Maelstrom's Edge V2 - What's Going On?
Posted on Wednesday Jun 26, 2024 at 05:00pm in General
The past few months have been a little more quiet than usual, as the Maelstrom's Edge team focused on getting the V2 rulebook finished. The good news is: We're finally there! We've hammered out the last of the kinks and polished things up as much as we can, and the book is finally ready to send to the printers!
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So, what's next?
Well, we've still been working on other bits and pieces in the background. We currently have a new plastic frame in tooling that includes four separate small kits - two to bolster the upcoming Kaigus Pact release, some upgrades for the Epirian SecDef, and a plastic replacement for the resin Epirian Contractor Drone!
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Our rollout of 3D printable STL files to go alongside our resin model range is also set to continue, with Epirian SecDef boostpack troops on their way at the start of July.
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After that, there is plenty more to come! We have a number of models currently in development to flesh out gaps in the existing range, along with the aforementioned Kaigus Pact entering the battle as a new faction. We'll have more on these very soon.
Click for larger image
And now that he's released from editing duties, Iain will be getting back to work on modeling articles and battle reports to showcase the new rules. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, try out the Beta version of the V2 rules by grabbing the PDFs from the Maelstrom's Edge website here, and grab models to assemble your force from the webstore here! Free shipping applies to qualifying orders - check your cart for details.
You can also find a series of articles looking at different aspects of the V2 game here.
If you have any questions on the V2 rules, the model range, or any other aspect of the Maelstrom's Edge game, feel free to pop in to the Comm Guild Facebook group here.
Click for larger image
So, what's next?
Well, we've still been working on other bits and pieces in the background. We currently have a new plastic frame in tooling that includes four separate small kits - two to bolster the upcoming Kaigus Pact release, some upgrades for the Epirian SecDef, and a plastic replacement for the resin Epirian Contractor Drone!
Click for larger image
Our rollout of 3D printable STL files to go alongside our resin model range is also set to continue, with Epirian SecDef boostpack troops on their way at the start of July.
Click for larger image
After that, there is plenty more to come! We have a number of models currently in development to flesh out gaps in the existing range, along with the aforementioned Kaigus Pact entering the battle as a new faction. We'll have more on these very soon.
Click for larger image
And now that he's released from editing duties, Iain will be getting back to work on modeling articles and battle reports to showcase the new rules. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, try out the Beta version of the V2 rules by grabbing the PDFs from the Maelstrom's Edge website here, and grab models to assemble your force from the webstore here! Free shipping applies to qualifying orders - check your cart for details.
You can also find a series of articles looking at different aspects of the V2 game here.
If you have any questions on the V2 rules, the model range, or any other aspect of the Maelstrom's Edge game, feel free to pop in to the Comm Guild Facebook group here.
Sneaky Spotlight: Artarian Remnant Brutus Battlesuit
Posted on Friday Nov 24, 2023 at 05:00pm in General
The heaviest of the combat suits available to Lorican Champions, the Brutus is a walking tank, carrying the largest and heaviest hitting weapons in the Remnant arsenal. Brutus Vanquishers provide fire support with massive Fodina Heavy Lasers or Heavy Flechette Launchers, while the Brutus Breacher gets up close and personal with its Arena Shield and Breach Hammer.
Click for larger image
Stay tuned for more sneak peeks! In the meantime, try out the V2 Beta rules by grabbing the PDFs from the Trial Rules section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here, and grab your models from the Maelstrom's Edge webstore here! Free shipping applies to qualifying orders - check your cart for details.
You can also find a series of articles looking at different aspects of the V2 game here.
If you have any questions on the V2 rules, the model range, or any other aspect of the Maelstrom's Edge game, feel free to pop in to the Comm Guild Facebook group here.
Click for larger image
Stay tuned for more sneak peeks! In the meantime, try out the V2 Beta rules by grabbing the PDFs from the Trial Rules section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here, and grab your models from the Maelstrom's Edge webstore here! Free shipping applies to qualifying orders - check your cart for details.
You can also find a series of articles looking at different aspects of the V2 game here.
If you have any questions on the V2 rules, the model range, or any other aspect of the Maelstrom's Edge game, feel free to pop in to the Comm Guild Facebook group here.
Looking for hobby content?
Posted on Wednesday Sep 21, 2022 at 05:00pm in General
On the Maelstrom's Edge website, we have a huge (and ever-growing) collection of miniature and terrain related hobby articles, both specific to the Maelstrom's Edge game and general modeling tips, techniques and ideas that can be used for any of your gaming projects.
The 'Hobby Basics' section is aimed at beginners to the world of miniature modeling, and includes a series of articles covering some useful information on tools and techniques to get you started.
In the 'Tips & Techniques" section you will find articles on different modeling or painting techniques that can be applied to all sorts of different hobby projects.
The "Modeling Articles" section covers articles that take a closer look at the Maelstrom's Edge model range, or detail different modeling projects using Maelstrom's Edge models or kitbashes borrowed from other ranges of miniatures.
Iain's favourite, the "Terrain Building Articles" section contains a wide range of articles detailing different wargaming terrain projects. Many of these use the Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprues and found objects (storage containers, plumbing supplies, assorted bits of trash) or foamed PVC or foamcore sheets to create buildings and other structures for your gaming tables. There are also kitbashes of 3rd party terrain kits, scratchbuilding ideas for alien forests, and much more.
To get started building up your own little corner of the Maelstrom's Edge universe, you can pick up the entire Maelstrom's Edge range from the webstore here.
What are you working on? We would love to see your models and terrain in the Comm Guild Facebook group!
Remember to also grab a copy of the Maelstrom's Edge V2 Beta rules so you can get into the action!
The 'Hobby Basics' section is aimed at beginners to the world of miniature modeling, and includes a series of articles covering some useful information on tools and techniques to get you started.
In the 'Tips & Techniques" section you will find articles on different modeling or painting techniques that can be applied to all sorts of different hobby projects.
The "Modeling Articles" section covers articles that take a closer look at the Maelstrom's Edge model range, or detail different modeling projects using Maelstrom's Edge models or kitbashes borrowed from other ranges of miniatures.
Iain's favourite, the "Terrain Building Articles" section contains a wide range of articles detailing different wargaming terrain projects. Many of these use the Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprues and found objects (storage containers, plumbing supplies, assorted bits of trash) or foamed PVC or foamcore sheets to create buildings and other structures for your gaming tables. There are also kitbashes of 3rd party terrain kits, scratchbuilding ideas for alien forests, and much more.
