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Aotrs Shipyards Update: Resin Photos and Status Update
Not an official release of anything, but a couple of photos of some resin prints to share today, from Only-Games.
The Only-Games store is still on sale until the 8th of September (use code SUMMERGAMES25).
As it has depressingly not old anything hover the sale period thus far, I am expecting to have to shut it back down again and maybe look at opening it up over Christmas.
(Less than I wanted, because – true to my luck – my order had two errors in it, so I will be waiting for replacements.)
For starships, some of the GTSR: The Varanus Panoptes
and Various (the Griseus is missing, got to Panoptes instead),
and at fleet scale: the Dimorphodon Interceptor…
…Pterodactylus Fighter…
…and the General Hull Designs CT-1 Cutthroat.
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Financial Situation Update: As always, I try to be bluntly honest and open, so disclosure.
It was this time last year that I was ejected from the UK governments Working Tax Credit, so a year on, I can finally look back over the year and have a review. I have, as expected, lost money over the year; while the Shipyards itself remains in profit, my not-work bills (such as they are) have meant I am down about £1400 in the past 12 months. On the brighter side, the Shipyards has already made almost as much this financial year to date as it made in the whole of last financial year; and almost all of that has come from MMF (and getting commissions again). August-August, then, I have had the best period since the Shipyards started; but that is only £1500 net profit from the Shipyards. This hopefully underlines why I am having to raise my prices with next month. In light if that (and especially if my circumstances were to change to the worse) I am now thinking I might have to slap a couple of dollars instead of one for most models. It’s not a decision I take lightly, but I think it’s one I have to consider very seriously.
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I have been watching and wincing as Patreon deteriorates – a lot of people who content I watch/read have been hit by it – and being half-relieved I have not tried to set a Patreon up, under the circumstances. My heart goes out of all of those whose lives have just gotten more difficult thanks to the biggest company in the world being ever more greedy.
(If you haven’t heard of this, Apple have basically come along and told Patreon “you will change your billing structure to meet our specifications or we will kick you from the App store; oh and we’re taking a 30% cut now, too.” The latter is bad enough as it is, but the first part means that the per-production payment scheme (which a lot of small creators use) is being removed next year of not before, and instead of billing coming at a set day of the month, it will be the day whenever someone starts, making monthly bills a lot harder for people.)
Aotrs Shipyards Update: Resin Photos and Status Update
Not an official release of anything, but a couple of photos of some resin prints to share today, from Only-Games.
The Only-Games store is still on sale until the 8th of September (use code SUMMERGAMES25).
As it has depressingly not old anything hover the sale period thus far, I am expecting to have to shut it back down again and maybe look at opening it up over Christmas.
(Less than I wanted, because – true to my luck – my order had two errors in it, so I will be waiting for replacements.)
For the moderns, just a quick look at the Mk 19 AGL team (144th of course); currently unreleased. I did these (and a currently-missing MG3 GPMG team) for Dad; he printed the originals on the FDM printer, but he wanted a load this time, so I figured sod it, I might as well upload them to Only-Games and prepare them as new releases for down the line.
(They’re still on their sprue, which is which they aren’t flat on the floor!)
The MG3 GPMG is more or less the same, except for the gun being different, so getting that wrong is a little understandable.
______________________________________________________________Financial Situation Update: As always, I try to be bluntly honest and open, so disclosure.
It was this time last year that I was ejected from the UK governments Working Tax Credit, so a year on, I can finally look back over the year and have a review. I have, as expected, lost money over the year; while the Shipyards itself remains in profit, my not-work bills (such as they are) have meant I am down about £1400 in the past 12 months. On the brighter side, the Shipyards has already made almost as much this financial year to date as it made in the whole of last financial year; and almost all of that has come from MMF (and getting commissions again). August-August, then, I have had the best period since the Shipyards started; but that is only £1500 net profit from the Shipyards. This hopefully underlines why I am having to raise my prices with next month. In light if that (and especially if my circumstances were to change to the worse) I am now thinking I might have to slap a couple of dollars instead of one for most models. It’s not a decision I take lightly, but I think it’s one I have to consider very seriously.
______________________________________________________________
I have been watching and wincing as Patreon deteriorates – a lot of people who content I watch/read have been hit by it – and being half-relieved I have not tried to set a Patreon up, under the circumstances. My heart goes out of all of those whose lives have just gotten more difficult thanks to the biggest company in the world being ever more greedy.
(If you haven’t heard of this, Apple have basically come along and told Patreon “you will change your billing structure to meet our specifications or we will kick you from the App store; oh and we’re taking a 30% cut now, too.” The latter is bad enough as it is, but the first part means that the per-production payment scheme (which a lot of small creators use) is being removed next year of not before, and instead of billing coming at a set day of the month, it will be the day whenever someone starts, making monthly bills a lot harder for people.)
Aotrs Shipyards August 2024 Release: Grand Terran Sovereign Republic Wave Four
Reminder, the Only-Games is re-opened store for August for the Only-Game summer sale. From Thursday 8th of August) to Sunday 8th of September, Only-Games are having a 25% off sale; use the code SUMMERGAMES25 for the discount.
A reminder too, that as previously mentioned, the price increase at MMF is happening in September.
And, while I’m at it, Catalogue Update Link:
Now to the releases!
This time, wave four of the GTSR!
Mosasaurus Hoffmanii Super Destroyer
MMF (file) $10.00
Physical Print
–
FDM £17.50
(File of FDM-only on this one; it’s too big for physical sale prices, I’m afraid!)
The terrifying bulk of the Mosasaurus Hoffmannii Super Destroyer is perhaps the most concerning development to come out of the Grand Terran Sovereign Republic fleet. More even than just the size of the vessel itself is what it represents. The appellation of “super destroyer” instead of “super-cruiser” indicates the ship is considered something that will be, far from a rarity, but relatively common – a ship of the line, even. Furthermore, the use of both a genus and species name indicates that the GTSR intends to make more than one variant of the leviathan.
The age of the super-cruiser has largely past. The construction of vessels miles in length built began soon as technology allowed it. For several decades, an arms race began across the galaxy to construct these massive vessels – but ultimately, they proved to be a failure. As the number of places to defend grew larger and the distances between them greater, the investment of resources into a single massive vessel proved to be too much. In addition, the vessels were so large than the amount of tonnage that had to be devoted to just propelling them at a relative snail’s pace. Smaller vessels ultimately proved to be more efficient.
However, time and technology has marched on, and it seems once again, functional vessels or larger sizes are beginning to become feasible again.
The Mosasaurus represents an investment of material that of the human powers, only the GTSR could afford to make, drawing on the bulk of human space. Though over 2.5 kilometres long, this is deceptive, since the massive tail accounts for a little under half this length. In terms of mass and volume, the Mosasaurus is “only” about 70% of the size of the Cybertank Colloidal, the most common super-cruiser currently encountered in the modern era. Nevertheless, this presents a very intimidating profile. Of all the GTSR ships, the Mosasaurus most resembles its name sake. The rear flippers are homaged by additional heat-sinks, and the forward flippers serve as additional weapon-mounting points.
The Mosasaurus flies with surprising speed given its size, reaching as much as 5.1mc acceleration. The majority of this power comes from the two massive, purpose-built primary engines. As with the Varanus, these engines also provide the thrust-vectored manoeuvrability, though this is less surprisingly poor, rated at nearly 46 MEUs. The remaining four smaller engines only contribute to the accelerations.
Unusually, the Mosasaurus sports significant electronic warfare capabilities. The lines of masts on the tail and towers on the upper hull are emitters for no less than eight ECM suites and eight standard-size starship communications arrays. This provides enough paired ECM systems and communications arrays to create seven jamming beams – enough to jam an entire typical squadron of escort vessels or a pair of enemy capital ships, while still leaving an ECM system for its own uses and maintaining communications with the fleet.
The primary armament is also atypical, consisting entirely of huge particle beam turrets. One pair of triple turrets is located on the forward “flippers,” and carries the same triple particle beams as mounted on the Varanus Komodoensis and Kourisodon, each with an output of 626TXq and a 600 000km engagement envelope. Eighteen more turrets, using the same weapon but in pairs are placed around the hull. While each turret has an output of around 417TXq, six of the emplacements cover the narrow rear arc where the forward-most six turret cannot bring to bear; so these smaller turrets can “only” bring 5008TXq of energy to any one target. It is believed that the smaller turrets were used to provide wider coverage and more responsible tracking (as they are simply smaller than the triple turrets), as the Mosasaurus has the additional mass and volume to accommodate them.
Forty-two point-defence blisters dot the Mosasaurus’ surface. Thirty of these are outfitted with LZI-2400 Herosine Arms lazer cannons, with a combined output of 4850TXq. The remainder are the 502TXq-output disintegrators first spotted on the Varanus.
This weapons payload, supplemented by the electronics warfare capability make the Mosasaurus a threat that cannot be ignored. With weapons accuracy envelopes with its energy weapons comparable to the galactic standard’s missiles and torpedoes, its low mobility is somewhat negated. It is a veritable challenge to enemy fire, but has the defences to weather the storm. The hull armour alone has an AIC rated to 8400TXq – though it is only a single armour layer composite. The shields boast twice that, with a rating of 16800TXq. The Mosasaurus thus encourages enemy to itself, away from smaller vessels, functioning as a floating fortress for its fleet.
Intelligence suggests that the GTSR intends to make numerous Mosasauruses, and deploy them likely one or two per sector. The sheer size is likely to intimidate most pirates, whom will be immediately at risk, given the Mosasaurus’ long-range weapons.
Further, there are suggestions that the GTSR is designing additional variants. Reports suggest a carrier version. This would appear to very much still be in the design stage, and whose specifications suggest it would carry anything from 36 to 84 fighters. A second variant would equip the Mosasaurus with one or more spinal-mount super lazers.
The Mosasaurus may not even be the limit. A power as large as the GTSR could potentially afford the vanity project of super-cruisers. With Earth now under a unified rule for the first time in history, stationing super-cruisers in the Earth-N sector in a defensive role would be a useful concentration of forces that maximises the benefits of a super-cruiser. That the Mosasaurus is “only” considered a super destroyed indicates the GTSR is at least seriously considering this possibility, though no intelligence has suggested such vessels are currently under construction – yet.
Dimorphodon Interceptor (Fleet)
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (12)
Only-Games £1.33
FDM £2.50
Dimorphodon Interceptor (1:300th)
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print
Only-Games £2.71
FDM £2.60
The Dimorphodon Interceptor was the second GTSR fighter craft to be identified in 2350. The Dimorphodon has been designed around an upgraded Spectre II hull. The Spectre II’s performance is exceptional for a mid-tier, affordable fighter craft on the open market, but the GTSR have designed a craft that is more suited to a military with a vastly bigger budget to get even more from the base design.
The Dimorphodon is larger and heavier than its predecessor, but thanks to a commensurate upgrade to the power core and more modern engines, the Dimorphodon retains a near-identical performance envelope; rating manoeuvrability at 605 MEUs – very nearly the Spectre II 609 MEUs and slightly improving on the Spectre II’s acceleration to 54.1mc.
The Dimorphodon’s heavier build allows it to carry significantly more weapons. The Spectre II’s forward gatlings have been removed entirely. The Dimorphodon instead mounts a quartet of 21TXq lazer cannons. The lazer cannons are tentatively identified as being cutting-edge LZ-3350 weapons, produced and exported by the Herosine Empire only since 2348. If this is correct, then this gives the Dimorphodon a killer edge, as the LZ-3350s are reputed to have an accuracy envelope of 70 000km.
The Dimorphodon carries twice the payload of the Spectre II. Each of the laser cannons mounts a double-hard point, rated to Standard Warhead Capacity of 2. The standard load is eight Vitrious Conglomerate SRASHM-1111 Viper missiles, with a 30TXq-yield warhead. The larger profile of the Dimorphodon allows it to mount more conventional warhead bays, either side of the hull. These are rated to a Standard Warhead Capacity of 7 each, allowing the Dimorphodon to comfortable manage eight 40TXq Darian Defence MRASHM-1119 Sunspot missiles or potentially four Vitrious Conglomerate ASHAS-1184 Buccaneer anti-ship missiles, with a 150TXq-yield warhead.
To protect itself while dogfighting, the Dimorphodon is fitted with 150TXq shield generators. In addition, the bulkier hull has a thick armour skin rated and Armour Integrity Capacity of 22TXq.
However, this performance comes at a cost. The amount of power all the system requires pushes the top-of-the-line power core to its very limit. It is for this reason that the Dimorphodon does not have a hyperdrive as standard, regulating it to short-ranged defence, just like the Spectre II. Provision is made for fitting a hyperdrive and with the modularity the Dimorphodon has inherited from the Spectre II, so fitting one is simple. Indeed, some Dimorphodons have been spotted with hyperdrives. However, the extra power draw on top of all the other equipment degrades performance. A pilot thus has the choice of degrading their shield strength by 33%, their lazer cannon power by 50%, or as most do, downgrading the engine power by 20%, with a corresponding loss in agility and acceleration. This problem is not one that can be addressed with current human technology as either a much larger generator or an entirely new technology would be required to produce the required output.
As intimated by the hyperdrive, the Dimorphodon shares the Spectre II’s customisability, though this is reduced by the larger amount of equipment it carries as standard. Notably, the lazer cannon housing is easily accessible, and changing the energy weapons would be as easy as changing the gatlings on the Spectre II itself. A switch to kinetic weapons like the base Spectre might be one possibility to reduce power draw, though it would come at considerable cost to the Dimorphodon’s offense capability.
Varanus Varius Heavy Escort Cruiser
MMF (file) $1.00
Physical Print
Only-Games £3.61
FDM £3.00
The Varanus Varius (named for the Lace Monitor) was anticipated before it was actually spotted. The forward modules of both Griseus and Flavescens and the rear module of the Griseus clearly had PD blister mounting points that were unused and thus a variant that mounted something in these positions was predicted. The Varanus Varius appeared a few months later, acting as a heavy escort for the Mosasaurus Super Destroyer. The Varius removes all the anti-capital ship weaponry and instead carries a substantial point-defence array.
Two large missile racks carry 72 point-defence missiles. These are expected to be PDM-252 Starsabre warheads from BSE stores or the K-5498 Okhotnik warheads with a from the Soviet Remnant supplies. The latter’s heavier warhead (155TXq-yield verses 150TXq) comes with slightly less accuracy envelope (298 000km verses 310 000km), but the performance is otherwise close enough between them.
All of the observed hardpoints and a considerable number of others are fitted with blisters for the same LZI-2400 lazer cannons found on the Gerrohonotus Rhombifer, bringing the Varius total number to thirty-eight. These are all. Thirty-three cover and beam arcs, providing a net out of 5335TX, or 5815TXq with the ventral pair LZ-3300s. An additional pair of LZ-3300s is mounted on the back of the missile racks, and the remaining five lazer cannons help cover the rear quarter, though the combined output of the rear blisters is only 4350TXq from the six LZ-3300s and the eighteen LZI-2400s that are able to fire into that arc.
Heloderma Horridus Light Cruiser
MMF (file) $0.85
Physical Print
Only-Games £2.82
FDM £2.90
The Heloderma Horridis instead uses a pair of turrets, one dorsal and one ventral. Each of these is armed with a heavy particle beam of Japanese Empire manufacture. These weapons have an engagement envelope of around 400 000km and an output of 1470TXq each. While the rate of fire at full power is low, the weapon’s turreted placement gives them the fine control to slice unprotected ships apart with ease. The enormous waste heat produced by the weapons mandated the addition of two additional radiator heat-sinks, placed like stylised fins.
Gerrhonotus Ophiurus Tractor Destroyer
MMF (file) $0.85
Physical Print (2)
Only-Games £2.92
FDM £2.80
The Gerrhonotus Ophiurus Tractor Destroyer represents something a departure of standard practises. Most human powers have not in recent times had heavy tractor beams as part of their armament. That the Ophiurus does suggests that its role is primarily aimed more and peace-keeping and internal security than heavy combat, but nevertheless, it is not to be under-estimated as seen by the effectiveness of the Xyriat Hegemony’s tractor runners.
The nose of the Ophiurus mounts a tractor beam array. This has an effective range of 120 000km, and a stopping power of 4800 units. This is sufficient to comfortably stop a Gerrhonotus Destroyer itself at speeds of up to 0.24c. This is more than sufficient to catch most merchant vessels.
To help retain its catch, the Ophiurus’ twelve point-defence blisters mount light ion cannons, with a combined out of 1760TXq.
The Ophiurus is a clear sign that the GTSR are looking ahead to a future that is consisting at least as much internal security as outward warfare, which indicates the leadership is confident of the GTSR’s long-term survivability.
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𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀
OPEN! 25% sale at Only-Games 8th Aug to 8th Sep, use code SUMMERGAMES25
Current Ko-fi Goal: £27/£50 towards next goal => Costs for two month’s subscription (uncertain time period).
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Photos of Prusa version, as always.
Next month is a bit up in the air. There are a few more models (bomber, assault shuttle, frigate) I want to do before the GTSR is “complete” as far as it goes and I am still aiming to get the first fleet book and the lore book out this year. The GTSR ships are the last thing I want to add to the lore book before I am happy it is at release state, to they’re high on the list of things to do (between the moderns commissions), but whether I’ll get them done to release standard for next month is an open question. I have technically a couple of Cybertank ships to go, but as they are basically just patching the holes in an otherwise Irregular Miniatures model line-up, I don’t think it’s worth releasing them before the fleet list comes out.
(There are other issues on my time as well – Dad’s heart procedure was not the there-and-then fix we’d hoped it was and requires more extensive work, which means in the medium term, I am having to do more of the literal heavy lifting at home.)
Aotrs Shipyards August 2024 Release: BMD-3, T-55AMV and Only-Games Sale
First of all, I am re-opening the Only-Games store for August. For one, doing the checking showed good sales in August last year – and likely congruent with point 2 – the Only-Game summer sale. From Thursday 8th of August) to Sunday 8th of September, Only-Games are having a 25% off sale; use the code SUMMERGAMES25 for the discount.
In addition, MyMiniFactory have rolled out a new subscription tier, aimed at people that don’t use their Tribes or Frontiers (i.e. me), which basically halves my monthly subscriptions (at the cost of them taking a higher-mark up). As I – and treat this a reminder – will be increasing the prices at MMF in September, I can account for this at the same time.
Upshot being, I am a little more willing to keep the Only-Game side open, even as a little bit of a loss-leader – especially since Shapeways so unceremoniously keeled over; but it will to some extent depend on how much custom it continues to generate.
Now to the releases!
This time, I have for you the BMD-3 and the T-55AMV!
(If you’re thinking “there’s a lot of Russian stuff coming out” it’s because I have a lot of commissions, so that is mostly what you’ll be getting for a while…!)
