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Showing results for tags 'Microscale'.
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The Kaiserin-class Light Cruiser The Kaiserin-class Light Cruiser is one of the modern European Union ships designed to update their ageing Navy. Design and production fell to the same shipbuilders responsible for the Bremen-class; the two ships are similar in quality but different in intent. Capital ships are useful and often fundamental tactical assets in modern stellar warfare. But even advanced, modern ships are held back by an old fashioned opponent – supply lines. The larger a capital ship is, the more logistical support it needs to operate. Within the human Core Systems this is an easy feat – the structures and support is already in place. The Rimward Territories contains none of this; most colonies are still developing and supplies are at a premium. Larger capital ships have no choice but to resupply at the Rim’s few industrialised and obvious ports. This creates a ‘trail’ in their wake (eliminating any sense of subtlety or surprise) and limits their range. Smaller capital ships have smaller requirements for supply – they are able to do so away from the main spaceports and the prying eyes often present. The Kaiserin was designed to strike a balance between low profile and high potency. The thin profile of the ship is intentional. In battle the ship can turn to face enemies and present a smaller target whilst being able to target a significant proportion of its weaponry. Furthermore, this thinness presents an odd sensor profile – older systems often misake the ship for something half the size if not looking closely. The latter quality is especially useful if the ship is operating alone in non-friendly territory. The Kaiserin is designed to operate in two main roles. Firstly, as a flag and command ship for groups of corvettes and destroyers in traditional stellar combat. The vessel is equipped with the communication equipment to coordinate a significant force and is fast enough to keep up with a cruising corvette. Its second function is that of a ‘lone wolf’; embarking on long-range patrols and engaging unfriendly contacts. These missions were traditionally assigned to smaller vessels but the introduction of the Wun’Tux changed everything. A patrol boat or corvette would be no match for a Wun’Tux Clanship; the Union needed something that could meet one and survive. The Cassard-class is of similar size and displacement. In theory, the older ship is more powerful – her large guns and missile systems can cause huge amounts of damage. However, as demonstrated at the end of the Pan-Eurasian War, the Cassard was outmoded and easily beaten by modern starfighters. Several Cassards were also present at Tordov V. Theoretically they were very suitable participants at this battle – Wun’Tux ships attacked head on and lacked manoeuvrability to evade fire. The groups of Cassards started well, deploying barrages of missiles and heavy fire at the ongoing forces. Once the missiles ran out, however, the Wun’Tux committed more and more of their forces. The guns alone were not accurate or powerful enough to half the Wun’Tux advance and the Cassard’s armour buckled under return fire; only 15% defending Tordov V escaped. The Kaiserin’s designers aimed to address these shortcomings. The armoured exterior and modular substructure have the ship greater resilience under fire. The Kaiserin’s weaponry is not ammunition dependent; unlike the Cassard’s missile launchers. Plasma weaponry and autocannons make for a potent medium to short range combatant. The first five, including EUS Kaiserin, were pressed into service towards the end of the disastrous Oroso conflict. They served alongside the strike fighters of Grendel Squadron to drive back an Oroso counter-offensive and put an end to the conflict; they were vastly superior to the few Cassards left serving on the front line and these old ships were soon sent to serve ignominiously with the Border Fleet. Ships of this class are predominantly assigned long range patrols along the Wun’Tux border. They are well equipped to engage lone Clanships; they can use their difficult to hit profile and turreted weapons to good effect. They are under orders to avoid larger forces, though, and exercise operational caution. A number have incidentally been involved with the USEF – either coming to the aid of an American warship or vice versa. This arrangement is a welcome example of thawing frostiness between human factions but remains strictly informal. Length: 90m Crew: 84 Role: Long range patrol, flotilla command Weaponry: 2 x Plasma Cannon Turrets (port and starboard) 1 x dual autocannon turret (keel mounted) 2 x heavy autocannons (deck mounted) 4 x ‘Starsnipe’ flak cannons Shields/Armour: Medium/Medium Special Features: Thin Profile. Modular Construction.
