Darkest Star Miniatures

It's been over a month since I first placed an order with Darkest Star. My order never arrived and Darby at Darkest Star has been in constant communications to sort the issue, even sending a new package - and this is after the first package had free postage to the UK.

Well, today I received two packages from Darkest Star, so the issue has been with the postal service in either the US or UK.

I need to say that Darkest Star's customer service has been outstanding... and the figures are great as well. I doubt they have made anything, except a loss, on our transaction, but what they have gained is a very happy customer who will be buying more from them.

I'll post comparison pics as soon as I can.

The Gutungi join the Federal Army

The Gutungi are the decentants of the early human colonists of the planet Gutung, a massive, heavy grav world, with an oxygen poor atmosphere. As part of the Augment process pioneered by the infamous Professor Morrow, the Gutungi have been genetically altered to survive on their world. They are shorter, but massively muscular, to survive in the heavy gravity of their homeworld, and with lungs also altered to breath the difficult atmosphere of their planet, they now need sealed armour suits to survive on planets suitable for "normal" humans.

The Gutungi will be joining the Meso-nai, an allied alien race, in the 3/14th Forsey Heavy Infantry Battalion, with support from another alien race, the Pulex, whose combat troopers wear heavy battlesuits, all transported by the Federal Army's Grizzly Transports.

The Gutungi new figures from Micropanzer. Jason has had problems with the casting of these, and it took a while to receive my order, but it was well worth the wait. This is the first trial painted mini, and I'm happy with the results. The red sensor is actually the eye on the mini, with the panel below being part of the armour, but I've painted this as a visor as I feel it fits perfectly with my other Federal troops. Here's how the Gutungi compare with my other Federals...

Left to right these are: Khurasan Federal Army, Critical Mass Arc Rifleman, Micropanzer Gutungi, Khurasan Federal Army, Khurasan Meso-Nai, Oddzial Ozmy NVL Infantry and officer.

I have a few other works-in-progress for my Federal Army. Here's some previews...

TMP 15mm Scifi Miniature Exchange

Recently on TMP there was a 15mm Scifi Miniature Exchange between members. I was teamed up with another Colin... Colin Hagreen from England. The aim was to send either a 5 man unit, or vehicle, in exchange for the same from your counterpart. Colin and myself decided to send both the unit and the vehicle.

Here's what I sent Colin...

All my figures were from 15mm.co.uk's HOT range.
Colin sent me these in exchange...

Colin's figures are from Micropanzer's SAS range. He used a wash method for his painting, which brought out the fantastic detail on these minis - I really need to paint mine at some point. His vehicle was very impressively scratch-built and cast by him, though the turret comes from Old Crow's range.

I think you'll agree his minis are great.

You can see the other exchanges at this TMP thread... http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=281258

Loud Ninja Games - Space Raptors

I've just completed a graphic design project for Eli Arndt to help him launch his Space Raptor range. This included doing a logo for his company, Loud Ninja Games, plus branding for the Chuhuac, the Space Raptors.

Here's what Eli says about his project...
"Loud Ninja Games is a new miniatures company that I decided to start to bring out some amazing ideas that have been trapped in the recesses of my imagination for years. To kick off the company I chose to run with one of my oldest and most dear concepts - science fiction Velociraptor style aliens.
"These "Space Raptors" have been a dream of mine for over a decade now. I had doodled them, thought about them, planned them, even used them in role-playing games and so it only seemed natural that, when I decided to start my own miniatures line, they be the flagship release.
"When it comes down to it, how can you not love the idea of one of prehistory's most efficient and thrilling predators, tricked out with armor, guns, gear and zooming through the cosmos. What is more evocative than the image of armored raptor warriors darting across the battlefield, raining down a hail of energy bolts from their advanced weapons, eventually closing with their enemies to put them under a sickle claw."

Eli has started a Kickstarter for his range, so jump on board and sign up. The more who back this range, the more figures we'll have to play with.

You can sign up at Kickstarter, here...  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/485545784/loud-ninja-games-space-raptors

Federal Reinforcements on the way - works-in-progress

I've been really busy with real world work -  a couple of big graphic design commissions that have taken up a lot of time - so the painting has suffered a little recently. I have managed to make some progress, so here's a quick update.

First of all, I've got my Khurasan Federal Army troops finished off...

These are among my favourite infantry figures on the market. There are some that I still need to get to complete the set - medics, female troopers and heavy weapon mounts etc.

I recently added some of Critical Mass Games Protolene as a non-human unit of the Federal Army and I wanted another few races. The new Meso-Nai from Khurasan fitted the bill perfectly. All I needed was to paint them in the same colour scheme as the Federals and they looked the part... well the one test paint that I've finished, and he's still to get the base finished...

