Hasslefree Miniatures HFSF124 CommO Misha

This is member of a future space exploration organization that decided to revive 1960s fashion for reasons unclear. "CommO Misha" is available individually or as part of the HFSFMP04 "Retro Sci-Fi Crew" set. Another figure in that set - Ensign Shay - was featured in a previous post. The figures in that set seem to be an homage to the women of a certain space opera franchise.

"CommO" means "Communications Officer" in the context of an organization that uses military designations. I ignored that since I wanted to use a different color for each figure in the set. Blue seemed to be a good choice since "Misha" is carrying a portable scanner.

Basing

I decided to experiment with texturing the base before priming and painting for the "Retro Sci-Fi Crew" set. The goal was to streamline the whole process of getting miniatures on the table. I'm not sure if this is an experiment I'll be repeating. This method is described in Ensign Shay's post.

Primer
White auto body spray primer.

Skin
I've been using Formula P3 Menoth White Base as an under coat for lighter colors like some flesh tones. In this case, I decided to try using it as the color for the face and hands. Next came a coat of Secret Weapon W010 Dark Sepia to provide a little red-brown shading.

Uniform
I started with a coat of Reaper 09285 Denim Blue. Next, I used Reaper 09017 True Blue to highlight the raised areas. After that came a couple of washes. I used Secret Weapon W001 Soft Body Black diluted with water to bring out the recessed details. The final step was a coat of Secret Weapon W015 Blue to provide additional shading and better blend the color from the two different blue paints. In retrospect, I could have skipped the Denim Blue, used the True Blue as a base color, and achieved similar results after applying the washes.

Accessories
The boots, portable scanner, and strap were painted with Reaper 09088 Stormy Grey. I applied a layer of Secret Weapon W001 Soft Body Black to darken these areas and bring out the details.

Hair
I used a mix of Reaper 09070 Mahogany Brown and Reaper 09278 Gory Red to achieve a red-brown color. The wash used is Secret Weapon W010 Dark Sepia.

Finishing Touches
I used a touch of Citadel Colour Mithril Silver to pick out the earrings.

A note about the legs of this figure. I was able to simulate the look of black sheer stockings on Ensign Shay by using a black wash. Unfortunately, my attempts to reproduce this on CommO Misha failed repeatedly. The wash just wouldn't coat evenly, resulting in a patchy appearance. After multiple attempts, I decided to just paint over the problem. The legs were painted as if they were bare or covered in stockings matching CommO Misha's complexion.

I got a little ambitious with the figure, trying a more complex approach by layering different color paints. The results don't look bad, but didn't come out as neat as I hoped. Using more straightforward methods might have achieved the same results with less time and frustration. I'll just label this as a "learning experience" and apply my new knowledge as I move forward.

Reaper Bones 77195 Mr. Bones

Mr. Bones is another backer reward from the first Reaper Bones Kickstarter. It was the mascot for that Kickstarter - not to be confused with Sophie, who is the mascot for Reaper Miniatures. Mr. Bones was included with all reward levels that received a Bones or Case shipment.

I painted Mr. Bones as a weekend project to do while waiting for the paint to dry on my "main" projects. As a personal challenge, I restricted my paint and wash choices to the stuff I already had out for the projects I was working on at the time. Reaper Bones are becoming my first choice for quick paint projects - enough detail to be interesting, but plentiful enough in my collection for me not to worry about doing a perfect paint job on every one of them.

I'm not saying that the pile of Bones miniatures that I still have to paint are this guy's fault...

Priming
The usual mix of FolkArt Glass & Tile Medium and craft paint - in this case black - that I use when starting on a Bones miniature. The mix provides a good surface to paint on and brings out details that would otherwise be lost in all that white plastic. It also makes mold lines easier to see early in the process.

Base Color
I applied a coat of Reaper 09088 Stormy Grey to the entire figure.

Skeleton
The skull, hands, and foot all got two coats of paint - Formula P3 Menoth White Base and Formula P3 Morrow White. This combination results in a bright white that doesn't look flaky or chalky.

Shovel
The handle was painted with Formula P3 Menoth White Base. The light brown simulates the appearance of old, worn wood. Citadel Colour Codex Grey was used for the blade.

...I just choose to put the blame on Mr. Bones.

Washes
I used Secret Weapon W001 Soft Body Black all over the figure. It did a good job of filling in the recesses, but results in a shiny surface where it is applied. The skeleton and shovel handle all received a coat of Secret Weapon W005 Flesh Wash. I wanted to give the skull and other bones a worn look. The wash also brought out the details on the shovel handle.

