Oh my God, it’s done!!!
About three and a half years ago, I started to get back into painting and BattleTech. During my first 6 months, I became more and more involved in reposes and bashes… Then about three years ago, I decided I wanted to do Shorty Sneede’s FrankenMech. But that presented me with a problem. I was going to need the left torso and arm from an unseen Archer.
Now, for most people, getting the Archer would be the issue, but I’m sitting on a stash, so all I needed to do was dig one out… No, my problem came about because I had sworn off hacking up minis just to steal parts from them (I hacked off a Mauler’s shoulders and arms, back in the early 90’s, to make my first RFL-3C Rifleman… And years later, regretted destroying the mini)… And who has a spare unseen Archer torso and arm? Especially since it is a one piece…
Looking for a way out (Read: Justification), I realized that if I turned the Archer into a variant and just happened to have a spare torso/arm, then it would be perfectly acceptable for me to use it…
So, I decided on making an ARC-2K Archer…
This also represents the first time I ever had multiple projects going at the same time (normally I repose/bash, paint, then start next project)… So I bashed the ARC-2K and Sneede’s ride, and I also bashed my ROG-1G Rogue (custom)… This gave me three minis to paint.. But first, I decided to post some WIPs..
Now the problem with WIPs, is that people will actually point out things they don’t like (really!! The nerve!) and make suggestions… Sometimes you blow off what they say, sometimes you think about it but decide it is too much work, and others times you just have to bow down to the logic of what people are telling you… Now Sneede’s ride was pretty well liked. The Rogue, while people thought the torso was too big, was a custom and came out how I envisioned it (so that wasn’t going to change)… But somebody commented that the arms were too small, as were the battle fists…
Already having started painting it, I realized they were right, so into the Simply Green it went and I started over… I reworked the arms and got it the way I wanted it… But then, I decided to also change the pose and what the base would look like… So back in the Simply Green it went again, and I started again… Meanwhile, I finished painting the other two and started planning my next project.
In the end, I finally got the bash finished, but I had lost all interest in painting it… Partly because I had new and exciting other projects to paint, partly because I was frustrated with continually going back and having to redo it... So there it sat…
Then I moved… And it came with me still incomplete. Sitting in my little “to do” box like a resident of The Island of Misfit Toys… Other projects came and went, and I may have given it a thought, but not enough to want to drag it out and start to paint it again…
Finally, a few months ago, I decided to clear off my work bench… This included the “SkyWarp” Phoenix hawk LAM and now the 2K…
In all fairness, I must say that because I waited so long, it probably ended up with some additional details that I would have just written off if I had finished it three years ago (or never even thought to try)… BUT, because it was already primed and basecoated, and I had no desire to start all over again for the fourth time, little imperfections that I might have taken care of, got overlooked and/or ignored.
This was my original WIP picture:
Notes about the mini:
In the end, I decided to have the mini pay homage to the original CityTech boxed set front cover…
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OVhBHFM3L._SL500_AA300_.jpgBasically, I aimed for the pose being reminiscent of the one on the cover... He is bashing down the wall with his right fist. The traffic light wrapped around his left arm and torso. Only the right missile bay open… But since I was doing him in 17th Galedon Regulars scheme, and it was a ARC-2K, I decided to change the scenery up (also referred to as “poor planning”)…
Overall, I like the way it came out…
As always; Comments, advice, suggestions and steal-able ideas welcome.
For those of you who caught the little bit of detail in the middle frame of the second picture, and want a little better look (or those that just missed it completely)...
Originally I wanted to do a tank out front... Then, when I realized that I didn't have the room, I wanted to go with a machine gun nest... Not only would it have been tight, but I couldn't find a mini to use that could be "draped" over the nest (all I have are Davion Infantry... I guess I need to look around)... So I came up with this... I then thought about adding a second body in the street, but again, I didn't have a mini that had the look I wanted... So I went with minimal...
I was really happy with this when it was finished, but It is a bit of a shame it is hidden away.... A little bit of the detail you can't see from the picture, is that I included not just the blood coming down the wall, but also a puddle under him... I can't complain for 6mm.
Finally... A side rant.
I've come to the conclusion that Strip Styrene is the creation of a sadistic demon... Never fails... You out pressure on it and it flexes... Do it again, it still flexes... Get it all painted up and breath on it, "snap"... It happened to my I-Beam wielding Grasshopper when it feel (although that is to be expected), it happened to my I-Beam wielding Highlander (all I did was slide it around on the shelf), it happened to the missile doors on my Baron Singh Crusader (I had put it in a carry case to take it with me... No sooner I place it, it snapped) and now it has happened to my Archer... With only a few exceptions, I've decided to move over to brass... It looks just as good, and is a bit sturdier.
Caz