I also picked up a really cheap, and pretty poor Transformer style plastic toy from Poundland (for a £1) that looked like it could have potential. I've pulled it apart, glued it back together minus some parts, and minimal bits and bobs and a fair amount of plasticard and it looks good so far. Some parts don't match up that well, especially the tracks, but I'm sure some added bud and debris should hide that.
I undercoated this in black before taking pics, so it's hard to see the detail. You can still see the horrendous bright yellow plastic it was molded in...

You can see from the Khurasan minis that this is quite a beast of a tank. I'll post more as these progress.

I also picked up some Space Demons from Khurasan. These have been on the want list for a long time and I could resist no more. The mini is actually a bit greener than in the pics. I went for green over the usual black/silver or blue, just to be different, but not sure if I'm happy. I've eleven of these painted and waiting for the bases to be finished. 

Moonside City Fabricants

Forsey owes it's status in the galaxy to it's main moon, which is one of the most resource rich moons outside Federal Space. Forsey's Child is a satellite moon lacking in any breathable atmosphere but still has a population on a similar scale to Forsey itself. It's major city is Moonside, a vast metropolis that is 90% under the surface of the moon. Suffering from massive overpopulation, the lower city is a hive of poverty and deprivation. Conditions are so bad that even the droid and fabricant population is desperate to find a way to escape down to the surface of Forsey, where the life is hard but where oppurtunities to build a life are easier to find.

These fabricants have escaped their corporate bondage and have travelled groundside as stowaways. Knowing they have no sentient rights they will do anything to avoid returning Moonside to a life in the mines or pleasure pits.

These figures are fabricants from The Departments Bladerunner inspired range.

15mm Scifi Figure Comparison Part 5

I've done quite a few figure size comparison posts on here but not for a while, so with a few new figures through the door recently I thought it was time for some new scale pics.

First up is the new range from The Department, which consist of Bladerunner style figures, including some really cool replicants. The figures in this range are mostly of the 18mm/larger sized figures, but the two replicants are closer to the traditional size.

Here they are alongside some other manufacturers miniatures.

These are, from left to right, Critical Mass Arc trooper, Department detective, Laserburn ships crew, Khurasan Control Battalion Riflething, Department fabricant, and Micropanzer SAS.

I also picked up a Halo Micro Ops Falcon gunship, which is supposedly 1/100 scale, so should be perfect for 15mm scifi. The packs include infantry, and I know there was a great deal of excitement that we could see official Halo minis in 15mm. Now I know that the Spartans from Halo are supposed to be a lot taller than a normal human, but these minis are huge, as you can see from the next pic...

These are, from left to right, Khurasan Meso-Nai, Khurasan Riflething, Critical Mass Arc Trooper, and lastly the Spartan figure that comes in the Falcon pack. I may use this as an advanced Augmented human and include it in my army.

Got to get some painting done!!

I never seem to get the time to paint right now so I suppose I need to manage my time better. I've got a great little helicopter to get some paint on, plus I picked up one of the great Halo Micro Ops Falcon gunships. I've also got to base a set of Brigade (UK) human mercenaries that I've painted in red and black. I'm going to call this unit "The Deadpool" after a favourite Marvel mercenary superhero (?).

AND!!!

Just dropped through the letterbox. Khurasans Meso-Nai - these guys are going to be an alien regiment for my Federal Army - plus a pack of the Space Demons. I've held off from buying some of these Aliens for way too long.

So. Time to get the paint moving out of the bottle and onto some lead.

Eastway City Militia Reinforcements

The Imperialist expansion attempts by the Federal forces has forced the DPRG to supply the Eastway Militia with new Python PA-3 Power Armour Suits. Alongside the aged GAK Armoured Personnel Carriers of the 3rd Motorised Rifles, these armoured giants will provide the punch required to throw the capitalist forces first from the territory of Eastway City and then off of Forsey.

Unfortunately not all the Python suits were operable and a shipment of spares has been requisitioned.

Federal Army Samson Medium Tracked Tank

The Federal Army Samson Medium Tracked Tank is armed with a turret mounted medium plasma gun with a coaxial HMG, and autotrack gatling gun on top of the turret.

This tracked vehicle is a move away from the more mobile, wheeled armoured vehicles that the Federal Army has been using on Forsey, but the deployment of these vehicles clearly indicates the fears that the crisis is threatening to escalate to full scale war.

The Samson is one of Khurasans fantastic new models, available here, and comes in tracked and grav versions. They've also released an APC that I'll get at some point as well. Also shown in the Polecat from Khurasan, and the bottom pics have my Stalwart conversions and Ancetoni's Kabardin APC.

15mm Romans Part 3 - Onager and Crew

After a week in Rome I had to get some more of my Roman army painted. To add to the Essex and Corvus Belli miniatures I already had I ordered some more from other companies; Lancaster, Donnington and Freicorps (from QRF).

The Donnington figures are a bit large to match those I already have but their artillery pieces are the best I've seen. Here's an Onager and crew from Donnington. The figures are great, if a little large, but I did find the tunic to be a little short, almost miniskirt length.

These are available from Donnington Miniatures here.