Sunday 13 December 2009

The Dropship Xmas Cracker!

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I have not ONE, but TWO complete sets of Critical Mass Games new Mercs to give away courtesy of Craig and Dale.

The lucky winners will be announced by the Dropship Bunny at 9pm GMT on Friday 18th December and be in the post to you next day.

The prize winners will recieve one each of the packs of unpainted figures below:



These new 'Mercs' will also be available for sale on the 21st December from the Critical Mass Games webstore.


So, what do you have to do to win this bounty?

L-R Mr Gray, Mr Red, Mr White, Mr Blue, Mr Scarlet

Pick one or more of the characters from the photo above, and leave a message below detailing their 'real' name/callsign, species and a couple of sentences of background telling us why they have come to the Mudd Eisley Cantina.

Please leave a different message for each character.

One winner will be chosen at random from the entries submitted by 7pm GMT on Friday 18th December.

Five of the most interesting characters chosen by Heather, Master Chef and myself will take part in a 1-2-1 skirmish game played out on Saturday night. The second winner will be selected from these five finalists.

Takedown at the Mudd Eisley Cantina will be blogged on Sunday 20th together with photos of the action for everyone to enjoy.

Best of Luck!

Cheers
Mark
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31 comments:

  1. Alias: Mr White
    Real Name: "Paladin"
    Species: Paragonian
    The mercanary known as Paladin is the last of the Paragonians. The ancient and noble Paragonians created the perfect society, full of art, philosophy and debate. Unfortunatly they were overcome by the biological hordes of the carnophage swarms, and were all wiped out, aside from Paladin. He now wanders the galaxy seeking a society that matches up to his memories of Paragonia. He's still looking, and Mudd Eisley has travellers from all over space passing through it.

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  2. Alias: Mr Blue
    Real Name: Professor Vazzink
    Species: Hephestan
    Professor Vazzink is a cyberneticist from the triple planet of Hepestus. He is a master of robotic and cybernetic construction, and rplaced over 2/5 of his own body after an industrial accident, including replacing his right arm with a modular weapons mount. He is in Mudd Eisley following rumors of an advanced battlesuit that enhances the wearers mental abilities.

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  3. Alias: Mr Grey
    Real Name: One of the Many
    Species: Reticulan
    One of the Many is an emissary from the Reticulan group mind. It is actually physically weak, but wears an advanced battlesuit that enhances its' mental abilities and concentrates them into a powerful telekinetic blast. It is visiting Mudd Eisley in search of a perfect being, the last of a evolved society that died out. The Many wants to learn all of this evolved beings knowledge - by sucking out their brains.

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  4. Alias: Mr Scarlet
    Real Name: Delta Veitsez
    Species: Muscan Psi Crab
    Delta Veitsev, or Delta-V as it prefers to be known, is a drone sniper riding a standard humanoid host-slave from the Muscan psi-crab colonies. It is visiting Mudd Eisley to find the middleman who arranged for a shipment of Muscan psi-crab larve to be re-routed to a cybernetics lab, where they were crushed and used as a feedpaste for the lab animals. It is a crack shot with it's ER-99 plasma rifle.

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  5. Alias: Mr Red
    Real Name: Zothan Stunk
    Species: Suth
    Zothan Stunk is a coward even amongst the cowardly Suth. He recently arranged for some forged paperwork for a shipment of some alien crustaceans to be deliverd to a remote cybernetics lab, without realising that they were, infact, sentient Psi-crab larve. His ineptitude let to his inevitable discovery by the the Patrol and his subsequent panicked flight to Mudd Eisley to confront the person who he believes betrayed him, the cyberneticist.

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  6. Alias: Mr. Scarlet
    Real Name: Banda Krone, AKA Shard
    Species: Zoysian
    Shard hails from the crystalline planetoid belt in the eastern fringe of the Horner system. Her translucent features are concealed beneath a thick, thermal cowl. Shard acts as an illegal arms dealer with the secret channels and in the back rooms of Mudd Eisley. With Mudd Eisley's constant influx of mixed alien traffic from all over the sector, Shard is able to procure a myriad of different weapon types and fulfill most requests for hard to find items. She carries a crystal-focused energy weapon from her homeworld of Zoysia Prime.

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  7. Great stuff guys!

