Author Topic: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy - New vines, Need critiques  (Read 5484 times)

ActionButler

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Another non-Catalyst employee jumping on the bandwagon.  I'm still waiting on my copy of the AS Companion to arrive, but I've got a pretty good idea of how things are going to be organized.  The Viper's Rho Galaxy was my go-to Clan unit back when I first played Battletech.  I'm not going to lie, it was entirely because of the swish viper-coiled-around-a-rose emblem. 

The problem with Rho is that there is no formal description of their paint scheme.  The Warden FM doesn't mention anythng and CamoSpecs doesn't seem to have anything official.  When I played ten years ago, I opted for a dark metallic steel base, gold highlights, and some flat green stripes to simulate vines (ala the rose from the emblem).  For this project, I want to stick with the basics of that plan, but cleaned up.  Metallic steel base, no highlights, green thornbush vines creeping up the right leg.

Mechs definitely included will be:

Battle Cobra Prime
Black Python
Crossbow
Crossbow
Crossbow
(not sure what variants the Crossbows will be)

Backing the mechs up will either be a mess of Protomechs or Elementals.  Technically Rho is a second-line unit, but the 5th Legion has Elemental support according to the Warden FM.

All the necessary minis are already waiting in a box upstairs, so pics of Stage One will be along shortly.

Cheers!

**EDIT**

After finishing the first star and seeing what I have left to work with, I've finally decided on a roster.

Star #1 - Striker/Heavy Striker Star

Battle Cobra Prime (Skill 3)  34pts
Black Python 1 (Skill 3)        52pts
Black Python 3 (Skill 3)        55pts
Crossbow A (Skill 3)            48pts
Crossbow B (Skill 3)            46pts

Star #1 Total                    235pts

Star #2 - Combined Arms Support Star

Roc 1 Protomech X 5 (Skill 4)         45pts
Centaur 3 Protomech X 5 (Skill 4)   45pts 
Elemental Battle Armor (Laser)       16pts
Elemental Battle Armor (Laser)       16pts
Elemental Battle Armor (Laser)       16pts

Star #2 Total                    138pts

Binary Total         373pts

The protomechs have roughly the same movement profile as the mech star and there are enough omnimechs that all three Elemental points can hitch a ride.  In a perfect world - and if the point cap was higher - I would add a second star of mechs for indirect fire support.  One of the proto points would hang out with the missile boats as guards and the other proto point would skulk around as spotters.  I'm pretty happy with stopping at a binary, though, especially since the roster is pretty Steel Viper-y.  I would rather keep a display unit like this small and fluff-accurate than expanding it to include whatever random mechs I have stashed away in a drawer somewhere.  That being said, once the binary is painted, I might snag some GHQ minis to add some conventional infantry assets. 
« Last Edit: 06 October 2015, 18:01:15 by ActionButler »
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Scotty

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #1 on: 03 September 2015, 18:41:59 »
May I suggest a mix of Elementals and Protos?  You've got one Omni, which can carry a point, you can bring a couple squads of faster suits that doesn't need a taxi, and a couple points of Protos (probably one cheaper/faster and one heavier) for a mix of just about everything. :)
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ActionButler

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #2 on: 03 September 2015, 19:38:45 »
It will, almost certainly, be a mix.  Not just because of your sound tactical advice, but because I want these guys to feel desperate.  I want this group to feel like the Vipers who realized that they had been stationed in the Inner Sphere and had been trained in Inner Sphere tactics and who saw the writing on the wall when their boss started purging tainted warriors before the Reavings started so they grabbed some of their not-crazy friends and "suffered a misjump" on their way to the Clan Hall.  Their equipment will be cobbled together from whatever they could get their hands on before they split.

That's the plan, at least.
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ColBosch

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #3 on: 04 September 2015, 12:00:11 »
Sounds like a great concept!
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Fear Factory

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #4 on: 04 September 2015, 19:28:46 »
Clan Steel Viper has always been a guilty pleasure of mine.  I love the Battle Cobra and Crossbow and I can't wait to see the minis.
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wantec

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #5 on: 04 September 2015, 22:17:47 »
Clan Steel Viper has always been a guilty pleasure of mine.  I love the Battle Cobra and Crossbow and I can't wait to see the minis.
Even though the stats may not be great, I've always thought the artwork for the Crossbow was good and the pics of the mini look good as well
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Knallogfall

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #6 on: 05 September 2015, 00:17:06 »
The Crossbow is probably one of my favorite Clan 'mechs for looks alone. It also has a fair size, has aged quite well. Can't wait to see these all prettied up!

ActionButler

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #7 on: 12 September 2015, 12:11:47 »
Photo update.  The mechs have been cleaned, assembled, based, and green stuffed.  If the weather holds, I plan to prime them tonight and get started on painting tomorrow. 

I kept the modifications simple.  One Crossbow got a pair of barrels and lost most of its outer missile tubes to represent the A config.  The other Crossbow lost its inner missile tubes to represent the B config.  The Battle Cobra and Black Python 3 went together without modification.  The Unseen Black Python lost the stilts and gained the legs off of an old Warhawk sculpt (which, incidentally, is where the barrels for the Crossbow came from, too). 

The new unit configuration will be a Striker Star (which could double as a Heavy Striker Star if need be composed of the...

