A preview of one piece of an upcoming, multi-unit and across eras project!
Be sure to check out the last Alpha Strike multi-era build at www.capneds.weebly.com!
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Welcome to Mod Monday! One of the best ways to make your force stand apart from the rank and file and attract new players to the table is with creative and unique game pieces. While Battletech and Alpha Strike aren't WYSIWYG (wee-see-wig, "What you see is what you get") like other games, modifications, reposes, and creative construction enhance the gaming experience. In Mod Mondays, we look at cool modifications and tutorials to build dynamic and different models. For this initial post, I'm sharing some of my favorite bitz that I keep stocked in the box. These are my go-to for their flexibility with sizes, aesthetics, and ease of use. We'll look at common pieces, their use, and finally how to order these from Iron Wind Metals. Missile Bitz
Not Pictured Primitive Thunderbolt Missile Pod (from IWM 20-5076 Thunderbolt TDR-1C) Thunderbolt TDR-10M Missile Pod (from IWM 20-5032 Thunderbolt TDR-10M) Primitive Griffin Missile Pod (from IWM BT-346 Griffin GRF-1A) Reseen Griffin Missile Pod (IWM 20-200 D Griffin Gun/Missile Pod) Primitive Shadow Hawk Missile Pod (from IWM CE-001 Shadow Hawk SHD-1R) Missile pod upgrades and modifications are one of the easiest to make. Whether it's customizing your merc company's fire support lance or adding a bit of lrmageddon from MWO to your table top, these long-range death-dealers and short-range cris-seekers make for interesting modifications. Missile boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes to meet your individual needs. The Viking missile boxes, for example, are a great addition to make a long-range, indirect fire beast variant of the Legacy, like this example from Camospecs Online artist, DAK, or this up-gunned Jagermech by B1BFlyer. Cannons, PPCs, Etc.
Other Useful Bitz
One modification sitting on my workbench to be completed is upgrading a standard Kintaro to the jump-capable KTO-K. By adding the jump jets from a reseen Ostscout onto the back of the Kintaro, you have a quick switch to make a dangerous C3 spotter. If you're into using magnets to make easily-changable variants, you can have two mods for one model by magnetizing the jump jets and the miniature. Although it makes the miniature a magnet for incoming fire, adding pitz and pieces to show a C3 Master piece is one of my favorite mods. This is also one of the most challenging--how do you show on the outside of a piece equipment mounted on the inside? One of the easiest methods to do this is add extra antenna or a satellite dish from the Crab or Mobile HQ models. If you're wanting a more robust bit, then use the top turret from an Owens to represent the computer suite. Being harassed by lrmageddon from the first bitz picture? Then strip a handfull of Fenrir turrets to use for antimissile systems! These little bitz are just the right size to mount on nearly any miniature to swat down incoming fire! This piece by Master Gunz is a great example of using these turrets as AMS and other added pieces to make a dynamic, interesting, and unique piece (I know, it's Jade Falcon, but otherwise, it's an awesome model). Ordering Bitz from Iron Wind MetalsMost of the bitz here, and many others, are available directly from the Scrapyard at Iron Wind Metals online store. If you're a clan player and want to make sure that your Thor Prime and your Thor D are clearly different, the use the Onmi Mech Parts page to order variant pieces to make nearly all of the 3050 omnis. If you love omnis and Jerone Blake and his writings, and think that the rest of the Inner Sphere needs to love Blake or suffer their transgressions in nuclear fire, then be sure to outfight your rightesous army with Word of Blake Omni Mech Parts. There is also a small selection of very special variant parts for the Koschi and Hammerhands located in the Mech Variant Parts section. If you can't find the part you're looking for, use the Iron Wind Metals Contact Us page to ask, very nicely if they can spin it up for you. This is a great company, and they are always happy to work with Battletech fans and the community. With the infinite possibilities of customizations, salvage, and field repair in both Battletech and Alpha Strike, you'll never be without an opportunity to build unique, new, and interesting models. Want to see more great modifications, reposes, and custom work? Check out Camospecs Online for amazing work!
