Making the 6mm Sci-Fi Infantry
Posted by Germy | 1st
March 2010
So there I was showing the gaming community my first attempt at
creating a 6mm Sci-Fi trooper when I got an e-mail from Brigade Models
asking if I would produce a complete squad of 6mm Sci-Fi infantry
(who says it doesn't pay to advertise ;). So I said yes and set about
sculpting. Brigade Models. then suggested if I created a dolly that they could
then cast up. I wouldn't have to start from scratch for each miniature.
Great idea, I'd used dollies for some 28mm work but never at this
scale. Nor had I actually made a dolly before.
Stage 1
Stage 1 shows what I came up with for the infantry dollies. As you
can see I made them humanoid in shape with slightly different poses.
I also made them smaller than the intended end size so that I could
add the detail on without the miniatures suffering from scale creep!
Stage 2

Unfortunately I forgot to take any pictures of the dollies being made.
But I have recently started looking at creating some 6mm power armoured
miniatures and so can show the dolly making process with them. I started
by making the base from some previously rolled putty. Slicing it like
a loaf of bread to the thickness I wanted. I then drilled two holes
and stuck some wire into the base. By joining this wire together at
the end (as you can see in stage 2) it created a nice triangle shape
which would act as the legs and body of the dolly. I wasn't interested
in putting arms on the dolly, those I would sculpt depending on the
pose and weapon carried.
Stage 3

So onto the sculpting. Brigade Models had specified they did not want
fully armoured troopers with full faced helmets. So I set about making
only giving them basic armour, breast plate, shoulder and knee pads.
That sort of thing. I also kept the helmets very basic (much like
modern day types). Brigade Models also specified the make up of the
squad. A leader, basic grunt and support weapons. A rocket launcher
and SAW.
Stage 3 shows what I came up with for the leader, rocket launcher
and flame thrower trooper. The rocket launcher was based on what I
had seen modern day troops using rather than some massive Sci-Fi launcher.
The flame thrower was fun to make, I kept it simple rather than do
pipes running to tanks on the troopers back. I added a tank to the
weapon its self.
Stage 4

Onto the rest of the squad and you may have noticed the weapons on
some of the miniatures are white. In order to keep the basic infantry
rifle looking uniform I made them out of plastic card. I cut up several
the same and stuck them to the miniature as I was sculpting. Stage
4 shows the two basic grunts I made. One right handed and the other
left. Now where else have you seen that kind of variety ;)
For the last miniature, the SAW I made a larger gun and gave it an
ammo belt to highlight that it was a support weapon. I always like
doing very detailed parts like the ammo belt. But then I'm crazy like
that.
Stage 5
So there we have the complete squad. Prior to general release I was
sent some samples of my work and couldn't resist painting them up
in their own little diorama.
I'm biased but I think it came out rather well :)
The 6mm infantry are available at Brigade Models.