N scale militarized police force

[gavino200]

I'd like to add a militarized police force to our layout. First, I'm a sci-fi fan and I like the slight dystopian edge it gives. Second our favorite trainplay is "cops'n'robbers" or a multitude of spinoff variations. I started looking into this around five years ago. Most of our cop cars are US style as this pre-dated our Japanese transition. I had a hard time finding n scale armored vehicles. All that I could find in any quality were these 'Peacekeepers'. The surface is a bit rough as I didn't know the "Acetone trick" back then. I painted them myself, but I really wanted to add some police decals. I wasn't able to find good ones small enough. I'm going to have another go at this in a few months, so I'll start trying to source models and materials. Let me know if y'all know of any suitable models. I found a few good armored vehicles on shapeways in N scale including, MRAPs and Casspirs. I don't like the ones that have no windows. I'm hoping to add clear plastic to make windows for the ones with empty frames. 

Also, I'd like to acquire figures. SWAT team (or equivalent figures) or riot police would be great. I could used soldiers but most that I've seen are pointing their weapons. I'd prefer them to be holding their weapons in a treatening but defensive fashion. Anyone know of a good source for N scale figures of this kind. I really don't want to make a habit of painting N scale figures, but I'd happily make an exception in this case.

 

These are our cop cars - predating Japanese transition except for two units. I bought the cars already painted from ebay.

 

 

Here are the 'Peacekeepers'. 3D models from Shapeways. The model surface is fairly rough. Hand painted by yours truly.

 

 

The armored personnel carriers on the right were bought to turn into police vehicles. I'd like to source police decals for these.

 

 

I'm interested in this MRAP from shapeways. The bottom of these models is usually open. I'm going to try to get in there with fine pickups to add "glass" to the windscreen. Green translucent plastic for bulletproof glass would be great. 

 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/KM7HTYBU6/mrap-ver-15?optionId=57208593

 

Casspirs are badass. But unfortunately solid windows.

 

 https://www.shapeways.com/product/QKGHXYS23/mrap-ver-22-casspir-ver-2?optionId=57208621&li=marketplace

Edited November 24, 2017 by gavino200

[bill937ca]

Several non-Japanese places you can try for military vehicles.

 

M B Klein ( http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/ )

 

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/N-Scale-Military-Vehicles-s/2607.htm

 

DM Toys

https://www.en.dm-toys.de/liste/tags_en/militaer_en.html

 

[cteno4]

Most of the military study is at 1/144 scale. Aoshima has made various runs of tanks and military vehicles. Figures are around as well but tend to be more in a military offensive poses for fighting.

 

Lucked out a few weeks back on a box of trucks (tankers,mcargomand wreckers)

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Aoshima-1-144-JGSDF-Type-73-Box-Heavy-Duty-Military-Trucks-UNOPENED-NEW/322849170435?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

jeff

[gavino200]

This kind of thing for the cops would be great. These are from Taiwan.

 

https://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/10/21/taiwanese-government-introduces-terrifying-special-forces-clone-army/

[cteno4]

yikes now that is scary... never seen anything like that in n scale. You might need to get into using something like poser to sculpt 3d models to 3d print at shapeways. There have been some decent 1/144 figure sets on shapeways, so seems to be w.in current resolution for printing your own.

 

jeff

[nah00]

These guys are pretty good for generic military guys, they're easy to repaint and repose and cheap too:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10384765

You can easily give some of them weapons or riots shields from the poses they're in, an MP-5 or M-4  in 1/160 is pretty easy to make. 

 

The MRAP looks good but the Casspir looks...off. I know it's just a CG mock-up but something doesn't seem right about it. As for decals you may be better off printing your own, I can't recall really ever seeing much in the way of 1/144-1/160 police decals. Also generic SUVs are always good to use for this, generally always painted sold white or black depending on the use. 

 

If you want some ideas on other vehicles this is a great book and super cheap now:

https://www.amazon.com/Riot-Control-Vehicles-1945-Present-Vanguard/dp/1472805151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511682747&sr=8-1&keywords=riot+control+vehicles

 

23 hours ago, cteno4 said:

 

Lucked out a few weeks back on a box of trucks (tankers,mcargomand wreckers)

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Aoshima-1-144-JGSDF-Type-73-Box-Heavy-Duty-Military-Trucks-UNOPENED-NEW/322849170435?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

 

Ah so now I know who won that! I was watching that auction but forgot about it until I saw the reminder in my email two hours after the end. Nice haul!

 

[gavino200]

22 minutes ago, nah00 said:

These guys are pretty good for generic military guys, they're easy to repaint and repose and cheap too:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10384765

You can easily give some of them weapons or riots shields from the poses they're in, an MP-5 or M-4  in 1/160 is pretty easy to make. 

