These were featured on the front page Steam Mechas.

Just completed the first rough build - the good thing about card/paper models is that you card do a few quick builds, working out the best construction technique and so on. I think you need to it with these though, as there are quite a few parts, and I didn’t know some were until I put them together!

This is my Matilda III first prototype, with no weapons or add ons:

 
Click images for 1200x1600 hugeyness!

The build is not as neat as it should be, as I tried several techniques. The top of the body was folded as normal, but it felt flimsy. The rest, I used thick corrugated card. Where sides were supposed to be folded, I cut them off and stuck them on separately. The legs are joined to the body with a cocktail-stick. The whole thing now feels much stronger than my other models.

Hopefully, time permitting, The 44th Armoured Infantry Regiment will have a few Matilda IIIs to join their ranks (GW WH40K Space Marines repainted to suit my games)

Wow - this looks good.

Very cool. I’d like to see a shot with your figs.

Thanks gents - It’s all in the camera angle (hides the faults!)

I have just finished the second build try-out. I now have a good idea how to build them. I originally tried the normal art-paper/folding build, but I always have trouble with “closing the box” - for example, the top half underside was bowed inwards, so it didn’t join to the lower half piece.I had to pack out the gap with card.

Now, I use corrugated cardboard and cut the sides off the part. I then re-stick them on as panels. I find it makes a neater box and with the thicker card, much stronger. My kids play with these and only a few bits get broken off…

For the second stompy, I had just changed the colour ink cartridge on my printer. The print came out much paler than before. Also, when I first tried to print it, I use Evince, the open source / Linux PDF application. For some reason, I get white lines across the printout. I then used Adobe Reader, which does mess the picture up. With the first ‘reject’ print, I used it to add some raised detail, such as the vent covers and a few panels.

To join the legs to the “hips” and to the body, I use a cocktail sticks or wooden kebab skewers. The gun onto is also reinforced with a skewer.

The second prototype with the first in the background.

Shot showing build faults.

For the next ones, I’ll open the PDF in GIMP and save a an editable image file. That way I can copy the raised detail bits, so they all print out on the same sheets of paper, rather than having to print the entire file twice. I will also remove the unit markings.

I’ll add a shot with some figures when a) I’ve build a couple more stompies (without holes and torn edges)  and b) finished painting the figures…

Rules? We’re we come from, we don’t need rules… I’m a bit isolated here, so most gaming is done solo, or to entertain the little ‘uns. I have used used GHQ’s microarmour mini rules as guidelines. My little boy uses H. W. Wells’ Little Wars - line ‘em up, and knock ‘em down! For my Sci Fi figures, I’ve used Don Glewwe’s Brawl Factory “Beer & Pretzel Space Marines”.