Hi, folks. I've been doing a little more work on my X-COM project.
The board is 2'x 2' and made from four 1' vinyl floor tiles which have had model RR grass mat glued to them. It's further subdivided into 16 six inch squares, each with some different features, all of which represent the terrain seen on-screen in the farm in the X-COM computer game. It amazes me how much variety you can get in such a small space. There is a small apple orchard, a grove of stumps (Zuzzy Minis) some crop sections made from sections of outdoor carpet or pipe cleaners, stone walls (JR miniatures) and some walls scratchbuilt from cork coasters; rail fences (JR minis), tall and low hedges (Pot scrubber variety), and a WIP scratchbuilt barn (built to scale from screen shots). I still need to stain the wood (coffee stirrers) on the barn and add a staircase and second floor. Still pending also is a farmhouse and stable complex. The buildings will all have playable interiors.
My Sectoids are Rebel Minis Greys. These are great little minis for a great price. I did a simple pj on them, based on the Sectoid colors from the X-COM PC game. Primed them with gray primer, painted the eyes black, ray guns are green and silver. A couple of leader types have a blue cape as well. (You don't see that in the PC game, no clothing on the Sectoids, but I don't mind.) Then just a black wash, sand and flock the bases and seal with a matte spray acrylic sealer. Here's pics.
Pic above shows the Sectoids, ready to begin their evil mission on Earth.
Pic above shows an X-COM Heavy Weapon Platform (GZG missile drone) finding a Sectoid hiding in the old orchard.
Pic above shows an X-COM trooper (Khurasan Minis Sepulvedan Resistance Fighter) investigating the strange light coming from the old barn. A Sectoid Leader is waiting for him to come into his line of fire. The blue light in the barn is from a little battery-op Christmas tea light that strobes through different colors of light.
The last pic shows one of those sneaky Sectoids getting into a sniping position.
Thanks for looking. Next up will be more work on the farm buildings, and maybe a Cyberdisk and small flying saucer.
I love the Blue Light SPECIAL Effect...lol!!!
ReplyDeleteJoe you are cool man.
What did you do for the grass field again?
With the little gun robot.
Out door carpet right?
ReplyDeleteReread it...
Wow! Joe, that set-up is just so cool! Love the aliens and the X-Com guys as well.
ReplyDeleteCan we come play at your house?
Now that is inspiring! Makes me want to try and do a similar X-com game. Those rebel Gray's are perfect!
ReplyDeleteVery well done, looks great and nice paintjob, the grays are great.
ReplyDeleteI really like what you've done here, LJ! The blue light in the barn is very effective!
ReplyDeleteWow! Looks EXACTLY like the old, beloved X-Com 1 game!
ReplyDeleteHi, everyone. Thanks very much for the kind remarks! I am loving this project and appreciate your encouragement.
ReplyDelete@Brother Joseph: Yes, you're right, it was a piece of free carpet sample I got from a Menard's. That's a big home improvement store like Home Depot here in the midwest. I cut it to a 6" square and hit it with a matte acrylic sealer. It was really shiny, not anymore though. That's my favorite kind of terrain: free and easy.
It really works too. I have looked at these carpets but they seem to be off scale. Yours looks perfect however.
ReplyDelete:)
Lucky Joe indeed...lol.
Very nice work! I'm a bit obsessed with modular terrain at the moment and yours is fantastic. X-com is one of my all time favorite games too.
ReplyDeleteSweet looking layout :)
ReplyDelete@Brother Joseph: Yeah, I'd rather be lucky then good. :)
ReplyDelete@SpaceJacker: Thanks. I've been hooked on modular terrain for a while. I especially like making stuff I can use across genres, even across scales.
I'm sitting here looking at printouts from your "Star Station Zero" to see if I can use them for some of the big Alien ship layouts for X-COM. I'm thinking I could use the floor tiles on page 2 with the "X" pattern for the deck plates in the X-COM Alien Battleship.
@Inrepose: Thanks very much. Having seen some of your terrain that's quite a compliment. Are you still interested in statting the X-COM aliens for Gruntz? I've been releuctant to ask you because I don't want to interfere with your progress with Gruntz.
AMAZING! Just like game!
ReplyDeleteHi, Fjodin. Thanks very much.
ReplyDeleteX-COM: Now there's a game! Nice work, sir.
ReplyDeleteBest,
JBR
Hi, JBR. Thanks very much. I'm sorry it so long to reply. I was sick and forgot to check the blog yesterday.
ReplyDeleteAmazing work Joe, you have capture the feeling of X-Com perfectly!
ReplyDelete