To get started building up your own little corner of the Maelstrom's Edge universe, you can pick up the entire Maelstrom's Edge range from the webstore here.
What are you working on? We would love to see your models and terrain in the Comm Guild Facebook group!
Remember to also grab a copy of the Maelstrom's Edge V2 Beta rules so you can get into the action!
Painting Tutorial: Quick & Easy Camouflage using Speedpaint!
Posted on Tuesday Jun 14, 2022 at 05:00pm in General
- by Iain Wilson
I've been having some fun experimenting with Army Painter's Speedpaints, to see what can be done with them. This week, I'd like to share this simple method that I stumbled upon for painting a camouflage pattern using just a trio of Speedpaints!
Step 1 - Basecoat the model with white spray.
Step 2 - Go over the camouflage area with a generous coat of Malignant Green.
Step 3 - While the Malignant Green is still wet, dab on dots of Camo Cloak. Make these dots about half the size you want them, as they will spread out. Try to mix up the spacing of the dots as you go, so they don't wind up forming a regular pattern. Doing this while the first green is still wet allows the second colour to spread organically, creating irregular, random shapes.
Step 4 - While those first two colours are still wet, go back over with slightly smaller dots of Dark Wood. This will spread across and through the other two colours, creating the layered camo effect.
Step 5 - Let it all dry. It can help if you can lay the camouflage surface as flat as possible, to avoid the wet colours from running downwards.
The completed model - the rest of the model was also painted with Speedpaint, mostly Camo Cloak, Dark Wood and Grim Black.
To have a go yourself, pick up the plastic Broken Sniper kit from the Maelstrom's Edge webstore!
While you're there, you can download the V2 rules from the Trial Rules section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here. The Beta rules documents contain all of the rules for playing V2 games, but keep in mind that these are just 'preview' documents - some rules may be revised based on feedback, and the final layout including background material for the factions and the Maelstrom's Edge universe, artwork and other 'flavor' material is missing.
For other modeling ideas, tutorials, army spotlights and conversion walkthroughs, check out the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
What are you working on? We would love to see your models and terrain in the Comm Guild Facebook group!
Tags: broken painting tutorial walkthrough
Maelstrom's Edge V2: Shooting Modes
Posted on Tuesday May 24, 2022 at 05:00pm in General
On the battlefields of the Edge, troops fight with a wide array of different weapons. In Maelstrom's Edge V2, we've changed the way shooting works to streamline the process, and to give your units some more tactical choices during your games. Read on for details!
Shooting in Maelstrom's Edge is, rather unsurprisingly, intended primarily to destroy enemy units, but there are now some other useful tricks available to you.
During their activation, a unit can choose a 'Fire' action, which lets them make a regular attack with their ranged weapons. After selecting a target and checking line of sight and range (see the previous article on Line of Sight here!), each model rolls a number of dice equal to the SHO (Shots) characteristic of their weapon, aiming to equal or exceed the EVS (Evasion) characteristic of the target. Dice rolling a 6 are 'Critical Hits' and can confer some additional bonuses on the shot.
Models can then use their SKL (Skill) characteristic to modify these rolls, with each point of SKL allowing a die score to be increased by 1.
Here's an example:
Danielle’s unit of Spider Drones is performing a Fire action and she has nominated Matt’s unit of Karist Troopers as their target. Danielle first checks that the Troopers are within line of sight of her squad leader (the Apprentice Handler) and that they are only 15” away, well within the standard 18” range of her Drone Class Machine Guns and the 24” range of her Apprentice Handler’s Maglock Dominator Pistol.
Drone Class Machine Guns are SHO 2, and therefore she will roll 2 dice to hit for each model in her unit, 8 (white) dice in total. Whereas the Maglock Dominator Pistol is only SHO 1, and therefore only adds 1 more (red) die. The targeted Troopers have EVS 4, which means she must roll 4+ to score hits. For the 8 Machine Gun shots she rolls: ‘1’, ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’, ‘3’, ‘4’, ‘5’ and ‘6’ and for the Dominator Pistol, she rolls a ‘6’. So 3 hits for the Machine Guns and 1 for the Dominator Pistol. However, Spider Drones have SKL 2, which means Danielle has 2 dice flips available to her. She decides the best way to utilize them in this situation is to flip the two rolls of ‘3’ up to ‘4’s, thereby giving her a new total of 5 Machine Gun hits.
The target unit will then roll to defend against the incoming fire, rolling the successful hits and attempting to equal or exceed the PEN (Penetration) value of the shot. In a similar fashion to the attack rolls, the defender can use their unit's AV (Armor Value) to modify these rolls.
Any hits that are not successfully blocked result in a casualty. The unit will also gain suppression, going up one level due to being hit by enemy fire, and another if they suffered any casualties. (For more detail on suppression, check out the article here.)
Suppressive Fire
In Maelstrom's Edge V2, suppression has a major effect on how units function, as it impacts their ability to attack enemies, and also how well they can utilise cover. Players can capitalise on this by weakening strong or heavily fortified units by chipping away at them with multiple attacks and slowly adding suppression levels, but we wanted to give players a way to use this more effectively.
As a result, instead of making a regular shooting attack, a player can elect to have their unit make a 'Suppressive Fire' action. This works differently to a regular attack. Instead of using the weapon's SHO value and the unit's SKL, each model in the firing unit rolls a die in an attempt to equal or beat the SUP (Suppression) characteristic of their weapon. For each successful roll, the target must make a WP (Willpower) test. They will gain a suppression level automatically for being the target of suppressive fire, and another level for each failed WP test.
In this way, a shrewd attacker can potentially force a large amount of suppression onto a unit in a single action.
A note on weapon ranges on Maelstrom's Edge: Weapons have a listed RNG (Range) characteristic, which defines the maximum effective range of that weapon. Projectiles don't tend to just stop at an arbitrary range, however, and in general actual maximum weapon ranges would in most cases fall way outside the dimensions of a gaming table. As such, most weapons can be fire past their listed RNG, with this being considered a long range shot. Models making long range shots are Wild Firing, which means they count the target as having EVS 6.
Check out the Beta version of the V2 rules, which you can download from the Trial Rules section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here. The Beta rules documents contain all of the rules for playing V2 games, but keep in mind that these are just 'preview' documents - some rules may be revised based on feedback, and the final layout including background material for the factions and the Maelstrom's Edge universe, artwork and other 'flavor' material is missing.
