Sky-Spear Long Range Space Fighters

[Laura Beinbrech]

In 2075, during what would become known as the Final War, Dr. Regis Blackgaard, megalomaniacal madman and insane genius, upon realizing that he would soon face defeat at the hands of the coalition led by the North American Union, initiated "Plan Ragnarok", whereby he triggered malware carefully secreted into the major powers' launch control systems for their Anti-Matter arsenals, causing all Anti-Matter ICBMs to launch simultaneously. His initial hope was that the entire world would either be reduced enough for him to easily take over when he and his elite Blacktron Guard landed their ships, or completely wiped out, allowing him to rebuild it in his image.

Unfortunately for him and his nefarious plans was the fact that Dr. Bones, foremost scientist for the North American Union, was able to detect the activation of the malware soon enough to issue a general warning to all the major coalition powers (NA Union, European Union and East Asian Federation) for them to attempt to somehow intercept the missiles in flight. While various space fighter squadrons made heroic sacrifices to intercept and destroy Anti-Matter ICBMs in flight, none were nearly as successful, or had as high losses as the 22nd North American Space Fighter Wing, led by Col. Hikaro Takayama. They managed to destroy 85% of the North America bound missiles short of their objectives, however out of a 36-ship fighter wing, only the Colonel and his Wingman, Fritz Diehlmann survived the mission.

Now, some 30 years after the Final War, and the chaos that ensued, not only due to damage from the Anti-Matter bombs, but the disturbances in the space-time continuum caused by such a massive release of energy, the world is re-building. The Federal Republic of America, heir to the traditions of the North American Union, still has the two heroic Sky-Spear Fighters from the 22nd Space Fighter Wing. Fritz Diehlmann now flies Hikaro's Fighter, since Hikaro has taken charge of the Federal Special Operations Command. These two ships are the only Hyperspace-capable spacecraft left in the entire world (contact with the colony worlds was cut off during the apocalyptic Anti-Matter exchange), with the exception of one A. Skywalker's modified "TIE Fighter", but that's another story.

Sky-Spear Fighters, Side View by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr

The two Surviving Sky Spear units. The one on the left is missing its main ION-Thruster module (currently being repaired), and is in the standard coloring of the North American Union and current Federal Republic of America Space Fighter livery, which dates back to the Rebellion "Futuron" space force during the war with the Galactic Empire in 1988. The one on the right is General Takayama's personal craft and the original Prototype built in 1989, which finally allowed the Earth Alliance (and Rebel Allies) to break the stalemate with the Galactic Empire and destroy their latest planet-destroying superweapon.

Sky-Spear Fighters Front Quarter View by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr

Here the fighters are seen with their windscreens up, and you can plainly see the old, pre-Final War North American Union space suits... Suitable Replacements are on order from TLG industries, but it could be some time before they arrive, due to more pressing needs on various fronts due to aggression from the Grand Duchy of New York (Dr. Regis Blackgaard's latest nation), The Hordes of Chaos, and the Neo-CSA.

Sky-Spear Fighters, Rear Quarter View by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr

And here you can see the thruster assembly on the Original, and the mounting brackets for the thrusters on the production model.

This is a map of the various post-Final War Factions in North America, so you have some idea of what and where this is going on:

NorthAMLEGO by Hikaro Takayama, on Flickr

Now for the run-down: I first built the Sky Spear II in 1989, and have been modifying/improving it since then. My lasted improvement session was yesterday, when I added a few detail parts and replaced most of the yellowed white pieces on it. That said, the windscreen is from the original Space Police I Galactic Peacekeeper, which I bought in 1989, the main thruster assembly and the outer maneuvering thrusters/Ion Cannons mounted under the wings are from the FUTURON Cosmic Laser Launcher, and the boat hull sections that form the bottom are from the Kings Oarsman boat (among others available back then), and the color scheme is basically the illegitimate offspring of FUTURON and Space Police I. The "Production model" was started in 1998, and uses parts from some Exploriens set, but I was going for a straght FUTURON look for it. Up until very recently (like, yesterday), it was only about half as long as the original, due to lack of parts and/or interest. I discovered, while going through some of my smaller sets and MOCs (to tear them down and add their parts to my parts pool for building bigger stuff), that I had enough white boat hull pieces to make it into a full-sized version. The "Air Force Roundel" shields on the side are BrickForge "American Hero" Battle shields (purists avert your eyes ). I just need to make PAB order to get another white 4x4 cone piece to finish out the "Production Model" version... I just wish LEGO still made those windscreens.

Anyways, let me know what you think of these classic-styled ships of mine, and I hope you enjoyed them.

[lightningtiger]

Interesting classic space styled craft, but an even more interesting back story...it's an excellent sci-fi story 'Hikaro Takayama' please keep going with it.....Brick On Fly On !

[Laura Beinbrech]

Interesting classic space styled craft, but an even more interesting back story...it's an excellent sci-fi story 'Hikaro Takayama' please keep going with it.....Brick On Fly On !

