Saturday 6 September 2014

Robots in 28mm: Film, TV and beyond.

Introduction

Once again, I find that I'm falling behind in my intended schedule of blog posts.  To try to regain some lost ground, here's a relatively simple post about my robot models.

Didn't we already do robots recently?  Well, yes - here - but those were really mechs.  I'm not sure that I really understand the difference, but I know it when I see it.  Perhaps a mech has built-in tools/weapons appropriate to its function, whereas a robot is more general purpose and can use regular human devices?  Whether this is a reasonable distinction or not, in this post, you'll find real robots!

Robbie

Until Star Wars came along, I think that Robbie was possibly the best-known robot in science fiction.  He made his debut in Forbidden Planet, but has since appeared in a number of cameo roles in other films (such as Gremlins).

Of course, this model isn't really of Robbie.  Rather, it's the Classic Robot from Black Cat Bases.  The model does bear an uncanny similarity to Robbie, though...

Danger, Danger!

My next machine is also from Black Cat Bases.  This one looks remarkably like the Robinson family's machine from the original TV series of Lost in Space (not the more recent film with Gary Oldman as the villain).  It must be just a coincidence that it looks so similar, but nevertheless...

In homage to the TV show, I've added a young woman called "Penny" to this set.  However unlike the original Lost In Space, my version of Penny has a remote control for the robot, rather than the machine being completely autonomous.  Penny is a converted em4 plastic ganger.

Who?

Of all the robot models I have which portray a film or TV character, this is the only official one!  It's a servo robot from Black Tree Design's licensed Doctor Who range and it faithfully replicates the cutting edge special effects from a 1960's BBC TV show.  'Nuf said.

I'll be back!

Here are some more models from em-4, these bear a passing resemblance to the T-800 from The Terminator.  Of course, the idea of a skeletal, metallic robot isn't exactly unique, but I do like these ones a lot.  That doesn't mean I've ever used them in a game, of course...

Even 1 of these looks frightening, so I'm not sure what effect the entire range of 5 models would have on any players.  Very menacing!

The Elephant in the Room

There is, of course, a rather large manufacturer who have a range of robots amongst their products.  This is Games Workshop (as if you didn't know!); here are some examples of their basic Necron warriors.

Personally, I don't think that the bandy legs and oversize weapons do these models any favours.  Still, I suspect that I'm outnumbered in this by tens of thousands of teenage boys across the world.  Ah, well...

Conclusion

Of course, this collection doesn't even scratch the surface of all the robot models that are out there.  They do give me some options for games though: I could run a classic Terminator scenario, or add a robot as an impassive (& malfunctioning?) sidekick to any science fiction skirmish game.  One of these days I fancy running a game of All Things Zombie set in a science fiction convention (like Night of the Living Trekkies); a couple of home-built robots would be brilliant as props or accessories.  Of course, I'd need to build a convention centre model first, so this might have to remain a pipe dream for now!

20 comments:

  1. That's a nice Pipe Dream. I like the selection of Robots you have shown. Robbie is so much from my childhood I just have to pick him out.

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    1. Robbie really is an iconic robot, isn't he?

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  2. I've recently seen videos of two new robots. The first was an american development for battlefield deployment - bounding like a cheetah across a rubble blocked street. The second were some small humanoids competing in the robotics (soccer) world cup. The poor footballing robots spent a lot of time falling down and attempting to get up again.

    I'm convinced that the humanoid form doesn't suit robots in the real world.

    Of course It is the perfect form in films and games.

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    1. We're very early in the development of real-world anthropomorphic robots. However, some of the U.S. military's experimental stuff for cargo carrying is more capable than you might imagine. Try googling "LS3 Mule", for example.

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  3. Nice collection. I do prefer the EM4 robots over the newer Future Wars ones. I quite like there weaponry. I think a large number of bots vs humans type post apoc game would be pretty cool.

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    1. I agree: I prefer the em-4 robots over Copplestones's versions. Not that the latter are bad, mind you!

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  4. As you rightly said, Hugh, you've only scratched the surface with this subject but even so it's a good start. Ironically, the one figure I like best of all is Penny, your only human on show. She is a great conversion. The Doctor Who robot is just so naff but the rest are all good.

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    1. I was quite chuffed with Penny when I built that model. She's part of my secret agenda to introduce obscure and weird alternative equipment into games of All Things Zombies :-) .

      In the same vein, I also have my eyes on the Offensive Miniatures street kids with giant firework rocket and catapult. I have another figure with a speargun and I'm tempted to convert a figure to have a (paint-? acid-? filled) super soaker, as well as another with a fire extinguisher. All to see how inventive the players can be when presented with these unorthodox "weapons"!

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  5. Did you see the Hirst Arts molds that you can use to make robots?
    http://hirstarts.com/robot/robot.html

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    1. No, I wasn't aware of these - thanks! They seem a bit more "Futurama" than "The Terminator", but none the worse for that. Most interesting...

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  6. Mechs are piloted, robots are (in fiction) autonomous. There are so many good robots out there. Thank you for highlighting these, and identifying the manufacturers. I think it's Black Cat that makes a version of Claptrap from the Borderlands videogames, Huey and Dewey from "Silent Running" and the Securitron from Fallout New Vegas. I don't have them yet, but they're on my list to acquire.

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    1. I think you're right about all of the above. If I've identified them correctly then Black Cat Bases also make the 2 robots from the Disney movie "The Black Hole".

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  7. Interesting! Not really my thing, but I'm always amazed to see all the weird models that somehow got into you collection D:

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    1. Well, my collection is nothing if not eclectic! I'm always amazed when other people seem to stick to just one scale, period or theme...

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  8. I'm currently cleaning up some Harlequin servo robots for use in a planned Doctor Who campaign.

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    1. That'll be interesting to read, if you are going to document the games. Will you use the DWMG rules or do you have something else in mind?

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  9. These are great C6, especially the iconic "Robbie" whom I believe was also used in the TV version of "Lost in Space". I'm sure that you'll have some dastardly plans for using these in one of your games.

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    1. I think you're right about Robbie also appearing in "Lost in Space".

      No, I don't have any particular plans to use any of these models in my games. Sometime I'll work something out, maybe.

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    1. Thanks, Bob. As I said, it's a very small collection compared to what is available!

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