Have your own go-to bitz, favorite pieces, or boss mods? Share them below in the comments! Welcome to the first in the Long Live! series. This series is designed to help players design multi-era lances for use with Battletech and Alpha Strike. Each entry will attempt to build a functional lance with faction-flavor for the Succession Wars, Clan Invasion, FedCom Civil War, and Word of Blake Jihad. In some cases, an entry will have substitute options to add some variety. If you have your own substitutions or suggestions, post them below in the comments! objectiveBuild a DCMS lance that can be played across eras, from the Succession Wars through the Jihad. Restrictions (completely arbitrary)
ModelsClick the image to purchase these models from Ironwind Metals! (Miniatures supplied unassembled and unpainted.) backgroundThis lance was inspired by a unit that I used in Northwind Highlander colors while playtesting the rules that eventually became Alpha Strike with Charlie Tango and Savage Coyote. I designed the original lance to be a relatively mobile, heavy/assault lance designed to take a beating and outlast the opposition. Consisting of a Highlander HGN-732, Victor VTR-9K, Gallowglas GAL-1GLS, and Thunderbolt TDR-7SE, the green-colored, plaid covered, bagpipe whaling zombies did a bonnie job of just that. The game took place in a relatively open space, with a small city or campus like area in the center. Throughout the game, I discovered that the maneuverability of the jump-capable 'Mechs put me in a favorable position and the ability to attack at all ranges allowed for a fluid, adaptability to the changing table. This was a great lance--I lasted to the end not because of my playing ability, but the lance's playability. Early Succession Wars (154-174 PV)In order to qualify for a Fast Assault Lance (Alpha Strike Companion, p. 153), and with the units available to the DCMS in the Early Succession Wars, I had to choose either a unit with one juggernaut or a unit with two snipers. I chose the two snipers option for (funny enough) two reasons. First, the juggernaut model of the Crockett, CRK-5003-0, has significantly less damage potential (3/3/0 v. 4/4/3). Second, because the inspiration lance had a Highlander amongst its ranks, it was necessary to have the Highlander HGN-732 as an option. With three sniper options, this lance could easily substitute as a Fire Lance instead (Alpha Strike Companion, p. 154). The high PV of this lance will make adding perks and adjusting pilot skills a challenge. It does, however, serve its intended purpose: a big, jump-capable wall of zombie 'Mech metal. Late Succession Wars - Lostech (152 PV)The LosTech era iteration of this unit sees the loss of the Crockett and replacement of the Highlander with a downgraded model. Replacing the Highlander HGN-732 with the Highlander HGN-733 loses some of unit's overall punch (3/4/4 and IF2 reduced to 3/3/2 and IF1). This isn't too much of a concern--infact, it sits well with the Succession Wars LosTech fluff. What's more, this change saves the unit 4 PV and fulfills the requirement for a juggernaut in the Fast Assault lance. These changes prevent this lance from switching between Fast Assault and Fire Support lances. With the diverse unit roles this era adds, however, it can now become either a Fast Assault or a Command Lance (Alpha Strike Companion, p. 155) if a Striker makes its way into the mix. Surprisingly, the LosTech era doesn't damage the original design of this lance significantly. It remains a survivable, mobile unit. Late Succession Wars - Renaissance (146-159 PV)The Succession Wars - Renaissance allows for the cheapest PV option in this lance. In this era, the Crockett returns as the Katana CRK-5003-2. The two points less armor and 0/-1/-2 points difference in damage brackets sacrificed in the conversion save this unit 8 PV. The Katana remains a respectable foe. Coupled with the return of the Highlander HGN-732, the combinations of this lance are formidable. The ultimate unit choices depend on the role this lance will play: Fast Assault or Fire Support (or Command with a Striker). With these options, however, this era provides the most flexibility of roles for this unit to fulfill--perfect for the War of 3039! Clan Invasion through FedCom Civil War (169 PV)The Clan Invasion and FedCom Civil War create a lance that seems a bit different from the predecessors in both form and function. To keep the multi-era functionality with as few models as possible and to keep preserve the inspiration of the unit, this iteration continues to emphasize survivability and mobility. This