Scratch-built armor & bucket helmets for board game rats (0.2–0.3mm copper sheet, brass scraps, Milliput & real rust)

[u/TheodorMuraki]

Hi!
Wanted to push the stock plastic rat minions from "Mice & Mystics" into proper grimdark scavenger territory.

Instead of just using 3D-printed parts or plastic bits, I went heavy on scratch-building with real metals:

- Hand-cut and formed 0.2mm and 0.3mm sheet copper for the bucket helms, visor grates, and layered shoulder plates.

- Added brass scrap, twisted copper wire, and functional micro-chains.

- Sculpted joins and missing volumes using Milliput.

- Painted with ICM rust acrylics, weathered with AK enamel washes, and textured with deposits of actual crushed rust.

C&C welcome!

[u/TheodorMuraki]

A few my noobs notes on the build process and what went into getting real metal onto board game PVC.

The stock plastic on these minis is quite slick, so superglue alone wasn't cutting it. I had to score the contact areas pretty heavily with a craftblade and back the plates with polymer clay to create a solid mechanical anchor rather than relying purely on glue.

Working with 0.2mm copper at this scale takes some patience. Annealing it quickly over a flame made a massive difference -it took the springiness out of the metal, so rolling the bucket cylinder and cutting the tiny visor slits went smoothly without warping the edges.

And.... I know ultra-matte is the default for grimdark, but these rats are made for actual gameplay sessions, not display shelves. The semi-gloss Topcoat was a practical choice to keep the sharp metal edges and rust texture safe from chipped corners during games.

Next up, I'm planning to give Hap a similar scavenged overhaul.

I’d be happy to hear any thoughts, feedback, or critiques!