Another Blast(er) From the Past

Star Slammers is a great book from 1983. In this graphic novel, Walt Simonson brings us a story of interstellar mercenaries fighting for their honor and their lives against all odds.

This is another one of those great bits of 80's Space Opera where big guns, bright colors and ultra-fancy tech really shine. I cannot help but feel there are some similarities between the basic concept here and the Hammer's Slammers but then again, one could draw comparison to the Seven Samurai, even if there are only three Slammers.

The depictions of future combat in here are just so wonderfully over the top as to ring on a truly heroic level. Three heroes clad in what seems like power armor with big guns and even some gimmicky weapons (sling grenades!) take on an enemy much greater than themselves, laying low the forced of tyranny.

I can't help but think my friends and I tried playing this as an RPG when we were kids. If not, we at least borrowed content and inspiration for our sci fi games. 

-Eli

Animal Heroes & Villains

Inspired by a post over at Green Skeleton Gaming Guild, I have come up with 100 different animal super beings. Some are pretty obvious. All are tongue in cheek. Some are a bit obscure. I've even sprinkled in a few organizations. I think you will find that all are fun and can provide plenty of inspiration for characters for animal-based superheroic universes like those found in Darkwing Duck, Captain Carrot and The Zoo Crew or the new World Wildlife Federation of Justice supplement being done for the Mutants and Masterminds RPG.