era witnesses the retirement and replacement of the Shadow Hawk SHD-2K with the Kintaro KTO-K. This iconic Kurita 'Mech is both strikingly ugly and a hard-hitter. Because the previous era's models lacked jump jets these did not qualify for addition in the earlier builds. The Kintaro KTO-K, however, fulfills that need and brings with it a helluva punch (4/4/0). What's more, the addition of C3 demands a capable, mobile, and survivable spotter. (While there are some i would gladly take over this one, the Kintaro has a wider range of era-playability.) The DCMS is one of the first factions to implement C3. Even though it inflates PV, it provides numerous benefits to improve to-hit numbers. With the addition of C3, and the move into this era, allows the Shadow Hawk to swap out for another iconic Kurita unit: the Kintaro. Strikingly ugly but a hard-hitter, I avoided putting the prvious era's models in the lance because of the lack of jump jets. The Kintaro KTO-K, however, fulfills that need and brings with it a helluva punch (4/4/0). It does lack the long range attack of the Shadow Hawk, but both the Victor VTR-C and the Grasshopper GHR-C have long range attacks that their previous models lacked. Comparatively between the three (SHD-2K, VTR-9B, and GHR-5H v. KTO-K, VTR-C, and GHR-C), the damage brackets rise from 8/10/2 to 11/11/3. With the combined-fire nature of C3, this is a substantial gain! Even with the usual PV inflation of C3, this lance remains less costly than its Early Succession War counterpart full of LosTech (though not by much). To maintain the C3 network, the Katana upgrades to a Katana CRK-5003-CM. The performance of the units is negligably different; the CRK-5003-CM loses one point of short range attack to gain the C3M ability. It is slightly more expensive than the CRK-5003-2, but well worth the investment for the C3 network. What's more, if playing with MHQ rules, this unit has an MHQ rating of eight. Unfortunately, this lance looses some of the role flexibility of previous eras. This unit will find it hard pressed to fulfill any roles beyond Fast Assault. Jihad through Early Republic (160-178 PV)...I may have broken the swap restriction here, but, I mean, look at the era! In tune with the eras of play, this lance carries more than a touch of munch. C3, improved jump jets, and experimental tech, this unit exemplifies the idea of a mobile assault lance. To maintain the C3 network requires the carryover of the Katana CRK-5003-CM. To make things interesting, the lance can take the Katana CRK-5003-CJ. Because these are two different versions of the same 'Mech, it won't cost any FP (faction points) as a duplicate unit! The performance of this unit is akin to that of the Highlander HGN-732. Making this switch is like adding a HGN-732 with improved jump jets and C3--a tough and highly mobile unit that can deal respectable damage. In can act as an anchor for the unit, a body guard for the C3M, or a Gojira-sized C3 spotter in a pinch. The Shadow Hawk makes a return as the Shadow Hawk SHD-3K. An classic chasis style with upgraded weapons, this machine is a slightly up-gunned versin of the SHD-2K. The damage brackets improve to 2/3/2 from 1/2/2 and the movement moves to 10"j from 10"/6"j, gaining 4" to make that nice, rounded, and complete 10" jump (instead of the bizarre fraction). With all this and a bag of C3 chips, this sniper returns to be able to maneuver and harass enemy units better than before. Like the Clan Invasion and FedCom Civil War units, this lance also benefits from MHQ8. What's more, with the diverse unit role options, this lance would be a great option to assume the Command Lance formation and really put the MHQ to good use with an appropriate Striker unit. If nothing else, it can maintain its inspiration's role as a Fast Assault lance. Long Live the Dragon!With only six models, this lance can span seven eras that comprise some of the most pivitol events in Battletech fiction. Throughout that span, it retains many of the same defining characteristics: mobility through, jump capability and survivability with no fewer than five points of armor per unit. These qualities, and the low number of models required, make it an ideal lance for new players. Sure, not all of the models his as hard as other 'Mechs that come in and out of the timeline, but this unit will allow players to field a force throughout the major eras of play. Notes
HAVE YOUR OWN MULTI-ERA LANCE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE OR SWAPS TO THIS ONE YOU'D MAKE? SHARE THEM IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!
