Author Topic: BLR-1G BattleMaster / 1st Davion Guards RCT (Read 6696 times)

Cazaril · « **on:** 22 August 2019, 06:22:23 »

For the longest time people have been writing off the Battletech plastics (in all their incarnations) mostly because they aren’t easy. They require a different skill set to prep and don’t take to kindly to the “paint and dip” technique of painting. In the end, it seems for far too many that they are just more work than most are willing to put into them… Not many have bothered to show the older plastics any love (recent exceptions include people like Vaaish, Agen2 and Mech_Minis, to name a few), but when they do, Oh the results… Don’t get me wrong, it is good to see so many people lighting up the board with a little plastic love. Sadly, it is usually only for the new stuff…

Anyway… As a Throwback Thursday, I thought I would go old school, both with the plastic mini, the design and the paint scheme…

This mini represents a list of firsts for me… It is the first of the 3rd edition plastics I have done. The first Mech with scales that I have painted better than a paint/drybrush/wash technique. AND, even though I have been involved in BattleTech since 1986-87, this is my first BattleMaster.

The Caz-A-Verse

Typically, I would take a tour around the Caz-A-Verse and discuss the manufacturing of each faction. Considering I only have one BattleMaster, I’m not going to bother beyond this;

The unseen BattleMaster is the Star League Legacy version of the Mech that potentially appears in ever faction.

The BattleMaster is only produced in two places; Steiner: Trellshire Heavy Industries (Twycross), and Liao: Tao ‘Mechworks (Styk). Neither company is still manufacturing the Legacy version of the BattleMaster and both have reimaged it differently…

Maybe at a point where I have an example of the other two images, I’ll revisit posting the Caz-A-Verse tour for them.

Caz

Sapphirus · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 August 2019, 15:22:30 »

:clap:

worktroll · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 August 2019, 15:53:32 »

Gorgeous, and I'm intrigued by the cockpit. Gold drybrushed over black, and then the white 'glints'?

Cheers,

W.

Valkerie · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 August 2019, 16:07:40 »

One beautiful looking Battlemaster. Well done Caz! 8) 8) :thumbsup:

pixelgeek · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 August 2019, 16:14:28 »

IAMCLANWOLF · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 August 2019, 16:35:06 »

CAZ!!!!!

Brilliant work, Sir. Possibly your best to date. Love it!!
Mind if I ask; what brand/colors did you use here?

Cazaril · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 August 2019, 16:39:42 »

Quote from: worktroll on 22 August 2019, 15:53:32

Gorgeous, and I'm intrigued by the cockpit. Gold drybrushed over black, and then the white 'glints'?

More or less, Yes...

The color is actually Reaper's Marigold Yellow, an orangy-yellow...

I normally am very controlled in my painting, and was really aiming more for the "Spaceman Spiff Cockpit" look I got on my Hornet from a few months back. The problem though is that the BattleMaster cockpit is just so big, and the curved nature of it don't really give you a "upper-corner" to start from... In the end I mixed the yellow with black for a base, and then jumped to a much brighter version, then a wash to even out the edges (which I never use on 'Mechs), and then rinse and repeat until I was using pure Marigold. Add the white glints and done... Not my normal cockpit and I wasn't sure about it when I first finished it, but by now I really like it and worry I won't be able to replicate something similar on the next one.

Caz

Cazaril · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 August 2019, 16:43:04 »

Quote from: IAMCLANWOLF on 22 August 2019, 16:35:06

Mind if I ask; what brand/colors did you use here?

I'm strictly a Reaper guy... It doesn't hurt that they are my FLGS...

The Blue is a progressive blend of Ultramarine Blue up to Ultramarine Blue Highlight in various ratios. As mentioned above, the cockpit is mainly Marigold Yellow.

While I'm a big fan of Reaper's True Blue triad, this is my favorite blue due to how vibrant the color is.