1.       Hyperpotamus – super fast hippo

2.       Chompanzee – ape with the power to eat anything

3.       Fatal Ferret – psychotic HTH fighter

4.       Amphibotron – frog robot

5.       Gorillagoyle – winged gorilla of stone

6.       Charmadillo – Armadillo with jewel-encrusted shell that dazzles people

7.       Hell Hamster – Hamster possessed by a demon

8.       Raging Bull – Hulk type

9.       Orangabang – Ape who uses guns

10.   Binocerus – Two-headed rhino

11.   Lobster Lord – Crustacean overlord

12.   Boomerangutan – Boomerang throwing ape

13.   Mastifisto – Demonic dog

14.   Meowstro – Cat overlord

15.   Mega Moose – iconic super moose

16.   Bionic Boar – robotic pig

17.   Mole Rat Mafia - Organization

18.   Manataur – A horned manatee

19.   Volocidile – speedster croc

20.   Alligangster – criminal gator

21.   Mermink – weasel with water powers

22.   Leo Rex – overlord

23.   Red Herring – communist fish villain

24.   Toni Stork and Iron Ibis – armored hero

25.   Lightning Lemure – electricity powers

26.   Velocipede – speedster  arthropod

27.   Cannonbull – bovine with guns for horns

28.   Multi Mouse – duplicating rodent

29.   Felocity – speedster cat

30.   Sharktopus – hybrid animal villain

31.   Iron Clam – armored mollusk

32.   Shell Shock – electrical turtle

33.   Monkeority – ape mastermind

34.   Leaping Lizard – hyper-agile reptile

35.   Jackal in the Box – clown canine criminal

36.   Raypier – duelist manta ray

37.   The Black Sheep – shadowy woolen figure

38.   Dering Doe – heroic female deer

39.   Rockoon – stone powered raccoon

40.   Gi-ant – hyper growth insect

41.   Watchroach – street fighting insect

42.   Warverine – armor suit

43.   Octo Doctorpus – mad scientist cephalopod

44.   Lazer Llama – energy blaster

45.   Velocelot – speedster feline

46.   Rampyre - undead overlord

47.   S.C.W.D – Society for Criminal Word Domination

48.   Psi-Shrimp – psionic crustacean

49.   Rainbow Raven – light based power

50.   Fire Fox – flaming fur!

51.   Danger Dolphin – super cetacean

52.   Otter Von Doom – aquatic weasel of destruction

53.   Angel Fish – super piscine of the deep

54.   Dogfish – animal hybrid hero

55.   Witch Wasp – evil sorceress

56.   Pyrokeet – flaming feathers!

57.   The Shedder – sheep dog with super hair powers

58.   Watch Dog – time controlling hero

59.   The Pincher – canine with giant robot claws

60.   Seal Team 6 – commando sea mammals

61.   Impossible Opossum – reality bending marsupial

62.   Bangaroo – kangaroo with explosive powers

63.   Squirtle – turtle with water powers

64.   Terrorpine – evil turtle

65.   Card Shark – playing card themed shark

66.   Bowvine – archery cow

67.   Platypulse – energy powered platypus

68.   Vic Viper Intergalactic Serpent of Tomorrow – cosmic hero

69.   Pied Puffin – mind controlling bird

70.   Fragpie – explosive bird

71.   Wild Cat – crazed feline fighter

72.   Warrus – barbaric conqueror from another world

73.   Terrordactyl – winged reptile of doom

74.   Charmeleon – chameleon that uses hypnotic patterns

75.   The Retriever – canine troubleshoorter

76.   Hell Hound – demonic canine

77.   Grey Gull – mysterious sea bird crime fighter

78.   Scatterpiller – caterpillar with the ability to separate its segments

79.   Meteor Mole – burrowing hero given super powers from a buried meteorite

80.   Dr. Killdeer – villainous doctor

81.   Punkupine – Punk Rock themed, quilled thug

82.   Karate Kid – goat martial artist

83.   Lasso Apso – rope tricking martial artist canine

84.   Sun Fish – solar powered fish

85.   Trigger fish – fish gunman

86.   Dr Z – zebra able to split into positive and negative halves of the same being

87.   Pandamonium – Evil panda villain

88.   Sir Drake – knightly duck

89.   Mr. Must – gas themed skunk

90.   Duck Savage – heroic brawling genius

91.   Dr. Hoo – time jumping owl

92.   Spell Weaver – spider that can spin spells through web patterns

93.   Polar Bear – ice powers

94.   Devil Dingo – demonicly powered canine

95.   Rhinosirus – Egyptian themed rhino

96.   Captain Sparrow – heroic bird adventurer

97.   Tarapine – ooze powered turtle

98.   Killoala – murderous marsupial

99.   Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hound – yup, just like it sounds

100.                        Silver Setter – enigmatic cosmic dog.

 Enjoy!

-Eli

Creepy Cavern Inspiration

Sometimes all it takes to spark and adventure idea is a couple of cool pictures. While looking at pictures of caves and caverns, I came across the first picture to the right and couldn't help but think that it made a great spooky, but disturbingly unassuming entrance to something greater and more wicked below.

Looking further through the pictures I found the second image and got to thinking, "what if that not just a trick of lighting, but the natural color of that cavern?" With it's hanging stalactites, the red stone would look like dripping blood, a fitting place for a blood cult, a vampire, or even a pack of ghouls.

What sorts of adventures will you find there?

-Eli

How We Do It.

   I am often stopped on the street by the curious public. They recognize me, of course, as a famous blogger and wargamer. Anyway, the first question I usually get (after exclamations of how yuoung and handsome I am, for someone so knowledgeable about, well, everything) is "How do you and your assistants come up with all of those creative ideas?" It is especailly embarassing when young, attractive females approach me publicly - my wife is not amused.

   In order to save time, I have decided to share with all of my adoring public the secret to our process. I'll track a new idea that Eli and I are working on currently. I call it the bouncing ball theory of development. It starts with an email from one of us to the other:

Eli: "The United States as a 14th-15thC feudal states...  Rome cross the Atlantic in it's Prime and establishes colonies on the American continent. When Rome falls, you are left with a very different medieval America."

Me: "Interesting."

Eli: "I imagine you could go with the whole Rome gets ancient Chinese ship building technology and is able to cross the Atlantic with sufficient numbers and support to gain a foothold. The rest is built from there."

Me: "The Occidental Provinces, or Transoceania?"

Eli: "Interesting to think that the Vikings might come to America and find the descendants of the Roman colonies there, living in their own fragment of the Empire."

Me: "So a Viceroy for the Emperor of Rome ruling in Dark Ages America, with connection to Roma Mater severed for centuries."

Eli: "Or the Americas broken down into post-Roman warlord kingdoms. Another way to go would be for the Viceroy to have decided that no new news from Rome means that it must be done entirely and he renames himself Emperor of the only remaining portion of the Empire. 'Rome is dead....WE are Rome!'"

Eli: "Roman America would make a great RPG setting. Think about a Roman version of the Lewis and Clark expedition?"