If you have any thoughts on the new rules, pop on over to the Comm Guild Facebook group, or start up a thread in the Maelstrom's Edge section on the Dakka Dakka forums. We welcome any feedback, and would love to hear how everyone's forces stack up in the new rules!
Shooting in Maelstrom's Edge is, rather unsurprisingly, intended primarily to destroy enemy units, but there are now some other useful tricks available to you.
During their activation, a unit can choose a 'Fire' action, which lets them make a regular attack with their ranged weapons. After selecting a target and checking line of sight and range (see the previous article on Line of Sight here!), each model rolls a number of dice equal to the SHO (Shots) characteristic of their weapon, aiming to equal or exceed the EVS (Evasion) characteristic of the target. Dice rolling a 6 are 'Critical Hits' and can confer some additional bonuses on the shot.
Models can then use their SKL (Skill) characteristic to modify these rolls, with each point of SKL allowing a die score to be increased by 1.
Here's an example:
Danielle’s unit of Spider Drones is performing a Fire action and she has nominated Matt’s unit of Karist Troopers as their target. Danielle first checks that the Troopers are within line of sight of her squad leader (the Apprentice Handler) and that they are only 15” away, well within the standard 18” range of her Drone Class Machine Guns and the 24” range of her Apprentice Handler’s Maglock Dominator Pistol.
Drone Class Machine Guns are SHO 2, and therefore she will roll 2 dice to hit for each model in her unit, 8 (white) dice in total. Whereas the Maglock Dominator Pistol is only SHO 1, and therefore only adds 1 more (red) die. The targeted Troopers have EVS 4, which means she must roll 4+ to score hits. For the 8 Machine Gun shots she rolls: ‘1’, ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’, ‘3’, ‘4’, ‘5’ and ‘6’ and for the Dominator Pistol, she rolls a ‘6’. So 3 hits for the Machine Guns and 1 for the Dominator Pistol. However, Spider Drones have SKL 2, which means Danielle has 2 dice flips available to her. She decides the best way to utilize them in this situation is to flip the two rolls of ‘3’ up to ‘4’s, thereby giving her a new total of 5 Machine Gun hits.
The target unit will then roll to defend against the incoming fire, rolling the successful hits and attempting to equal or exceed the PEN (Penetration) value of the shot. In a similar fashion to the attack rolls, the defender can use their unit's AV (Armor Value) to modify these rolls.
Any hits that are not successfully blocked result in a casualty. The unit will also gain suppression, going up one level due to being hit by enemy fire, and another if they suffered any casualties. (For more detail on suppression, check out the article here.)
Suppressive Fire
In Maelstrom's Edge V2, suppression has a major effect on how units function, as it impacts their ability to attack enemies, and also how well they can utilise cover. Players can capitalise on this by weakening strong or heavily fortified units by chipping away at them with multiple attacks and slowly adding suppression levels, but we wanted to give players a way to use this more effectively.
As a result, instead of making a regular shooting attack, a player can elect to have their unit make a 'Suppressive Fire' action. This works differently to a regular attack. Instead of using the weapon's SHO value and the unit's SKL, each model in the firing unit rolls a die in an attempt to equal or beat the SUP (Suppression) characteristic of their weapon. For each successful roll, the target must make a WP (Willpower) test. They will gain a suppression level automatically for being the target of suppressive fire, and another level for each failed WP test.
In this way, a shrewd attacker can potentially force a large amount of suppression onto a unit in a single action.
A note on weapon ranges on Maelstrom's Edge: Weapons have a listed RNG (Range) characteristic, which defines the maximum effective range of that weapon. Projectiles don't tend to just stop at an arbitrary range, however, and in general actual maximum weapon ranges would in most cases fall way outside the dimensions of a gaming table. As such, most weapons can be fire past their listed RNG, with this being considered a long range shot. Models making long range shots are Wild Firing, which means they count the target as having EVS 6.
Check out the Beta version of the V2 rules, which you can download from the Trial Rules section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here. The Beta rules documents contain all of the rules for playing V2 games, but keep in mind that these are just 'preview' documents - some rules may be revised based on feedback, and the final layout including background material for the factions and the Maelstrom's Edge universe, artwork and other 'flavor' material is missing.
If you have any thoughts on the new rules, pop on over to the Comm Guild Facebook group, or start up a thread in the Maelstrom's Edge section on the Dakka Dakka forums. We welcome any feedback, and would love to hear how everyone's forces stack up in the new rules!
Tags: v2
Welcome to 2022!
Posted on Tuesday Jan 04, 2022 at 06:00pm in General
Well, with 2021 consigned to the scrapbook, it's time to look ahead at what the coming year will bring. We have a bunch of new stuff in the works, which we're really looking forward to showing off. So to get things started, here's a sneak peek at just some of the models in the production queue!
Along with the host of new models, there is also the ongoing Beta testing for the second edition of the Maelstrom's Edge rules. If you missed the announcement just before Christmas, you can find out about some of the changes and download a copy of the Beta rules, including force lists for all four current factions, from the article here.
Start building your 2nd edition force by heading over to the webstore here.
Then make sure you share your models, terrain and game reports on the Comm Guild Facebook group!
Along with the host of new models, there is also the ongoing Beta testing for the second edition of the Maelstrom's Edge rules. If you missed the announcement just before Christmas, you can find out about some of the changes and download a copy of the Beta rules, including force lists for all four current factions, from the article here.
Start building your 2nd edition force by heading over to the webstore here.
Then make sure you share your models, terrain and game reports on the Comm Guild Facebook group!
It's the 2021 Roundup!
Posted on Tuesday Dec 14, 2021 at 05:00pm in General
With another year almost come to an end, it seems like a good time to pause and look back at some highlights from the Maelstrom's Edge!
The Karist, Broken and Epirian factions all received some reinforcements this year. We also saw the end of the Battle for Zycanthus boxed set, as our existing stock sold out. With the second edition of the game on the horizon, rather than producing more of this set, we added some starter bundles and troop bundle deals for each faction to the Maelstrom's Edge webstore.
The Contractor Support Drone added some new equipment options to Epirian forces, allowing Contractors to field Engineer and Medic units and adding sensor drones to Contractor Scouts. This is the last full resin model to be released for Maelstrom's Edge as, with the exception of a couple of upcoming equipment options for the Artarian Remnant, we have now moved completely to plastic for our models.
The Kaddar Alessi Novitiate serves as an alternate command option for Karist forces. Slightly less unhinged than the typical Kaddar Nova, Kaddar Alessi use their charisma and oratory prowess to inspire the forces under their command, or to shake the resolve of any enemy within earshot.
