Monday, August 21, 2017

Ground Zero Games 15mm Xar painted up

Another showcase for some GZG 15mm figs, this time a platoon strength force of Xar, which make excellent proxies for the Skitters from Falling Skies.  A relatively recent release, the infantry models are all two-piece models with separate torso and the (six) legs on integral bases.  The grav platforms are more elaborate, with seven parts on the standard build: central disc, two gun mounts, two guns, pilot lower body/legs, and pilot torso (which is the same as the infantry command pack).  The pilot legs are a tiny bit smaller than the foot version but still fully compatible with all of the torso options so there's a lot of potential variety.

EDIT:  I'm reliably informed (by Jon of GZG no less - doesn't get more reliable than that IME) that the pilot legs are the same size as the foot troopers, since they were made out of one with the integral base laboriously ground off.  The total diameter is just a noodge smaller to fit the disc properly but the size difference is mostly an optical illusion.


 
Standard infantry with beam rifles, three different poses.

 
Two different types of heavy weapons, each with three poses.

 
Two different gun teams, each with three models - although I think the missile (?) team comes with something other than the scanner/monocular fig here.

 
Command figure options include two different torsos with beam pistols, one "pointer" with beam rifle, and a scanner/commo gear fig.

 
The command grav platform is a minor conversion using bits from a gun platform.  You can also use the basic disc by itself for unarmed platforms, and since the pilot leg bit is separate you could mount almost any 15mm fig on it if desired.  I expect to see a lot of these showing up in other armies.

 
Assault gun platforms.  They come in packs of two with two each of the heavy weapons.  The catalog builds them with paired guns, but I prefer the asymmetry of mixed guns.

 
Oh, and the included bases are separate and have integral flight posts, so I guess that's technically eight parts.



4 comments:

  1. Well now - those are a bit different from the standard "man in a rubber mask" aliens that we see so often! Very nice :-) .

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  2. Always nice to see more non-humanoid alien minis on the market, regardless of scale. You could probably make something farther out there by using a different upper body on the legs, something without a relatively human arm and head layout.

    Somewhat ironically, you can actually see an actor in his skitter costume over here, although he's got his rubber mask off in the shots:

    https://www.threeifbyspace.net/2012/02/an-inside-look-falling-skies-season-2-skitters/

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  3. Well done. How did you do the skin?

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    Replies
    1. Based black, three shades of increasing light brown highlights, and a final brown ink wash.

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