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Based off of "Perimeter", an RTS by Russian developer studio K-D Lab, Frame is a mobile city created to traverse the treacherous and ever-changing bubble worlds of Psychosphere. The city itself is but a tiny part of the Frame which also houses machinery to maintain base when on-world, as well as mystical Spiral, a device that allows inter-dimensional travel. Here are separate pictures of the city and the structures built around it: The City The Core The Core is a vital part of the base built around the Frame. It accumulates and transfers energy, collected from the world's surface, to the Frame. It also powers the structures that are not directly connected to the Frame when they are built within the colored zone around the Core. The Lab This is one of the laboratories that a player must build in order to access new units within the game. This particular one allows access for laser tech-based units. And here is a reference image, an in-game screenshot of the Frame and four Cores:
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TB-55The TB-55 by TenorPenny, on Flickr The TB-55 by TenorPenny, on Flickr The TB-55 by TenorPenny, on Flickr Sometimes old ideas are the best. The Russian TB-55 is a low tech weapon of brute force; a slow moving and heavily armoured gunship capable of devastating damage from its twin warhead launchers. The ’55 has outlasted many technologically superior ships and remains a potent force in the European Union navy. The ship is a giant compared to most starfighters; it has the lumbering pace of a giant to match. Even when it reaches top speed the ship is difficult to manovere and an easy target for interceptors and flak fire. And yet between the thick armour and its sheer potential for damage the ship well liked and well used. The design has barely changed since the Pan-Eurasian War in which it was used to siege and destroy Coalition fortifications and armour – one of the many reasons the Coalition chose to oppose the Union with hit and run style tactics over a slugging match. The post-War threats to the Union came in the form of alien species. Although the Oroso were able to avoid and isolate squadrons of TB-55s before they could do damage, the ship was found to be extremely effective against the Wun’Tux. Their durillium armour was very resilient against energy weapons but weak against explosives – the TB-55 was able to field an inordinate amount of such weaponry per ship; just three of them were capable of destroying one Clanship in two bombing runs. The vessel is decidedly old fashioned in design. A lack of automation means the ship requires three crew just to get off the ground. Outmoded sensors and electronics means it can be ‘spoofed’ by cutting edge jamming or stealth techniques. On the other hand, the ship is rugged and easy to maintain- it has few specialist components and repairs can be affected with salvaged equipment. This allows the ship great durability in the field. The European Union lost precious ships, personell and resources at Tordov V. The late Admiral Golovko’s successor- Vice Admiral Reyneso – favoured a less gun-ho tactical approach. She deployed wings of TB-55s to repel subsequent Wun’Tux incursions, successively blunting further offensives and giving the Union time to reorganise. TB-55 losses are common; the ship is big enough to be hit by flak fire and slow enough to be vulnerable to enemy interceptors. It has seen most success when deployed only once enemy fighter forces are engaged. The Russian 4th Bomber Wing (nicknamed the ‘Red Foxes’) worked alongside Grendel Squadron in the months following Tordov V using this exact tactic; the fighters would engage Wun’Tux fighter cover and allow the TB-55s to operate more freely. The Red Foxes chalked up an average of 1.5 Clanships per sortie.
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Early Warning Observation Outposts were constructed in response to the ever-expanding reach of Wun’Tux raiding parties. The stations are constructed in a modular style; the hub of the outpost contains an advanced sensor suite and the command and control aspects. The three ‘spoke’ modules contain living quarters and cargo storage. These modular components can be switched out in times of need – EWO Outposts can support hospital modules, ship maintenance and extra defensive measures.
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The Half Nova The Half Nova is a combat dropship utilised by The Long Draw Mercenary Company. It is named after the most risky bluff in a Gurdergengame of chance. The Half Nova is a strategy involves convincing one’s opponent that your hidden tokens match the visible tokens at the centre of the table to make a ‘Full’ Nova – when they do no such thing. A very high stakes Half Nova hand won the ship’s captain, Yllo, requisite funds to buy the ship and he named it in the hand’s honour. Yllo is a rare type of Gurdergen; a proverbial ‘adrenaline junkie’ (though his race lack the ability to produce the substance), he thrives on adventure over commerce. This risk-happy behaviour first presented in his gambling which went on to finance his education as a pilot and finally his pride and joy: The Half Nova. The ship is base to mercenaries of diverse origins; humans, Gnoboand Illayko. Yllo is known to take his ship into very hazardous conditions and his band of mercenaries are paid well for the danger they face, meaning the Long Draw attracts high quality and highly unstable individuals. The ship isn’t heavily armed; its main weapon the combination of speed and the reckless endeavour of its Captain. Its straight line speed is unrivalled by all but the fastest fightercraft and its suite of ECM and other countermeasures can ward off quick-moving agressors. It also features armoured airlocks for quick and safe infantry deployment and extraction. The Half Nova has its own landing pad on the Seven-Seven Gambling Rig on the Gurdergen homeworld; when not on mission the crew can usually be found there, spending their (very) hard earned currency.
