Miniature Reference Material

[PanzerTC]

Hello All,

I am looking to get some reference material to build my miniatures with possible conversions in mind.

As I understand it - Star Fleet Technical Manual (TOS) -by Franz Joseph. From what I have read and understand - his designs are what the majority of the miniatures have been modeled from and that some were/have not been made. [Please correct me if I am wrong so I do not compound.]

As I have been able to find through limited research that there are several versions:

Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual 1975/79 (several conflicts on the dates)

Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual 20th Anniversary

Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual 25th Anniversary

I've seen several of these on the internet for as little as $10 plus shipping and up to $149.99 for what appears to be Soft and Hardback versions.


Of these (please point out others that I may not be aware of) which is the best and most comprehensive. I'm not worried about the value - the condition - good at least. I really just want to be able to use the book for reference.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[OGOPTIMUS]

I can't speak for ALL editions, but I have the 1975 printing (red cover) and the 20th anniversary edition and they're the same inside.

Bear in mind that the Technical Manual was used as a reference, it's not a bible for the SFU. Many aspects (names, ship classes etc) were incorporated into the SFU, many were not.

You might want to check out the ADB miniatures website:

http://starfleetgames.com/miniatures.shtml

Here you can find (suggested) painting guides, the starship name registry for all races, the Fed NCC number list (all this information is in the registry list as well), pictures of racial symbols, decal examples, and pictures of painted miniatures (links to those on the ADB shopping cart).

[djdood]

Yeah, the Tech Manual has never changed, other than getting different covers on reprints. The contents are always identical. It has the Dreadnought, Heavy Cruiser, Destroyer, Scout, and Tug, the Starbase, and Shuttle. The SFU incorporates all of those, except the shuttle (which is the "tv" shuttle and the SFU shuttle looks and acts a bit differently). The Tech Manual doesn't have any "alien" ships or anything like it, in any of its versions (contrary to what some folks' memories tell them).

Buy the cheapest copy you can find that is in a condition that is acceptable to you. It is a wonderful book, in any printing.

There are other booklets and blueprints that added information on the Klingons, Romulans, etc., almost all of which are "unofficial" and fan-produced, but the drafting on quite a few is of professional caliber.

As OGOptimus noted, the Tech Manual (and some of the concurrent blueprints) were "source material" but only as much as SVC chose to include things (or not). The SFU is definitely it's own beast and always has been.

The starship registry and NCC lists that OG points to are your best resources, as are the mini painting guides linked from the miniatures page.

[Scoutdad]

Just to back up Paul and Will...

The Star Trek TEchnical Manual is a good references, but it only covers the 5 FJD ships and the Starbase. I have both the original and the 25th anniversary reprint and they are identical in content - so get whichever you are comfortable spending...

As for the alien ships... they were never in the SFTM; they were included in the Star Fleet Battle Manual - and even then it was only the Tholian Patrol Cruiser, the Romulan Warbird, and the Klingon Battlecruiser.

The best reference for painting SFU minis is found right here on the starfleetgames.com website. When painting minis, I rely heavily on these pages: Starship Name Registery for names/hull numbers of the various classes...
Empire symbols in full color...
and the scanned Starline miniature painting guides linked at the bottom of the miniatures page...

I have also printed the full color paintign guides for each empire, laminated them, and keep them close to my workbench for refernce during painting.

Another good tip:
Once you start painting your fleets, make a list of what colors you use on each empires ships. It's a lot easier to go back to this list and make new purchases match your two or three year old units than it is to try to remember what shade of grey you base coated your Klingons with three years after the fact.

[Starsuperion]

Dude if you want an easier painting guide..

browse the miniature forums and look at the pics supplied by the various gamers hereon fedcom.. it will help allot and the images are large, not like the teeny tiny ones on the mini page.. LOL..

I sometimes just browse and check out others fleets for fun.. it is very cool


I plan to enter the miniature painting contest with a few of my new federations hips.. oh yeah!! I'll be taking some high def digital pics of them in the coming weeks..

[Scoutdad]

Dude if you want an easier painting guide..

browse the miniature forums and look at the pics supplied by the various gamers...

