Why do we Love Camo Specs Online? An Interview with BattleTech Artist CSO-Tsuge

Check out camospecs.com/
Thank you to everyone on the CSO team for creating such wonderful examples of painted battlemechs.
BattleTech imagery and mech info remains the property of Topps.
Background Music: Purchased rights to use from Fanatical
#BattleTech #Mechwarrior #CatalystGameLabs #lore

[@BigRed40TECH]

I'd normally fully support the CSO, but finding out they paint Clan Wolf Miniatures has changed my mind! Boo hiss! All joking aside. This was fun.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Fair critique.

[@TsugeSenpai]

I can’t disagree

[@madmarauder9925]

Clan Wolf paint adds armor

[@Blue_Dingo]

Back in the day, 25ish years ago, I did have a few Wolf Mechs on Archers Miniatures, but I was painting all factions, because there was no Camospecs. Now, because Camospecs, exists, I don't have to paint things I don't have any interest in painting, Wolves, Capellans, Marik. I can stick to the Hinterlands, in the ilclan Era and that suits me fine. CSO Archer

[@Battletech_Emily]

Guess I'm going to have to paint a Clan Wolf binary to get under your skin. ;)

[@memph1ston]

This guest doesn't appear to be equipped with a plasma rifle...

[@FuelDropforthewin]

Nor an emotional support laser. What gives?

[@williamjanak2013]

Such vital equipment will soon be given if MF has anything to say about it.

[@psychkosys]

Really cool! Great interview! About ten years ago I commissioned several Liao 'mechs to be painted by Todd Farnholtz (MasterGunz) of CSO. To my surprise, my commissioned miniatures not only ended up on CSO, but also became the stock pictures for minis on the IronWind Metals catalog page.😊 I only wish I had the money to do a whole Batallion. He did a magnificent job and made His Celestial Wisdom, The Chancellor, very proud.

[@MechanicalFrog]

That's awesome!

[@TsugeSenpai]

he's fantastic, I don't think he's around any longer. We def have a bunch of pics of his still on the site though! Wish I could get my hands on one myself!

[@sebastiang.5032]

Great one. I love to browse CSO for new color scheme ideas.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Me too!

[@gkeaton9755]

Tsuge is one of the most talented guys i know.

[@MechanicalFrog]

He does amazing work.

[@gkeaton9755]

@@MechanicalFrog Just seeing the in progress work and the finished project is amazing. Also.. is scenery and background stuff for the photography is FANTASTIC!

[@MechanicalFrog]

100%

[@TsugeSenpai]

Thanks so much, truly flattered you think so. Hope to continue to live up to your expectations!

[@anselmoffrisia2930]

Your mechs, terrain and vehicles are an inspiration, CSOTsuge! Thanks for the interview, guys!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TsugeSenpai]

Thank you! Will try to keep up expectations!

[@anselmoffrisia2930]

@@TsugeSenpai no stress. I'm easily inspired. I mean, your stuff is great though. 😌

[@ThisnThat54]

Great to put a face with the name, Erik!

[@TsugeSenpai]

Wish it was a better looking face, but here we are!

[@Battletech_Emily]

Alright, fine. I'll take the bait. I'll start making youtube content as well as streaming. I haven't been painting for that long, but I've been addicted to Battletech forever. And you're both right. We need more women making content for our community! More diversity helps more people feel welcome.

[@MechanicalFrog]

There's definitely an opportunity for people with different perspectives to help BT keep growing.

[@Battletech_Emily]

@@MechanicalFrog Honestly, the biggest thing that has me worried is hate in the comment sections. How do you handle that?

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thankfully, years of teaching teenagers rendered me incapable of taking insults personally. In all seriousness, I just remind myself that if they could do it better than I can, they would, and I could go do something else. Truth is, most people can't take the risk of putting themselves out there and just being willing to take that leap makes you worthy.

[@collynbertin3260]

@@Battletech_Emily hey grenouillicus mechanics is right. I can't speak for all commenting people but from what I've seen the battletech community is a pretty nice community overall. It'd just be awesome giving a voice to the more marginalized groups. I don't make videos at all but I have worked in call centers for customer service for numerous years. It essentially amounts to the same thing. A lot of people who leave negative comments, just like a lot of people who call into customer service are already in the mindset of being angry. A lot of the time the anger is at the company I worked for and not with me so I was able to mentally steel myself. It's the same with comments, a lot of the time when people write negative comments it's because they are angry or hurt and they need the person they are writing to to feel angry and hurt as well. It's a very small minded way of coping but understanding that a lot of the negativity isn't directed at you is a great way to let it kind or flow off of you. All this to say idiots will be idiots and say idiotic things. Jerks will be jerks and say beef jerky things. I honestly don't see much of that from the battletech community though and from a random internet stranger you should go for it.

