I wasn't a fan initially of Starship Troopers (1997) as I felt it veered wildly from the tone of Heinlein's 1959 novel, but I grew to appreciate it as satire. (I can't embed the appropriate brain bug video due to age restrictions, but here.)
This miniature is an absolute pain* and has been an albatross around my neck for at least fifteen years. The brain bug is five solid hunks of metal which don't remotely fit together. Mine is more Milliput than metal. It is carried by an entourage of chariot bugs. There is no clean fit of them to the brain bug, and I used two-part epoxy to try and get them to fit. The epoxy wasn't well mixed and turned into this frustrating tacky mess that has followed me on multiple house moves.
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| Picture from a keen eBay seller. Look at the flashing... |
As I've found previously, however, AHPC theme rounds to the rescue! A bit of impetus has seen this bug finished. I was able to strip the tacky epoxy and used a MDF base to keep the chariot bugs in place. I drilled out a few holes in the bottom of the brain bug for pinning with nails into the base. Painting was the easiest part, using Army Painter Speedpaints Crusader Skin, Pallid Bone, Slaughter Red, and Grim Black.
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| Chariot bugs. Note the nails for pinning. |
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| Gloss to the eyes |
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| Anvil Digital Forge troopers for scale. |
1x big fat smart bug and 6x small bugs (20 points)
Sci-Fi set (20 points)
*The authoritative Goonhammer history of SST says "... anyone who has assembled the brain bug is truly a hero of the federation."
I'm not sure how to score this, so I'll follow your lead and assign it 20 points as a monster including the smaller bugs on its base. I enjoyed the original Starship Troopers movie, though not enough to bother with the sequels. I had heard that there was a minis game based on the film/books, but I don't recall ever having seen figures for it before. If they all had as much flash it would go some way to explaining why the game died off.
That is a fabulous paint job I must say
ReplyDeleteCheers
Matt
Thanks, Matt! Painting was the easiest part!
DeleteIt may have been a pain in the backside, but it was worth the effort: the result looks very impressive, Barks!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much!
DeleteYuck! Well done for persevering on this monstrosity Barks.
ReplyDeleteSo good to finally have it done.
DeleteNice job on the painting. Even nicer job of getting it to the points of being able to finally paint it! :)
ReplyDeleteThat was the real accomplishment!
DeleteAll's well that ends well?!? Great end result.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much!
DeleteOooh, you don't see too many Starship Troopers minis around anymore- really nice work!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would pass up on a plasma bug or tanker bug...
DeleteOh my days you are a brave man getting this together. The rest of the range was okay, I remember the bugs would bounce with a spring if you dropped them. This however is harder to put together than the old metal GW Black Coach I hear. Looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteMere mention of the Black Coach makes me shudder...
DeleteThat sounds like a kit to avoid!
DeleteWow, this looks excellent Barks, especially the creepy maw and eyes. I also enjoyed reading your history with the model - I think we all have something lingering in our collection that has similar provenance/anguish.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to have it done.
DeleteGreat job on this "brain teaser" Barks. I so miss metal figures, but this is a salutary reminder that a poorly-executed metal casting can be a supreme pain in the @ss. The results are suitably unsettling, and worth the torment!
ReplyDeleteThis kit could have been so much better...
DeleteThat's just brilliant painting
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was superquick with Speedpaints only.
DeleteIt looks beautiful, if I can say so. No pain, no gain, they say? There were some issues, but the end result is great.
ReplyDeleteIt's a satisfying centrepiece model.
DeleteLooks great, sounds terrible, the assembly anyway!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
It really was!
DeleteThat seen in the movie always creeps me out and this miniature looks like it just glibbered right off the screen!
ReplyDeleteOm nom nom...
DeleteThat brain bug is awesome. Worth the effort for sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Geoff!
DeleteLove it! The original film remains a favourite and I didn't mind that it was a less than faithful interpretation of the novel. A shame the subsequent movies got worse and worse. If you want to watch Van Diem play "Rico" all over again watch G-Loc. So bad it's almost funny.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm good, thanks!
DeleteWhoa what a hunk of metal. Well done persevering Barks
ReplyDeleteIt has definite heft!
DeleteWonderful bug. Great campy film and excellent fun. Well done.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Bruce!
DeleteEveryone remembers the day, a drill instructor named Zim captured the brain bug. Nicely done
ReplyDeleteDo you want to know more?
DeleteBrilliant work. I loved the film. The 2nd one.......blah!
ReplyDelete