Some of you may be familliar with the Cosmic Space Knights (of doom) project log that I posted on Warseer a while back.
Well I've been looking into setting up a small business manufacturing wargames minis/terrain for a while now and finally got to the stage where it's a viable project.
We're not talking massive industry here but a small venture into the world of making minis that hopefully people willl buy by the bucket load.
I'm going to be batting a few ideas around for a while as to what I'm actually going to make but figured I'd give the CSK(od) a proper bash as a test piece to find out whether players would be interested in a line of humourous wargaming miniatures and maybe even a set of rules to boot.

The Cosmic Space Rangers(od).

Given that the original concept was designed for a 40k army (well, that;'s not entirely true as it was originally designed to be a SST mod) I've had to rake the idea back to it's roots stripping away anything that may end the project before it begins.
So now we have the Cosmic Space Rangers (of doom) as opposed to the Knights to drag the idea away from the gothic and more into the mainstream. Most of the cool stuff will remain though, the Curse of the Absurd will still be in place, Slab Benchpress will still be their commanding officer as will the Rules Lawyer and S.A.P.S. along with some new stuff.
This will be intended as a parody of wargaming and hopefully inject some much needed fun back into the hobby.

Concept

For the time being I'm only going to focus on the main two races of the "First Intergalactic Cosmic War" which will be the humans in the form of the CSR(od) and the alien Pan'Zee Empire.
If it all goes well I have a few other concept races I can add as additional armies (yes...there will be squirrels...).
The Pan'zees are proper aliens and so won't be space elves but I'll get to them later.



This is the protoype for the CSR(od) clone warriors. As you can see it's fairly generic with a sort of power armour and huge shoulder guards.
Two things I personally like are Berets and Gasmasks so there will be two heads with one of each. Guns will be larger than life and these guys will carry some serious firepower.
The suits are dubbed Servo Powered Articulated Re-enforced Titanium Armour or SPARTA for short as a working title.
This is the sketch that I'll be working on for the test minis.

Helmets are for wimps!..................awesome! :D

The concept art is great, good start, then again never known you to have a bad one!

I love you man, I love you...

Oh, why, why did we let Doghouse here? He's taking the spotlight in all the logs! (Or will/should soon, anyway.) :D

Amazing yet again, Doghouse.

MM

Hmm, that's weird I posted my reply and it never materialised...

Take Two...

MutantMaggot: Don't worry mate, I'm far too busy with my Night Lords to work on anything else other than this guy so you're quite safe. :)
Besides that there are some extremely talented people posting logs here so I promise I'll keep myself to myself. :)

Right Update time

I've started the first two prototype armatures and will eb casting them so that I can work on several different designs at once without going back to scratch.
The guy on the left will be a 28mm prototype when finished and the guy on the right with the Hasslefree head (need to alter the angle of the head) will be the 32mm prototype.
The 32mm will form the basis of all big guys like the clones and the 28mm will form the basis for the rest.
I'm going to be making two projects alongside each others give give myself better odds of making something that I can sell. Whichever works out the best will become the first product line.
The reason behind this is that although I'd love to see CSR(od) become huge I need to keep my feet on the ground and make a second more marketable backup system.
This is tagged as Sol Conspiracy for now and will be a series of miniatures deisgned to allow people to scratchbuild their own vehicles and use them in the game. Being an avid converter it'll be taylored towards that target group of individuals like myself that crave custom bits.

Very cool concept doghouse, very cool.

Will keep my eye on the progress, Like your idea for your backup game

Thanks mate. The backup range is actually very cool, not only because of the setting but the options for converting are extremely useful. Basically it'd be a wish list of stuff that I've always wanted.

Update

Just a quick one, the basic armature is now pretty much complete.
It's nothing too fancy but will provide me a platform for the protoytypes. The body has been angled specifically so the weight is being carried by the right hand side of the model but not so much as to limit positioning. The head has been repostioned so that I can remove it from casts and allow for seperate heads which is something I'm very keen on as a converter. This will allow me to make optional heads so that the models can be customed to suit the player's army with minimum fuss. So for example I could make an upgrade sprue of heads with gasmaks or high tech helmets. I've got some other plans for this style of model making but that'll be revealed later after I've experimented a little with the prototypes.
Ultimately I'm going to try and produce realistically proportioned models rather than heroic scaled stuff.

yee ha i just luff it!!