BMD-3
MMF (file) $1.00
Physical Print
Only-Games £3.82FDM £3.50
T-55AMV
MMF (file) $1.30
Physical Print
Only-Games £5.36FDM £4.15
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𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀
OPEN! 25% sale at Only-Games 8th Aug to 8Th Sep, use code SUMMERGAMES25
Current Ko-fi Goal: £26/£50 towards next goal => Costs for two month’s subscription (uncertain time period).
Ko-fi link______________________________________________________________
Photos of Prusa version, as always.Next month – something different. Quite some time ago, for Dad, I did some Mk19 AGL teams and MG3 teams. He decided he wanted some more, and we realised I’d never actually released them! So I’ll be taking advantage of the Only-Games sale myself to get some printed ready for September’s release.
Beyond that… There is (if you keep up to date the catalogue) quite a lot more Russian stuff in the pipeline, as mentioned, since I’m flat-out working on those commissions!
Next week, the sci-fi release is last wave of the (currently done) GTSR starships!
Some of you may have noticed that there is forthcoming sale at MyMiniFactory as well, and may wonder why there is no Shipyards sale there. So, to address that potential elephant in the room, full disclosure time again. I am not a fan of sales culture generally (increasingly less so as I see the damage is has done to, for example, the computer gaming industry). I would rather have my prices be low all the time, rather than punitively punish people for not buying at one specific time of year. (The fact I have kept my profit margins so tight is why I am having to up the prices next month, so I can, like hopefully keep staying in business.) Or encourage the mindset I have shocking seen where people would prefer to pay the same price for a product that is double with 50% off than have that price be the all-year round price. (Plus, on a purely practical level, at MMF at the moment, I don’t have room for dropping that floor even lower anyway.)
But that said, by the same token, I would be foolish not to participate in other people’s sales when offered, especially if it drops the cost to you, the customer and doesn’t affect my, as noted, thin mark-up. Is that a little bit hypocritical? Maybe, but I do have some bills to pay, at the end of the day. Will that policy hold down the line? Probably, for the files, at least, where the majority of the price is my mark-up.
TL:DR, if you will forgive me the completely inappropriate reference: “that’s my secret. I’m always on sale…”
Aotrs Shipyards July 2024 Release: Grand Terran Sovereign Republic Wave Three
In case you missed it: Only-Games store subscription runs out on the 19th (subscription should be cancelled from today, but in theory it times out Friday). This means the only way to get physical prints from me is
a) Directly from me in FDM
b) By special arrangement from Only-Games (potentially meaning paying a £25 overhead to pay the subscription for a month)
c) If I get enough requests for orders etc. that warrant me risking the expense of opening it again for a short period.
Because of this AND Shapeways going under, as of September, I will be increasing the prices of files at MMF (expected around a dollar per model for everything that’s about a dollar).
(See either of the last updates for more details.)
For the sake of argument, I HAVE included the Only-Games links here for what time is left (and I will continue to maintain them in the catalogue, though I don’t know if I will be able to add new ones once off subscription).
Despite all these setbacks and problems, here is this month’s release, the penultimate (for the moment) wave of GTSR starships!
Tylosaurus Proriger Dreadnought
MMF (file) $4.20
Physical Print
Only-Games £20.05FDM £9.60
The Tylosaurus is the Mosasaurus Super Destroyer, but writ smaller and more conventionally. While enormous, the Tylosaurus is efficiently built, leading to a vessel which is much more suited to mass production. The Tylosaurus seems to be positioned to be taking the centre role in smaller task forces and strike groups. Thus far, only one variant has been deployed, the Tylosaurus Proriger, named after the type species for the Tylosaurus genus of mosasaurs. At least two more are in development.
The Tylosaurus clearly benefitted from the Mosasaurus’ designs. It had a similar pattern of engines, two primary engines for thrust and manoeuvring, and four small engines for additional acceleration. The Tylosaurus is more mobile than the larger super destroyer, clocking it with an acceleration of 9.1mc. Manoeuvrability is, also like the Mosasaurus, relatively poor, rating at only 80 MEUs.
The Tylosaurus Proriger has a rather more conventional armament. It lacks the Mosasaurus’ emphasis on electronic warfare, only possessing a point-counter measures suite. Point-defence is varied. Of the thirty-two point-defence smaller blisters, eight are mounted with the LZI-2400 blisters, with a combined output of 1293TXq.Eight more are BSE-manufactured particle beam with a combined output of 1280TXq. Twelve are outfitted with Herosine Arms LS-914B laser blisters, with a net output of 1800TXq, and the last four are disintegrators with a 670 TXq output. Finally, as on the Varanus, eight 240-TXq LZ-3300 lazer blisters cover the rear arc approach aspects. This slightly eclectic is less because of combat performance, and more due to careful optimisation of power use and resource cost, overall keeping the construction cost lower. However, this is likely to have more of a knock-on effect during extended operations, where the larger number of spares may be an issue. It is expected, however, that once the GTSR settles on one type of PD system and ramps up production, eventually all the blister will be replaced by that weapon system – with the possible exception of the disintegrators, whose intended use seems as much offensive as defensive.
The Proriger’s principle armament is spinal-mounted. Two Soviet-Remnant manufactured 721TXq-output particle beam cannons nestle either side of a Japanese Empire particle heavy beam cannon. Rated at 5292TXq and with an accuracy envelope almost equal to the regular spinal beams – around 600 000km, this large weapon system is the biggest that the Japanese Empire produced and was formerly only seen on their own superdreadnoughts.
Secondary anti-ship armament consists of ten 156-TXq output particle beam blisters to provide all-aspect coverage. Of these, the rear pair of blisters and the two on the forward “flippers” have mutually exclusive fire arcs. These weapons stations are identical to those mounted on the Varanus Heavy Cruiser.
Finally, the Proriger carries twelve missile tubes, each rack containing 32 missiles. They are similarly placed to those of the Varanus Flavescens and likely also will be fitted with 200-TXQ-yield ASM-256 Starlances or K-5512 Liúxīng missiles are the GTSR’s stocks allow.
The Tylosaurus’ defences are completed by an armour belt rate to an AIC of 4800TXq, covered by shields rated to 6400TXq.
The Tylosaurus’ low production cost and utility of predominantly readily available systems (spinal-mounts excepting) means that it will likely see widespread deployment, both leading smaller task forces and supporting the Mosasauruses.
Two variants have been confirmed to be planned. The first, the Tylosaurus Pembinensis replaces the spinal mount weapons with a single mega lazer, which the Tylosaurus is just big enough to be able to draw power for. It is believed to mount more point-defence blisters and have improved armour and shields. This version is reputedly in the final prototyping stages.
Work on the second variant, Tylosaurus Nepaeolicus, is not believed to have been started, but is more radical. This is supposedly a command dreadnought variant and mostly closely resembles the Mosasaurus’ mission profile. It is believed to replace all of the primary armament. Instead, to perform the electronic warfare role it is to be outfitted with upgraded sensors and communications arrays, with addition communications arrays and ECM suites to allow it to perform the jamming role. This variant is believed to be armed with the long-range particle beam turrets found on the Mosasaurus and have additional shields and armour.
Heloderma Suspectum Light Cruiser
MMF (file) $0.85
Physical Print (2)
Only-Games £3.14FDM £3.00
The first wave of GTSR ships to be spotted had a wide variety of armament, but lacked in one notable area – “hull-breaking” weapons; that is, weapons most effective at destroying a vessel stripped of shields and armour. The Heloderma Light Cruiser was the first vessel to be spotted equipped with such weapons. Two variants have been identified, named after Earth’s two poisonous lizards and differing in their armaments. The Heloderma Suspectum (named for the Gila Monster) uses torpedoes to strike from long range; the Heloderma Horridis (named for Mexican Beaded Lizard) uses heavy particle beams to attack from closer ranges.
The Heloderma Suspectum carries eight torpedo tubes – four forwards and four rear, a pair each in the four flipper-like mounts. Each pair connects to a magazine of 42 torpedoes. These are divided into 21 700TXq-yield standard warheads, and 21 840TXq-saturation-yield blast torpedoes. These will be drawn from former BSE, Eternal Reich and Soviet Remnant stocks, which are widely available to the GTSR and have little to choose between in terms of performance and physical weapon size.
The Heloderma Horridis instead uses a pair of turrets, one dorsal and one ventral. Each of these is armed with a heavy particle beam of Japanese Empire manufacture. These weapons have an engagement envelope of around 400 000km and an output of 1470TXq each. While the rate of fire at full power is low, the weapon’s turreted placement gives them the fine control to slice unprotected ships apart with ease. The enormous waste heat produced by the weapons mandated the addition of two additional radiator heat-sinks, placed like stylised fins.
Both Heloderma variants have the same secondary and defensive armament. Two blisters on the rear module mount particles beams with a combined 416TXq output and accuracy envelopes of 400 00km. It is slightly usual to see larger weapon mounts on these vessels, but it affords the Helodermas the ability to stand off slightly further. The low output is not really sufficient to strip shields or armour alone, but it does allow the light cruisers a limited ability to punch hole for their main weapons without additional support. Sixteen point-defence blisters round out the Heloderma’s armament. Eight of these are all equipped with particle beams of BSE manufacture, for a combined 960TXq output. The remaining eight carry LZ-2200 lazer cannons, with a combined output of 944TXq.
“Hull-breaker” vessels are often priority targets and to preserve the Holoderma’s striking power as long as possible, it was fitted with 1075TXq-rated shield generators. Composite armour underneath further has an Armour Integrity Rating of 1200TXq. The Heloderma’s two Daimler-Benz DBR 2190 starship engines are geared for agility over speed, to also maximise evasive capability, and the Heloderma is rated to 126 MEUs.
Acceleration is notably sluggish, however, at only 9.5mc. Nevertheless, this is enough to keep it in line with the Varanus Heavy Cruisers is it likely to be typically paired with.
Varanus Komodoensis Heavy Cruiser
MMF (file) $1.00
Physical Print
Only-Games £3.86FDM £3.10
The Varanus Komodoensis is named for the Komodo Dragon. The moniker is appropriate, and the Komodoensis is appreciably more massive than the first four configurations. It appears to be most closely modelled on the Griseus, likely at least in part because of the fundamentally similar all-energy weapon loadout. Indeed, only the addition of four point-defence blisters on the forward module hardpoints differentiate the front two-thirds of the vessel from its smaller counterpart. The differences are readily apparent in the rear third, starting with the engines.
The Komodoensis replaces the smaller Safran SF-M2340 engines with another two Derwent FD12000 engines. The raises the cruiser’s speed and manoeuvrability, despite the increase in mass. Acceleration is improved to 15.5mc and manoeuvrability rating to 176 MEUs, with a corresponding increase in evasion and thus survivability despite having no stronger shields or armour.
Two additional point-defence blisters occupy two of the hardpoints. This gives the Komodoensis a total of sixteen smaller blisters in addition to the four LZ-3300 blisters. In the Komodoensis, all these blisters appear to be outfitted with particle beams, producing a net output of 2560TXq.
The Komodoensis only carries two other weapons systems; two massive turrets containing three equally massive particle beam cannons, each with its own dedicated full firecontrol suite. These weapon systems are of Soviet manufacture, and were previously seen only on their superdreadnoughts. Each turret is capable of outputting 626TXq of firepower over a staggering 600 000km accuracy envelope. This gives the Komodoensis almost unprecedented long-range firepower, without the requirement for missiles or torpedoes.
This firepower comes as significant cost – it is estimated it must be almost 70% more expensive to produce in raw materials alone than the Varanus Griseus.
Gerrhonotus Lazcanoi Destroyer
MMF (file) $0.85
Physical Print (2)
Only-Games £2.95FDM £2.80
The Gerrhonotus Lazcanoi appears to be outfitted for a more conventional destroyer role, though it retains the Gerrhonotus’ exceptional engine power. A dozen weapons blister each mount older model LZ-2200 lazer cannons, with a combined output of 1888TXq. The main striking power comes from a pair of 208TXq particle beam blisters, with an accuracy envelope of 400,000 kilometres; the same weapon system as seen on the larger Heloderma Light Cruisers.
With the Lazcanoi’s high speed and manoeuvrability, it can “kite” slower and shorter-ranged light vessels; of it can simply fly in line with heavier vessels and provide additional firepower and use all of its engine power on evasion. Despite the relatively expensive primary battery, the use of the readily-available LZ-2200s suggests that the Lazcanoi is vessel designed for cost-effectiveness. With the solid mix of weapons are firepower, it will fill the general purpose-role quite well in both combat and security operations.
Gerrhonotus Infernalis Strike Destroyer
MMF (file) $0.85
Physical Print (2)
Only-Games £2.96FDM £2.80
The Gerrohonotus Infernalis, named after the Texas alligator lizard removes half of the point-defence blister emplacements along with their ventral fin-like mounting.
The Infernalis’ primary armament is instead a pair of light torpedo launchers, mounted on the dorsal hull. Each of these has twelve light torpedo tubes, each with a Standard Warhead Capacity of 9. The standard loadout appears to be using five AST-450 Hammer anti-ship light torpedoes of BSE manufacture. This gives the Infernalis a devastating, if short-lived punch. The low accuracy envelope of the light torpedoes is compensated by the Gerrhonotus’ great speed, which allows it to easily get into range to fire these weapons.
Eight of the remaining point –defence blisters mount BSE-standard particle beams, for net output of 1280TXq. The forward four blisters on the “head” modules are outfitted with disintegrator cannons of unknown make with an output of around 167 TXq for each blister. These weapons are more powerful but have a shorter engagement sphere of only around 0.85Ym³. These seems to be intended primarily for offensive, rather than defensive, use, enabling the Infernalis to make slashing or precision attacks after its light torpedoes have opened the defences. It is likely that only front four blisters are fitted with disintegrators as a cost-saving measure, since the short-range attacks the Infernalis is geared up for are risky endeavours. That said, such armament is also highly viable for capture operations, given support or suitable light torpedo payloads, and it is expected to see the Infernalis destroyers working in tandem with the Gerrhonotus Ophiurus.
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𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀
CLOSED FROM 19th JULY
Current Ko-fi Goal: £26/£50 towards next goal (52%) => Costs for two month’s subscription (uncertain time period).
Ko-fi link
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Photos of Prusa version, as always.Next month – if there are no further disasters (and there’s an outside chance something might go Horribly Wrong with the PC update…) the final wave of the GTSR. Wave Four isn’t the last GTSR planned – there are at least a frigate and assault shuttle and bomber planned, but it is as far as the actual models that exist so far go.
I have been spending what little time I have either proof-reading the Galaxy Guide lore book or working on the first Fleet Stat Book (neither are at 50% yet), and those last few GTSR would be ideal to have done before the lore book at least, but things are busy and hectic with My Other Job (i.e. looking after my parents having taken a step up with Dad’s heart issues), so no idea of timeframe still.
Aotrs Shipyards July 2024 Release: Challenger 1 Mk 1/Mk 2 and FV511 Warrior Command
So, before we get to the moderns release, the important stuff. Two from the backlog (simply to space out the commission-based-Russians a bit).
In case you somehow missed the last post – Shapeways is dead. Kaput. Pining for the fjords. Between one breath and the next, with no warning.
This has, then, removed one, albeit small, trickle of revenue. With the Only-Games store still basically only paying for its subscription cost at its best (and not even that at its worst) over the summer spike, this means MMF will have to be taking even more of the burden.
Reminder that the Only-Games store will be going off-line on JULY 18th (unless there is another spike or sales or the kofi goal is met) as at that point, the initial kofi donations plus interim sales will have run-out, and it’s only broken even to last month.
Thus, the MMF price increase I said I was considering last month (as that has been suggested to me my multiple sources, including at least one customer), has become a more pressing matter. I said I was going to give plenty of warning, so here we go.
I am going to be raising the prices of the MMF files in September. I am not precisely sure by how much – to some extent, there will be a sliding scale – but I am probably looking at adding a quid or a dollar to the prices of everything in the $0.80 – $1.50 range (i.e., the majority of the moderns and all of the smaller starships). Stuff like the fighters, I’ll probably add less than that, but we will see. So while it will be close to doubling the price (and I wince even saying that), but I feel like just on the basis of the effort involved in just changing 600+ prices, adding a dollar per tank is probably not too much of an ask.
I am happy to take feedback from the community on this issue until September – one of the reasons I’m giving everyone a head’s up.
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On the releases: the Challenger Mk 1 (or Mk 2) and the FV511 Warrior Command variant!Challenger 1 Mk 1/Mk2
MMF (file) $1.80Physical Print
Only-Games £7.67FDM £4.10
FV511 Warrior Command
(What’s the difference between the FV510 and FV511? Mostly in the rear: (510 (L)/511 (R))
MMF (file) $1.10
Physical Print
Only-Games £4.31FDM £3.70
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𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀
Current Ko-fi Goal: £25/£50 towards next goal => Costs for two month’s subscription (uncertain time period).
Ko-fi link______________________________________________________________
Photos of Prusa version, as always.Next month: No idea. I still have a laundry list of commissions stacked up (which is good) and you’ll forgive me if I don’t have any further concrete plans at the moment…!
Man, this felt weird doing it without Shapeways links, considering that’s where it all started in 2010.
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General housekeeping note: It has been discovered that some of the files at MMF missed final-stage checks in the chaos of putting everything up last year. Most of these appears to be TurboCAD irregularly pulling it’s “invert the model.” This will likely only affect the FDM i.e. not-hollow, versions (since it would be picked up by Only-Games or (priorly..) Shapeways for the other versions). As I have of course printed all of the models myself, I can only postulate that these files were updated (maybe when I was moving 14 to 32 facets for circles) after I’d not printed them in a while and just missed the usual final stage checks. If you do find a problem with a file, PLEASE contact me, though here, MMF or any other options (not like you can do it through Shapeways now…!) and I will get the files fixed, and if you provide me with an email, I’m happy to email the fixed files to you to expedite the process.
(For inverted files, you may be able to fix them yourself using you slicer, using the repair or fix mesh functions if it has a “invert model” or “flip surface orientation” feature. Obviously, I still want to know so I can fix it, but that might be the fastest way for you to carry on printing while I do so.)
Aotrs Shipyards June 2024 Release: Grand Terran Sovereign Republic Wave Two
This time, the second wave of GTSR starships! This time, the Abronia Graminea Corvette, the Kourisodon Electronics Warfare Cruiser, the Varanus Panoptes Pocket Carrier and the Pterodactylus Fighter (in both fleet and 6mm scale).
Before I get to that, a couple of boring, business things to attend to. (If you caught the moderns release last week, you can skip over this part, since this is just a repeat of that.)
Firstly, from August, I will be raising the prices of my standing commission fees. I have had a consecutive run of those of late (something I don’t think I’ve almost ever had before!) which has actually made me look at the long-term cost verses practical production time. I have realised that a) its taking me longer than a week to do a new vehicle these days (as I’ve got better at it and am more thorough) and b) I haven’t changed that price since I started in 2010.
Previously, I did a standard new vehicle at £50 (that is to say, for models that will go up in the Shipyards), which is increasing to £70 from August. That is still below the rate of (UK) inflation (according to what I looked up), but means that it will cover about the same amount of cost as the theoretical four-per-month with three. (More realistically, likely more like two and a bit, plus time left to actually do the everything-else that isn’t actually moderns commission work.)
