Aliens: Models and Minis, In defense of, ...

RE: The quality of Colonial marines

I can only assume this off-topic went SO overlong because we love the
movie
so...

After 'it's only a movie' codicle, I guess I just assumed the 'best'
title
applied early in the movie was Burke blowing sunshine.

RE: Figs and other stuff

***
I have absolutely no idea if it's still generally available, but I do
know
that
there was a Sulaco model.  I put one together for a friend a few years
back
and
IIRC he gave it to Doug (The Beast) for a birthday present.

Good hunting, it wasn't a bad model and it wasn't too bad to put
together,
although it wasn't up to the standards of Italiari or Monogram.
***

Right-o. That would be Halcyon. Far as I know it's long OOP, but I do
see
it
available from time-to-time. About 8 inches long, it's worth the search,
though
I'd hesitate on some of the high prices I've seen asked.

Halcyon also put out a 1/35 APC, a 1/72 dropship, and an unknown-to-me
scale
Narcissus. We'll leave out the 1/9 warrior, queen, dog-alien, etc, as
not
suitable for gaming. Unless you use original GI Joes, of course.

Say, Bill, would you like to take on the APC??? Off-size, but I'm
getting
tired
of the s**t I get when I put the Bradley at the exit of my 3D Aliens
board
game.
;->=

One thing that struck me was how the Sulaco looked so like a pulse
rifle.
I'm
planning on trying to take an Evil Empire(tm) melta-gun, cut off the
nozzle
and
put it on the rear, and add some antenna to the front.

***
It says it's been discontinued, but places like Target and Toys 'R' Us
often
have them laying around.  You want AliensTM Collection #2, No. 74848. 
eBay
might be a possible source of this and more of the old Leading Edge
minis.
***

I just sold some of the LEG figs on eBay. While I didn't get the $45US
and
$25US
for the Marines/Aliens and Colonist's Last Stand listed on Sci-Fi's
Aliens
collection list, I was quite satisfactorily rewarded. To the point of
suggesting
avoiding this route.

The micro machines apparently didn't do well; I found them on sale and
once
in
awhile still do. A plus is the set that has the Sulaco also has the
alien
warrior. If you can find it in quantity, it's worth close to full price.
The
LEG warriors worked out to over $6US a fig if you include shippage.

I'd like to suggest substitution and building. The old Kryomek line
included
alien-style figs, tho' the 'warriors' are pretty tall, and the hellions
have
worm bodies. Some of the humans were, I think, from Gren's Future Wars
series,
soon to be re-released from Nemo/Stratilberi(sp?), who make EXCELLENT
CM's.

Of course, GW's Catachan, Mordians, and Stormtroopers Imperial Guards
are
a possibility, if you can get by the Rambo/Arnold build.

Don't forget, though, that the basic alien build is a skeleton. I once
took
a couple of old GW plastic skeletons, carved some round sprue pieces
into
roughly a 'bean' shape, cut the mouth off the skeleton head and glued to
the front of the 'bean'. I added some simple carving slivers on the
back.
Never did get around to putting on a tail.

Now, the thing looked pretty silly with clenched fists, and I so seldom
do
modeling that any comments can be chalked up to patronization in the
guise
of encouragement, but even with a simple gloss black paint job, some
folks
seemed genuinely impressed. I can only image what effect it would have
had
with some detail on the skull, and a good drybrush highlighting.

I know that the Future Wars line had some resin apc's, as I believe GZG/
Geohex does, that could easily convert to a CM's. And a LOT cheaper than
trying to find the LEG lead version. Which I do have, but never
assembled.
;->=

Still hunting the dropship, though...

The_Beast

The_Beast