From DaveS - Clan Heavy Battle Star - Klendathu 70pts

My first post of what I think is my 4th Challenge.  And the earliest I have ever got an entry in.  Due to me being isolated at home because of a mild case of Covid, I expect to get some brush time over at least the next few days.  I definitely wasn't sitting up waiting for the challenge to start so I could crack on with these.  Honest.

Battletech has always been a game that I have longed for, ever since I first saw it in Dragon magazine in the early 90's.  I've played it in just about every form I can think of, from the initial copy of Citytech I found at a boot sale in my teenage years (along with the Ghostbusters RPG, the very first edition of Bloodbowl and Star Frontiers), various computer games, the MegaMek online campaign, and the short lived CCG.  So when it was rereleased a few years ago, I was over the moon.

I have painted the last of the models that were sat on my desk from the Clan Invasion Kickstarter.  This is a "Clan Heavy Battle Star", and they are painted up in the colours of the Beta Galaxy Smoke Jaguars.  These were famously part of the battle of Tukkyaid which ended the clan invasion of the inner spehre.  Where they turned up, landed in a swamp, went the wrong way, and got ambushed and destroyed.  Seems to fit the Klendathu "Invasion Gone Bad" criteria as far as I am concerned.

These are also notable as the first models that I have painted since I finally got the hang of my airbrush.  I've had it for nearly 4 years, but never really got the hang of cleaning it, making using it an exercise in frustration.  Fortunately, I have discovered a spray airbrush cleaner, and now have a routine where I can quickly get it cleaned and running perfectly.  This was used to apply the undercoat to the models.

"Beta paints its ‘Mechs in a multilayered grey camouflage consisting of horizontal streaks, meant to represent a mist. Bloodnamed warriors paint large felid eyes on the torso of their ‘Mechs, and may even add other felid features as well. Kills are marked by smaller pairs of eyes placed randomly on the ‘Mech, though some warriors have taken to placing them near the weapons which delivered the final blow. The Elementals of Beta Galaxy have been seen in both this scheme and the traditional jaguar spot camo."

 I've chosen to forgo the eyes for now.  I have decided that these mechs will "earn" them when they get kills on the tabletop, starting with the main pair, and then adding them over the course of the campaign.

In terms of scoring, these are Between 50 and 60mm high.  I think based on previous scoring of mechs from other challenges, that these should count as

5x54mm = 50

Klendathu Challenge = 20

For 70 points total.

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First, I hope you recover quickly, Dave - this is the world we live in now, and we all have to take care of ourselves and one another.

Great work on being so early off the mark!  I have fond memories of the first edition of Battletech as well and was delighted to see it re-released recently. These mechs look terrific, with your airbrush giving you good service with the mottled streaking and smooth colour application. From reading your enthusiastic description of both the models and the setting, I expect their eyes will be added sooner rather than later. :) 

- Curt