Tuesday 22 January 2013

The Plan - Faceless Oppressors

Work is progressing well on the Faceless Oppressor range. I'm alternating days working on this range and more Resistance Fighters. I've found this routine has been really helpful for keeping the work-rate up, as well as allowing a bit of perspective on the progress when I return to the figures after a day of working on something else.

Regarding the Oppressors, so far I've finalised the helmet, gasmask and body armour design. The standard weapon design is set, with just the 'graphics'  and details needing to be done. I've also completed the three poses needed for the Trooper pack, now they just need to be dressed.

Speaking of the Trooper Pack, here's the current plan for the launch range:

Faceless Oppressor Trooper Pack
This pack will comprise of three figures with separate heads and weapons. The poses are all based around using the same weapon and hands, in a similar manner to the Resistance fighter range, which allows optional weapons to be held by any figure in the pack. This time, however, the weapon stocks are attached to the weapon parts rather than the figure body, which will allow me more freedom when designing the optional weapons.

I'm quite pleased with how the poses are turning out; they are posed such that a simple turn of the head will change the dynamic of the figure quite considerably. I've also 'themed' each pose to a specific action: one is advancing cautiously, weapon ready; another is rapidly redeploying; while the final is posed ready to provide covering fire. I think they will work really nicely as a fire-team or squad with the other figure Packs.

Faceless Oppressor NCO Pack
This pack will comprise of two figures: a senior NCO and a junior NCO, with separate heads and right arms. The right arms will be positioned differently and be interchangeable between the figures for more variety. The senior and junior NCOs will be distinguished by their helmets rather than their bodies, so again more variety can be achieved between multiple packs. They will feature weapons held in the right hand only, similar to the Resistance Fighter Cell Officer figures. I will pose them as if they are directing their troops, though I will avoid the rather clichéd pointing pose!

Faceless Oppressor Heavy Weapon Team Pack
Again, this pack is made up of two figures, one of which is armed with a heavy machine gun. I would like to use a prone firing position though I am somewhat limited by a maximum available base size of 50mm, only 40mm of which is actually usable for positioning a figure. We shall see. I'd like the 'loader' figure to use the same weapon arm design as the NCOs so he can be armed with all future optional weapons.

Faceless Oppressor Special Weapon Upgrade Sprue
This sprue will be designed to fit the Trooper pack and will feature a squad automatic weapon, a grenade launcher, a flame thrower and an energy weapon of similar design to that used by Lila of the Resistance. These weapons can be used on any of the Trooper figures, allowing for lots of variety between your squads.

Faceless Oppressor Heavy Weapon Upgrade Sprue
This sprue will be designed to upgrade the Heavy Weapon Team from a HMG to a heavy energy cannon. While I'd like to offer this upgrade in the actual HW Team pack, unfortunately mould space will not allow it without a significant increase in costs both to produce and to the customer. As such I feel offering the Weapon Upgrade as an optional extra is the best course of action.

So that is the plan for the initial launch of the range. A NCO pack and two trooper packs will create two fire-teams of four, with the option of heavy weapon support for a squad of ten. The Special Weapon upgrade sprue will allow you to arm your fire-teams as you see fit.

Obviously, once these are on sale (and successful!) I can start working on specialist figures and more upgrade sprues, such as different heads and weapons. Any weapon options such as shotguns would be sold as a pack of only that weapon, including an arm suitable for the NCO (and hopefully HW loader) figures.

But what makes these different from any other near-future trooper range? Well, I fully intend for this to be the best near-future trooper range, plus they'll have a couple of USPs to make them stand out...

However, don't hold your breath! There's still a lot of work to be done. I'll continue to add to the Resistance Fighter range and if you'd like the Faceless Oppressors to become a reality, the best thing to do is buy, buy, buy the girls! ;)

And sorry about the lack of pictures, hopefully I can show some soon. If you're nice.

Regards,

Andrew Rae

8 comments:

  1. Sounds good, can't wait for the concepts or digital sculpts to show up. Will these faceless chaps be guys or gals?

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  2. Initially they will be male but I'd like to add a female pack or two to the range if they sell well.

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  3. Andrew,
    Sounds like a pretty great plan. Can't wait to see them. Glad you are putting the stocks on the weapons instead although I now see advantages to both.
    Couple of questions/comments:
    1.Is there a reason you are making the troop pack 3 instead of 4 like the resistance girls?
    2.Is there any way you can avoid a prone pose for the Heavy weapon crew? not usre what you would do, but persoanlly I mostly dislike prone, kneeling poses in my minis....although if there was a non-firing walking/schlepping matching set as well then you might be on to something.
    3. Are the they going to be girls as well, or male, or a mix?

    Andrew

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  4. More shooty poses! Kneeling RPG, or kneeling sniper are some of my favorites, despite Gloria's dislike above. ;) My only complaint about the ladies really is that the sniper lady looks so un-engaged. I know there is a need for weapons at the ready poses, but for somereason I prefer my specialists to be aiming their Unobtanium forged BFG at something. Or at least being somewhat threatening with it. ;)

    Just my .02. Eager to see what aesthetic you've come up for the Opressors in general!

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  5. Thanks, GI. Here's some answers to your questions.. :)
    1. It's to do with how many I can fit in the mould and how the weapons and heads fit in there, too. With the Resistance Fighters, the stockless SMG and the heads are attached to the base tab of each figure. With the Faceless Oppressors, the longer weapons will make this awkward. So where as the RF have four figure x4 in a mould, the FO will have 3 figure plus a weapon and head sprue x4. I will try to match the price of the Resistance Fighters, at least when purchasing multiple packs. The FO Troop pack will definitely be less profitable per pack than the RF but will hopefully sell in greater numbers.
    2. Personally, I rather like the idea of having a HW team that is set up for firing. I'm thinking back to the old GW Imperial Guard weapon teams. I just thought it makes a fun little diorama. Certainly, if things sell well I could include another team that hasn't set up their weapon.
    3. These packs are all male. Female Trooper and NCO packs are planned, possible a female HW team.

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  6. @CJP: I've got a plan for a RPG and sniper weapon team, though it will come after the initial launch. All the poses in the FO range are certainly actively engaging the enemy; there's no standing around looking pretty for them!

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  7. Excited to see these! Will the heavy weapons team work as a sniper team? I.e. can the medium machine gun analog be replaced with an anti material rifle?

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    1. Good idea! A anti material rifle could be added to the HW upgrade sprue, making it better value.

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