RocketBoy

Love this. Especially the colors on the FF ship, that feels totally right. The Character of all three elements is so clear: Hutt, FF, CFS. There's some NPU going on with those fighters too.

This is really neat. One question though (and this also goes for your other LTC entry): the builds that are outside/don't fit into the 16x16 square aren't meant to be judged? Because they don't fit into the limit? Just wondering.

*This entry has earned 8 XP* Mission Briefing "One of the mercenary units had holed up in the Kaden mountains in an ancient castle, using it as an FOB and a place to lick their wounds. The thing practically looked modern--Munnilinst architecture seemed to be fond of its own history. It was a rescue mission: we had a man on the inside, a turncoat codenamed "Jarai." Jarai had been serving as spy and informant for a couple of weeks, providing us intelligence for strikes behind enemy lines. His material had come through. Now we would come through for him--one last mission on his intel, this time to walk the man himself out of his own personal hell. Hard to get far if you aren't nice to your friends. Yand and I will approach from the lake, the others are coming in from the highlands. We'll get our man, and then we're off home." More Photos Thanks for looking.

Great stuff! If this is your first post, welcome to the game!

*This entry has earned 18 XP (x2 LTC Bonus Applied)* At the height of the old Sith Empire, the population of Korriban numbered 9.6 billion individuals. Now there are less than a thousand, and to some those thousand can hardly be called people. Thanks for looking.

Your builds have gotten better and better. I both really like how wide and large they always are, but I'd also love to see you try something really small and meticulously polished, because your detail work is awesome when it rears its head. That drooping burned tree! The burn line! The little inset engineering dugout! The one thing I'd say you should work on is composition? By that, I mean the way the overall shapes in the build stand out and contribute to the whole. That's easiest when there's a main shooting angle in mind, one final shot that'll serve as the main shot, so you know how everything will look from that angle. At worst, stuff just can get a bit messy and hard to pick out. That's way easier to practice on small builds, so I'd love to see some 16x16s from you?? Anyway, you do you, this is cool.

*This entry has earned 10 XP (x2 LTC Bonus Applied)* Mercenary tanks encroach on the city of Harnaidan! Pentastar Alignment gunships take flight over Muunilinst's capital, their engines thrumming as they dive, their beam weapons slicing through the enemy. The ships cast dashing shadows over the fleeing mercenaries below, who run to put distance between themselves and the burning hulks of their armor. The ones who survive must regroup and rethink their strategy: Harnaidan had become a citadel of Alignment protection, and breaching the metropolis was no small thing. As persistent as they were, the Alignment's defense stood ironclad. Thanks for looking!

This rules! Great looking build, I love the effects on the low-flying TIEs, and the Shuttle adds a really nice color balance.

This is wonderful! The texture on the ship is great, the AT-ATs are awesome, and the photography makes it all pop. Great job.

ALL OUT WAR! The IMPERIAL TRIUMVIRATE rules scores of sectors with an iron fist, while its growing supremacy goes virtually unchallenged. Every day it launches bold assaults on new planets, pulling more into its cruel grip. The Triumvirate has become a looming threat to hundreds of worlds. With the galaxy under a growing veil of darkness, hope rises in the form of the NEW REPUBLIC, ready to join the fight. A call for aid resounds through every system: Join the fight against this Shadow of the Empire. Category A: Manhunt Category B: Vultures in the Mid Rim Category C: Outer Rim Sieges Each player may submit unlimited Cat A builds. Each player may submit one build for Cat B and C. This will be the final Episode of the current iteration of Factions. Factions Season 1 will end on July 31st, and after a hiatus, will return with Season 2. Episode will run from June 15th to July 31st The Rules:

Yeah, that walker head is dope.

Without a doubt this is the most in-depth anyone's gone with a story I've posted, I can't express how meaningful that is to me. I'm seriously honored that you enjoyed and appreciated it! Thanks so much for reading along and sticking with the arc, and for your insight. It's really rewarding to read what you have to say. (And it's such a relief to be done, endings take so loong to write) I've got a few ideas for Season 2 arcs involving Yima and the FF (though it may be time for him to settle down on a nice farm). I'm looking forward to working on those more and seeing where it goes. He's really the heart and soul of the FF, but I want to see what it would like for a whole new generation to step up to the plate and become as integral as he is. Again, thank you. I really appreciate it.