The Spiral Arm Revolutionary Army are a new sub-faction for the Broken. These paramilitary groups tend to be more organised and disciplined than other Broken, and this is reflected in their command structure. Revolutionary Captains stands proudly at the head of their forces, co-ordinating strikes and holding the rabble steady with their iron discipline. While in the shadows, Broken Snipers lurk beneath advanced camouflage cloaks, picking out valuable targets amongst enemy forces.
As an added bonus, this year we also sourced some stock of the plastic gun carriage kit from PDC Gaming. This kit builds a range of variant weapon platforms, and is also a handy source of parts to build an Automated Uplink Relay for Epirian forces, as you can see in this spotlight article here.
As usual, Iain has been working away on a range of different modeling articles, often using found materials combined with the Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprues, including an energy plant built from a camping lamp, an air conditioner ducting barracks building and a communications relay made from a toy gun! You can find these and the rest of our various modeling articles compiled in the hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Fans on the Comm Guild Facebook group have also been sharing some great projects of their own!
You can check out all of these and more by joining the Comm Guild group here.
For the year to come, we'll be rolling up our sleeves and getting stuck into the second edition of the Maelstrom's Edge rules, with the Beta version of these scheduled for release very soon! Also coming in from the production queue we have some reinforcements for the Artarian Remnant, and that new faction that we've been teasing for a while now...
Stay tuned!
For the full plastic and resin Maelstrom's Edge model range, the ever-useful Maelstrom's Edge Terrain Sprues, novels and audiobooks, check out the webstore here.
For building ideas, modeling tutorials, army spotlights and conversion walkthroughs, have a look at the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
The Karist, Broken and Epirian factions all received some reinforcements this year. We also saw the end of the Battle for Zycanthus boxed set, as our existing stock sold out. With the second edition of the game on the horizon, rather than producing more of this set, we added some starter bundles and troop bundle deals for each faction to the Maelstrom's Edge webstore.
The Contractor Support Drone added some new equipment options to Epirian forces, allowing Contractors to field Engineer and Medic units and adding sensor drones to Contractor Scouts. This is the last full resin model to be released for Maelstrom's Edge as, with the exception of a couple of upcoming equipment options for the Artarian Remnant, we have now moved completely to plastic for our models.
The Kaddar Alessi Novitiate serves as an alternate command option for Karist forces. Slightly less unhinged than the typical Kaddar Nova, Kaddar Alessi use their charisma and oratory prowess to inspire the forces under their command, or to shake the resolve of any enemy within earshot.
The Spiral Arm Revolutionary Army are a new sub-faction for the Broken. These paramilitary groups tend to be more organised and disciplined than other Broken, and this is reflected in their command structure. Revolutionary Captains stands proudly at the head of their forces, co-ordinating strikes and holding the rabble steady with their iron discipline. While in the shadows, Broken Snipers lurk beneath advanced camouflage cloaks, picking out valuable targets amongst enemy forces.
As an added bonus, this year we also sourced some stock of the plastic gun carriage kit from PDC Gaming. This kit builds a range of variant weapon platforms, and is also a handy source of parts to build an Automated Uplink Relay for Epirian forces, as you can see in this spotlight article here.
As usual, Iain has been working away on a range of different modeling articles, often using found materials combined with the Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprues, including an energy plant built from a camping lamp, an air conditioner ducting barracks building and a communications relay made from a toy gun! You can find these and the rest of our various modeling articles compiled in the hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Fans on the Comm Guild Facebook group have also been sharing some great projects of their own!
You can check out all of these and more by joining the Comm Guild group here.
For the year to come, we'll be rolling up our sleeves and getting stuck into the second edition of the Maelstrom's Edge rules, with the Beta version of these scheduled for release very soon! Also coming in from the production queue we have some reinforcements for the Artarian Remnant, and that new faction that we've been teasing for a while now...
Stay tuned!
For the full plastic and resin Maelstrom's Edge model range, the ever-useful Maelstrom's Edge Terrain Sprues, novels and audiobooks, check out the webstore here.
For building ideas, modeling tutorials, army spotlights and conversion walkthroughs, have a look at the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Moon Desert
Posted on Wednesday Oct 20, 2021 at 06:00pm in General
I had never seen an Angel before, but I knew a man who had. It was not long after the destruction of my homeworld. The refugee fleet was limping towards what it hoped was sanctuary: the planet on which I now stood. I had been standing by the viewport, staring out at the fleeing stars and trying, against my better judgment, to make sense of their configurations, when one of the crew members, a man who fancied himself as an old space hand, came up behind me.
"Never know what you're going to see, out there… I saw an Angel, once."
"You're kidding me. They're rare, aren't they?"
"I'm not joking. I was looking out of the viewport just as you are now when something swam into view. It was massive, I'm telling you, a mess of tentacles and spines. It attached itself to the viewport. I had to chuck myself backwards in case the bastard got in. But it was only a minnow. Only a little one, too." He looked at my face and laughed. "Not scared of a baby, are you, Doc?"
'Now you mention it," I said ruefully, and he laughed.
"Don't worry, you won't see any. There's a sweeper outside – it'd knock them off the ship. They'd be after the cybel. Bloody nuisance they can be, too. But as you say, they're rare.
Now, I had never been so close to something so huge, so alien. It filled me with an almost religious terror and for the first time I had an inkling into what motivated the Karists. Then the sweeper came along, a bristling machine running a blasting wave before it, and the minnow spiralled off into space. I did not sleep that night."
This was no minnow. The domed chamber at the summit of the tower was big, and the Angel filled it. It must have been three times the thing I'd seen on the ship. It pulsated, mimicking breath, and with its membranes wrapped around itself it resembled a great black flower about to bloom. Energy crackled about it and this was, I now realised, the source of that chemical smell, but it felt wrong, like a battery sparking out and wearing down. I could see a coil of something – energy? - in the slit of its mouth, but it looked hazy, as if seen through gauze.
"Where….where did this come from?" I heard myself say.
Hanerah smiled. "It arrived with a ship. One of the first mining landers – a long time ago now. They tried to kill it." Her pale eyes grew fierce. "But it escaped, and my tribe found it. It grew strong again – there are places in the deep desert which contain a kind of energy, on which it could feed. It – affected us."
"Are you Karists, then?"
"I know of them," she said, indifferently, "but they are not like us. We have had such visitors before, you see. It is an old alliance. They whispered to us. They gave us the gift of prophecy."
