Friday 25 March 2011

Ar-Fiach Concept






















Just a really quick post to show the original concept for Ar-Fiach - another really nice piece from Steve Tappin. Beautifully brought to life by Yannick Hennebo and available now in the Studio Store. Steve also concepted the first group of Firebrand miniatures - and they are currently away being mastered for metal - we hope to have the castings ready in the next couple of weeks - in time for Salute.

Salute is only a few weeks away and we're starting to get everything ready - we'll have all our miniatures on sale there, and hopefully a couple of new releases. One of those is being mastered for resin at the moment, and another just needs a few tweaks to be perfect. We're really looking forward to Salute again this year, so if your going to be there, please pop along and say hello.

I'm currently working hard on a project that won't see the light of day until later this year - but Ali and I are already pretty excited about it. Stay tuned for news on that (but don't hold your breath just yet...).

Cheers!

mike

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Ar-Fiach






















All the news seems to have been about the Sedition Wars range recently - so I thought we'd better put something out for the Limited Edition resin range!

Ar-Fiach is another in our irregular series of Faerie miniatures - so far we have Ar-Fienel (now all sold out) and Al-Vianna on one side, and Y'Sala and Y'Sydira on the other. Ar-Fiach tips things back into the light, but maybe not for too long...

The others are available in the Studio Store.

This one is another fantastic sculpt from Yannick, and based on a concept by Stephen Tappin (site under construction). It's a really beautifully detailed, evocative piece. I'll post the concept here soon, along with some more pictures of the resin casting.

In Sedition Wars news, I am expecting the first batch of Vokker resins soon, so we should be releasing the limited run of that soon - possibly even next week. Ali is hard at work painting it as I type, and it's looking really nice. The first batch of Firebrand miniatures are away being mastered in metal at the moment, and I hope to have those on sale in time for Salute next month - more news on that soon. I recently added the resin Vanguard base set to the Studio Store.

cheers!

mike

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Firebrand preview - Vokker Dargu






















Just got the first resins of this miniature, so I wanted to give a quick preview of him. He'll be available as a very limited resin run shortly over on the main website, then he'll be off to be mastered in metal. In the mean time, here's some background.

All the other Sedition Wars miniatures are available in the Store.
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Conscript Vokker Dargu
Height: 1.95 meters
Weight: 92 kilograms
Eyes: Cybernetic implants – no retinal imprint
Hair: Black
Gene-Index: Human/ Pre-augment Conscript
Inception Date: 201.10.4036 Solar Reckoning
Augments:
· Kyoshi Heavy Industries AG field generator
· Omnium Systems Meta-Cortical implant
· Kyoshi Heavy Industries Integrated Control Optics

Profile:
Corporate insubordination charges led to Vokker Dargu’s downgrade from Full Citizen to Conscript Servile as an industrial technician third class. Due to an aptitude with gravity manipulators and a bio-signature with a low rejection threshold to cybernetic implantation, he was involuntarily augmented and promoted to industrial technician first class. After serving in this capacity on good behaviour for thirteen years, his conscription restraints and cortical clamp were removed, and he was granted Provisional Release autonomy.

During a warranty based upgrade to his meta-cortical implant an unclassified code-entity breached his cortical firewall. The entity obliterated AI personality controls designed to keep his mind in check. System upgrade records indicate that the entity transferred in during an allegedly secure software upgrade. Without AI fail-safes in place, Vokker was free to act without worry of personality suppression.

His escape resulted in the deaths of twenty-eight medical and sixteen security personnel.
As per Rogue Conscript Protocol a warrant for Terminal Reclamation was issued 028.23.4039.1
Traceback disable commands to his cybernetics have failed and his whereabouts were unknown until the Conscript insurrection on Achilles.

Vanguard intelligence analysis indicates that his systems have been modified beyond current specifications, and he has been altered cosmetically to conceal his identity. His bio-signature was present during the co-ordinated attack on the Vanguard Bastion Arms of Sorrow, in which four hundred and seventy three Vanguard troopers and twenty four SDG elite were slain before the Arms of Sorrow could repel the six thousand attacking Conscripts. He was not among the casualties of that battle.

It is likely Vokker is serving as a combat co-ordinator in the Conscript uprising – Using tactical systems and precognition to lead pro-active counter-attacks on Vanguard forces. To date his bio-signs have been detected in fifty seven combat incidents with Vanguard troops.
He remains at large.

Capabilities:
Qualified for a Master level license with an AG generator, Vokker is an expert with kinetic fields and gravity suppression. His AG implant is capable of shifting a hundred kilograms of mass without strain. For manipulating larger masses he must be coupled with an external power supply. Even without external power, he can strike with kinetics to inflict lethal blows to anything within range of his AG field effectors.

His meta-cortex implant is a moderate grade cyber-brain. Vokker’s mind may house one or more expert systems capable of serving as tactical analysis and intelligence gathering meta-routines. Note that the Omnium implant allows limited quantum prediction, granting Vokker low grade precognitive ability and enhanced predictive instinct. Combined with his proficiency in AG field manipulation, he may be capable of deflecting directed projectile weapons fire. His sixth sense will be able to detect dangerous situations with a moderate degree of certainty. This is probably why he has avoided Reclamation for so long.

The Kyoshi Control Optics suite linked to his meta-cortex allows Vokker to index and co-ordinate the efforts of several other conscripts through remote communication. This system no doubt aids him in tactical unit co-ordination.

All of these systems are well concealed. Vokker can easily pass for a full citizen - albeit augmented - as long as his conscription transponder is suppressed and his conscript ID tattoo remains concealed. Assuming that these safeguards have not been removed already.
This combination of systems and his inconspicuous appearance makes Vokker effectively a sleeper agent capable of sensing events minutes before they occur and fading away from danger undetected. In addition, the rogue electronic entity that is currently installed within his cortex may have further capabilities that enhance him beyond his current specifications. His termination is a high priority, and reclamation of his systems vital to understanding the threat facing the Vanguard and the Solar Conglomerate.