Base
I keep a stack of one inch steel washers that I previously spray primed around specifically for basing Bones figures. I glue them to the bottom of the integral bases to counter a common problem with the lightweight Bones miniatures - they tend to fall over during play. I apply a mix of PVA glue, brown craft paint, and water and use sand to texture the base. Once it is dry, I over brush a little linen craft paint over the sand. The result resembles dry earth.

Painting Mr. Bones was a fun and quick project. I decided again picking out the details with contrasting colors. A monochrome look seemed a better choice for an undead mascot. I might end up using Mr. Bones as an undead halfling or dwarf someday.

Star Wars Miniatures Viper X-1 Droid Repaint

I purchased these awhile back as combat robots suitable for a variety of scales. The Viper X-1 Droid comes from the Dark Empire comic series that also featured a couple more Imperial superweapons, the New Republic E-Wing starfighter, and the notion of resurrecting Emperor Palpatine. Even as a part of the Star Wars Legends continuity, these should be obscure enough to fit into a variety of sci-fi settings with looking too out of place. These models were made by Wizards of the Coast as part of the Star Wars Miniatures game.

There's a local crawfish boil coming up. Don't know why that came to mind.

Repainting these models serves a few purposes:

• One of them had some surface damage when it arrived. A coat or two of paint covers up the scuff marks nicely.
• Changing the colors further obscures their origins.
• I just really didn't like the brown color.

I couldn't make up my mind on which military themed color to use. Olive and khaki are both classic colors for military hardware, but aren't suitable for all terrain. Since I had two models, I decided on one of each color.

Priming
Both models were pre-painted, so I didn't feel the need to prime them.

Spray Coats
I began by spraying the underside of both models with Krylon Camouflage Ultra-Flat Black. Next were the base colors for each model. One got a coat of Krylon Camouflage Ultra-Flat Khaki and the other got the same brand of spray paint in Olive. The base colors were sprayed in a downward direction on the upper portions of the models. This left the black layer on the bottom of each model intact to provide shading.

Front and rear comparisons.

Wear Marks
The appearance of paint worn away to bare metal was achieved with a Sharpie Silver Metallic marker. I ran the marker around edges that seemed more likely to suffer from wear – the claws and areas that might bump into surrounding objects while moving.

Detailing

The one detail I wanted to pick out were the optics. They were originally painted black, but I wanted them to stand out. A little Reaper 09279 Fresh Blood did the trick.

Wash
I brushed on some black wash all over the model and wiped off the excess with a sponge. The wash was a mix that was left over from a previous project. It works well enough for terrain or large models like these. In addition to bringing out the recessed details, it all smoothed out the shading provided by the spray coats.

Scale comparisons with 28mm and 15mm figures.

Basing
I painted the base edge black and spread some sand over a layer of watered down PVA glue over the base surface. After the glue dried, I applied a mix of PVA glue, brown craft paint, and water to color and further secure the sand. Once the glue/paint/sand mix dried, I brushed on some lighter colored craft paint to create the appearance of dry soil.

The repaint turned out well. Although I can't decide if the weathering is too much or not quite enough. In any case, I'm looking forward to when these robots will be menacing some 15mm or 28mm figures on the tabletop.

TTCombat Ether Drake

This is the Ether Drake produced by TTCombat and based on the critter of the same name from the 4x strategy game Stellaris by Paradox Interactive. It is a backer reward from a Kickstarter that funded in 2019. The model arrived in 2020, making this my fastest turnaround from backing a Kickstarter to tabletop ready so far.

What do hungry space dragons eat?

I backed the Ether Drake for use in our Star Trek Adventures campaign. Star Trek has a long history of spaceborne creatures showing up to contribute to a particular week's plot. The entity represented by the Ether Drake figure was to be distantly linked to the ones represented by the Parasachnid Warriors from Khurasan Miniatures. I planned to use the same paint scheme for both projects to emphasize that link. The whole idea got shelved along with our group's plans for face to face gaming in 2020.

With some resin projects in the pipeline, I decided to pull the Ether Drake out of storage as a test piece. The vast majority of products I've worked on so far have been metal or plastic. I felt that a relatively small resin product like the Ether Drake would give me some experience before taking on a more ambitious project.

All parts before preparation and assembly.

Preparation
There was a fair amount of work involved before assembly - cutting the parts free and removing flash. All parts were cleaned thoroughly with warm soap and water to remove any manufacturing residue.

Assembly
Some parts - the jaw in particular - were a very snug fit, almost not needing glue. The wings needed some fiddling with before I found the proper fit. There were a couple of tiny gaps, but the first coat of paint covered them up entirely.

I guess space dragons eat whatever they want to.

Spray Priming
I wasn't sure what to use to prime resin, so I decided to take a chance on a product that's been reliable so far - Krylon COLORmaxx Paint + Primer in white. A couple of light coats provided good coverage and it appeared to bond well with the surface. I left the model alone until the paint smell went away entirely to be sure. That took about a week.