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Here is my last creation, a town in microscale. There are not advanced techniques but I've enjoyed building this. Microtown by FonsoSac, en Flickr Microtown by FonsoSac, en Flickr Microtown by FonsoSac, en Flickr Microtown by FonsoSac, en Flickr
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The B-20 Bearcat The X-33 Scimitaris an excellent dogfighter and interceptor; it serves with distinction throughout the US military. It lacked the ability to do damage to so-called ‘hard’ targets, such as capital ships and armoured structures. Tomcat-class Strike Fighters could carry a variety of warheads but were expensive and frequently unavailable. USEF engineers at Highpoint were tasked with plugging this capability gap. The designers created a purpose-built vessel; essentially two high capacity warhead launchers with a fighter-scale ship constructed around them. The resulting ship was as carrier-dependent as the Scimitar – and significantly less agile. Its increased bulk meant carriers could hold only three B-20s for every four Scimitars; a significant trade-off. And yet the ability to inflict such damage without putting carrier ships at risk was a seductive one to the new tactical thinking coming out of Highpoint. The project chairman, Vice Admiral Devonbrooke, took the first squadron on operation as soon as they were ready. Her flagship – the USS Ulysses S. Grant – was leading a small strike force deep behind Wun’Tux lines. Intelligence reports hinted towards a durillium mine on an old Illayko colony; a facility hardened against capital ship assault. Devonbrooke didn’t have the requisite force to overpower the defences and – even if she did – bringing one to bear make her plan obvious and allow the Wun’Tux time to prepare. The obvious answer was the B-20; the Grant’s compliment could slip by the anti-capital ship defences and neutralise the facility. The strategy was full of risk, however. The B-20s might not perform as in simulations. And even if they did, Devonbrooke knew she would have to deploy most of her fighter cover to escort them in. It would leave her carrier force in peril. Six Scimitars of the 466th Diamondbacks volunteered to fly cover for the carriers. Even with his knowledge, Devonbrooke struggled with the decision for a day and a half. In the end her Highpoint training won through; the B-20s were prepped. The Vice Admiral’s main force – with it’s scant fighter cover – proved too tempting for the Wun’Tux garrison. They launched the majority of their forces to engage, leaving a gap the B-20 strike force quickly exploited. By the time the reptiles realised what was happening it was too late – they had left only a handful of Twinfangs to protect their mining complex which were quickly wiped out by the human escort fighters and the forces they tried to bring back from their assault on the carriers were cut down as they tried to disengage. The B20s were able to deploy their ordinance with high accuracy, destroying the defences and evacuation equipment in one bombing run. With nothing left to defend and frightened by the potency of the new human ships, the Wun’Tux Clanships beat a hasty retreat. By this point, however, the main force was in no state to pursue. The USS Ulysses S. Grant was almost critically damaged, half of the Diamondbacks had been lost. And yet the day was won. The USS Gettysburg was able to approach, deploy marines to eliminate remaining Wun’Tux and rescue the facility’s slave labourers. The operation was a PR coup, an edited battle report was broadcast to human populations throughout the galaxy. The B-20 was made the star of the show but their pilots (from the 202nd Bearcats) dedicated the victory to the Diamondbacks. Nevertheless, the B-20’s nickname became shrined in legend; The Bearcat.
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Wun’Tux Bastion The Bastion is inferior to the Clanship in speed, armour and weaponry and costs 1.5 times the price to construct. On the surface, it is a poor choice of investment. And yet in recent times it has been at the centre of several Wun’Tux military victories. Wun’Tux BroodClans traditionally fought small-scale engagements with formations of their sturdy capital ships; they could only deploy Twinfangs from their largest, most valuable ships and saved such for large scale engagements (like their invasion of Illayko territory). Their fatal meeting with humankind changed all of that. In the beginning, the old tactics of the Wun’Tux were enough – early human explorers were unable to breach the armour of their opponents with fighter or capital-ship weaponry. As technology and tactics advanced, new options presented themselves with rockets, missiles and other explosives – including those fitted to fightercraft. The majority of Wun’Tux raiding parties operated without fighter cover of their own and found themselves extremely vulnerable to human squadrons, first and foremost Americans out of Highpoint. The Bastion was rushed into production by BroodClan Xylos. Xylos were one of the largest and most dangerous of the BroodClans but even they could not afford to have a carrier in every place at every moment. The Bastion was designed loosely around the frame of the Clanship but modernised and updated. The most important addition came to the craft’s aft; an external fighter rack. In the most simple sense, the Bastion allows cheap deployment of fightercraft to smaller engagements. It helped to level the playing field against human forces and beyond. More enterprising BroodClans found increasingly intelligent uses for the ship, e.g. when BroodClan Soulfront used the ships to successfully destroy USS Ranger in a coordinated ambush.