(Scaling commissions will remain where they are at £15, since I’ve gotten quicker at doing those.)
Much as I loathe having to raise prices, it is a necessary evil in the current climate.
Secondly, update on the Only-Games situation: the last couple of months, I’ve had three big orders which has just barely paid for the running costs. If that continues, then the store can remain open, but if (as I suspect) that just some spike sales, it’s not going to have broken even by the time the July subscription cost comes in and the kofi is not keeping up with it. As such, I am half-expecting to have to shut the Only-Games side down in mid-July, which means models from there basically are on special order (or paying a £25 overhead to pay for the month’s subscription.) Be forewarned.
So with the bad news out of the way, let’s get down to the releases!
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Abronia Graminea Corvette
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (6)
Only-Games £2.64Shapeways $6.90
FDM £2.90
The Abronia Graminea is distinctively different in silhouette from the Abronia Aurita due to its dorsal missile tubes. These appear to be dedicated for salvo rockets, likely using BSE-standard warheads with a yield of 210TXq. interestingly, the more numerous point-defence blisters are armed with lasers, rather than particle beams. These were readily identifiable as being stock Herosine Arms LS-914B laser blisters, the most widely-available system in human space. Whether these are bought directly from Herosine Arms itself or its many subsidiaries, or whether they are a direct clone is unclear. Their usage on the Abronia Graminea, however, hints at the corvette’s semi-disposal nature, as the LS-914Bs are considerably cheaper than their lazer or particle beam equivalents. The more numerous placements, however, give the Graminea and expected net output of 900TXq, making up in quantity over quality.
Both Abronias have otherwise identical performance specifications. The Abronia sports 200TXq shielding, at a typically light armour skin, rated to an Armour Integrity Capacity of 40TXq. The engines appear to be a new model. It is projected that the Abronia has an acceleration of around 16mc with an accompanying agility of around 180 MEUs, those these are only estimates and be vary by as much as ±10%.
Kourisodon Electronics Warfare Cruiser
MMF (file) $1.25
Physical Print
Only-Games £5.05Shapeways $8.87
FDM £3.50
While named for a medium-sized mosasaur, the Kourisodon Electronics Warfare Cruiser is arguably a variant of the Varanus Heavy Cruiser. The Kourisodon’s hull is comprised of a Varanus hull extended by a third module, adding about 50% to the vessel’s length, mass and volume. The rear tail-fluke radiator has been appreciably enlarged to cope with extra heat load of the additional systems. The Kourisodon is large enough be called a battlecruiser by most metrics. However, its main role is an electronic warfare platform.
The rear module sports the same four engines as the Varanus; two larger and Rolls-Royce Derwent FD12000s and two small Safran SF-M2340s. The drives struggle to move the increased mass, reducing the Kourisodon to a sedate 7.8mc acceleration. Likewise, manoeuvrability rates only to 88 MEUs.
This loss of manoeuvrability is not significant, however, given the Kourisodon’s role, which represents an interesting direction in mind-set for the GTSR. Four primary masts stand on the dorsal hull, and a line of secondary masts runs down the spine of the ship to the tail-fluke. An additional line runs on the underside of the tail. These masts are linked to the Kourisodon’s electronic warfare and communications suites. Three electronic warfare suites can tie into each of the Kourisodon’s three communications arrays. The primary communications array is powerful, with range and output estimated about four times a typical shipboard array, while the secondary arrays are more typical range and power. With these systems working in tandem, the Kourisodon can project two jamming beams. Typical practise is to use the primary communications array and one secondary array for jamming beams while retaining the use of the other secondary array and one ECM suite for itself. However, it has the capability, at the cost of effectively jamming its own communications, to project a third jamming beam. Two beams are sufficient to jam a typical cruiser’s fire control suites; three will effectively jam most capital ships, save the largest.
Alternatively, the paired ECM and communications arrays can produce two to three ECM bubbles. In combination with the Kourisodon’s large and powerful sensor array, the ECM bubbles are a counter-measure against cloaked ships. By flooding an area with broad-spectrum emissions to overwhelm the cloaking devices ability to match or mirror emissions, cloaked ships are more easily spotted: by looking for the areas where emissions are lower or the blank spot in the ECM bubble. The theory is similar to how cloaked ships are detected in atmosphere. In atmosphere, the physical presence of a cloaked ship cannot avoid heating the atmosphere or deflecting the air by its passage. While these effects can be masked by the cloaking field itself, outside of it, the effects can be detected. An ECM bubble substitutes the broad-band emissions for atmosphere. It is by no means as effective, but it significantly increases the chances of catching a cloaked ship – though as always, higher technology also has an effect.
As such, the Kourisodon is primarily a support vessel. Its weapons payload is geared to allowing the cruiser to remain at maximum engagement range, keeping away from the bulk of the fighting. The primary weapons are two huge particle beam turrets, identical to those found on the Varanus Komodoensis, giving the Kourisodon and respectable 1252TXq output over firepower over a 600 000km accuracy envelope – this neatly matches the maximum effective range the jamming beams can reach when powered by the secondary communications arrays
Secondary weapons, however, are restricted only to point-defence weapons. Like the Varanus, the Kourisodon mounts four 240TXq-output LZ-3300 heavy lazer cannons in the rear, and ten additional point-defence blisters. In the Kourisodon’s case, these are all outfitted with light particle beams, producing a net output of 1600TXq.
Despite the relative safety of its engagement range, the nuisance value of its jamming beams marks the Kourisodon as a high priority target and the vessel carries heavy armour and shielding. Both shields and armour are rated to 2400TXq, granting the Kourisodon almost twice the protection of the Varanus.
Due to their standardised components and low production cost, Kourisodons are expected to become a common sight in GTSR fleets, either acting as local command ships or as support vessels in small numbers. Likely the largest bottleneck will be producing the ex-Soviet Remnant particle beams. Initial indicators appear to be that the factories that produced those weapons have undergone rapid expansion. The GTSR appears to be far more willing to produce these highly expensive weapon systems than the Soviet Remnant was, and deploy them more widely.
The Kourisodon genus carries only one species, Kourisodon puntledgensis. From GTSR naming conventions, the cruiser’s lack of a corresponding species name further suggests that no variants of the Kourisodon are planned.
Varanus Panoptes Pocket Carrier
MMF (file) $1.00
Physical Print
Only-Games £3.61Shapeways $6.43
FDM £3.00
The Varanus Panoptes Pocket Carrier, named for the Argus monitor, was the first carrier vessel spotted in the GTSR fleet. The Panoptes is dominated by a larger through-deck hangar, with launch bays to the port and starboard, capable of housing and maintaining a full two squadrons of fighters. This required a significant amount of sacrifice in payload, however. The Panoptes removes 40% of the shield generators and a third of the armour. Armament is reduced to six LS-914B laser batteries, with a combined output of 900TXq. The two Derwent engines are replaced with another pair of Safran SF-M2340 engines, which reduces the performance to a sluggish 58 MEUs and only half the acceleration at 5.3mc. Being so slow and with barely 800 TXq shields and the same in armour integrity capacity, the Panoptes is a fairly soft target. However, it is expected not be operating only as platform for fighters. The one Panoptes spotted in 2350 carried one squadron each of Pterodactylus and Dimorphodon interceptors, but is expected Panoptes assigned to smaller task forces are likely to use either two squadron of Pterodactylus or hyperdrive-capable Dimorphodons to make FTL fighter strikes and support and likely to as more of a policing role.
Pteradactylus Fighter (Fleet)
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (12)
Only-Games £1.47Shapeways $5.40
FDM £2.80
Pteradactylus Fighter (300th)
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print
Only-Games £2.92Shapeways $6.24
FDM £3.20
The Pterodactylus fighter came as an unpleasant surprise for a Japanese Empire strike force when they first encountered them in the tail-end of 2349. Amongst the Pterodactylus’ armaments was a pair of Japanese Empire-built ion cannons. The GTSR had not been assumed to have retained enough infrastructure to be able to manufacture Japanese ion cannons. But the presence of them on the GTSR’s new fighter indicated otherwise.
The Pterodactylus is an all-round, generalist fighter and is thus expected to be seen deployed in larger numbers. From its observed performance, it is very solidly a jack-of-all-trades, but master of none. Manoeuvrability is slightly above average for a fighter at 490 MEUs, but at the cost of an acceleration of only 41mc. As with most fighters, it has very little armour, rated only to an AIC of 10TXq. The Pterodactyl’s substantial 150TXq shielding makes it durable. Analysis of the Pterodactylus’ power emissions suggest that it carries a hyperdrive, though when first encountered, the squadron was being carried by a militarised Oxen-class freighter, presumably to be delivered to a proper carrier.
The weapons payload is fairly light. In addition to the two 19TXq ion cannons on the upper wings, each lower wing mounts a single lazer cannon, rated to 20TXq. A pair of light torpedo launchers are each rated to a Standard Warhead Capacity rating of 6. In the observed conflict, these were each loaded with six standard 30TXq-yield Herosine Arms Mk 30 torpedoes. It is expected that when involved in anti-ship missions, these would be replaced with BSE-manufacture AST-450 Hammer anti-ship light torpedoes, four in each tube.
The armament and drive profile marks the Pterodactylus as a discount assault gunboat. The ion cannons as a default load-out seem to suggest an emphasis towards disabling enemy vessels for capture and are likely seen as more of an insurgence-suppression weapon or policing weapon. This likely furthers the GTSR’s narrative as a unifying power that seeks to end wars.
Notably, the Pterodactylus does not use the binomial nomenclature seen on the capital ships, which suggests that there are no planned variants. That said, it would be a relatively simple matter to swap out the ion cannons for additional lazers (or vice versa). The design seems to have more than a passing semblance of the CT-1 Cutthroat, and thus if the warheads launchers are also partly modular like that fighter, adapting them would not be a difficult task.
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𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀
Current Ko-fi Total: £125 => Only-Games Subscription costs met until 19th July 2024 (£100).
New Goal: £25/£50 towards next goal => Costs for two month’s subscription (uncertain time period).
Ko-fi link
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Photos of Prusa version, as always.Next month, wave three of the GTSR fleet.
I had, unfortunatly, absolutely no comments at all anywhere on the Accelerate and Attack vertical slice, which was disheartening. (Indeed, the only comments I had were on the picture of the model I used.) It means really all I can do is proceed on my best guess (when time allows, and it isn’t at the moment.) Likewise, the work on the Galaxy Guide is at a crawl; I have a couple more GTSR ships to actually do (no current timeframe) and then to write-up for that, even before the proofing check.
If anyone is able to have a look, the link is here.
And, since I don’t often remember to do it: Catalogue Link.
Aotrs Shipyards June 2024 Release: Sprut SD and Shilka
This month, a couple, one new (the 2S25 Sprut SD) and one from the backlog (so they’re not hanging there forever!), the ZSU-23-4V1 Shilka (as opposed to the (very similar!) 4V released previously).
Before I get to that, a couple of boring, business things to attend to.
Firstly, from August, I will be raising the prices of my standing commission fees. I have had a consecutive run of those of late (something I don’t think I’ve almost ever had before!) which has actually made me look at the long-term cost verses practical production time. I have realised that a) its taking me longer than a week to do a new vehicle these days (as I’ve got better at it and am more thorough) and b) I haven’t changed that price since I started in 2010.
Previously, I did a standard new vehicle at £50 (that is to say, for models that will go up in the Shipyards), which is increasing to £70 from August. That is still below the rate of (UK) inflation (according to what I looked up), but means that it will cover about the same amount of cost as the theoretical four-per-month with three. (More realistically, likely more like two and a bit, plus time left to actually do the everything-else that isn’t actually moderns commission work.)
(Scaling commissions will remain where they are at £15, since I’ve gotten quicker at doing those.)
Much as I loathe having to raise prices, it is a necessary evil in the current climate.
Secondly, update on the Only-Games situation: the last couple of months, I’ve had three big orders which has just barely paid for the running costs. If that continues, then the store can remain open, but if (as I suspect) that just some spike sales, it’s not going to have broken even by the time the July subscription cost comes in and the kofi is not keeping up with it. As such, I am half-expecting to have to shut the Only-Games side down in mid-July, which means models from there basically are on special order (or paying a £25 overhead to pay for the month’s subscription.) Be forewarned.
So with the bad news out of the way, let’s get down to the releases!
2S25 Sprut SD
MMF (file) $1.25
Physical Print
Only-Games £5.02Shapeways $10.49
FDM £3.80
ZSU-23-4V1 Shilka
MMF (file) $1.20
Physical Print
Only-Games £4.64FDM £3.60
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𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀
Current Ko-fi Total: £112 => Only-Games Subscription costs met until 19th July 2024 (£100).
New Goal: £24/£50 towards next goal => Costs for two month’s subscription (uncertain time period).
Ko-fi link______________________________________________________________
Photos of Prusa version, as always.Next month – no idea, I’m getting commissions in more or less faster than I can do them (which is a better position to be in that not, at least!) so it’ll be drawing from those, so likely expect more Soviet gear!
Aotrs Shipyards May 2024 Release: Grand Terran Sovereign Republic Wave One
This month, just in time for their full debut at Partizan at the weekend, here’s the first wave (of four) ships for the Grand Terran Sovereign Republic. Since they kicked over the galaxy’s sandhill (and especially all the other human powers), the GTSR has been moving into producing its own bespoke ships, instead of maintaining the disparate fleets of the former human powers it absorbed.
Today, we have several of the first ships spotted: The Varanus Heavy Cruiser, Gerrhonotus Destroyer and Abronia Corvette – all of which have subvariants, the rest of which will be coming in the subsequent waves.
And rounding out the line-up (in and truth because I’d already half-uploaded it) the Xenodens “Baby Dragon” Army Transport, my (failed..!) entry to the UK Games Expo next weekend.
(Sadly, I am away and there was no chance of us making it this year, but maybe another year.)
Abronia Aurita Corvette
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (6)
Only-Games £2.55
Shapeways $6.59FDM £2.90
When the Grand Terran Sovereign Republic took over, it was presented with a problem. Its new fleet consists of a wide range of vessels from the powers it had absorbed, across disparate technology bases, not of all of which it could sustain. In the short term, it implemented a policy of keeping fleets to their own former compositions, but moving them away from their home territories. This served the purpose of underlining the new unity of purpose and conveniently ensuring that no fleet would be facing off against former comrades. It was not a move without risk, as it substantially increased the supply lines for parts and spares particularly. But the abrupt and surprise nature of the transition of power cut off the former power’s peripheries from their own supply bases, which were largely more centralised. This more-or-less ensured there little punitive military action could be taken in the first few years.
Nevertheless, from the outset, it was clear that the GTSR would need its own fleet, one standardised to its own new vessels. Almost immediately, all new hull construction for vessels of the absorbed powers was cancelled, and only replacements for the current standing fleets were maintained.
That is it has only been three years between the GTSR’s emergence and the deployment of its first new vessels suggests that at least part of the design work was undertaken before the emergence itself.
The GTSR appears to be taking a semi-modular approach to its ship design, building hulls and variants for different roles. This makes sense in light of the move to standardisation and unification of its forces and will allow fewer base hull designs to cover a wider range of roles. In general, this approach has some cost in generalisation over specialisation and is more often seen employed by powers with a more limited budget. But for a navy as potentially large as the GTSR’s, on many levels, quantity can somewhat substitute for quality, and moreover, the speed at which the various roles can be broadly covered is more important. We could thus expect to see more specialised designs some years or decades down the line.
The Abronia is fairly large corvette and over three hundred meters, though perhaps a third of its length is the distinctive “tail-fluke.” The flukes appear modelled on those seem in fossil marine reptiles. Their function is obvious when looked at outside the visual spectrum: heat sinks, not unlike those used made by the various elenthnar powers, in a case of technological convergence.
The GTSR fleet appears to be created from the sustainable elements of the composite technology base. Mating these somewhat disparate technologies to work together is no mean feat, though considerably easier with them all stemming from human technology, rather than alien. We can infer from the presence of these heat sinks that GTSR technology is probably being factory-overclocked to compensate for the conflicts, retaining performance at the cost a significant amount of waste heat and radiation. There is a further evidence that the “tail-flukes” also serve as communication masts, somewhat extending the range of GTSR communications systems.
The Abronia has been seen in two variants – the Abronia Aurita and Abronia Graminea. Both are largely identical except for weapon load out.
The Aurita is armed entirely with particle beams. Analysis of the weapons blister size, power emissions and substantiated by intercepted transmissions indicates that the primary weapons blisters (the dorsal blister and forward side blisters) consist of Soviet Remnant particle beams, which would suggest the battery has an output of 312TXq, and an estimated accuracy envelope of around 300 000km. The secondary weapons blisters appear to contain British Stellar Empire light particle beams, which indicates that these are still being produced by the GTSR. These grant a combined output of around 480Txq over an engagement sphere of 0.9Ym³.
Gerrhonotus Rhombifer Escort Destroyer
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The third hull of the new GTSR fleet to be spotted, only a single configuration of the Gerrhonotus destroyer, the Rhombifer, was initially identified in the first encounter. The Gerrhonotus Rhombifer (named after the isthman alligator lizard) is a dedicated escort vessel.
What is most remarkable about it is its speed. The Gerrhonotus Rhombifer uses two Rolls-Royce Derwent FD12000 engines, the same as found on the Varanus Heavy Cruiser. On the much smaller destroyer, they propel the vessel to an acceleration of an exceptional 23.4mc. Combined with manoeuvrability rated at 265 MEUs, this acceleration makes the Gerrhonotus Rhombifer a hard target to hit and allows it to keep up with much smaller vessels like the Abronia with ease. If anything, the Gerrhonotus seems over-engined for purely escort duty. The fact that its name is a specific epithet component indicates there is at least one other variant hull planned or in production. Assuming the variant has the same drives, it would suggest a platform for either extremely short-ranged weapons (so as to close the distances) or extremely long range (to be able to “kite” or manoeuvre to keep out of range of enemy vessels with short-ranged weapons) – or perhaps both. However, even a version with standard particle beams would be a significant threat.
Even when a hit lands, the Gerrhonotus is well-protected. The hull is armoured with composite multilayer armour of German League manufacture, giving it an Armour Integrity Capacity of 434TXq. Surrounding this is a 410TXq-rated shield array.
The Gerrhonotus Rhombifer is armed with twenty-four weapons blisters, each mounting a Herosine Arms LZI-2400 lazer point defence battery – cutting edge lazer weapons used on the most recent Herosine Empire designs. These are almost certainly procured via import or produced under license, since the Herosine Arm factories that produce them remain solidly under Herosine Empire control. These weapons produce a combined output of 3880TXq. This sheer volume of firepower, combined with the Gerrhonotus’ speed mean that it cannot be discounted as a threat to other capital ships. Though they have only been seen functioning in an escort role, it is considered highly possible that the Gerrhonotus Rhombifer, deployed in numbers, would be a significant threat in their own right. It would be difficult to prevent them reaching their weapon’s 0.9Ym³ engagement sphere. While lacking any penetrating power, in concert, the firepower from two or three Gerrhonotus would be able to eat away at the shielding of a typical heavy cruiser, even without the support of standard capital ship weaponry. It then has the firepower and accuracy put enough holes in the armour to wreck an enemy vessel.
