"The "Masterclass" of 15mm Sci-Fi..." Topic

So I just sold off a chunk of my 25mm 40k/Sci-Fi scenary (possibly thanks to some TMP'ers help!). Now Ive got a few extra toppins to go shopping with this week.

That started me thinking. Rather than starting on a new 15mm army, I thought I might add to the ones I have with a few special models. Special, meaning the ones that are big or costly and usually out of my price range.

So, what do you currently consider the "Masterclass" models of 15mm sci-fi gaming?

The first two that leapt to mind are the brand newly released Khurasan Mekanoid Dictator Robot:
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Second was the Khurasan Tribal Class Dropship, for sheer size alone:
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and third, not surprisingly from Khurasan again, is the newly released Hatchet Gunship:
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That one not so much because of its size or cost but because the detailing and crispness of its casting are outstanding.

So, what are your top pics?

I also like K-san products very much.
While I like the look of the Hatchet Gunship the most out of the three, if I was going to spend your money, I'd go with something you would use more often in your games, like the Dictator.
Good Gaming;
Joep

Critical Mass Games has some of the nicest high end models on the market IMO, from their Dragama heavy tanks:

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to their ARC Fleet heavy grav tanks:

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And while they're not technically 15mm, the big boys from Dream Pod 9's Heavy Gear range get used in that scale often enough, and they certainly fit in the "extremely well-made but very expensive" niche:

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As a follow up, I worked Saturday night so didnt get to check the mail til I got home Sunday in the AM. I was pleasantly surprised to find my first Khurasan Mekanoid Dictator had arrived.

Upon opening the box I instantly had three thoughts;
1) Damn, this is big!
2) Damn, this is cool!
3) I want another one!

I can easily imagine an urban scenario where 2 or 3 of these boys are hunting a few platoons of infantry armed only with a few RPG's or ATGM's.

@BWS, thank you so much for reminding me about DP9 whom I so often forget about.

Those would make perfect AFV's for my Ixx:
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I particularly like the Caprice order:
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Kenshin, the DP9 stuff is rather small compared to models from Khurasan or Critical Mass. Seeing that I now have three dictators sitting here, I think I have a pretty god clue about their size.

Dragon Strider versus the Dictator:
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For the cost, the Dictator is a much larger model and would be my choice, but I also own three Dragon Striders from DP9 for mu Spugs. The Striders have really nice casting and a lot of parts, but they are rather small, and I would say too small for Ixx to fit into.

The DP9 Caprice are larger and would be a better fit with most 15mm forces.

Jeff

Don't forget the DP9 stuff is somewhere around 12mm scale, not 15mm – even their big stuff is going to be smaller than true 15mm models type-for-type, and nothing in their range outside of the Overlord hover tank is supposed to be anything like the planet-wrecker a Dictator is. Striders are big, but not superheavy-Godzilla-sized big. They are quite expensive despite their smaller size, although the quality is top-notch – good resin and well-cast – and they tend to provide a lot of extras for building varinats of the base hulls these days. Almost more of a collector/modeller's range than a gamer's in a lot of ways, although HG has its player base.

While I am thinking about it, I would also like to point out that any of these very large kits done by small companies like Khurasan cost a lot to bring into production from having the model designed (CAD), having it 3D printed (very large parts), having molds made, casting etc and then few people buy them due to the high costs. Owners like Jon do these models because they want to do them and personally like them, but it is hard if not impossible to recoup the investment. For this reason, I try and make sure and purchase from nice people like Jon so they continue to bring us really great new models, even when they know they will likely not make a dime off them. Yes, they make money on the other products or they would not be able to make kits like the Dictator, but it is still import that we realize some of these kits are more a labor of love and not as much just "another" product.

I also agree with BWS on the Heavy Gear stuff. They have a LOT of very nice extra parts and are cast very very well with a plastic like resin. I like them and I like the Infinity remotes a lot, but the high price per miniature for the size always keeps me from buying very many.

Thanks,

Jeff

I really like the look of the Heavy Gears next to 15mm standard.

The designs have always caught my eye as I really am turned off by the Battle Tech boxy lines.

The Gears I have seen thus far compared to 15mm have been welcome and appreciated.

If it were me…I would include a measure of the Gears alongside the big boys you are considering.

I would also suggest maybe the Infinity Maghariba Guard model since it is a good size for 15mm and looks really nice with the right paint job. It is not cheap at all, but then again we are talking expensive models.

Here are some pictures.
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Jeff

Agreed! Infinity drones can also fit the fun bill…a bit pricey but full of flavor.

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link these guys make me smile
link so do these chicken feet!
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I would like to see one of these compared next to a 15mm miniature link I think it would make an imposing yet not overly so figure due to the thin design.

How about these beasts link link

These guys remind me of Gundams link

Good point about the Infinity models – in particular, many of those drones make fine 15mm figs.

