Monster Man Contest Entry: The Slathax

Cheers to whoever did the layout for Star Frontiers for choosing Univers for the interior text. Makes matching it up very easy.

James Holloway of the Monster Man Podcast has recently launched a contest to reach back into our gaming past and use cheap toys as inspiration for monsters for our games.

Many of the original D&D monsters came from such toys, such as the owlbear, rust monster, and bulette, and James has given me a great opportunity to add my own spin on things. 

Artifacts of our shared fantastical history.

While at Gen Con 2017 I got to both see some of these plastic monsters in the 50th Anniversary of Gen Con Museum but also picked up a pack of the "lost monsters", a group of "could've been" creatures that never made the cut into D&D proper.

"Exit, STAGE LEFT!"

Radio Controlled Armadillos and Hug-A-Saurs might still make the big time someday.

These included the above creatures plus the subject of my contest entry. At first glance this toy seems to be a simple T-Rex style dinosaur doing an MC Hammer dance. But on closer inspection it's clear that the torso and tail are more like an earthworm body than a true dinosaur. Since I've recently been running a Star Frontiers campaign my first thought for baddies goes to the worm-like Sathar race. Sather like to breed terrible monsters and unleash them on unsuspecting frontier planets to sow death and destruction.

Thus the Slathax is born!

"Slathax feel pretty. Slathax go on date. Slathax choose lip-color suit Slathax complexion."

All I really did was repaint the toy. This was actually a lot of fun since it was more like painting a toy soldier than a detailed gaming miniature. The mold lines were a pain but came off somewhat by using a sharp hobby knife and slicing them away.

Then I just painted it without using any sort of primer. Like Reaper Bones, this rubbery plastic will not react well to spray enamels and really doesn't need any priming, just go straight to heavily applied acrylics.

"He’s got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll’s eyes. When he comes after ya, he doesn’t seem to be livin’ until he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white, and then – aww, then you hear that terrible high-pitch screamin’,"

I also did a drawing of the Slathax so that I could create a set of Star Frontiers style monster stats. This is really where the fun of this process happens as you look at this little piece of plastic and try to imagine what a "real world" version of it would be like. The wormy body, rockily squamous limbs and shark-like mouth lead to the determination that this creature would be a large, burrowing predator. Thinking about Sathar military tactics gave me the idea that this beast would be an infiltration unit, designed to sow fear and terror behind enemy lines.

"You guys hear something? Dudes! Seriously! I HEARD SOMETHING!"

A bit of color to the original art.

I really had a lot of fun with this contest entry and encourage you to do the same thing and to ENTER JAMES'S CONTEST!

Trash Bash 2017 Winners

In case you missed the results over at the Trash Bash Facebook Group, here are the winners of Trash Bash 2017: Medicine Package Battle.

Thanks to all of the contestants, judges and sponsors!

This was a difficult one to judge due to the high level of creativity and craft apparent in all entries. Great work to all!

Third Place: Ben J. Butler

My 1/750 scale assault / siege spaceship(1) has 3 connected (via lids) sections and  is comprised solely of medical packaging or actual medicine except for the screws, glues, paint and stripes.

1.            Prescription Medicine

2.            OTC medicine (Antacid, Hydrogen peroxide)

3.            Contact Lens supplies

4.            Diabetic supplies

5.            Dental supplies

6.            Infantry Vehicles made of expired drugs.

Landing Craft Section 

Position: Nose

Color: Green

Style: Halo/Osprey/Duck

•             Hydrogen Peroxide Bottle (1)

•             Contact Lens Solution Bottles (2)

•             Diabetic Needle Covers (2)

•             Toothpaste Tube Caps (4)

•             Electric Toothbrush covers (2)

Command and orbital disrupter Section 

Position: MidShip 

Color: Blue 

Style: Cowboy Bepop /Halo Covenant ship

•             Medium Rectangular Med Bottle (1)

•             Medium TUMS Bottles (2)

•             Diabetic Needle Covers (3)

•             Retainer Case (1)

•             Various Drugs (16)

•             Foot Powder Cap (1)

•             Ketosis Strips (4)

Octo-Floss Omega 3 Drive Section 

Position: Aft

Color: Nichol

Style: Thunderbirds

•             Large Med Bottle (1)

•             Medium Med Bottles (3)

•             Med Bottle Caps (3)

•             Floss Dispensers (8)

•             Floss Spools (8)

•             Ketosis Strips

Second Place: Brad Isdrab

When the siege came on the Knight’s forge, the Nobles of the house were unprepared and practically undefended. With a crash, the breaching scav vessel crashed the main gate and the greenskins spilled in. The tried to maintain a perimeter from the on-coming Horde, which had until now been limited to a few small tribes. Their wall of servitors failing under the Ork’s assault. Two mighty Warlords, with great warmachines laid claim to the structure. There was no reasoning with these beasts.  The only choice was to make a break for space. The heirs to their houses and upper eschelon in the house fleet, Canopus, Antares, and Alphard fell back to the shipyard and the FTL Frigate, FNORD  While a non-com craft, specked for transport and cargo hauling, the FNORD is a fine craft built to combine speed and maneuverability with durable hauling. The primary pilot’s chamber provides a full 180 sphere of direct holo enhanced view and it’s starboard and port bays are equipped with dual escape pods.