Thanks! I'm glad you like it, Lighting Tiger.... I'm planning on posting some more vehicles and starting a series of reference pics for the various armies of the different factions in a Jane's Guide-type format (I'm going to call it Jayne's Guide to Military Uniforms of the World, 2111 Ed. )

If anyone is wondering why there seems to be a lot of shout-outs/crossovers, this setting of mine is based on the LEGO wargames my brother and I played when we were kids up until High School... The "Final War" mentioned basically is the in-universe representation of me going into my first LEGO Dark Age, and my brother going into his permanent one in 1994, when we gave away about 99% of all our LEGOs... I came back out in early 1997 (during this time, I managed to get back some of my Pirate sets and my brother's 4011 Cabin Cruiser when the friend I gave them to decided he didn't want to mess with LEGO anymore and said I could have them back), but was forced into a second quasi-dark age in late 2000, due to being in the US Navy and getting assigned to shipboard duty (no room for LEGO on a US Navy ship), and put all my sets and MOCs into storage (the Sky Spear II survived both dark ages). I finally came out of the second Dark Age in 2009, when I discovered that LEGO had finally brought the Pirates (my favorite theme) back.

So, as a tribute to the good times I had playing LEGO with my brother, as well as some of the RPG's I played with my friends in the Navy, I've created this post-apocalyptic setting, which is mostly sorta like a combination of Lord of the Rings, Fallout, Rifts, and Warhammer 40K (but not nearly as grim-dark or hopeless as some of the settings) with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

[Si-MOCs]

<snip>

So, as a tribute to the good times I had playing LEGO with my brother, as well as some of the RPG's I played with my friends in the Navy, I've created this post-apocalyptic setting, which is mostly sorta like a combination of Lord of the Rings, Fallout, Rifts, and Warhammer 40K (but not nearly as grim-dark or hopeless as some of the settings) with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

While I liked the first backstory.

the backstory on the backstory was even better.

Nice job and welcome back!

:)

[Laura Beinbrech]

While I liked the first backstory.

the backstory on the backstory was even better.

Nice job and welcome back!

:)

Thanks, and glad you like it... I'm glad I came back to LEGO, since they've come out of the slump they were in with regards to set design back in the late 1990's and early 2000's. My only regret was not getting more of the Fantasy Era castle sets... I need MOAR orcs.

[Ceroknight]

Canada a wasteland?! What is this?!

Very cool ships, like the classic vibe it has

[Laura Beinbrech]

Canada a wasteland?! What is this?!

Very cool ships, like the classic vibe it has

Actually, the Chaos wastes is almost directly taken from Warhammer Fantasy Battles, but with Sauron being re-awoken (he was defeated in one of my brother's an my LEGO campaigns, which took place not long after the Galactic Empire was defeated and Darth Vader turned to the good side), by the Chaos magic pouring through a rift during the Final War. He then proceeded to kick the Megabloks out of the four powers of Chaos (Slaneesh, Tzeench, Nurgle and Khorne) and made them work for him... Needless to say, what with the confusion caused by rifts popping up all over the place, and hordes of Chaos Warriors (think the absolute worst aspects of the Vikings, Mongol Hordes, Huns and Vandals rolled into one and cranked up to 11), Chaos Daemons (including Nazgûl and Balrogs) and Orcs flooding accross the plains, not to mention Warpstone (basically crystalized Chaos energy that can not only cause physical mutations but either drive the victim insane or turn them into a dedicated Chaos worshiper) dust blowing from the portals to the realm of Chaos (a.k.a. Hell), Canada didn't stand much of a chance... Thankfully a large portion of the population managed to flee to safe areas in the Republic of Lakotah, Six Nations and the Federal Republic of America (You'll notice a heavy dose of more British/Canandian themes in the Federal Republic, not the least of which is the use of the Lion as the national symbol as opposed to the Bald Eagle, and the predominant color of military uniforms and such being Red instead of Blue).

...Although, as nasty as the Chaos Wastes might sound, even your most dedicated follower of Khorne (Chaos "god" of bloodshed and war) will think twice before venturing into the Wastes... Those are the TRUE wasteland: Hundreds of miles of barren desert with no water or food for miles, and roving gangs of raiders who will attack and loot ANY wanderers they come across, not to mention wandering groups of zombies and skeletons that have meandered from the Tomb Kings' territories on the West Coast means that any travelers passing through them take their lives into their hands (about the only groups that the raiders WON'T attack out of hand are the Confederate States of America Army special forces, better known as the "Desert Rats", the Lone Star Rangers, and the FRA SOCOM Dragoons, who are basically mounted troopers who wear full, environmental unobtainium armor, carry "Tanegashima" high-power laser rifles, "Cosmo Dragoon" high-power laser pistols, vibo-Claymores, among other nasty weapons).

The Mexican Badlands are pretty much the same story as the Wastes, but possibly even more lawless (although, again, most of the bandits aren't stupid enough to attack the Lone Star Rangers or the Caribbean League's elite Mayan Eagle Warriors).