    Cheers
    Mark

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  8. Alias: Mr. White
    Real Name: Tarkis Broode
    Species: Castigarian
    Tarkis Broode is an enigmatic native of Castigar IV, a failed colony world. He is a bounty hunter extraordinare whose skills are unequalled, fees unparalleled, and results undeniable. Currently on retainer to Captain Horgax Bytt, a Free Trader that saved him from incarceration on the penal asteroid Haephesteryx XIII, Broode has tracked down the individual that nearly cost him his freedom and he plans to get retribution at Mudd Eisley Cantina...

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  9. Real name: Zoot
    Species: Cazeranian
    Call sign: Mr. Gray
    “I had Flown into Mudd Eisley today in search of my lousy, stinking, brother in law who ran off with my share of the take for the last job, and when I find him this plasma fist is going right up his…well you get the idea” “Trust no one they will only stab you in the back, especially family they will stab you in the front”

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  10. Figure: Mr.Red
    Callsign: "Hunch"
    Real Name: Something unpronounceable with lots of hisses and clicks.
    Species: Oroborosian

    Like all Oroborosian youths, "Hunch" is spending her post-adolescent years touring the space lanes as a mercenary in the employ of various alien nobles and warlords. Unfortunately a little incident involving way too many Vagrellon Brain Burners and a merchant's very tasty pet Grous resulted in a large bounty on her head. At the moment she's in the cantina hoping to find transport to the edge of the Rim. Any bounty hunters that come calling are likely to find themselves staring down the barrel of her finely tuned
    Carellian Death Ray.

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  11. Real Name: Eyessaac
    Alias: "3-Eyes"
    Species: TriClopian
    A member of the little known Triclopian race, Eyessaac possesses the ability to gain an instant tap into the minds on any that look him in any of his 3 eyes. This tap allows him not only access to the thoughts and knowledge of those who meet his gaze but their wills as well. Eyessaac is deceptively dangerous, appearing to be nothing but a diminutive alien with 3 flabby appendages, when in reality he is at most times surrounded by several unwitting "bodyguards" that he can call into action with but a thought. Eyessaac acts as a scout and fact finder for the bounty hunter's guild and is in Mudd Eisley to discover the wherabouts of a hunter who did not return to pay his dues to the guild after a profitable assignment.
    Mongo

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  12. ....aww, I'm terrible at following directions.
    Mongo

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  13. Alias: Mr Grey
    Real Name: KZ4c-JD10685 “KayZee JayDee”
    Species: Bio-cybernetic Combat Droid
    The KZ series Bio-cybernetic Combat droids were manufactured by a “Varness Off-World Industries” to supply a mercenary battalion fighting in the recent wars. The 4c-JD variant uses a cloned bio-engineered humanoid chassis augmented by a ceramic layered battle suit that incorporates a pulsed plasma blaster. Battle damage shorted out JayDee’s cybernetic control system allowing its previously human brain (that of Staff Sergeant Eglan Hoff ZDB) to regain sentient control. On the run as a deserter “KayZee JayDee” fled to Mudd Eisley where it found employment as a bouncer in the Cantina, working in exchange for a daily recharge of its lithium ion batteries……and sufficient drugs to numb the terrifying flashbacks from Eglan Hoff’s previous life and any recollection of its ‘manufacture’ at then hands of the Varness.

    Paddt

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  14. Alias: Mr Red
    Real Name: Tel’crath Preece
    Species: Naarg
    Tel’crath Preece was the 4th hatchling from Prime Naarg pool of the 1273th Sontin. Since this highly auspicious start Tel’crath has failed to live up to expectations, growing up educationally substandard and suffering from a deformity of his back. As a result he was forcibly sterilized and sent to train in the Mudd Eisley Police Department where he now heads up the “Traffic enforcement” section. Seething with resentment Tel’crath is a poor shot with his standard Police issue bolter. However, he dreams of capturing an illegal alien, hardened criminal or renegade combat droid because this, he believes, will win him the promotion that will fulfil at least some of his earlier potential.

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  15. Alias: Mr White
    Real Name: Jans Kearsley
    Species: Human
    Originally conscripted into the Zendoran Defence Battalion, Jans avoided inevitable death at Tellorath by hiding under the body of a hapless Staff Sergeant until some bio-weapons eventually took effect and incapacitated the invading Naarg army. Claiming full credit for this tactical master stroke he was promoted into the Empress’ Guard. After extensive body sculpting surgery, he has become one of the favoured officers of that unit, despite never having fired the Rubidium Lazer pistol he carries in anger. Accompanying the Empress on a diplomatic mission that will bring the Naarg wars to a close after over 20 years, Jans is now illegally parked outside the Mudd Eisley Cantina. Here he hopes to score some “Blue Crush,” a narcotic to which both he and the Empress are hopelessly addicted.