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Hi everyone! I wanted to share with you one of my favorite MOCs as of late, "Mini Battle for the Batcave" (illustrations by flickr user Omar + Kazumi Ovalle). I actually finished this back in August but feel Omar's illustrations made it "pop" even more. I designed the model with playability in mind, so it has 10 play features including: 2 separable modules (Wayne Manor & Batcave), glow-in-the-dark stars, Batwing with working missiles, Joker truck with hidden guns, secret door to Batboat dock, Bruce Wayne, Batman transformation chamber, jail cell, Batwing landing pad, snap-on "Bat Ramp." Other fun details include the trophy room and Batsignal. My main sources of inspiration were the Tim Burton Batman movies and comics, with a little bit of influence from the Animated Series. The Joker ice cream truck is a nod to one featured in one of the original LEGO sets. This was a lot of fun make. If you have any suggestions or ideas, let me know. In particular, I'm interested in making more microscale Batman stuff. What characters and or vehicles would you like to see? This playset is on LEGO Ideas and is a collaborative project between myself and Ideas users, omarovalle (Illustrations) and mreilly44 (Toy Commercial Video) I would add more pictures, but I think my friend's video does the best job of showing the play features in action. The first 40 seconds, or so, is the toy commercial. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did filming it! -
The Komondor-class Destroyer The Komondor-class Destroyer was one of the many military projects spawned to take advantage of the hike in European Union defence budgets following the disastrous Pan-Eurasian War. The ageing Bulk Cruiser required a modern, effective replacement. Sequential Defence Innovations (SDI) threw their hat in the ring in the form of the Komondor. The ship was presented as an ‘armoured destroyer’ and featured impressive defensive equipment, including overlapping armour plate and reinforced shields. It packed an array of conventional weaponry and modern command and control systems to boot. SDI, however, overspent on their budget and overran the fiscal controls placed on design briefs by the European Union. This made the ship very expensive a prospect; cost was the significant factor in the Union’s decision not to choose the ship as their first choice. Testing footage, ship specifications and other information had been leaked during the procurement process, though, and SDI found buyers through less official channels. The Gnoboare known to have bought at least one; the European Union found this out the hard way in a rather eye-opening border skirmish. SDI had fabricated and planted enough evidence of industrial espionage by Gnobo spies to escape punishment. A total of 20 were produced, mostly ending up in the hands of various Gnobo brigades, although – ironically – three found their way into the hands of the Free Brigades, an offshoot Union mercenary group. The ship excels in defence; it is ideally suited to holding the line against all but the largest capital ships. The layering of its armour plate and clever construction of bulkheads means it can keep on fighting even when under sustained fire. It packs adequate anti-fighter weaponry to hold off small-scale raids and attacks without fighter cover of its own. The ship’s flaws are revealed when its ability to attack are tested. It is one of the slowest modern capital ships; highly mobile opponents can flank, harass and otherwise escape its range too easily. This inflexibility is one reason the European Union opted for different designs, like the Bremen-class Corvette, instead.
