Saturday 18 July 2015

Penguin Rockets are go!




Finally, I have this mildly amusing diversion completed and photographed for your delectation.  I think that I underestimated just how much Tim Burton's magical imagery affected the young Awdry as, from the outset, the idea of recreating the Rocket Penguins from 'Batman Returns' became almost obsessive as my 'Penguin Crew' developed.


The project got off to a flying start* with Mark Complestone's 'Frisky Penguins' proving to be the perfect base for my machinations.  Once pinned to 25mm 'Old Factory' bases, again from 'Element Games',  I was left scratching my head and thinking, "now what?"  I knew what I wanted to achieve, but how to get there?  Old biro pens were dismantled and discarded, a thorough rummage through the spares box failed to yield exactly what I was after, but finally inspiration struck!  Yes the 'Google Fu' was strong with me as I stumbled across 'Bitz Box', a site specialising in Warhammer and Warhammer 40K parts.  I rushed around the virtual aisles loading up the trolley with various ordnance, the Burnas, Lootas and Flash Gitz sections yielding a particularly fine array of projectiles!

*Perhaps an unfortunate turn of phrase given that these are flightless birds!


The postman, oblivious to his complicity, delivered my plastic arsenal and the fun began.   'Awdry Towers' was alive with a frenzied snipping, sawing and filling and finally I emerged from my build with the a hearty 'Eureka' and the Rocket Penguins were born!


I have to confess that once paint was applied I was delighted with how they came to life,  although I had absolutely no idea as to any reasonable use for them.  Subsequently, Kieron of 'Cheaphammer!' fame has suggested that they might make good ammunition objectives for the Batman Miniatures game, justifying my flight of fancy by giving my waddling weapons a purpose!


"Some birds fly South for winter, whilst others tough it out!"

72 comments:

  1. Brilliant stuff! Kudos sir, much, much kudos! :)

    You have put a smile on my face to see those. :)

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    1. That is the best kind of comment, thank you. They made me smile too.

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  2. Wow - impressive Michael. Bloody impressive!!

    Frank
    http://adventuresinlead.blogspot.com.au/

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    1. That is wonderfully kind of you Frank, thank you.

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  3. Excellent. They deserve more credit in a game than being just ammo markers. Time to write your rules for them.

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    1. Thank you Mark, time for some more head scratching then. ;)

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  4. Quite bizarrely wonderful in a graphic novel kind of way!

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  5. Hahaha that's inspired!
    Run them as proxy henchmen, I imagine the look on your opponents face when his Batman gets taken out by a mob of penguins would be priceless!

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    1. Thank you and I love that idea if nothing else for the opportunity to see the Batman laid low by a penguin.

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  6. I do love the inspired madness of these Sir Michael. Excellent work :)

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    1. Thank you Tamsin, you have to have fun or what's the point?

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  7. Thanks for sharing with us your fabulous dreams Michael...gorgeous!

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  8. Plastic, putty, metal, resin, and voluminous imagination have come together to produce another Awdry Tower conversion-creation. I swear, as I was reading this post, I heard the sharp heavy explosion of thunder; and was momentarily blinded by a flash of lightning.

    You are good, Michael!

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    1. Thank you so much Jay, that is the sort of comment that keeps me dreaming up new ideas, greatly appreciated Sir.

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  9. You're a genius Mr. Awdry! These rocket penguins are certainly one of the most amazing things I've seen in quite some time.

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    1. That is far too kind, but thank you nonetheless Nick - very much appreciated.

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  10. Awesome dude!! These are fabulously done!!

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  11. Michael
    Those are amazing! Of course they are also indicative of a deeply warped individual, are you sure that you are safe around minors?
    Regardless, they are Wonderfully batty and I love them. Cheers, PD

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    1. Thank you Peter and please rest assured that come the start of the academic year the imagination will be well and truly checked! ;)

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  12. Simply marvellous! I thought you'd bought them, not made them. Excellent sculpting/crafting work.

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    1. What a lovely thing to say, thank you Roy.

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  13. They're brilliant, and far too good for you to only use one as an ammo objective. I think you could come up with some suitably fun house rules for special Penguin objectives in the vein of the Joker gas canisters.

    Or, use them as henchmen like 'reverse plants'. Instead of appearing during the game, you remove them to inflict a blast attack on the enemy.

    The possibilities are endless.

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    1. By the way, do you mind if I share pictures of these on the BMG Facebook group?

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    2. Thank you Kieron and I like the idea of developing the rules for them, I shall have to give it some more thought. If you think that they will be of interest to the Facebook group then do please share them, I appreciate you asking first.

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    3. Thanks. I've put a link to this page with them so you might be getting a little traffic...

      I had the same idea some time ago, but lack the skill to make them this good. I love them.

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    4. Thank you again Kieron, they were such a blast to do so I'm thrilled that they have gone down well.

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  14. Hola Amigo
    QUE PASADA
    me gusta lo que as echo
    un saludo

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  15. Lovely conversions Michael! Suitably absurd for a supervillains crew :)

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    1. Thank you, I think the absurdity of original film just caught my imagination.

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  16. Stunning conversions Michael.

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  17. Delightfully dotty, sir! They look superb!

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    1. Thank you A.J. always fun letting the imagination fly.

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  18. superb ! which rules do you use?

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    1. Thank you, not sure about how they will play, but there have been some good suggestions made in the comments, particularly those made by Kieron.

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  19. One of your most entertaining projects of late sir. Absolutely hilarious and wonderfully well executed as well...

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    1. Thank you so much, I can't deny that they were great fun to do.

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  20. Absolutely superb Sir Michael! Cracking conversions finished with a fantastic paintjob. Inspired and inspiring.

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    1. That is wonderfully kind of you Bob, greatly appreciated Sir.

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  21. Wow. These pinguins are fantastic.

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  22. Great !!! I love it the Pinguin figurine is fantastic !
    pity that it is not made in larger scale .
    Cheers .

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  23. This is beyond fantastic it borders on magical. Very well done Sir!

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  24. With the thought and effort that's gone into these superb memebrs of the Penguin's arsenal they have to be more than mere eye candy or markers - they need their own rules and purpose imo.

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    1. Thank you Joe, I think back to the drawing board for some ideas as how best to use them.

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  25. Brilliant Penguin and rocket penguins!

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  26. Wonderful work, Michael.
    The idea was brilliant and it was well executed... as usual. :-)

    But for my week mind it's too inspiring and leads me away from my other project again focussing on Gotham City... ;-)

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    1. Thank you Stefan and let us not forget that it was my own weak mind that distracted me from my own projects in the first place. ;)

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  27. Excellent work Michael! Those Pesky Penguins did indeed turn out well!

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  28. The details you brought out through paint on such small miniatures like the penguins are amazing. To me, painting them like Emperor Penguins was key. Way better than just plain old black and white.

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  29. Crazy good right down to their little penguin crash-helmets. (Even rocket-penguins must guard against concussions.)

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