Newbie Blog - Tale of a new Gamer to B5 - ACTA

[fluffy05]

Hi All,

I have posted a few posts earlier and had great repsonses to Questions and Help from other forum Members.

This Blog will show Terrain, Painting and a progress of my Gaming as I manage to get Games (Married with 2 Kids )

Happy Gaming All!

 

[fluffy05]

OK so I am getting prepared for B5 - ACTA.

I have ordered a copy of the Revised Edition Boxed set for b5 ACTA which I will received at the end of this week.

I have also Purchased an EA Omega Destroyer as my first Ship for my EA fleet.

Below I have posted pictures of 1 small moon and 1 small planet. I cut a ping pong ball in halff filled it with putty and sealed each half with plasticard to create 2 Semi - Spheres. They where painted using GW paints (all I have) and Sealed with GW Purity Seal - I plan to give them a Matt Gloss coat later.

I filled them with Putty so they wouldn't be bumped or easily blown off the gaming table.

Anyway I hope you like:

 

[CheesyRobMan]

Those planets look good - but isn't a ping pong ball a bit small for a planet? How do they look next to a ship?

 

[Burger]

Problem with 3-D planets is that you're supposed to be allowed ships on top of planets...
But they look very nice!

 

[fluffy05]

Those planets look good - but isn't a ping pong ball a bit small for a planet? How do they look next to a ship?

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't sure if anyone was interested

I thought Planet's & Moons were from Size 1" Diameter to 12 " Diameter.

This is just the start of terrain making for me for ACTA. Starting with what I had around the house and buy more materials so the table will look great until I get minis and paint them up too (Trying to get a head start :wink: )

I will be making more planets and moons and Asteroid fields as I go and will post pictures as I go.

I get my first ship maybe toomorrow or day after from Bunker Minatures here in Oz.

I will do size comparison photos when I get it assembled and painted.

My aim is to have a variety of terrain that can be used in different scenarios and Campaigns.

 

[fluffy05]

Problem with 3-D planets is that you're supposed to be allowed ships on top of planets...
But they look very nice!

Bugger! Nevermind Glad you like them

I made them 3-D to make the gaming table look better and to help with Line of Sight - I don't have the rules yet but if they block line of sight hopefully it will make it easier. Which is the other reason I made the Semi Spheres.

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

Those planets look good - but isn't a ping pong ball a bit small for a planet? How do they look next to a ship?

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't sure if anyone was interested

I thought Planet's & Moons were from Size 1" Diameter to 12 " Diameter.

Lifeless rocks/moons are 1-3", small planets are 4-9", and Gas giants are 10"+ IIRC.

they look fantastic BTW, I'm working on some planets myself ATM so hopefully I'll have photos in a week or two

 

[Ripple]

for the 3d vs flat thing - use both...

Those really look fantastic. Just take a picture from above, print, trim and lay on the table where the planet will be placed on top. That way if someone flies over the planet you just move the model out of the way. We do this with asteriods now (well we have largish gravel from a train bed we use for asteriods but still).

Ripple

 

[fluffy05]

for the 3d vs flat thing - use both...

Those really look fantastic. Just take a picture from above, print, trim and lay on the table where the planet will be placed on top. That way if someone flies over the planet you just move the model out of the way. We do this with asteriods now (well we have largish gravel from a train bed we use for asteriods but still).

Ripple

Will do. I downloaded Wulf's Planet templates. So I will use both. I plan to get bigger spheres - balls styrofoam etc to make more.

 

[fluffy05]

Hi All,

Time for another quick update. My EA Omega Destroyer arrived today from Bunker Boi.

I was alway curious on how the ACTA are packaged so for others who haven't seen it either:

Here is a picture of the blister:

And its Contents:

I will be putting it together tonight

 

[Reaverman]

@ fluffy05

I'd suggest you not use the plastic stem, as they snap very easy on that sort of model. My Advice, would be to make your own metal stem, and lugs out of K&N brass parts (most LFGS, and model shops supply it)

 

[fluffy05]

@ fluffy05

I'd suggest you not use the plastic stem, as they snap very easy on that sort of model. My Advice, would be to make your own metal stem, and lugs out of K&N brass parts (most LFGS, and model shops supply it)

Will Do - Thanks

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

Also if you've any brass rod floating around, an easy conversion is to make the hab section rotate, makes the ship look a lot cooler.

 

[Burger]

Also if you've any brass rod floating around, an easy conversion is to make the hab section rotate, makes the ship look a lot cooler.

The slightly harder conversion, is to put a motor in it so that the hab section really does rotate, rather than just spin when you tap it....

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

I've seen pics of model kits modified like that, but never a mini. Though apparently a few EA players modified FA Omegas to rotate....

 

[fluffy05]

Also if you've any brass rod floating around, an easy conversion is to make the hab section rotate, makes the ship look a lot cooler.

The slightly harder conversion, is to put a motor in it so that the hab section really does rotate, rather than just spin when you tap it....

lol. I thought about making the hab section rotate but then went bugger it. :wink:

I have used a nail instead of brass rod and counter sunk the rear of the large bas so it will sit flush with the reverse side of the base. Will post pictures soon.

 

[fluffy05]

Hi All,

The EA Omega is now assembled. I double pinned each section of the starship before Super Glueing the sections together.

I was reasonably happy with the casting quality - I admit I wasn't expecting much due to the scale of the ship. Most Flashing was easily removed.

I used a stainless steel nail to mount the ship to the large base supplied in the blister. The back of the base was counter sunk to allow the head of the nail to sit flush.

Here is the updated picture of the Omega assembled:

OK now I'm off to undercoat this baby and find some pictures from the series so I can paint it up.

Two more days until I get my hands on the Rule Set 8)

 

[MustEatBrains]

The casting quality on that Omega looks quite good, seems that Mongoose has been doing some sorting out after the quakity isues these last months...

I wouldn´t recommend Styrofoam for planets; it tends to break away in small pieces and tends to have a rough, uneven and ugly surface texture.

I´ve used plastic globes, the ones sold at gardeners´shops. You can´t "park" a ship on them, but they look nice on the gaming table.

 

[fluffy05]

Hi All,

Another quick update.

Here she is EA Omega painted - hope you like:

No varnish on it yet. I am gong to use GW Hardcoat to proted the paintwork then maybe Purity Seal to dull the gloss look.

@ Must eat brains - I will look out for the plastic globes you are talking about - thanks for the tip

 

[bunkerboi]

Damn mate, that looks great! You certainly have done better than this poor sod would have