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Location: G04 - Fractor V Tags: Building, Vehicle While scouting out Fractor V, an Octan explorer came upon a tiny, yet highly advanced, alien civilization. He was going to get a closer look at some of the buildings when he noticed several hostile looking spaceships coming right towards him! Deciding a closer look could wait, he turned heel and ran. Lots more pictures on Brickbuilt: Link Thanks for looking, C&C appreciated
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Microscale Tree Mini-tutorial This is a short tutorial showcasing a technique for building microscale trees. This technique was used to build most of the trees in my MOC Avalonian Countryside. The pieces needed are shown above. The centerpiece of the tree is the 6 stemmed plant piece (19119) which is essential for the design. The rest of the pieces are pretty standard, and some can be exchanged for other pieces. As seen on the 1x2 plate in the lower right, the plates need to have a little hole in the center column, as this will be attached to the stems. I believe the hole is pretty standard in pieces nowadays, but not sure for older pieces. First we put together the trunk. Nothing strange here, just attach the 1x1 round bricks to the telescope and put the plant piece on top. For the canopy we construct little building blocks that we will then hang on the stalks. These building blocks are easily constructed from 1x2 plates and a 2x2 plate as shown in the top right. We need three of these. We then proceed to hang these on the tree. They should hang on the 3 lower stems that are more horizontal. After hanging each part we will then secure it by attaching another 1x2 plate directly to the stem. This is done by inserting the stem into the little hole on the center column at the bottom of the plate. Our tree should now look as on the left. The next step is to add 1x2 plates to the top of the tree. These are again attached directly to the stems. I find they look best if placed in a kind of windmill pattern as shown in the center picture. We now have our completed tree as shown on the right. If all our trees look exactly the same, it won't look natural. So let's look at some modifications that can be made to break the pattern. Some of these modifications can also help if you are short on certain parts, or want to use colors that doesn't have certain elements. First some variations of the trunk. Instead of the standard telescope trunk, we could use technic connectors. It gives a thicker, straighter trunk, but is a bit more complicated to connect to your build. Another option is to use a regular bar, which gives a very thin trunk. We can also just use straight up 1x1 round bricks, and possibly mix in some 1x1 round plates in the mix. This works well if we want to do a tree with shifting colors, like a birch or similar. There are also endless possibilities to modify the canopy. Instead of building an anchor shape from 1x2 plates we can more round plates as in the top left. For colors like olive green we can't use a 2x2 round plate, but can instead use a 3x4 leaf element. The leaf is then hung from the top right hole of the leaf element. We can also just alter the orientation of the regular design, as shown in the bottom left, where we have put the anchor shape on the right side. It is a very small change, but still helps break the pattern. Also just want to point out that the 6 stem piece does come in different colors, so if you are building a canopy in dark orange, you may want to use a 6 stem piece in dark orange as well, as the green can sometimes be seen through the canopy. Some examples of what the finished trees may look like. There are lots of other ways to build trees like this, so just go ahead and try different things. If you lack a piece for something, just try replacing it with something else. It might just end up even better :) Happy building!
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The LCS-08 The LCS-08 (aka The Washington-class) is a newer Americancapital ship brought into service following the tactical and technological advances of the Forth Age. LCS stands for Littoral Combat Ship – a term originally applied to small vessels able to operate closer to shore than most naval assets – denotes the ship’s ability to manoeuvre effectively in vacuum as well as atmosphere. The Washington is neither as agile as the Ankuror as sturdy as the Bremen; it occupies the ground between these two extremes. It fulfils a variety of roles within the USEF; anything from independent patrols to participating in larger fleet actions alongside Strike Carriers and the like. It is also used to transport VIPs and other assets through the lawless Rim territories – the firepower at its disposal is usually enough to discourage most pirates and raiders and it is quick enough to flee more powerful threats. The ships firepower consists of two ‘Starsnipe’ flak turrets, a medium-range photonic cannon and a rear mounted warhead launcher. The latter is unusual for the ship’s size – it gives the vessel the ability to engage targets at longer ranges and hidden from line of sight. The downside of the launcher is the limited ammunition; when it is out of missiles it becomes quite useless. This renders it unsuitable for prolonged engagements. It is these missiles which tend to give the Washington the edge against their most common foe – the Wun’Tux Clanship. The thick armour of the latter can be difficult to penertrate with photonic cannons; LCS-08s deployed on anti-Wun’Tux operations are equipped with ‘Havok’ armour piercing missiles to balance the scales. LCS-02s (prototype precursors to the 08) took part in the USEF Fleet Action at Dronta VIII, spearheading the attack on Wun’Tux ships guarding the slave market. They were subsequently able to achieve suborbital altitudes and launch accurate against Wun’Tux armour and fortifications. In more recent times, the Washington-class has been deployed alongside Taft-class Strike Carriers in extended operations in Wun’Tux territory. Typically the ships are outfitted with longer-ranged, ‘stand off’ missiles and able to discourage or soften up Wun’Tux targets before engaging. In worse case scenarios (e.g. a larger enemy presence than predicted) this stand-off capability can give USEF forces breathing room in which to retreat. Engineers at Highpoint have successfully modified the base design into distinct combat variants. The LCS-ASW (aka the ‘Rhode Island’ class) is perhaps the most popular. This version swaps the warhead launcher for a launchpad capable of carrying, arming and repairing a shuttle-scale ship. This is most commonly a Vaquero-class gunship; a well armed craft bristling with sensors. This ASW (anti-stealth warfare) variant is designed to detect and defend against stealthy foes; the main ones being the Hirudin. The gunship is able to act as spotter for the LCS but is also more than capable of engaging common interlopers (like Blackfins) independently.
