"TMP mini contest...hand made space ships" Topic

As per the recent "any good scratch builds out there" thread, how about an unofficial build off?

I have many many many piles, bins, and containers of stuff.

I was planning on making a series any way.

If at all possible could one of the FT guys out there rattle off a basic "fleet" compliment, as I have not played yet.

How many capitols, battleships, carriers, etc.?

Mine will be an alien, the Daeh Enoc (day e nook), a protoplasmic cone shaped alien that forms limbs/organs/tools as needed…uses other races as commodities. Ships are made of an advanced ceramics…so some smooth line work with pods, semi-domes, etc..

Anyone else want to give it a go? Say til the end of April? That gives a good month plus a few weeks to get it all going.

?

Maybe if something good comes of it all, one of the fine miniatures companies may take interest?

28, count me in. Shall we say something like – "fleet must consist of at least 2 Cruiser or larger vessels, plus 3 escorts." Aside from that, imagination is the only limit.

Should we specify that participants cannot 3D print or mold & cast components? Will this be a 'found objects / bits box' build-off? Just a thought – don't want to clutter the area with rules or other nonsense, though. ;)

Sounds interesting. The term "fleet" is wildly variable, although MacrossMartin's suggestion for 2 cruisers or capital ships and 3 escorts sounds good to me. Shall we specify at least three different designs within that group of five ships? Encourages some diversity in sculpts/kitbashes/scratchbuilds, right?

I would say that if someone has a 3D printer or wants to expend money to mold/cast then go for it…it is my plan to use bits and pieces, cause I lots and lots.

But what the heck right?

I mean to say it would not bother me…but I accept your challenge and will use no 3D or mold/cast parts :)

As for the compliment I had thought that your 2 cruiser+ and 3 escorts was the general idea…maybe an additional 1 capitol/battle star to balance it all out.

@BWS what do you mean buy the different designs?

Wouldn't a fleet design as suggested benefit from a cohesive design?

I am not sure what you are suggesting. It sounds like each of the class of ship be of a different design base.

I suspect you are considering that most scratch builds are a series of step ups…the same design a bit larger with a few more levels added on. So really in that case it is one design.

Is that what you mean?

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An allied fleet perhaps? Like the Star Wars Rebel fleet?

No, I'm just saying that (assuming we go with 2 cruisers + 3 escorts) there should be at least three different classes of ships amongst those 5 – so that you either have at least 2 types of escorts or 2 types of cruisers, rather than having all your escorts and all your cruisers be clones of one another.

Of course, if we go with 28mm Man's idea for 1 capital ship, 2 cruisers, 3 escorts, then we'll get at least three classes from everyone anyway – so let's go with that instead and forget my idea.

Ahhhh gotcha. The chase/line ships need not be from the same class.

I like your thinking BWS, so as a group idea in flux perhaps this:

1 capitol
2 cruisers
2 escorts
1 escort (of a different class than the other escorts)

Just got linked to this from SCN. I'm defenatly up for having a competition.

I think the current idea for fleet composition sounds perfect, not to big but still enough to be interesting.

I'm in – just finished building a small fleet for friend yesterday!

Do we need to show build photos or can we just show finished ships?

1 capitol
2 cruisers
2 escorts
1 escort (of a different class than the other escorts)

I like that fine, although I'm not sure the "two types of escorts" thing is really needed, and the numbers should really be minimums so as to allow for the ambitious types who can up with more than a half-dozen hulls.

Do we need to show build photos or can we just show finished ships?

Build photos are usually interesting, and they'll encourage people to do new stuff for the contest rather than showing off old projects. Nothing wrong with that IMO. Old photos can always go up on the gallery forum anyway, right?

Does the end of April deadline work for everyone else? I'm okay with it.

Build ups would be good if possible as would the pics of starting bits.

But to be honest, what ever works for you works for me…I am quite interested in seeing what comes of it all!

Right then, sounds like a plan!

I like the option of 5 ships, minimum of 3 classes myself, but however the majority chooses is fine by me. So, its no holds barred – 3D prints, kitbashing, and converted cigarette lighters all the way up to hand-carved cheesy snacks.

How long shall we run the contest for?

End of April?

End of April does sound appropriate; I'd have suggested 'printed' ships should be a separate contest, but as long as entrants point them out, which is right, as all builds should include explanations, I be jake.

As for painted/unpainted, I'll be lucky if I get a valid group assembled. Come to think of it, I'm more interested in sharing some ideas than actually competing. Being disqualified won't hurt too much.

I'll start chopping immediately!

Ditto. I'm in. Hopefully I can get enough time free to finish six hulls in nearly two months. :)

Right then, unless 28mmMan says otherwise, let's go for April 30!

It is "our" contest so I have a vote just as you guys do…but it sounds like we have a plan.