*This entry has earned 3 XP* Previously... It was silent in the temple caverns. Four days had passed since Bey'wan, Fenree Kel, and 6 soldiers from Hunter Team had left, in secret, on a mission to infiltrate the Imperial trench. The days on Ilum, hiding in the hidden temples, were long. The pilgrims and Freedom Fighters sheltering together felt the hours stretch on. Four long days, and there had been no word. They had sent probe droids, but there was nothing to learn, no trace to be found. Ever since they had first been reported missing, Admiral Yima knew where they had gone, and he knew, in his spirit, what had happened. The trench had swallowed them. He wished it hadn't happened like this, on this disgraced planet, following 12 weeks of depression and strife. He wished they had spoken before he had left, just to see something in his friend's eyes besides distrust. Yima imagined the person Bey'wan could have become: an old Bothan, gray streaking his fur—a respected, trusted leader, a brilliant mind, endlessly intelligent and insightful. He could've taken over as leader, just a few years down the line. But that would never happen now. In the old stories, death came when the person was ready. It was never quite a surprise. They always had their affairs in order, nothing important left to give. It was always somehow the right time. Even the most violent deaths were somehow peaceful in their purpose. But Yima still needed Bey'wan, right now more than he ever had. It physically hurt that he could not turn to rely on his data master, ever capable, ever ready. He missed his stiff manner, his awkward sense of humor, his earnest desire to see the oppressed free. He listened quietly to the wind that whistled past. He let himself hope for a rare connection beyond the grave, a voice, a vision, anything from Bey'wan to offer comfort, guidance, or wisdom. But he stared and strained and there was nothing, only the wind. Emptiness settled on him. Then came rage. The cavern walls of the control center below echoed with a cacophony of voices. He imagined getting justice. All out war, a bombardment from the fleet. They could make it costly for the Empire. They could add hundreds of corpses to the pile. He heard footsteps behind him, and turned. There was Noora, a steaming cup in her hand. She managed a kind of wretched smile. "I thought you might want some tea." "Oh. Thank you, Noora." Yima accepted it politely, but for once, did not feel in the mood for tea. "That is very kind." Nora noticed that he did not drink. "Admiral, things are heating up downstairs. The Fighters' are furious." "I understand how they feel," replied Yima, his eyes hooded and his expression dim. He imagined how many dead Stormtroopers they might make before they would eventually be destroyed by the overwhelming opposition. They could stay here and keep hunting them like prey for years. "You're not thinking of...striking back?" Yima avoided her gaze. "Are you not?" Her answer was already considered. "...No, Admiral. Why throw away more lives? In a way...it wasn't the Empire that killed Bey'wan, it was this planet. Do you know what I mean?" Yima did. Chastened, he stared into the dark depths of the cup of tea. "You do not want justice against his murderers?" He said softly, an edge to his voice. "And what of that he died for? Should we abandon that, too?" Noora stared at him. The Admiral wasn't thinking clearly. That had never happened before, not as long as Noora had worked with him. It scared her. She understood what was happening. She had worked closely with Bey'wan ever since she'd been promoted to command crew, he was--had been--a good friend, and she felt the pain of grief too, but she was beginning to feel like the only person who hadn't gone mad. And now even the Admiral, normally so wise, was being seduced by thoughts of revenge. The soul of the Freedom Fighters teetered on a precipice. "If you force the Fighters to stay here, they'll do whatever you say," she said, adrenaline shaking her voice. "They love you, they'll follow whatever order you give them. And how you feel is how they'll feel. And if you're angry, and you let them be angry, and we all make decisions driven by our anger, then...every one of us will die on this force-forsaken world." Finally, Yima looked at her. She looked angry, desperate. His face pulled in confusion, his thoughts were clouded. "Please, Admiral...think about the people we have left." With her words, Yima suddenly saw the future as if it was happening. The current path was a spiral. The pilgrims would try to escape too late. Families would be incinerated and become fuel for the flames of the Fighters' hatred, and they would throw themselves against the Empire again and again until their bones broke and their spirits were snuffed out and no one would ever know. The Empire would go on: evil always does. Good does too. But people die. And that was what he served: people. If he didn't serve them now, every one of the people here would suffer for years to come, until they died in the pursuit of vengeance. Like a light through the clouds, Noora reached him. "Yes," he choked. "You're right. Oh, Noora. Thank you." A strange sob came from his throat. How close he had come. "I am a foolish old man," he said, his voice brittle. "I-I am so sorry." Tears of stress welled in Noora's eyes. She quickly nodded and wiped her face with her sleeve. "Please, make the right choice." "Yes, young one. Yes. You are right. You...you have saved me from disaster, and a shame that would poison me." Yima took a deep drink from the cup of tea, and felt its warmth flood his bones. "Will you come with me? I must speak with the others." Noora nodded. The two of them left the tower and went to save the Freedom Fighters. It took wrestling of words and spirit to bring the rest of their clan to the truth, but Yima was ready: he knew that this fight was the most important he had ever fought. His weapons were words: gentle words, truthful words, words that honored the memory of those they had lost, but did not embrace recklessness, vengeance, or a repayment of violence. Slowly, one by one, he saw reason dawn on faces in the crowd around the control center, saw anger melt away into grief, saw hope beam through rage. Slowly, the grueling work of unity was accomplished. Trust restored. And Noora felt relief crash into her like a wave, and she devolved into weeping when she saw the fever break. The faces of the Freedom Fighters looked to their leader, his face lined with age and sorrow, but lively with purpose. They looked to leadership, and—wishing he had Bey'wan beside him—the Admiral provided. It was past time for them to leave Ilum. The plan would keep everyone safe: escorts to protect the transports, a diversion bombardment from orbit. But what of Bey'wan's investigation? What of the Empire's sinister purpose? A small team of five: the remains of Hunter Team, volunteered to stay and learn more, to gather information from their hidden outpost, to try and obtain readouts of the entire planet, whereby they might discover any Imperial weaknesses. They did not have to do this, but they were determined. The ones who would leave gathered around the ones who would stay, and amidst tearful farewells a pilgrim consecrated their sacrifice. The others, Fighters and Pilgrims alike, boarded the shuttles. Final prayers were prayed, blessings spoken, fingers tracing the ancient, holy ruins that must be--at last--given up. Yima wished there was a way to preserve the planet for the future, to protect its history and significance, but it wasn't worth the lives of those in the temple. He watched the groups board their transports, and cast a final look around the Jedi's ancient monuments. Finally, he boarded himself. No lives were lost in the retreat from Ilum. Every transport made it safely away. The Peace and Quiet made the jump out of the Unknown Regions and the relief of its passengers was palpable. All of them felt the lifting of the dark spirit that had settled on them in the last weeks, and Yima immediately felt his discretion return. None of them had realized how heavy they had all felt until they had escaped. Yima only wished he had called for it sooner. A memorial service was held in the ship's community hall—quiet, mournful, appreciative. In silence, they honored the eight that had been lost and committed their lives to the Force. Yima remembered how steady Bey'wan had given them hope, with his understanding and his solutions. He remembered—soberly—how Noora had reminded him of truth and pulled him from his darkness. The old Admiral looked around through misty eyes at all the faces on the ship, and felt a surge of thankfulness for every one of them. For their endurance, for their steadfastness. For who they were. And so the Followers of the Force were saved from Ilum, and even in the mourning there was hope once more. _____________________ (Thanks for looking!)

