Mason\'s WIPs

[Mason]

This is totally for the sake of modelling. For me, Heavy Gear has always had that kind of ALIENS power loader/engineering feel to it. I just couldn\'t resist converting this guy. Been wanting to do it for ages.

I have this crazy idea of this Gear striding around the forests of Bastogne, rescuing infantry from fallen trees and building fortifications in a super-science version of WWII.

I\'ve checked the Hairy Tarantula and they have the older tactical rules line of minis, but don\'t carry the new Heavy Gear Blitz! figures yet. I should bug them about that. It\'s a crazy store, super small, and chock to the brim with gaming supplies.

In case you\'re interested, Dreampod 9\'s released quickstart rules as downloadable PDFs for Heavy Gear Blitz! on their main web site http://www.dp9.com/Funhouse/HGB_Demo.htm

 

[No Such Agency]

Really great work. One thing - the back of the chainsaw should have some kind of cowling over it to prevent \"accidents\". Leaving it uncovered seems to have very little utility, especially since the pilot would not be able to see it most of the time.

 

[Mason]

Thanks No Such Agency. The cowling addition makes good sense, but I kind of like the unrestrained insanity of an uncowled chainsaw, so I think I\'ll keep it as it is. The artwork isn\'t exactly consistent with how the Engineering Grizzly is portrayed, likely because it\'s never been considered a playable Gear outside the old RPG setting, so it\'s details are open to interpretation. If I were doing a larger scaled kit, say 1:35, I would definitely consider the cowling, but this one is 1:144.

You\'ll notice that the chainsaw doesn\'t always appear on the same side, which can be explained away with the idea that Gears can have equipment snapped onto hardpoints almost everywhere on their chassis.

I chose to base my conversion off a blend of the first two images. The third one, despite its more interesting pose, seems like more of an illustrative sketch than a canonistic portrayal.

uncowled

cowled

stops at engine

All images copyright Dreampod 9

 

[Yetie]

Great to see it with a lick of paint on, the cab area is looking great!!!!!

 

[Mason]

Thanks, I aim to have the legs painted by the end of tomorrow.

 

[Mason]

Haven\'t got both legs done, but as you can see, they\'re well underway:

 

[Mason]

a little more progress:

Here\'s a size comparison with some of my ancient GW figures:

Click the link for a larger version: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1116/1043919297_f9b55fc2a1_o.jpg

 

[Manus]

Uhhhm.....I thought it was a lot larger, still lookin very cool mason - how do you make the scratches/chipping btw - seems to be a 100 different ways to do this, might as well hear how you do it too.

 

[Mason]

Most people tend to think that the Gears are a lot larger than actual size. I\'m quite happy that I was able to fool you, but a lot of that is due to the precision of the sculpt, Phil Le Clerc, known as xactoboy, is known for his mastery of machine sculpts. The fact that this was also a master kit of resin pieces may also have contributed to it.

The chipping I do is quite simple, the initial chip is made with scorched brown and then codex grey is applied within the chip. I add a mixture of codex grey and skull white or fortress grey the closer the chip is to an edge. Then, if I feel it suits the area, I spread a thin glaze of snakebite leather around the chip, this seems to add a bit of three dimensionality. I try to keep the chipping to the edges.

 

[Yetie]

I thought it was huge lol but I was wrong its looking good!!!

 

[Countersunk81]

Thats even more impressive knowing what size it is. Great work so far.
What are the plans for the base? Some nice deforestation I hope

I think I\'ll have to break out some old Gundam kits after seeing this!

 

[Mason]

The base is going to be a 40mm base seated on a 60mm scenic base. I should take some pictures and do some quick sketches to illustrate it for you.

The overall impression I want to convey is the forest floor of Bastogne in winter -- if you\'ve seen Band of Brothers, you\'ll know what I mean. The scenic base will have at its edge several freshly cut tree stumps, to indicate the sweeping chainsaw cut.

 

[Mason]

Here\'s a little mock-up:

 

[Jericho]

Wow that\'ll be amazing. Every time I see this guy I have to remind myself what scale it is. Keep up the good work.

 

[Yetie]

I get where your going with the Band of Brothers thing that will look really good!!!

 

[Mason]

Sorry, this isn\'t a WIP update, but Phil just finished sculpting the new Kodiak and King Cobra heavy assault Gears, and they look amazing. I had to share my love. lol

The Kodiak will undoubtedly be one of my next projects.

 

[Taikisama]

they are truley awsome, and i cant belive the scale... it is truly astonishing to see that much detail on such a small scale. where do you get them from? can you get them in the uk at all???
edit: are these linked to the program Heavy Gear at all??? i saw it afew years back on Foxkids just wondering if they were connected

 

[DaN]

I haven\'t the program you mentioned, but I know there was a good video game.

It\'s a very similar universe (Giant mechs) as mechwarrior - although I think they are different companies.

 

[Mason]

You can get these in the U.K. by going through the Heavy Gear Blitz! online store: http://www.dp9.com/Products/HGBLITZ.htm

I know that the Kodiak and King Cobra won\'t be shipping until late august as metal kits, but if you\'re at GenCon Indy, you\'ll be able to buy them as pre-release resin kits.

The TV programme of Heavy Gear was loosely based on Heavy Gear by Dreampod 9, but DP9 is not happy with the result. Heavy Gear was meant to be a grittier setting, less reliant on heroes than on the tactics and strategies of nation-states and political and religious intrigues. None of that came through in the kid-as-duelist TV programme.

The CG cinematics in the Heavy Gear and Heavy Gear II games by Activision were much closer to what Heavy Gear is about.

Anyway, I\'ll try to get a real update on the Engineering Grizzly up on Sunday or Monday.

thanks for all your comments and criticisms,

g!

 

[No Such Agency]

Originally posted by Mason
Sorry, this isn\'t a WIP update, but Phil just finished sculpting the new Kodiak and King Cobra heavy assault Gears, and they look amazing. I had to share my love.

Are these sculpted in the conventional way, or via CAD and rapid prototyping? I recall hearing somebody is \"sculpting\" mech minis that way, but I don\'t know who.