AVP: Facehugger bases completed

Ten Facehuggers, made by Pendraken, placed upon hive-like bases that I sculpted myself.

The Alien hive floor was painted in three stages of blue and grey tones, although its not quite noticeable in the pics.

The Huggers themselves were painted with GW Dwarf Flesh, highlighted with GW Elf Flesh and received a pin wash with Army Painter Soft Tone.

Hive floor: GW Shadow Grey, Revell Grey matt 57, Army Painter Dark Tone Wash, GW Fortress Grey.

The Facehugger bases have been finished. Although the pics make you think they are only drybrushed in grey that is not what I have done. What the pictures can't really show is that there actually is a blend of three colours that went into the "resin" of the hive floor - see the last pic above for detail.
I am really pleased with the way the Facehuggers emerge from the darker ground. I especially like the tone they turned into after I applied the Army Painter Soft Tone wash. Let me know what you think.

Stay tuned!

AVP: some work in progress...

Free Hugs !!!

Pendraken's Facehugger (normally a monster for 10mm Sci-Fi) suit 28mm well as the classic Facehugger like they were seen in the Alien movies.

Today I've been mostly sculpting with Green Stuff. Since the Pendraken Huggers are coming on a small base that is almost impossible to be removed without damaging the miniature, I had to do something to make them look right on a 25mm base. I decided to create the Alien Hive structure that was seen in Aliens with green stuff and wrap it around the Facehugger. Some bits cut from Warhammer Fantasy Skeleton Steeds create the skeletal structure that was seen in the movie. It looks a bit rough in the pics above, but since the putty hasn't completely dried, I could not cut the plastic bits into exact pieces matching the bases yet. This will be done before I paint them.

Burke, Ripley, 1Lt. Campbell and some shooty bits for the humans are next on the list.

AVP: Colonial Marines Drop Ship Crew and Synthetic

Supporting Characters: Drop Ship Crew with (from left to right) W/O Pfc. Spunkmeyer, Pilot Cpl. Ferro and Synthetic (Android) "Bishop"

Both also being trained riflemen, Ferro and Spunkmeyer carry M41 "Pulse Rifles". Cpl. Ferro also has a VP-70 pistol for back-up. Since they are the designated crew of the Marine's dropship they do not wear M3 Body Armor. Bishop solely being a scientist and medic is prohibited to bear any small arms or rifles all together.

All three are Woodbine Miniatures. Bases from Fenris Games' Sulaco series. Note that Spunkmeyer had a head swap with a figure out of Gripping Beast's 28mm  Mo-Fo 1.9: 1990s US Downed Helicopter Crew 

Both flight crew members have USCM badges on their sleeves.

On the left arm: US flag and rank insignia (Corporal in case of Ferro, with Spunkmeyer's being invisible due to rolled up sleeves)

Next batch of US Colonial Marines figures finished. With the dropship's pilot Ferro and her weapon systems officer Spunkmeyer I now have all Marines painted for first platoon as it was seen in ALIENS. The Synthetic "Bishop" makes it complete.
The figures were put onto Sulaco series bases from Fenris Games. I used the miniatures as they were, but didn't like the head of the figure that was supposed to be Spunkmeyer. Its hair were way to long for what was an almost clean shaven soldier in the movie.
I used another 28mm figure's pilot helmet wearing head and replaced the hippie-like looking one.  Since the green jumpsuits of the flight crew alone would have been a little boring, I tried once again to add all the colourful badges of the USCM to their uniform.
Bishop's clothes in the movie were a blue to greyish looking like overall, so there wasn't much colour to paint on the miniature apart from a clipboard with some notes that he holds in his hands.

Next will be some civilians, especially those that I need to make the movie setting work and also some sentry guns. Bear with me, there is more to come.

AVP: Alien Warriors #2

Ten done so far. Only 30 to go.

Another bunch of teeth, flailing tailspears and razor-sharp claws.

Standard Xenomorph Warrior drones. There will be a lot more of them.

Work continues, another five Warrior drones are completed. Colonial Marines receive some back up shortly - I am almost done with painting a few more supporting characters.

TOMORROW'S WAR: an exclusive sneak peek at BY DAGGER AND TALON!

Republic of Arden National Guard Special Operations Forces (RANGSOF) insert into the Foix Gap via DTV-89's to conduct operations against the Darghaur flanks.

Darghaur recon troops operating covertly on Zero Palms.