Varanus Griseus Heavy Cruiser
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The first indication that the GTSR was ahead of the projected deployment of new vessels came in mid-2349, when a pair of Varanus Cruisers were first spotted. The Varanus, like so many other heavy cruisers the galaxy over, looks to be shaping up to be the workhorse of the GTSR navy.
The naming convention of the new GTSR ships is based on the binomial nomenclature – that is, the scientific name – used to classify species. The given reason from the GTSR’s public releases is that such scientific names are in a neutral language by design, and so use of them is a further unifying symbolism. However, that the naming schemes chosen have tended towards the decidedly reptilian has not gone unnoticed. The binomial nomenclature is a particularly interesting choice, as the species name (the second part) is used to differentiate between different variants. (The first, or genus name, is otherwise the name most commonly used when talking about extinct species for instance, with a few notable exceptions.)
The Varanus is named for the monitor lizards. In the first recorded encounter again the Japanese Empire, two variants were spotted; the Varanus Griseus and Varanus Flavescens, named for the desert and gold monitor respectively. A further three variants have been observed operating with GTSR fleets; the Varanus Varius, Panoptes and Komodoensis. All the variants are very similar, and use many of the same hull components, but differ more substantially than the Abronia corvettes. All five share the forward module of the three in common. The Griseus, Varius and Komodoensis appear to share the same middle and rear hull modules which are roughly equal in length, whereas the Flavescens and the Panoptes use modules of longer and short lengths.
Curiously, all configurations but the Varanus Komodoensis have only a single fire control suite, where as a typical heavy cruiser would carry at least two. For the Panoptes and Varius, armed with only anti-fighter/anti-missile weapons, where each system must perforce carry its own smaller suite, this is not surprising – but it is unusual to see vessels on the Varanus’ size have only one fire control suite to handle both primary and secondary anti-starship weapons.
The Varanus very clearly shows the matching of the best (sustainable) elements of the GTSRs constituent powers. The hull technology itself appears to have been manufactured to using the more advanced techniques used by the Saturn Syndicate Ascendancy, the Eternal Reich and the French and Israeli states. The sensor profile indicates technology incorporated from the Japanese Empire and communications systems from the British Stellar Empire.
The Varanus’ armour is a multilayer composite, made originally for the Eternal Reich, and it particularly mass-efficient. Using an estimated half the mass of the armour of a typical heavy cruiser of is size (such as the ubiquitous Delta Heavy Cruiser), the Varanus boasts armour with 20% more strength, rating as an Armour Integrity Capacity of 1230TXq. The saving in mass allows the Varanus to mount additional shield generators, giving it shields rated to 1400TXq.
Two Rolls-Royce Derwent FD12000 engines are supplemented by two smaller Safran SF-M2340 drives. The Derwents provide much of the motive power and thrust-vectoring manoeuvring, while the SF-M2340s provide supplementary acceleration. In concert, they give the Varanus a typically-average drive profile, with an agility rated at 118 MEUs and an acceleration of 10.6mc. Notably, however, both types of engine have above-average fuel-to-power ratios, making them maximally efficient for long-term operations.
The Varanus Griseus was the first variant to be identified. It is armed entirely with energy weapons. The primary battery is spinally mounted, on the underside of the hull; four Soviet Remnant-produced particle beam cannons, with a combined output of 966TXq and an accuracy envelope of 400 000km. These weapons appear to be the same design as those used on the Xinglong Heavy Cruiser, though in slightly different housings.
The remaining weapons are mounted in weapons blisters. Interestingly, all the weapons blisters are of Herosine Arms design. Found across many General Designs Hulls designs – the Delta hull especially – the standard weapon mounts are easy to configure for the smaller end users to mount locally-sourced weapons. It is unusual to see a larger power using them, and they typically produce their own purpose-built mounts for their weapon systems. This may be a simple accommodation for speed of production – it means less design work to simply “plug-in” the Herosine blisters, which are designed for exactly that. It may also be a concession to standardisation, since using the existing and commercially available blisters means a large standing supply of spares.
The secondary anti-starship batteries are mounted in four larger blister in the middle hull module. These are outfitted with Soviet Remnant particle beam cannons rated to a combined output of 624TXq and with an accuracy envelope of 300 000km.
However, the two Varanus Griseus were seen using different weapons in the point-defence blisters.
The Varanus Griseus mounts fourteen point-defence blisters; ten smaller blisters covering the forward and beam arcs, and four larger blisters covering the rear arcs specifically. On both Griseus spotted, these four rear blisters were fitted with Herosine-manufacture LZ-3300 heavy lazer cannons, with an output of 240TXq each. The LZ-3300 is a larger weapon, intended for sustained fire, but has slightly less tracking capability. Their placement as the rear turrets, however, is an intelligent move. As the LZ-3300s are only intended to work in a narrow field of fire, their lower tracking is less important, as the beams have to travel less distances to catch targets. The higher power output compensates for the fact that the rear facing could not mount as many standard blisters to cover it. The ventral pair of blisters are also capable of engaging targets in the lower hemisphere, but purely as a final backstop to catch anything the smaller blisters could not hit (again, as the final system to engage, it gives them maximum time to adjust to intercept.) This means that overall, the Varanus’ ability to project PD fire as roughly equal all aspects.
But the smaller point-defence blisters held different weapons on the two different Varanus Griseus cruisers. One had mounted all ten blisters with particle beams (believed to be of BSE manufacture) rated at a combined output of 1600TXq and an engagement sphere of 0.9Ym³. The other appeared to be mounting six stock Herosine Arms LS-914B laser batteries with a combined output of 900TXq and the front four blisters instead carried unidentified disintegrator cannons with a combined output of 670TXq, but a smaller engagement sphere of 0.85Ym³. The disintegrators are tentatively guessed to be of Herosine manufacture, but this is highly unclear.
What the significance of these apparently unlabelled subvariants is unknown, but they were using different colour schemes. Different branches of the GTSR perhaps? At time of writing, the reason remains pure speculation.
Varanus Flavescens Heavy Cruiser
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The Varanus Flavescens has a notably different hull to the Griseus. While the Griseus is divided three roughly equal structures, the Flavescens instead has the same front structure but its middle module twice the length of it rearmost one. The missile structure mounts a number of missile racks in paddle-like mounts, giving the vessel a profile faintly reminiscent of a four-flippered marine reptile. (This resemblance is also shown to an extent in the Gerrhonotus and even the Pterodactylus and is unlikely to be entirely accidental.) It is estimated that the Flavescens carries 192 missiles. These are thought to most likely to be either BSE ASM-256 Starlance missiles or Soviet Remnant K-5512 Liúxīng (Meteor) missiles, both of which have comparable 200TXq yields and engagement envelopes of 600 000km, as both BSE and Soviet Remnant vessels use these munitions in large numbers and would be the most logical to use from stockpiles.
The Flavescens retains the same secondary particle beams and rear heavy lazer cannons as on the Griseus, but the point-defence blisters are different again, a mix of four particle beam blisters (with a net output of 640TXq) and six lazer cannon blisters (with an net output of 944TXq). Notably, the lazer blisters are the older LZ-2200 batteries and not the more modern (and expensive) mounts on the Gerrhonotus Rhombifer.
Xenodens “Baby Dragon” Army Transport
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The Xenodens “Baby Dragon” Army Transport represents a divergence in design philosophy. Rather than a convention transport spacecraft supported by orbital landing vessels, the Xenodens itself is intended to land on the planet’s surface.
The vessel was named for a small Mosasaur, but acquired its nickname quite early in development. Reputedly, it was first coined by a spouse of the lead designer, who on seeing an image of the vessel’s plans for the first time on a work-screen remarked that it looked “like a baby dragon” and nickname stuck.
The physical features which gave rise to this sobriquet are all present in other Grand Terran Sovereign Republic spacecraft. Whereas there, the features combine to give an impression of a stylised mosasaur or pliosaur, in the Xenodens, these features make the Xenodens seem more draconic. But in practice, this is simply due to the modifications made to suit the Xenoden’s purpose.
The front module – the “head” of the “dragon” appears oversized in proportion to the rest of the hull. This unintentionally plays on the common perception of a juvenile creature having larger heads. It is this that gave rise to the “baby” portion of its nickname. In actuality, this is simply because the forward module houses the Xenoden’s troop compliment. A single Xenodens is capable of quartering an estimated twelve companies; which, for instance, would allow it to carry an entire armoured regiment all by itself.
The reason the forward module was chosen for this and not further along in the main hull is likely combination of two factors. Firstly, by concentrating the mission-module in one section, it allows the remainder of the hull to be fitted in a more standardised fashion, which for the modular-based design of the GTSR fleet would be a valuable benefit. It would mean that a new design would only have to modify this forward module. Secondarily, it likely assists with air resistance. While a starship of this size in atmosphere is always a case of brute for over aerodynamics, there is still something to be said for some level of streamlining. The larger “head” will thus deflect some of the flowing air over the far-less streamlined hull structures. At bare minimum, it allows the shields to be slightly tighter to the hull when used as atmospheric baffles.
The forward module further enhances the head comparison by the deployment ramp, which drops very much like a jaw. The top of the ramp is seven metres above the ground on a level surface, and is 76 metres long. Reinforced with starship armour, the ramp is bulky: 47.2 metres wide at the base, tapering to 26 metres wide at the tip and six metres thick. A 20m-wide groove runs down the centre, lowering the thickness to a mere four metres. When deployed, a smaller, lighter ramp can be unfolded from the tip to cover these last four metres to the ground.
The channel provides cover to infantry and even to armoured vehicles – but this is somewhat incidental. The ramp’s thickness is partially mandated by being part of the external hull and not being a weak point. But the sheer mass makes the ramp a near-80m bludgeon, which crushes terrain and buildings beneath it which might otherwise prevent the ramp from dropping. Further, it allows the ramp to solidly imbed into the terrain beneath, and thus reduce the height from the ground the front edge of the channel is, and thus shorten the distance the secondary ramp had to extend. In ideal conditions the ramp can easily hammer in to its full four-metre thickness, meaning the secondary ramp isn’t required at all.
Even with the taper to somewhat reduce the mass, it still requires the three huge engines to power the ramp’s deployment. These engines can work both ways, and so can actually supplement the weight of the ramp if necessary to further enhance the impact when mere gravity would not be enough.
To compensate for moving the vessel in atmosphere, the Xenoden’s two General Electric FD5162 engines grant the vessel an atypically higher amount of power for a transport vessel, providing 16.2mc acceleration. The vessel’s agility is rated at 172 MEUs, which is good for a cruiser, let alone a military transport. The engines are mounted higher on the hull than typical for GTSR vessels, to reduce the amount of distance that ramp would have to fall to reach the ground. The two rear landing pads are mounted sturdily on the base of the engines.
The four claw-like landing pads are the only feature of the Xenodens not typically found on other GTSR ships, for obvious reasons. While it would have been possible to make them fully retractable, as noted, streamlining a large vessel only goes so far and the extra volume this would have required would not have been worth it for that benefit alone.
By the time the landing pads were being designed were added, the Baby Dragon observation had already been made. However, even here, the landing pads were not solely designed to fit the emergent aesthetic, though that is likely to have been a minor factor. The pads are articulated like claws, with three forward “toes” and one rear “toe” to allow landing on terrain which may not always be as conveniently level as a spaceport. Furthermore, the outside “toes” are capable of swinging up to 90° from centreline. This provides the Xenodens with sufficient stability to allow it withstand the loss of at least one landing pad and be able to maintain balance. If the deployment ramp is functioning as a fifth point of balance, the Baby Dragon could even withstand the loss of two landing pads, provided they were not adjacent.
The radiator tail-fluke of the GTSR fleet would have posed some significant problems on the Xenodens. In atmosphere, it would have provided additional drag in manoeuvring, and would have been detrimental to the stability of the vessel when landed. Instead, the radiators were split and made into wings. This has only a minor effect in lift – they are strictly not big enough to act as lift on their own under standard atmospheric pressure. But by moving the weight to a position more central to the landing pads, it meant that the vessel was more stable, especially in a landing-pad failure situation. This is what ultimately lead to the more draconic shape; the “stump” of the tail further reinforcing the impression of a hatchling.
The Baby Dragon also shares akin to the protection of its namesake’s hide. Despite its smaller size, the Xenodens mounts armour comparable to the Varanus, with an Armour Integrity Capacity of 1190TXq. It is also heavily shielded, rated to the same as a typical heavy cruiser at 1240TXq.
The armament is somewhat lighter, however. The Xenodens only mounts point-defence weapons systems. Sixteen emplacements ensure that at all aspects of approach are covered. Six are mounted on the forward module. Four of these are mounted on the underside of the hull, where they can provide support to the ground troops debussing. Covering the area where these cannot, four more emplacements are positioned around the engines at the rear. Each wing mounts a pair of emplacements, and the final pair of these are mounted on towers either side of the head. These last somewhat give the impression of ears or perhaps horns. This is a convergence of purpose and aesthetics, since this position gives them unrestricted arcs of fire over a wider area of the hull, since the top of the head is the highest point aside from the bridge-tower.
Interestingly, all these emplacements appear to be given over to light ion cannons, with a combined output of an estimated 1760TXq. This seems an unusual choice, though it makes the Xenodens capable of running down and boarding smaller craft. The lack of ability to strip shields would make this problematic. However, there is more than sufficient space inside the Xenodens to replace the troop quarters with a hangar – presumably deploying through the ramp as easily as a standard hanger bay. This would make the Xenodens a quite capable pocket carrier. No carrier versions have yet been spotted thus far, but given the GTSR’s penchant for modular designs, the evidence that it only a matter of time is mounting.
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𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀
Current Ko-fi Total: £112 => Only-Games Subscription costs met until 19th July 2024 (£100).
New Goal: £24/£50 towards next goal => Costs for until 19th September 2024 (potentially, see above).
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Photos of Prusa version, as always.So, this release was supposed to go out yesterday and it (at time of typing) might not even go out today… Turns out, trying to upload 26 models to three websites takes an enormous amount of time. I ended up having to give up and just sort out the miscellaneous stuff and then do the five GTSR ships for today’s release. Firefox and Outlook Express have chosen to fight me the whole time, so it has been slow and frustrating going, as I also kept finding thinsg that needed to be fixed and it was halfway through the day before I even GOT to start uploading the GTSR.
And, coming to to time, *just* as I had committed to releasing tonight, Shapeways threw one of its screaming wobblies and kept privating the Varanus Griseus AND the Gerrhonotus Rhombifer. I wasn’t going to let them screw me over, so I made a new model page (three times in the first case) until I just put no fluff on it and got it public, because [frack] ’em, I’m not waiting on their timescale for unnecessary nonsense checks.
I might as well report that, in the background, Dad has suddenly developed angina, like with the last few weeks, which has curtailed his mobility. He’s being sen properly tomorrow, but it is, again, just an extra level of stress.
What did I say last time about a “less harassed” release…?
The next three GTSR waves will be coming over the next few months – plus there’s another few miscellaneous ships which might take us all the way up to Other Partizan (and after that I genuinely have no idea at the moment). Between convention prep, commissions and stuff generally sucking, I have not had any chance to work on the fluff book (save for the entries for the GTSR fleet itself), much less my proposed fleet stat books. No idea even when the GTSR stuff can up on the Spacebattles thread.
Aotrs Shipyards May2024 Release: Panhard EBR and Only-Games Flash Sale
This month’s release is the Panhard ERB (suitable for use as either 75mm or 90mm, since the latter was just the same gun bored out and turned into a low-pressure version), at 1:144th as usual.
But firstly: there is a Flash 30% off sale at Only-Games for Shipyards models ending May 9th 12PM BST.
(I have had to thus rush out this month’s modern’s release so go out with the announcement before breakfast, even, so sorry if this is a bit short and stock. They offered, so I took them up on it.)
If you are interested in trying the resins from Only-Games, I would advise sooner rather than later.
I’m afraid the writing is fairly clearly on the wall that otherwise the sales are not even approaching the cost of the monthly subscription (since I had to open the kofi, not even half of one month’s subscription since March). I am going to keep it open until the second week of June, which covers the first round of kofi, but after that (unless this and the aftermath of Partizan/UK Games Expo) drums up enough to at least cover the costs, the Only-Games side will have to be available only by special order (through me playing postage twice or by paying the subscription cost as an overhead). I’m sorry and it’s a blow, but I literally can’t afford to pay £25 month to keep it open with only a trickle of sales.
Right on to the actual release: the Panhard EBR as commission by Manoeuvre Group to be put on for Partizan on the 19th of this month!
Panhard EBR
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𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀
Current Ko-fi Total: £112 => Only-Games Subscription costs met until 19th July 2024 (£100).
New Goal: £23/£50 towards next goal => Costs for until 19th September 2024 (potentially, see above).
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Photos of Prusa version, as always.Next week, a slightly less harassed release (I hope) of the first few models for the new Grand Terran Sovereign Republic (GTSR) Grand Fleet.
Next month, I’m not sure what (I’m honestly not looking further ahead than Partizan currently), but there’s plenty enough in the recent round of commissions. (The last of which I’ve had to delay because of the Partizan prep; in fact yesterday and today were supposed to be spent frantically painting the GTSR and finishing the scenario, but more and more stuff keeps getting in the way, which is really tedious…)
Aotrs Shipyards March 2024 Release: Royal Elven Army Wave Three
So, first off, the Only-Games Store is back open. I was quite frankly astonished at the support from Ko-Fi, which has reached enough to meet the subscriptions until July, which is more than I ever would have expected; so thank you from the bottom of my heart for all those that have supported me.
The most important thing is, of course, the Only-Games store is open. The side benefits of the subscription to TheShop3D+, it means bare minimum that the resin prints (that will fit) in the shiny clam-shell packaging with the custom back cover (which will be like the ones I take round the shows and such, photo posted at the end, along with the new custom version.) There’s also the options to bundle PDF files with the purchase (so I could conceivably include the same lore files that I do at MMF) and potentially 2D manufacturing for booklets and things, though I don’t currently see an obvious use for that right out of the gate.
I will periodically re-set the goal as we close to towards the end of the period, but really, we’ll just have to see how we go.
As an aside, I apologise to anyone who tried to donate anonymously; while it’s anonymous at Ko-Fi, Paypal, hopelessly, tells the creator (that is, me) the email of the donator anyway, which I didn’t realised until I’d thanked a couple of people directly. I looked into things to see if there was a way to actually do it, but it’s a bit of farce. Unless you have Paypal business, when you can apparently decide what to put on stuff, basically, you’d have to have an email without your name attached for it to actually anonymous. The other method of paying is Stripe, which looking at it, seemed to imply that would tell the creator *even more* details. So that’s all a bit silly really. Sorry about that, doesn’t seem a lot I can do on that front.
