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MechWarrior 1st Edition BattleMaster

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  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Huntington, WV
MechWarrior 1st Edition BattleMaster
Posted by Kugai on Thursday, September 2, 2010 11:30 PM

I've wanted too build this thing ever since I saw the picture in this rulebook many, many years ago.

 

060.jpg the original pic picture by stomper4g

Sorry that's a bit blurry, but the flash bleached out half the page so you couldn't really see much.

The kit:

063.jpg

Here are some progress pics, including the arm sub-assemblies to date and the test-fitted torso sections.

064.jpg sub-assemblies picture by stomper4g

065.jpg

I lost the battery charger for the camera in the resent move, so there are no on-the-sprue pics due to sudden inspiration to get to this asap and lack of patience to wait for the charger.

I'm going to go with the pattern described in the caption, green camo patches on the lower section and silver on the top two-thirds or so, the idea being the feet blend in with most green terrain while the top blends in with the sky under most weather conditions ( and, I guess, the random shade of a forest canopy ) when seen by enemy ground troops or tank crews.

I may also end up adding the little bit of battle damage on the left leg, but since I've already cemented the thighs that might get a bit tricky without something to keep you from seeing the hollow interior.

I'm going through a phase of adding an experiment or two to new projects as I get new tools or materials, often mentioned by you guys to solve problems.  This time I'm pushing the personal kitbuilding envelope by adding some of the plating detail similar to the original art.  I doubt I'll be able to get it exactly like the original, but I figure some panel lines will add some character to the rather bland surfaces as well as make the silver sections more interesting.( so far I've only used scribing tools to restore details lost to sanding on occasion, and to replace all of the raised panel lines on the old BSG Viper kit ) and trying to make my own decals without a printer, since I don't think I have the right equipment or software.

Tips and comments welcome!

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww122/randysmodels/No%20After%20Market%20Build%20Group/Group%20Badge/GBbadge2.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

  • Member since
    July 2010
Posted by Mad-Modeler on Thursday, September 2, 2010 11:41 PM

You lucky son ....

 

I always wanted to build one of those but they are too rare or too expensive for my pocket.

Snow environment for that is correct via Anime was used in conjunction with a 4-legged robot.

Many modelers add cloth coverings to the joints for cold insulation.

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Louisville, KY.
Posted by Cosmic J on Friday, September 3, 2010 5:31 AM

I had that book w/ the picture in it back in the day. Big Smile

I've always wanted to see one of these built. Subscribed.

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by TD4438 on Friday, September 3, 2010 8:39 AM

I'll be watching this one for sure.Along with Talos and Gartan,it's one of the tougher Defenders to get.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Huntington, WV
Posted by Kugai on Saturday, September 4, 2010 1:39 AM

Mad-Modeler

 

Many modelers add cloth coverings to the joints for cold insulation.

That's not a bad idea.  I've been bothered by the look of those shoulder joints in the box pic, but hadn't really thought of anything to do about it.  Even though there's no such covering in any of the art depicting this 'Mech, I'd say that would be a reasonable way to make those joints look less flimsy.

Using real cloth of some sort might be tricky to pull off, especially making it look to scale.  I think one of the Patlabor kits has extra soft vinyl parts for joint sleeves.

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww122/randysmodels/No%20After%20Market%20Build%20Group/Group%20Badge/GBbadge2.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Louisville, KY.
Posted by Cosmic J on Saturday, September 4, 2010 3:10 AM

Kugai

 Mad-Modeler:

 

Many modelers add cloth coverings to the joints for cold insulation.

 

That's not a bad idea.  I've been bothered by the look of those shoulder joints in the box pic, but hadn't really thought of anything to do about it.  Even though there's no such covering in any of the art depicting this 'Mech, I'd say that would be a reasonable way to make those joints look less flimsy.

Using real cloth of some sort might be tricky to pull off, especially making it look to scale.  I think one of the Patlabor kits has extra soft vinyl parts for joint sleeves.

