Tuesday, July 10, 2018

SAS / JTF2 Operators & Defender Series 1


A few more special forces operators to add to the collection, plus a venerable Land Rover Defender Series 1 for them to roll out in.


The figures are from the Empress Miniatures SAS range, though I think they'll stand in nicely for Canadian JTF2 as well. I've painted them in my (very rough) facsimile of the CADPAT AR (Arid Region) camo. 


I quite like these figures, especially the guys in the soft hats. The poses are perhaps not as dynamic as what Spectre offers, and their weapons are a bit beefy, but their overall look appeals to me. 

The Defender was a 3D print file that I found on Thingiverse (thanks UHStech3). I manipulated it slightly to get the scale closer to around 1/50. It still may be a touch big, but I'd rather that than having it too small.


After the print it was just a matter of a quick airbrush and some slapdash weathering to get it sorted for the tabletop.




Now it's ready for some hard-bitten mercs to pick up an arms shipment, or perhaps for a posh mom to get the dry cleaning and grab a quick cappuccino before collecting the kids from soccer.


Next up: Some more modern OPFOR

24 comments:

  1. Excellent. I'm seeing a lot of 3D printed models on people's blogs lately. With quality results like this I can see why.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lee. The 3D printer is a load of fun.

      Delete
  2. Cracking work Curt! Really impressive quality from your 3D printer. Doesn't differ much from resin casts

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Samuli! Yes, the available printers and the designs people are coming up with have really pushed the envelope over the past few years.

      Delete
  3. Very nice work on them all. I have my first 3D print enroute so will be interesting painting that one up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks very much Simon. I'll keep an eye out on your blog to see how you get on with your upcoming 3D model. If I may ask, what kind of model is it?

      Delete
  4. Very nice indeed and if the miniatures weren't splendid enough the Series 1 is just the icing on the cake. I have always been impressed with your patience with the 3D printer and the results you are achieving are always eye catching. What would be your 'go to' make at the moment?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're very kind Michael. When you ask what is my go to make, do you mean model of printer? If so, I have to say that I'm very impressed with the Moonray DLP resin printer I picked up last year. The resin is definitely more costly than filament (I also have a Prusa i3 Mk III), but the results are definitely more consistent, the resolution is finer/smoother and I rarely have a misprint. In the future I'd love a resin printer with a slightly larger build deck, but as I use it for creating miniature parts, this one works for 90 percent of my projects.

      Delete
    2. Thank you Curt, I suspected that you had upgraded your machine. The printers that I have seen at school were very much entry level and had the stepped finish as the filament was laid down. I have just had a quick Google search at the Moonray and wow! That looks like a dentistry standard machine!

      Delete
    3. Yes, they have a model dedicated to dentistry work. Mine is the regular model which has a larger print volume but not as small a final output resolution. Crazy cool technology.

      Delete
  5. Lovely figures and a delightful mk 1 Landrover!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fab job, love empress figures. The landrover is excellent but does look like jelly (gello) n painted. Also think you'll find its called football, as in a game with a ball mainly played with the feet.😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Martin. I confess I have to fight wanting to give the models a lick when they come off the printer.

      I also have to admit that except for pro cycling, I'm astonishingly ambivalent-bordering-on-derisive about all sports. Maintaining a blissful ignorance to their obtuse nomenclature, rules, stats, fetishes, etc. Juvenal was not far off the mark on his comments on 'Bread and Circuses'. ;)

      Delete
  7. Superb looking troops and the vehicle quite amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely work dude - I do prefer the beefier weapons, and hooray for a proper, large scale vehicle in 28mm!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Greg! While I really like the animation of the Spectre figures I must say I prefer the slighly over-scaled weapons modeled by other manufacturers. It just seems to appeal more to my lizard brain. The same goes with vehicles in this scale - as we've discussed before, the 1/56 scale stuff usually looks too wee to my sensibilities. Horses for courses. :)

      Delete
  9. Stunning work my friend! Your JTF2 operators really look like they mean business. That Defender looks pretty swish as well. I‘m also all for the beefier weapons... must have something to do with having got into the hobby through 40k and it’s ‚slightly‘ oversized weaponry I think.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Nick. Yes, I have to say that my reference standard weapon (for looks) is probably the original 40K Heavy Bolter. Especially when being toted around by a Sister of Battle. Ridiculously incongruous, but still so darned cool.

      Delete
  10. Both the troopers and the Landy are top notch Curt!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comment! As long as you're not a spam droid I'll have it up on the blog soon. :)