Me: "Tribune Marius Agrippa Lewix (a Gallic Roman descendant) and Marcus Brutus Clarkus lead the XIIth Legio across Occidentalis to the Mare Pacifica, slaughtering numerous tribes of the red-skinned barbarians as they traveled. A slave girl, Sacagawea, acted as interpreter and guide through the newly discovered territory. Her assistance in crossing the mountains was invaluable, and in return, she was awarded citizenship and enrolled in a plebeian family."

Eli: "Works for me. Would the Romans call all Occidental tribes by their tribal names or collectively like they did the Gauls, Germans and Britains?"

Me: "Probably just one generic name. I don't know what it would be. My Latin isn't that good, sadly. I may have to figure out "red man" in Latin."

Eli: "I am trying to find a map with Indian place names for the eastern US."

Eli: Place names might be given out much as they were by later Europeans as a combination of Latin and Latinized versions of local names. Apalacia, for example was named after a local people. Manhattan is named after the local native name for it which really just means "island". Don't Latinized people names often have an "i" added at the end?"

Me: "Massachusetts as well, and Mississippi, and Illinois, Lake Huron, Ohio, Miami, Kentucky, Tennessee - all native names that were Anglicized. I think you would be correct in saying adding the terminal "-i" makes it plural, so it would indicate the tribe as a whole, as opposed to a single member of the tribe."

   For the record, this conversation has taken place over the course of the last two days. It is still an idea very much under development. Anyone stealing it will be sued until his britches are our britches. Then I send my good friends Guido and Salvatore to have a little 'talk' with them.

Inspiration - Blue Moon Manufacturing's New Indian Storming Party

Saw the announcement of a new release from Blue Moon Manufacturing today on TMP and couldn't help myself. Though the release 15LOM132 Indian Storming Party is for French Indian War use, I couldn't help but see them as wild martians assaulting a settlement on The Red Planet.

In 15mm it wouldn't take much, if any conversion to make these work as martians. The heads have minimal hair and clothing, making any conversion lightweight with just a little green stuff. As most settlements on Mars are likely to be made of earth and stone, the torchbearers might need a weapon conversion. Maybe a pistol in place of the torch or perhaps replace the torch with a sword and convert the arm wielding the club by laying over a shield.

Another use would be for Savage Land/Skull Islanders. For these you use them stock though it might be fun to convert the ladders and ram to look like it was made more from bone instead of wood.

Looking over the rest of Blue Moon's FIW line, the other Indian packs would also work to make a cool force of 15mm Martians. Trade some war clubs for swords and keep the muskets. Maybe change some hair styles and mask the Indian garb a little hear and there (I don't think it's needed) and you are good to go with some nice crisp new minis.

Looks like good stuff here.

-Eli

Cool Robo!

Just a quick post to show off a new minis showcased over at The Miniatures Page. I'm not sure what it is about it that I like, but I do. It strikes me as an amost Miyazaki-esque mechanical design and though its intended as part of the Mauser Earth line of 1/35 line of figs, I can see it menacing my 15mm figs. A few comments on TMP indicate that it is inspired (perhaps ripped-off) by/of World War Robot. I'm not familiar with the IP but the below pictures show some similarities but nothing I'd call a outright rip-off. I'll leave that to the lawyers, experts and people who care. All I see is a cool robot mini, that is unfortunately out of my price range at over 32 euro.

Perhaps I can manage to work up something similar using a few cheap lay-about items. I am thiniing a few cylinders laying about and perhaps some arms off of crappy Mechwarrior mechs that I don't want to keep. Legs are always the hardest part.

Cheers,

-Eli

Avatar

I am sure that by now you have read a dozen reviews of this movie, but I feel the need to share my opinions of it. I saw the movie and loved it. What more can I really say. Well, quite a bit more but I don't want to spoil much and I'd rather try to dispell some negativity that I've seen thrown around about this movie.

First off, the movie isn't all that unfriendly for kids. I took both my six and ten year old daughters to see it and we had no really serious issues with the movie. There are a few emotional and tense moments that required a ready hand to hold for my youngest, but she got so excited at other points she was bouncing in her seat.

Visually, the movie is amazing. Cameron has outdone himself here, if you ask me. From the tech to the forest environments to the creatures that fill the world, the attention to detail is everything we have come to expect from Cameron. I really got a sense that I could take a shuttle to Pandora and interact with the sets there. The visual display is everything that I think Lucas hoped he could achieve with digital effect but didn't.

