Plamo: The Griffin GRF-1S & The Wolverine WVR-6M (BattleTech, Catalyst Game Labs)

Well, it was only a matter of fucking time, I suppose.

As a robot fan, BattleTech is something that I was always aware of, but largely ignored for much of my life. I think that was because of its limited UK presence, aside from the PC games. The franchise has tended towards walking tanks and simulation, which is not my usual flavour of metallic awesome, but it had its place. While researching raw material for other projects, I found myself drawn towards the setting, and as I have started to address some of my real life issues, I allowed myself the beginners box. No doubt this will become another obsession, but it promises to be engaging on both a a creative and intellectual level.

So what is BattleTech then? And what are these walking tanks? Well, first appearing in 1984, Battletech is a chunky wargames franchise. While the key fiction and rules is largely an American enterprise, the initial mecha designs were licenced from various Japanese anime, something that didn't exactly encourage me when I first learned it. They made the mistake of using designs from Macross, bringing them the attention of Harmony Gold, a collection of copyright trolls and general asshats. Today's subjects were however originally from Fang of the Sun Dougram, an early real-robot show I need to watch one day. To be more specific, the Griffin is the SolticH8 Roundfacer, and the Wolverine is the Abitate T-10B/T-10CBlockhead, although both now made legally distinct. In game terms, these represent middle-tier mecha. Good-all-rounders. Fictionally, they are also centuries old designs from a better age, Battletech featuring some nasty technological regression and space feudalism. Its a bit like 40K in that respect, and a likely influence on GW given the timing of things, but I'm new to the setting, so don't quote me.

The pair were painted according to video guides I found on Camo Specs Online, based around Citadel's series of contrast paints. I opted for red on the wolverine and blue colours for the griffin because it matched some of the internal art. Any resemblance to Rock 'em Sock 'Em Robots was a happy accident. It was a mixed success, with the Blood Angels Red being a paint I quite like, but the Talassar Blue being a right pain. It was a night and day comparison, with the red producing table-ready looks immediately, but the blue is a salvage job where I dry-brushed over the contrasts. They were both based the same, using Stirland Mud, followed by a Zandri Dust dry-brush, and then the always handy Agrax Earthshade. Cockpit glass was Soulstone for the Wolverine, while a basic gem effect was attempted with Vallejo Tan Yellow and Citadel Ardcoat on the Griffin. None of its my best work, but as first attempts go, both are game ready. I continue to find these contrast paints to be quite hit & miss, and I'm not fond of the requirement for a white undercoat.

While I have already got stuff on order, I'm still mulling over what to do next. I need to pick out a paint scheme, and by extension, a BattleTech faction. I want something that is fun to paint, while not being associated with anyone overtly dickish. I'll probably end up with Leo colours, or something.