 

The MRAP looks good but the Casspir looks...off. I know it's just a CG mock-up but something doesn't seem right about it. As for decals you may be better off printing your own, I can't recall really ever seeing much in the way of 1/144-1/160 police decals. Also generic SUVs are always good to use for this, generally always painted sold white or black depending on the use. 

 

If you want some ideas on other vehicles this is a great book and super cheap now:

https://www.amazon.com/Riot-Control-Vehicles-1945-Present-Vanguard/dp/1472805151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511682747&sr=8-1&keywords=riot+control+vehicles

 

 

Ah so now I know who won that! I was watching that auction but forgot about it until I saw the reminder in my email two hours after the end. Nice haul!

 

 

Thanks. That looks like an interesting book. I just ordered it. I like both ideas - modding figures and printing my own decals. I don't know how I'd do either yet, but I'll research it when I get this project going.

 

I agree about the Casspirs. It's not a great model. It's a pity. I'll probably try painting a couple of the MRAPs. First I want to practice the technique of smoothing the 3D printed model with acetone before painting it. I'm pretty happy with my paint job on the peace-keepers but they still look like ass because the model surfaces are so rough.

[gavino200]

On 11/25/2017 at 2:07 AM, cteno4 said:

yikes now that is scary... never seen anything like that in n scale. You might need to get into using something like poser to sculpt 3d models to 3d print at shapeways. There have been some decent 1/144 figure sets on shapeways, so seems to be w.in current resolution for printing your own.

 

jeff

 

What's poser? 

[gavino200]

On 11/25/2017 at 1:52 AM, cteno4 said:

Most of the military study is at 1/144 scale. Aoshima has made various runs of tanks and military vehicles. Figures are around as well but tend to be more in a military offensive poses for fighting.

 

Lucked out a few weeks back on a box of trucks (tankers,mcargomand wreckers)

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Aoshima-1-144-JGSDF-Type-73-Box-Heavy-Duty-Military-Trucks-UNOPENED-NEW/322849170435?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

jeff

 

Those are pretty cool. Are they painted or unpainted? The first two, would be good for creating a nice Tiananmen Square '89 effect. 

[HantuBlauLOL]

do you have a nearby friend who do 3D printing? you could print some of these (this designer guy has a damn huge roster!) armored vehicles at him. shapeways are too expensive for this kind of job.

 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:232248

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:310476

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:539511

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1138822

 

you just need to rescale them to 1/150.

[gavino200]

8 minutes ago, HantuBlauLOL said:

do you have a nearby friend who do 3D printing? you could print some of these (this designer guy has a damn huge roster!) armored vehicles at him. shapeways are too expensive for this kind of job.

 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:232248

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:310476

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:539511

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1138822

 

you just need to rescale them to 1/150.

 

Thanks. I have a fair bit of research about 3D printing to do. I don't really know what the possibilities are. I agree, shapeways is a bit pricey. But no. Unfortunately I don't know anyone who does printing. I could probably ask at the local train shop. I bet there's people around who could help.

 

Regarding the models themselves. I'm not looking for "full on" military with Howitzers and such. Rather, I'm looking for stuff on the line between Police and military.

[gavino200]

These would be great. Unfortunately at almost 3cm they're giant.

 

http://saskminigamer.blogspot.com/p/28mm-modern-supers-and-civilians.html

 

Cool bad-guys too.

 

http://saskminigamer.blogspot.com/p/28mm-modern-supers-and-civilians.html

 

http://saskminigamer.blogspot.com/p/28mm-modern-supers-and-civilians.html

 

http://saskminigamer.blogspot.com/p/28mm-modern-supers-and-civilians.html

 

Perfect - If only I could find stuff like this in N-scale.

 

http://saskminigamer.blogspot.com/p/28mm-modern-supers-and-civilians.html

[cteno4]

9 hours ago, nah00 said:

 

Ah so now I know who won that! I was watching that auction but forgot about it until I saw the reminder in my email two hours after the end. Nice haul!

 

 

He actually had three boxes go up a few days apart and the first for some reason got no other bidders. Others went higher but still reasonable prices.

 

gavin, yes they are nicely painted and detailed. Right up there with tomytec vehicles on detail and quality. Aoshima s done a few little 1/150 pieces like the fork lifts that were not painted (just poorly colored plastics) and not great detail, but these vehicle sets are direct competition for tomytec in quality and detail.

 

sorry, poser is 3d cad software for making human shapes. You basically start with a art form doll and pose it and add clothing and such details. It's actually pretty old and I'm sure there are a lot of newer packages out there for doing this. With more organic shapes it gets to be more work to do the 3d cad work to do 3d printing.

 

i keep thinking 3d printing is going to be the new world for figures when resolution gets right as it should be low plastic volume and print time for liquid polymer. Just means getting out the magnifying glasses and small paint brushes!

 

15mm wargamming is pretty close to 1/144 and I think does a lot of sci-fi, but it's a bit more obscure than the larger scales for figures. You can just have them gmo troops all at 6'6" tall...