Have you seen the trailer for the Starcraft II, worth a squiz as it has equally generic Starcraft Marine getting suited up, may be useful to you.

Yeah, that guy is pretty awesome and I love the way his armour is fitted via the machine. Very cool!
Way I heard it Blizzard originally enquired into the rights to make a Wh40k game and a WFB version but GW said no so they went ahead and made Warcraft and Starcraft instead.
I'm looking into a lot of the deep sea diving suits and NASA EVA suits as well for ideas. Although it's unlikely I'll ever be able to re-invent power armour I want something original looking and reasonably bulky and credible.

Couple of more concept sketches working away from the CSR(od) and more towards the more serious back up system.

Stage Two



This takes the original CSR(od) concept and modifies the concept a little. Not quite far enough away from the original design but a step in the right direction.

Stage Three



The armour is taking on a slightly more credible feel with EVA and pressure suit influences begining to show through.
This may well be the route for a shock/assault trooper rather than a regular grunt though.
The rough idea behind these guys at the moment is that they are bred, programmed and contained within capsules prior to battle.
Rather than a barracks they'd be contained in the hold of a starship and deployed as needed.
Enroute to mission they have their mission briefing downloaded directly into their brain and are dropped directly into combat.
Basically a fairly disposable infantryman with those that survive initial combat becoming specialists or officers.
They're seen as an organic weapon system rather than as people.
Battles are more open combat than the current insurgent style action of modern warfare.

How about a matrix style plug in the back of the head for uploads?

Just a quick update...

I've got a really bad dose of the flu at the moment so my sculpting is...well...a bit rubbish at the moment. Whilst waiting for the armature molds to set I thought I'd have a quick bash at playing around with the armour designs.
This is far from the finished article but I wanted to get a rough idea of what the armour might look like.
It's not supposed to be great, just a rough 3d sketch.
It has proven quite useful though as I now know what works and what doesn't. The armour is intended to be well rounded to convey a sense of an advanced EVA suit with elements of deep sea pressure suits thrown in.
Heads will be seperate along with weapons so that converters can customise their troops to suit their own style.
For example I'm planning fully helmeted heads as well as forage caps, berets, bare heads, etc.
I've also got some nice ideas for customised weapons loadouts and backpacks so basically you get a generic torso/legs and tailor it to suit your regiment.



As soon as I've cast the original armatures I'll post proper sculpts. :)

Looking brilliant, could easily use them as stormies.

Awesome so far! How are you going to get all the materials required for moulds?

Sup Dawg, just had to comment on this latest progress. The suit is reminiscent of an advanced deep sea diving suit.

-scrubout

Are they going to have backpacks?

Thanks for the feedback guys! :)

jasevx: They might be a little too tall for 40k scale but the heads would work well.

MutantMaggot: Mostly online, I use some stuff called RTV-101 Silicone Mould Rubber for the moulds themselves.
This can be used for small casts but I'm currently looking into a centrifrugal casting system that'll allow me mass produce stuff professionally. Downside is that it costs around fifteen hundred quid. :blink:
Backpacks are going to be optional. the rear of the armour is fairly rounded so that it can be used as is but I really want different packs as well that you can just attach to the mini.
The rules I have so far take into account what the model is actually wearing and you can upgrade the troops with the inclusion of extra bits.
So for example you start off with a regular squad, by adding different types of pack you can increase their firepower, strength, armour, etc.
Some upgrades are set as offical troop choices such as Infantry, Adv. Recon, Special Ops, etc, and come at a standard points setting.
Due to the customisable nature of the army lists you can pay over the odds for additional upgrades but can then create your own specialists.
It sounds like a powergamer's dream but it actually works out to be quite balanced.

scrubout: Yeah that's sort of the look I want for these guys. I've been looking at a lot of the proposed Mars mission stuff, NASA EVA suits, deep sea diving rigs, Future Warrior, etc.
As the serious sci-fi game is set in present day I want something that looks credible as a heavy armour.
I hope to move away from the sterotypical power armour stuff and more towards servo powered combat rigs.
I'll be doing these guys in regular combat fatigues as well which'll be more along the lines of Ghost Recon near future style gear.

Basically, the best stuff we probably have now will protect you well from small-arms fire and fragmentation grenades, not from a huge ordnance blast.