The list of artists who set the tone of the Battletech universe is relatively short. There are only a scant few pieces that we see and see again, across websites, blogs, and publications. These works inspired countless artists and players across the globe. On many occasions, these pieces both inspire and frustrate me, jumping from "I want to be like that" to "!@#! IT! I'M DONE!" When it comes to many of the most iconic images of Battletech created in the last decade, the artist of note is Adrian Gideon. Whether miniatures or illustrations, his work has been features across the gamut of publications ranging from the Battletech Boxed Set releases, to Total Warfare and Alpha Strike. Adrian Gideon's style is characterized by rich contrast, bold colors, and dynamic, evocative poses. Renowned for his jeweling and reflective cockpits, each piece is carefully constructed with highlights and spot colors that compliment and "pop" with the rest of the piece. Whether it is his rich blues and reds or his hallmark black, his pieces always demonstrate rich variation of color without showing where the mixing or transition occurs. Whether a still and imposing Battlemaster or a leaping Mad Cat, each piece Adrian Gideon creates tells a story; each miniature construct a tiny narrative of the Battletech universe in itself. Though his portfolio contains models and schemes from across the Battletech universe, he has a clear favorite faction. Long-time followers of his work will likely be unsurprised to learn that Adrian Gideon's preferred schemes hail from the Federated Suns. Many of his most viewed and frequently published pieces bear the colors of the Davion Bridage of Guards or Crucis Lancers as well as their FedCom Civil War allies, the 10th Lyran Guard. His preference for AFFS-aligned models is apparent in his collected works as well, with many--even in other faction schemes--using the blues and greens of the Federated Suns. When asked what his favorite miniature is, he replied: Marauder MAD-3R. "The unseen or the classic?" you may ask. His favorite is in fact, both the unseen and the classic redesign by Anthony Scroggins. "It stood out of 3025 as something alien and predatory like a shark, and its name perfectly matched," said the artist. More than his artistic contributions, Adrian Gideon has worked tirelessly to ensure that the production of quality miniature art of the Battletech universe continues. As the stable master of the Catalyst Game Labs Camospecs painters, Adrian Gideon has worked uncountable hours behind the scenes to coordinate this team of volunteer artists to produce amazing content for publications, websites, dioramas, and events. The success of Battletech miniatures in product and art would not be what it is today without the immense contributions of Adrian Gideon. Below is a selection of the outstanding work produced by Adrian Gideon over the last decade. These works range from diorama's to publications and contests. More than any other artist, he has set the bar in our world and brought the Battletech universe to life. These are not just miniatures--these are in the truest sense of the phrase game pieces elevated to art. In that, Adrian Gideon achieved one of his major goals--to turn "unpainted minis [that were] pretty ugly that way" into things "at the top end, treated as works of art," (Adrian Gideon on why he began painting Battletech miniatures, December 2016). Pre-final Shadow Hawk. Most of the techniques used here are the same as on the Primitive Griffin. You'll notice the decals have been weathered with chipped paint an sepia wash as well.
Don't forget to check out my Instagram for more work: the_artist_known_as_capn_ed Enjoy! Catalyst Game Labs relaunched their web store. Formerly BattleShop, the new Catalyst Game Labs Store has everything you could ever want from the company that brings you great titles like Battletech and Shadow Run!
TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH, MANY PRODUCTS ARE ON SALE! DEAD-TREE BOOKS, PDFs, FICTION, SOURCE BOOKS, LANCE PACKS, AND MORE! My favorite is easily the Alpha Strike core rules, compendium, and lance packs for nearly 30% off! Order the books in .pdf to download to your mobile device--never be caught without the latest rules again! For this piece, I wanted a primitive -K mod. You may notice from the previous post that it still had the medium laser on the right arm--so that was amputated. The LRM-5 was added to the torso with careful drilling. To model the PPC, I carefully removed the muzzle break from a Black Knight (IWM 20-774). From there, I airbrushed black primer followed by dark brown. On top of this, I added two layers of chipping and wear fluid. Like the Primitive Griffin, this piece will have a worn look. Wanting to to make this an homage to the early days of Battletech, I decided on Night Stalker colors to match the Dougram Boxfacer colors. The airbrush scheme was: 1) Black re-prime 2) Grey at 45* 3) White at 0* 4) Blue glaze After this stage, I gently scrubbed away the layers with water and a toothbrush to reveal the brown under the chipping fluid. With the chips made, I added a few red highlights and touched up a few grey and blue spots.
