Miniature of the Fortnight #141: Archer

[Xiwo Xerase]

What can I say about the Archer that you don't know already? The Archer is one of the first BattleMechs, going back to the first Battledroids box set, and is the 'Mech that other missile boats are measured against. If you'd like to know more about its variants or how to use it in game, please see its 'Mech of the Week article.

The Archer has had many sculpts through the years:

• Unseen:
  • The initial BattleDroids sculpt (20-842).
  • The second Unseen sculpt, available in both metal (20-842) and resin.
  • The plastic miniature in the BattleTech third edition boxed set, based on one of the prior sculpts.
• Reseen:
  • The ARC-8M sculpt (20-211)
  • The ARC-6W sculpt (20-298)
  • The ARC-9W sculpt (20-5195)
• Primitive:
  • The ARC-1A sculpt (BT-411)
• Classic: (all from CGL, all in plastic)
  • The normal ARC-2R sculpt
  • The "legendary" ARC-2R sculpt, reflecting Jaime Wolf's 'Mech
  • The ARC-2W sculpt from the Wolf's Dragoons Assault Star ForcePack

If you have any of these painted, please share pictures! We'd love to see them! (And bonus points if you didn't glue the ARC-8M's missile bay doors to your fingers at least once...)

Our next two fortnights will be:

• 9/19: Phoenix Hawk
• 10/3: Crusader

[Xiwo Xerase]

I actually have one of these painted, the ARC-6M, in Marik Militia colors. And, yes, I did glue the missile bay doors to my fingers. Those were a pain.

[CranstonSnord]

Here's a Ryuken-Ni 8M, and Marik 6W and 8M.
Next are two unseens, some of the first minis I ever painted, 30+ years go.

[dirty harry]

Another pair of reseens...

-8M in the colors of the 4. Oriente Hussars
-6W in the colors of the IV. Legio Comitatensis

[Starbuck]

i have one unseen Archer

6th Benjamin Regulars

[MarauderD]

3 Classic Archers from the Kickstarter:  2 from the Command Lance, and the Legendary Archer. 

5th Sword of Light:


3rd Lyran Guards (Legendary Sculpt)


4th Davion Guards:


Hard not to give every faction an Archer, they are such good mechs!

[Joel47]

The original Mechwarrior RPG had a couple of mechs in an "anti-skyline" camo -- woods camo below, and reflective above to blend in with the sky. This is an old attempt at reproducing that; I may try again soon and see what I've learned in 15+ years.
(And I'll take the bonus points -- no fingers were stuck in the gluing of the missile doors. )

[Cazaril]

Tied with the Griffin for 3rd most 'Mechs in my collection is the Archer.

These first four were all originally painted back in the early 90's, although the three Kurita Archers received a bit of an update in 2008/2009. The update primarily consisted of switching the numbers over to Kanji ones.

Davion - Albion Military Academy - ARC-2R Archer



Kurita - 2nd An Ting Regiment - ARC-2R Archer



Kurita - 2nd An Ting Regiment - ARC-2R Archer



Kurita - 2nd An Ting Regiment - ARC-2R Archer




This next one represents the last miniature I did before packing the paints away in the early 2000s (not to be brought back out until 2008/2009). It was inspired by the Wolves on the Border cover

Mercenary - Wolf's Dragoons - ARC-2W Archer



This one was inspired by the CityTech box cover.

Kurita - 17th Galedon Regulars - ARC-2K Archer



Finally, a custom built Archer

Liao - Kamakura's Hussars - ARC-2R Archer "Hou Yi"



This second picture helps with scale for the custom Archer



Caz

[Daryk]

That custom built Archer looks better than the reseen ones, at least to me! 

[Charistoph]

I present the Archer of my "Brown Pants Legion".

This one had earned a reputation for one member of my group and he has nicknamed it "Oprah", because it is very generous in handing out missile volleys with customized variants ("You get a missile volley, and YOU get a missile volley!"). 

In one case it was 4 Clan LRM-15s with Artemis.  In another case it was a total custom job with 3 iATM-9s firing off HE rounds at his Shadow Hawk.  That it survived was partly due to its partial cover, but it was still sent packing with not but its legs (and I think Head) having any armor left.

[RabidFox]

ComStar Level II Archer, 12th Army

[Luciora]

Where to begin...

Primitive 1A and Unseen 2K

[Luciora]

4 Unseens in various schemes

[Luciora]

Project Phoenix versions and a variant

ARC-6W
ARC-8M
ARC-2S

[Luciora]

ARC-9W and variants based off the mini

ARC-2S
WiP ARC-5CS

[Luciora]

Kickstarter sculpts painted in various named pilots and legacy schemes

[Xan]

This is from the kickstarter legendary set, painted as Morgen Kell's Archer

[Grizzly]

ARC-2K in 1st Genyosha livery.

[Grizzly]

ARC-9W and variants based off the mini

Brilliant mods.

[Greatclub]

ComStar Level II Archer, 12th Army

paintjob on that is so smooth it looks rendered.

[BaldDen]

Wolf's Dragoons Archer

[CranstonSnord]

Just finished an ARC-2W for a game this weekend

[Losferwords]

Am I late to the Archer Party?? 149th Dark Horse ACR. And yes. Yes I did glue my fingers and everything else to the !@#%#! bay doors!

[Valkerie]

Three Archers for me.  Project Phoenix and new plastic.  The Com Guard Archer was painted by the same friend who did the Rifleman for me.

[sounguru]

[Kojak]

Part of my complete Wolf's Dragoons headquarters lance, here's Jaime Wolf's unique Archer.