Rescued Traveller Spacers

Remember I mentioned my old Citadel 15mm Traveller minis? This is a closeup of some of the 'rescued' spacesuits. They were scuffed, grimy and generally a bit poor to behold. Here they are 'rescued' by a wash of Windor and Newton Peat ink (Thank you Craig!).

Citadel 15mm Traveller Minis circa 1979

They haven't come up too bad have they? All the scuffs and scrapes have disappeared. OK, not pretty, but I don't like pretty when it comes to painting miniatures. Peat ink has also toned down the orange to a more Mars / 'dirt planet' colouration. Popping them onto a base makes all the difference - a colourful badge, a stripe, some ground cover and we have a tasty little unit. Seeing them like thhis, i really can't be arsed to highlight - they work for me.

I found some guys with toolboxes etc - and a couple of characters with pistols (huzzah!) - that's the Pulp side sorted. I also have another 20 or so armed, some painted, some (RAFM production) not and could quickly turn out a combat platoon in no time. No support weapons, but if I get some additional Rebel Minis' Earth Force Marine heavies and paint them orange - no one will mind (wink).

Perfect for taking on hordes of Master Chefs new Llhurggs.

Cheers

Mark

 

Orange Planet: The Arrival

  
The Doctor Who Micro-Universe Sanctuary Base Rocket arrived safely form the Ebay Zone earlier in the week. It's yellow and grey (metal), stands 15cm tall and 5cm wide. Quite cool for a fiver including postage. I can see a couple of these as planetary defence rockets, perhaps on some moon, and they need to be taken out prior to a fullscale planetary assault..... hold that thought.

The arrival of the rocket prompted me to dig out some spacesuited 1979 era ex-Citadel Traveller miniatures  figures from the original box sets. They're painted orange and very much showing their age. However, all was not lost. With a heavy wash of Windsor and Netwon Peat Ink the bluey metal of the originals merged with the ink to look like worn/oily workaday space clothing. I actually really like them in their new grungy form - and you can't see where the original paint job had worn off. 30 blah years on they remain a fitting tribute to the Traveller games I ran in the 6th Form common room.

 VBCW 2036 Morris Dancers

(Citadel 15mm Traveller circa 1979)

However, with Spacejacker's wonderful miniatures inspiring me at every turn, I am probably going to give them a light drybrush with pure orange then pick out some minor detailing (now done). Maybe, just maybe drybrush the helmet yellow. But something pulls at me and says leave 'em be as a tribute to days gone by.

Excluding my Asgard Space Marines, I have a couple of dozen 15mm ex-Citadel Traveller miniatures left from 1979. Funnily, sometime back in the early 2,000's I took them to CLAYMORE in Edinburgh and tried to sell them as a lot on the B&B for £1.50.  Here were the guys who explored the Kinunir, crossed the bright face and then hired themselves out as Mercs on the arrival of Book 4: Mercenary. No-one bit and they came home.

And now they are off on another adventure - to the Orange Planet.

Cheers

Mark

Blue Moon rises over the Orange Planet

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Keeping Pulp Sci Fi firmly in mind, Master Chef has whipped off an order to RAFM which includes a couple of packs of Dracos Warriors for each of us.

RAFM 15mm Sci Fi

Pack RAF07017

The Dracos are ex-Citadel Traveller Droyne. I never really got the Droyne. I don't think it was helped by Traveller Miniatures Box Set 5 Aliens only having 5 Droyne of which 3 had Lasers/blasters when we needed a swarm.  As Dracos they'll make a nice party of Alien scumbags on the Orange Planet.

In return, I'm including 3 packs of  Orion Heavy Infantry for Master Chef in my order to Blue Moon Manufacturing via Old Glory UK.

Blue Moon Manufacturing 15mm Sci Fi

Pack 15ALN-101

He like's Spacejacker's green camo scheme (pictured above). In truth, so do I, but I want to paint the initial bunch aas blue but not-quite Space Marines.though I'll wait till I get the minis before I make a final decision.

From a Pulp perspective there's a lot to recommend the Blue Moon range. The Thawnax Horde become a must for the unwary explorer and the Betelguesans are now likely to be the dastardly Bond villain style bad guys, always up to no good on the Orange Planet....Da, Da, Dahhh!

Cheers

Mark

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To Infinity and Beyond!

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Back in the Dropship cockpit and with 15mm Pulp Sci Fi still firmly in mind, I've just bought one of these Dr Who Micro-Universe Sanctuary Base rockets on Ebay.

The rocket is tres retro and has that classic Sci Fi book cover silhouette which was responsible for transporting our dreams to new worlds and strange planets all those years ago.

I couldn't help but feel this rocket is a must for Pulp Sci Fi gaming. The very name 'rocket' conjures up an exciting future amongst the stars. It's not a 15mm scale craft, that figure next to it in the photo is about 30mm, but that's not important. I see the rocket as representative. It's purpose is to dress the table and act as an objective or entry/departure point more than become a domineering centrepiece.

I guess it means I'm going to have to paint up more figures in silver spacesuits! Definitely time to break out my armed GZG fellas in light Vac Suits. Though I do  like Matakishi's more colourful take on Pulp Sci Fi . I particularly like the multiple basing - ok it has a few limitations - but the hero and female sidekick being based as a pair makes a strong statement in game terms about their inter-relationship and combat power. We think nothing of basing a couple of guys with a support weapon and I've never seen the support weapon crew broken into separate models when the gunner is hit.

Matakishi's concepts of colour and basing would suit various Blue Moon figures and Critical Mass Games' Mercs range. Whilst RAFM's ex-Citadel classic Traveller range would even work as the more blue-collar elements of a Pulp universe.

Anyway, the secret of the Orange Planet awaits, so let's kick the tyres, light the burners, and blast off to interstellar adventure......

Cheers

Mark