This 1:285 scale plastic model of a Panther is made by “Catalyst Game Labs” and can be bought together with a Blackjack, Jenner, and Wolfhound in the company’s “Battletech: Inner Sphere Striker Lance” boxed set. All the pre-assembled miniatures also come with an assortment of MechWarrior pilot and Alpha Strike cards depicting various colour schemes. But as I plan to use this particular sculpt as an Arado Flugzeugwerke class German War Walker for an upcoming Weird War Two campaign utilising some homemade rules, I decided to go with a predominantly blue-grey palette.
Resultantly, the 40mm sized figure was initially primed using two layers of “Vallejo” Luftwaffe Uniform WWII and shaded in “Citadel” Nuln Oil. It was then dry-brushed using (more) “Vallejo” Luftwaffe Uniform WWII with a softly-bristled make-up blusher brush, and had its tiny windows ‘picked out’ with a dab of “Citadel” Abaddon Black.
In order to add a bit more interest to a light mech which “has seen over three centuries of continuous use since its introduction”, I decided to apply a coat of “Vallejo” Gunmetal to its Lord's Light Particle Projection Cannon, chest-housed Telos Four-Shot SRM-4 launcher system, the odd leg joint, and its Lexington Lifter jump jets. These areas were later treated to a wash of “Citadel” Nuln Oil.
Finally I pulled out a German cross from my collection of “Decal Details”, as well as a pair of insignia from the “Scale Specialities” Me-109E Aircraft in Battle of Britain & Legion Kondor – Spanish Civil War sheet, and managed to squeeze them all onto a few flat pieces of armour plating on the sculpt's chest plating and left elbow.
Staying firmly focused on my Weird War Two project, I have also been working on the campaign’s opening theatre, Poland, by making some fine progress on a Jenner and six Elemental battlesuits (to use as infantry). As with all my other War Walkers I’ve been inspired by the colour schemes adopted by the nation’s air force during the Second World War, and intend to use both the Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze (PZL) class vehicle and its accompanying Wojska Lądowe (Land Forces) as the brave defenders of Warsaw.
Lastly, I’ve managed to spend a little more time working on the 15mm plastic American Civil War Command strip I’m using as a practice piece for my recently-arrived Epic scale Napoleonic British soldiers by “Warlord Games”. Despite repeatedly breaking-off one of the flag poles (as well as one rifle) whilst manoeuvring my brush-tip along the ten-figure line-up, I believe I’m making some good progress in working out how best to adapt my painting style so I can ‘attack’ the seemingly endless numbers needed for a game of Black Powder…
Great work on both the mechs, Simon, and I have to say that the Jenner is a really interesting-looking one! Are the Elementals suits or mechs?
The Panther looks a bit evil, which I guess suits it :-)
The Mechs are top notch as usual Simon, the Panther is a particularly nice model, the lift infantry are different, and look rather nice too. At this rate by the time you start your Black Powder fig's you'll be sick of the sight of smaller scale stuff😁.
Cheers Roger
The German mech looks great. My only observation is that the metal you have picked out on the front view has become the focal point when I look at it and draws my eye away from its head. I love those Polish forces you are working on. The designs and colour look amazing!
The German mech turned out really well Simon, and the Polish Mech is progressing well, as is the battle suits, hope you find the right balance soon on the ACW strip, so you can start your Napoleonic's.