Steel Penguins braying

[NARSES2]

some lovely stuff on both sites in 28 mm  ( large / heroic size 28)  ive got a lot of it,  the Federation troops I had at cosford are crooked dice ones

Which isn't 28mm  Although I think we may have had that discussion 

I understand the "Licensing" issue and sometimes wonder how some people get away with it simply by saying "it's generic" when it obviously isn't  I suppose the sums involved are just not worth the hassle as long as people are being seen to comply with the licence in it's strictest terms.

[Steel Penguin]

Narses   yep the scale creep problem is a thing of frustration,    and I think that's one of the discussions that happen wherever wargamers gather, as company's don't match 

Part of the licencing thing is that if you can make it similar enough but not identical then you can easily get away with it,  a British army Brigadier in wooly pully and beret / hat is generic but once you start making the face the same as Mr Courtneys   and give him a name its tricky.  The other as you say is the amount its worth to the owner   The old  garage kit thing for larger scale stuff comes out to play as well.

[dadlamassu]

Also, I suppose there is the "advertising".  The original owner of the copyright might accept a "not Doctor Who" in a relatively small market is worth leaving alone if it encourages the sale of licensed DVDs, books etc or increases the numbers in the TV audience.  A trade off.

[Weaver]

Sadly the "not worth bothering with" approach rarely occurs these days, since companies are generally advised by their lawyers that if they don't defend EVERY infringement of their copyright then they're setting a legal precedent, i.e. an offender could turn round in court and say "well you didn't prosecute that other guy so you've given implied consent to everybody".

The case with generic small scale figures is more basic: they're not identifiable enough to infringe the copyright. The BBC can copyright the name "Amy Pond" and Karen Gillian's likeness in connection with Dr Who, but if you produce a 28mm figure of a short girl in a sexy policewoman outfit and call her "time-traveller's companion", then it's never going to look enough like Ms.Gillian to make a copyright case stick, and the BBC don't own the rights to police uniforms or generic women. The only time you'd have to be careful is with distinctive uniforms and equipment. For instance, you wouldn't get far making non-licenced Imperial Stormtroopers from Star Wars whatever you called them.

[Steel Penguin]

the jags are stalled,  im happily clipping metal and cleaning mould lines on yet more Federation Troopers,  the rebs are undercoated but I cant bring myself to put brush to metal yet,  so more faceless oppressors, its easy to paint as there in several shades of black.  its fair to say ive now got more than appeared in any ep of Blakes 7  probably by a factor of at least 3 

[Captain Canada]

Bring back the Jags ! lol. I get the painting woes now and again myself....

[Steel Penguin]

capt  they'll get a bit done on the weekend  ( more than likely) its just that the leads easyer to deal with in a evening.

[Steel Penguin]

fed troops are all together and cleaned up, I've got a few extra done as well  some pulp dangerous dames, both versions of the crooked dice Hugo Solomon  ( simple suit and action pose) and the new action pose Pandora king, in addition I've a Black Pyramid games Martian expedition trooper  done ( British army expedition)  so hes got some kind of stubby auto gun rebreather and will have a red jacket.   
I've done a bit of a tidy on the lead pile and found that I've copy's of some figs that I've no need of at all ( oh well  either conversions  or very alternative paint schemes)
The pilots for the Jags are together so I need to paint them and the pits before I can try any assembly, but I've got my previous version out of the cupboard so I can keep a comparative eye on them.

In other news I've seen that Northstar are doing an introductory / launch deal on the new game  Frost grave http://www.northstarfigures.com/list.php?man=195&page=1    so im going to have to get it, as the figs look splendid, the wizards are distinctive and the plastic lackeys should give a good set of variables, and a set of skirmish fantasy rules are always worth a look.   That's in addition to getting some more of the cold war 1:48 scale vehicles from HLBS  the Saladin, and Saracen  go well together,   and the Fox and Stalwart  are 80s cold war icons   

adding to the pile faster than I can shrink it again  oh well 

[Steel Penguin]

got some NATO black on the fed troops, and fairly well along on the original hugo and new Pandora, 
the pirates from sat have got me hankering to paint ip my ainsty resin pirate ship,  but ive not got the room currently, it also makes me want to scale up a Spartan games elven Raven class frigate as the idea of crazed elves in catamaran racing pirate ships is something I like, the problem being that ive no prior on building ships from scratch ( it wont stop me) and ive no room  ( which will)  pics of the elven ships on this link http://community.spartangames.co.uk/index.php?/topic/5020-iron-dwarves-and-thaniras-elves/
id have to measure the ships up and scale up but the design isn't to complicated looking
maybe a mid range project....

[Captain Canada]

I'd love to see some pics of the armour. Love 80s military vehicles, really should get on collecting some myself.

[Steel Penguin]

Capt,  I can give you a link to the site,  http://www.hlbs.co.uk/range.php?id=14   a few of them haven't got picks but most have,   they are nice but I should warn they are solid resin wargames models,  so wile good, they haven't got some of the fiddly bits scale kits have.

[Steel Penguin]

managed to finish ( bar flocking) 3 fed troops a commander, 2 mutoids, Hugo, Pandora, a savage school girl and a commanding Witch,   as well as both pilots  so ittl be seats and pit tub next for them,  my 1st one for the IPMS display is together, its a simple weapon swap,  one of the Airfix op Herrick patrol figs, with the SA80 swapped for a cross bow, he will get miss matched camo and be a simple post apoc trooper.
ive got 4 * 28mm scale coffins on the desk nearly done as well  so some movement forward,  so im reasonably happy 

[Captain Canada]

Thanks for the link some nice stuff in there. Love the nautical bits.

[Steel Penguin]

coffins are ready to varnish and another 6 fed troopers are ready for flocking,   the airfix troopers together and the cross bows on,  the plastic is a bit vinyl-ly  but the biggest problems going to be getting  a decent white over the sand coloured base of the plastic.

[Steel Penguin]

well the flockings on so the following count as "finished"  they'll need a varnish when ive time/ light/dry weather.
from crooked dice,  old Hugo Solomon, action Pandora, a savage school girl, 2 mutoids, 1 fed trooper commander  with comm unit,  9 fed troopers,  from Ainsty castings, 4 coffins, and from ( I think) Rapier minis  a commanding witch.  a total of 20 figs
Giving a total this year of 89 figs 3 pieces of scenery  3 models.

Ive got some more of the Jags done,  bang seats painted and a coat of grey in the cockpit areas on the fues`s,  and a second coat of white on the trousers of the post apoc infantry man,   and a couple of little bits on some of the other 28mm figs on the desk.   happy with than