The Other Dozen Mechs

I learned long ago that, for me at least, painting projects go more quickly and easily if I forego a rigid schedule and paint what I want to paint. I had built up enough inertia having painted all my Valhallan tanks last year, that doing all the infantry felt more like a natural evolution of the process and less like an onerous chore.

Unfortunately, when it comes to painting the battlemechs from the Anniversary box, painting all my faves in the first batch meant that I was left a lot of ugly-ass gaijin mecha in the second half. This really put my gumption to the test, as my inspiration had almost completely dried up.

Thankfully, it was pointed out to me that if I already thought the models were ugly, I really had nothing to lose and could indulge myself and experiment a bit. The photo below is the result of that.

 

The red 80 ton Awesome is an homage to my old Warhammer mech paint job, which was derived largely from the original box art. The mechs are pretty similar, so the nostalgia felt like a good fit. Likewise the shades of brown on the Rifleman looking Jagermech, which I now find strangely reminiscent of corduroy.

The armless mechs got camo treatments; a semi geometric urban pattern for the Cicada, and what supposed to be aquatic camouflage for the Jenner. Ah well, succeed or fail, they're done now. I am fairly satisfied with the skull-faced Banshee and the attempted ace of spades on his right shoulder, as well as the autumn woodlands camo on what I'd thought was a Victor but is actually a Vindicator.

I had already finished the green and purple Commando before I realized I had been so conscientious about not turning it into the Hulk, that it had become pretty much a nija turtle. I liked the colors too much to change it though (plus I'm lazy). The orange and yellow Quickdraw was the result of my wife's insistence that I attempt at least one gradient in this lot, and I figured the Western-themed name and gunfighter pose warranted a 'Sundowner' paint job. The Cyclops, Dervish, whitworth and Trebuchet I just tried to keep tidy, and the armor patterns on their torsos gave rise to the icons I ended painting on the last two.

It's been fun revisiting the 80s in this way, a time when I painted many a battlemech and fought many a hex-based battle, before moving on to the more free form Warhammer 40,000. I only hope the gameplay is as fun as I remember it being!