Starship Troopers - Mobile Infantry in 10mm

2025-08-10 10mm-SF / Starship Troopers / Showcase /

The other half of my 'Starship Troopers but in a sensible scale' project is ready for Millennium Con '25. Which is good news a month out, since I signed up to run a game of it (and Heavy Gear). A full company, 4 rifle platoons, either a weapons platoon or a garrison force or spares or whatever, and a couple attached armor elements. More than enough for a nice full looking table, and enough to splash some bugs across the sand.

Mobile Infantry

I painted 130 infantry in total, mostly these front-line-infantry boys from Wake's Emporium - Voidship Troopers. How to base them all was a sticking point for months, but I finally decided on Flames of War style medium and small bases. I just like the shallow slope and rounded rectangle look of them, plus they work great with labels which I was adamant about using for this project.

They're kind of heroically proportioned compared to Heavy Gear infantry, which are already pretty chunky for that scale, but you can't really tell unless they're side-by-side.

Mobile Infantry Specialists

I decided I wanted to preserve the command element of the MI from Mongoose's game, so each platoon has a command group of an officer and radio operator.

I'd have liked a more portable looking HMG, maybe multiple crew served, but could not find or kitbash anything that looked right. There's a bunch of failed models on my desk that went on to be test pieces for paint jobs.

I also really wanted the human player to be aware of casualties, and also I just liked these field medics.

The missile teams are really a critical element to make the MI an effective fighting force, but I still don't love the launcher. It's a little too chunky even for these heroically large-huge dudes.

Mobile Armor

The humans need a little more punch than just some HMGs and missile launchers though. So I printed them some light armor, 'Narwhals' from LazyForger's Corsairs line of minis for Full Spectrum Dominance. Despite them being ostensibly 6mm, I didn't actually rescale them at all. At ~1:144, these models would have about the volume of a WWII M3 Stuart light tank. A pair of autocannons, some rocket pods, and much thicker armor mean they're the primary fire support, and especially important for putting down Tankers and Plasma bugs.

Painting Notes

Bases are all Vallejo earth texture Brown Earth (26.219) and blended AK pigments Vietnam Earth (AK141) and Dark Rust (AK2042).

Infantry

PA Grey Blue basecoat
PA Faded Ultramarine for armor, helmet, kneepads
1:1 plain black and PA Payne's Gray for the boots
PA AMP Colors Steel for the gun
Skin are intentionally random different tones from many different lines
Washed in 5:2:1 AP Dark Tone : AP wash medium : water

Mechs

PA GPayne's Gray basecoat
PA Grey Blue for the armor panels
PA AMP Colors Steel for the pistons, connectors, weapons
Tubes are AP Necromancer's Cloak
Washed in 5:2:1 AP Dark Tone : AP wash medium : water

Millennium Con Scenario

I've run one full test game with Dr. Tree, and the general feel is right, though we found a bunch of little tweaks to make and details to figure out. Really the only two major blunders were in MI deployment and bug plasma fire, but we worked them out. I think I can get in one more test game at least before the con to double check the fixes.

Oh, and I need to see how many more arachnid warriors I can paint before the con.