"Exterminators lieutenant?" Topic

Ok, some guys told me what (or who) the Exterminators lieutenant should NOT look like, but in that case what SHOULD he look like?

IMO, I would like to see the LT in a similar outfit to the rest of the squad, but with rifle slung and holding a map/PDA/communications device.

I'd like to see something more identifiably different than that, to make him easier to pick out on the tabletop.

Then paint a target on him.

Not necessary as the opposition will be small metal figurines who don't actually shoot.

I think gamers will like SOME difference though, a bit more than just a pose variation. Or am I mistaken?

Jon,

I think he will appeal to the wargaming crowd more if he were more battle ready.

I don't think you'd ruin things for the whole Aliens image if you gave him some kind of "info helmet" designed for command and control.

Arm him with a rifle please.

-Eli

Mostly I want leaders to be pointing/gesticulating so that they are easily visible, especially in 15mm. Everything else is just window dressing…

Maybe a version that can sit in a chair and a version standing at parade rest?

A soft cap would look good me thinks

I'm with Nazrat. The guy should be pointing, gesturing, looking at map tablet, hand to the side of his head and mouth open yelling into his comm helmet/implant, etc. Maybe put some tabs on his shoulders for rank insignia (yes, I know no officer in his right mind would wear those in the field but, recall that miniature gaming is a VISUAL hobby).

Maybe a specialized looking comms helmet? Or maybe an ancillary comms officer who stands next to him?

Just some ideas.

Shawn.

Well, at least just a pistol… and a soft cap. I'm willing to compromise on everything else…

Helmet, rifle held down at his left side (at the trail?), pointing with the right arm.

Same equipment, but soft cap, and pointing/yelling, maybe a ear piece/mike

Same uniform, minus the rigid armor plates. Soft cap. Ear/mic piece. Sidearm either in hand or holstered. He should have with him: a female aid dressed more or less the same, a science officer in non-BDU scienc-y type clothes, and a corporate type dressed in a suit. Add a child survivor figure too. That might round out a nice little 5 figure pack – you know, for those of us who'd like to have Lt.Gorman, Ripley, Bishop, Burke and Newt added to the mix. =)

I'm with Sloppypainter and Gunner.

Same armour as the rest of the grunts (lets assume his training has been field based and not ALL simulated), either a helmet or cap, rifle by his side and either pointing or shouting into his comms unit (to be heard over the gun fire obviously).

Oh and an obvious medic type would be awfully nice too ;-)

Pretty much what TylerD and company stated.

Soft Cap, same armour, rifle at his side on a standard sling over the shoulder. Probably a standy-abouty pose to make him look important. Oh, and give him an android assistant armed with either a pistol or another rifle of course. He should have fewer ammo pouches I imagine and a holstered sidearm as sidearms have been known for the last hundred years in most armies as a badge of officership.

Rather like Komorigumo's idea for a 5 pack of characters. Would definitely need Newt as a seperate figure. The one thing that kept me from getting the QRF packs was the fact Newt and Ripley were cast as a single figure. Well, that and the figures looked a bit mediocre in the photos.

Oh, should probably add this since I'm sure Jon will be checking back. They need a rocket launcher and a sniper. Doesn't matter if they have mortars, HMGs or any of that sort of stuff, but a Sniper would give them distance killing power and a rocket launcher would provide anti-hard target killing power. So, they'd effectively be able to take on anything from infantry to a tank or a bunker.

He's already mentioned that there are more weapon types on the way.

-Eli

How about a pack like your federal army command pack. A couple of officers in a conference, another wearing armor and soft cap, and one in full armor. The last two looking commanding would be great.

+10 to Tgunner for the score!

Agree with Tgunner, but with bare head, and holding his helmet in his hand, or under his arm.

Waving his arm, with helmet on, and carrying a weapon, if on the battlefield. Perhaps armed with a shorter weapon than the standard rifle – SMG-like weapon, possibly? Then again, having him carry weapons like the rest might be a good idea too.

A slightly modified helmet might work, if not too different, but reasonably obvious. Antenna or antennae, perhaps. Foster, in the episode Survival, had a slightly different helmet, when he went out in a Moon Hopper looking for a UFO and aliens on the surface of the moon.

For an Exterminators lieutenant I've used a RAFM sci-fi military figure wearing a soft cap and holding up a coms device to his face it's a pretty good stand in for Gorman even if he is a bit podgy looking. As for a new sculpt for a Exterminators lieutenant I would go with the same style armor as the rest of the unit but perhaps also wearing webbing with a few extra pouches, he would have a slung pulse rifle over the shoulder and hanging down the same side, he would have a hand on a pistol drawing it from a holster on his belt and pointing with his other hand with arm that slightly bent. I would have him wearing a visored helmet with a lowered mic to fit in with the rest of the squad.

Going with the above comment on extra webbing and gear, he might have a portable computer on his back that ties into his helmet if you don't go with the info helmet idea.

-Eli

A pistol, or throwing/holding a grenade would be good as well.

"He's already mentioned that there are more weapon types on the way."

O'rlly? I clearly missed that. Lol. Awesome to know.

What about curled up in a fetal position for placing behind a bit of cover far away from the fighting.

Otherwise, the same general setup as the rest, maybe a lighter class of weapon and additional comms gear either on him or close at hand on another trooper (RTO)

Maybe 2 variants
1. Full uniform, helmet etc
2. Sleeves rolled up, soft cap / bare-headed, cigar out side of mouth, etc

I'm getting that there's a majority who'd rather see him just like the troopers but in a command pose and maybe with a kind of command helmet. What might that look like? Thanks.

Command helmet? I'd say give it a large electronics package with an antenna. Maybe a tablet or a wrist comp with an eye piece.