[@Battletech_Emily]

Alright, you and Mechanical Frog have made solid points. I'm going to start getting some content together and dive in. Gotta bring that trans representation to irritate the 'phobes after all! ;)

[@nyandyn]

Hey, it's Tsuge, my favorite Battletech painter alongside WarriorsSoul! Seeing your work on CSO motivated me to pick up mini painting again.

[@brothersgt.grauwolff6716]

I went with the Orange & Brown of the 1st Regulan Hussars for my Marik battle lance most of my Davion models are painted as Sword Sworn from Dark Age

[@MechanicalFrog]

Slick.

[@Psychohistorian42]

Finally got the chance finish the video, although listening to it at work leaves me with an urge to paint that I can't quite act on right now. Its all very inspiring, is what I'm saying.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it. It was a rewarding conversation.

[@lastone9744]

Nice to see the good stuff

[@MechanicalFrog]

Good stuff.

[@TsugeSenpai]

Thanks!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you for spending the time with my nonsense. :D

[@nukenuked5749]

wow nice mate i got to see the man behind the frog sweet nice work mate

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks 👍

[@vixbrabec]

whoaaaaaaah Outworlds Alliance

[@MechanicalFrog]

*gasp*

[@munkeydude777]

heh, getting into CSO’s circle, and then having your name on the game’s history feels kinda like getting a bloodname

[@TsugeSenpai]

You know I should petition CGL to make Tsuge a bloodname... hmm you've given me some food for thought!

[@sterner626]

This is fantastic. Thank you MF and Tsuge for this. I'm trying to get better at painting, and it's great to listen to people multiple leagues ahead of my skill level

[@MechanicalFrog]

It was a blast.

[@TsugeSenpai]

Thank you! You are better than you think you are, I promise! We are all our own worst critic!

[@ShagShaggio]

Neat Cheers!

[@thomasrobson6370]

Camo looks wicked😎

[@MechanicalFrog]

The CSO crew do amazing work.

[@TsugeSenpai]

Thank you!

[@graveyard1979]

One day I'll be as creative as Camo Specs. One day I'll stop reusing the same schemes bulk-painting my FoW and BT together so my ComStar will no longer wear same camo colors with my Panzer IV. But it's just too convenient this way...

[@MechanicalFrog]

One day...

[@TsugeSenpai]

You already are, please post/send pics!

[@memph1ston]

Lol the lance of annihilators 😂😂

[@MechanicalFrog]

Pew pew...

[@TheStraycat74]

Bonus Froggy? YAY!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Yay!

[@DoubleOhJay]

Where is the talos! One year ago I asked bigred! Time it with the great taurian concordat.... ish

[@ironwarriorhonsou9303]

I have been BAITED, I saw the Crocket

[@MechanicalFrog]

One cannot escape the gaze of the Crockett...

[@ironwarriorhonsou9303]

@MechanicalFrog I am still here awaiting the Crocket. May you curse me for the 5003-1 and 1b

[@TsugeSenpai]

I love the Crockett, it's one of my favorite mechs of all time!

[@Raist474]

Need more NATO 3-tone pattern.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Aff

[@TsugeSenpai]

That can be arranged !

[@EdgarStyles1234]

Mechfrog has the programmer facial hair load out

[@MechanicalFrog]

Wild and wooly.

[@Icspiders247]

Fairly new to the hobby, and that's a cool model in the thumbnail. What is it?

[@MechanicalFrog]

Welcome to the fray, Mechwarrior. That is the 85 ton Crockett.

[@Icspiders247]

@@MechanicalFrog Thanks! Gonna have to pick it up when I get my paint station ready.

[@williamalvarez9563]

Which mech is that at 0:50? Looking at the minis, it makes me wish there was a Battltech videogame where the mechs looked more like them.

[@williamjanak2013]

MF is a fuzzy frog. Great video.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you!

[@williamjanak2013]

@@MechanicalFrog you are welcome.

[@TheStraycat74]

hear me out: Froggy Elemental Patches! 55.37 'pile of shame' i.e. 3d printed and unpainted minis? I only have about 150 of those...

[@MechanicalFrog]

That would be cool.

[@misterbeeps]

Finally, Frog gets one right.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Finally?

[@misterbeeps]

@@MechanicalFrog Don't hate facts.

[@chrisbritt4266]

Who is this climate mechanical frog?He's obviously not mechanical frog.Cosmic mechanical frog is a frog LO.L

[@MechanicalFrog]

*confused croaking*

[@thecommuterzombie]

He's clearly a frog piloting a human-shaped battlemech.