Pride filled her voice. I looked at the Angel. Its six eyes, as black and cold as the void, stared back at me with an arachnid intelligence.
"And now?" I said.
"It is ailing," Hanerah hissed. "You can feel it, can't you?"
"I – " There was something wrong with the thing, but it was still powerful. Now I knew what had been making me feel so alive. Somehow, its energy had accompanied Hanerah, and I had been feeding off it.
"I want you to cure it."
"Listen to me," I said. From somewhere, I found the strength to take her arm and pull her out of the chamber. "I know it doesn't want to hurt me," I added, and for the first time realised this was true. That feeling echoed in my head. Help me. "But I don't know anything about their anatomy. No-one does, unless the Karist priests might –"
"The Karists cannot come here. They seek only their own ends: they would use it as a weapon. It is not a weapon. It is a living thing." The words my friend came back to me: how had this tribeswoman come to such a point? She clutched at me. "You have to help it!"
"Hanerah, I don't think I can. Where would I begin?"
"You felt it, did you not?"
"It – influences - you, doesn't it? And has it communicated to you what's wrong?"
"No."
She looked so downcast that I said, "Look. I'll try. But I can't promise anything."
I had a feeling that what ailed the thing was simply lack of cybel. They said this was how the Karists controlled them, after all: withholding and donating the energy form, the only way that they could bend an Angel to their will. But no-one knew for sure and the only cybel here that I'd heard of was found in the drives of the ships at the spaceport, and I wasn't exactly willing to unleash a starving Angel onto those. Besides, why hadn't it gone there itself? Maybe it had travelled from the deep desert and run out of energy. I took a deep breath and stepped back through the door. The Angel seemed to have shrunk, then I realised that it had wrapped its gel membrane more tightly about itself. The membrane appeared stiffer, as though the thing was drying out.
"All right," I said, aloud. "Tell me – no, you can't, can you? Show me what's wrong."
And the Angel did so, but not in words. Instead, I saw images.
It showed me a great shoal of minnows, travelling against the rearing gas clouds of forming galaxies. Songs soared in the bright void and for the first time I understood why these aliens had been named by us as Angels: they saw themselves as utterly free, yet united by a connection which my brain could not encompass. 'Love' was a pallid imitation. This Angel was very old, I now knew, and the loss of its kin was like the loss of a limb. I had always seen them as terrifying, but this thing was filled with a great sadness and a strange innocence: they did not know why we were so afraid.
"Help me,"
...
Excerpt from the short story 'Moon Desert', by Liz Williams.
Find the rest in 'Tales from the Edge: Escalation', available in paperback from the Maelstrom's Edge Webstore, or grab the digital version on Amazon.
2021 Mid(ish)year Roundup!
Posted on Monday Jul 26, 2021 at 06:00pm in General
With the twin billing of Covid and Brexit affecting so many business all over the place, this year started out a little slower than we had planned, but things are slowly getting back up to steam and our release schedule is finally getting back on track. Here's a look back at what we've been up to for the last 6-ish months!
Iain continued to smoosh things together in the workshop, working through a range of the usual sorts of modeling articles - kitbashes of kits, buildings made from bits and pieces and just generally getting paint all over everything in sight. You can find all of these modeling articles in the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
On the new release front, we've given Epirian Contractor units some support with a new resin drone, and launched the Spiral Arm Revolutionary Army as a subfaction for the Broken, with the addition of plastic kits for a Revolutionary Captain and a cam-cloaked sniper. We also picked up the PDC Gaming heavy weapons carriage - a plastic kit that lets you build a range of different mobile weapons platforms, for those gamers looking for some heavier firepower. You can find all of these in the Maelstrom's Edge webstore.
Our biggest reveal for this year so far was, of course, the launch of the kickstarter for StackaRack - a plastic, customisable paint storage system! Our Kickstarter funded successfully, and we're currently hard at work finalising the design work so that we can get it sent off to our plastics production people. If you missed the Kickstarter, you can find out more information and follow our progress on the StackaRack Facebook page here.
So... what's next?
In the coming months, we have new plastic model releases for the Karists and Remnant, a couple of resin upgrades for the Remnant Militus kit, and a whole new range of bases to add to the webstore. There's also a new faction - our fifth! - to crawl forth from the destruction of the Edge. On top of that, we're still beavering away behind the scenes on version 2 of the Maelstrom's Edge rules. Our original target had to be pushed back significantly thanks to the pandemic, but we're aiming to have the Beta version of the rules out before the end of this year. If you want to get in early, you can find a very early draft of the new rules in the development thread on the DakkaDakka forums here.
So much great stuff still to come - Stay tuned!
For the full range of Maelstrom's Edge products, including the Battle for Zycanthus starter set, the plastic and resin model range, the ever-useful Maelstrom's Edge Terrain Sprues, novels and audiobooks, check out the webstore here.
For building ideas, modeling tutorials, army spotlights and conversion walkthroughs, have a look at the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Iain continued to smoosh things together in the workshop, working through a range of the usual sorts of modeling articles - kitbashes of kits, buildings made from bits and pieces and just generally getting paint all over everything in sight. You can find all of these modeling articles in the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
On the new release front, we've given Epirian Contractor units some support with a new resin drone, and launched the Spiral Arm Revolutionary Army as a subfaction for the Broken, with the addition of plastic kits for a Revolutionary Captain and a cam-cloaked sniper. We also picked up the PDC Gaming heavy weapons carriage - a plastic kit that lets you build a range of different mobile weapons platforms, for those gamers looking for some heavier firepower. You can find all of these in the Maelstrom's Edge webstore.
Our biggest reveal for this year so far was, of course, the launch of the kickstarter for StackaRack - a plastic, customisable paint storage system! Our Kickstarter funded successfully, and we're currently hard at work finalising the design work so that we can get it sent off to our plastics production people. If you missed the Kickstarter, you can find out more information and follow our progress on the StackaRack Facebook page here.
So... what's next?
In the coming months, we have new plastic model releases for the Karists and Remnant, a couple of resin upgrades for the Remnant Militus kit, and a whole new range of bases to add to the webstore. There's also a new faction - our fifth! - to crawl forth from the destruction of the Edge. On top of that, we're still beavering away behind the scenes on version 2 of the Maelstrom's Edge rules. Our original target had to be pushed back significantly thanks to the pandemic, but we're aiming to have the Beta version of the rules out before the end of this year. If you want to get in early, you can find a very early draft of the new rules in the development thread on the DakkaDakka forums here.
