Tuesday 10 January 2017

Space Craft and Pilots

At the back end of last year, I was lucky enough to win a converted land pilot courtesy of Scotia Grendel. The model was a very nice conversion by Elton Waters of an Urban War figure.
 
I painted her up as a pilot or crew member for my Orange Star Line corporate faction, with the orange and blue colour scheme.
 


 
 
The figure itself was heavily converted from the original land pilot:
 
 
Elton removed the shoulder pads and forage cap, and added a bandana, scarf, and resculpted the trousers. I made one small addition, by putting a little insignia badge on her left arm.
 


Thanks very much to Scotia Grendel for the figure!

Of course, I keep on talking about the Orange Star Line as an interstellar trading corporation, but I hadn't yet provided them with any transport. That's all now changed as I've painted up the shuttle Lysa for their use.



The Lysa is one of thousands of stubby CMT 'Comet' class shuttles. These blocky and robust workhorses perform dozens of flights across the Orange Star shipping lanes - between hauliers, transporting crew to dock leave, as well as small shipments of goods.



Most Orange Star Line shuttles are easily identified by their striking orange and blue livery and prominent corporate badge.


 
 
I made the Lysa by adapting a pre-release prototype kit of the MK I Cobra L.A.S by Nexus Miniatures. The Cobra had been sitting for about 18 months without me working out what to do with it - I liked its size, but not the retro 1960s stylings. My solution in the end was to turn it upside down and back to front. The blunt engine housing became my new cockpit, and I added turbines to the cockpit to make a new engine section. I also cut down the rear landing gear mechanism to account for a change in height.
 

Nexus Miniatures MK I Cobra LAS.
 
 
Pilot Scotia blasts away as the servitors load the Lysa under fire from local crime scum.
 

22 comments:

  1. Both awesome additions to your very own setting, I'm especially fond of that Lysa... ^^

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    1. Me too! Yet again I painted something then waved it around the room saying "Whoosh!"

      Perhaps we can have a game with Lysa as the objective / escape point?

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  2. Nice, didn't know Elton was King work for Scotia Grendel!

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    1. I don't know if he is, but I guess he's doing something with them :)

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    2. hello all yes i work for scotia grendel now in house sculpting and i am the trade sales guy ---- thank you for the kind words and look our for the next lottery where ever it goes

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  3. Great work! I have that Urban War figure somewhere... this is perhaps some inspiration to actually use it! Nice work on the shuttle too, always handy for a gaming table.

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    1. Shuttles are always useful. I've been meaning to paint one for ages!

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  4. Very much prefer your version of the pilot. Fed up of seeing so much bare skin on female minis.She looks like she'd actually work on a loading dock, supervising servitors without getting cat-called at due to unbelievable and/or impractical sexualisation of her work uniform.

    Wonderful work throughout. I really like how very functional that transport looks. Man, your games must be so fun to play in with all the cool models and scenery you own.

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    1. I agree - I like my miniature women to be functionally and practically dressed too.

      I still need to get some decent boards made to put all the terrain on ;)

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  5. Cracking job Jon - that shuttle is cool, and pilot Scotia rocks! Love this setting :-)

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    1. Thanks Alex! It's funny, but the Orange Star Line have gone from being background figures to my largest faction, with a dozen figures, terrain and a transport ;)

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  6. Great conversion of the figure, which as mentioned by Dai is an excellent modification from too much bare skin to professional. Or from "professional" to professional if you will.

    The shuttle is quite nice too, now it just needs a few more grubby beat up hunks of junk as mates.

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    1. You're right, it's funny how the feel of the figure has been altered with a relatively minor change.

      More shuttles you say? I'll see what I can do ;)

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  7. She's holding her gun on its side proper gangster styleeee!

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    1. Yeah. She's Boss. Or some suitable gangsta speak :)

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  8. Man, your work is brilliant. Both pilot and ship are lovely!

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  9. I think I like the pilot even better after the conversions than before, and it was a nice miniature to begin with. And you already know I like the shuttle. Glorious stuff! I look forward to seeing many adventures involving the Orange Star crew.

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    1. I'm with you - the converted version is more down to earth I think.

      The Orange Star crew are going to be pretty ubiquitous across this particular sector I think ;)

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  10. Nice work Axiom.

    Shuttles and crew are a staple of sci-fi skirmish. Im sure that those two will get lots of use.

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    1. Thanks cheetor. I've had countless occasions where I've wished for a shuttle. I plan to use them as much as I can.

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  11. Great job on both the figurine and vehicle. Love your take on the pilot. I felt the whites were a good choice (despite being a neutral colour) and helped bring out the other colours.

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