"Who Sculpted "Molting Hermit Crabs" Aliens For 15mm?" Topic

I know that's not what they were called, but that's what they reminded me of:

Did I imagine them? And did they ever go into production?

Thanks,

Dan

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The Ixx from Ground Zero Games?

Maybe you're thinking of Khurasan's Arachnians?

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Sorry. Neither one.

In fact I think it was someone's first attempt at sculpting.

Dan

Khurasan's Guncrabs?

TMP link

I used the crab eye stalks in this…

There is the Phug line that used to be Peter Pig and is now moonfleet:

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You can't tell really from this picture, but they are sorta crab like:

Eclipsing Binaries,

That's the one!!! Give that man a cigar!

I knew it wasn't a hermit crab, but something about it reminded me of those critters.

I think it is a truly unique concept. Not quite a crustacean, even though similar in posture, eye stalks and "shell". But not quite a cephalopod either, even though the limbs look like tentacles. Plus they can hold a weapon at a decent height!

I love the design. Particularly the tripedal locomotion and the three eye stalks.

Planning to make more, or just a one-of project? If more are coming, the only thing I would change would be to add a little texture to the limbs*.

So, please consider making a bunch of them for distribution!

Thanks,

Dan
* Just to make painting patterns like these a little easier:
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I remember buying some Phugs from Peter Pig in early 2000's. I don't know how old the line is, but I'd say it is older then 10 years. I'd contact Moonfleet and ask what plans they have for the line and make your suggestions. I'd think buying a bunch would help your cause. :)

I only produced one of those, and then I painted it, which I'm told means it would be near impossible to cast as the paint would react to the mold material.

There were a few things I wasn't happy with; the shell looked too tortoise/turtleish, the face wasn't what I wanted, and as you said, the legs needed more texture. It was also a lot bigger than I had planned.

So I think I'll get the greenstuff out and try and make another one, and aim for something that can be cast. Fingers crossed I can recreate this.

Please do give it another try!

Just a thought . . .

Perhaps you could make the body and leg as a single section and then stop, make copies of that, and then add different combinations of tentacles to each of those copies?

Dan
PS. I didn't know you had named them already!
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I did, but I'd have to go check my blog to see what I called them. :?

EB,

I guess I have a general liking for that unusual body shape:

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io9.com/abiogenesis
abiogenisis.deviantart.com

Check out these other imilar posture (though their faces are too typically humanoid):

Dan

Guys,

Here's another good example of the same basic body posture:

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Those would make an awesome race of 15mm aliens, don't you think?

Dan

I know this is old, but any news on these guys? I love the whole look of EB aliens!

Not to worry. On TMP, three months is more of a prolonged nap than actual thread necromancy.

LOL. That's because it takes some of us three months to pick up Greenstuff to add the next step to a sculpt!!!

By the way, I did start one. Not too happy with the results though. I might post a pic or two just the same later today, if you're interested in seeing a failed sculpt.

Dan

i'm a fan of hermit crabs, kept a good few in my time.

EBs alien tripod thing looked great. Love to have a small squad of those!

Ha ha can't be any worse than my hamfisted attempts.

Sorry guys, I've not had time to revisit this figure. The original wasn't castable and the second attempt ended up in the bin. I'd love to see your version Dan.

I need to find some small shells to use as a starter. To be honest, the initial alien was meant to be more of a snail and ended up with a tortoise-like shell, and looked more crablike, which wasn't what I wanted.

Colin

I like the pics CC's posted.

Give them same nice claws, and they'd be great at hand-to-claw melee combat.

Even Crabs use AK-47s

Yup, the AK47 crab is smart. I'd like to give that a go with the green stuff.

Must say I rather liked the snail/slug molusc thing. Yeh the shell was a little wrong, but I could have lived with it.

Rather reminded me of the 'shield heads' I used to see on coral reefs at work.

Crabs would still be cool though. Can't wait to see Khurasans finaly make it to the market.

Those would make an awesome race of 15mm aliens, don't you think?

Dan, did you ever read Keith Laumer's RETIEF AND THE WARLORDS:

The alien Hatarakans were like giant lobsters:

Yes, indeed, these would be loads of fun.

Leland R. Erickson

Wow. Never heard of them until now!

Those "Haterakans" definitely look interesting, depending on the illustrator:

Dan
PS. Leland, check this out:
TMP link

The cover on RETIEF'S WAR is actually a depiction of the protagonist wearing his Quoppina disguise suit, the better to blend in with the locals…

Quoppina would also be hilarious in 15mm, especially the would-be banana republic ruling class *Voions,* wheels and all!

Leland R. Erickson

P.S. The Quoppina are bio-mechanical insect-like aliens whose physical form replaces legs with *wheels.*

Guys,

Check out this "Novacrab":

link

Dan

Havn't got a link, but I remember a crab alien in 'Planet story' If I can find it around the house somewere. My dad got it for me 30 years ago!