To add to the rust effect, I sponged burnt sienna and bright orange onto the exposed brown. The final step to the rust effect was to wash sepia and bright orange on the rust. To give it a faded, streaked look, I pulled the fluid down with a dry brush. Don't forget to find my work on Instagram (some even before they receive a write-up here!): the_artist_known_as_capn_ed Also, be sure to join Battletech Painting and Customs on Facebook to see the work of many talented artists! This is an old project--started about a year ago this November and not finished until recently.
When the Primitive SHD-1R Shadow Hawk (IWM CE-001) came out with the Bounty Hunter lance packs (IWM 10-051) around 2011 I was instantly a fan of the primitive concept. (Catalyst and IWM did a much better job with this than Lucas Film and The Episode About Which We Don't Speak.) The SHD-1R debuted in 2467 as a Terran Hegemony unit. It made a reappearance in the Jihad and Early Republic with the Capellan Confederation, Free Worlds League, Magistry of Canopus, and Mercenary factions (in the Early Republic, it also appeared on the Marian Hegemony ToE). Another primitive Sniper, the SHD-1R carries a single AC/5 and medium laser. Like the other primitives, it is slower than later-tech variants and carrier less armor. As an unboxed miniature, it is great. With a solid build and few pieces this is an easy to work with model. The joints fit well--maybe with a little adjustment on the shoulder pegs to help it fit to your aesthetic. The pose is dynamic and action-oriented. The right arm is a little static, but if you pose the model as if it is firing the medium laser, it isn't an off-putting static pose. Scale wise, it is about the same size as the Unseen Shadow Hawk, and about as massive--maybe a bit bigger. As an added benefit it has a small sprue of spare parts like a missile pod and AC. Excellent pieces to add to your supply of parts! If you're making a -K model and cut off the arm-mounted medium laser, you get a bonus bit! Pros--great miniature, easy to clean, and with few parts resilient. Small spruce of missile and AC parts for the bitz box, too. Cons--none overt. It may be challenging to cut and repose if you're a modder. Otherwise, This is a great piece and set the standard of the Primitives! One of the most frustrating things I've come across in miniature painting is photographing work. In Camospecs one of the most common faults that killed new artist submissions was photo quality. Blurry, unfocused, poorly lit, or sundry other complicating factors got in the way. Phone cameras aren't any better. Despite the increasing quality of images and easy access to these cameras, phones remain a challenging tool to catch quality miniature photos--until now. My SUPER AWESOME WIFE got me an early Christmas present from Evileyelens: the Apexel Mobile Phone Camera Lens set! (Isn't she awesome?!) In the kit you get (1) a small, expandable tripod suitable for table-top photography, (2) a mounting bracket to hold your device (and can be removed and used with other tripods), (3) two clips to hold the lenses on your phone, (4-6) a zoomable lens, a fisheye lens, and A MACRO LENSE, and finally (7) a soft carrying bag. Out of the box, this is an easy to use kit. Intuitive in design, the clips and lenses fit together easily. It took longer to walk to the mailbox than to setup. Though there are a lot of cool accessories, the most important for miniature painting are the phone mount and macro lens. Just look at the difference adding the lense makes! With the IPhone's own point and focus technology, you can get great pictures but they often don't capture the entire miniature. Usually, you can get a lot of detail of one small section, but the rest of the piece is out of focus. Adding the lens, you get a much better macro photograph. More of the miniature with more detail come out while still blurring the background. Mounting your phone on a tripod increases the clarity of the image. No matter how much you brace yourself, the tiny movements of your body blur photos at this tiny scale. With the tripod, your device is stable and free from shakycam! To take photos, add your headphones and click! Just like a selfie stick! If all you need is the macro lens and clip, you can find these (with the fisheye lens) on Amazon.com for $11.99. If you're serious about miniature photography and don't want to invest in a new camera, this kit is a must! There are lots of great photography tutorials on Camospecs.com--be sure to check them out!
With the painting legend's permission, Dave "Hauptmann" Fanjoy's website www.heavygauss.com is now listed on the links page.
Before Camospecs, Fanjoy was one of the early notable painters and electronic publishers of Battletech minis. Pieces like this Cerberus from 2003 were some of my earliest inspirations to get into miniature painting. I remember spending hours at work during university years studying the images on his website. Though it may not be readily visible in my current work, his style is an important influence in my aesthetic. It's also worth noting that he is one of if not the first airbrush artists of Battletech minis. Be sure to check out his page, www.heavygauss.com! |
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