Black Python
Black Python 3
Battle Cobra Prime
Crossbow A
Crossbow B

Elementals and Protos to come later.
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ActionButler

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #8 on: 23 September 2015, 19:01:59 »
Minor Update: I believe I have gone blind from trying to paint tine vines on tiny robots.

This was not my finest idea...
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cavingjan

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #9 on: 23 September 2015, 19:08:32 »
I can sympathize. I glad I decided to not do Coyote Zeta.

ActionButler

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #10 on: 29 September 2015, 16:34:30 »
First star completed.

Suffice to say, they came out a little more... same-y than I was anticipating.  I used a darker metallic on the joints and actuators than I did on the basecoat, but it didn't really dry that much darker.  After washing the minis with Nuln Oil, they ended up even closer to the same shade.  You can tell the difference if you look reeeeeeeeeeally hard, but I don't think you would notice without already knowing.

I tried a couple different techniques for the canopies, just to see what worked and what didn't.  One of the Crossbows ended up looking like it has an eyepatch but, you know, I don't hate it. 

« Last Edit: 29 September 2015, 16:44:06 by ActionButler »
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ActionButler

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #11 on: 29 September 2015, 16:35:40 »
Now with close-ups.

The vine patterns proved iffy.  I didn't want them to be too big, so I had to compromise on detail.  I started with a black base and added a little Formula P3 Thornwood Green to give them color.  That ended up not adding wnough color, so I filled them in a little more with Formula P3 Iosan Green. 

You can judge the outcome yourselves.  They aren't what I imagined, but I'm kind of happy with them.  Possibly a little more necrotic vein than tangle of thorns, but... I can work with that, too.
« Last Edit: 29 September 2015, 17:45:54 by ActionButler »
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worktroll

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy
« Reply #12 on: 29 September 2015, 19:15:15 »
Very sharp! And I'm going to steal your canopy approach, give it a try. So thanks!

The vines - I think you went a little too dark. A lighter green, over your darker green, would have looked more plant-like. Still, the outcome is good, if perhaps insufficiently horticultural.

Suffice to say, they came out a little more... same-y than I was anticipating.  I used a darker metallic on the joints and actuators than I did on the basecoat, but it didn't really dry that much darker.  After washing the minis with Nuln Oil, they ended up even closer to the same shade.  You can tell the difference if you look reeeeeeeeeeally hard, but I don't think you would notice without already knowing.

I hit this issue with the CJF Omegas I did - the legs were metallic. I used a gunmetal paint for the base, then a "shining steel" for the metallic detailing. If you're game, just do a drybrush of your lighter metallic colour over the relevant parts, that'll bring them back up shiny-wise!

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ActionButler

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy - First Big Update
« Reply #13 on: 30 September 2015, 08:07:23 »
My only concern with drybrushing a lighter silver is that it will lighten the color too much.  I'm actually pretty happy with how the primary color came out, I just need to find a way to make the joints darker.  I'm tempted to hit just the actuators with another coat of Nuln Oil and see how that turns out...

The vines... I think I **ahem** painted myself into a corner with those.  My only frame of reference for Rho Galaxy is their logo - in black & white - from the Warden Field Manual.  They are definitely too dark - or darker than I wanted them to be - but I didn't want to make them too light for fear that they would start to overlap too much with the dried grass decoration of the Viper's Chi Galaxy.  For the next star, I might try starting with a dark green base for the vines instead of black. 

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cavingjan

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy - First Big Update
« Reply #14 on: 30 September 2015, 08:24:49 »
Since you are using metallic for your main color, consider these options:
1. Paint the joint a grey and then your wash
2. Paint your joints a different metallic color like copper or tin bitz
3. Paint your joints the same metallic but use a blue or sepia wash instead of black.

I've used all three techniques. Personally I prefer the later two options but I've gotten more comments on the grey option.

My first thought on the vines was it being seaweed, mostly due to the dark color. I agree with WT that a lighter green would help and keep it thin.

Overall a good job. I look forward to seeing more.

ActionButler

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy - First Big Update
« Reply #15 on: 30 September 2015, 14:44:57 »
My first thought on the vines was it being seaweed, mostly due to the dark color.

Hahahahahahaha, that's all I'm going to be able to see whenever I look at these guys now. 

If a different approach works better when get started on the second star of mechs, I will probably come back and do some touch-ups on these first five.  Or I could just leave them in Steel Viper aquatic camo  :-[
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cavingjan

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy - First Big Update
« Reply #16 on: 30 September 2015, 16:35:09 »
Sorry. I like the look of it. It would be interesting on some undines.

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy - First Big Update
« Reply #17 on: 30 September 2015, 16:42:41 »
 O0

ActionButler

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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy - First Big Update
« Reply #18 on: 06 October 2015, 17:57:16 »
What do you think?

Better?
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Re: A Call to War: Clan Steel Viper Rho Galaxy - First Big Update
« Reply #19 on: 06 October 2015, 18:01:30 »
Very vine-like, and very effective.

Now do an Arcas in that style with the vines coming up to chest height, and call it Poison Ivy ;)

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cavingjan

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Much better. I like it. Great job.

ActionButler

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Thanks for the feedback, guys!

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