So much great stuff still to come - Stay tuned!
For the full range of Maelstrom's Edge products, including the Battle for Zycanthus starter set, the plastic and resin model range, the ever-useful Maelstrom's Edge Terrain Sprues, novels and audiobooks, check out the webstore here.
For building ideas, modeling tutorials, army spotlights and conversion walkthroughs, have a look at the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Maelstrom's Edge Webstore News
Posted on Tuesday Jun 22, 2021 at 06:00pm in General
Due to steadily increasing costs in production, shipping and just generally doing business over the last year or two, we have unfortunately had to make some price adjustments in the webstore. Most plastic kits, and some resins, have had a small increase in price as a result. To compensate for this, we have added some new bulk packs for each Faction's core troops, allowing you to pick up four units worth of troops for the price of three!
We have also added a similar pack for the Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprues, including 4 sprues each of terrain sprue #1 and #2. This should give you plenty of bits and pieces to bulk up your sci fi terrain collection.
Pop in to the Maelstrom's Edge webstore here now! Free shipping applies to qualifying orders - check your cart for details.
We have also added a similar pack for the Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprues, including 4 sprues each of terrain sprue #1 and #2. This should give you plenty of bits and pieces to bulk up your sci fi terrain collection.
Pop in to the Maelstrom's Edge webstore here now! Free shipping applies to qualifying orders - check your cart for details.
Maelstrom's Edge 2020 Roundup
Posted on Monday Dec 28, 2020 at 05:00pm in General
It's fair to say that this year hasn't gone quite the way any of us would have planned. With the pandemic affecting our production partners, mail services, and our own team members, most of the things that we had planned for this past year wound up on hold. We've been working away behind the scenes to get things moving forward again, and have a nice backlog of releases lining up for the coming year, but in the meantime, here's a look back at what we've been up to.
For the past several years, we've been sharing regular modeling articles on the blog, and this year was no exception. These have showcased different conversion ideas, kitbashes with other ranges, terrain projects, painting tips, and a new, ongoing series of hobby basics articles intended to help out beginners to the hobby. You can find all of our various modeling articles compiled in the hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
With our usual monthly release schedule disrupted, we did still release a new model for the Artarian Remnant, inthe form of the Nimbus Battlesuit. We have plenty more in the pipeline, however, inluding the next round of reinforcements for each of the existing factions, and the first couple of units are underway for another new faction!
To give people some new modeling and tactical options to explore, Iain shared some homebrew rules for an Imperial Marine faction, introducing power-armoured super soldiers to the Edge, with downloadable rules cards in the Card Downloads section here, and a Summary of their weapons and special rules here.
This year has also seen some great models shared by the community on the Comm Guild Facebook Group. The Group is a handy place to share your models, ask for hobby advice, or talk about the Maelstrom's Edge game. We would love to see more, so be sure to pop along and show us what you are working on!
So... what's next? The new year seems like as good a time as any to get things moving again. We have a whole host of new models in the pipeline, including new releases for all of the existing factions, and a brand new faction joining the chaos on the Edge!
Stay tuned!
For the full range of Maelstrom's Edge products, including the Battle for Zycanthus starter set, the plastic and resin model range, the ever-useful Maelstrom's Edge Terrain Sprues, novels and audiobooks, check out the webstore here.
For building ideas, modeling tutorials, army spotlights and conversion walkthroughs, have a look at the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
For the past several years, we've been sharing regular modeling articles on the blog, and this year was no exception. These have showcased different conversion ideas, kitbashes with other ranges, terrain projects, painting tips, and a new, ongoing series of hobby basics articles intended to help out beginners to the hobby. You can find all of our various modeling articles compiled in the hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
With our usual monthly release schedule disrupted, we did still release a new model for the Artarian Remnant, inthe form of the Nimbus Battlesuit. We have plenty more in the pipeline, however, inluding the next round of reinforcements for each of the existing factions, and the first couple of units are underway for another new faction!
To give people some new modeling and tactical options to explore, Iain shared some homebrew rules for an Imperial Marine faction, introducing power-armoured super soldiers to the Edge, with downloadable rules cards in the Card Downloads section here, and a Summary of their weapons and special rules here.
This year has also seen some great models shared by the community on the Comm Guild Facebook Group. The Group is a handy place to share your models, ask for hobby advice, or talk about the Maelstrom's Edge game. We would love to see more, so be sure to pop along and show us what you are working on!
So... what's next? The new year seems like as good a time as any to get things moving again. We have a whole host of new models in the pipeline, including new releases for all of the existing factions, and a brand new faction joining the chaos on the Edge!
Stay tuned!
For the full range of Maelstrom's Edge products, including the Battle for Zycanthus starter set, the plastic and resin model range, the ever-useful Maelstrom's Edge Terrain Sprues, novels and audiobooks, check out the webstore here.
For building ideas, modeling tutorials, army spotlights and conversion walkthroughs, have a look at the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Maelstrom's Edge Mid(-ish) 2020 Roundup!
Posted on Friday Jul 24, 2020 at 05:00pm in General
This year has certainly come with its share of challenges. While things have been a little quieter on the Edge than usual, we're still here, in no small part thanks to the support of our fantastic customers around the world. So I thought I'd take a pause this week to look back at what we have done so far this year.
Our usual monthly release schedule has been significantly disrupted this year due to our usual production partners having to close up or refocus their businesses, so the Artarian Remnant's Nimbus Battlesuit has the distinction of being our sole release so far this year. We have plenty more in the pipeline, however, including the next round of reinforcements for each of the existing factions, and the first couple of units are underway for another new faction!
Even without shiny, new models to play with, the weekly modeling article continued on, covering a wide range of ground. Articles so far for this year have included a serial underhive build, featuring a bunch of redesigned buildings inspired by classic Necromunda, rocky outcrops studded with crystals brimming with rogue cybel energy, and assorted other hobby tips and modeling ideas. You can find all of our modeling articles in the renovated Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website, along with a new section where we will be periodically adding basic 'starter' tips aimed at beginner hobbyists.
This year has also seen some great models shared by the community on the Comm Guild Facebook Group. The Group is a handy place to share your models, ask for hobby advice, or talk about the Maelstrom's Edge game. We would love to see more, so be sure to pop along and show us what you are working on!
(Just a few of the fantastic projects we've seen!)
For the full range of Maelstrom's Edge products, including the Battle for Zycanthus starter set, the plastic and resin model range, the ever-useful Maelstrom's Edge Terrain Sprues, novels and audiobooks, check out the webstore here.
