Project S2

Status: FINISHED

Deadline: 05-JUN-2013

Contains: Figures, terrain, demo game

Status:	FINISHED
Deadline:	05-JUN-2013
Contains:	Figures, terrain, demo game

S2 stands for Starship Troopers. This will now also be a precedent for naming new projects for overloaded letters...

I've had a few Starship Troopers game boxes for quite a while now. They've been available on clearance sales every now and then and I'm a sucker for cheap figures... I also picked up the game books for similar reasons. Due to this year's resolutions I actually started painting the suckers. Then I bought all the Starship Troopers movies (I already had the TV series) and finally I just decided to hold a demo game for this, so that the figures might see at least one actual game (a rather rare pleasure for most of my figures). That's also the reason this is the first project here with a real hard deadline.

The thing with Starship Troopers game boxes is that while they contain a pretty good start for a mobile infantry force, they have way too few bugs. I've managed to gather some reinforcements from various sources, there's still a reasonably good supply of kits despite the game being out of print for several years already.

Assembling the Figures

To put it bluntly, I don't much enjoy assembling plastic figures. And assembling these figures is even more painful than usually. They take a lot of cleaning and even then the parts fit leaves something to be desired.

Some materials for Project S2. Reinforcements on the way. To be quite frank, these figures are really irritating to assemble and... well, I've seen better casting quality. Assembling the forces.

Well, 28 anyway. In the works. I'm really glad these arachnids don't actually have eight legs... This is actually just the lower bodies, but from distance they look pretty cool too.

Bugs in assembly. Bug parts. The tanker bug model seems generally unavailable, but these toys are still floating around. It's a bit too small, but still usable.

Space Comrades get reinforcements. Parts for the Chickenhawk. Hulls assembled. These are M9 Chickenhawk suits from Starship Troopers. For some reason there's a good supply of these while all the M8 suits are gone the way of the dodo.

Reinforcements are being assembled as we speak, sir! These guys are a bit on the short side... These will be pilots, mechanics or similar.

Ready for primer. Pretty armless for the time being. One them is really a zombie, can you spot which one?

Painting the Figures

Painting, on the other hand, was much more straightforward. For the bugs I used my old Tyranid paint scheme which works straight off a gray primer and the mobile infantry are basically just basecoated with an airbrush, given an all over brown wash and minor details added.

I was in a bit of a hurry so I used spray primer. Getting ready for the fight. Flight crew getting there. These are actually Starship Troopers MI figures, I just left off the guns and the armor panels. The color is the age old trick of slapping ink on top of white primer.

Troopers get their base color. Almost there. Pretty much done, waiting for basing.

Almost there, just some work on the faces and basing. Okay, off to wash and detailing. The last batch of bugs getting their basic colors.

Base color applied. It's starting to get there.... Waiting for the canopy.

I grabbed bare heads from the bits box. New recruits waiting for the final touches. Just the basing to do.

The Finished Figures

Here are the first few examples of finished figures.

Another batch of bugs. Looks pretty much like the first one, doesn't it? I chose the same color scheme I used for my tyranids. It worked surprisingly well on these. The parts were a pain to clean.

The obligatory overhead view. More bugs. Closeup. I'm trying to show the hideous joint, but it isn't really visible from here.

Getting closer... This is what I was talking about. The fit of the lower body half pieces is hideous. They really should be puttied, but that would increase the already slow assembly time for these essentially bulk troops. Sigh... I got tired of green and decided to see, if these figures could be used for something else.

They're all in kinda WTF? -poses... These are actually Starship Troopers, without the guns and armor panels and a new belt buckle cut from plastic rodding. The reinforcements are here! Space Komsomol join the fight!

Men, never put your hand in front of the muzzle like I'm doing here! I don't know what's going on here. My elbows were stuck way the day I got off the sprue. The obligatory overhead view.

Originally these figures came with some sort of butt flap armor, but it fitted so poorly and looked stupid so I left it off. Besides, if you get shot in the butt you probably deserved it. Space Komsomol class of 42013 assemble. First row, kneel!

Why did I spend all that time painting the faces when my subtle highlights are hidden under the yellow plastic? I would like to say this is the final batch, but I actually ordered another box of these. I could just have photographed the previous batch again... but actually this batch has a slightly lighter tone. I didn't use quite as much black in the wash.

This is the first time I really had trouble fitting all the figures in the studio space. I can't even fit them all in the obligatory overhead view. The obligatory overhead view.

The obligatory overhead view. Three walkers reinforce the Space Comrades lineup. I didn't feel confident enough to paint the struts on the canopy.

I even managed to construct an illegal weapon combo for the game. Oh well, the claws just looked so stupid... The funny thing is that the little machine guns are actually better in game terms than the giant chaingun. Show your colors.

Rear view. The bases are pretty uninspired. There would be space to do lots of things... Kinda donut-shaped...

Just waiting for some bugs to emerge. The latest reinforcements assemble. The obligatory overhead view.

Nice formation. I made these rifles from a bit of sprue and a nail, plus a scope from a Space Marine kit. For some reason, the sniper rifles don't come in the standard trooper sprue.

Master Chief Gavin 'Gazzy' Thrakakis. A selection of rank insignia. Some more missiles.

Hmmm, another overhead view. The crew assembles. The head is from Gripping Beast saxons. I drilled out one of the original heads to create the empty helmet.

Air guitar champion. No one knows I'm secretly a zombie. Sorry guv, she's long due an overhaul.

