200 Macross Pitaban kits (which they also used for Battletech), which I remember finding at the displays at the checkout counters at the grocery store next to the candy and gum. They were also super cheap. Also LOVED the Morinaga model kits with the candy. I have an impressive collection of those.

These kits were so plentiful and cheap that I took them for granted, and set many on fire, blew up with fireworks, or shot with BB guns depending what phase I was going thru. It wasnt until I moved back to the US and reality hit me that I couldnt just go and buy these anymore. After years of hitting every comic book or specialty shop in every city I went to in the US, or found an odd distributor (20th Century Imports who supplied FASA with their Battletech kits), was I able to start finding a couple here and there. My first purchases on Ebay back in 2000 were the 1/144 Dougram kits that I couldnt believe were listed. After a couple of decades of collecting small 80s kits from Macross, Dougram, Votoms, Diaclone, Gundam, Ideon, Crusher Joe, Yamato, Xabungle, Lensman, and many other random robot/sci-fi series, even my contacts in Japan are impressed with my collection, as they say these older kits are now considered premium items in Japan, and seem to be easier to find in the US now. Crazy.

I figured everyone knew what Gundam was, or Macross, but not the older stuff.

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 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I had Dougram and the green guy. In my head canon version of the Transformers they were human mechs made to match the invaders from Cybertron.

That's awesome.

Then the designs showed up in a DC comic called Robotech Defenders.

Yeah I remember that terrible comic.

Some of the model kits were imported and available from Monogram.

Yeah I had a few of those. Some I actually bought at a Toys R Us in Singapore, which was odd. Same with the Testors versions of the Nichimo Macross Pitaban kits. Outside of the Toys R Us in Singapore they were selling the original Japanese kits, yet inside, they had these US versions. Looking back, so weird.

It looks like Kaiyodo is reissuing their Revoltech Legion toy with a spiffy new paintjob that's meant to make it look like the prop/costume used in the Gamera movies. Why hasn't anyone ever used this thing in their Tyranid armies?





Seriously, there's your Hive Queen right there.

Would a revoltech be big enough for a Queen type?

Heck, I didn't even know they made a Revoltech Legion- and I already own the Gamera one!

Iris would make a good stand in Tyranid too...

I found this pic which gives Legion's dimensions.



That would put his height at around 12.5 centimeters or around 4.9 inches. It's a decent size. Certainly big enough to be a Monstrous Creature, if nothing else.

 Barzam wrote:
It looks like Kaiyodo is reissuing their Revoltech Legion toy with a spiffy new paintjob that's meant to make it look like the prop/costume used in the Gamera movies.

Why hasn't anyone ever used this thing in their Tyranid armies?

Spoiler:

It is awesome that there is a Revoltech Legion at all. I totally missed that this existed at all.

As for why not?
1. Hardly anybody knows about Gamera compared to Gojira
2. Legion was a 1-shot enemy; it's like wondering why people don't use Orga as a Dark Eldar something...
3. It's the main-in-rubber-suit Kaiju version
4. It's just as expensive (in the US), but harder to find.

To be honest, if I'm buying premium action figures, I'd be increasing the number of dudes in my 1/6 collection.

Saw these guys at ToysRus.

They are level 1 SpruKits and run $7.99. At 3" tall I thought they might make interesting Tau Commanders or Broadsides.

Man those are some fugly Danboru Senki kits. Interesting they're doing smaller/ cheaper versions of these kits.

This is from someone who has built just about every single kit, and there were some seriously ugly ones in the Japanese line.

There's some way cooler ones in the Danboru Wars line, but I doubt they'll get that far in the US.

They look like some of the candy kits that were released. Considering that those kits have been in TRU for a couple years now, haven't moved beyond the first assortment, and there's been zero support for the line, I think it's safe to say we'll never see any of the later releases in the US. Typical Bandai. They have a good, popular product, but have no clue how to market it outside of Japan. So, they half ass it, give it no support, and then they're shocked when it doesn't take off.

 JohnHwangDD wrote:

 Barzam wrote:
It looks like Kaiyodo is reissuing their Revoltech Legion toy with a spiffy new paintjob that's meant to make it look like the prop/costume used in the Gamera movies.

Why hasn't anyone ever used this thing in their Tyranid armies?

Spoiler:

It is awesome that there is a Revoltech Legion at all. I totally missed that this existed at all.

As for why not?
1. Hardly anybody knows about Gamera compared to Gojira
2. Legion was a 1-shot enemy; it's like wondering why people don't use Orga as a Dark Eldar something...
3. It's the main-in-rubber-suit Kaiju version
4. It's just as expensive (in the US), but harder to find.

As for point 1?

Maybe 'general populace' no, but 'target demo'?

Not only 'yes' but 'hell yes!'

I actually prefer Gamera to Godzilla, in many cases!

Thanks for the heads up on the Legion Revoltech too!

Geez, I completely forgot about Orga. That thing left so little impression on me. Now Gyaos, he'd be a pretty cool Deldar beast. He just so happens to also have a Revoltech, though he hasn't been reissued. I should probably note, the Legion Revoltech comes with accessories! He comes with an in-scale mini flying Gamera as well as seven tiny Soldier Legion monsters.

 Barzam wrote:
Geez, I completely forgot about Orga. That thing left so little impression on me.

Interesting. For me, this was kinda unforgettable:


Yeah, Orga is deepthroating Godzilla...

I totally forgot that was a thing.

Coming back to Pacific Rim, we now have a price, scale, release date, and promo photos for Cherno Alpha!

Release: December 2016
Price: 7,800 yen MSRP (it's 6861 on HLJ and 6390 on Amiami)
Scale: 1/350

Here's the official English description of the kit from Max Factory

PLAMAX JG-01: Cherno Alpha

Drift with the Mark-1 Jaeger ‘Cherno Alpha’!

