Battletech: Operation Homecoming; Stratos Mini Studios 6mm Mech build

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Many years ago, the first SF miniature game I ever owned was the foruth edition of Battletech in the late 1990's. I looked forward to finally having my own job (the military) and a local game shop to play in around 2001 when I finally finished my training and got to my first duty station... Only to find that FASA had gone out of business, nobody really was playing Battletech at the game stores people played at, and everybody seemed to be jumping on to either Magic the Gathering (or other CCG) or Warhammer 40,000 (which I eventually did myself). I did not realize Classic Battletech had survived, with two publishers (FanPro in the early 2000's, and now Catalyst Games Labs today)... So I casually picked up a few 6mm vehciles here and there in discount bins or clearances sections of game shops around the country where I happened to be... Until recently.

A few years ago, I ran into a local group of skirmish gamers, and one of the first games we did was Battletech. It was great using those vehicles again, along with some of the record sheets I'd picked up along the way. Then it died off as w played a few other games (15mm like GRUNTZ and Flames of War/Team Yankee), some Necromunda/Kill Team, and others. Well, we are back to Battletech after some recent poor decisions by the company that productes 40K... Frankly, it feels good to be back.

I'm going to start with my older pewter vehicles here, but I promise I will get to the resin shortly!

First up, I had to strip and repaint my old Patton/Rommel tanks (depending upon the record sheet used, they are the same model), and LRM Carriers and repaint them. After all, I'd purchased them years ago and painted them before I knew what I was doing.

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I based them with some nice 30mm hex bases from Proxie Models, and I put in some CGL (Catalyst Games Labs) official miniatures in for scale. The lighter green vehicles are Reaper CAV scout cars just for more fun (I left the as they are, for now...).

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A quick bath in acetone, and they old paint is gone! I love pewter for that reason....

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I decided to use washers on the bottoms of the tanks and carrier vehicles, and add magnets to the plastic bases. After all, if I want to repaint or use them without the hex bases (like for Dirtside II or other rules set...).

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All ready to prime!
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
As usual, i went with my handy desert tan primer...
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Oh, but these guys seem to need some recon elements to ensure those LRM (Long Range Missiles) Carriers can deliever indirect fire!

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My first resin kit from Strato Mini Studios is the Hound RV model. Again, using a small washer on the car, and the magnets in the base. These are neat little vehicles!

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On to base coating. I ended up painting all the LRM Carriers first, and all of them have a temperate climate camo pattern suitable for grasslands and forests.

My tanks however, got half the platoon painted in arid desert colors.

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Sudsy

Well-Known Member
The moment you all have scrolled down for! The Strato Mini Labs Mechs! So, Strato Mini Labs is based out of Poland, and I ordered these from an American supplier, Fortress Miniatures, largely because they sponser the YouTube Channel Renegade HPG which covers Battletech extensively. I'm impressed with the quality of the resin models they provide. Tell me if you see mold lines in the photos, because I found none while I had my 'cheater' magnifier glasses on looking for them!

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Sorry, reverse order of photos... Primer was black this time. More on that later...

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Scorcher is equivilent to the Flashman Heavy Mech from the 3025 Technical Readout book for those interested.

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Lumberjack is equivilent to the Axeman Heavy Mech from the 3050 Technical Readout
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Tinman is equivelent of the Hatchetman Medium Mech from the 3025 Technical Readout
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When I trimed the legs from the mold tree parts left on the model, and sanded them, they were pefectly balanced. I even could put the hip on, and if I was careful enough, the socket joints were so clean and solid it stayed between the legs before I even glued it! Needless to say, that made assembly easy as I didn't have to stay there holding the legs in place while the glue dried.
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Here is where I ended up tonight (I started right after finishing that Basilisk in the 40K section of card models...). I am attempting to do a zenithal priming job. With the black base coat, I took my airbrush and gently sprayed white from above to strike the upper surfaces and add the highlights now so that when I brush on my paint, I don't need to worry about the highlights if they are translucent. I'll find them easier. My darks will likely be darker.

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Lets see how this works over the next couple of weeks!
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
More Giant Stompy Robots! Getting my Strato Minis put together and more basing details before proceeding with paint. Waiting for a coat of PVA glue to dry on the model railroad ballast I'm using on the bases. In the mean time, I've attached arms to the command mech, the Bullshark/Marauder and Scorcher/Flashman.

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Would I recommend these variants to anyone interested in Battletech? Hell yeah! While I love the detail in the newer CGL models, these resin aftermarket kits really capture the spirit of the 'offical' models they proxy for. I cannot say anything negative about the quality of Strato Miniature Studios resin castings here. Other than cutting off the usual sprues that are necessary for the casting of the resin parts, I have had do NOTHING. All mold lines are cleverly taken care of by the details and required zero sanding or scraping. None. I really want to go to Poland and buy that mold maker a lifetime supply of whatever they enjoy drinking, because these models are that good.
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Not sure if these pigments are the most effective with the zenithal priming technique.

The "Territorial Beige" worked best I think, as it is translucent enough (and something I missed typically painting it onto my desert tan camo spraypaint priming in other projects). Next best was "Forest Green" and the worst was "Cable Grey" which is the most opaque. Such is art, got to experiment with what works. I'll just default back to my standard method of painting for those two in the 'urban camo' scheme I have in mind.

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Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Nice, I build and paint the minis for D&D, and for me, the bases are still the hardest pat.

Basing, can be an art in and of itself at times, especially in D&D miniatures... I tend to go as basic as I can get away with for now! I still feel my bases are an afterthought, but then I don't want to get bogged down worrying about those!
 
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