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After finishing my first bigger project (medieval diorama) I wanted another challenge. Since I learned some nice new tricks and techniques from Derfel's Guide, I decided to start on some round buildings in minifig scale. After trying out different techniques, I established a solid base for a start...and ran out of specific bricks I need for the build. Instead I moved down to microscale, and made my first miniMOC - a very simple lighthouse on an island. While flying over the island, this is what you get to see... One thing is clear, it's much easier making round builds in microscale. Yet, a challenge at the minifig scale remains...
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A selection of scenes and hangars for the presentation of tiny little space vehicles. Blue Bay by TenorPenny, on Flickr Blue Bay by TenorPenny, on Flickr Dock 7 by TenorPenny, on Flickr Dock 7 by TenorPenny, on Flickr
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Hi All, I haven't posted here for a while, but having just shown my latest endeavour at the Great Western Brick Show, I thought anyone who doesn't usually frequent Flickr might like to see the MOC. IMGP9984 by kaitain, on Flickr IMGP9966 by kaitain, on Flickr (Just some Christmas lights added to give a fantasy feel to the display). "Heroes of Heroica" is a 240x112 stud campaign map, featuring 16 different routes into the forest from the 8 beach landing points, 57 dungeon entrances (these lead to random Heroica dungeons) in the forested area alone, 3 multi floored "Dark Druid" towers, 9 villages where treasure can be sold and equipment/potions bought. A goblin fortress to sneak into, lots of different heroica monsters to fight, including new snakes, scorpions, and even Dragons. The entire build process is available on my Flickr photostream, and when I've sorted through the photos from the show, I'll upload those as well. The aim is for the game to be played co-operatively like any other RPG. The extra campaign rules are still a work in progress though. Regards Kaitain Edit: It should have been 16 routes off the beach, not 6
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My first experiment with a microscale city themed build.
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This MOC was made for "Wild West Trains" Russian LEGO LUG contest. But I have not enough time to finish it to participate. However, Micro-Train! First look: Train. General view. And another. Station in Western style. Train himself. Tender. When does the coal in the tender, it is possible to saw some firewood))) Passenger car... For the carriage of passengers))) Rode the train across the river... "Our engine is flying forward!" (You know the Russian sequel?) Staged Exhibition option. Thank you for your attention! Your, Pikachu.
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Hello All, Here is my entry into the Mini Castle Contest VIII over on classic-castle. Thanks to critiques, i have made it better, and I hope you think so to. I have found a way to get rid of my Brickarms pieces, and have made 2 ballistas instead! I have had immense fun with this creations, and I hope you like it! Enjoy! My second design, without using Brickarms. I was able to make 2 this time, and make it bigger. :D I quite like this one. If you look, I attached a minifig arm to the arrow, it fits nice and snug right in! Hopefully from this picture you can get a gist of how to make it, feel free to use it if you want. Soli Deo Gloria! ~Matthew Oh~
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Swiftsure-class Diplomatic Shuttle by TenorPenny, on Flickr Swiftsure-class Diplomatic Shuttle by TenorPenny, on Flickr Swiftsure-class Diplomatic Shuttle by TenorPenny, on Flickr Decked out white, the universal colour of peace and neutrality, the Swiftsure is used in times of war by the great Solar Navies to ferry important diplomats and personnel from place to place, with all organised military forces having agreed to never attack such a shuttle, on pain of court martial. Two ion engines make the shuttle as quick as it's namesake, whilst the roomy interior has room for a head of state and their entire retinue to travel in comfort and style. The Swiftsure's reputation has been tarnished just once, when the Italian Fascist League stole one, loaded it with explosives and managed to get close enough to the Earth defensive net to destroy half of the New Washington solar platform, with significant loss of life. Ever since, the Swiftsure computer cores have been upgraded to carry layers and layers of code, in order to confirm and double confirm identifies of the crew and people on board. Crew: 2 pilots, 1 comm-tech. Engines: 2 Rolls Royce 'Whirlwind' Nacelles. Weapons: *PROHIBITED* Computer Core: Hakumi Positronics X7