Caz

worktroll · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 August 2019, 16:52:47 »

Caz,

I'm going to monkey-model that; strikes me as a great approach to big curved cockpits. Was it you who used to paint the mirror-image landscapes on Beemer cockpits?

W.

Cazaril · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 August 2019, 17:21:16 »

Quote from: worktroll on 22 August 2019, 16:52:47

Was it you who used to paint the mirror-image landscapes on Beemer cockpits?

Couldn't be... This is my first BattleMaster...

I know wackrabbit does/did them that way, but I also think someone else did too.

Caz

worktroll · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 August 2019, 17:56:51 »

And a 3rd Ed plastic at that! Kudos.

jimdigris · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 August 2019, 18:01:25 »

:thumbsup:

Vaaish · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 August 2019, 18:03:05 »

Nice job! I dare say that one was cast better than mine. 😀

Daryk · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 August 2019, 19:23:22 »

Those scales are simply amazing! :thumbsup:

Valkerie · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 August 2019, 23:04:08 »

Quote from: Cazaril on 22 August 2019, 17:21:16

I know wackrabbit does/did them that way, but I also think someone else did too.

I think Fanjoy is the other one who does.

And I'm going to have to try your cockpit method as well. I've got a new box set Battlemaster waiting to be painted.

IAMCLANWOLF · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 August 2019, 15:43:02 »

Quote from: Cazaril on 22 August 2019, 16:43:04

I'm strictly a Reaper guy...

Thank you for sharing! I might have to use these same colors in the future. As you say-- very vibrant blues. I love it.

Cazaril · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 August 2019, 16:53:03 »

Quote from: Vaaish on 22 August 2019, 18:03:05

I dare say that one was cast better than mine.

Don't let the paint fool you...

I can't say that I didn't have my share of issues to fix, it is just that the paint hides the repairs... Sometimes, fixing an issue meant destroying all of the detail on a panel, so I added those details back as best I could with paint. An example are the hearts on the upper arms. If you striped the mini back to bare plastic you'd notice that those arm panels are almost perfectly flat...

Caz

avon1985 · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 August 2019, 20:12:28 »

Sweet! :thumbsup:

.RL · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 August 2019, 20:56:09 »

Awesome example Caz. I love seeing your stuff. Do you have a gallery bu chance?

Cazaril · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 August 2019, 21:12:11 »

Quote from: .RL on 23 August 2019, 20:56:09

Do you have a gallery bu chance?

I'm afraid not... What I do have though is a thread I built that has links to all of my posts. Because modifying it does not bring it back to the top, I can keep it up to date without constantly necro-ing it.

The thread is called A Link to the Past...

Caz

.RL · « **Reply #20 on:** 23 August 2019, 22:49:33 »

Quote from: Cazaril on 23 August 2019, 21:12:11

I'm afraid not... What I do have though is a thread I built that has links to all of my posts. Because modifying it does not bring it back to the top, I can keep it up to date without constantly necro-ing it.

The thread is called A Link to the Past...

Caz

yeah, this is great!

agen2 · « **Reply #21 on:** 24 August 2019, 06:40:00 »

Xiwo Xerase · « **Reply #22 on:** 26 August 2019, 09:13:58 »

This is a nice looking BattleMaster! (I'd've guessed Palomino Gold rather than Marigold Yellow for the cockpit, but I use Palomino Gold fairly often and Marigold Yellow... about never. I should fix that, I suppose.)

Cazaril · « **Reply #23 on:** 31 August 2019, 13:58:33 »

Quote from: Xiwo Xerase on 26 August 2019, 09:13:58

I'd've guessed Palomino Gold rather than Marigold Yellow for the cockpit

When I'm looking at things like cockpits, I try to stay down in the first 30 colors Reaper offers (9001-9030). This constitutes what I believe to be their core colors, and I honestly don't need to look any further.

Caz

I am Belch II · « **Reply #24 on:** 31 August 2019, 18:58:35 »

Great job.