And First Place goes to Jean-Baptiste Garidel!

"I wanted to build a piece of terrain in 28mm scale that could be used as an objective and be sieged as well. 

The building is one of many of the sort, built on fringe worlds to provide a reliable source of energy where stable communication means and defense systems are required.

Their simple but robust design means they can be adapted to many types of worlds with the many resources of fuel available. Although not weaponised, they are usually quite heavily armoured and resilient to withstand attacks or the local natural perils like earthquakes and hurricanes.

The environment where they are built often means they are the first real technological facilities built in new settlements and it is quite common to find one at the center of many outposts."

General Nelson had spent his whole career on the front, leading his men with a firm but just hand. His assignment in the remote Novaross system almost felt like an insult to him.

With time flying, the sting started to fade and he could almost lay the tips of his finger on a well earnt retirement.

Until that message arrived. If his last assignement was to keep the energy supplies secured in this outpost, then he would not be found at fault.

The list of materials used is :

- One cardboard box (package of a modem IIRC)

- The plastic cap of a spice bottle (used to make the exhaust on top of the big tank)

- 2 greek yogurt pots (to make the tank)

- the canon of a plastic toy gun that used to shoot balls (to make the chimney)

- one door from the Trash Bash Bits part 2 KS (which although not a good way to earn points felt mandatory ^^)

- the plastic cap of an apple purée bag to do the heat radiator

- Green stuff Pcard and plastic girders to build the platform, signs, ladder and pole (late addition not visible on the first picture)

- The plastic pen cap from a colour pen (at the top of the pole)

- Green stuff and metallic wire to do the wires and pipes.

- Foamcore to do the base covered with gap filler and sand.

- The medicine bit is a tube of tablets for sore throats (Lisopaine)

Honorable Mention goes to returning Trash Bash Winner William Burke

Medtronic Industries A1C 

“Stinger” Fast Assault Hover Tank”

1 Thunderclap Mortar, 2 medium side lasers 2 small turret mounted lasers

Time: During the siege of the Latorius Principality outer colony insurgency of 2243

The insurgents had taken over the Military compound at Colony outpost 140.

The compound was a tough nut to crack, being a former Military base. That was until the arrival of squadrons of Stingers, with their heavy mortars. The heavy Thunderclap Mortar was able to punch through or lob over most defenses and this was no exception. The so call siege was over in a few hours as a rain of hell poured down on the traitors and the walls breached.

List

1 diabetic insulin pump insertion kit package (main tank body)

1 Insulin pen cap (main gun)

2 insulin ports (turrets)

1 set toy head lights and antenna from kit bash box

Two part putty, paint and decals

Trash Bash 2017 Contest Rules

Trash Bash 2017 Contest Rules:

What is This?

In the spirit of Rick Priestley’s classic grav-attack build, this contest challenges converters, hobbyists, and scratchbuilders to create a model to be used for tabletop wargaming using random bits of stuff and a lot of creativity. Many of the skills of being a strong miniature hobbyist will be needed to do well in this contest, not only construction and painting but also photography, concept creation,miniature painting, and terrain set-up.

What to Enter:

Contestants will construct and paint a vehicle or structure inspired by the terms ASSAULT/SIEGE. Concepts do not have to be military in nature and can embody any ideas that the entrant sees as viable.

The required bit is a medicine package. From pill bottles to blister packs, any bit that once held or dispensed some sort of medicine is valid

Each entry must contain at least one medicine package as part of the construction. All other parts can be from any model kits, toys, throw-away plastic items etc or scratchbuilt from other materials. Judges will be looking for clever repurposing of items and skill in making them unrecognizable on the final model.

Other materials such as plasticard, putty, wire, etc are acceptable but fully covered over and sculpted entries will not score well.

Any scales supported by existing miniature or model ranges are acceptable. This will be necessary for the final picture of your entry unless you wish to sculpt your own troops as well. 

Contest Requirements:

A 200 word or less description of your model should be included with each entry. Explain what type of vehicle or building you have constructed, where it is usually found, what its capabilities are, etc. The scale of your model should be given in this description.

A total of five images must be submitted to be eligible for judging:

• 3 pictures of the final painted vehicle or building on a neutral background showing the three views that best show the construction and finishing of the entry.

