Wednesday, 4 July 2018

"When The Cybermen Entered The Telos System, They Took Over The Planet..."

"...Using the cities as cryogenic facilities."
This 70mm x 70mm x 42mm square MDF box was bought from Tepic2000 on Ebay, and converted into a simple futuristic building for my Cyber-City by using several of the excellent 3D decals sold by “N-FX Game Design Studio”. Undoubtedly a fairly straightforward ‘kit-bash’, the tiny installation will be the first of several science-fiction structures I plan to use in order to help recreate the Cybermen’s catacombs on the planet “Telos”; a “grey, barren, rocky world” which first appeared on the BBC Television show “Doctor Who” in the September 1967 story “The Tomb Of The Cybermen”.

Having assembled the box and its lid without any major difficulties using some PVA glue, I affixed a number of 3D decals over its numerous surfaces in order to try and replicate grills, grates and electronic panels. These ‘details’ are self-adhesive and despite sticking to the wood very well indeed, could still be peeled away from the surface and re-aligned whenever I made a slight mistake in their orientation.
"The Cybermen disappeared sometime in the 21st Century... following defeats around human-occupied space."
The sheer amount of different decals Nik Hull has created for this range is breath-taking, and one of my main priorities for this ‘test piece’ was to try and utilise a broad number of them. As a result I felt a hatchway on top of the building would be highly appropriate, along with a series of control boards and ventilation systems around its sides. Once I was happy with the look of the installation I gave the entire ensemble an undercoat of “Vallejo” Black.

I then applied two coats of “Citadel” Ironbreaker over the structure, and subsequently heavily washed it with Nuln Oil. I applied this shade incredibly haphazardly, as I wanted the ‘box and its lid’ to appear rather grungy. In addition, I decided at this stage that I wasn’t going to worry too much about it’s interior and base, as these were in all likelihood never going to be seen. Finally, I gave the building a rough dry-brush of (more) “Citadel” Ironbreaker in order to help bring all the “N-FX Game Design Studio” decals to the fore...
Draconian Bodyguard and Staal WIPs - The reptilian humanoid is almost finished
With the tiny MDF installation finished, and my second somewhat larger box being primed, I have somewhat shifted focus upon a handful of Draconian models I need to finish in order to field the “reptilian humanoids” for “Doctor Who: Exterminate!” I’ve already previously completed the faction’s "Unique" Draconian Noble, and now plan to paint three "Brave" Draconian Bodyguards up. I actually only need two of these interstellar imperialists for “Warlord Games” rule-set, but thought I might as well progress the trio of miniatures at the same time.

In addition, the Nottingham-based company has recently kindly gifted me a few Sontarans, so I thought it would only be polite for me to start work on the clone force’s leader General Staal. Commander of the Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet, the “stubborn” soldier is accompanied by two bodyguards, and a plethora of troops, so should give me plenty of opportunity to get reacquainted with one of my favourite “Vallejo” acrylic colour paints, Gunmetal Blue.

20 comments:

  1. There is much to like here, Simon, and how nice to see it is all "Doctor Who" themed. I can see why you are so taken with those 3D decals. What a great idea. How wonderful that you get sent free figures from Warlord Games. That must surely make you very happy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Many thanks Bryan. I'm hoping this'll just be the start of a good six MDF buildings made using the 3D decals. I am of course, very grateful to both "N-FX Game Design Studio" and "Warlord Games" for all the goodies they send me, and hopefully a few visits to their respective sites by people visiting this blog first will pay them back :-)

      Delete
  2. Great looking terrain piece Simon, I'm having trouble painting mdf in these daytime temperatures and have just started the "night shift" to try and get stuff done for my next planned game!

    Lovely work on the Draconian and General Staal - that Vallejo Gunmetal Blue has gone on my shopping list! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Greg, much appreciated. The MDF boxes paint up really well imho, and the decals work a treat. Definitively recommend “Vallejo” Gunmetal Blue :-)

      Delete
  3. Lovely bit of model making and looks great on the table Simon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you kindly, Sir Michael. I’m hoping a table full of such scenery will look like an old “Doctor Who” episode :-)

      Delete
  4. Great work on the building Simon, nice to see the Draconians back on the go, and also the sontarans shall be interested to see how your gunmetal blue turns out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Dave. SImple stuff tbh, but hopefully it’ll all come together on the Telos tabletop. The Gunmetal Blue looks good for the Sontarans I think :-)

      Delete
  5. Fab building you've done up there Simon! Those decals make an incredible difference :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ivor. The decals are indeed fab imho.

      Delete
  6. A great looking addition to the horde

    ReplyDelete
  7. All good stuff Simon, I like the Draconians, but the Sontaron looks a little thin to me, perhaps the new versions are on "low cal" rations?

    Cheers Roger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Roger. The Sontarans are definitely small minis to be sure.

      Delete
  8. great looking biuldings, very suitably 'grungy' and apt for your Cybermen.
    Loving the extras from "the King and I" and "Excaliber"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Joe. Hopefully a tabletop filled with such box-buildings will look good. Lots of lovely “Doctor Who” minis to come over the next few weeks, as well as some BatReps.

      Delete
  9. It is amazing how those decals transform what are essentially boxes into sci-fi scenery. Very good idea and well executed. Nice WIPs too, the draconian looks nice and I am keen too see how the Sontaran looks in that metallic blue. Once again a nice morning read with my coffee, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Undercoat. I’ve several more buildings to do, and it will be interesting to see how the larger-sized boxes turn out. Less is definitely more with the 3D decals, but there’s some really nice piping ones which should look great on some of the larger flat surfaces. I’m hoping to focus more on the “Dr Who” factions in future posts and actually paint to a plan for them, rather than simply paint just one I like; hence my desire to work through the Draconians.

      Delete
  10. The building has turned out great mate. The metallic colour helps disguise its mdf origins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Simon. Ideally the boxes wouldn't have that tooth edge, but it does seemingly mean that the sides stick super-tight with one another.

      Delete