Need a proverbial French crap-ton of space ships?

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**Kid_Kyoto**

I've been looking for cheap freighters and tankers to add to my model fleet and found these.

https://www.sciplus.com/p/BUCK-ROGERS-FIGHTER-PLANES-96-PER-BAG-10-BAGS-PER-OUR-PKG_50879

For $3-$4 (plus shipping) you can get anywhere from (literally) 240 shuttles to (literally) 960 (!!) fighters.

Or gun turrets or war birds.

They're game pieces from TSR's Buck Rogers board game in the 80s/90s and about a half inch each.

I have no idea what I would do with over a 1000 plastic space ships, but wow. If I ever wanted to make a space game these would be a great way to start.

They're also all over ebay in smaller sets if you want them.

**Kid_Kyoto**

Oh and an alternative, how about 144 larger ships for $7?

http://www.amazon.com/Pack-144-Space-Ships-Assortment/dp/B004N6V4KC/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0FJGZE27Q1RE37EQR2Y0

There are similar packs out there but according to reviews these are actually paintable. 1"-2" each.

**Viktor von Domm**

Oh man, your an evil demon for plastic crack...

Never yet even considered going down that road...and now temptation is only a click away...

**Kid_Kyoto**

I know!

For $30 I can have um...

144 big ships
240 shuttles
360 Warbirds
960 fighters
and 140 turrets

I have no idea what game I can make out of that but wow, it would be a pretty awesome game.

Or y'know I could buy one Age of Sigmar Slaughter Priest.

Heck if the turret weapons are the right size for a lasgun that's worth the $10 right there.

**PsychoticStorm**

Well there are definitely enouph do do a game or many games from them.

**Viktor von Domm**

i would suggest cocktail sticks for fly bases... if you are clever you could separate armies by the colour of the sticks...

**Kid_Kyoto**

Well I put my order in, 1 of each came out to about $20 with shipping.

I'll have a review soon.

**Viktor von Domm**

I went about three times already to the Amazon stuff, always convincing myself I don't need them...but the image of a flock like arranging of space ships with wire is spinning in my mind...maybe my last ounces of self preservation will evaporate after your review

**Kid_Kyoto**

Viktor von Domm wrote:
I went about three times already to the Amazon stuff, always convincing myself I don't need them...but the image of a flock like arranging of space ships with wire is spinning in my mind...maybe my last ounces of self preservation will evaporate after your review

ebay yielded some additional info on the Rhode Island Novelty Co (Rinco) ships.

Apparently they've been kicking around in one incarnation or another since the 70s.
This auction has handy information that the designs changed in 2012 and 'other sites' show the old ones.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/371608743295?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Unfortunately all his images are watermarked 2007... maybe an error, maybe not.

Not a fan of the insectoid ships and the open topped speeder one is useless. But still for $7

Oh and I like the line that the Chinese have a loose definition of 'a gross' sometimes 144, sometimes 140...

**Nevelon**

Some of those last one I recognize as Silent Death minis from I.C.E.

**Kilkrazy**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Viktor von Domm wrote:
I went about three times already to the Amazon stuff, always convincing myself I don't need them...but the image of a flock like arranging of space ships with wire is spinning in my mind...maybe my last ounces of self preservation will evaporate after your review

ebay yielded some additional info on the Rhode Island Novelty Co (Rinco) ships.

Apparently they've been kicking around in one incarnation or another since the 70s.
This auction has handy information that the designs changed in 2012 and 'other sites' show the old ones.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/371608743295?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Unfortunately all his images are watermarked 2007... maybe an error, maybe not.

Not a fan of the insectoid ships and the open topped speeder one is useless. But still for $7

Oh and I like the line that the Chinese have a loose definition of 'a gross' sometimes 144, sometimes 140...

There's a classic business management story about a Canadian company that orders 100,000 electronic assemblies from a Japanese manufacturer, specifying a failure rate of 1%.

The Canadians duly receive 101,000 assemblies, with 1,000 of them packed separately. In the separate consignment they find a note that politely explains that although the Japanese QA staff don't understand why you would want faulty components, since these have been requested, they have been separated for convenience.

**Orlanth**

I had the old Buck Rogers game, it was basically an Axis and Allies clone, but did have some unusual features. By and large it wasn't a bad game.