You could also make an argument for some of the Privateer Press 'jacks making good VSF 15mm creations, and their myrmidons (magic elven golem things with an anime look) will work as combat mecha in 15mm scifi as well. The myrmidons would look particularly at home alongside many of the Infinity sculpts.

Both companies produce what I'd call "Masterclass" work in terms of sculpting quality.

I'm actually building Apocalypse size 40k armies in 15mm right now and have purchased lots of big cool stuff that I highly recommend:

Critical Mass
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Khurasan
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Micropanzer's Warbot plus light walkers sadly not available right now:
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And finally several 1/72 tanks by Easy Model, they fit very well with 15mm figs, are plastic and easy to kitbash or repaint and play with them as they are, I particularily like the M113 APC which is very similar to a well known scifi vehicle.

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I'm very glad that you like the models, it's fun to make these large kits. The Vornid galley is quite large too, and the Maggoton Planet-harvester will be the largest model I will ever make (yes, I know, famous last words). The Stick Scuttler Tank (more on this later) will be modular and can be as large as you want it to be!

I would be remiss in pointing out that many of the kits that you have mentioned were designed by Mark Mondragon, and the kudos go to him.

Uh . . . more massive vehicles? I will need to start conditioning my wife now for the future sticker shock . . .

Jeff

All those things sound amazing.

@JRacel, thank you very much for comparison pics! Absolutely right about the size of DP9 stuff. Too small for maned vehicles, however I might still use some as drone vehicles for my Mekanoid Army.

Your Dictator paint job is TOP NOTCH! Well done as always. I havent mentioned it before either but your Sprug aArmy is inspirational as well!

"Infinity Maghariba" is very cool. Never seen that one before. The other "Drones" look highly useable for the Mekanoids as well. Good call guys. All of the Infinity stuff is inspiring, and intimidating for me to paint!

@Silverback, I'm right there with you about CMG. I'm working on a Protolene Army right now. Love their Mechs and I might still add on a few more yet. They are going to be fighting the Felids in my verse.

Ive got one of the Micropanzer 15mm 'bots as well though havent painted him up yet though. Good call as well.

Funny you mention the 1/72 kits, I'm using a 40k Tau Piranha Dropship as my Protolene dropship.

Great suggestions so far. Keep 'em coming.

How about something nice from Micropanzer link

28mmMan, I actually already picked up 1 of the 15mm Warbots in my last go-round of shopping. I have him assembled in a running pose and like the model very much. He is going to be a scout-bot in my Mekanoid army.

If anything, I might pick up a second one to beef up their scouting strength. You are correct though. M.P. makes top-notch model.

They also have excellent customer service. When my 15mm bot arrived, it was missing the gun sprue. I alerted them through an email and asked only that the missing sprue be dispatched if possible. I received an extremely apologetic email stating the problem would be rectified ASAP, which it was with an entire new model being dispatched immediately. This left me with extra bits to fiddle with for conversions or a wrecked Mech.

As an aside, I'm aslo toying with how the 32mm scout bot would look on a 15mm game table!
Here he is next to 28mm minis:
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Also, since I did link this to the "Reviews" section, I wanted to mention in brief some other new purchases I had received recently.

I have had the Khurasan "Grenadier Melee Bots" for a while and really liked them:
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The only possible flaw I could find with them was that the chainsword arm on some is a bit brittle, but overall the design and look of them is great.

Then came the "Jeager Rifle Bots":
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These are one of my current favorite 15mm SF minis. I'm really looking forward to painting and basing these.
The other newest arrival was the "Dragoon Gunbots", also from Khurasan. I had really been looking forward to these due to the multiple arm attachments and therefore their multiple battlefield role. I ordered 3x pack of 4 so that I could have a squad of 12 roaming my battlefield.

The only bummer about them is that when they arrive there are so many parts in the bag they basically look like the left over crime scene from a homicide bomber. In other words they will take a bit of figuring out to determine what goes where. Lots of small bits too. I look forward to the end result though. Hopefully I dont glue one to my hand!

Anyway, hope I dont come off sounding like a Khurasan sock puppet! They took their sweet time completing the Mekanoid range, but it has paid off in spades!

Ill tell you one thing I DO wish was out right now is CMG's "Kaamados Building set 1 – (KABD1 – Price and contents TBC)" due out in July (sneak preview here: link )
I'll soon have 4 different 15mm Alien races I'm working on and no alien buildings to speak of. Looks like I'll soon be off to the craft store.

For those interested in the Dictator, here are some hasty pics of mine slapped together without glue. Hes "visiting" a Jeager Rifle Bot.

When the wife got home 'n saw the dictator, she asked if "we" could could paint him red with black spots!
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When the wife got home 'n saw the dictator, she asked if "we" could could paint him red with black spots!

Well, that would make a rather large start to a bug army! :)

Jeff

Oh the possibilities!

;-)