I was thinking something like that - I wondered about adding epoxy joint covers like folks do on MaKs. Maybe it would help to make the stance a little less stiff and give the model a  more natural looking pose when finished.

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: Central IL
Posted by SLW 45 on Sunday, September 5, 2010 9:14 AM

Going to watch this one . Just wish someone would bring the kits backout

At an reasonable price  Smile

                 

  • Member since
    July 2010
Posted by Mad-Modeler on Sunday, September 5, 2010 12:39 PM

For the cloth coverings you could use putty or as some do soak tissue paper in a water/whiteglue mix and wrap that around, will stiffen when dried.

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Orlando, Florida
Posted by ikar01 on Sunday, September 5, 2010 12:47 PM

In the original series the machines wore a giant set of white coveralls similar to what snow troops used in WWII for mountain operations. they covered everything except the weapons and canopy.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Huntington, WV
Posted by Kugai on Sunday, September 5, 2010 3:42 PM

Ikari:

Yeah, I haven't seen the anime but some of the line art I found while looking for pics of what others have done with this kit showed the covers you mentioned.

As for my build, progress has been slow.  I don't have much experience with scribing tools and am taking my time figuring out how to do the irregular plating patterns from the original art, since I'm guessing corrections would be a pain.  I'm beginning to accept there may need to be some compromise in being faithful to that pic.  Any tips on scribing odd edges and on curved surfaces would be appreciated.  I'm quickly finding some limitations to the magic tape approach.

Another thing that makes these mecha kits take time ( at least, the way I've usually built them ) is trying to plot out when to paint what subassemblies before going to the next step of construction.  It's not just cockpit interiors to worry about, as I'm sure many of you know.  There's also balancing out such things as keeping bare plastic from showing on the insides of joints ( like the back of a knee ) when you won't likely be able to fit a paintbrush in at at decent angle after full assembly, then being able to mask off whatever you painted when taking an airbrush or rattle can to it after further assembly is done.

More pics soon once I have some side-by-side comparisons ready.

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww122/randysmodels/No%20After%20Market%20Build%20Group/Group%20Badge/GBbadge2.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: North Carolina
Posted by Gunpla Master on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 6:40 PM

ikar01

In the original series the machines wore a giant set of white coveralls similar to what snow troops used in WWII for mountain operations. they covered everything except the weapons and canopy.

OK, let me picture this, the Mecha wore a white jump suit Surprise. Does he wear a yellow ribbon too!Whistling

And if we build them we have to make little polyester jump suits for them!!!!!!!!!Hmm

No way dude.  My Mecha's are tough and don't need no stinking jump suits!!!!!!!!!!! LOL< LOL< LOL

Just joking with yaClown

/ ]

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Huntington, WV
Posted by Kugai on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 11:50 PM

Gunpla Master

 

 ikar01:

 

In the original series the machines wore a giant set of white coveralls similar to what snow troops used in WWII for mountain operations. they covered everything except the weapons and canopy.

 

OK, let me picture this, the Mecha wore a white jump suit Surprise. Does he wear a yellow ribbon too!Whistling

 

Something like that.  Here's the line art of the original:

 

ht128.jpg bigfoot picture by stomper4g

And the "jumpsuit"

ht128-camoflaugesuit.jpg

As for my project, still thinking about options on the scribing.  Maybe it's rationalizing, but at this point I'm thinking about just using a different plating pattern on some sections.  Instead of just using the exact patterns from the art, which seem rather random, I'm considering looking at what could be seen as "making sense" taking into account likely maintenance access, high-wear points that would need more frequent replacement, etc.  Somehow, I don't see the interlinked "Chevy logo" pattern the BT art shows on the forearms as being particularly based on any functional concept.

 

 

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww122/randysmodels/No%20After%20Market%20Build%20Group/Group%20Badge/GBbadge2.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

  • Member since
    July 2010
Posted by Mad-Modeler on Thursday, September 9, 2010 12:23 AM

GM.