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So, on to today’s release. Today’s release is the third and (for the moment) final wave of the Royal Elven Kingdoms army.
The REK army has had to deal with a lot of mend-and-make-do as far as its armed forces go, as is apparent here – the Gladrusc Command Tank – a modification of the Gladrusc MBT – and Silmanordo APC hull, pushed into two different roles, AA vehicle and weapons carrier. (Not unlike the M113.)
Gladrusc Command Tank
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FDM £3.20With a very limited resource budget, the Royal Elven Army has put Gladrusc hull to a variety of uses, none of them ideal. In order to cut down on the total number of vehicles in production, the civilian government pushed through the idea of replacing some scout units by placing a drone on the Gladrusc. This necessitated removing the point-defence lazer and smoke dischargers and instead replacing them with the mounting point for a Long Flight drone. Initially, it was conceived that each platoon of four would have one of these vehicles and three standard Gladruscs. The military – having wiser minds – fought the idea, as is substantially reduced the defences of the tank, even with the addition of mist emitters in lieu of the smoke dischargers.
In the end, a compromise was made, and the “recon” version of the Gladrusc was regulated to being a command vehicle, primarily for company commanders. This necessitated the addition of more equipment internally, but the removal of the lazer left more than sufficient mass, since the Long Flight was relatively light.
The Long Flight Recon Drone is a low-cost, unarmed reconnaissance platform. Weighing in at around 250kg, it is essentially little more than a power core and expanded sensor array attached to an antigrav drive and flight engines. The sensor software includes warhead targeting packages, which allow it to spot for other missile-equipped units. It has an operational range of 24 hours over 500 miles.
It is most commonly deployed on the command variant of the Gladrusc, or elf-deployed launchers carried by specialist reconnaissance infantry in an APC. In this latter case, due to the volume constraints of the APCs, the wings cannot be transported in situ and must be mounted before it can be launched. This increases the deployment time to around twenty minutes. Given that most of these specialist infantry are deployed as strategic, rather than tactical units who are primarily concerned with locating enemy armies, this is only a minor drawback.
Long Flights used by the Gladrusc command tanks are instead frequently only used at much shorter distances for battlefield support rather than long-range reconnaissance, principally as missile spotters.
The disposable nature of the Long Flight means that they have seen significant sensor upgrades over their long design life to keep their technology current.
The command version of the Gladrusc is moderately successful as a company command vehicle, but insufficient for a dedicated command vehicle for higher level, simply because it lacks the required space; the role is typically served instead by command versions of the Silmanordo or Aincaala.Silmanordo Talco–Nertë AAA
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FDM £3.30The Royal Elven Army’s limited resource budget over the last century has required it adapt to a policy of “making do.” The army has had to adapt existing designs to new functions. While this is often the case for armoured vehicles, for the REA, it has been a particularly acute problem.
It is not unusual in the history of armoured vehicles to see an APC transformed into a weapons carrier (and as evidenced by the Talco-Otso Silmanordo variant), but rather more rare for one to be converted into a primary anti-aircraft role.
Yet that is precisely what the Silmanordo Talco-Nertë Anti-Aircraft Artillery (lit. “silver oak mark nine”) vehicle is. Fundamentally, the Talco-Nertë is a Silmanordo hull with a new turret slapped on top. Without the ability to design a dedicated hull to house all the required electronics, the Talco-Nertë had to place the majority of its functions in the automated turret and what little space and mass was left over in the relatively small Silmanordo hull. The result was a somewhat ungainly-looking vehicle that performs notable much worse when it is require to fly, being not at all stream-lined and rather top heavy.
However, when functioning as ground vehicle, the Talco-Nertë at least performs its function adequately.
The turret is at least slightly better armoured than the hull, rating at Tier 16 verses energy weapons, and a Tier above the hull against kinetic weapons at Tier 12.
The weapons load-out is the vehicle’s strongest feature. The Talco-Nertë’s primary weapons are the four rotary railguns, a rare direct-fire weapon system that is not energy based. In concert, these weapons can reach a combined rating of Tier 19, and it has sufficient ammunition for extended fire missions.
The railguns are backed up by two rail-mounted Stormlight missiles; with a warhead rated to Tier 21, the Stormlights are a threat to main battle tanks.
However, the efficacy of these weapons is somewhat muted by the sensor array, which is only updated from the base Silmanordo’s by the addition of the AA tracking systems. This leaves the sensor suite quite basis, and incapable of performing any other useful actions such as transmitting firing locks.
Due to the relatively low combat usage, the Talco-Nertë has not suffered extensively due to its shortcomings, but as the galactic situation continues to deteriorate, it is a race against time for the REA to replace or upgrade these aging vehicles before they become more liability than asset.
Silmanordo Talco-Otso Weapons Carrier
MMF (file) $1.40
Physical Print
Only-Games £5.17
Shapeways $10.32FDM £3.60
The Silmanordo Talco-Otso Weapons Carrier (lit. “silver oak mark seven”) was initially only conceived as a stop-gap measure to provide infantry units with more fire support. However, the civilian oversight committee once again interceded, and the Talco-Otso was pushed into wider use than originally intended.
The Talco-Otso now provides the Royal Elven Army as its primary missile vehicle. It still performs this task quite well, considering the age of its systems.
The Talco-Otso carries four Starfall missile Pods, each contain four Starfall missiles. The Starfall is a lock-and-launch missile, rated to Tier 19. At the time of its inception, this was enough to be a threat to main battle tanks – hence why it was promoted from infantry support – but the advancement of the past century has reduced that effectiveness somewhat. Nevertheless, it is still enough firepower it cannot be ignored. However, once the Talco-Orto has emptied its pods, it has no other back-up weapons.
The turret, when fixed forward in flight mode, has a small enough profile it doesn’t not significantly impede the vehicle in flight mode, though it does have a measurable decrease in speed and agility over a standard Silmanordo.
The turret has slightly improved armour over the hull and an incremental improvement to ECM systems, but otherwise is little better protected than its parent unit – and only when one considers passive defence, as it has no active point-defence weapons at all. The Talco-Orto does not have standard smoke dischargers, but instead two mist emitters were mounted to the hull to provide point-protection. This was considered sufficient as the Talco-Orto was not intended to get too close to the enemy.
It is quite remarkable, then, that with this determination, the sensor package of the Talco-Orto remains almost identical to the standard Silmanordo, meaning that it requires stopping for indirect fire from other units.
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Only-Games Store Status
Current Ko-fi Total: £110 => Only-Games Subscription costs met until 19th July 2024.
Ko-fi link.______________________________________________________________
Photos of Replicator 2 versions.There is likely to be a pause on the sci-fi releases, though not a long one; my intention is to have the Grand Terran Sovereign Republic fleet on the table at Partizan on the 19th of May and work is progressing on that currently. (Strictly, I have enough to do a month’s release or two if I stretch it out, but I’d prefer a few more models yet.) This also has to be fitted around commissions, and of course, the work on Bleakbane’s Galaxy Guide, the lore book, which is also getting perilously close to a first edition state. (I don’t say “complete,” since as a living document, it never going to be “complete…”)
In the meantime, co-incident with today’s release, there is new entry on the Bleakbane’s Galaxy Guide SpaceBattles thread here.
This is a relatively short one, covering dimensions, planes and cosmologies, something I realised I needed to write to aid the understanding of the Saiyvalyss Alliance Quick Look. (Which it itself written bar the final checks, and will be hopefully up there in the next week or so.)
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Leopard 2A4 in the bubble pack from… whenever I got that done.
New backing card from as of from today.
Aotrs Shipyards March 2024 Release: VAB VTT
(Try again, right this time…)
So, first off, the Only-Games Store is back open. I was quite frankly astonished at the support from Ko-Fi, which has reached enough to meet the subscriptions until July, which is more than I ever would have expected; so thank you from the bottom of my heart for all those that have supported me.
The most important thing is, of course, the Only-Games store is open. The side benefits of the subscription to TheShop3D+, it means bare minimum that the resin prints (that will fit) in the shiny clam-shell packaging with the custom back cover (which will be like the ones I take round the shows and such, photo posted at the end, along with the new custom version.) There’s also the options to bundle PDF files with the purchase (so I could conceivably include the same lore files that I do at MMF) and potentially 2D manufacturing for booklets and things, though I don’t currently see an obvious use for that right out of the gate.
I will periodically re-set the goal as we close to towards the end of the period, but really, we’ll just have to see how we go.
As an aside, I apologise to anyone who tried to donate anonymously; while it’s anonymous at Ko-Fi, Paypal, hopelessly, tells the creator (that is, me) the email of the donator anyway, which I didn’t realised until I’d thanked a couple of people directly. I looked into things to see if there was a way to actually do it, but it’s a bit of farce. Unless you have Paypal business, when you can apparently decide what to put on stuff, basically, you’d have to have an email without your name attached for it to actually anonymous. The other method of paying is Stripe, which looking at it, seemed to imply that would tell the creator *even more* details. So that’s all a bit silly really. Sorry about that, doesn’t seem a lot I can do on that front.
______________________________________________________________Right, on to the actual (slightly late) release for this month. (With how messy this month has been, only the one this time; however, I’m in the process of taking some commissions, which will conveniently also serve as forthcoming moderns releases for a bit as well.)
But for this time, I have the French VAB VTT (4×4 French army version), at 144th as per usual.
VAB VTT
MMF (file) $0.85
Physical Print
Only-Games £3.13Shapeways $6.56
FDM £3.20
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Only-Games Store Status
Current Ko-fi Total: £110 => Only-Games Subscription costs met until 19th July 2024.
Ko-fi link
______________________________________________________________Photos of Prusa version, as always.
Next week will be the last of the current Royal Elven Kingdoms ground forces. After which the sci-fi releases will be paused for a bit; I’ve got a new fleet well on the way, but especially, it’s not there yet; the Bleakbane’s Galaxy Guide, the lore book, is creeping closer, but still a way off discounting proof-reading time. (Which, for getting on for 500 pages, is not going to be insubstantial…) I am going to try and see if I can work out how to turn it into a kindle file as well, as with the minimal black-and-white line illustrations, it’s definitely a read-book, not an art-book.
Moderns, next month will either be the VAB VTT 6×6 international version, or potentially something else depending on how the commissions go.
Again, thanks to everyone for your support bearing with me; it’s been kind of a rough couple of weeks, both inside and outside of work onto of the ongoing situation.
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Leopard 2A4 in the bubble pack from… whenever I got that done.
New backing card from as of from today.
Aotrs Shipyards February 2024 Release: Royal Elven Army Wave Two
This month, I have the next three units for the Royal Elven Kingdoms Royal Elven Army. This time, the Aincaala APC, the Silmanordo-Talco-Neled command vehicle and the Lhúg recon cycle!
Ainaalca APC
MMF (file) $1.30Physical Print
Only-Games £4.86
Shapeways $9.12
FDM £3.30The Aincaala (“eye-n-caa-la”) APC is the most modern APC in the Royal Elven Army, but that still makes it just over half century old. The Aincaala is a significant improvement over the older Silmanordo, but the anti-military civilian-controlled purse strings regulated it to only modest production numbers in comparison to the cheaper Silmanordo.
The Aincaala’s largest gain over the Silmanordo is armour. The kinetic armour at the front is rated to Tier 16, and the energy to Tier 18, and the side only a tier less. This makes it quite well protected for a shieldless unit, and slightly better armoured than a contemporary Grand Terran Sovereign Republic APC, such as the Warrior. The Aincaala also boast a full-grav drive, giving it much better mobility than a tracked APC. The Aincaala also has the greatest speed and manoeuvrability in flight mode over the elves’ other APCs and heavy AFVs, but this is at best a marginal benefit in operational use.
The Aincaala’s turret is larger and more armoured than the Silmanordo’s, but it is still fairly small. The turret is equipped with two lazer point-defence cannons, which in concert can rate up to Tier 9. While not fully independently targetable, during interception or anti-infantry modes, the barrels are not synched together and thus provide a better coverage chance to hit the smaller targets.
The Aincaala does not have smoke dischargers, but instead carries a pair of mist emitters. The mist emitters are two globes, locates on the sides of the turret. These are magical items, enchanted to produce a thick, magical mist around the vehicle. While still almost useless against a modern sensor system, this mist is fully effective against anything short of a sensor and even disrupts magical targeting and scrying effects. The orbs are not limitless, but run on charges (not unlike many items like spell-carrying wands or staves). While it is possible to recharge these in the field, the number of spellcasters available to do so is limited, however, so most are recharged in factory facilities. This means that quite frequently, the orbs are treated as semi-disposable resources (not unlike drones).
The Aincaala only carries a squad of six, but was designed to do so from the start. Though it does not have the autohealer that was placed aboard the Silmanordo, it has better overall facilities and protection for the troops.
The Aincaala has one major variant, the command vehicle. This was produced against considerable civilian resistance due to the existing Silmanordo Talco-Neled and necessitated a very tight budget. The command Aincaala is thus an unhappy compromise. Externally, it is identical to a standard Aincaala, as even the planned additional sensor and communications mast was dropped. Inside, the troop bay is refitted to serve as a command vehicle, but it is cramped. The only advantage it offers over the Talco-Neled is the heavier armour. As such it was regulated to around company command level and failed to gain much traction with its entirely unremarkable performance. Production was stopped after only a decade.
Silmanordo Talco-Neled Command Vehicle
MMF (file) $1.30
Physical Print
Only-Games £4.96
Shapeways $9.49
FDM £3.30The Silmanordo Talco-Neled Command Vehicle (lit. “silver oak mark three”) is the most common command vehicle in the Royal Elven Army. An early adaption of the Silmanordo itself, the Talco-Neled, following a prototyped (and eventually abandoned) reconnaissance vehicle.
The Talco-Neled does not suffer as badly from not being design for purpose from the ground up as some of the other vehicles, given its role is not intended to put it in the line of fire where the thin armour would be most detrimental.
In order to accommodate the command systems and personnel, the Silmanordo’s hull was extended upwards and slightly to the rear. This necessitated moving the point-defence turret further forward to make room.
The four petal-like hatches of the Silmanordo were reduced down to a more traditional clamshell-like upper and lower pair and lengthened so that they could fully accommodate a standing elf. Inside, the interior is completely re-designed and asymmetric, with three duty stations with mini holograph displays to supplement the main command systems.
Other than a slight improvement to sensor systems, the Talco-Neled’s combat performance is identical to that of the Silmanordo. Complaints were raised by the army that this put veteran commanders in a very fragile vehicle, which lead to the Aincaala APC’s command variant. However, that was a much less extensive (and expensive) refit and the lack of standing room makes it less suitable for the task. Thus the elven commanders continue to make do with the Talco-Neled.
Lhúg Recon Cycle
MMF (file) $0.95
Physical Print
The print version is in three versions, all single riders, all with pillions or a mix of both.
Single rider:
Only-Games (4) £3.14
Shapeways (4) $9.88
FDM (2) £3.10Rider with pillion:
Only-Games (4) £3.26
Shapeways (4) $9.96
FDM (2) £3.10Single Rider (2) and rider with pillion (2):
Only-Games (2+2) £3.20
Shapeways (2+2) $9.92The Lhúg (“snake”) recon cycle is a dedicated scouting and reconnaissance vehicle. Production began in 2315 replacing two older designs from the early 23rd century, making the Lhúg the most modern vehicle overall in the Royal Elven Army – and the single most popular.
The Lhúg can be operated by a single rider, but is designed to take a second passenger. This has a variety of uses, from facilitating rescue or retrieval operations (particularly in peace time) to transporting an addition set of eyes for a spotting team.
The Lhúg is the fasted and most agile of the current crop of elven AFVs, with a modern power-plant. The four engines are mounted on a rotating housing that lets the Lhúg modify the direction of direct thrust, allowing it significantly higher climb, dive and even reverse speeds above what could be achieved by the anti-grav drive alone. It has only sub-orbital flight capabilities, with a ceiling of 85km (53 miles). However, it noticeably struggles at altitudes above the stratosphere (50-55km 931-33 miles)) and the Lhúg generally operates at tropospheric heights (12km (7.5 miles).
Like most recon cycles, the Lhúg is only lightly armoured. Only the front has any degree of armour, rating to Tier 12 verses kinetic and Tier 13 verses energy weapons. The sides and rear are much less protected, their armour rated only to around Tier 5 to 7. While this is still sufficient to make the vehicle resistant to modern small arms, the rider of course remains the most vulnerable point, especially from the side.
Armament consists of a fixed pair of lazer cannons, rated to Tier 9 in concert. This is backed up by six Falling Star anti-tank missiles, the same kind as carried by the anti-tank infantry.
Unusually, the launchers are placed in housing on the “wings” at the front of the vehicle, rather than mounted behind the rider as is normally typical for cycles. This is due to the fact that the Lhúg is expected to operate in the heavy forest which covers most elven worlds and permeates even into the cities. The “wings” thus serve partly as a deflecting barrier to shunt aside branches from the Lhúg’s path of flight – a similar principle to that seen in some forest animals.
By placing the missiles in these deflectors, it further removes the danger of such obstacles that otherwise might get caught in a more traditional cycle’s pods.
The advanced sensor system is mounted high enough to be above the rider’s head, so that the Lhúg can park safely for scanning or target designation duties without exposed itself to fire. The sensor systems have had continuous upgrades and are the best such systems in the REA.
Between the engines, below the sensor mounting, the vehicles storage system is located. This utilises the same magic-item based extra- dimensional storage system used by the infantry, replacing the rider’s (and/or passenger’s) standard pack. As a rider cannot easily access anything held in a pack (or use a two-handed weapon) while moving with any degree of efficacy, that the pack is essentially removed to a stowage box on the cycle is not a particular disadvantage. This system, while expensive, uses widely-available civilian magic item components. It grants the Lhúg to carry almost as much cargo as a conventional ground or grav car, albeit with a hard limit on the size of items that can be placed within the storage system. This is a great advantage for long-term reconnaissance operations, and it allows the one- or two-elf team to carry plentiful supplies for extended operations in the field.
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Photos respectively of Replicator 2 (Aincaala) and Prusa (Silmanordo Talco-Neled and Lhúg) versions.Next month’s sci-fi release will be the last three REA models in the current line-up. The entire lot will be out at Hammerhead on the 2nd of March, fighting a historical battle set during the Zirakthargûm Divinity War of 2340-2341 (about five years ago) against the Zirakthargûm Divinity.
No further progress on any of the other side-projects, I simply haven’t had time, while playing catch-up with other stuff.
Aotrs Shipyards February 2024 Release: Centurion Mk 5/1 (RAAC)
Short and sweet this month. Dipping into the backlog this time, for a tank which has been sitting there for probably the longest; the Centurion Mk 5/1, as used by the RAAC!
