Got my Ground Zero Games stuff in and slapped some superglue on them to get an idea of what my Starport science teams are going to look like. I went with a single pack of eight vac-suited humans and another pack of six 'motion picture' robot helpers. And a couple of APC thingies.
I love the robot helpers pack, I forget what it is really called, but you have some classics in there; the ubiquitous astromech droid, the 'bots from Silent Running, and a Wal-E model. The science teams will be split into two groups of four each, and have one of each type of droid per group. Obviously the Phalanx APCs will house one team each.
Which brings us to the Phalanx APC itself. What a love/hate relationship I have for this model. On the one hand it looks great, it screams 'science rover' to me and works perfectly in this role. It's big and has a neat overall design, not unlike the Mako from Mass Effect. On the other hand this is a technical nightmare of a model and it doesn't seem very thought out in the construction department. The top and bottom halves are just heavy hunks of metal you slap together with epoxy, superglue won't cut it. There are zero tabs, nooks, seems, or connections between the top and bottom halves, just two smooth sided hunks of metal sliding around. After you do your best to guess how they should line up, and hope the bond holds, you have to assemble the wheels, axle by axle, hubcap by hubcap. Getting the axles to line up with one another underneath the chassis was a nightmare as well. Overall I love the design, hate the parts.
Well there you go, a couple of Starport Science Teams now officially in the queue.
'Stick' with it Mik-the models are worth it in the end! As you say, they look great when assembled. Looking forward to seeing the paint job.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gunrunner, the pieces are all falling into place!
DeleteReally like the APC's
ReplyDeleteThey're very cool, still dwarfed by the massive Khurasan APC's, but still cool.
DeleteGreat use of the vehicles as science vehicles.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest using one of the turrets that came with the vehicles as a remote camera and using one of the small satellite dishes from GZG's building fittings on the other mount.
-Eli
They just screamed 'science team' to me. Great idea on the fiddly bits too, I'll be doing something along those lines.
DeleteScience team is the best team. They get into the most trouble but also have the greatest chance of solving problems.
ReplyDeleteI think that's why I like Stargate Atlantis so much, sure the gun guys see a lot of action, but the science guys are stuck in the middle of it and prevail too.
DeleteYup, that APC really works well as a Science Transport. Great mini selection for a really choesive team look.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lead Legion, I wish the helper 'bots were a wee but smaller, but oh well.
DeleteSome of my favourite 15mm infantry combined with one of my favourite 15mm vehicles! Excellent choice, sir. :)
ReplyDeleteI do feel your pain regarding assembling the Phalanx though, and I've only done one of the buggers! I really should expand my explorers. It's a great theme!
Any thoughts on colour scheme?
Thanks Martin, as for a colour scheme I was thinking of copying you! Especially considering you inspired me to do this wing of the projec to begin with, haha.
DeleteWell, feel free to copy away my friend. Glad my minis could serve as inspiration. :)
DeleteImitation is the sincerest form of flattery or some such!
DeleteIt's such a shame they don't do the 25mm variant of that APC anymore i love it's shape.
ReplyDeleteA small NBC type mechanical sampling arm wouldn't go amiss as extra detailing when you add your "fiddly bits" :)
All the best.
Actually, Demonscape has picked up all the old 25mm GZG stuff. Look at the bottom of the page here for the Phalanx: http://daemonscape.com/contents/en-uk/d5_03.html
Delete:)
Toast and Tea for everyone on Me!!... ahem... i mean, that's interesting thank you for the information.
DeleteOoh! 25mm Paladin!
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