Plot-wise, the movie isn't the strongest, but it's not bad either. A lot of people have wanted to pan this movie for its plot which, though not unique is a nice classic story with some nice changes. This would not be the first good movie to use this plotline. A classic tale is a classic tale.

There is a lot of nitpicking and detail I could point out but I don't want to ruin things. The pace is good, the acting is good (not stellar, but who cares). When you see it, pay attention to the little things. Look at the displays and how Cameron uses the tech in his world. Watch the details of the world and how the interiors of the sets and machines look right. There are fire extinguishers and emergency kits inside the gyros!

Anyhow, bottom line, it was a good fun movie. I loved it as did my wife and kids. As a gamer it gave me serious geek fuel and as an artistic soule and somebody who occasional paints his minis, it gave me some good visual inspiration.

My two cents,

-Eli

Reginald's Regiments of Renown

A smashing new publication over at Victoria's Boys In Red bring us the start of a new series of articles titled "Reginald's Regiments of Renown". RRR, is the creation of Mr Womack and will feature figures from his VSF collection and is presented in an ecyclopedic style similar to that found in the pages of the various Osprey books. The first installment features an example of the Victoria's Landing Foot, a martian Sepoy regiment drawn from the local population around a budding British colony on the Red Planet.

So, hop on over and learn about this regiment and while you are there check out some of J's other wonderful posts about his vision of Mars.

Enjoy,

-Eli

Inspiring Artwork - Mike Dashow

While I was trolling the internet for inspiring artwork to illustrate my RPG creations, I came across the blog of Mike Dashow called Walrus Droppings. His artwork has an interesting combination of classic animation style and edgy character. Hi environments are evocative and his characters full of presence and personality. I hope he doesn't mind me using the occasional piece of his artowrk to highlight an encounter or creature in one of my games.

Check out his blog and take a look,

-Eli

Gameable Books - The Monster Blood Tattoo Series

Howdy all,

Those of you who I keep regular correspondence with off the blog may well know that I have a new obsession. That obsession would be a series of books called the Monster Blood Tattoo series by D.M. Cornish. Very few books grab me enough to spew over, and this one did within the first couple of chapters.

Colorful, evocative, and intensely interesting, Cornish's series that begins with "Foundling" stands out among the various fantasy books that I have read for it's gloomy, 18th century feel full of tricorns, work houses, pre-industrial, musket and shot goodness. I have to admit that I am propping up this book before I have even finished it, but considering I am throwing this out not just for it's literary merit but also for its "game-ability" I think it'll be okay.

Why is this setting gameable? You have a world of humanity living in a gritty, grungy fantasy world, surrounded on its fringes by looming monsters and the constant threat of incursion and invasion by these same vile denizens. These human societies are divided into distinct city states all under the banner of an Emperor. You have musket firing soldiers, potion slinging monster hunters and a strange sort of pre-industrial techno-alchemical technology base that provides the setting with such wonderful things as magically treated clothing that can turn blades and musket balls or boxes stuffed with grown olfactory and optic tissues that gives the wearer enhanced senses. Even the ironclad sailing vessels in the book draw from this, using grown muscles to drive their screws instead of steam engines.

I won't go into plot or anything of that sort, too much, because I do not want to spoil it for those who may choose to read it. The series is intended for the junior readers, but the author doesn't dumb it down and his use of colorful language and dark imagery really pushes the bounds. If I had to classify the series, I'd say that it's in the same category as the Harry Potter series but instead of an orphan away at school, we get an orphan who is out on the world on his own, having never had a home other than an orphanage.

The book has obvious role-playing potential with lots of greeblies and goodies to rip-off -cough- borrow for your tabletop games. But there is also some good wargaming potential here. If you've been looking for something new to throw on the table, you could borrow from this and go for some 18th century fantasy armies.

In short, good stuff here.

Thanks all,

-Eli

The Isle of Doctor Necreaux

Last night at our weekly Game Night, I was introduced to a fun little card game called "The Ilse of Dr Necreaux". We played it once and I have to say it's really fun. It's an odd sort of card game in that it's a cooperative play game, with each player playing a member of the team.

At the beginning of the game you construct a character by selecting three character traits from randomly drawn cards. Using these abilities, you and your team go on a fast-paced race through the lair of Dr Necreaux, battling monsters, traps and looking for equipment and the key elements to win the game.