From the science fiction monster film that took the world by storm ‘Pacific Rim’ come 1/350th scale plastic model kits of the Jaeger – huge robotic weapons that are mankind’s last line of defense against the Kaiju! The first in the series is the Russian Mark-1 Jaeger with a unique, clunky appearance that became hugely popular – the Cherno Alpha!

The characteristic design of the Jaeger has been converted into a plastic model kit using 3DCG data from the film for a faithful, detailed rendition of the original for fans to build for themselves. The kit is separated by color and makes use of snap-kit parts for easy assembly, with decals included to bring out the atmosphere of the film even more. The finished model also has a very satisfying size that is sure to stand out in any collection!

An optional part with the arm extended for a punch is included, and the kit also comes with an LED lighting unit to recreate the memorable lit-up appearance from the night scenes of the film. Experience the incredible presence of the Cherno Alpha as you build it with your own two hands!

I never knew Cherno Alpha had actual, functional hands. Hopefully this turns out to be successful and we get more than just Cherno Alpha and Gypsy Danger. I'm hoping for Tacit Ronin, Romeo Blue, and Horizon Brave.

Do we know what 1/350 comes out to inches or cm?

So thanks to this thread I started looking around for gunpla and found a local place that sells it. I've bought 6 kits over the last few months and my miniature purchases have gone down to zero. They're just better kits.

I'm working through my miniatures backlog like never before and have built and weathered half my gunpla so far. I wanted to try out this idea of not painting them and sanding, weathering and varnishing the bare plastic to make it look like it's not plastic anymore. So far I think it's working.



The dark green still looks plasticy, so I'll have to do something about that.

that guy is cool.
what series is he from?

I don't think that the green looks bad. what have you done to him so far?

Very nice, how big?

I know it's from Iron Blooded Orphans, only because I have the 1/100 of it. Not sure what scale that one is, but the 1/100 has an extra set of armor and is one thick mobile suit.

That's what I've been doing to my gunpla. Weather with paint and pigments on bare plastic, paint in any parts where stickers go in lieu of them, and put a coat of matte varnish on top. Should kill the shine and protect the model.

I went through the same thing, BTW - once I started getting gunpla, my wargaming purchases dropped to zero. Even with postage from Japan or Hong Kong, they end up costing less than the cheapest 40K vehicles or AoS troop boxes. Heck, they're less than the standard blister nowadays!

usernamesareannoying wrote:that guy is cool.
what series is he from?

I don't think that the green looks bad. what have you done to him so far?

That's the HG 1/144 Iron Blooded Orphans Gusion.

So far he got lightly sanded with 1500 grit sand paper to remove the plastic sheen that injection kits have. Then he got oil washed and some oil streaking with white was done to most of him. Then once that was dry, he got a layer of satin varnish. Maybe something like Testors Dullcote would knock back the last of the sheen. Maybe I think it still looks like plastic because I've seen it all the way through, but it's really not that bad.

Here's a HG 1/144 IBO Graze that got a similar treatment. I think it looks less plastic like (especially the gun). The grey did get some edge drybrushing on that one.


Maybe I need to make the edges on the gusion brighter.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:Very nice, how big?

13cm. Maybe a bit less because of how he needs to squat a bit to stand well. 1/144 of his in fiction height of 18 metres would be 12.5 cm.

those are great.
I thought that's what he was but wasn't sure. I just finished that series too... lol

I really like what you've done. the only thing that I think would make them look a little better would be something to break up all of the darn grey of the gun. maybe a light wash?

 -DE- wrote:
That's what I've been doing to my gunpla. Weather with paint and pigments on bare plastic, paint in any parts where stickers go in lieu of them, and put a coat of matte varnish on top. Should kill the shine and protect the model.

I went through the same thing, BTW - once I started getting gunpla, my wargaming purchases dropped to zero. Even with postage from Japan or Hong Kong, they end up costing less than the cheapest 40K vehicles or AoS troop boxes. Heck, they're less than the standard blister nowadays!

I just got a revive version of the HG RX-78-2 and it was like $14. I don't know what you can get from GW for that. The Deathwatch Chaplain is $30. There's just no comparison.

The weathering on the coloured bare plastic definitely works. I think I just need to go totally matte with my final varnish to get the look I really want. Satin is still leaving a bit of a sheen.

My friends and I have started playing a Gunpla Battles type game that's a mash up of X-Wing and SuperSystem (a small press super heroes miniature game). We don't have a rules document yet, just a note book full of ideas we've tried so far.

The posing on the RX-78-2 Revive is so good. I'm not sure it has all that much appeal for those looking for something for 40k though as it is the iconic gundam.



I have a rule that I don't buy new miniatures for a project/army until everything for it is done, but I've been completing projects and just not buying more. Instead I've been getting these things. GW's kits barely stack up and I can't even really find myself considering getting some crappy PVC warjack from Privateer after working with these.

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 usernamesareannoying wrote:
those are great.
I thought that's what he was but wasn't sure. I just finished that series too... lol

I really like what you've done. the only thing that I think would make them look a little better would be something to break up all of the darn grey of the gun. maybe a light wash?

Yeah. The gun needs something. For starters I should probably paint the casing ejector slot black. Starker shading and then maybe edge highlight the top of the gun. Maybe make the clip a darker grey as well.

I don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread, but I'm really looking forward to the Gundam Type A from Iron Blooded Orphans that's supposed to come out in October.


That brown is going to weather so well with oils.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Do we know what 1/350 comes out to inches or cm?

According to Amiami, he'll be 240mm tall, or 9.44 inches.


That Gundam Type A is totally an upgrade of the Gusion.

It looks a lot like the gusion rebake, doesn't it?

It needs more anti-ship rifles!