Drones for Xenos Rampant

 

Recent wars have certainly demonstrated how drones are quickly becoming a Force Multiplier on the battlefield. 

My Belter OPA insurgents are rather stretched to put more than 24 points on the table unless they get some upgrades that would be out of keeping with the background. But rather than buy them some more fireteams of light infantry I had the brain wave to make some drones. An insurgency would be stretched for bodies and using drones would be a way to increase their presence in the battlespace without trying to find more fighters. The improvisational nature of the Belters as portrayed in The Expanse and watching Real World examples of battlefield improvisation in the war in Ukraine inspired me to scratch build a few units. I figure the Belters would be converting civilian survey drones or just making their own from scavenged parts.

I had originally thought about using buttons as the drone bodies, but I couldn't find Mrs. Rabbitman's box of old buttons, so I settled on cutting pieces from sprues where they joined in a nice X or Y. If there was a bump at the intersection all the better. I armed them with spare weapons (a cut down Soviet anti-tank gun, an MG42 and some Browning .30 cals) plus other bits that I could make to look like weapons. 

I then dressed them up with "Bling Stickers" which you can find in the scrap booking section of your local craft store.

Bling Stickers

The bases were made from small pieces of bark hot glued to mdf disks from the Sarissa church domes that I replaced. For some I used thin wire, but for some of the smaller ones I used nylon broom bristles since I didn't want to use up all my nice spear wire.

Big drone with "rocket pods"

I then spray painted them and touched up with a brush to match my rocky terrain.

Unit 1

Unit 2

With some figures for scale

These will be Lesser Xenos with Mechanoid, Ranged attack and Skimmer. Possibly with Area Effect and/or Armour Piercing since the two big drones look like they're carrying rockets or a grenade launcher/cannon.