• 1 picture of the unpainted vehicle or building along with a list of what materials were used in the construction. If you don’t remember what a particular bit is don’t put it on the list.

• 1 picture of the final painted vehicle or building set in a gaming environment along with painted miniatures of the troops associated with it. This will be a showpiece image and a great chance to really sell your concept. Use of terrain and foliage is expected for this final shot.

No retouching or special effects other than basic photo correction will be allowed on submitted images. Any images showing added effects will be disqualified.

Good, clear photography is expected and will be considered in final judgement. Images should be high quality jpegs no larger than 1 MB per image.

Each image should be titled as follows: your_name1.jpeg, your_name2.jpeg, etc.

(And anyone sending me files that are actually titled “your_name.jpg” will be an automatic ninny-hammer.)

Please include 200 word description and parts list with the same email.

Limit one entry per person. Only entries that have not appeared elsewhere will be accepted. Please wait to post "work in progress" articles until after the winners have been announced.

Our panel of judges will choose a first place, second place, and third place winner. All decisions of the judges are absolutely final.

How to Enter:

Send all required images and text to Brian Roe at hellbox45@hotmail.com no later than October 17, 2017. 

For more information visit the Trash Bash Bits Facebook Group.

Judges to be announced soon!

Prizes will be given out for First, Second, and Third Places.

Prizes will be supplied by Trash Bash Bits, Dragon Forge Design, RBJ Game Company, Blood And Skulls Industry, Dark Age, Kromlech, The Forge of Ice.

Make sure to check these folks out and thank them for their support by ordering lots of cool stuff from them!

This contest is put forth in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect. Any entries that contain offensive material will not be considered for entry. Be cool and creative but don’t build anything you wouldn’t show your mom. Any entry can be refused for any reason especially for not adhering to the basic spirit of fair play.

Base Contest Winner!

To determine the winner of the 200 Likes base contest I created a list of names of the people who responded to my invitation. 

There were nine entrants as follows:

1. Herr Zinling
2. Asslessman
3. Clarke
4. Alxbates
5. The One- Doesn't want prize.
6. Robert Audin
7. Gordon Richards
8. Tim Carpenter
9. Pryn

Using the fine randomizer RANDOM.ORG I generated a random number as follows.

And it looks like The One lived up to his handle! I'll be sending him the custom 40K base. Yay!

CORRECTION: Mr. The One has decided to skip the 40K base.

This time Random.Org gave me a #2! So Asslessman gets the base! 

Thanks to all the entrants and thanks for being a part of Roebeast's Magical House of Sunshine.

Over 200 People Hanging out at The Magical House of Sunshine! CONTEST!

I just noticed that there are over 200 fine folks who have decided to spend some time checking out the various stuff I'm making and doing here in the Magical House of Sunshine. That sort of blows my mind. So I've decided to have a brief contest to say thanks.

Back in 2013 I used Instant Mold to make a custom 40K base from a space marine pawn from the board-game Relic. I'd like to give it to one of you! 

Just comment on this post and let me know what initially brought you to my blog. I'd like to know what you all like so I can keep doing that! In a couple of weeks I'll randomly pick someone from the comments and send you this lovely, and pre-painted base. (Miniatures for scale only, not included. Sorry, they're my toys.)

Thanks again for hanging out here at the Magical House!

"Son, we need to talk about the size of your shoulder pads..."

"They're just not tall enough. Your mother and I are worried."

Zombie Horde Contest!

People who collect and paint zombie miniatures tend to be a bit obsessive. We want great survivor figures but we especially want lots and LOTS of zombies! To celebrate this, RSquared Studios is having a Zombie Horde Contest. We want to see the best painted and the overall largest hordes of zombie miniatures. Whether you call it a horde, a swarm, or a shamble we want to see your zombies!

Prizes will be zombies from Zombie Plague Miniatures.

First Prize: 3x Joe Zombie, 3x Rose Frum, 1 Dirt Nap, 1 Tubby, 1 Dead Sexy.

Second Prize: 3x Joe Zombie, 1 Dirt Nap, 1 Tubby

Third Prize: 3x Joe Zombie 

Rules:

1. Zombie miniatures from any manufacturer can be included as part of your horde.

2. Two images must be submitted, one of the overall horde to show how large it is and one close up of the front rank of the horde to show the quality of painting. Judging will be based on both overall size and quality of paint-job. Images should be at least 1000 pixels on the largest side and no larger than 3000 pixels on the largest side in JPEG format.

3. Please no photo manipulation other than basic color correction.

4. Images can be on a gaming board with relevant terrain or on a clear surface like a tabletop or floor.

5. Email your images to hellbox45@hotmail.com by May 12, 2014

Email hellbox45@hotmail.com with any questions. And good luck! 

(Note: Copyrights to images will of course be retained by each entrant but we ask for permission to post images as part of this contest. By entering you grant us this right.)

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