(With the CV90 taking so long, followed by the starship I was doing taking almost as long, with other stuff and then with the upcoming Hammerhead show and making an attempt to enter the MMF/Only-Games UKGE Design Competition, I simply haven’t had chance to start anything new this month for moderns.)
Centurion Mk 5/1 (RAAC)
MyMiniFactory (file) $1.60 Link
The Only-Games price: £6.39 Link
Shapeways price: $12.82 Link
Direct price: £4.00
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Photos of Prusa version, as always.
Next month – still up in the air. As soon as I have the next few jobs done, new vehicle is next on my list, but as to what (maybe another CV90 variant, maybe something else), I don’t know.
Before then, we will be as usual down at Hammerhead on the 2nd of March, where I will be doing Manoeuvre Group Sci-Fi (with the Royal Elven Kingdoms) and the other half of the KB Club will be doing regular Manoeuvre Group – this time in a densely-hedged battlefield.
Aotrs Shipyards January 2024 Release: Royal Elven Army Wave One
This time, I am bringing a veritable basket of releases, something for everyone!
First of all, for the 144th sci-fi, I have the first three Royal Elven Kingdoms army releases (which should have happened nearly four years ago, before lockdown interrupted literally the day after they debut at Hammerhead!) More on those in a moment!
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Secondly, while not strictly new in terms of models, for starships, I am proud to announce the release of the Accelerate and Attack Starter Set on MyMiniFactory! MMF allowed me the opportunity to release the rules with the model files for two attendant Stone Portal and Vivrathk fleets in a bundle. It’s the closest thing I can get to a boxed set! At $40 (or about £32) this is a saving of 34% over the both the rules and the model files, or 10% just for the model files!
If you prefer just the rules, Accelerate and Attack! is available separately ($15.95) here with the free web enhancement pack you can check out here.
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Finally, after much toil and playtesting, my partners-in-crime at Manoeuvre Group have released their first army list in quite a while! This is the Cold War Army Lists for 1981 to 1985 Part 1 ($6.50), including British, German, Russian and US forces, in the new Issue 2 standard. As with all MG army lists, the list are heavily researched real lists and thus suitable for any game system, not just MG.
As noted last time, Manoeuvre Group Sci-fi has been updated to v1.02, which includes the stats for this month’s Royal Elven Army! Free to download at Wargames Vault here.
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Bringing us back to full circle, here are the three vehicles of that self-same force:
Gladrusc Main Battle Tank
MMF (file) $1.05
Physical Print
Only-Games £3.68
Shapeways $8.65
FDM £3.20The Gladrusc (lit. “forest fox”) Main Battle Tank was introduced in 2232. It was itself an overhaul and upgrade to the older Aeior (named for a polearm weapon of the halberd type) MBT. The Aeior had served well during the closing period of turmoil before the Strayvian Empire’s collapse, but had reached beyond its service life. With the general elven populace believing that the galaxy was entering a new time of peace and prosperity, there was strong resistance to military expenditure. The Gladrusc project was only initiated at all due to being funded primarily by the Sylmiatis Wood Elf Kingdom, traditionally the most independent and martial of the kingdoms.
The similarities between the Aeior and Gladrusc are apparent. Both are fully gravitic, and thus capable of both low grav and full flight and have a relative small, uncrewed turret. In essence, the Gladrusc was an upgraded version of the Aeior with contemporary technology, but no new innovation. Even the Sylmiatis government struggled to gain the approval and resources to manage even this much.
The Gladrusc was, at the time, cutting edge for performances. It has armour rated at Tier 20 to the front, though the sides armour is lower, and the rear is notably rated lower due to the presence of the engines.
The turret is lightweight, and controlled from a crew station within the hull, rather than within the turret itself. On the one hand, this gives it a much smaller profile against fire when hull down and means that destruction of the turret causes not loss of life. On the other, it means that any actual hits are far more likely to strike the hull than the turret in the first place, which somewhat reduces overall survivability outside of a hull-down firing position.
The turret’s main gun is a long-barrel lazer cannon, rated at Tier 21 with excellent range. This is supplemented by four smoke dischargers and a Point-Defence lazer weapon, rated at Tier 6. Advanced ECM and a full sensor suite completed the loadout.
A century’s advancement has rendered this performance down to merely adequate. Aside from a few incremental upgrades – the most notable was a power-plant and engine upgrade in the 2270s – the Gladrusc has little been altered. Only the full-grav drive and sensor system mark it out from a contemporary tank fielded by the Grand Terran Sovereign Republic.
The military push instigated in the last couple of decades means that, finally, work has begun on a successor, or at least a significant upgrade. This would very likely include hybrid technology from the Saiyvalyss Alliance and Aotrs intelligence expects that, at the very least, the next generation of elven battle tank will be equipped with Saiyvali shield generators.
Silmanordo APC
MMF (file) $1.20
Physical Print
Only-Games £4.26
Shapeways $8.20FDM £2.90
The Silmanordo (lit. “silver oak”) Armoured Personnel Carrier is an aging design. Designed over a century ago, in the early 2220s, the Silmanordo is a classic example of the stagnation of the elven military. It has received only a few incremental updates in all that time, and remains largely the same as the first production model.
The Silmanordo is an archetypal APC, a battle-taxi, intended only to take troops from a to b with a minimum of combat. The Silmanordo is a full grav tank, capable of suborbital, if cumbersome flight, with a respectable turn of speed. It is only lightly armoured; even with the minimal armour upgrade from the dawn of the 24th century, the frontal armour only reaches Tier 14 rating against energy weapons, and remains rated Tier 11 against kinetic weapons. The rear, more vulnerable because of the engines, is down as far as Tier 7 and Tier 6 respectively.
The Silmanordo is armed only with a single automated point defence lazer turret, rated only to Tier 6 itself.
One of the more unusual features of the Silmanordo is the rear hatches. The group of four does not open quite vertically, but at a slightly offset angle, so that the hatches open more like the petals of a flower. To some extent this was mandated by the curved hull surface, but the reason why some other method was not implemented is unclear – it certainly does not seem to impart any special advantages aside from aesthetics.
Even from inception, the Silmanordo was plagued with the problems of resistance to military spending in the decades of relative quiet proceeding the Strayvian Empire’s collapse. (Forty years was not a long time-span for such a long-lived species.)
With elven culture convinced with the fall of the galaxy’s biggest antagonist and a new age of peace was dawning, it became increasingly difficult for the military to receive the resources to continue to advance.
The Silmanordo was initially conceived to be able to transport 11 soldiers. This remains the official specification, but in practise, this is simply impossible. While technically true that the Silmanordo can physically fit that many people inside it, it ignores that to do so, it requires them to not be carrying any equipment.
There is even evidence that the stated figure of 11 was originally intended to be inclusive of the two-elf crew, not the infantry.
For those in charge of the purse strings, however, that figure became gospel. It meant that the army would be able to supplied with less unit to carry the same number of troops. A platoon of 24 could fit into three vehicles, not four. Indeed, the idea gained more and more traction to increasing dangers to the actual combat performance of the troops that would have to be carried.
First, there was the proposal to have four squads of six divided among the three APCs. The army resisted this idea, all-too well aware the chaos this would cause in actual combat situations when one or more vehicles were lost. The army said that instead, the squads would have to be reformed to work in three squads of eight – which the Silmanordo would just have about coped with for combat troops.
But then the next idea floated by the committee in charge was to change the size of the platoon from 24 to 22 – which would allow a squad of six and a squad of five, and thus reduce the amount of vehicles down to two per platoon.
The kind of disaster this would inevitably result in when one or more over-crowded and under-armoured vehicles was actually hit can only be imagined. However, the army advocates happened on a desperate solution before the situation was somehow made even more untenable.
The proposal was raised that to facilitate lower combat losses, advanced medical stations would need to be fitted to the Silmanordos. This would, they army argued, also make them much more useful in disaster relief scenarios that they were more likely to encounter during peacetime. The medical stations would require some sacrifice of space – the capacity of the vehicle for combat troops would have to be reduced to 6 – but surely, the army argued, that this was a sacrifice worth making?
To the great relief of the serving soldiers, the civilian overseers were very pleased at the suggestion and accepted it immediately.
Thus, the Silmanordo was put into production and thousands were made, including numerous variants. As it transpired, the medical stations did indeed prove very useful, as for the majority of the past century, the Royal Elven Army had few instances where it was called to battle. But this merely reinforced the civilian opinion and the later Aincaala faced even stiffer opposition to being put into production.
It is somewhat ironic that on the one hand, the Silmanordo is among the oldest and least modern AFVs currently serving in the Royal Elven Army; on the other, the medical stations within them are otherwise some of the most advanced, as they have benefitted from all the advances made in the past century in the civilian fields.
Royal Elven Kingdoms Infantry Company
MMF (file) $1.90
Physical Print (72)
Only-Games £7.59
Shapeways $41.46
FDM –The Royal Elven Army infantry has in many ways, suffered less from the military stagnation than the armoured vehicles. Given that many HPE-L worlds even as civilised as those of the Royal Elven Kingdoms still have dangerous wildlife – as do many alien planets – there is still a strong requirement for personal protection even for the civilian population. And while archery remains the most common elven pastime, in the post-industrial era, shooting (both with projectile weapons and in modern times, energy weapons) is not far behind.
The modern REA soldier is thus very well equipped. The full body armour is light weight and flexible, with integral visual camouflage and enhanced infrared scattering, both systems of which exceed those in use by the Aotrs. In terms of noncombat kit, the REA is one of the best equipped forces is the galaxy.
The standard-issue pack contains integral interdimensional storage, using time-tested magical technique developed in the pre-industrial eras. This allows the soldiers to carry larger amounts of gear without compromising their ability to perform; elven soldiers carry more gear per person than most military forces, but their weight load is substantially smaller. This system means that the elves can even carry an allotment of personal entertainment gear and additional personal foodstuffs, meaning that morale in the field remains very high. The standard field kit also includes significant medical kits, including healing potions and often wands for any spellcasters capable of using them.
The primary armaments of the infantry are lazer rifles. The most common is the Ghanir 115 lazer rifle, but several other models of similar performance are in service, especially with national forces. These weapons share many similar basic components by design and there is generally little to choose between them.
Due to their pack’s additional storage, elven soldiers can carry two Whistling Wing Light Anti-Tank Warheads each, even when carrying heavy weapons. The Whistling Wing has an effective range of 500m and is rated at Tier 15.
Elven soldiers also typically carry a melee weapon – again, often stored interdimensionally – and are highly proficient in their use.
Standard doctrine is to deploy in squads of six. A standard squad is assigned a lazer cannon as a squad support weapon and a warcaster (that is, a spellcaster capable of using battlefield spells, typically a wizard, druid or cleric). Warcasters usually only carry a pistol, rather than a rifle, usually needing the freedom of movement and hands to cast their spells.
Anti-tank squads have only a single rifleelf in addition to a warcaster, and then four soldiers armed with the Falling Star Heavy Anti-Tank Warhead.
The Falling Star is a venerable and somewhat iconic design; due to its distinctive pop-out dorsal/ventral target sensor arms which make it resemble a stylised bow when activated. While for many ground forces, this might be considered a disadvantage, for a culture so steeped in archery, this is actual natural and statistically, improved fire rates and accuracy over a more conventional system. The Falling Star has a range of around 2000m and is rated at Tier 17.
Most platoons have anti-tank squads in a ratio of two to two or one to three, but dedicated anti-tank platoons are not unknown, especially if the elves are aware they are deploying against heavy enemy infantry.
This high-level of equipment only serves to enhance the professional and experienced elven infantry . Elven infantry soldiers can often have combat experience and veterancy that rivals or even exceeds that of Aotrs infantry forces, which makes them among the most dangerous unpowered infantry – at least among humanoids and elenthnaroids – in the galaxy.
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Photos respectively of Replicator 2, Prusa and VPN versions.Next month’s sci-fi will be the next three REA models.
Over the course of this year, I am going to attempt to:
a) Make the first proper release of Bleakbane’s Galaxy Guide as a stand-alone lore product PDF; this will be probably around maybe $10, but I feel that justified for 300k words!b) Release the “official” fleet stats for many of the forces and powers contained therein. I am intending to charge a token fee for these (likely only a couple of quid), which – like the MG army lists, will be a batch of several fleets suitable for fighting each other. Partly, this is because it will give me some idea of whether or not people are actually interested, since free products generally get downloaded because they’re free. These lists will be simply presented, with minimal lore. I intend to try to have an actual Word document in addition to the PDFs with the ship profiles, so you can use these to simply copy and paste them to your own word docs to simplify having to make your own. I’m starting out fairly simple with these, until I can judge the reception (which in this case, meaning whether anyone body gets them or not). This is, I’m afraid, the only metric I will have for judging this, in the absence of other feedback.
(These will necessarily include notes on whose models to use – where possible; not a few ships, notably the bulk of the REN, are scratch-built or from various sources I might not be able to remember!)
No projected times on either of these, they’ll be done where they will be done, the former especially.
Aotrs Shipyards January 2024 Release: CV1940C
Kicking off this year, only a single release this month, but it is at least entirely new and not from the backlog liked I had thought it might have to be! So this time, then, I have for you the Swedish CV1940C IFV.
This is a touch early, perhaps, but I had just enough time at the end of this week to get this out before the end of the week, which leaves me free to start fresh next week (when I’d have normally done the release). (The sci-fi release will thus likely be a week on Tuesday).
CV9040C
MyMiniFactory (file) $1.25 Link
The Only-Games price: £5.06 Link
Shapeways price: $10.18 Link
Direct price: £3.95
______________________________________________________________Photos of Prusa version, as always. Again, grey-sprayed, since I’m still on the Photo-Terrible natural/white/transparent filament.
This was a bit of a nightmare. I thought “the CV90 is on my list, that should be a nice and easy start!” But no, the CV90 has several wildly different variants: the CV9030 not only has a totally different turret, but major hull differences as well. Source material was also quite scarce for the CV9040, so I did the C version (totally different turret to the earlier CV9040s and the CV9030…) since I only found walkarounds for the C and the CV9030s.
Still, while it was another nightmare turret (see also Merkava IV, though not quite that bad), it is done, though the easy job I was hoping to do more variants will be 75% as much work as the base model…!
Next month… Not sure. (The sci-fi releases are set for the new few months, though.) I will be taking a week off sometime in February (my parents are off for three weeks to Australia, so I want to at least have one week’s holiday with the house to myself!) I am three-quarters intending to do the CV9030 while I, like, still have the walkarounds and sources (and maybe that turret won’t be quite as bad?), but we’ll see.
In other news, even this far and out of the sales, MMF is trickling out much faster than the physical sales, so hopefully, that’ll keep going; the various winter sales have at least pulled me out of the nosedive of worst financial year since I started, so fingers crossed.
Aotrs Shipyards December 2023 Release: Royal Elven Navy Wave One
Like an unconvincing skeletal Santa in an obviously faked beard bringing a pile of dubious gifts, I have a multitude of releases and updates this month!
Firstly, this month’s releases are the first batch of vessels for the Royal Elven Kingdoms Navy; but we’ll come back to that in a moment!
I have finally gone through the painstaking process of updating the PDF catalogue with all the new links/prices etc. Here’s a direct link.
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Manoeuvre Group Updates
Manoeuvre Group have been hard at work, and between us, we have released version v2.02 for Issue 2 of the main Manoeuvre Group Rules (available at Wargame Vault here ). This corrects the usual batch of typos and spelling errors that creep in despite one’s best efforts, fixes several long-standing errors that have been in the rules since release. The assault rules section has been completely re-written to accommodate for some edge cases that the authors found when fighting infantry games – specifically, to account for situations like “what happens if you are assaulting any enemy unit, and that enemy unit runs off through one of its friends and the assaulting unit hits the friends instead?”
Manoeuvre Group Sci-fi (free at Wargame Vault here) has been updated to v1.02, the most pertinent change being the addition of the stats for the Yrgynela and forthcoming Royal Elven Army.
In both cases, existing customers should have received an email notification of the updates and a change log (and for good measure, a change log document is now included to!)
Wargame Vault is also having its usual Winter Offensive sale (25% off, 21st December to January 2nd), so then is a good time to get Maneouvre Group or even Accelerate and Attack! if you don’t already have them!
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Only-Games Store Update & Winter Sales
I went into full detail about the situation in last week’s Modern release post and this will be long enough as it is, so I’ll be brief. The short, short version is that the Only-Games store will remain open for January, but there has been a necessary price increase of about 13% to accommodate that. As of yesterday, that has been completed across all ranges in time for the switch over.
To leaven that somewhat, Only-Games are having a 25% off winter sale, starting 15th of December. Use code: SNOWYGAMES25
MyMiniFactory are also having a Winter Sale, starting of the 18th of December until the 8th of January, which is 30% of the Aotrs Shipyards ranges; use code WINTERSAVINGS
(Note: The Black Friday sales, particularly at MMF were sufficiently good I elected to join both of these sales, even though that are close together. But I will try not making a habit of it (if I wanted to be Always On Sale, I’d have set my MMF prices higher to start with!)
I am less pleased to report that, as I have been updating the catalogue, I discovered Shapeways has had another unannounced price increase of 25-30%. Nothing I can do about that, sorry.
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So that finally brings us to the release itself! Seven ships this time around.
Royal Elven Navy
Hundasonda Dreadnought
MMF (file) $3.40
Physical Print
Only-Games £14.14
Shapeways $24.33
FDM £5.70The Hundasonda represents a fundamental shift in elven ship design, a process which started with the refits of the mid- 2330s and the construction of the Kestrel and Bestra cruisers. Following the Dathedi model, the cruisers boasted massive engines and manoeuvrability and their primary defence, but at the cost of a correspondingly lighter weapons load. Both vessels used fixed lazer cannons and torpedoes as the primary armament. While they were by themselves not usually able to disable an enemy, their extreme manoeuvrability proved very useful.
The Hundasonda is the ultimate expression of that philosophy – a highly manoeuvrable large dreadnought. The Hundasonda was conceived with no less goal of being a “Midnight-killer;” a ship capable of taking on the Aotrs Midnight-class Dreadnought on equal terms.
The initial designs simply could not carry enough weapons to compensate for the Aotrs superior technology, and the hull was revised and got larger. The REN thus opted to continue to build using elven hull technologies, simply because the saiyvalyss as not rebuilt shipyards of sufficient size. The production Hundasonda masses almost 25% again as its erstwhile target. This mass is propelled by advanced saiyvalyss engines to an acceleration of 16.5mc and 183 MEUs, more than sufficient to overhaul even the upgraded Midnight’s and mitigate the latter’s range advantages.
To ensure it reached range, the Hundasonda was equipped with 7200TXq shields, and a saiyvalyss-armour skin rated to 24TXq; both equalling or exceeding the Midnight’s. And to protect from the swarms of missiles – and to provide extra short-range firepower – the Hundasonda carries a plethora of point-defence blaster and syvri batteries which collectively rate at a staggering 8940Xq.
