Miniature of the Fortnight #13: Awesome

[Xiwo Xerase]

Originally appearing in TRO 3025, the Awesome is one of the better regarded Inner Sphere 'Mechs in any era.  It would probably be an iconic 'Mech if it had showed up in the original box sets.  Surprisingly, there isn't a 'Mech of the Week article for it, at least not on our current forums.

I'm admittedly a little confused about the sculpts so I may get this wrong.  It looks like there have been three metal sculpts:

• The first metal sculpt for the AWS-8Q (20-847).  This appears to have been rereleased recently by IWM as BT-279.
• There is another metal sculpt that appears to have been used in IWM's lance packs (originally Beginners Set #6, currently, the Command Lance Pack, 10-038) but I'm not sure how this differs from the original sculpt.
• The original sculpt's product code was coopted by a sculpt for the AWS-9Q (currently available as 20-847).

The plastic miniature from the introductory box set and CGL's Support Lance Pack may be based on the sculpt in IWM's lance packs.

Please post any miniatures you'd like to share.  Like always, you can post 'Mechs you've already painted or 'Mechs you plan to paint.

Thank you for reading and thank you for posting!

I apologize for the quality of this post.  It hasn't been a great week for me.  I hope to do better for next fortnight.

Next fortnight's 'Mech will be the Executioner (Gladiator).

[Vaaish]

I'll bite. :) here's my Eridani Light Horse Awesome. Slight repose but mostly stock IWM from the current metal sculpt.

[LeoCeballos]

Not the best result of my recent push to paint the intro boxed set minis, but darnit its the first Mini of the Fortnight that I have a 'mech for, so I'm posting it :p

[Cazaril]

Much like my Centurion from the first "Miniature of the Fortnight", this AWS-8Q Awesome was painted back in the early 90's. It is suppose to be part of the Albion Military Academy, but it was painted before CSO, and the original House Book didn't mention a paint scheme. I went with brown, which ended up being totally wrong, but I also don't plan to repaint it. It sports a hand painted Albion Military Academy insignia, instead of the correct double diamond on a field insignia of the Training Cadre, as well as a hand painted Davion Federated Suns insignia.



Second is a 23rd Arcturan Guards AWS-9Q Awesome, that got a slight repose. This is one of a handful of minis that I have done, but no longer own. It was auctioned off back in 2011 as part of an effort to help a fellow Mechwarrior that got brutalized by the U.S.'s economic downturn... The pose actually reminds me a bit of Vaaish's Eridani Light Horse Awesome, now that I see them together.




I have one more Awesome, but regrettably it isn't completely ready yet... Which is a shame, because I think it is the best of the bunch... Maybe if I finish it before the decade is out, it'll find its way here.

Caz

[DarkSpade]

I was experimenting with an idea I had to paint my ares and ended up with this.  Wasn't until much later that I realized the base doesn't really make sense with this camo.

[Azakael]

Second is a 23rd Arcturan Guards AWS-9Q Awesome, that got a slight repose. This is one of a handful of minis that I have done, but no longer own. It was auctioned off back in 2011 as part of an effort to help a fellow Mechwarrior that got brutalized by the U.S.'s economic downturn... The pose actually reminds me a bit of Vaaish's Eridani Light Horse Awesome, now that I see them together.




I have one more Awesome, but regrettably it isn't completely ready yet... Which is a shame, because I think it is the best of the bunch... Maybe if I finish it before the decade is out, it'll find its way here.

Caz

Have you ever shared how you get such a nice, clean white like that? I have ComStar and Word of Blake Militia units that could use some advice.

[Cache]

There is another metal sculpt that appears to have been used in IWM's lance packs (originally Beginners Set #6, currently, the Command Lance Pack, 10-038) but I'm not sure how this differs from the original sculpt.

The plastic miniature from the introductory box set and CGL's Support Lance Pack may be based on the sculpt in IWM's lance packs.

These two are the same sculpt. It is a copy of the 9Q sculpt with a modified left arm (giving it a hand).

[Cazaril]

Have you ever shared how you get such a nice, clean white like that? I have ComStar and Word of Blake Militia units that could use some advice.

Ironically I talked about it in the Awesome's original post... But here is a reprint:

Technique is simple to describe, a terror to do...

Undercoat is Reaper's Rainy Grey. I just slap that on (usually two coats), and try to make sure I get all the panel lines coated well... Then the primary coat is Reaper's Misty Grey. This coat is where I start to panel paint, and also requires two coats to make it look good... After that I work up 2:1, 1:1, 1:2 and finally straight Reaper's Pure White.

So I guess 5 progressions, 6 if you count the undercoat.

What I learned from the original Griffin was to make the size of the grey area smaller, and use more white - where I had used it as a highlight color previously.

I prefer 20/0 or 18/0 spotters, but have gone as large as 5/0 (I'm the guy you see in the store, pulling the little protectors off the tips, and staring at the paint brushes... "Nope, this one has one or two strands out of place" <as I put it back>). The coat of straight Misty Grey usually takes 2-3 hours (assuming 1 coat) and is enough to make you want to gouge out your own eyes... But each progressive shade gets easier (mentally too)...