Marshborn "Blood Claw" SPECOPS forces conducting a joint training operation with the USMC Force Special Operations Command (FSOC) on Zero Palms.

Pictures released by Shawn Carpenter on AAG forum. The pics are out of the upcoming scenario expansion "By Dagger and Talon" - a book for AAG's Tomorrow's War game.

AVP: Alien Warriors

"They grow into killers in a matter of days" - Alien Warrior drone

Alien Warrior (rebased WizKids Horrorclix figures)

Since there is different types of Xenomorphs the bases are marked ("Warrior")

"They protect the Queen with their lives" - Alien Royal Guard

Three Royal Guards. These are even more dangerous than regular Warrior drones

First batch of Alien Xenomorphs ready for gaming

...there is way more where these are coming from :-)

As the core of my Colonial Marines is finished it was about time to add some stuff to the opposition. In this case it is going to be Aliens of two types to start my "hive": Warrior and Royal Guard drones. I am aware that the Pretorians (as the Guards are also known as) would normally look different, but there is no miniatures available for them and I wanted to have some variation in my forces.
So the climbing Alien figures are all going to be Royal Guards while the other miniatures are going to be either Warriors for the most part.
Royal Guards are rare and chances for them to appear will be low in our games, but naturally they will be encountered en masse if you are coming to close to a breeding chamber of a Queen.
The regular Warrior drones are what is going to be the main enemy encountered by Predators and Humans alike. I have a huge pile of these figures and there will be plenty of these - some 40 or so.

Bases are once again from Fenris Games, the Alien saliva is made out of glue. Just put a few drops down into an old lid of a bottle and wait a few minutes for the glue to start to bond. Then use a toothpick and start to pull drips of glue out of it - the glue starts to leave thin strings - and add it to the jaws of the Aliens. Done!

AVP: Colonial Marines 2nd Lt. Gorman

Leading officer of my Colonial Marine forces: 2nd Lt. Gorman (Woodbine Miniatures)

Not really expecting to be out in the fight, Gorman still got injured early in the mission

Standard issue khaki coloured uniform and only a VP-70 pistol - Gorman didn't expect to be in a fight (no, really!)

Not much to show at all but I managed to get Gorman painted. He's another piece of the Woodbine Miniatures Character Set. Depicted is Gorman later during the campaign, after he injured his head, when the remaining Marines were fleeing the planetary processing unit in an APC.

I went with a really simple scheme, showing the Marine standard issue one-colour field dress (khaki). I was however trying to add as many of the patches that are seen in the movie as possible. So, Gorman sports both USCM badges (shoulder and chest pocket) and an US flag. The green stripes on the chest are supposed to resemble his name tags and service branch (Marines).

Gorman is un-armed apart from a VP-70 pistol.

Stay tuned for more AVP items in the next couple of weeks.

AVP: Colonial Marines Squad 2

The complete first section, with squads #1 and #2 (Woodbine Miniatures).

US Colonial Marines Squad 2 (Woodbine Miniatures)

From left to right: Pvt. Wierzbowski, Cpl. Hicks, Pfc. Vasquez, Pvt. Crowe

Pvt. Wierzbowski wielding a M240 Flamethrower, Cpl. Hicks with M37 Shotgun

Bases are from Fenris Games' Sulaco series, Cpl. Hicks also has a M41 "Pulse Rifle" strapped to his back.

Pfc. Vasquez wielding a M56 "Smartgun", Pvt. Crowe armed with a M41 "Pulse Rifle"

Vasquez' gun has been slightly modified, just like the counterpart of Pvt. Drake

Section 1, led into combat by GySgt. Apone.

GySgt. Apone armed with VP-70 pistol, M240 Flamethrower and equipped with IR Binocculars

M41 "Pulse Rifle" on Apone's back, making him the best-armed Marine of the section :-)

AVP project: humans painted so far (January 2013)

So here we are, finally in the year 2013. Projects don't get completed as fast as I was hoping for. Serious illness of a family member prevents me from painting most of the stuff that sits on my table currently. Small progress was made over the weekend, as I finally was able to get at least section #1 of my Colonial Marines completed. Next addition will be the supporting characters like Gorman, Ripley, the Dropship crew etc.
Once again I am not completely satisfied - I just can't make it happen - faces on my miniatures still look horribly. 20+ years in the hobby and I still can't paint them to a comfortable standard :-( Maybe that's why I do prefer 28mm figures to have fully enclosed helmets?!

The long painting war continues...