The primary firepower is provided by three spinal-mount lazer cannons, totalling an output of 1260TXq over an accuracy enveloper of 430 000TXq. Multiple lazer turrets with an accuracy envelope of 410 000km provide another 2496TXq of firepower to bear.
This still left the Hundasonda somewhat undergunned for its size, and still without much of a counter to the Midnight’s superior firepower. Thus the elven designers took a novel approach. The Saiyvali had been experimenting with the concept of fitting numerous light torpedo batteries to their capital ships, to replace the short-ranged fixed syvri that is commonplace on their ships. Such systems were only good for one or two salvos before being expended, but the spike impact was significant. This theory found an ideal partner in the Hundasonda and its assigned targets.
Thus the Hundasonda mounts thirty-two light torpedo tubes in four clusters in the nose. While each one only carries three Amhylathi (“radiant arrow”) light torpedoes, each warhead is rated at 103TXq, making a single salvo very dangerous within the accuracy envelope of 120 000km.
In practise, this proved too loftier goal even for the combined technology base of the Royal Elven Kingdoms and the Saiyvalyss Alliance. The Aotrs’ technology was just too far ahead for the Hundasonda to stand a chance one-on-one. Two, however, would be more than a match.
This was proven in October of 2348. The newly-formed Bright Accord alliance forces (consisting of the Royal Elven Kingdoms, the Saiyvalyss Alliance, the United Concorde of Divine Realms and the Zirakthargûm Divinity) launched an attack on elements of the Aotrs First fleet. The First Fleet vessels had just completed their refits and were preparing to re-join their operational theatre. While the FTL jump distance was within elven hyperspace jump distance, without the sensors of the UCDR, the elves had never been able to track the Aotrs Gate drives to be able to mount a successful assault. The UCDR, by mutual consent, took a backseat role in the attack, to preserve an element of surprise on their capabilities. Their primary contribution was to use tractor-configured vessels to two the Zirakthargûm Divinity elements into battle. (The dwarf hyperdrive otherwise would never have been sufficient.) No saiyvalyss vessels engaged in the battle, but many personnel were present on the joint craft, notably on the three Hundasondas deployed.
The attack achieved tactical surprise – a significant achievement against the Aotrs. Hundasonda dreadnoughts Vana, Verya and Hundasonda Nelde, and their accompanying task force charged right into the Aotrs command group and destroyed the Midnight Dreadnought Witch Hour with a single salvo. The allied forces inflicted heavy damage on the Aotrs fleet before withdrawing ahead of Aotrs reinforcements. (Delaying too long would have put the dwarven element at significant risk.) Nonetheless, this was a resounding victory for the alliance, and the first defeat inflicted on the Aotrs navy for almost thirty years, since the commission of the first 10th generation Aotrs starships.
Shrike Escort Cruiser
MMF (file) $0.85
Physical Print
Only-Games £2.69
Shapeways $5.14
FDM £2.80The Shrike Escort Cruiser was first produced in 2156, and so has been a near-ubiquitous sight for humans, at least, dealing with the Royal Elven Kingdoms. It has had several iterations over this span, but had changed relatively little.
The latest 2348 version follows this same path. The vessel’s distinctive profile has been little changed in its latest incarnation. While it utilises several key Saiyvalyss Alliance technologies provided by the alliance, much of the basic function remains unchanged. The Shrike was the second such vessel to be produced by the joint project; like the Falcon Destroyer, the length of service time lessened the work to produce the duel-technology systems, further assisted by the work done of the Falcons.
The power core has been replaced with a saiyvalyss design. The same core is used on the saiyvalyss YL-6 Idilgwand Class Transport Cruiser and only a few modifications were necessary. This enhanced power system enables to Shrike to upgrade to saiyvalyss engines. Dropping the mass by 25%, the Shrike’s performance has increased by over 50%, going from an acceleration of 11.24mc to 17.2mc. The agility has likewise substantially improved, now rated at 176 MEUs over the Shrike’s previous respectable 110. This increased manoeuvrability gives the new Shrike a much-needed boost to its survivability.
Some of the extra mass was devoted to a new armoured skin of saiyvalyss manufacture. Rated at an Armour Integrity Capacity of 421TXq, it is relatively light for a cruiser of the Shrike’s size, but still gives a solid backstop to the Shrike’s existing 1600TXq shields.
The most notable change has been the removal of almost all the Shrike’s previous pint-defence systems. Only the two missile racks remain; as before, these are typically loaded with 48 Zephr Arrow point-defence missiles. Instead both short-and-long range lazer batteries have been replaced with roughly equal numbers of saiyvalyss blasters and syvri. This brings the Shrike’s total point-defence energy weapon output to 4470TXq, a boost of almost 150%. There is some cost in range – the Shrike’s previous long range lazer batteries had a larger engagement sphere of 7.4Ym³ compared to the 2.34Ym³ of the saiyvalyss blasters, but the lazers could only output 520TXq and massed twice as much. The Saiyvalyss systems have enough range to allow a greater separation than the standard elven point-defence lazers, which has been considered a good-trade off. While it might force the Shrike’s escorted craft to fly slightly closer, the massive amount of extra firepower will ensure that far less missiles will penetrate the screen.
The Shrike’s secondary armament is unchanged. The twin heavy lazer cannons have an accuracy envelope of 420 000km, and a combined output of 832TXq. This is supplemented by smaller batteries rated to 618TXw, provided all-aspect coverage at an accuracy envelope of 300 000km.
All-in-all, the new Shrike is considerably better at its job and is likely to survive to perform it much better, thus ensuring more elven vessels stay in the fight.
Falcon Aurë Destroyer
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (2)
Only-Games £3.05
Shapeways $5.76
FDM £2.90Falcon Sarn Destroyer
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (2)
Only-Games £3.10
Shapeways $5.77
FDM £2.90Falcon Rost Destroyer
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (2)
Only-Games £3.10
Shapeways $5.97
FDM £2.90The Falcon Class Destroyer has had a very long an illustrious history. The very first Falcon class destroyers date back to 1575, in the aftermath of the Dathedi War, being among the first generation of elven ships built under the unified banner of the newly-minted Royal Elven Kingdoms.
Over the past nearly eight centuries, the Falcon destroyer has significantly changed, with only the name and a rough similarity of shape in common between the first Falcons and the present.
The Falcon Destroyers of the previous century suffered from the lack of military innovation. Fundamentally a sound vessel, the Falcon struggled with being a little too generalised.
But when the first projects for the joint Royal Elven Navy and Saiyvalyss Alliance Kallvourassthi (lit. “night sky navy”) were discussed, the Falcon Destroyer was a natural fit. Sheer familiarity with the hull chassis and the expertise built up over centuries of use meant that the Falcon could be most easily adapted for a ground-up prototype. Many subsystems did not require changing, having already been optimised to perfection various configurations over the years. While the Saiyvali had more advanced hull techniques that would be of some benefit, producing a saiyvalyss hull would have required a completely new design and more extensive shipyards, compared to the comparatively lesser investment in systems.
The Falcon’s newest 2347 incarnation thus is serving as a test bed. Built on the tried-and-tested elven hull chassis, the Falcon’s engines have been replaced by more advanced saiyvalyss drives. These match and slightly exceed the Falcon’s previous specifications, bringing an acceleration of 16.9mc and 186 MEUs. This allowed an increase of 6% to the ships’ mass for a little over half the engine mass and volume, and the volume reduction also means the new Falcon is actually slightly sleeker too. A saiyvalyss-tech hyperdrive further increases the Falcon’s FTL speed by 17%.
The Falcon’s 1600TXq shields have been retained, as elven shield technology is superior, but they are now supplemented with saiyvalyss armour-plate rated at 420 TXq AIC for an additional layer of protection.
The sensor and communications systems have likewise been built to saiyvalyss standards, while superior elven secondary systems (towing tractors and teleporters) are retained.
The Falcon’s 1000TXq point-defence lasers have been removed. Additional mass saved from the new engines allowed them to be replaced with a more extensive system of saiyvalyss point-defence blasters and syvri, totalling a net 2210TXq output. With an engagement sphere of 2.34Ym³, more than double the lazer’s 1.1Ym³, the 2347 Falcon has doubled its point-defence capability for only a 50% increase of mass and volume.
The Falcon’s 500TXq spinal lazer cannon remains the centre piece of its anti-capital ship firepower. But with the other improvements, the Falcon’s remaining weapons payload is higher.
Three weapons configurations have been developed and are being tested.
The first configuration Aurë (sunlight), supplements the spinal cannon with two additional lazer cannons, bringing the net spinal weapon output to 1020TXq, over a 420 000km accuracy envelope. Four lazer batteries bring a total 416TXq output that can be brought over a similar range against a target at any aspect.
The Sarn (stone) configuration most closely matches the previous Falcon’s weapons load. Replacing the single elven 710TXq-yield torpedo tube is much more advanced saiyvalyss torpedo technology. Two twin tubes for both fore and rear can fire 920TXq-yield torpedoes, and fire at double the accuracy envelope at a staggering 1.2 million km; the much compact torpedoes also mean that the Falcon Sarn carries 120 torpedoes instead of 42. This makes is very much more effective as a torpedo vessel. The cost of this is that the all-aspect lazer batteries had to be downgraded to the older Falcon’s 309TXq systems with only a 300 000 km accuracy envelope.
The third configuration, Rost (rain) is a departure from the Falcon’s more typical role as a ship-of-the-line, becoming a missile vessel. The Rost carries the same all-aspect batteries as the Aurë, but the additional lazer cannons are replaced by a pair of missile pods. The initial test loadout has been 96 of the elven standard 230TXq-yield Starspear missiles, capable of being fired in bursts of twelve. The nature of the missile pods means they can be easily re-equipped on a per-mission basis, either with a like number of 224TXq-yield Striking Swallow long-range missiles or 216TXq-yield Zephr Arrow point-defence missile or even up to 112 of the Saiyvali’s more advanced missiles, the standard of which is the 250TXq-yield range.
The new Falcon is, perforce, significantly more expensive to produce, on account of the advanced technology. Even when full production lines are operational, it is expected that the resource cost alone is likely to increase by 27% to 85% over the older Falcon. However, the increase of offence and defence in considered well worth the extra expense.
The Falcons are still undergoing testing to iron out any problems – particularly stemming from the mixed technology, but it is likely that the 2347 Falcon may enter production by the end of the 2348.
Tiriech Escort Frigate
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (4)
Only-Games £2.66
Shapeways $6.23
FDM £2.80The Kindred Escort Frigate was the last purely elven starship design to be produced. It entered service in 2335, as part of the frantic refit efforts following the disastrous Dathedi incursion. The Kindred was intended to supplement the elven fleet point-defence vessels, aimed particularly for cruisers and larger vessels. The Kindred was centred on a large-scale ECM system. This was backed up with the same array of point-defence lazers as the Shrike, in a more compact hull and mobile hull. Its sublight drive characteristics allowed it to keep pace with all larger elven starships save the Kestrel. Other weaponry was limited, only providing a single torpedo tube with 24 torpedoes of 230TXq yield; this allowed it some sniping shots are range, but little else.
Nevertheless, the Kindred saw rapid deployment (partly to replace Shrike losses). It in fact first served the REN in an engagement with the Japanese Empire, where its ECM system were used offensively to mitigate JE cloaking systems and won the day for the elves.
An upgraded version was thus a logical choice for the third joint elven and saiyvalyss project. The Kindred was more heavily redesigned from scratch and became the Tiriech (guarding spear).
The Tiriech masses slightly less than the Kindred (by about 4%). One of the primary reasons was the removal of the torpedo launcher, regulating the Tiriech to a pure support role. The drive characteristics remain the same: 16mc and 182 MEUs, identical to the Kindred’s, though the Tiriech uses saiyvalyss drives that mass half as much. Like the other joint projects, the Tiriech uses the more advanced saiyvalyss hyperdrive, increasing its FTL transit speed by 16.67%.
As with its forebear, the Tiriech echoes its contemporary Shrike’s energy point-defence armament – in this case, the 2348 Shrike’s blaster and syvri armament, which gives the Tiriech the same output (4470TXq). The ECM system remains much the same, with only a few upgrades in areas where the saiyvalyss had some advantages.
The Tiriech uses some of the mass reductions to mount slightly sturdier shields. It still has no armour, but its shields are rated to 795TXq, a third again as much as the Kindred.
The resulting trade-offs make the Tiriech a much better vessel at its job, but while leaving some room left for the numerous Kindreds to not be completely overshadowed; indeed there is an a good argument for the Kindreds being freed up to take more of an offensive roll, and there is talk of a refit to remove the Kindred’s less mass-efficient long range lazer batteries for full capital lazers or possibly even missile racks.
Sicil Heavy Corvette
MMF (file) $0.80
Physical Print (4)
Only-Games £2.14
Shapeways $5.00
FDM £2.70The Sicil is the last of the first batch of new generation elven ships to have been produced. Like the Hundasonda, the Sicil (dagger) is a totally new design, though one that owes much to earlier corvettes, notably the Sparrowhawk.
The Sicil is a close-attack strike vessel, intended to close to short range and attack point targets, taking advantage of the same light torpedo tubes that the Hundasonda uses.
To this end, the Sicil mounts eight light torpedo tubes, each loaded with a trio of 103TXq-yield Amhylathi torpedoes. This only gives it one or maybe two effective salvos, but even this is two-third the firepower of a typical bomber squadron.Backing up the light torpedoes, the Sicil mounts an array of blaster point defence systems of saiyvalyss manufacture. These give a combined output of 1440TXq, giving the Sicil decent point-defence or a significant amount of firepower to add to any breeches the Amhylathi’s create.
The Sicil’s saiyvalyss engines are configured for evasion and mobility over acceleration. It boasts a rating of 290 MEUs in manoeuvrability. Its acceleration of 21.45mc is still extremely respectable, though less than what might be expected for the engine’s mass. The Sicil’s remaining defences are modest; only a thin unarmoured skin of 24TXq AIC rating covered by shields rated to 420TXq. Still, in concert with its agility, this is enough to protect it long enough to get it into attack range.
It is noteworthy that this sort of semi-sacrificial strike craft is more typical of saiyvalyss thinking than elven, and represents a shift in military philosophy towards the rather more typically aggressive style of the Saiyvalyss Alliance.
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Photos, as always, of Prusa versions.Next month will see the start of three releases of the (much-overdue) Royal Elven Army, which will see us into March. After that, we’ll, it’s anybody’s guess… But I hear dark rumours that after their emergence three years ago, the Grand Terran Sovereign Republic has consolidated enough of its combined technology base to begin production of its own ships…
This will (hopefully!) be the last update of this year. So have a good Christmas (and/or appropriate holiday) and good New Year and thank you for bearing with me in the year that, for the Shipyards specifically, been roughest to date.
Aotrs Shipyards December 2023 Update and Release VBLs
As typical for December, I have an early release post for you.
So before I get to the release, the update.
It is good news, though somewhat qualified. The short, short version is the shop is will remain open, but there will be a price increase.
As I have mentioned, Only-Games is moving to a subscription-based model next month. There was simply no way I was making that subscription, so I contacted them regarding other options (i.e. what about having it open only for a limited time each year, could I do it such that orders would have to come through directly etc.). They instead offered a much better alternative (since I’d been there from the start and helped road-test some of the stuff); they would increase their take off the platform price (i.e. the overall price) by 10% from 10% to 20%. That means that for me to be making the same amount of money (and indeed, any at all), the overall price has to go up.
To maintain the same amount of pennies I make, the prices will be going up by about 13%.
A price increase is never good news, but if it means the shop remains open at all, it is the least bad outcome and I’m very happy with the result. The price increases will be going into effect more-or-less immediately (starting from the release itself), since it has to be done by January and will be done over the course of this week (starting with the moderns).
(The MMF prices will still be calculated off the previous pricing structure, I’ll be making myself a spread sheet as I go!)
Once this last bit is finally done, we will finally after several months of frantic work and extra stress (I’m on pills now…) we will be back to normal operations again.
LESS good news to report, I have discovered as I have been updating my catalogue, that Shapeways has as recently as a few weeks ago, had an unannounced price increase. (The previous VBL model, notably, had gone up.) This is a jaw-dropping 25% to 30% increase, even more astounding in light of it being kept hush-hush.
The only very marginal point in Shapeways’ favour is that they caught as catastrophic error in the Chieftain hull that crept in during the last round of update, which propagated across all five model (the moderns and the sci-fi one). This required a before-breakfast-on-my-effective-Sunday fix, but hopefully is done now.
Speaking of Shapeways a slight change to format. MMF uses dollars as their currency, so as I’m having to use both dollars and pounds anyway (I and Only-games work in base pounds), there’s no good reason to not use Shapeways’ dollar prices, and eliminate the exchange-rate-discrepancy.
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To the release itself, them. This time, I have three more VBL versions: the Reco version of the VBL, and the standard and Reco version of the slightly larger VB2L.
VBL Reco
MyMiniFactory (file) $0.80 Link
The Only-Games price: £1.95 Link
Shapeways price: $4.52 Link
Direct price: £2.85
VB2L
MyMiniFactory (file) $0.80 Link
The Only-Games price: £2.04 Link
Shapeways price: $4.52 Link
Direct price: £2.85
VB2L Reco
MyMiniFactory (file) $0.80 Link
The Only-Games price: £2.09 Link
Shapeways price: $4.62 Link
Direct price: £2.85
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Note: I have updated the OP with all the various links, to hopefully provide a better place to have them rather than repeating the general links on each post.
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Photos of Prusa versions, as always.
Next month is an unknown, it depends what I get chance to do (if anything) over December, which is a short month; it thus might be something from the backlog, we’ll see.
Next week’s week-early sci-fi release will see the release of the Royal Elven Navy starfleet as existent, and the ground force over the next three (and not before time, the REK have been hanging around since 2020).
So for those of you who don’t follow the sci-fi or general releases, have a good Christmas (and/or other season-appropriate festival) and a good new year, and I’ll see you again in January.
Update and Black Friday Sale
(Apparently, in my stress, I forgot to crosspost this last week, so I better do it now)
I have, finally and belatedly, put up the Bleakbane’s Galaxy Guide entry for the five Royal Elven Navy ships I have done so far. (The REN fleet consists of ships from a wide variety of manufacturers prior to the Shipyards.)
I plan to release the ships as December’s Sci-Fi release, and the nine ground force models over the next three months, which will neatly lead up to Hammerhead.
You can read the lore on the REN here.
(And that of the Royal Elven Army just above it; use the threadmark feature to find the Quick Look at Royal Elven Kingdoms.)
Moderns releases (both physical and .stl) will resume next month.
Black Friday Sales:
Shapeways:
Frack knows. I don’t know if they’re doing a Black Friday sale, and if they are, they probably won’t tell me about it until it’s halfway done.Wargames Vault
Accelerate and Attack: Aeons of War (and the other Shipyards Wargames Vault products) will be on sale in theri Black Friday sale at 25% off from November 24th to 27th.This runs 13th – 28th November, 2023, and is 30% of at MyMiniFactory (use code BLACKFRIDAY23).