The Demo Game

The battle for the Jones farm! An embarassing defeat for the bugs, I must admit. They'll definitely need some reinforcements.

The Jones farm and surroundings. The Jones farm. Final defensive position, maybe?

Bugs behind a small patch of woods. Oh no, they got sprayed! Bugs trampling the fields.

Shoot, shoot shoot! Starting to look dangerous. More bugs crawling out of a hole.

The defense line. Mmmm... tasty donut! Back against the wall.

More bugs to the dead pile. Remember to watch both ways before crossing! The hole isn't as good as it sounds unless you can tunnel right under the troopers, because you can only exit 5 warriors in a turn.

They're crawling all over the place. It's getting interesting... And then the tasty things jump away...

Sucks! (0) (0) Rocks!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
Copyright 2003-2021 Mikko Kurki-Suonio


Some materials for Project S2.	Reinforcements on the way. To be quite frank, these figures are really irritating to assemble and... well, I've seen better casting quality.	Assembling the forces.

Well, 28 anyway. In the works.	I'm really glad these arachnids don't actually have eight legs...	This is actually just the lower bodies, but from distance they look pretty cool too.

Bugs in assembly.	Bug parts.	The tanker bug model seems generally unavailable, but these toys are still floating around. It's a bit too small, but still usable.

Space Comrades get reinforcements.	Parts for the Chickenhawk.	Hulls assembled. These are M9 Chickenhawk suits from Starship Troopers. For some reason there's a good supply of these while all the M8 suits are gone the way of the dodo.

Reinforcements are being assembled as we speak, sir!	These guys are a bit on the short side...	These will be pilots, mechanics or similar.

Ready for primer.	Pretty armless for the time being.	One them is really a zombie, can you spot which one?


I was in a bit of a hurry so I used spray primer.	Getting ready for the fight.	Flight crew getting there. These are actually Starship Troopers MI figures, I just left off the guns and the armor panels. The color is the age old trick of slapping ink on top of white primer.

Troopers get their base color.	Almost there.	Pretty much done, waiting for basing.

Almost there, just some work on the faces and basing.	Okay, off to wash and detailing.	The last batch of bugs getting their basic colors.

Base color applied.	It's starting to get there....	Waiting for the canopy.

I grabbed bare heads from the bits box.	New recruits waiting for the final touches.	Just the basing to do.


Another batch of bugs. Looks pretty much like the first one, doesn't it?	I chose the same color scheme I used for my tyranids. It worked surprisingly well on these.	The parts were a pain to clean.

The obligatory overhead view.	More bugs.	Closeup. I'm trying to show the hideous joint, but it isn't really visible from here.

Getting closer...	This is what I was talking about. The fit of the lower body half pieces is hideous. They really should be puttied, but that would increase the already slow assembly time for these essentially bulk troops. Sigh...	I got tired of green and decided to see, if these figures could be used for something else.

They're all in kinda WTF? -poses...	These are actually Starship Troopers, without the guns and armor panels and a new belt buckle cut from plastic rodding.	The reinforcements are here! Space Komsomol join the fight!

Men, never put your hand in front of the muzzle like I'm doing here!	I don't know what's going on here. My elbows were stuck way the day I got off the sprue.	The obligatory overhead view.

Originally these figures came with some sort of butt flap armor, but it fitted so poorly and looked stupid so I left it off. Besides, if you get shot in the butt you probably deserved it.	Space Komsomol class of 42013 assemble.	First row, kneel!

Why did I spend all that time painting the faces when my subtle highlights are hidden under the yellow plastic?	I would like to say this is the final batch, but I actually ordered another box of these.	I could just have photographed the previous batch again... but actually this batch has a slightly lighter tone. I didn't use quite as much black in the wash.

This is the first time I really had trouble fitting all the figures in the studio space.	I can't even fit them all in the obligatory overhead view.	The obligatory overhead view.

The obligatory overhead view.	Three walkers reinforce the Space Comrades lineup.	I didn't feel confident enough to paint the struts on the canopy.

I even managed to construct an illegal weapon combo for the game. Oh well, the claws just looked so stupid...	The funny thing is that the little machine guns are actually better in game terms than the giant chaingun.	Show your colors.

Rear view.	The bases are pretty uninspired. There would be space to do lots of things...	Kinda donut-shaped...

Just waiting for some bugs to emerge.	The latest reinforcements assemble.	The obligatory overhead view.

Nice formation.	I made these rifles from a bit of sprue and a nail, plus a scope from a Space Marine kit.	For some reason, the sniper rifles don't come in the standard trooper sprue.

Master Chief Gavin 'Gazzy' Thrakakis.	A selection of rank insignia.	Some more missiles.

Hmmm, another overhead view.	The crew assembles.	The head is from Gripping Beast saxons. I drilled out one of the original heads to create the empty helmet.

Air guitar champion.	No one knows I'm secretly a zombie.	Sorry guv, she's long due an overhaul.


The Jones farm and surroundings.	The Jones farm.	Final defensive position, maybe?

Bugs behind a small patch of woods.	Oh no, they got sprayed!	Bugs trampling the fields.

Shoot, shoot shoot!	Starting to look dangerous.	More bugs crawling out of a hole.

The defense line.	Mmmm... tasty donut!	Back against the wall.

More bugs to the dead pile.	Remember to watch both ways before crossing!	The hole isn't as good as it sounds unless you can tunnel right under the troopers, because you can only exit 5 warriors in a turn.

They're crawling all over the place.	It's getting interesting...	And then the tasty things jump away...