Drone miniatures

Starfury · Post by **Starfury** » Sat May 02, 2009 7:05 am

I'm wondering what people use for drone miniatures? There seems to be a lack of those available. I'm going to be running a FC game at a convention over Memorial Day and would like to have something more than the generic counters.

I've debated getting some of the Litko missile counters but they're still flat.

Any suggestions for scratch building drones?

djdood · Post by **djdood** » Sat May 02, 2009 7:59 am

My group uses the counters. When the Ninja Magic drone minis for ADB become available, we'll upgrade.

drwibble · Post by **drwibble** » Sat May 02, 2009 8:17 am

I found a game of travel Battleships in a bargain shop which included a load of plastic missiles about 1/4" long, all for Â£1 GBP.

wedge_hammersteel · Post by **wedge_hammersteel** » Sat May 02, 2009 12:24 pm

I have seen these used.

http://www.rvow.com/flechettes.htm

http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/Frames/S ... -7003.html

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk15 ... 0_0329.jpg

http://www.pfc-cinc.shoppingcartsplus.c ... /81214.htm

http://www.ninjamagic.com/cgi-bin/gt/tpl.h,content=35& (scroll to middle of page)

One of my friends uses the head of a large needle for a drone.

I like the ninja magic drones the best.

Scoutdad · Post by **Scoutdad** » Sat May 02, 2009 1:54 pm

It's not the greatest picture in the word, but here are some of my drones

These are the C-in-C soviet missiles referenced by wedge as item #4 in his post located just above this one.

Starfury · Post by **Starfury** » Mon May 04, 2009 3:46 am

I figured out a way to make some drones. I was at D&J hobby with the family picking up stuff for my daughter's school project and asked if they had any missiles. One guy showed me a bin of game parts and they had rocket ships like in Solarquest. I bought 20 of them and a bag of wood square pieces and will be able to make up two sets of drones, each about 1" long.

Once I start the project (sometime this week) I'll post some pics.

Starfury · Post by **Starfury** » Thu May 07, 2009 6:23 am

I have 20 drones in progress, should be enough for a game.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34470879@N03/3509005107/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34470879@N03/3509815250/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34470879@N03/3509005155/

They're about 1" long and I'll be painting them with numbers on the base. I figure I'll base them white and then do a bit of minor detailing. Total cost is around $6 plus my time.

wedge_hammersteel · Post by **wedge_hammersteel** » Thu May 07, 2009 11:18 am

Those are pretty cool.

Can you take a pic of one next to a mini so we can get a better sense of the size?

damraska · Post by **damraska** » Sat May 09, 2009 4:17 am

Since drones operate in space and have no need for stabilizing or directional fins, I imagine them as naked warp engines with a guidance system and warhead at the front.

With goals of fast, easy, and cheap production, how about using round styrene rod with a collar (hollow rod stock slipped over the core) at the front to represent the warhead. Optionally, add surface texture with very small rod and sheet stock to make them a bit more interesting. A clear bead at the nose could serve as the guidance sensor.

A really cool effect could be achieved using clear rod stock. Mask the nose, paint the body silver, then repaint the actual body color.

-Doug

Starfury · Post by **Starfury** » Sat May 09, 2009 5:59 am

I'm about 90% done on my drones. A few notes:

1. I understand they're used in space. They don't need fins. But...they look cooler that way.

2. The bases are cheap looking. They're just for use at a convention; the next batch will probably be different w/ better bases.

3. I plan to put some sort of covering on the bases; possibly superglue some sand down. I may just paint them black.

4. I'm going to decal the top with numbers.

5. While rummaging in the garage I found a handful of .223 bullets. Just the bullets (my brother used to do his own reloads) and those would be more "realistic" drones. They're about the same size as the rocket from the nose to the leading edge of the fins.

The miniature: used in games like Solarquest. About 1" high

The base. Two squares glued together with a nail (pilot hole drilled) in between.

Assembled with a ship to show scale.

Painted with a ship to show scale.

And yes, I realize I ended up with a red white and blue one.

markgeorgetwo · Post by **markgeorgetwo** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:46 pm

Nice pics like them drones.

Wolverin61 · Post by **Wolverin61** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:32 am

damraska wrote:Since drones operate in space and have no need for stabilizing or directional fins, I imagine them as naked warp engines with a guidance system and warhead at the front.

I was told in another thread that the fins are actually the antenna for the guidance system.

Ken Redington · Post by **Ken Redington** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:36 am

Try using Torpedos from GW'S BFG game. Thy look great and are much smaller than the ships so look right on the map.

Nerroth · Post by **Nerroth** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:35 am

If those things count as drones, I'd wonder how big the minis needed to rep Tachyon Missiles might be!

Sllarr · Post by **Sllarr** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 1:59 pm

Try using Torpedos from GW'S BFG game

Where can we finde those ? I went to the GW website and could not find any torpedoes, only mine counters (which looked exactly like WWII naval mines by the way).

Federation Commander

Drone miniatures

Drone miniatures

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