For building ideas, modeling tutorials, army spotlights and conversion walkthroughs, have a look at the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Maelstrom's Edge 2019 Round-up
Posted on Thursday Dec 26, 2019 at 05:00pm in General
With another fantastic year drawing to a close, we thought we would take a moment to look back over this year's highlights for Maelstrom's Edge!
This year saw two of our biggest releases ever! Back in April, we added a fourth faction to the game, with the release of the plastic Militus Battlesuit forming the start of the Artarian Remnant's presence on the battlefields of the Edge.
Rather than using conventional military forces, the Remnant fight with elite Champions in highly advanced combat suits. Practically one-man-armies, these superlative warriors needed a model that did them justice, so we produced a multi-part, plastic kit that lets you assemble and customise your suits with a range of different weapons and poses available.
The Militus release was followed in short order by the arrival of the second Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprue! Terrain is incredibly important for making the most of Maelstrom's Edge games, and we want players to have as many options as possible there. As such, rather than producing limited, specific terrain kits we have carried on the concept from the first terrain sprue, giving players a range of new detail parts to use to customise their own terrain constructions.
Loosely themed around Broken settlements, the new terrain sprue can be used by itself or combined with the original sprue to create a huge range of different buildings, ruins and urban or industrial features.
In other releases, things have been a little slower than usual this year due to some unavoidable delays in our production chain. We fleshed out our Epirian SecDef Rapid Insertion Teams with the addition of some weapon specialists. Equipped with dual clingfire throwers or flakk guns, these troopers add some punch to the fast-moving boostpack units.
We wanted players to have the option to take SecDef as a separate force to regular Epirians, so we added a resin SecDef Lieutenant to the range, and backed him up with a Medic to accompany Tactical Teams into battle and keep them on their feet.
On the rules front, we announced the ongoing development of a version 2 of the Maelstrom's Edge rules! Inevitably with something as complex as a miniatures wargame, there are things that wind up needing some tightening or adjusting, and as new units and factions are added to the game the core rules eventually need to evolve. Our aim is to keep the overall feeling the same, with a tactical and exciting game, while stripping out some uneccessary mechanics and tweaking some others to let the game flow better. To keep players involved in the process, there is a development thread on the DakkaDakka forums here where you can download a current playtest version of the V2 rules and provide feedback on the changes.
While we're all still on the current ruleset, however, we released the digitial version of the current rulebook for free download through the Maelstrom's Edge website. You can find this, along with downloadable versions of the Mission and Objective cards from the Battle For Zycanthus box, in the 'Rules' section of the website here.
Maelstrom's Edge V2 will be introducing rules for transport vehicles to the game. While vehicle models are likely to still be some way away, we thought there was no good reason to make players wait for these, so you can also find a set of trial transport rules for the current game here. This download includes some unofficial rules cards for transports for Epirian Contractors, SecDef, Broken and Karist forces, to use with whatever vehicles you decide to kitbash or repurpose - You can find some ideas on the Comm Guild blog, and in the modeling section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here!
SO - What next?
We have a lot planned for 2020! The primary aim will be to get the V2 rules finished, but along the way we have a slew of new model releases coming along. We'll be fleshing out the Remnant with new Nimbus scout suits and the massive Brutus support suit, adding more character options to Karist forces, and introducing more support options for Epirian and Broken forces.
And while all of that's happening, something else is stirring on the Edge...
Our thanks to all of those who have supported us as we have grown the game, from the initial Kickstarter through to where we are now. We're looking forward to sharing all sorts of new and shiny things with you in the years to come!
You can find the Maelstrom's Edge model range and the Battle For Zycanthus starter set in the webstore here.
As always, feel free to share your models and terrain, or ask any Maelstrom's Edge- or hobby-related questions on the Comm Guild Facebook page!
For Maelstrom's Edge modeling articles, including tutorials and walkthroughs of a wide range of different building and miniature projects, check out the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
This year saw two of our biggest releases ever! Back in April, we added a fourth faction to the game, with the release of the plastic Militus Battlesuit forming the start of the Artarian Remnant's presence on the battlefields of the Edge.
Rather than using conventional military forces, the Remnant fight with elite Champions in highly advanced combat suits. Practically one-man-armies, these superlative warriors needed a model that did them justice, so we produced a multi-part, plastic kit that lets you assemble and customise your suits with a range of different weapons and poses available.
The Militus release was followed in short order by the arrival of the second Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprue! Terrain is incredibly important for making the most of Maelstrom's Edge games, and we want players to have as many options as possible there. As such, rather than producing limited, specific terrain kits we have carried on the concept from the first terrain sprue, giving players a range of new detail parts to use to customise their own terrain constructions.
Loosely themed around Broken settlements, the new terrain sprue can be used by itself or combined with the original sprue to create a huge range of different buildings, ruins and urban or industrial features.
In other releases, things have been a little slower than usual this year due to some unavoidable delays in our production chain. We fleshed out our Epirian SecDef Rapid Insertion Teams with the addition of some weapon specialists. Equipped with dual clingfire throwers or flakk guns, these troopers add some punch to the fast-moving boostpack units.
We wanted players to have the option to take SecDef as a separate force to regular Epirians, so we added a resin SecDef Lieutenant to the range, and backed him up with a Medic to accompany Tactical Teams into battle and keep them on their feet.
On the rules front, we announced the ongoing development of a version 2 of the Maelstrom's Edge rules! Inevitably with something as complex as a miniatures wargame, there are things that wind up needing some tightening or adjusting, and as new units and factions are added to the game the core rules eventually need to evolve. Our aim is to keep the overall feeling the same, with a tactical and exciting game, while stripping out some uneccessary mechanics and tweaking some others to let the game flow better. To keep players involved in the process, there is a development thread on the DakkaDakka forums here where you can download a current playtest version of the V2 rules and provide feedback on the changes.
While we're all still on the current ruleset, however, we released the digitial version of the current rulebook for free download through the Maelstrom's Edge website. You can find this, along with downloadable versions of the Mission and Objective cards from the Battle For Zycanthus box, in the 'Rules' section of the website here.
Maelstrom's Edge V2 will be introducing rules for transport vehicles to the game. While vehicle models are likely to still be some way away, we thought there was no good reason to make players wait for these, so you can also find a set of trial transport rules for the current game here. This download includes some unofficial rules cards for transports for Epirian Contractors, SecDef, Broken and Karist forces, to use with whatever vehicles you decide to kitbash or repurpose - You can find some ideas on the Comm Guild blog, and in the modeling section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here!