 

Jeff

Edited November 26, 2017 by cteno4

[gavino200]

On 11/26/2017 at 2:55 AM, nah00 said:

 

 

If you want some ideas on other vehicles this is a great book and super cheap now:

https://www.amazon.com/Riot-Control-Vehicles-1945-Present-Vanguard/dp/1472805151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511682747&sr=8-1&keywords=riot+control+vehicles

 

 

Ah so now I know who won that! I was watching that auction but forgot about it until I saw the reminder in my email two hours after the end. Nice haul!

 

 

I got the book in the mail today. It's great, thanks. It's got a whole chapter on Northern Ireland. Lot's of stuff I remember from the 9 O'Clock News in my childhood. I'm especially happy that they feature the "Saracen". Those things just look terrifying, driving around the suburbs. And the name, gives them a sort of exotic, other world mystique. 

   

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205189952

 

Here's one in 1:35. I'd love to find one in N or 1:144

 

https://www.djparkins.com/product.php?productid=18094

Edited November 29, 2017 by cteno4

[gavino200]

How interesting that Japan would go for this super non-threatening paint scheme for their riot control vehicles. Seems to make sense if you want to diffuse aggression. As always, Japan is so far ahead.

 

I might go for this and stick with my general Japanese theme.

 

http://www.policecar-photos.net/index.php/category/show/34//p_offset/264/p_total/332

Edited November 30, 2017 by gavino200

[nah00]

You're welcome, I find that Osprey puts out very good quality material for military history of all ages and are absolutely reliable. Squadron/Signal also does a similar series of 'Walk Around' and 'In Action' books but they're more for strictly modelling reference, especially the walk around series. Osprey also has a book on MRAPs with the totally original title of 'US Army and Marine Corps MRAPs'. It covers up until about 2014-15 if I remember correctly. 

 

Also if you can't find a Casspir there's always the Dingo:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/GH78PT2SZ/1-144-atf-dingo2-armored-car-finished?optionId=17761764&li=related-items

[gavino200]

4 minutes ago, nah00 said:

You're welcome, I find that Osprey puts out very good quality material for military history of all ages and are absolutely reliable. Squadron/Signal also does a similar series of 'Walk Around' and 'In Action' books but they're more for strictly modelling reference, especially the walk around series. Osprey also has a book on MRAPs with the totally original title of 'US Army and Marine Corps MRAPs'. It covers up until about 2014-15 if I remember correctly. 

 

Also if you can't find a Casspir there's always the Dingo:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/GH78PT2SZ/1-144-atf-dingo2-armored-car-finished?optionId=17761764&li=related-items

 

Thanks. I like the Dingo. Funny, the vendor's logo is my Peacekeeper!

[nah00]

3 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 

Thanks. I like the Dingo. Funny, the vendor's logo is my Peacekeeper!

 

He does make a Peacekeeper too along with a lot of the CUCVs that were used in the 80s, don't know how appropriate they would be in Japan though. 

[gavino200]

Yeah, I bought the Peacekeepers before being drawn to the east :)

[bill937ca]

Looking for advertising columns by searching for Litfaßsäule , I came across this:

 

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/mattisminis?section=Vehicles+(military)&s=0

 

They are 1/144.

 

https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?type=product&q=Litfaßsäule

 

 

[gavino200]

Militarization continues. Additional personnel are trucked in.

 

[Kiha66]

These scenes reminds me of my time working for the US Marines in Japan, we carried this these kinds of vehicles between bases.   My last port was actually Yokohama, where they drive through the city to get to the mount Fuji training range.  The Yokohama north pier would make a good prototype for your yard, as it has a rail yard an often has lots of military vehicles parked around the yard tracks.  (sorry for cluttering up your topic) 

 

[cteno4]

Love the crew lounge in front!

 

what did they do about ordnance on board ship?

 

jeff

[Kiha66]

Thanks, it was built from the finest dumpster diving Okinawa has to offer!  Technically we were supposed to be a non combatant transport ship, and not certified for ammo transport.  (then the crew would get bonus hazard pay)  But most of the trucks were loaded up to the roof and covered, so who knows what was in there!

One thing Gavino is missing, large battalions of soldiers "standing by to stand by" 

(That giant pallet was all of their duffel bags, which the loader almost dropped off the pier!)  

Edited December 25, 2017 by Kiha66

[gavino200]

2 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

These scenes reminds me of my time working for the US Marines in Japan, we carried this these kinds of vehicles between bases.   My last port was actually Yokohama, where they drive through the city to get to the mount Fuji training range.  The Yokohama north pier would make a good prototype for your yard, as it has a rail yard an often has lots of military vehicles parked around the yard tracks.  (sorry for cluttering up your topic) 

 

2 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

 

 

 

Thanks Kiha. I really like the shape of that vehicle. It would be credible as a riot police vehicle too. Do you know what it's called? I also like the idea of the dockside yard. 

Edited December 26, 2017 by gavino200