This rules! What a great scene, really well put together, and it's always cool to see a brick-built Star Wars beast!

This is great. I love the garden, the gazebo, and the minifigs especially. The ground is a bit studdy, but I'm sure you know that. Great stuff!

Totally fair! Thanks for the measured reply.

Woah, this is kind of...mean-spirited. the build is great, but I don't love the idea of taking someone else's main character and depicting them enslaved in chains. And sure sure, it's only suggested to be them, but it's them, obviously. That was the idea behind the build. Not sure I can get behind this. If we don't depict other people's Factions explicitly, seems like the same would be true for player characters.

I really like this. A lot of small builds are pretty studdy, I love that you're using it as a chance to work around with SNOT.

SIZE MATTERS NOT Welcome to June's Challenge! From June 1st to June 27th you can earn Double XP (and double IP if built on an eligible planet/system). The challenge theme is Microscale. Build a planet's surface, an orbital station, a fleet of ships, or anything else, as long as it is microscale. Each player may submit two 16x16 builds. Players cannot submit both of their builds to the same system. Please include the word "size" in your entry's title, and submit them under "2x Limited Challenge" in the submission sheet. Good luck, and happy building!

Thanks! Yeah, I should stress that this is just my take on PA, and shouldn't be taken as representative of PA on the whole. I just like to imagine a subsection of them as the Lawful Neutral, Knightly Order kind of Empire. Still brutal, but with a weird bent of nobility. It's still very much patriarchal and, as the post says, authoritarian, but maybe a more honorable version of that than the typical evil Empire. (I'm sure PA has its fair share of evil Imperials too.) The Fel Empire in the EU was sort of like that.

*Your entry has earned 12 xp* Given the recent attacks on Muunilinst by state-sponsored mercenary forces, the Dantooine garrison of the Pentastar Patrol has been on high alert. Captain Pavay walks the local farmsteads with a few patrol troopers (both of whom forego the full stormtrooper facemask, per garrison policy). He greets the farmers amicably and makes sure everyone is doing well, answering any questions and assuaging any concerns. The Captain has been walking this track for a number of weeks now; the farmers are happy enough to see the man, who in their eyes has become something of a local sheriff. While the Pentastar Alignment is, at its core, an Imperial Remnant, there are many among its ranks who seek to create the Empire as it should have been: a strong government protective of its citizens, providing for a grateful populace with the strong arm of justice. No less authoritarian, but precise, intelligent, and benevolent, not cruel or wasteful. Pavay is one of these "visionaries," a term used distastefully by certain members of the cabinet. Whatever their opinions, the loyal citizens he protects know they have nothing to fear. MORE PHOTOS Thanks for looking!

Great first Factions build! I'm so glad to have you on board with the FotF. The wall texturing and the AT-RT are great. I think it could have gone without those front generators, but we talked about that already! Part limitations, what are ya gonna do. Great work.

I loved that wall! So detailed and varied. It's a bit hard to see everything, but I like the tank droid and the trees too, reminds me of classic Star Wars sets.

Hey! I know we've spoken before about feedback, so just a few notes: The idea for the scene is cool! The crystals feel more like an Ilum thing than a Hoth thing. That left side looks a little bare, but I think if the ground had been tiled it would kick it up a notch. Some SNOT rockwork would also take this to the next level, and maybe a central focal point for the build. The Both ice tunnels are really cool, I was looking at some reference on those the other day. They always struck me as very narrow and the snow was very delicate looking. It would be cool to see the floor sort of slope up to become the wall. Just some thoughts! Take em or leave em.

Just beautiful.