Thursday, June 10, 2010

QRF RQ-1/MQ-1 Predator UAV

Earlier this week my second QRF order arrived. While most of it was simply duplicate packs of figures in my existing collection (they will be added to my Xenomorph and USCMC collection, a project that is temporarily on the back burner as I try to concentrate on prepping my modern forces to run Ambush Alley intro games for my local club), there was one significant stand-out in the package, a Predator drone.

Now I realize there isn't a lot of need for an actual model of a Predator in Ambush Alley (or really in Force On Force for that matter), much less a figure scale model. While it will probably never serve as much more than a fancy marker to remind players of the asset card it does look pretty awesome and should definitely be a great visual addition to the game (it will probably help get the players in a more appropriate state of mind when it shows up).

The model is all metal of similar consistency and quality to QRF's other vehicles. The wings may need a bit of straightening but they bend into shape just fine; the body, tail, sensor pod and missile pylons (if you build it in the armed MQ-1 version) are solid and need little more than a few swipes with a flat file to remove some flash from seams and flatten join areas where the wings and tail will be attached. Attaching the sensor pod will require either careful cutting and gluing (not my recommendation) or a bit of drilling (a process I found relatively easy once I found the right bit). The missile pylons attached just fine once I flattened the tops of the pylons and smoothed the area of the wings where I glued them on.

The detail is good and scale seems reasonable (not that I can find many good comparison photos), although I don't see scale as a major concern unless you are planning to use it as a terrain piece (might make an interesting scenario objective, now that I think of it). Overall it's a simple model that can really add something to the experience of a game and fills a gap in most other ranges.

2 comments:

  1. LOL, having a Predator on table (unless, as you suggest, as an objective marker) is like having a heavy artillary model, or an ortillary model. It looks impressive but if the OPFOR can really see it, then they're just moments away from a really bad day!

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  2. If the OPFOR can see you UAV someone is definately going to have a bad day (wether it's the OPFOR about to be blown up by a LGB/JDAM/ATGM/etc or the UAV operator back in Nevada about to get chewed out for endangering such an expensive piece of equipment).

    But yea, once I finish getting my basics done (essential Ambush Alley/Force-On-Force/Ambush Z modern forces, terrain for same, USCMC/AVP, terrain for same, probably some other stuff) I'm tempted to buy another one to mangle for a terrain piece/objective marker and make some scenarios to use it. Maybe something like a US Ranger unit sent to recover/destroy the downed Predator in the Balkans...

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