I love the sound of being able to specialize troops, it does sound like a power gamers dream, but it also sounds like a lot of fun. Good idea.

-scrubout

Update



Although this is just some random rough sketches I've been making it should give a rough idea of what I'm planning for the vehicle side of this little project.

1: Crewmen
I'm tailoring the add ons to fit modern 1:35 model kits. With this in mind I'm planning on constructing crew models scaled to the same size as the mini range so you can adapt the kits to fit the game.
For example here would be a 32mm scale pilot complete with seat that will be designed to fit most 1:35 scale aircraft.

2: Hatchs and pintle mounted weapons.
Again these would be designed so that instead of adding the kits proper hatch this fits over the hole and includes option for commander model.

3: Engines
One of the most sought after parts for creating vtols and aircraft in general. Completely detailed engines that can be either used to replace those on existing models or for inclusion in complete scratch builds. Wing mounted versions a possible option.

4:Anti Grav Units
Want an anti-Grav tank? Well by placing these units on the underside of an existing tank model you can create that grav tank that you'fve always wanted.

5:Wheels
Complete set of wheels that include part of the axle mounting. Various sizes allow for construction of anything from quads to wheeled battle tanks/APCs. Individual track links/sections a possiblity as well.

6/8: Comms units/stowage
Various add on including sensor arrays, equipment stowage, shovels, gear, etc. All themed to suit the game.

7: Complete Turrets
Complete turrets including a turret ring designed to fit over the hole on existing model kits.

So in short you buy your 1:35 scale model kit then customise it with the add on kits.

The way army selection works is that you have a ship/carrier and you can only take what you can physically fit inside. What I hope to achieve is to actually tie the background material directly into the gameplay.
The basic idea is that you are a human commander of a carrier and everyone else are clones under your command although not everyone realises they're a clone. There's a really strong conspiracy theme at the heart of the system.

Update

This is the prototype green that I've been playing around with so that I can work out some sort rough idea of what works and what doesn't.
It's in no way representive of the finished quality of the final sculpt as it's only a two hour job from start to finish, the final copy will be at least ten times better. :)
I've skipped little details like proper fingers, buckles, etc, and only spent half an hour or so on the paint job just so I can get an impression of the overall look.
Once the armatures are cast I'll be working on three types of infantry, one in fatigues, one in a cleaner sculpted version of this guy here and a heavy armour version along with alternate heads, weapons, accessories and dynamic poses.
I'll also be looking at navy and airforce models as well.

Clone Infantryman.

I like it! He's like a cross of 40K and Warzone; which I think is great. ;)

How does he fight? He doesn't wear any weapons. And I love the pose of that figure. I can imagine ranks up on ranks of these men marching to the enemy, just to get shot down.

Thanks for the feedback guys, it's appreciated. :)

BDJV: I think that the Beret is to blame for the Warzone influence here. This guy would be a soft cap on patrol, the beret would be used so as not to startle the locals too much. :)


Novogord: He's so tough he doesn't need weapons! :lol:
This is just a rough test piece to get the armour design sorted out so he's fairly static, uninspiring and incredibley lacking in detail.
The finished model will have the option of all manner of weapons from P90 sized weapons up to M60 sized machine guns and anti-tank rocket launchers.
I'm not sure how it works using real world weapons in these games in regards to licencing though, I might just create my own designs.
Rail-guns would be nice though... :)

I suppose you are right, but he's still great! :D

Thanks mate! :)

Background on Sol Conspiracy

Just to fill in a little on the idea behind Sol Conspiracy and give you guys an impression what I've planned and the the chance to chime in with critism/comments.
Although it's a fairly complex story the rough idea is that there have been three confirmed UFO crashes on Earth over the last couple of hundred years.
The first was in Siberia at the turn of the last century which destroyed a massive area of forest land, the second in Africa which was recovered by the Germans during the later stages of the second world war and the third Roswell, New Mexico.
The long and short of it all is that goverments have been playing around with alien tech since the fifties and in the late seventies discover a stable rift to another galaxy on the far side of Mars.
The first expedition is ill prepared and goes badly, contact is lost with the fledgling colonies after the first couple of years.
2007 the project is restarted and a new military led endevour attempts to reclaim the lost colonies.
The idea this time around is that everyone is a clone, civilians are created from stem cell samples taken from all manner of blood clinics, vacination centers, etc. They are recreated in the other galaxy and told that they have just awoken from cryogenic stasis and are the last hope for humanity. They're told that they bravely volunteered for the project to gather resources for a dying earth.
This is of course a lie, a means to ensure their total co-operation with each colony believing it is the only one in existance.
It all basically revolves around all the famous conspiracy theories but adds some truth to them, Area 51 is home to UFOs, the moon landings were faked, men in black do exist, Nazis were working on flying saucers etc. A paranoid's nightmare come true wrapped in a blanket of propoganda.