The game play here was described to me and very much resembled "Munchkin" but with the players all working together instead of against one another. The key difference to this game and others I've played is that it's all based on timing your pace through the lair. You set your speed and that determines how fast you go through the lair, but it also determines how many encounters you face before your next rest.

All in all the game was fun and showed potential. A big bonus was the art style of the cards which was a sort of nod to the likes of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. I found a lot of inspiring ideas that could be used in miniatures if I ever get back around to doing 28mm pulp sci-fi again.

Thanks for reading,

-Eli

Albedo Anthropomorphics - Spacecraft

EDF scout ship Flanked by two ACV (Autonomous Combat Vehicles)

Spacecraft in Albedo were about as hard scifi as you could get and still be scifi. Big, useform and about as plain as you could get without being lame. They came in tow forms - glorified space shuttles and large cylindrical FTL vessels. In either form, they remind me of the ships from Traveller a lot.

From what I can tell, offensive weapons fall into two categories - Autonomous Combat Vehicles (ACV) and direct fire weapons (laser, particle beams, masers). Each has its role in combat depending on the type of engagement.

The most universally useful is the ACV which is a non-explosive, self-guiding, hyperkinetic smart weapon. Capable of coordinating with one another and the launching vessel, ACVs juke and dodge, dogfighting with one another until one of them can score a hit on an enemy vessel. They do not carry payloads, hitting with enough velocity that they can inflict severe damage or even destroy another vessel with the sheer force of their impact alone. Such weapons are useful during planetary assaults and closing engagements where speeds are too great for the effective use of energy weapons.

Energy weapons are most useful during chasing engagements, orbital encounters or in other situations where ships are in closer proximity to one another or where the encounter is such that greater speeds have not been reached or where maneuvering space is limited. The nature of energy weapons in Albedo requires them to have time to chew away at the armor and hulls of opposing vessels.

Ships in Albedo are equipped with advanced sensors and navigational tools as well as a plethora of computer-assisted navigation and helm controls. Internal systems, like many things in the Albedo universe, are heavily automated and computer-assisted. Everything from crew quarters to engineering and sickbay facilities are equipped with computerized systems and robotic tools.

As the ships in Albedo do not benefit from artificial gravity, their decks are stacked with up and down only relative while the ship is under thrust and generating its own "gravity". When at a stop, the ship interior spaces are under zero-gravity conditions, Interior spaces are kept clean, useful and uncluttered. Vecro patches, anchor hooks, and push-through portals are numerous to facilitate low and zero-gravity conditions.

The two ship diagrams below show the relative arrangements of decks and ship components between an FTL scout and destroyer type vessel.


(Click on pictures for larger images)

Shuttles and other interface craft are fairly standard fair in Albedo being mostly aerodynamic shapes using vectored thrust for maneuvering in the atmosphere. Most of them function like huge aerodynes in the atmosphere. There are exceptions and various heavy-lifting vessels also exist, looking much like the spheroid dropships from the Battletech universe.

I'm not sure where to go with Albedo from here. I think I've touched on most of the really cool tech and style bits. There is a lot about the setting and the cultures portrayed in it that I could go into, but outside of the context of the comics, I'm not sure they are really all that exciting. If I think of anything else about the Albedo setting that is post-worthy, I'll be sure to do so.

Hope you've enjoyed reading about Albedo.

Take care,

-Eli

Albedo Anthropomorphics - Non-Combat Uniforms

This is just a brief post to show off some of the other uniforms in the Albedo/Erma Felna universe. These are all EDF uniforms and the plate includes an EDF Battle Dress picture for comparison. Unfortunately, the comics never really show us much of the ILR out of battle dress. Being the "bad guys" of the comic, and given that the story is told mostly from the EDF side of things, their wasn't much call for it.




Next time, space ships!

Enjoy,

-Eli

Albedo Anthropomorphics - Aerodynes

One of my favorite vehicles in all of Albedo has got to be the aerodyne. Seen in many sizes and in many duty roles, aerodynes are the work horses of the Erma Felna setting. Seen in both light and heavy forms and fulfilling any role from simple utility to troop transport and even gunship. Light aerodynes usually mounted just a couple of weapons mounts, usually ventral turrets for laser or autocannons and could carry up to six fully equipped soldiers or two more weapon mounts and 1 to 2 specialists to operate the additional weapons. There are high-performance aerodynes that are better versions of the light aerodynes having greater engine output and payload.