 If you think that is weird, you should see the Dougram and Soltic Robots Hang-gliding(there are kits with the hang gliding attachments).

Gundam introduced the "Real Robot"(but lost it again) concept but Dougram was one of the first Anime that took it further and truly established it.

  • Member since
    July 2010
Posted by Mad-Modeler on Thursday, September 9, 2010 12:28 AM

Kugai.

 

Just had a very evil thought. Build it in the jumpsuit but give it a bunny-tail and bunny-ears.

And yes, I might do it if I had a kit.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: North Carolina
Posted by Gunpla Master on Thursday, September 9, 2010 9:22 PM

Kugai

 Gunpla Master:

 

 ikar01:

 

In the original series the machines wore a giant set of white coveralls similar to what snow troops used in WWII for mountain operations. they covered everything except the weapons and canopy.

 

OK, let me picture this, the Mecha wore a white jump suit Surprise. Does he wear a yellow ribbon too!Whistling

 

 

Something like that.  Here's the line art of the original:

 

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd407/stomper4g/BattleMaster%20wip/ht128.jpg?t=1284007219

And the "jumpsuit"

http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd407/stomper4g/BattleMaster%20wip/ht128-camoflaugesuit.jpg?t=1284007219

As for my project, still thinking about options on the scribing.  Maybe it's rationalizing, but at this point I'm thinking about just using a different plating pattern on some sections.  Instead of just using the exact patterns from the art, which seem rather random, I'm considering looking at what could be seen as "making sense" taking into account likely maintenance access, high-wear points that would need more frequent replacement, etc.  Somehow, I don't see the interlinked "Chevy logo" pattern the BT art shows on the forearms as being particularly based on any functional concept.

 

 

Indifferent

/ ]

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Huntington, WV
Posted by Kugai on Thursday, September 9, 2010 10:22 PM

In case that smiley means you're worried, GM, no I'm not building the jumpsuited mecha.  The "something like that" was just saying your description pretty well fit those pics from the show.  I'm still just doing the reflec camo thing from the BT book ( no jumpsuit, no yellow ribbon, no bunny ears ) but am still trying to sort out patterns for scribing the armor plating.

If that smiley was a "what the ****" at whoever came up with the idea of a jumpsuited mecha, Im kinda with you, but it's a lot less strange than the model I saw years ago of a Gundam-esque mecha styled after Sailor Moon or some such, ( skirt, pigtails and all ), so this only registered about a 2 on my wierd-o-meter for anime-related oddities.

Progress pics by Sunday night, I promise unless we suffer internet catastrophe of some kind.

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww122/randysmodels/No%20After%20Market%20Build%20Group/Group%20Badge/GBbadge2.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

  • Member since
    July 2010
Posted by Mad-Modeler on Thursday, September 9, 2010 10:26 PM

AAAH, the old Sailor Gundam. :P

 

New SD Gundam Anime has a kit out of a SD Gundam in China Dress.

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Louisville, KY.
Posted by Cosmic J on Saturday, September 11, 2010 1:02 PM

For awhile now, I've been toying w/ the idea of building a MaK w/ add-on ballistic cloth armor. I just don't think my sculpting skills are up to it yet. Honestly, I don't think flexible supplemental protection is that bad an idea, except that it might cover up detail inherent to the model itself.

For scribing the marks on the hull, I think you might be better off just painting them. use a thin liner brush, and go slowly. In case of catastrophic failure, you just strip and repaint.

If you have to scribe them, I used to do something similar by scraping carefully w/ a needle chucked in a pin vice. used that trick to make cracked winshields on post-apoc car models back in the day.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: USA
Posted by philp on Thursday, October 7, 2010 1:04 AM

Got to watch this one also.  Picked up the same kit over 25 years ago.  Planning on making mine as the version used by Prince Davion in the book The Sword and the Dagger.

]350f024128a09ca16dd68010.L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Now just gotta find a Warhammer and Marauder for a decent price and I can finish up my heavy lance.