**Kid_Kyoto**

This is the blog that got me to order them

http://dougssoldiers.blogspot.com/2012/08/more-space-ships.html

You can see both the Buck Rogers and Rinco ships painted up.

Factions and rules are already swirling in my brain...

The Association, the Vats, the Chorus and the Enigmas...

I really hope the broad-winged ships are still in the set, I like them a lot. They might end up being the Association's Castle-class dreadnaught.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
And oh just to be complete

http://www.amazon.com/Toy-Space-Cruisers-12-Pack/dp/B00362RWOG/ref=pd_sim_21_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=518rLLRNDCL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL200_SR160%2C200_&refRID=1ZE1AFY2R8DP6K6EQFXJ

These appear to be the old Silent Death fighters, these molds have apparently have been passed around like a $2 who...

a $2 dollar...

(ahem) a $2 Wonka bar.

I've seen them at EM4 and a couple of other places.

They're hard plastic and come painted, but they're a bit too fightery to pass for capital ships and too curvey for 40k. Plus you only get 12 for your $6, instead of like 1000.

http://www.amazon.com/US-Toy-Cruisers-Vehicle-Assorted/dp/B00362MR1E/ref=pd_sim_21_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=517xyDzsYsL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL200_SR160%2C200_&refRID=1ZE1AFY2R8DP6K6EQFXJ

I like these designs better.

But reviewers say they're hard rubber and impossible to paint.

Might still gamble $6 at some point, if nothing else they can go to Kyoto Secunda and her clone sister Kyoto Secunda Prime when they're a bit older.

**Barzam**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:

As it turns out, I can actually ID several of the ships in this assortment. The second from the left is the Liabe, from Message From Space. The delta winged ship that's fourth from the left is the Comet Fire, also from Message From Space. The very last ship, the open cockpit one, that's the Starcrow from the anime Starzinger. All three are most likely either shrunken copies of the die-cast toys that Popy/Bandai made or they're possibly recasts of some small eraser type toys of those ships. Either way, they're definitely knock-offs of Japanese toys.

**Kid_Kyoto**

Very cool!

#1 and #4 (curvey one with with prominent engines on wings and the one with the mandibles) are both from Silent Death.

So yeah, it's clearly some enterprising soul getting a hold of any molds he can and cranking them out.

While I was looking for info I found what looked like a bubble gum machine display of some of these ships from the 70s. But I didn't save it so now I can't find it.

**Nevelon**

Now I really want to play a game of Silent Death. One of the best fighter games ever.

Thanks Dakka!

Edit:

And for those wondering about what the ships are in SD:
From the top left
Teal Hawk
Spirit Rider
Talon
--
Lance Electra
Salamander
Pit Viper
--
Thunderbird (my favorite light fighter)
Hellbender
--
Blizzard
Night Hawk (fear the splatguns!)

**Dez**

I swear I had some of these as a kid, not sure from where. Maybe it was a gumball machine?

**Kid_Kyoto**

And just to round this out if you're looking for cheap and different Capital Ships.

http://www.mondayknight.com/Miniature%20Pages/GalacticKnights/GalacticKnightsShips.htm

Galactic Knights is apparently the latest incarantion of a 70s era space ship fleet game originally called Star Fleet Wars (a name which is about one sylable from a lawsuit).

Trying to decide which of these 2 looks better with my Space Fleet models...

$3 for the little dudes but only goes up to $20 for the 'Super Galactic Dreadnaughts.

Pretty impress en mass.

http://supergalacticdreadnought.blogspot.com/search/label/Starfleet%20Wars

And if you're looking for cap ships that are a bit more 'familiar'...

http://studiobergstrom.com/

1" starships for $1.25

Bigger ones for around $5~$15

**Sinful Hero**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:

Spoiler:

I can't help but think of a flying pizza buffet.

**Kid_Kyoto**

So how about the dirt cheap Em4 mecha

http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/Science_Fiction.html

And a thousand of these guys

And Kill Krazy's find

And you've got the Earth Mecha force vs alien invaders in downtown Tokyo!

For about $20 before shipping...

**Kid_Kyoto**

More detailed shots on the 144 set from the manufacturer's site.

http://www.rinovelty.com/ProductDetail/SLSPAC2_PLASTIC-SPACE-SHIPS

They seem to have more detail than the other shots imply.