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Widowson-class Courier by TenorPenny, on Flickr Widowson-class Courier by TenorPenny, on Flickr Widowson-class Courier by TenorPenny, on Flickr A Dutch design, the Widowson space frame was constructed as a pleasurecraft, originally, marketed at the super-rich seeking something more stylish than a shuttle, and smaller than a yacht. The stock model is decidedly average in the performance stakes, slow to accelerate and of limited top speed. Desperate to elevate the appeal, the Dutch makers paid a fair sum of cash to have the Widowson placed into a modern action holo-vid, with astounding results. Sales skyrocketed, and soon unlicensed engine augments and upgrades were being released onto the market, with young rich kids and oligarchs paying large sums to have their Widowsons "overclocked". After upgrade, the ship could reach sublight speeds unheard of by other ships of it's class. Illegal racing circuits sprang up, with the racers pushing their ships closer and closer to the edge. Some pilots even died in their attempts to win, only adding to the mystique and attraction to Widowson circuits. Crew: 1-3. Armament: Stock: None. (After upgrades: wild variations.) Engines: Utrect 640-combination. (After market kits: variable.) Computer: Personal Data Engine, 2.3.
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Summer House by TenorPenny, on Flickr A little experiment in parts usage and slanty roof work.
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The Ebon Duke by skapunkplaything, on Flickr The Ebon Duke by skapunkplaything, on Flickr The Ebon Duke by skapunkplaything, on Flickr There are fighters, bombers, interceptors, gunships and then... something bigger. The 'Duke may look like an old-fashioned Earthling fighter craft, but it is, in fact, the hot-rod, custom built steed of the man known only as Deckard. An infamous mercenary and gun-for-fire, Deckard travels mostly alone, although sometimes recruits extra crew members to co-pilot or look after his beloved ship. At home in space as well as atmosphere, the 'Duke packs danger, technology and menace into it's rather large package. It's size can make it vulnerable, however, to smaller fighters and so Deckard often travels with escort fighters and interceptors. Length: 19m Wingspan: 18m Crew: 1-3, mission dependent. Armament: 2 High-Output frag-cannons, forward facing. 2 Micro-Mine launchers, wing-tip mounted.
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'Steelbug' MMT by skapunkplaything, on Flickr 'Steelbug' MMT by skapunkplaything, on Flickr 'Steelbug' MMT by skapunkplaything, on Flickr In an advanced age of powered battlesuits and radar-invisible gunships, many strategists posited the end of the tank completely. However, the relatively low cost and simplicity of the internal mechanisms of a tank - compared to, say, a walking exo-suit of death - means they have some use, especially with the less affluent paramilitaries, militias and mercenary forces throughout the galaxy. The 'Steelbug' is very small, with a crew of one. Most of it's surprisingly effective armour is situated around the sides and top, with it's treads vulnerable to all sorts of attack (some things never change). Even so, it's size is one of it's main assets. Any skilled mechanic can mag-lock the tank to a ship and drop it into enemy territory accurately from a great height. In this sense, it is favoured by paratroopers, marines and other intrusion forces who have to travel light.
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The Red Wench by skapunkplaything, on Flickr (Click the picture for more views, of course..!) The 'Wench is an 'Ugly': an amalgamation of different ships to form one, odd whole. With the central core of a ore loader and the surrounding hub stolen from a Russian stealth gunship, the 'Wench mixes a rugged centre with a high-tech ring around it, the latter able to cycle power levels at the whim of it's captain and fire it's main weapons for sustained periods. A commerce raider, the 'Wench is often employed by the highest bidder in trade conflicts between the Sol cartels. It's exclusively female crew are famous for their fidelity to a contract, whilst never forgetting a double-cross. Length: 133m Crew: 24-40, mission dependent. Armament: 2 x fast tracking ion turrets, 2 x Armour-Piercing STS cannons, 2 x forward-facing M-66 Pulverisers. Computer: Kolnanov XV (Salvaged from the ship's hub)