Heavy aerodynes are mainly transports and are used for vehicle and bulk supply transport, carryign anywhere from 10-36 tonnes of cargo. In the RPG materials for the setting, they are designated by a "D" an then a number designating its tonnage capacity (D10, D20, etc). They are usually armed with a pair of ventral weapons mounts, similar to the light aerodynes. There are even gunship models that carry up to four ventral turrets and up to two central mounts capable of mounting light hyperkinetic guns. Gunship models carry no passengers but carry a number of weapons specialists and extra ammo instead.

The diagram below shows the parts of a common light aerodyne.

I do hope you are enjoying these posts as much as I am enjoying sharing the world of Albedo and Erma Felna EDF. The next posting will be a short one, showing off some of the non-combat uniforms.

Take care,

-Eli

Albedo Anthropomorphics - Vehicles Part 2

The tech level in Albedo is pretty advanced, despite the very familiar look of it. Much of the technology is automated to some degree and many systems in the universe utilize sophisticated interfaces and intuitive technologies. The worlds in the pages of Erma Felna EDF are highly computerized, surveyed, and secure. Cameras, sensors, and monitors of all sorts are everywhere, making for a controlled society. This same level of technology spills over into the vehicles in the setting.



The ILR 6-wheel Scout Car in the cut-away diagram here is from one of the Albedo RPG books. It shows how the vehicle has been made small and compact, easily transported from world to world and reliant on a minimal number of crew.

The vehicle is powered by a hydrogen combustion turbine. This is backed up by thermoelectric converters that convert engine heat into electric power and help dampen the heat signature of the vehicle. The vehicle is driven on electric hub motor/breaks in each of it's six wheels, each wheel being independently powered. These features make the vehicle quiet and very efficient.

For protection, the vehicle is covered monomolecular armor that is incredibly strong due to it's layering of materials. the RPG resources state that vehicles in Albedo tend to run small and polarize along anti-vehicle and anti-infantry roles because of this armor which makes most vehicles immune to all but other vehicle weapons.

Control and crew interface systems are really cool with both driver and gunner/commander having multiple foot pedals and side stick controls that can be selected for various control functions. Both driver and gunner/commander can operate the vehicle on their own, each having full control over driving and gunnery. Each crewman is provided with full periscope sensors with a suite of IR, low-lite and even thermograph optics.

The vehicles has passenger space for four, allowing it to carry a scout team, or as seen in some of the comics assault teams. Internal blast doors and fragmentation screens protect those inside. The turret is very streamlined and features both a 10mm caseless MG and a 24mm caseless autocannon both electrically fired automatically fed.

I think the ILR scout car shows what makes the vehicles of Albedo so fun and interesting. Steve Gallacci definitely put his time into these vehicles both in making them aesthetically pleasing and technically believable.

Albedo Anthropomorphics - Vehicles Part 1

Vehicles in the Albedo comic are done in a very gritty manner. Wheels, tracks, all on the high end of mid-tech. Lasers exist but are not universal. Weapons range in size from 8-10mm caseless MGs to liquid-fueled auto-loading cannons of 120mm size.

As can be seen by the pictures above, the designs elements of the vehicles in the Albedo universe are very similar to some of those that were starting to creep into the vehicles in the world's armies in the 1980s. Multi-wheeled designs with lots of angular sloped fittings and a lot of obvious utility in the chassis are the norm.

One thing I really enjoyed in the vehicles designs was their use of small crews and automation as demonstrated by the use of remote turrets on the ILR 6-wheeler above and the tracked EDF APC below. Many of the vehicles even sported multiple remote turrets.

The next installment will continue to look at the vehicles in Albedo.

Thanks for reading,

-Eli

Albedo Anthropomorphics - Combat Uniforms

Erma Felna EDF always had a very solid aesthetic to it and one of the things that established this was the solid uniforms and very defined kit on the soldiers. This was often in stark contrast to the loose-fitting civilian clothing depicted in the comics. I remember reading or hearing someplace once that this was a result of Steve Gallacci being a bit unsure of his ability to draw good anatomy. Whether or not this is entirely true Erma Felna EDF features some very believable uniforms for both field, base duty, and utility.