Base Coat and Highlighting
Duplicating the paint scheme used for the Parasachnid Warriors, I applied two thin layers of Formula P3 Menoth White Base over the entire model. This is a light tan paint that works well under white and bright colors. To simulate overhead lighting, I brushed on a layer of Formula P3 Morrow White to the upper areas of the model.

Wash
Two layers of Citadel Ogryn Flesh Wash were applied to the entire model with some sections receiving an additional layer as needed. I saw no need for a subtle approach for this step. The red-brown wash produced the desired result, but I'm going to have to find a use for what I have left before it dries up in the bottle - one of the downsides of having out of production products in my collection.

Details
I touched up the teeth with a little more Formula P3 Morrow White. The inside of the mouth and area around the teeth got a couple of layers of Citadel Baal Red. I picked out the multiple eyes with Citadel Chaos Black.

Basing
TTCombat provided a clear flight base with the model.

What do space dragons take for indigestion?

Working on this model gives me more confidence with the other resin products I have in my collection. For now, the Ether Drake has a place in my display case while waiting for a tasty looking starship to snack on.

Star Trek Adventures - Year by Year, Mid-2372

This post is part of an ongoing series examining established canon for Star Trek Adventures mission ideas and other game elements. The posts on 2371 can be found here and here. Early 2372 is covered here. Canon stardates (when available) and episode titles are provided. The main body of each entry is a summary of the events and the last part - in italics - are notes for the gamemaster.

Cardassian Galor - A ship class that's hard to find in 2372 canon.

USS Orinoco Destroyed

Stardate 49300.7 ("Our Man Bashir" - DS9)

USS Orinoco, a runabout assigned to Deep Space Nine, is sabotaged and destroyed by the Cardassian terrorist group the True Way. All personnel aboard were successfully evacuated by transporter.

First canon mention of the True Way. More on them below.


Admiral Leyton's Coup

Stardate 49170.65 ("Homefront" and "Paradise Lost" - DS9)

The Bajoran wormhole begins opening and closing randomly. There are no unusual sensor readings and no ships are observed emerging. The cause is a subspace modulator attached to the wormhole com relay by Lieutenant Arriaga on the orders of Admiral Leyton. However, it takes some time for Deep Space Nine personnel to discover this fact.

The Antwerp Conference between the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire is attacked by the Dominion. An explosive device is planted in the meeting room and detonates, killing 27 people. Analysis of a recording made of the meeting reveals the presence of a Changeling. Federation President Jaresh-Inyo declares a day of mourning on Earth.

Captain Sisko and Constable Odo travel to Earth aboard USS Lakota. Admiral Leyton appoints Sisko as acting Chief of Starfleet Security on Earth. The three put a number of anti-Changeling security measures in place over the misgivings of President Jaresh-Inyo.

Earth's power grid is sabotaged, leading to a global power outage. Leyton, Sisko, and Odo use USS Lakota's transporters to meet with Jaresh-Inyo. Sisko and Odo speculate that the random opening and closing of the Bajoran wormhole (the real cause still being unknown at this time) could have been a Dominion fleet using cloaking devices salvaged after the Battle of the Omarion Nebula. Jaresh-Inyo calls a state of emergency and places control of Earth's defenses to Leyton and Sisko. USS Lakota uses its transporters and communications systems to mobilize Starfleet personnel. Armed Starfleet personnel begin beaming down into the streets of Earth's population centers.

Sisko and Odo find evidence that the state of emergency was engineered by a group of Starfleet personnel led by Leyton. They find the first clues while investigating the sabotage of Earth's power grid and finding that it was the work of Starfleet Academy's Red Squad. They meet with Jaresh-Inyo, who points out that he would need irrefutable evidence of a plot to demand Leyton's resignation. Leyton later meets with Sisko and orders him back to Deep Space Nine. Sisko contacts Deep Space Nine on a Bajoran frequency and issues orders to Major Kira.

Sisko is arrested after a blood screening results in a false positive. Odo frees him from detention and briefs him on the situation. Lieutenant Arriaga's tampering of the wormhole com relay has been found and he is willing to testify against Leyton. USS Defiant is on the way to Earth with him aboard. Sisko goes to confront Leyton as Odo meets with Jaresh-Inyo to present his evidence.

USS Defiant is intercepted by the recently-refitted USS Lakota, under the command of Leyton loyalist Captain Benteen. The engagement is indecisive - the two starships are evenly matched and their commanders are unwilling to destroy their opponent. Ultimately, Benteen refuses Leyton's orders to destroy USS Defiant with quantum torpedoes. Instead, she hails the smaller starship, exchanges information, and escorts USS Defiant to Earth.