Phil Peterson IPMS #8739 Join the Map http://www.frappr.com/finescalemodeler
  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: Central IL
Posted by SLW 45 on Thursday, October 7, 2010 11:03 PM

Any chance with the new game coming out that we might see some nice kits at a decent price Hmm

                 

  • Member since
    July 2010
Posted by Mad-Modeler on Thursday, October 7, 2010 11:16 PM

If they do release kits, they won't be of the "unseen" mechs" unless heavily modified.

Bandai is reissuing a few Macross Destroids in 1/72 , 1/200 Monster next month as well as a 1/72 Regult.

Wave is offering 2 1/72 Destroids in their new range(pricier but totally new tooling and sweet).

 

Changes of Dougram, Crusher Joe, Orguss etc kits being released are very slim indeed as Aoshima owns those licences now.

 

Other Mechs doubt it as I don't think the current franchise holder will see a return in kits, Toys maybe.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Huntington, WV
Posted by Kugai on Saturday, October 16, 2010 9:07 PM

Okay, after a long delay ( in part, having to do with a virus apparentli sent by Photobucket ), I can finally post some progress pics.

I finally decided to use a less-complex plating pattern on the forearms than was in the original art, but keep the parallel lines on the upper arms.  For the first arm I worked on, I marked four of the eight lines, scribed those with magic tape to keep them straight, then tried to scribe the lines in between by moving the tape to what seemed to be midway between the first ones.  The resulting pattern came out less even than I'd hoped, and with the lines not deep enough for the effect I wanted.  While working on other projects, I tried to think of a solution, and after a few weeks came up with an idea that took care of both issues pretty well.  The added depth I wanted was a simple matter of using a file with triangular cross-section to make the lines deeper.

Instead of starting on the sides, I marked and filed at the corner.

This made the spacing a lot easier.  From there I lined up the tools and started scribing.  The magic tape was pretty easy to line up since I just had to use the nearest end of the gray arm section for reference.

I used all 3 scribing tools to gradually make the lines deeper.  The pen-type one seemed to work well at avoiding some of the slipping and straying I've occasionally had with the other two, so I used that to set a guiding mark.  From there, the one with the smaller hook actually scraped out plastic for the line ( the pen-type did little more than scratch and push plastic out to the side, which makes for easier corrections but not a very effective guide ).  The one with the larger hooks on both ends could then be used without the magic tape to deepen the lines further and continue scooping out plastic.

After these scribing passes, here's what I had.

Now that the lines were in place, I deepened them further with the file.

Using the grooves on the edge as a guide, I then filed the prpoer places at the second corner, used those to guide the next set of scribed lines, and complete the process.  After doing 3 sides this way, the last used the filed parkings on the corners instead of eyeball lineup with the top and bottom edges to line up the magic tape.  Here are the arms for comparison, with the "new approach" on the right.

The next bit of customizing I had in mind had to do with the lower face of the center torso.  While I wasn't up to the interior buildup that the opening in the original artwork would require, I didn't like the plain panel on the kit, either.

I decided on a covered vent as a compromise, using the existing panel lines as a start.  First, I scribed the lines to place the vent slots.

From there, I very carefully used the X-acto to chisel upwards toward the scribed lines, creating the slanted vent effect.  I may to a secon pass to add more depth, but here's the general effect.

More sub-assemly work to come, and I'm also trying to figure out how much detail I'll be adding to the cockpit.  More pics on the way as I make any notable progress.

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww122/randysmodels/No%20After%20Market%20Build%20Group/Group%20Badge/GBbadge2.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: North Carolina
Posted by Gunpla Master on Sunday, October 17, 2010 2:25 PM

I like meticulous workmanship. Yes

the Gunp Cool

/ ]

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Louisville, KY.
Posted by Cosmic J on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:24 AM

Oh! I see, that's different than what I thought you were trying to do. It looks good. The vents in particular came out very nicely.

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