AVP: Colonial Marines P-3500 Power Loader WIP (1)

Reviresco's 25mm Sci-Fi Power Loader with Pilot. This is my heavily modified version to suit 28mm "heroic" miniatures sizewise. I used parts from a Mechwarrior Dark Age Construction Mech to add larger legs and hydraulics.

The back of the power loader. I pinned the MW:DA Construction Mech's feet into the pewter legs of the Reviresco miniature. The greenish base is one of Fenris Games' excellent 65mm diameter "Sulaco" series.

 

Front shot, without roll cage installed (see in front of the loader). The pilot "Not-Ripley" is stuck down on a base for easier handling during painting.

The side shot reveals how I added hydraulic hoses made from bristles of a broom (no kidding). See the background pic of Reviresco's power loader and how it normally would look like. Too small for my needs, hence the mods.

 

 

 

 

So here it is: I do have to admit it took way too long until it began to take shape. I finally gave up trying to resist and started my 28mm Aliens VS Predator project. A dream of mine that started many moons ago while playing AVP on an Atari Jaguar 64bit console (who remembers this one?).

Its been on my mind for a long time now and I started collecting various stuff for this cause over the last couple of years. Although this blog entry is labelled "Tomorrow's War" I will probably create a completely new game, based upon my own ideas and lots of ideas "borrowed" from other games that I have played in the last two decades. The game I want to create is supposed to be played with a minimum of two, but preferable with three or even more players. One will command all Aliens and play the game-master, while the others will either control Colonial Marine squads or Predator Hunting Packs. The goals to be achieved are depending on what faction you choose and can be done with support from the other players or alone, trying even to stop the co-gamers to reach their mission objectives. But more of those ideas at a later time...

Let's have a look at the stuff I posted pics of above. What you see here is a 25mm Sci-Fi "Power Loader" pewter miniature from Reviresco, made in the US. Its true to 25mm size as its way too small for 28mm miniatures. Its a nice kit and was only US $8.00 (!!!) excluding shipping. I was a bit sad when it arrived, seeing it won't fit my other stuff for my game size-wise.
When on ebay a Leading Edge Power Loader was sold for insane 78€ I was grabbed by my burning ambition: I won't burn cash that high for a Power Loader! Oh no - I can make a working power loader fitting my 28mm stuff on my own, all it needs is some thinking, kit-bashing and imagination! See my results above.

I re-named it P-3500 Power Loader as its not as big as the P-5000 was in Aliens. Imagine the P-3500 as a smaller cousin of the larger model.

The base is from Fenris Games. They sell a series of round bases called "Sulaco" (*hint*) that obviously is inspired by the floors to be seen in Aliens. The one above has a diameter of 65mm.

Alright, I'll be back with more later. Keep commenting, guys.