Sisko convinces Leyton to accept defeat. Leyton and the other members of his attempted coup are arrested and the state of emergency is lifted.

It doesn't seem likely that any hardcore Leyton loyalists were able to remain undetected after the coup. They left too much of an administrative trail for Sisko and Odo to find. Those who could claim that they were unaware of the plot or were able to make a deal by offering up testimony may have been able to salvage their Starfleet careers. Red Squad - who would show up later in "Valiant" - are an example of the former. This could be an interesting background element for a character.

These episodes provide a good example of how a conspiracy within Starfleet operates and how it could be uncovered by the player characters. Leyton's plot doesn't seem linked to Section 31. His resources were limited to those he could access as a Starfleet admiral. Every member of Leyton's plot was a uniformed member of Starfleet. Every communication and personnel movement left the administrative trails that Sisko and Odo later found. If Leyton were a part of Section 31, he would have been able to better conceal his activities by using Section 31's resources.


The True Way Targets Bajoran First Minister Shakaar for Assassination

No stardate given ("Crossfire" - DS9)

First Minister Shakaar arrives on Deep Space Nine for talks regarding Bajor's application to join the United Federation of Planets. He is targeted for assassination by the True Way, a Cardassian terrorist organization.

The True Way was described by Ronald Moore as a "...fundamentalist group dedicated to the return of the old Cardassian government." Their handiwork only shows up twice in canon. Both times they are committing acts of terrorism against the Federation or Bajor. A gamemaster could bring them in as a way to feature Cardassian antagonists without involving the Cardassian military. They could take the place of the now-defunct Obsidian Order as a covert threat for player characters operating near the Cardassian Union.


Aftermath of the Klingon Empire's Invasion of the Cardassian Union

No stardate given ("Return to Grace" - DS9)

The Cardassian outpost on Korma is destroyed by Klingon forces. At the time of the attack, the outpost was hosting a conference between Cardassian and Bajoran delegations sharing intelligence on the Klingons.

The Klingon invasion has devastated the infrastructure of the Cardassian Union. Some functions, such as the Cardassian health care system, have broken down completely.

Gul Dukat begins a guerrilla campaign against the Klingon Empire using a captured Klingon Bird-of-Prey. He has no support from the Detapa Council is expected to achieve limited success at best.

The Federation and Bajoran governments are willing to offer limited aid and intelligence to the Cardassians. Starfleet player characters may become involved in relief missions or exchanges of intelligence data in the face of Klingon opposition.

Klingon player characters may become involved with raids intended to further destabilize the Cardassian Union. Gul Dukat's raids might become annoying enough for the Klingons to try hunting him down. Unfortunately for the Klingons, a Bird-of-Prey is an ideal vehicle for a guerrilla campaign.


Klingon Forces Caught Laying a Minefield Around the Bajor System

Stardate 49556.2 ("Sons of Mogh" - DS9)

USS Defiant defeats the Klingon military's attempt to deploy a cloaked mine field around the Bajor system. The Klingon forces involved retreat without further incident.

The Klingons show remarkable restraint during this operation. They refrain from attacking USS Defiant or the runabout USS Yukon when they show up on the scene. In fact, IKS Drovana - a Vor'cha-class attack cruiser - accepts an offer of aid from USS Defiant after being crippled by a mine and is towed to Deep Space Nine. And the Klingon ships simply withdraws when USS Defiant begins to destroy the mine field they were laying. This may indicate a "cold war" mentality on the part of the Klingons involved - covert moves against the Federation are one thing, but opening fire on Starfleet without provocation is another.


Starfleet Provides Escorts for Relief Convoys to Pentath III

Stardate 49665.3 ("Rules of Engagement" - DS9)

The Cardassian colony Pentath III suffers from an outbreak of Rudellian plague as a result of the decline in public health. Pentath III's proximity to the Klingon border complicates relief efforts. The Detapa Council organizes several medical relief convoys, but the depleted Cardassian military is unable to provide escort ships. Starfleet agrees to to provide a starship escort for each convoy in response to a request from the Detapa Council. At least one of these convoys is attacked by Klingon raiders.

Starfleet player characters may be assigned to escort one of the convoys. The Klingon appear to be employing small numbers of older ships as raiders. The Klingons deploy a Bird-of-Prey and a K'tinga-class battlecruiser in against the state-of-the-art USS Defiant. This could reflect the low priority of attacking medical relief convoys - the Klingons are deploying their more advanced ships elsewhere. The tactics seen in the episode call for the Klingon raiders to attack the convoy and escort, cloak, reposition, and decloak for another attack.

Klingon player characters may be involved in convoy raiding, either one on its way to Pentath III or elsewhere in Cardassian space.