**PsychoticStorm**

Honestly they cry for a game to be made for them.

**Kid_Kyoto**

Eilif wrote:
Just received the spaceships from Amazon.

Thanks, would you mind posting pictures of the varieties you got?

I'm brainstorming a quick a easy space game and would like to know what I have to play with.

**Eilif**

Just received the spaceships from Amazon.

From another post.

The ships in the multicolored 144 are hard plastic They're not quite as high quality casts as the EM4/SilentDeath spacehips (some of which they are copies of), but they're more than suitable. I particularly like the dual engined slightly rectangular ship which looks pretty cool and the flying saucer which I will be using to greeble some of my 28mm buildings. Most of the sculpts are usefull, but there is an open-topped airspeeder that is kind of weak
http://www.amazon.com/Pack-144-Space-Ships-Assortment/dp/B004N6V4KC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1462398433&sr=8-9&keywords=spaceships
Verdict: Highly Recommended. When painted these would definitely serve well as wargaming models. I haven't tried yet, but their hard plastic is could probalby be cut and glued for custom ships.

The pack of 72 Bronze, silver and blue ships are a bit smaller, but roughly compatible. They are soft, somewhat bendable plastic and a bit more 1950s'ish, but there's a couple of varieties in there that I really like that would look good painted up.
http://www.amazon.com/US-Toy-Cruisers-Vehicle-Assorted/dp/B00362MR1E/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1462398433&sr=8-4&keywords=spaceships
Verdict: Somewhat Recommended with sever reservations. They're a bit bendy and probably can't be easily converted or glued, but if you want some retro-looking game models, they could serve. I tried to paint some with spray paint and they became permanently sticky. You're pretty much limited to acrylic brush-on primer with these guys.

One other point. The 144 are probably a bit large, but the ships in the 72 pack are almost small enough to serve as board game pieces. However, if you want to go that way then the Buck Rogers ships from American Science are probably a better bet.

They're hardly expensive, but if anyone is potentially interested in these and willing to cover shipping I'll send them some samples.

I should have paid more attention to this thread. If I had I wouldn't have bought the 72.

As for the Amazon spaceships, the sculpts are just like the ones in the pics you posted 2 days ago though a bit more variance in casting quality. Not bad, but they're not as good as the Silent Death ships from EM4. I suspect the ones in the pictures are the best examples they had.

The colors are a bit more varied. I've got Red, orange, yellow, green, sky blue, pink. Also, just a couple darker blue.

I haven't tried gluing any, but I primed some with white spray and they came out good. I'm not sure what I'm going to use them for, but the primed ones just became my 5 year old son's first (half) painted miniatures!

**Kid_Kyoto**

Thanks, I can't wait for mine to arrive.

Still don't know what I will do with, what is it, 1700?!? Buck Rogers ships but hey...

Mabye I can kitbash the Rinco ones into Ork ships for BFG and have an oppfor to my Space Fleet ships.

**Eilif**

1700!!!!
You've certainly got ambition!

**Kid_Kyoto**

I just ordered one of each, not my fault they come in lots of a couple 100 each...

**Eilif**

I see.
I didn't realize that. At their brick and mortar store they sell them by the individual bag rather than by 10 bags. Maybe I should go down and get some more gun pods...

Looks like the Buck rogers character figs are sold out, but that's no biggies since they were pretty weak. I've got some here and they'll also probably be painting fodder for my kid.

**Kid_Kyoto**

Apparently they also used ot have a stock of fantasy figures from an old TSR board game but I can find them.

**Eilif**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Apparently they also used ot have a stock of fantasy figures from an old TSR board game but I can find them.

Yep, they used to have plastic 28mm'ish figs from the "Dragon Strike" game. There were quite a few different sculpts made for the game, but I only only ever recall seeing the teal and grey ones which were all bad guys. I sold mine a while back shortly before I decided to go with Battlemasters Chaos warriors as the core of my KoW army, but I might still have 4 of the stone Golems.

I think they sold out years ago and it looks like the only folks offering them now are resellers on ebay charging 10 times as much. Still, It might be worth calling both store locations and seeing if they have any on the shelves that they'd be willing to ship you. IIRC, they were only around 35 cents each or less. They weren't great figs, but weren't too far behind the ex-grenadier EM4 Fantasy plastics.