As you can see by the pictures of the combat uniforms above, Gallacci has put a lot of thought in how the uniforms function and accommodate the anatomy of the humanoid animals that wear them. I have always loved the layers of armor and the numerous utility pockets. Some of the helmets must really be uncomfortable for the animals (especially the rabbit in the helmet at the bottom) but like a lot of real world combat gear I suppose it's best to be a protected and a bit uncomfortable. If the weapons look a bit small it's because in the Erma Felna universe they use sabot bullets with extremely high velocity penetrating flechettes instead of conventional bullets but I'll do more on that later.

In the next post, I'll look int othe vehicles of the Albedo/Erma Felna EDF Universe

Take care,

-Eli

Albedo Anthropomorphics - Inroduction

Back in my high school days in the 80's there was a huge craze in comics over furry animals. I never understood the appeal myself and for the most part ignored the genre craze and stuck to my super hero comics and gritty independents, but there was one comic that got stuck in with the rest of the "furry" stuff that I really loved and always thought was misplaced, genre-wise. This comic was Albedo Anthropomorphics.

Albedo was a sort of magazine dedicated to collecting independent furry comics under one one binding but what drew me to it was the story of Erma Felna EDF. This was a comic drawn by a local (to WA) artist by the name of Steve Gallacci and it depicted a rather interesting blend of furry animals and a very gritty, hard sci-fi setting. Though the animal art was cool, what always gripped me about this comic was the sleek, defined technology and scenery that really set this up as a believable science fiction setting.

Lately I have been looking back through the scattered issues of this series that I have as well as the RPG resources that have come out for it over the years and marveling at how well it stands up two decades later. The stories are very political and serious and the gear is very much thought out and believable. I really wish it had done better and/or found a solid comeback. Unfortunately, I think it's humanoid animal cast has always colored people's views of the series. For me, it was always more like reading about a setting where all the characters were Aslan, Vargr, etc.

My hope is to show off a few of the fine details of this series that I loved so much. It's not miniatures, but there certainly are some huge possibilities for inspiration here.

-Eli

Raw Materials - Disposable Food Containers

I have often wondered if I might be able to do something with the plastic food trays that come with some of the meals I take to work for quick and easy lunches. I m sure I'm not alone, but when it comes down to it its a bit of a task cleaning them and keeping them at my desk all day and then getting them home. This prompted me to look online to see what was available out there and to find out if such materials were available for purchase outright.

I found some of the following things online



This is some sort of planter or something by the look of it but it also looks like a nice, non-linear mud dwelling with a nice narrow upstairs window, just waiting to have a door cut in the lower part. Maybe add an awning for that villa look.



These two trays work a bit better flipped over where they could be anything from starship hull exterior (or interior for that matter), the techno foundations for other terrain structures, or, even pieced together to form larger buildings. The longer, narrower might even do well as the lower skirt or hull for sci-fi hovercraft. The picture below shows some more possible trays and as you can see there is a wide variety of different patterns and details in the trays as well as depths and outside dimensions.



I'll let you all know if I find a good solid online supplier of these materials.

Thanks all,

-Eli

Possible Landmate Conversion

A while back on TMP a discussion came up on what sorts of miniatures could be used for Landmates as seen in Shirow Masamune's "Appleseed" manga and anime. If you are playing 25mm or 28mm their are at least two companies that make them - Infinity or Victory Force. If you play in 15mm your options are pretty much nil. That is when I thought of the upcoming Dawnguard Invictors from Privateer Press (pictured above).

These 30mm infantry should fall in at about the right height to serve as Shirow-esque "landmates" for 15mm troops. Of course they can't be used stock, but a little putty here, a snip there, and the scraping off of the gems and runes and they just might do nicely to stand in for something like this...

As you can see they are, at least, superficially similar. I have assembled a short list of obvious conversions that I would want to do to make them look more techy.

1) Remove all obvious jewelry, runes, etc.

2) Modify or replace gun swords with hi-tech armaments (hoping the guns are seperate pieces.

3) Replace exposed elf heads with helmeted heads.

4) Round off some of the sharper edges.

5) Add "backpack"

6) Possibly add "slave arms"

This is just a brainstorming list and might change if I ever get around to actually making these.

Enjoy!

-Eli