Today’s post is another Star Wars one. We started playing Imperial Assault last week, and while we only got through the intro and first missions, it was quite a bit of fun. One of the enemies that the GM (Overlord? whatever) had in both missions was the Elite version of the Imperial Probe Droid. At the time, I didn’t know where my figures were, as the original three in my IA set were all (yes, all) broken, and FFG had sent me one as a replacement (which has been moved from its place on my desk). So we just used a Terminator model instead. Sure, wrong franchise, but it worked for game purposes.

I noticed in images online that the Probe Droids have a fair few markings on them in a burnt orange, so I attempted to replicate the feel of those. The sculpt isn’t 100% accurate, so I couldn’t make the markings 100%, but the overall look and feel is pretty good.

As with the Royal Guard, as an Elite mob I added the Imperial Cog to the model’s base. To make it even more obvious on the table, I chose to paint the main “eye” lens of the droid with a glossy red instead of the black. While I do think the cold black looks a bit better/more menacing as it gives off an alien or insectoid feel, it’ll make an easy point of differentiation combines with the cog, without doing something like red base rims.

After painting this guy last weekend, I spent way too long searching for the three broken ones, as I’ll attempt to repair/rebase them. Then on Monday the other two replacements arrived in the post, so I may have a few ready to go shortly. Assuming the next mission also makes use of the Probe Droid, this guy will make his tabletop debut in two nights’ time…

No post yesterday – when I got home from work there was no internet, no phone, no cable TV – so expect a few more in a row while I catch up. Oh, and lastly. Does a Probe Droid count for Jewel of July? At first I thought no, but then I thought.. actually maybe. These three criteria are the relevant ones to consider – as it’s sort of a low-level hero/mechanical monster as opposed to a “proper” hero or villain or a huge mech. Like a minor ogre hero in an RPG:

It’s for Heroes. Big or small. named or otherwise. A Lieutenant or a Medic or a Warlord Riding a Dragon. An Inquisitor’s aide or a Star Player or a Bounty Hunter.

It’s for Monsters. Ogres or Ogors. Dragons, Giants, decent-sized Daemons. Bronze Bulls and Dinosaurs and Great Wight Sharks and Goremaw and Cthulhu.

It’s for Mechs and the Mechanicum. Steampunk walkers, Dreadnoughts, Imperial Knights, Warjacks, Tripods, Titans.

What do you think?

Ok, you convinced me. Good points made.