Image: Bow, with deflector screen lit

Image: Main batteries

Image: Stern

Image: Top, bottom or either side - your choice

By Ward Schultz

Here's a new battlewagon for the Starcom universe (13 episode animated scifi from the 1980's). There was an excellent line of toys as well (very model-like detail). Many who collect Starcom toys like to expand on the short lived story with unofficial scratchbuilt/kitbashed creations.

This is a new class of 'fist' for Shadowforce (the antagonists of the story, ruled by a mysterious Emperor) ; I call it a 'Sceptre'. Although no Starcom parts were used to build this ship, it does follow one strict rule for Starcom: lots of magnets.

After gathering the parts, the ship was assembled in roughly 6 hours, with the help of many magnets holding it together. The only real work was bending the sheet-metal weapon couplings (with pliers on a regular bench vise), & some easy drilling, masking & painting (flat black spray paint, over primer).

Let's leave the fictional strengths & weaknesses of this ship to the imagination; except to mention that the Starcom universe seems to be on technological par with the universe of the 'ALIENS' series of movies.

The cylindrical hull is a 2 ft. long roller from a worn out treadmill. Rust & gunk were polished away, and a hole was drilled clean through to allow a 6 inch bolt to fasten the sheet-metal weapon couplings. The bolt ends are concealed by two large upholstery buttons, which became gun turrets. LEGO knobs with magnets stuck in them became the forward/broadside, & turret guns. The unpainted metal grid on the hull represents 'tracks' on which these LEGO-knob guns can travel (without scratching the paint). The aft weapons use still more LEGO parts (antennae), epoxied to ball-bearings which are mounted to magnetic washers. This allows these long guns to swivel 360^o, in a 180^o arc.

The missile racks & auto cannons (G.I. Joe toy parts) also attach magnetically to the couplings (glued magnets to them). Finally the propulsion end is a drive pulley for the treadmill roller. I stuffed a Millenium Falcon kit part in the hollow end to conceal a flashlight. Candy wrapper glued inside the front 'deflector' adds red glow. Three adjustable navigation thrusters in rear, are from old Micronauts toys.

The Sceptre has no up/down position, but the missile points help indicate the direction of flight. The model is heavy, so the thick fishing line used to hang it, unfortunatley shows in most shots.

I enjoyed building this ship, and was inspired by the contest announcement. I hope it captured enough of the correct elements to look 'at home' in the Starcom universe; and to look nasty enough to be considered a battlewagon.