| greghallam | 14 Jun 2018 11:25 p.m. PST |
Hi, I'm making a spaceship combat game for an open day, and I'm looking for appropriate models. I'd like ships that are roughly 10-15 cm/4-6" long, that look 'fighterish" – that is, a bit sleek and fast, not battlecruisers or capital ships. Its a generic game, so the ships can be from anywhere at all. Its going to be on a large board, and players will only have a couple of ships each, which is why I'm looking for slightly larger models I've had a look online, but its a bit of a needle in a haystack – hope folks can help |
| colgar6 | 15 Jun 2018 1:47 a.m. PST |
The Revell "Easykit pocket" model range might suit, if you don't mind a Star Wars theme. They have all the classic fighters from various Star Wars movies. Advantages: cheap and pre-painted, "snap together" kits". Disadvantages: made to a common size rather than a common scale. Size is typically 4 to 6 inches, from memory.
Alternatively, look at the smaller-scale "Space Battleship Yamato" stuff from Hobby Link Japan (example: hlj.com/product/BAN959924 ). Again, these have a distinctive style which may not be to everyone's taste, but they're very cheap and easy to build.
Hugh |
| Morpheus1975 | 15 Jun 2018 6:10 a.m. PST |
Ravenstar Studios and Studio Bergstrom have ships roughly that size. The Ravenstar stuff goes from 6cm for the frigates to 12+ for Battleships. Dropfleet is close to that scale as well. I'm making a rules set to play generic ships and use any genre. |
| companycmd | 15 Jun 2018 8:22 a.m. PST |
Interesting. I too am working on this with flat art (look down oversize chits) and using Hex Command Starships; essentially Hex Command Raptors in space. While it is true that no fighter or star ship would have wings, everyone wants to see "Aerospace" fighters so that's why the art looks the way it does. Capital ships look like wedges not because of engineering but because that's what gamer's want to see. In truth capital ships would not be dissimilar from the Borg ships.. just a cube of hardware, but who wants to see that? no body which is the Borg entry into the Star Trek NG killed the show. Stupid plain an simply stupid. |
 Parzival  | 15 Jun 2018 10:29 a.m. PST |
Actually, for ships capable of high percentages of c or even FTL, some sort of minimally streamlined wedge shape is a good idea, as even interstellar space contains matter that you don't want to hit at extreme velocities. A wedge would aid more active deflection systems in protecting the ship from impacts in the same manner as the streamlining of a rocket's cone. As for cubes, the better universal ship design is a sphere, which maximizes the use of space and still offers some streamlining on the exterior. A saucer (!) is also a good design, as essentially being a cross section of a sphere. On atmospheric style fighters, they make sense if the space fighter is routinely expected to enter atmospheric conditions, particularly if it is ever expected to land on an Earthlike planet. 
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| Lion in the Stars | 15 Jun 2018 1:25 p.m. PST |
And spaceships need 'wings' to mount the radiators. Paint them glowing red-hot. |
| Hamilton | 15 Jun 2018 2:43 p.m. PST |
EM4 does some nice yet cheap plastic ships that look quite streamlined. |
 PaulCollins | 15 Jun 2018 3:19 p.m. PST |
To piggyback on Hamilton, the EM4 ships are nice and cheap. They say out of stock but they cast to order so all you have to do is let them know you're ordering them. link |
| greghallam | 15 Jun 2018 3:31 p.m. PST |
Thanks for everyone's suggestions, I'm checking them all out |
| Allen57 | 16 Jun 2018 8:19 a.m. PST |
Fighters in the 4-6 inch size range are tough to find outside the Star Wars genre. There are usually some toys on ebay which might work.
auction Micro machines over the years have also had starships outside the Trek/Wars genres. Again check ebay though you usually have to know what show or series the models came from. Finally, a bit expensive for what you are doing but Babylon 5 Wars miniatures and the A call to Arms miniatures have some large ships that do not look like capital ships. Available here agents-of-gaming.myshopify.com |
| Allen57 | 16 Jun 2018 8:03 p.m. PST |
light bulb just went on. Look on Shapeways. |
| greghallam | 17 Jun 2018 4:54 a.m. PST |
Thanks Allen57, good ideas |
| TheBeast | 18 Jun 2018 9:52 a.m. PST |
If it's not too close to the wire, there are some small water pistols, a certain British poster will notice I DIDN'T say 'squirt guns', are in the 4-6" range, and cutting off the handle can give interesting brick ships. Be warned, many have brittle plastic, especially at 'dollar stores', and sawing should be done gently, and possibly with tape applied. Stupid plain an simply stupid. Hey, if it was good for Opie's brother… Okay, THAT was a marker buoy. ;->= Doug |