hey dog house are you from the uk or EU? if you are can i commission you to sculpt details for a titan im thinkin of getting? if you could do some drawings and stuff i'd pay you wellish PM me

I'm UK based and although I'd honestly give my left arm to be able love to sink my teeth into a Titan but I'm completely snowed under at the moment with real life stuff. :(
Have a word with Freakforge, he's really good at that kind of stuff although I think he's in the states. :)

I know I'm going to regret the next sentence:

I think his crotch is a bit big.

It makes the proportions look a strange, his waist seems to be correct, but his legs look short as a result

EDIT: when I think of Generic interchanable Sci-Fi bits I think of Old Crow CLICK, may be some ideas there

Doghouse will boast he modelled it on himself! ;)

I think this being the prototype, the dimensions will thin out slightly with the production models?

Do like them, The only issue I've got is, it would cost me a fortune because I'd want an army of them! :lol:

Penguin of Death: Yeah, I think his head is a little too big as well. I'll sort out the proper proportions for the final master version, I just needed something quick and easy to get an idea of the direction I wanted to go witht the design.
I'm not sure about the lenses on the shoulder and chest though.
Thanks for the link mate, I've never heard of them before.

jasevx: Well, I don't like to brag... :lol:
The first run of these guys should be fairly cheap as I'll probably flog them through an ebay store.
Materials wise I'm looking into resin for the first run, I'm still doing the maths at the moment but could be as little as between ten to twelve quid for ten to fifteen models on a limit trial basis.
If it proves successful I'll put together the small business and then vat and other nastiness will probably raise the prices a bit.
The deciding factor is if I can get a decent protoype done.

Doghouse, they look good, except for (indeed) the lenses... what instruments are underneath them? What could possibly be the reason of the lenses being where they are...

No seriously, why did you put them there?

One of the sets of lenses could be a camera in the same way as the helmet ones in Aliens, if the troops are all under the control of one commander then he has to keep track of them.
This still only explains one set, peobably the chest one as the shoulder on is going to be pointing at the sky if he points his arm forward

Wow once again doghouse you rock!

If only i was as good as you.

(goes away to see about brain transplants).

Cheers guys! :)

The idea behind the lenses is that serve several purposes.
The shoulder pad sensors are part of a T-C3 sensor suite or Topographical Command, Control and Communications suite. The idea is that the sensors constantly scan the local battlefield providing the commander with up to date information on a ground level.
This is then combined with satalite and UAV intel to give the commander an accurate picture of what is going on at a battlefield level.
The vertical shoulder plates, like the plates on the upper thighs of the armour, are gyroscopically balanced so that they remain in the optimum position for protection. So for example were the Infantryman to raise his arm then the shoulderpad would adjust to cover his exposed underarm, the same applies to the legs as the plates shift to cover exposed spots on the armour as the Infatryman moves.
The second set of sensors on the chest act not only as a back up system to the T-C3 suite but provide the armour's CPU with enviromental details and automatically adjust the suit's settings to give the wearer optimum combat ability. It's kind of an artificial cortex that allows the infantryman to concentrate on fighting rather than constantly havng to adjust his suit settings.

I'm a liking him mate! I just expect his armoured codpiece to open exposing a crotch canon! lol

When these are done, you can put me down for a squad or two!

Nice one! :lol:
I think I was over compensating the groin armour, if I'd bulked out the armour on the legs and arms a little more it might have looked a little more credible. It's a bit of a balancing act trying to create a bulky suit that actually looks like the guy can fit inside comfortably.
A good example of this is the early Terminators that had a braod torso with armpits that were level with their neck line. The armour looked cool but wouldn't be very practical to wear.
The armature mold is nearly set now so as soon as I get some resin I can start making the proper models. :)

The explanation of the lenses was satisfying... you may continue :P

Maybe put the 2 sets of lenses on opposite sides to balance things out?