As of today, Only-Games annoucned they are are increasing their discount to 30% off over Black Friday weekend itself (24th of November to Tuesday 28th November, use code BLACKFRIDAY30), from their previous 25% off 13th-28th (code BF25OFF).
(Note in both cases. that this will override the Aotrs Shipyards 20% off sale that ends on 30th November).
(From last week) I gave this very considerable thought before opting-in. (I did not twig at the time it also applied to Only-Games.) I have not had any objections to sales on Accelerate and Attack (because 25% off is still Some Money) nor to sales at Only-Games and Shapeways because those were, fundamentally, off the cost of their manufature, not my small mark-up. MMF actually gives me more of tghe share, of course, but my prices on MMF I had already placed at “what is the minimum amount I feel I should charge?” – $0.8 equates to me making just north of 50p. I was thus more or less aiming at “this price is like being on sale all the time” instead of what I would consider the corporately manipulating “the sale price is the real price, so add 25% to the base cost so that when on sale people get the endorphin hit from thinking they are Getting A Good Deal.
So I was seriously considering not putting the sale in at all. However, I am as if you’ve been following, in a position where it feels unwise to turn away the publicity. So this is an experiment. If the sales do genuniely give me a spike in sales, great, it is something to repeat.
As a final note, to re-iterate: Only-games is moving to a subscription model in January, and that means a £25/month fee (on top of the MMF subscription fee). After a spike in summer which did (in September), last month’s sales didn’t reach that. Thus there is a very real, very frightening possibility (even probability) that this cost will make operating an Only-Games store unsustainable (especially as he Shipyards is now my only form of income). That would be a crippling blow, since it would take out the decent physical prints. So if nothing else, if you think you might ever wany any Aotrs Shipyards models in resin… Sooner rather than later, would be my pointed recommendation, because I genuniely do not know for how much longer I will be able to offer it to you.
(From today) I will be doing a full update on the situation the first week of December (when I will be doing the moderns release early), but with current projections, I strongly recommend that if you are ever considering getting anything in resin from the Shipyards, you do it sooner rather than later, as my current projections suggest that if this subscription cost does indeed come in at what they said it would be in January, maintaining the Only-Games shipyards store will be untenable. (I feel uncomfortable saying this, as it is fundamentally FoMO, butI’d rather do that than have some time next year somebody saying “I wanted some of your stuff in the resin, where’s the shop gone?”) I will be looking at options there are, and will report in the aforementioned December update.
If this seems a bit doom and gloom… Sorry, but it kind of is? Not much else I can say about it; that is the bare facts as they stand. Worst financial half-year since the Shipyards started + no working tax credit + very non-trivial operating cost forthcoming makes my outlook rather bleak, I’m afraid.
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Finally, I am considering again about releasing more Accelerate and Attack fleet stats as a free download perhaps over December. I think I will have to do it (as a free download) via Wargames Vault (which means ONLY Shipyards fleets this time), because last year… I don’t even know if anyone downloaded it.
Tenatively, I would do it as a PDF, but with the actual ship record blocks (as opposed to the construction stats, baically) as a Word document, as the latter are intended to be cut-and-pasted for your fleet for that scenario (and typically disposed of afterwards). If anyone is interested, has any other preferences – or a particular Shipyards Fleet you want to see stats for, please, please, PLEASE say something. Otherwise I am just throwing my time away working on stuff nobody wants, which is wasteful at best and dispiriting at worst.
(As of today, the resounding silence suggests that this is not going to happen.)
Update and Black Friday Sale
Moderns releases (both physical and .stl) will resume next month.
Black Friday Sales:
Shapeways:
Frack knows. I don’t know if they’re doing a Black Friday sale, and if they are, they probably won’t tell me about it until it’s halfway done.Wargames Vault:
Accelerate and Attack: Aeons of War (and the other Shipyards Wargames Vault products) will be on sale in theri Black Friday sale at 25% off from November 24th to 27th.MyMiniFactory/Only-games:
I have entered Aotrs Shipyards into the MyMiniFactory/Only-Games Black Friday sale.This runs 13th – 28th November, 2023, and is 25% off physical models at Only-games (note that this will override the Aotrs Shipyards 20% off sale that ends on 30th November) and 30% of at MyMiniFactory.
Use the code BF25OFF at Only-Games and BLACKFRIDAY23 at MyMiniFactory for these discounts.
I gave this very considerable thought before opting-in. (I did not twig at the time it also applied to Only-Games.) I have not had any objections to sales on Accelerate and Attack (because 25% off is still Some Money) nor to sales at Only-Games and Shapeways because those were, fundamentally, off the cost of their manufature, not my small mark-up. MMF actually gives me more of tghe share, of course, but my prices on MMF I had already placed at “what is the minimum amount I feel I should charge?” – $0.8 equates to me making just north of 50p. I was thus more or less aiming at “this price is like being on sale all the time” instead of what I would consider the corporately manipulating “the sale price is the real price, so add 25% to the base cost so that when on sale people get the endorphin hit from thinking they are Getting A Good Deal.
So I was seriously considering not putting the sale in at all. However, I am as if you’ve been following, in a position where it feels unwise to turn away the publicity. So this is an experiment. If the sales do genuniely give me a spike in sales, great, it is something to repeat.
As a final note, to re-iterate: Only-games is moving to a subscription model in January, and that means a £25/month fee (on top of the MMF subscription fee). After a spike in summer which did (in September), last month’s sales didn’t reach that. Thus there is a very real, very frightening possibility (even probability) that this cost will make operating an Only-Games store unsustainable (especially as he Shipyards is now my only form of income). That would be a crippling blow, since it would take out the decent physical prints. So if nothing else, if you think you might ever want any Aotrs Shipyards models in resin… Sooner rather than later, would be my pointed recommendation, because I genuniely do not know for how much longer I will be able to offer it to you.
If this seems a bit doom and gloom… Sorry, but it kind of is? Not much else I can say about it; that is the bare facts as they stand. Worst financial half-year since the Shipyards started + no working tax credit + very non-trivial operating cost forthcoming makes my outlook rather bleak, I’m afraid.
𝗔𝗼𝘁𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘆 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲
I am back at it again after my week off. I, unsurprisingly, have not had time to do anythign special – but as a last-minute decision, I jumped a bit ahead and uploaded XGA01, arguably among the most spooky conceptually of the current powers. (The Aotrs are, of course, Actual Skeletons, but they are not as existentially spooky.)
They also have one of the more extensive and narratively-driven Galaxy Guide Entries (as they made their debut in Rolemaster/Spacemaster, and i made an enormous effort when writing up to expand on the already considerable detail). Their lore entry is somewhat closer, perhaps, to a SCP Foundation exploration log (if with a somewhat lesser emphasis on the horror, but its as close as I got to hand!),
So as a special Halloween treat, here is a drove link to the Galaxy Guide entry for XGA01 in full, in PDF form, with all the bells and whistles and is as close to the format for release as I’ve gotten so far. Please have a look, in the spirit of the season!In addition to XGA01, the Tarrainian Federtion army is also uploaded, and both forces should be available for purchase sometimes tomorrow.
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𝗠𝘆𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲
𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗨𝗣:
Updated: End of 31/10/2023
𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗲𝘂𝘃𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 (𝟭𝟰𝟰)
China
Czechoslovakia
France
Israel
Irregulars
NATO
Russian/Soviet
German
UK
US
**Moderns uploads completed!**𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀
Flight stands
Alpha Strike force
SSA
Stone Portals
Vivrathk
Phystyulons
General Designs Hulls
Jalyrkieons
Aotrs
Extra-Galactic Aliens (XGA01)*
𝗠𝗚 𝗦𝗰𝗶-𝗙𝗜
Cybertanks
Galactic Terrorists
British Royal Space Army
Strayvian Dominion
Phystyulons
Herosine Empire
Jalyrkieons
Aotrs
Soviet Remnant
Tarrainian Federation*
𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗰
Explosion/Suppression Markers
*Uploaded but not in Store page yet
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𝗔𝗼𝘁𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆-𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀!
As a final reminder, the 20% off Aotrs Shipyards (physical) products at Only-Games sale remains on all the way through to November the 30th!
Use code 𝗔𝗢𝗧𝗥𝗦𝟮𝟬
The small text:
Applies to one-time purchases, no minimum purchase requirements, no usage limits, can’t be combined with other discounts!
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In other news, both Maneouvre Group and Maneouvre Group Sci-Fi have pending updates – the latter might have already been done, but any plans for that have been derailed. No time frame yet, but both the MG authors and I have been working on these in the background.Aotrs Shipyards October 2023 Update and Surprise Release
Just in time for the Spooky Season, I can report that as of yesterday night, the entire Army Of The Red Spear starfleet, ground force and fighter force, in all their highly trained and organised magical space-lich glory, are uploaded to MyMiniFactory!
The starships are up and cleared, though the ground force and fighters won’t get their final checks passed likely until Monday, but you SHOULD be able to see them all under the Aotrs collection on the Shipyards MMF page.)
For that matter, the Aotrs Shipyards sale at Only-Games is still on until the end of November (details below), so if you want so magical space liches in physical form, everything is up there (including the Blackhole, which appears to have been missed as an oversight last time…!) so now is as good a time as ever!
The Aotrs range is the single biggest range for any one power (eclipsed only by Manoeuvre Group Moderns when counted a whole, not as multiple nations). It is been an appalling couple of weeks, which problem after problem on top of the already stressful situation[1]. But I, driven more by stress to get the job done than by anything else, managed to get about 130 models up this week, which takes me to 422 out of around 560-ish models to upload. (The count isn’t identical, since some separate physical models have been collated into one file set.) All the moderns are now up as well, so it’s now basically the back half of the alphabet of the sci-fi to go.
This brings me to today’s surprise release! I said there wouldn’t be a release this month, but as I completed the Aotrs, I decided that I would do one, since it is exclusive to MyMiniFactory due to its size: the 1:300th scale version of the Murder, as seen at Hereward and Other Partizan!
Murder Fightercruiser (300th)
MyMiniFactory (.Stl File) Price: $15* Link
(The fleet scale version is already out… And obviously, I’m NOT going to do a 144th scale one. In fact, as it’s closer to terrain at that size anyway, you’d be better served using the 300th version at that scale anyway!)
*MMF mandatorily works in dollars with no conversion, so it has to be in dollars. Yes, that irritates me a bit as well…
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MyMiniFactory Progress Update
The Aotrs being done, and with their surprise release marked a convenient point to make an update post (as I don’t know how many, if any, people have been checking the updates on the prior post); but also because I am basically taking next week off. The start of my working week (Tuesday) is my birthday (which I’d have been taking off anyway), but the events of the past couple of weeks have convinced me I NEED to take it off, before I do myself even more of a health mischief. (I’ve been so tired that I went an entire week without playing anything, so I haven’t really even relaxed. Even last night and this morning, just thinking about this post as a Job To Do was giving me anxiety.)
So, after posting this up, I’ll continue on today and maybe tackle one of the smaller ranges still left to do, but then that will be it basically until the 31st.
So here is where we stand as of today (21/10/2023).
Ranges currently Up:
Updated: 21/10/2023Manoeuvre Group Moderns (144)
China
Czechoslovakia
France
Israel
Irregulars
NATO
Russian/Soviet
German
UK
US
**Moderns uploads completed!**Starships
Flight stands
Alpha Strike force
SSA
Stone Portals
Vivrathk
Phystyulons
General Designs Hulls
Jalyrkieons
Aotrs (bar 6mm fighters which are *)MG Sci-Fi
Cybertanks
Galactic Terrorists
British Royal Space Army
Strayvian Dominion
Phystyulons
Herosine Empire
Jalyrkieons
Aotrs*Misc
Explosion/Suppression Markers*Uploaded but not in Store page yet
The small mercy is that I have sold enough this first month to cover the MMF subscription fee, so at least for this month, my efforts haven’t been in addition to actively costing me money…
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Aotrs Shipyards Sale at Only-Games!
20% off Aotrs Shipyards (physical) products at Only-Games all the way through to November the 30th!Use code AOTRS20
The small text:
Applies to one-time purchases, no minimum purchase requirements, no usage limits, can’t be combined with other discounts!
______________________________________________________________Whether or not there is an update next month remains in question (likely not for moderns, though a possibility of releasing some of the elves remains. However, I would quite like to do something actually creative, or at least different after several weeks of hell, so I might instead just do CAD work and/or some more work on Bleakbane’s Galaxy Guide as a break; we’ll see.
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[1]For those of you who have not been tracking the updates on the Facebook post, these have included: Mum having her car run into (no physical damage to Mum, but the car is damaged and thus I been helping with the insurance stuff); when my uncle came up for a visit (he’s now arguably as disabled as my mother and frighteningly getting worse every time I see him), so I was helping with him – and on the Friday, Mum’s phone was stolen. (It dropped out of the car in one of two places and was nicked.) So I have had to sort that (make sure everything was cancelled, report to the police, the whole nine yards). I went to get some cash out, and realised I did not remember my PIN (as it was not what I thought I remembered). Because I never used my card at all during lockdown, I totally forgot my previous one, and since, I only get money out once in a blue moon. And because Lloyds treats customers without smart phones as second-class citizens, I have had to wait for a huge amount of time for them to send me a new one. We’ve also had to have our COVID jabs this week as well, so I wasn’t not good yesterday, and none of us had fully recovered from the nasty flu-y cold we had a week or two ago. And for good measure, I am still waiting to be told to pay back the working tax credit I owe, which apparently has been passed to Universal Tax Credit who may (or MAY NOT) follow up on it, and I can’t even chase them for one way or another for another two weeks. I basically HAVE reached my breaking point, to the point that (when I can find the energy and effort to chase it) Mum has said I should go to the doctor’s.
Aotrs Shipyards October 2023 Update and Surprise Release
Just in time for the Spooky Season, I can report that as of yesterday night, the entire Army Of The Red Spear starfleet, ground force and fighter force, in all their highly trained and organised magical space-lich glory, are uploaded to MyMiniFactory!
The starships are up and cleared, though the ground force and fighters won’t get their final checks passed likely until Monday, but you SHOULD be able to see them all under the Aotrs collection on the Shipyards MMF page.)
For that matter, the Aotrs Shipyards sale at Only-Games is still on until the end of November (details below), so if you want so magical space liches in physical form, everything is up there (including the Blackhole, which appears to have been missed as an oversight last time…!) so now is as good a time as ever!
The Aotrs range is the single biggest range for any one power (eclipsed only by Manoeuvre Group Moderns when counted a whole, not as multiple nations). It is been an appalling couple of weeks, which problem after problem on top of the already stressful situation[1]. But I, driven more by stress to get the job done than by anything else, managed to get about 130 models up this week, which takes me to 422 out of around 560-ish models to upload. (The count isn’t identical, since some separate physical models have been collated into one file set.) All the moderns are now up as well, so it’s now basically the back half of the alphabet of the sci-fi to go.
This brings me to today’s surprise release! I said there wouldn’t be a release this month (and there isn’t for moderns, but I’m mostly copy-pasting this to both threads), but as I completed the Aotrs, I decided that I would do one, since it is exclusive to MyMiniFactory due to its size: the 1:300th scale version of the Murder, as seen at Hereward and Other Partizan!
Murder Fightercruiser (300th)
MyMiniFactory (.Stl File) Price: $15* Link
(The fleet scale version is already out… And obviously, I’m NOT going to do a 144th scale one. In fact, as it’s closer to terrain at that size anyway, you’d be better served using the 300th version at that scale anyway!)
*MMF mandatorily works in dollars with no conversion, so it has to be in dollars. Yes, that irritates me a bit as well…
______________________________________________________________
MyMiniFactory Progress Update
The Aotrs being done, and with their surprise release marked a convenient point to make an update post (as I don’t know how many, if any, people have been checking the updates on the prior post); but also because I am basically taking next week off. The start of my working week (Tuesday) is my birthday (which I’d have been taking off anyway), but the events of the past couple of weeks have convinced me I NEED to take it off, before I do myself even more of a health mischief. (I’ve been so tired that I went an entire week without playing anything, so I haven’t really even relaxed. Even last night and this morning, just thinking about this post as a Job To Do was giving me anxiety.)
So, after posting this up, I’ll continue on today and maybe tackle one of the smaller ranges still left to do, but then that will be it basically until the 31st.
So here is where we stand as of today (21/10/2023).
Ranges currently Up:
Updated: 21/10/2023
Manoeuvre Group Moderns (144)
China
Czechoslovakia
France
Israel
Irregulars
NATO
Russian/Soviet
German
UK
US
**Moderns uploads completed!**Starships
Flight stands
Alpha Strike force
SSA
Stone Portals
Vivrathk
Phystyulons
General Designs Hulls
Jalyrkieons
Aotrs*MG Sci-Fi
Cybertanks
Galactic Terrorists
British Royal Space Army
Strayvian Dominion
Phystyulons
Herosine Empire
Jalyrkieons
Aotrs*Misc
Explosion/Suppression Markers*Uploaded but not in Store page yet
The small mercy is that I have sold enough this first month to cover the MMF subscription fee, so at least for this month, my efforts haven’t been in addition to actively costing me money…
______________________________________________________________
Aotrs Shipyards Sale at Only-Games!
20% off Aotrs Shipyards (physical) products at Only-Games all the way through to November the 30th!Use code AOTRS20
The small text:
Applies to one-time purchases, no minimum purchase requirements, no usage limits, can’t be combined with other discounts!
______________________________________________________________Whether or not there is an update next month remains in question (likely not for moderns, though a possibility of releasing some of the elves remains. However, I would quite like to do something actually creative, or at least different after several weeks of hell, so I might instead just do CAD work and/or some more work on Bleakbane’s Galaxy Guide as a break; we’ll see.
______________________________________________________________
[1]For those of you who have not been tracking the updates on the Facebook post, these have included: Mum having her car run into (no physical damage to Mum, but the car is damaged and thus I been helping with the insurance stuff); when my uncle came up for a visit (he’s now arguably as disabled as my mother and frighteningly getting worse every time I see him), so I was helping with him – and on the Friday, Mum’s phone was stolen. (It dropped out of the car in one of two places and was nicked.) So I have had to sort that (make sure everything was cancelled, report to the police, the whole nine yards). I went to get some cash out, and realised I did not remember my PIN (as it was not what I thought I remembered). Because I never used my card at all during lockdown, I totally forgot my previous one, and since, I only get money out once in a blue moon. And because Lloyds treats customers without smart phones as second-class citizens, I have had to wait for a huge amount of time for them to send me a new one. We’ve also had to have our COVID jabs this week as well, so I wasn’t not good yesterday, and none of us had fully recovered from the nasty flu-y cold we had a week or two ago. And for good measure, I am still waiting to be told to pay back the working tax credit I owe, which apparently has been passed to Universal Tax Credit who may (or MAY NOT) follow up on it, and I can’t even chase them for one way or another for another two weeks. I basically HAVE reached my breaking point, to the point that (when I can find the energy and effort to chase it) Mum has said I should go to the doctor’s.