The only problem with this is that many of us do not follow the painting guides to the letter. We each have our on (and sometimes very contrasting) styles. Take Federation ships for example:
I paint mine in nothing but Titaniu White, cause I like that pristine look...
Mike Raper paints his in a medium grey, cause that's what he likes...
Will McCammon paints his with a personally mixed greenish-grey that is as close to the original filming model as he could get it...

Not that there's anythign wrong with any of these )or any other) styles, he was just lookgin for an official reference source.

I sometimes just browse and check out others fleets for fun.. it is very cool

I find myself doing the same thing and asking myself, "How'd he do that? Why didn't I think of that? Man... is it worth stripping the paint off of 79 Federation ships to redo them all using that one technique..."
Starship pr0n... how geeky is that!

... my new federations hips.. oh yeah!! I'll be taking some high def digital pics of them in the coming weeks..

I had a knee reconstructed after a serious accident 7 years ago... maybe we should compare photographs!!!
I can't wait to see the photos of your Federation [s]hips. If your painting skills match your digital art sjkills, they'll be worth the wait.

[Wolverin61]

If you're like me, the problem with looking at other people's ships on here is that mine look somewhat lacking in comparison, since there are so many talented mini builders and painters that post pictures of their work here.

I need to find the decals I got ages ago or come up with some more, I think they'd help the looks of my Feds more than anything.

[Scoutdad]

...I need to find the decals I got ages ago or come up with some more, I think they'd help the looks of my Feds more than anything.

You know what really helps the look of a Federation ship?

Running into my ESGs at warp 3.2!

Just kidding. I look at several of the others guys minis myself and feel embrassed that I had the nerve to post some of mine... but if anyone wants to see them - they better hurry up and click the link below. Geocities is shutting down on 10/26 and I won't have time to build a new site until the Christmas shut down...

[djdood]

Wolverin61 -

Seriously, don't feel like anything you do is any less than anything anyone else does. Everybody does the minis their own way and to their own skills (and tools/supplies).

My first minis were... not so good, shall we say. Observe:

Testors model paint details glopped on with a big brush over bare plastic.

I've been inspired by a lot of the folks here (Mike Raper, John Schneder, Jeremy Gray, Tony Thomas, etc., etc.), read a lot (here, on the legacy bbs, on star-ranger.com, on starshipmodeler.com, and other scale-modeling sites), and practiced a lot. ...and I cheat and use decals for everything I can and spoil myself with the best tools I can afford.

Good tools, decals, and practice took the CA in the image above up to this level:


I've developed some skill, but mostly I've found out how to get results I'm happy with without having to work too hard at it.

Regarding paint guides, I do have one of my own that I use for my Feds HERE.

[PanzerTC]

OGOPTIMUS; djdood; Scoutdad; Starsuperion

Thanks. I'm going for a bundle deal that has a Copy of the Original and a few other Tech manuals. I just want references for building and scrath-building TOS-like (TOS-esque) miniatures.

I have the Downloads from the SFB Websites. I've downloaded a couple of FED Blueprints and loads of miniature pictures.

I always keep a listing of paints (and shades, washes and the techniques).

Right now - I've had to use a Primer "Krylon", I hate (procured in Iraq) with Linen White (Reaper) highlighted with Pearl White (Reaper) with Gold, Steel and Silver and Black (again all Reaper). I normally use GW or Vallejo paints - but I got a deal on a few starter packs of Reaper.

Thanks again for the advice and information.

[Steve Cole]

If you guys would like, I could create a high-level folder "miniatures painting examples" which would have topics for each race/empire. Then people could do what they do now, upload photos, but at least you'd all be able to find them later, organized in one place.

[djdood]

That might be a good idea. It would centralize "check out my mini" postings and it might give you a new stream of photos to use for "mini of the month", etc.

[PanzerTC]

Steve,

I think it is an awesome idea.

Again, thanks for that list you sent me.

[SWO_Daddy]

Agreed. A good idea. I'll try not to bombard the board with photos of all the minis on my webpage.

[Maxtype]

SVC, I'd love a minis examples folder as well.