Contest will run from today until the last day of April 2010

Contest requirements include that a fleet should have at least 3 types/classes of ships with a basic format of 1 capital ship, 1-2 cruisers/battle ships, and 1-3 chase/escorts
(my plan is 1:2:2/1 with two types of escorts)

Materials are "anything goes" but it is desired that all parts and processes be presented.

It has not been mentioned but I will say it out loud, only painted miniatures will be judged. (not a huge deal breaker, but what is the point if you do not paint it right?)

Let us make pact to keep the group updated on any ideas or progress.

Rather than the normal of wait until completely done, I have seen many a small contest fade away without gentle nudges.

So let's consider the easy part…the fluff of the race/political background of your given fleet.

As for mine, I will elaborate:

Daeh Enoc (day e nook), a protoplasmic cone shaped alien that forms limbs/organs/tools as needed…uses other races as commodities. Ships are made of an advanced ceramics…so some smooth line work with pods, semi-domes, etc.

My empire is looking for new sources of "breeding stock for workers". They are willing to consider offers. Does your enemy have qualities that the Deah Enoc Empire might find useful? The enemy of my enemy is my friend?

The Empire is just now making contact with the terran/human expansion…

I am picturing the Deah Enoc Empire as being impossibly old with the race unable to comprehend the next step towards Ascension…that next step in evolution that involves casting away the material form and becoming an energy life form…the assumed next step for material life forms. These Deah Enoc are focused and driven, to a fault. Stubborn yet slow to act. As they live for hundreds of years with some upwards of a thousand or more, patience is a racial quality. Plans within plans, deep rooted layered thinking…so if a Deah Enoc attacks then it has been a scheduled effort with many steps.

What is seen as a quick action is actually just another layer in a long line of decisions.

It is best to avoid long relationships with the Empire as most other races are too young and short lived to see any contract to the end…which is just another tool that the Empire employs.

Pictures will follow.

Deah Enoc go through several stages of development through their lives. The first stage of maturity lasts between 200-400yrs. This first stage is the apprenticeship stage that sets the individual on a long path of intrigue.

The second stage involves the first level of sexual maturity that advertises the potential of a given member's worth…this lasts 100-200yrs. Usually during this time the individual leaves active service and provides the offspring initial rearing before passing them along to the Empire for allocation and the apprentice selection process.

The fertility process continues every 100yrs or so after this point unless the Empire deems the individual needed for long range deployment, and thus are sterilized.

As the Deah Enoc ages it grows to a standard height of 9-10' and a weight of 400-450lbs. A basic fleshy cone body with nodules along the body that can be formed into limbs, external organs, or tools. Generally their flesh is an off white color with tints of gray to pale blue. Multiple brains and an advanced nervous system allows for complex thought processing and the race excels in Stellar Navigation, Warp science, and other ultra math related subject.

While they seem to be emotionless, in truth they seethe with feelings as they absorb emotions like humans see their environments with sight/sound/odors. They process these empathic energies as tells and markers for communication. When dealing with the Deah Enoc it is best to do so via electronic transmission to avoid giving too much information away by contact…and they know this, so usually demand personal contact to complete transactions.

Well there are my fluffy bits :)

I'll throw my hat into the ring as well,

I don't play spaceship gaming so I am struggling a bit on sizes, but I think I got all the ships sorted.

I think size is fairly irrelevant – as long as your capital ship is bigger than your cruisers and they're bigger than your escorts, that should be fine. I'm doing mine to "GZG scale" so they'll fit with my Full Thrust ships when I'm done, but going larger or smaller would be fine for the contest.

Yes indeed. I was considering a very basic idea of 3:2:1 in inches for my ships.

But any size will do, welcome and let the games begin!

Are we talking total scratchbuilds, or can we use parts from model kits, or…?

nvdoyle, you can use anything your fevered imagination can turn into a spacecraft. Kits, styrene, shampoo bottles, Lego, gumdrops, or small children…

Anything goes…just keep tabs of what you used (pics are appreciated :) and the how you built it…what ever you want to use.

Build it and they will battle for the stars!

Okay, y'all finally got me off my butt on this one…

Have you brave few that have committed your shipyards and your resources, decided upon what race/species/etc. that your fleet will represent?

Going with a given game system setup or TV/movie inspired? Or completely original?

A fleet from a known race that has not had a miniature made before…

So what is bouncing around in those brain pans?

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28mmMan : (alien) Daeh Enoc Empire : 1 capital…..2 cruisers…..2/1 chase ships (2 designs)

Daeh Enoc (not exactly, but close) normally the limbs/organs/tools are not extended, leaving a more classic cone look.

picture

(sensor node…eye/ear/antenna/etc.) picture

(basic skin/flesh look) picture

Three words (probably terribly mis-spelled):

Sovyetskii Kosmicheskiye Voiska.