"What about curled up in a fetal position for placing behind a bit of cover far away from the fighting."

I'd buy it.

Could be a four pack of Lieutenants. ;D One in regular gear, out there with his men. One wearing light "I'm hiding in the APC"-type kit and the last one in the Fetal position with the fourth figure being a Sergeant, corporal or other trooper facepalming with complete and utter disgust. He would be intended for standing over the 3rd L.T. pose.

On a serious note, I think a 'command helmet' would end up looking too bulky, or just silly. Still forming a complete opinion on the headwear though, but for ID purposes from 3 feet away on the tabletop, a softcap would be the easier way to go so he's unique amongst a large group of guys and gals with helmets on.

No, not a command helmet, soft cap, if you were to put him in a helmet, make it like the rest, soft cap and mike, perfect.

Another pose with a motion tracker would work too.

Perhaps a pistol in his other hand, and a rifle or other weapon slung across his back.

How about making him as i described in my last post but with his helmet under his arm instead of reaching for his side arm as a few others have also mentioned, so he would be bare headed but wearing a comms head set and mic. I dont think that a comms helmet would differ from a standard one and if it did it would surly be worn by the comms specialist who would also be wearing a small comms or satellite dish on his back instead of a standard troopers back pack.

I'm leaning towards the soft cap with mic/comms.

However, as previously mentioned, for practicality purposes a "command helmet" with full sensor array might be too bulky to wear in the field.
Small dimples can always be drilled in the top of the "helmet cam" and antenna (sp?) glued in place.

The "full command set" ala Federal army troops sounds like a winner though!

I like the pointing pose with pistol or assault rifle tucked under one arm. A command pack could have an RTO with a backpack setup just like the Federal RTO and a medic with a large medical bag.

There seems to be a lot of emphasis on the LT running command control. How about a forearm mounted computer? They all seem to run around with rolled-up sleeves so that would be a good way to mark him apart from the rest (I know, I know, snipers…)

As sarge is already in a helmet pointing, I am leaning a bit toward the cap idea, perhaps a peaked cap?

Of course, the lieutenant can be in helmet, pointing, but armed with a pistol….

If in cap, what kind?

Something simple like this

Or maybe this to show rank?

How about an 8-point USMC style "cover" for the officer?
Maybe waving his left arm in a "follow me!" fashion and either propping his rifle on his hip, holding onto the top rail or fore-grip, or be holding the pistol grip with the muzz;e pointing down?

The comms chap/chapette could have the main comms unit on his/her back and be controlling the frequencies/tac air etc from a wrist/fore-arm pad (a Predator style affair)?

As for the combat medic, he/she could be kneeling and looking through the trauma kit?

Obviously, not all of these suggestions will be to everyone's liking, but the way I see it, all inspiration helps :-)

There seems to be a fair amount of support for the soft cap/armour/various weapons idea, so maybe a pack of several poses would be a good idea – both for using as unit commanders and various special forces types?

There's a 28mm version of the sort of thing I'm talking about in Copplestones' 28mm range: link, pack FW9, second right in the product pic. Also pack FW35, far left.

Command Helmet idea would be something with a full eye visor (not full face) instead of the monocle HUD. This would allow him more screen space for maps, comm screens, as well as status meters for the members of the team, etc, etc.

You could beef it up a bit in the back to show where the computer systems go.

-Eli

I like the Wrist computer idea. The CiC Helmet idea would be interesting on on say… a higher command pack. Like for a captain, but it sounds much too restricting for a Lieutenant. Definitely agree that the L.T. should be accompanied by a medic and an RTO.

Why not just include a few different heads as per many a 28mm miniature? a comms head, a 'normal' helmeted head, a soft cap and perhaps no head gear at all. I'm sure people wouldn't mind the extra £1.00 GBP or so….

That doesn't really work for 15s like for 28s. I got away with it on the cultists because they have hoods on, making the head and attachment point much larger. I wouldn't want to market that for 15s otherwise.

This is the old RAFM Traveller figure ive used to represent a generic LT, or as i said earlier a plump LT Gorman.

Back to the main thread topic though well it looks like there is a clear split amongst the members, soft cap or helmet??? why not just hold a vote if thats possible on this forum.

Or just do both versions? Identical figure except the head and anything related to the headgear?

-Eli

Or just do both versions? Identical figure except the head and anything related to the headgear? People will use both to be sure. I know I'd use the soft cap as a higher rank officer or maybe part of the tech group or air crew.

-Eli

I would not say that if a command figure was sculpted it would need to be an identical figure except for the head dress that seems to me to be a bit of a wasted oppertunity i would sooner see two differently posed officer miniatures in a command pack with different heads…

True enough.

"Or just do both versions? Identical figure except the head and anything related to the headgear? People will use both to be sure. I know I'd use the soft cap as a higher rank officer or maybe part of the tech group or air crew. "

Funny, I'm sort of the opposite, I'd use the softcap for leading the grunts and the CiC Helmet for a Captain. I could see a captain sitting on a rock someplace with a body guard squad and this fully enclosed Electronics link up helmet on with virtual reality gloves commanding his platoons in the field like he's playing a tactical RTS game with the imaginary nav beacons being sent to the L.T.'s wrist computer while the vocal commands are spoken into his ear through the personal comms device.

The problem with the soft cap is that if Lt. Gorman has to bail out, he's basically butt naked on the mean battlefields of the future. Even in an APC, he'd want a helemt at the very least to avoid getting a crack on the head during re-entry turbulence.

I'd say to soft cap and helmet just to offer both choices. The soft cap could always be a rear echelon jam stealer, VIP or senior officer.