Adding Tips for Missile Launcher Ports?

[2112Stimbles]

Hey there, was wondering about this as I'm starting to paint my minis now.

For 'mechs with missile ports, if I want to have the look like there's a missile tip in the port - what are some suggestions for what I can use? I had thought about some very small beads, but I can't find any in local craft places that would be small enough.

[RazorclawXLS]

Hey there, was wondering about this as I'm starting to paint my minis now.

For 'mechs with missile ports, if I want to have the look like there's a missile tip in the port - what are some suggestions for what I can use? I had thought about some very small beads, but I can't find any in local craft places that would be small enough.

If the hole is too small, I just apply a black wash to it, but if the hole is big enough, I simply paint red at the bottom of it.
Some mechs have molded missile heads, like the Catapult, so I paint those white, with a red dot at the tip.

[CranstonSnord]

I would be tempted to cut the tips off of toothpicks, but getting them to line up right might be tricky.

[Joel47]

I'd just leave them as holes, but if I were going to add missiles:

1. Start with styrene or wood dowel of the correct diameter. Don't worry about the length -- we want it long for step 2.
2. Make pointy in pencil sharpener.
3. File/sand if necessary.
4. Drill hole deeper so you're not trying to glue a point onto a flat surface. It's OK if it's too deep (so long as your drill bit doesn't come out the back).
5. Trim "missile" from pointy end. Use the fact that the hole is deeper than the missile to line them all up. Think "new box of crayons" not "used box with some half the length of others."