"Star Frontiers "Reboot"" Topic

I'm working on running a Star Frontiers game at Gen Con, and with a local group. It's a bit of an exercise in sentimentality, as I'm sure many of you can relate to. I'm using the 1983-1985 rules, including Knight Hawks, for the climactic space battle. But here's my problem. Do I go back and try and find the original spaceship models, or do I attempt to "reboot" (in a sort of Battlestar Galactica way) the ships, using more modern models? If so, what current lines would make for good UFP/Sathar ships? Appreciate any opinions or suggestions.

I played an A Sky Full of Ships version of the Battle For Madderly's Star at a convention a few weeks back. The organizer had scratchbuilt almost a hundred ships, taking the design inspiration from Valiant's Stardate 3000 range – the UFP were modelled on the SD3K Fed ships, the Sathar on the alien fleet. Looked very nice, and the real SD3K range has enough ship class variety to cover your bases for Knight Hawks pretty well. Might be worth a look.

OmniModels was also briefly making KH-inspired ships in resin for a while a few years back, including some entirely new designs. The molds burned out and he never had enough orders to merit replacing them, though, so they're off the market until who knows when. Maybe if you needed a ton of them you could preorder enough to fund mold replacements, although I don't know if that'd be worth your expense.

If you can find them the originals would be best.

Nothing really looks exactly like them any longer, Sathar being the hardest to match, but the miniatures by (Help I forget – he does BSG and Trek (not) minis as well) anyway, that guy, would work.

but the miniatures by (Help I forget – he does BSG and Trek (not) minis as well) anyway, that guy, would work.

That doesn't narrow it down much at all. You thinking Ravenstar Studios, maybe? He's got the Cold Navy range, some of which might suit.

The smallest UFP ship has analogs in the Galactic Knights line at Monday Knight. The larger ones are surprisingly unusual in miniatures games. Cylinders are not at all common, though some of the GZG civilian ships approach the look.

Need a set of the original UFP ships?

I think I have a set in my ebay pile – I can check if you're interested.

I used GZG UNSC ships as UPF fleet and old style GZG NAC ships as Sathar – the rounded bridge sections just seemed right to me. The new NAC have a Lancer which is a good proxy for an Assault Scout.

Have a look at starfrontiersman.com too.

G.

Hydra Miniatures has some nice retro-looking stuff that a Dralasite or Sathar might pilot.

link

> You thinking Ravenstar Studios, maybe?

No, still can't think of the name and it's been hours, memory is the fist thing to go. Studio Bergstrom, that's it…

Wow, this is incredibly helpful. Much appreciated.

I think, for a few reasons (not least of which being to keep to the "retro" theme), I'm going to try and collect one of every original OOP TSR models. I can reproduce what I need from a set.

So yeah, Ghostrunner or anyone else that has models they're willing to part with, just shoot me a message or email me at freemarscomic@gmail.com.

Again, thanks a lot. TMP never fails as a resource!
Dave

@D8789 I was beginning to wonder if you meant Hanger18. He does Flash Gordon and alternate-WWII stuff that might have some ships to be used…

@DP I'll dig in the basement and shoot you a PM if there's joy.

Still say the Sathar looked sco-fi '50s, the larger UFP like VSF, and everything else, pretty much '30s.

Really, didn't the UFP battleship look like a string of cavorite spheres with engines? ;->=

Doug

One thing about those old SF spaceship minis is they seem prone to lead rot… they're the only examples of that blight I've seen, on some figures I got off Ebay (sealed box set).
Though the ones I bought locally seem just fine.

Thanks, guys, a lot. I'll definitely post photos once I get the project together.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for lead rot. I've only seen it a few times myself. My father collects Dimestore toy soldiers and he's had a few examples. Nasty business.

Dave

The Star Frontiers character minis are prone to lead rot as well. I bought a box about a year ago, nice and sealed, and it was pretty bad.

Watch out.

Star Frontiers figures are one of the few where an open box will sell for more than a sealed one.

Al | ravenfeastsmeadhall.blogspot.com

The TSR brand of minis, including Star Frontiers, Gamma World, and of course D&D, are some of the most prone to lead rot I have ever encountered. They must have pegged the zinc-lead ratio on the nose or something.

All my TSR minis got lead rot. :-(

I've been trying to find 15mm proxies for Star Frontiers. Humans obviously are easy, and right now while not exactly Vrusk there are a number on bugs out there that will work fine. And I know of Sathar like snakes Critial Mass Games has. It's finding proxies for the Yazirians and Dralasites.

If I ever find a good 15mm Space 1889 High Martian proxy, I'll looking at it for a conversion to Yazarian as well.

I'm about up for taking a proper gorilla, and green stuff-ing wing webbing…

As for ships, the old Buck Rogers board game from TSR had Sathar fighters as 'battlers'.

Out of scale with the Knight Hawks rot-able lead, mind you.

Doug

Hmmm – you see this auction?

auction

Pretty fair sized Sathar fleet there, and the price hasn't spiked too badly. Might not stay that way, though.

Not mine, and I don't know the seller, so caveat emptor, of course. Stumbled on it while looking at the Full Thrust listings.

I did see that auction, thanks- and I'm still winning…for now. You're right that the price may spike.

The lead rot is certainly an issue, but my plan is to find really good examples of each ship that I can then reproduce, as needed.

Wish you were looking last year, sold a huge box of those ships at our local CON flea market.

A year late! And here I thought I was 30 years late!

Dave,
If not already mentioned, check Shapeways 3d Printing. They have several artists/designers that have starship designs (i.e., Irrational Designs already sold under Studio Bergstrom, but he has stuff not on the Studio Bergstrom inventory). Just search "starship", I remember seeing designs that had a cylindrical shaped starships. The scratchbuild that I saw at GZG ECC were truly incredible and could definitely set up for mass production

The scratchbuild that I saw at GZG ECC were truly incredible and could definitely set up for mass production

Yeah, they were just fantastic. Someone ought to twist Richard's arm into getting them cast up for sale – much too good to remain a limited-run set of sculpts. They were inspired by the SD3000 range, but they're certainly different enough that there's no question of IP infringement – and frankly, they look better than the originals. :)

Dynaman- I have a fleet of sathars that are collecting dust email me as I have more miniatures then I will ever use. Painted and coated. The older miniatures were only okay looking. As I always wanted to finish up a nice SDF fleet for knight hawks but never got around to it.
I was going to do a similar project but things fall of the wagon as life takes a tumble. I like the shapeways 3d printing option but if you want to get some of the older miniatures let me know. mfflfred@yahoo.com