BFG: Zeus Frigate

[mangozac]

I think maybe just a bit shorter and a hole in the middle might just do the trick...

[Vaaish]

I think you need more detailing on the side. Perhaps some braces over the dome kind of like how gw wb have brace down the center of the square cannons would help break up the dome and the plain stripping that goes across the top and bottom.

[mangozac]

Actually I think you've nailed it Vaaish! I'll see what I can add from the tiniest strip styrene I've got...

[mangozac]

As you guys know I haven't been feeling happy with the weapons battery design so last night I threw some styrene together to try out the more common square cannon design I hinted at earlier. The hull area around the cannons still needs a lot of work and detailing, but I do much prefer the square cannons themselves. They really make this ship look like a scaled down version of the Zeus Light Cruiser. I know some of you guys prefer the domed cannon designs but I think this has sold me...

[Commissar-Krad]

I like them both, but seeing the rectangular ones actually on the model I see where you get your preference. They really do look very nice.

[aussiekirgan]

Wow, the new ones look great, Keeping the 3 makes the ship look really formidable overall. It gives a good context to the prow I think..

[mangozac]

Thanks guys. Yeah I'm really enjoying the solid feel that the square cannons give. I did a quick bit of further detailing last night and it's looking great. I'm hoping to get the hull finished over the weekend - then all that's left is completing the prows.

[Vaaish]

So... Nate and I were talking tonight and we both agreed that you should make a prow for these in the same style as the marine strike cruiser prow to let these frigates stand in as marine gladius and perhaps nova.

I'd paint a few... Someday.

[mangozac]

Oh so you and Nate are making executive decisions about my scratchbuilding now?

It's not a bad idea, but why not just use the FW models? They look pretty good IMO. In any case it's definitely something I can revisit in the future - I jut want to get the standard and lance variants done for now!

[Vaaish]

Lol, trying at least!

To be honest, the fw gladius is alright but it suffers from being pretty gangly with a few odd placements with elements.

[Xeones]

[mangozac]

Hmmm maybe we'll have to try out your grovelling skills and I might make one. Alternatively I accept donations of exotic sports cars and tropical island holidays

[Vaaish]

And here I though Australia already provided tropical island holidays

[mangozac]

Yeah kind of but nothing really exotic - we're too far from the equator. Plus there's too many things trying to kill you in the water up north: crocodiles, stingers, jellyfish, blue ringed octopus, stonefish....

[mangozac]

Sometimes projects go to a schedule, but most times they don't. I had planned to get this finished a few weeks ago, but then the screwing around changing the broadside cannon designs, etc. dragged things out a bit. Oh well after some sculpting last night it's now 99% done! All that's left is the details atop the lance prow.

As you can see, the following pictures show the lance prow variant progress. I used my Sherline lathe to turn up the lance barrel and then decorated it with styrene and putty. Whilst sculpting the eagle I was cursing myself for not simply taking a cast of the first prow and hacking it up, but I guess practice make perfect! That said, I still loathe sculpting and don't feel that my skills at sculpting eagle prows are improving much. I still love working with the Procreate putty for this kind of thing - leaves Greenstuff for dead!







I've got a few Saturday morning errands to run, but I'm planning to finish things off and hopefully even get it into silicone this afternoon! So the next post should be pics of the resin casts...