Anyone read "Prador Moon", by Neal Asher? The antagonists are 10-12ft wide (IIRC) semi-cyborg crabs with advanced weaponry and a fairly unpleasant society to boot.

Always thought they would be good to game – swarms of hungry little immature crabs driven forward by gnarly old leaders floating along on grav drives in place of their legs…

Lsutehall,

Wow. Your description made me think of the Garthim, from The Dark Crystal:

Description:

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Dan

Dan!!! Those are fantastic. And there's me about to post pictures of the crab alien I've been working on all morning and now it looks compared to those.

Okay, here we go….

What do you think? I've not added arms yet and it'll need a bit of tidying…..

Any and all comments are appreciated, in fact demanded, even if you want to say it's rubbish. I'd rather know.

Also, if this is castable, I'd like to be able to add different arms/claws and weapons… so advice on that would help.

More pics at link

Looking good so far. What sort of arms? Multiple or just the two. One large claw one small for the males. Two small for the females.

Love to stick some toothbrush filaments on as antenna when painted up. These would be sweet.

Great to mix in with Khurasan Plutonians and the upcoming crabmen.

Keep up the good work.

You know it getting bad when you start searching ebay for plastic crab toys ( auction and auction ). Looks like the beginnings of a metallicrab army!

CC: I'd forgotten about the Garthim – they're just creepy, and would make excellent minis.

@Cacique Caribe: Just saw this on Kotaku if you havent seem them already: link

Already commented on your blog but it looks like a good solid start.

Sharpen up some of the details around the face so the individual parts are more distinct (I struggle with this myself) and maybe define any chitin edges a bit where it has shell.

-Eli

This has all been done with nothing more than fingers and a pencil tip. I'll get carving some detail with a scalpel or craft knife.

Check your local surplus store for second hand dental picks, shapers, and smoothers.

-Eli

CC< what were those first images? They look like more modern imaginings of Hivers from Traveller. Love that look!

Just don't tell your wife and/or girlfriend that you're trying to get crabs. They wouldn't understand.

On a serious note, I once wrote half of a sci-fi novel for NaNoWriMo where the main alien characters were crablike crustaceans with hard exoskeletons. Rather than hold guns in a human fashion with their claws, they would "weld" their ranged weapons to their carapace. I think that would be a nifty change from the usual handheld weapons scheme.

Bit of a problem when you go to shed your skin! Used to love it when my hermit crabs shed and ran off looking for new shells.

Yeh I agree the psudo hiver look was a good one.

Still badgering EB to make more.

I'm happy to sell that three legged beastie if anybody wants it.

Darby E: "CC< what were those first images? They look like more modern imaginings of Hivers from Traveller. Love that look!"

They are hermit crabs out of their shell. They've outgrown their shell so they're looking for their next home.

Dan

Well, as my wife just pointed out to me, the second one seems to have been boiled a bit, so he won't be moving into another shell in this life. :)

Dan
PS. I realize I haven't posted the pics I promised. I think I may be able to get my wife to take the photos with her camera tonight.

Still no access to a camera that works . . .

Anyway, Eclipsing Binaries, check out the fella here on the lower right:

Here again:

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Almost snail-like or slug-like with pseudopods, isn't it?

Dan

Guys,

By the way, mine started to look like this, and then that's when I stopped:

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Pictures soon, I promise. I need a working camera for that.

Dan

Guys,

As promised long ago, I finally took some photos and posted them on Flickr.

I know there's still MUCH to be done yet, and I haven't even started with the "shell" portion, but let me know what you think of this 4-eyed, split-lipped fella so far?

Thanks,

Dan
PS. By the way, I have no idea what to do with those two sets of holes on the sides. Should I 1) treat them as breathing tubes, 2) attach arms to them or 3) just cover them up?

Assuming production, leave them open but sculpt some tentacles or segmented arms or wings to fit them as a separate piece. The sold model would be the body you show here and two sprues of the options.

For yourself? Dunno.

The not-Hivers are Birrin, the creation of an Australian illustrator. The creator's DeviantArt page for another Birrin piece is link

I like it a lot! I like the idea that holes are breathing tubes. Are you going to cast it, because I really want to buy this mini in metal.
By the way what happened with xenofish? I still can't wait to buy xenofish in metal.

Dan. That's looking very nice indeed. I like the plan of leaving the holes blank and having the sprue of limbs and wings to add to your leasure. Even tenticles would work. If you did a separate sprue this will give the miniature a very nice '3d' active movement feel as you can do more than if it was just a basic 'flat' casting. If you get my drift.

As for the tripart leg thing, mmm I'm thinking on that at the moment. I could get it cast here in the UK. Have to put my thinking head on Aunt Sally.