SO - What next?
We have a lot planned for 2020! The primary aim will be to get the V2 rules finished, but along the way we have a slew of new model releases coming along. We'll be fleshing out the Remnant with new Nimbus scout suits and the massive Brutus support suit, adding more character options to Karist forces, and introducing more support options for Epirian and Broken forces.
And while all of that's happening, something else is stirring on the Edge...
Our thanks to all of those who have supported us as we have grown the game, from the initial Kickstarter through to where we are now. We're looking forward to sharing all sorts of new and shiny things with you in the years to come!
You can find the Maelstrom's Edge model range and the Battle For Zycanthus starter set in the webstore here.
As always, feel free to share your models and terrain, or ask any Maelstrom's Edge- or hobby-related questions on the Comm Guild Facebook page!
For Maelstrom's Edge modeling articles, including tutorials and walkthroughs of a wide range of different building and miniature projects, check out the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Terrain Spotlight: Watch Tower
Posted on Thursday Nov 28, 2019 at 05:00pm in General
Last week, I shared a trash processing unit, the first of a series of terrain structures inspired by the classic Necromunda plastic/cardboard hybrid terrain. (If you missed it, you can find it here)
This week, I'm adding a watch tower to the set!
As with the previous building, I started out with a quick sketch. I don't always use a sketch, and when I do I don't always follow it precisely, but it can be a handy tool for visualising the process.
For this construction, I once again pulled out the 3mm foamed PVC, and a bunch of both of the Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprues. I started out by building the central pillar, which needed a ladder running up the center to the twin hatches on the platform up top. To give the pillar some depth, I decided to use two layers of PVC, with a ladder running up the outside of each face rather than just using one going up the middle. I wanted to be able to see through the ladder section, though, so cut out a strip up the middle of each pillar side just wider than the ladder rungs. The ladders themselves were taken from terrain sprue #1. I also engraved some panel lines into the PVC with a scriber.
I glued the ladders onto the PVC with superglue, two to a side, leaving just a small part of the ladder projecting above the top so it would reach to the top of the platform. I then ran a strip of support struts from terrain sprue #1 up each side of the ladders for some extra detail.
Because the gap between the ladders would be practically inaccessible once assembled, I sprayed the inside with some rust brown base before gluing the two halves of the pillar together.
For the platform, I made up the main part of the floor using grating pieces from terrain sprue #2, glued edge to edge and leaving two pieces out in the middle for the ladder access.
I then cut a surround from foamed PVC, with a second layer to give it some thickness, and to provide a support structure for the grating.
I designed the side pillars to give the structure some bulk while also providing some nice cover at ground level. As with the central pillar, these were made from two layers of PVC, cut to shape and with some panel lines scribed in on the outside pieces.
To give the side pillars some detail, I trimmed up some more support struts from terrain sprue one and glued them running up the edges of the pillars on both sides.
To finish up, I cut some waist-height (to scale, obviously!) walls for the platform, using some off-cuts of foamed PVC and some trimmed down corner brackets from terrain sprue #1. I then glued the structure together, and cut a base of hardboard for it to sit on.
And that's two structures completed! As with the previous one, painting will come later, once I have a few of these all ready to go.
Stay tuned!
To give it a go yourself, you can pick up the Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprues, along with the rest of the Maelstrom's Edge range, from the webstore here.
As always, feel free to share your models and terrain, or ask any Maelstrom's Edge- or hobby-related questions on the Comm Guild Facebook page!
For other Maelstrom's Edge modeling articles, including tutorials and walkthroughs of a wide range of different building and miniature projects, check out the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
Tags: buildings scratchbuild spotlight terrain terrainsprue walkthrough
Modeling Spotlight: SecDef 'Ironhide' Transport Vehicle Kitbash
Posted on Thursday Sep 19, 2019 at 05:00pm in General
While 'official' vehicles for Maelstrom's Edge are likely still a while in the future, the next edition of the game will include some expanded vehicle rules, in the interests of being forward-compatible. One of the things this will add in is the ability to transport troops in appropriate vehicles, and as I'm a fan of sending troops careening around the battlefield in small, metal boxes, I decided to get the jump on things and add some transport capabilities to my existing forces - just for show, for now. This week, I built some stylish wheels for my SecDef, using the Miniature Scenery Tactical Response Vehicle as a base.
Miniature Scenery are an Australian company, producing a range of terrain and vehicle kits in laser-cut MDF. Through some sort of wizardry that defies my comprehension, the vehicles in particular are very cleverly designed to look as little like MDF as possible once assembled, which makes them a great addition to the miniature collection!
Assembly was largely by-the-book. I did take some extra time to sand down the wheels, which are made from several layers of MDF sandwiched together. This is something that is shown in the example pics but not in the instructions, and does make the wheels look a little more polished.
While I considered replacing the lights with something more 3D, in the end the only modifications I made were to the top hatches. These are flat, being etched into the MDF surface, and while they look ok, I wanted something more detailed. So I replaced the rear turret with an iris hatch from the upcoming new Maelstrom's Edge terrain sprue. For the smaller front hatches, I used round windows from the same terrain sprue, filled in with 'green stuff' putty and sanded flat. On the middle hatch, I added a weapon turret using two SecDef machine guns and a couple of weapon brackets from the terrain sprue.
With everything glued in place, the vehicle looked something like this:
Given the vehicle's intended role, painting was (rather predictably) very similar to the process used for my 120 point SecDef force. I gave it some weathering to give it a battle-worn look (and to help disguise any minor assembly flaws!) but otherwise kept it fairly plain. Since the vehicle itself is fairly busy, I thought a more complicated colour scheme might just be too much. And in the end, the decision to not replace the lights turned out fine, as with some paint on the flat, engraved lights work just great.
And that's it - ready for the table! In coming weeks, I'll be looking to add some more 'unofficial' unit cards for some transports (including this one, obviously) to the Force Listing section of the Maelstrom's Edge website, to allow you to kick the wheels of the new rules a little if you're so inclined!
You can pick up the entire Maelstrom's Edge model range, including our current plastic urban terrain detail sprue in the webstore here.
Share your creations, or ask any Maelstrom's Edge- or hobby-related questions on the Comm Guild Facebook page!
For other Maelstrom's Edge modeling articles, including tutorials and walkthroughs of a wide range of different building and miniature projects, check out the Hobby section of the Maelstrom's Edge website here.