(I won't tease: Soviet Space Forces.)

'Real-world' tech, Near-future, 1:288/300 approx. scale. Main sources of inspiration: Winchell Chung's Project Rho and Ad Astra Games' Attack Vector: Tactical.

звучает как большая удача плана… с вашим строением!

(good luck with your build)

Thanks!

(Babelfish translates that as: it [zvuchaet] as the bonanza of plan… with your structure!")

One project of mine may well be the US counter to nvdoyle's space Russians…

Another is likely to be a 3D print up of a series of Venusian rockets, partly inspired by 'Dan Dare' and other 50's SF comic book works.
Yet another might simply be: "what can I make from this pile of disposable razors?"

Stay tuned, space fans!

From the moment the United Corporations of McMerica(UCOM) first pushed expansion into space, it was plagued by separatist factions and breakaway settler groups. Almost thirty years later the Fringe Wars started as the Peoples Coalition of Separatists and Free Companies (PCSFC) sent the sector into a bloody civil war.

It was a brutal war that was cut short when in a UCOM battleship attacked a "Squib" scout ship. The Squibs; named for the fact their eyes explode in a O2 rich environment once out of their environmental suits, always wary, but diplomatically neutral to the Expansive human presence retaliated in full force for the unprovoked attack against their race. With a full armada charging into the heart of human space a hasty alliance was formed between UCOM and PCSFC to repel the assault. After a number of key victories on the human side the Squibs retreated back into their sector in a self imposed isolation. UCOM so far has honored their contract and the PCSFC; Now a legally recognized independent government renamed United Free Companies (UFC). The UFC governs a space of 15 Class A planets and mining rights to 3 asteroid belts close to Squib space.

With tensions high on the boarder, the UFC has to keep not only alert for any movement of the now shadowy Squibs but also protective of it small borders from the ever present schemes of UCOM.

Below is a photo of the 2nd fleet under constructed. It's skeletal frames slowly taking shape.

link
The Cruiser Terriaci starts to take shape;
link

Note – the frames in the top photo are upside down your looking at what will be the bottom, Most everything will be sculpted over top of the plastic shell bits.

Great use of sprue!

This sounds like a fun project all!

I am inspired more than before!

Lets keep the short updates, to keep every one on track…god knows I need it.

Stuck my initial effort up on our Works In Progress page:

link

Strictly a spare time project, but it's going pretty quick so far. Good use for some of the leftover bits generated by working on terrain masters.

Ye Gods, that was fast work! Complete with FT stats too!! Colour me impressed!

Here I was feeling good about getting the first bulking and general form done on one :)

BWS looking good!

Hey…I did not think beyond the build…I will need lots of help for the stats if that is a direction we want to go.

As in "I have no idea where to start…" :)

But I must get busy if I want to keep up.

Ye Gods, that was fast work! Complete with FT stats too!! Colour me impressed!

It's only one small ship, and after all these years I can do FT stats in my head. Finishing a full squadron of six will be the trick.

Modest fellow. ;)

I'm working off of these as a starting point.

link

I held onto them from our superbowl party just for s and giggles.

I like those, LOL I cannot wait to see how these come out!

At the risk of being tagged as an overachiever, an update:

link

Second escort hull done, minor variation in design, probably use the same stats for both. Also updated the FT stats to something a little slower and even more overgunned, which fits the mini better in retrospect – those engines are pretty small for thrust 6.

Four ships to build, then the painting.

Consider yourself tagged. Heck, I'd better pull my finger out! I'm getting left behind here!

@xomenx…out of nowhere comes a pale rider…on a cake decoration! lol, classic. I am beside myself over what you are going to do with that bit.

@BWS…nice…tag

@MM… picture picture picture picture picture picture picture

and this one, not for any other reason, just because it is too funny picture

Not sure why I went pull my finger link crazy…took the wrong meds I think :)

If life allows, I will take a shot at this.
-ZG

All righty then…it looks like we have 10 or so…now we have a contest!

I have started on mine…laying out all the common elements, playing with the usual suspects:

cheap lighters…10 for $2 USD

cheap disposable razors…6 for $1 USD

small bottle of BB's…150 for $2 USD

and some spruuuuuuuue!

Sorry the ghost of Christmas past s'nuck in on me or was that just the bills from last Christmas?

I need a new battery for my camera so, the masses will have to suffer until I get one this weekend.

Premanufactured sections have begun to arrive at Orbital Construction Facility 3 (Dzerzhinsky), but Soviet Space Forces Command has yet to release any images. As soon as they do, they will be posted for all Soviet peoples to see – take pride in your Space Forces!

I'm getting there with mine, still just undetailed hulls but I'll get some images when I get the chance to. All plastic scratchbuilds.