Poll Results and Kickstarter

Hey readers!

You may remember I had a poll running. Even though there were only 3 votes, the results were decisive, so the next project will be a nice tightly packed light urban setting complete with all of the tiny details you'd think that would include.

I've already done a lot of the planning, window shopping etc involved in my preliminary phase and I decided that this was going to be a costly project. Knowing that I intend to use this to help people by doing tutorials and reviews on things that I buy, I decided to run a Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds for it. My campaign hasn't been approved yet, but once it is, I'll be posting a link so you can all check it out.

So my idea is to create a light urban setting (no high rise, but still tightly packed), complete with advertising boards, restaurants, mechanic's stations and apartment blocks with all of the details. The story behind it is basically that it's the budding population centre of a young colony. I intend to add graffiti, garbage and all sorts of interesting details. One of the kickstarter pledges is actually for me to make customised billboards or graffiti that will certainly be featured on this blog.

So some of the kits that I've factored in so far

-Sci fi building bundle from CNC workshop along with some bins and vending machines etc.

-Warmill's basic MULE system with an elevator to fill it out into a two storey building as perhaps an office space. Warmill also had some interesting random bits and bobs to add detail to buildings. No doubt, I'll be using some of those too.

-Some of Warsenal's buildings including the commanche barracks because I like the aesthetic of it and it also works well as a small apartment or unit. Perhaps also a couple of their modular two storey buildings to add more flavor.

-MicroArt Studio has some great lasercut hdf scenery that I really like. I'll be using a pair of district 5 L shaped buildings and a garage kit to make a taller apartment building. I had considered also the 3 storey apartment building and may still add this to the list. The catwalk kit will also be essential, as stairs are required to traverse levels (obviously).

-For the interior details of the buildings, Spartan Scenics has some fantastic sci-fi flavoured details - mess hall parts, bunks, lockers, an armoury set, medical centre. These will be great for adding a real homely feel to the board I think.

I'll probably be making my own base board out of mdf and wood. I haven't yet decided if the board will be modular, or a whole piece as there are great benefits to both.

I'm really hoping to invest quite a lot of time into this project, and I hope I can find some support.

I'm off to finish sculpting some cloaks onto my Dark Eldar Trueborns.

Review time!

Hey readers!

While working ever so slowly on the Cutter, I thought I'd do a review on a couple of the Panoceanic heavy infantry models - Aquila Guard with multi-rifle and Swiss Guard with rocket launcher.

Both models are fantastic as far as metal models go, and as per the Cutter, I think I'm really going to enjoy painting them. Both models are relatively easy to put together, being monopose and having locking pin type joints for the arms.
As to be expected with metal models, both required a (relatively small, to be honest) amount of cleaning and flash removal.
The Aquila Guard actually required some greenstuff work - the locking pieces on the jacket didnt quite match up, so I decided to fill them in. There were no such troubles on the Swiss Guard.

Rating -

Sculpt - Both models are a 4/5. The level of detail is comfortable and still impressive, while the poses are absolutely fantastic.
Cast quality - Another 4/5. While there was still a small amount of flash and some injection points to clean up, Infinity consistently produces some of the nicest metals I've ever worked with. Really, the only problem I had was the jacket and the head on the Aquila Guard which required some gap filling.

I can't wait to finish the Cutter so I can get to work on these!