5150 – Zhuh-Zhuh space crew

As I’ve been working through my roster of figures for the 5150 Bugs Breakout campaign book, I started working on my aliens. I’ve done Hishen and Razors for my 5150 Star Marine games, and had purchased figures for depicting Zhuh-Zhuh, but never got around to painting them. I bought a bunch of 28mm “Boiler Suit Apes” from Eureka Miniatures, for a mix of Zhuh-Zhuh and Muggie Zhuh-Zhuh (the smaller members of the species).

From the free 5150 “Illegal Aliens” module:

CURRENT HISTORY
ZHUH-ZHUH is the common term for members of the infraorder SUPRASIMIIFORMES also referred to as SIMIANS.  When expeditions from GAEA PRIME had first contact with the Zhuh-Zhuhs we were assumed that these were “evolved’ cousins of the infraorder SIMIIFORMES or “higher primates” that populate many worlds in one form or another. This was incorrect as proven centuries later with data that supports that Suprasimmiformes are much older than was originally thought.

Zhuh-Zhuhs or Zhuhs come in all shapes and sizes ranging from smaller three-foot tall members (MUGGIE ZHUH-ZHUHS) to those close to seven feet tall. Further evidence suggests that the Zhuh-Zhuhs have more in common with the average BASIC than what is loosely termed a “monkey.”  Unfortunately, this evidence has done little to offset the hostility that exists between Basic and Simian. 

Zhuh-Zhuhs occupy a large number of planets especially in the fifth and sixth RINGS. Like Basics they often separate themselves from each other and this manifests itself politically and socially. The largest political union would be the HAPFLOREAN FEDERATION OF WORLDS (HFW) made up of six planets in the fifth Ring. The HFW is a loose alliance of worlds with the goals of mutual defense and trade. Interestingly enough one of the planets, LIBERTE’, has a large percentage of Basics living there. This group seems to peacefully co-exist with the Zhuh-Zhuh majority there.

Zhuh-Zhuh technology varies widely. The most evolved would be, again, the HFW who have interplanetary travel while the lower end technology would be equivalent to 18th century EARTH. Socially, the Zhuh-Zhuh vary from a “caste’ system to a loose form of democracy with the HFW being the largest example of democracy. As diverse as are the Basics so are the Zhuh-Zhuhs.

So the Eureka minis come on a standard cast base, but I really wanted to base the figures on some 28mm moonscape resin bases I got from somewhere (probably Secret Weapons or Micro Art Studios) — so I had to do an old fashioned drill ‘n pin job. The finished minis are above, here’s what I did:

This figure will *not* fit well on this base.

Step 1 – Cut off the old base. I used tin snips, an exacto knife and a file to cut off the old base and remove as much as possible from the bottom of the feet without compromising the figure.

Step 2 – Drill holes in the feet of the figure for pins to help connect the figure to the base. Unless you do this, your figure will come off the new base very easily.

Step 3 – Glue your “pins” into the holes you’ve drilled in the figure. You can use floral wire, brass wire, whatever works. I typically use floral wire.

Step 4 – Drill holes in the base that match up to foot placement. Once I have pinned the figure I put a dab of paint on the tips of the pins, and then place that onto the base to see where I need to drill the holes.

Step 5 – Glue the figure down, with the pins in the holes. This gives your basing job a lot of strength so the figure will not detach from the base during game play, or if you drop it.

Repeat, and enjoy!