As for dry-brushing and washes... Don't normally use them... Maybe on the silver of the heat sinks... A little on the gun barrels.. But that is it for dry-brushing... And I seldomly ever do a wash.

That's pretty much it... It's slow.. It's time consuming.. It has it's limitations (scaled armor is an issue)... But I like the results.

Note: While I mention 5 shades, you have to see them in person to appreciate them. They don't show up in the pictures. I've been working a bit with a more dramatic shift in paint colors, but as of yet have not tried the doing so with white. I fear if I try it, I'll end up once again with more of a grey Mech with white highlights, than a white Mech (although it might look better in the pictures).

Caz

[pipeline]

Looks great, Caz.

[I am Belch II]

Great Work.

[Luciora]

 Trying to make this thread more Awesome.

Original sculpt - Black and Gold
Resculpt
8T resculpt
9Q

[Burning Chrome]

I'll bite. :) here's my Eridani Light Horse Awesome. Slight repose but mostly stock IWM from the current metal sculpt.

 :o  Nicely done.

[B1Bflyer]

In all seriousness, there's some great looking Awesomes here. Here's the few I've painted:

WoB 3rd Militia


2nd Magistracy Highlanders


Quick and dirty Lyran Regulars

[klarg1]

This picture is incomplete - it comes before any of the insignia were applied - but it's still one of my favorite conversion projects:



I actually added markings, insignia, and weathering a long time ago, but I don't think I have a convenient picture of it online. Maybe I'll come back and update this later.

[The Eagle]

This thread is why these boards needs Like button.

[Force of Nature]

Here are my Awesome's

[Wotan]

Those are awesome!

I have one for my 49th Shadow Division


Also my 5th Crucis Lancers field this viable mech


The Marik Militia rely on this mech, too


The 4th Tau Ceti have this Awesome 8V variant in line (based on the AS lance box version)


Even the periphery nation of MoC is proud to have an old beaten Awesome

[Nips]

Lots of amazing stuff in this thread!  Here's my contribution: An Awesome in the colors of my unit, the Oosik Irregulars, in a faux "MWO Sherman" style pattern.

[Luciora]

Complete with regulation orange safety tips!

Lots of amazing stuff in this thread!  Here's my contribution: An Awesome in the colors of my unit, the Oosik Irregulars, in a faux "MWO Sherman" style pattern.

[.Dreary]

I still need to buy decals for this army. They are going to be Crucis Lancers, either 7th, or a custom regiment I make up.

[Spacecowboy]

Thank you for a thread full of Awesomes.  This is like Nirvana.  #P

[Burning Chrome]

Not the best result of my recent push to paint the intro boxed set minis, but darnit its the first Mini of the Fortnight that I have a 'mech for, so I'm posting it :p

 

 :o That's a plastic Awesome?

[Burning Chrome]

Glad to see others add the "pointy-bit" to the dish as well.   O0

Caz

This picture is incomplete - it comes before any of the insignia were applied - but it's still one of my favorite conversion projects:



I actually added markings, insignia, and weathering a long time ago, but I don't think I have a convenient picture of it online. Maybe I'll come back and update this later.

The Marik Militia rely on this mech, too

Marik Militia...these look, well...Awesome.

[Cazaril]

Glad to see others add the "pointy-bit" to the dish as well.

Awesomes, Crabs and Atlases all have the communication dish, and all get the little "pointy-bit" added. Even my FATlases get it done, as I add Crab dishes to the sides of their heads... Other little bits also include things like adding the knee bars in front of the Shadow Hawk's knee caps, and the skirt vents on Rifleman. Pretty much any little detail from artwork that gets left out, that I notice and think I can add back, gets done.

Caz

[LeoCeballos]

 

 :o That's a plastic Awesome?

Yup! Just finished painting all of my CBT boxed set. If you want to see the rest the thread is here: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=56394.0

[Demon55]

Great jobs guys!

[Xiwo Xerase]

My one painted Awesome, recent plastic, in generic camo.  This was painted around the same time as the Zeus I posted some time back.

[Hayden.]

Juuuuuuust finished it (started earlier this week).  I had an unpainted Awesome sitting around that I'd planned to do in some kind of FWLM camo, but when this came up I decided to go for it.  Unfortunately, I only had decals for the St. Ives Lancers, Avalon Hussars and Amphigean LAG (and given the weight, the Amphigeans were out straight away).  So I decided to go for another St. Ives lancers.  I'm very happy with the end result.

[worktroll]

Very nice, Hayden!

My late contributions, in chronological order:



A classic Ral Partha metal AWS-8Q that I painted in the 1980s, presaging the Marik "Knights of" look; an old intro plastic AWS-8Q in Marik Militia colours, and an AWS-8R in Waco's Rangers colours.



IWM metal AWS-9Q with home-made fourth PPC from the Atrean Dragoons, a slightly reposed AWS-8Q in FRR 3rd Hussars colours, and a more-reposed AWS-8V from the Capellan's Warrior House Dai Da Chi.

[Hayden.]

Very nice, Hayden!

Thanks Worktroll!  I always look forward to your contributions on these Mini for the Fortnight sections, not just for the paint schemes, but for insight into the history/progression of the minis and of course to see your own alterations.

I'm curious about the AWS-8R, did you modify that one?