"A Jeep Drove Him Across The Vast Space-Field At Cape Canaveral..."

"Action Man sat in the back of the jeep, silent, watching and listening."

This 15mm scale "all-metal multipart kit" is produced by "Ground Zero Games" and is model MG15-USV02B US Lunar Force Buggy from the company’s "Moongrunt" range. The vehicle is actually a variant of USV02A as it comes with a new nose section, and "includes two seated USLF crew in vacuum suits with backpacks."

Having previously painted similarly-sized transports before, I decided to paint the buggy's under-belly before I permanently attached it to a large “Battlefront Miniatures” plastic stand. However, I did mark the position of its four wheels on the base before gritting and painting its groundwork, and was therefore later able to simply super-glue the automobile in place before applying some static grass around it.

Nox WIPs - The elite troops have been primed, shaded, dry-brushed and had their details 'picked out'

The buggy actually comes in eighteen separate pieces, including its drivers, their oxygen apparatus, two sets of seating, and lots of wheels and axles. Resultantly, its assembly took some considerable time and patience so as to ensure each part was firmly affixed before I moved on to another part of the conveyance. Once built though, it was fairly straightforward to paint, courtesy of its double undercoat of "Vallejo" Dead White.

The model was then heavily washed with "Vallejo" Pale Grey and dry-brushed with (more) Dead White. Subsequently its wheels were painted using some Black, whilst the astronauts' space-visors were 'picked out' using a combination of "Vallejo" Gold and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. I did momentarily debate as to whether to not flock the vehicle using my normal green grass method, as admittedly this doesn't seem terribly moon-like. But the recent discovery of a still unopened boxed ESU Naval Infantry Starter Force in my collection, which largely consists of Earth-bound Soviet Union soldiers, made me decide to stick with my usual basing process.

Stone Golem WIPs - The "Bones" model is slowly having all its details layered, washed and dry-brushed

Maintaining my 15mm momentum I am also steadfastly ploughing my way through my backlog of Nox figures by "The Ion Age". These elite troops of the Shia Khan Army are proving enjoyably simple to pigment, considering that their wonderfully characterful space armour is predominantly red. Initially I hadn't intended to go to all the trouble of painting their black leg piping and gauntlets. Yet now I've started to do so I think the extra effort makes them stand out as demonic warriors all the more.

In addition I have dug out an old partially-painted 28mm Stone Golem by "Reaper Miniatures" to provide a bit of variety to the scales I'm currently working on. Already primed and washed, this "Bones" model will probably end up with a snow-covered base so it can be used on both my "Frostgrave" tabletop, as well as in my long-stalled "Metamorphosis Alpha" campaign.