    Paddy

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  16. Alias: Mr Blue
    Real Name: Keeesh Broq
    Species: Varness
    The Varness have profited greatly from the Human/Naarg wars principally by supplying both sides with weapons. Their greatest success came at Tellorath where the Naarg were given invincible combat weapons and the Zendorans were supplied with delayed acting bio-weapons. Both armies were destroyed at a single stroke. Recovered body parts were used in the manufacture of combat droids which were sold to mercenary companies in order to prolong the war. The prospect of peace will irrevocably damage the Varness’ economic interests and so you intend to stop it. Assassination of the Zendoran Empress is your ultimate goal – but how to administer a poison? The advice of some of the more disreputable locals has brought you to the Mudd Eisley Cantina in the hope that you can create a diplomatic incident that will indefinitely postpone any peace talks.

    Paddy

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  17. Alias: Mr Scarlet
    Name: Bilyar Dradd - Four
    Species: Bio-mechanical Avatar
    Technically speaking bio-mechanical Avatars are illegal on this planet. However, in Mudd Eisley nobody seems that bothered, especially as this avatar belongs to Bilyar Dradd – who controls much of the Mudd mafia. Four is one of the early models that projects its controller’s holographic face onto a head height screen. This allows Bilyar to deal narcotics face to face without leaving the comfort of his own spawning pool. His investment, as well as any cash and narcotics that Four may be carrying, is well protected by the Four’s basic self-defence combat programming. Unfortunately any higher order combat functions depend heavily on the controller’s momentary level of concentration or distraction. The use of Four allows Bilyar to keep the Cantina’s cyborg bouncer quiet with a daily shot of “BC” - who else would buy that mind rotting stuff?

    Paddy

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  18. Atlas: Mr. Blue
    Name: Zekai Hemmigar
    Species: Slthye

    The Slythe are a species that can be characterized as loners and wanderers. Their homeworld doesn't have governance above the tribal level and duels and vendettas are common place. Coupled with a hostile climate and an unstable tectonic situation, only the hardiest Slythe see their 4th birthday, which is adulthood for the average Slythe. Many Slythe decide that working off-world as solitary bodyguards or assassins (often both) is a lucrative occupation. Zekai, or "Zeke" as he is referred to by human contemporaries, is meeting a pair of clients in the Mudd Eisley Cantina. His talent is being brought in in the midst of the worst gang war in the last thirty years in Mudd Eisley between the Prtkar and Hpnari crime families. The Hpnari want Zekai to kill the head of the Prtkar family. Lucky for Zekai that the Prtkar want to pay him to safeguard their boss. Zekai is like most of his people, pragmatic to the point of cynicism. Why not do both jobs and get paid more? It's not like either side will be in a position to mind, and, if they are? Well, then he'd just have to kill the head of the Hpnari family too. He did owe them for that job that went wrong that killed his mate on Denevan....

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  19. Alias: Mr Red
    AKA: Gray Procurement Clutch 1215, #47
    Species: Gek

    Geks are a slave species of genetically imprinted reptoids that have been imprinted before hatching to the tasks they will follow during their relatively short life span (5 yrs). The Gek in the picture was imprinted as a soldier and can follow simple one sentence commands (ex: "Shoot him", "Let no one in but me", etc). Despite being prone to stupidity, they are the tool of choice in martial situations due to their high O&E (Obedient & Expedient) rating.

    #47 showed up in the bar two years ago and tried to shoot the waitress who offered her (should be Ms Red, non-Gek often have problems distinguihing between the sexes) a drink. No one has come to claim her and other bar attendees and staff are too afraid to ask her anything for fear of inciting another attack.

    She does not need to eat (Geks live off of their original baby fat) or rest (maybe a reason for their short 5 yr life span) so the bar owners have decided to let her stay as a free deterrent to would be miscreants, not that she would do something to stop them, or would she...

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  20. Alias: Mr Blue
    Real Name: Lenard Owitzch
    Species: Octabrew

    Mr. Blue is an Octabrew, a species of semi-aquatic bipedal Hebrew-speaking, beer swirling, octopi mutants who were created when the Hebrews tossed the Ark of the Covenant into the Warehouse after it was captured by Professor Jones from the Nazis. Due to an unfortunate typo created by Miss Lechewitz, secretary of the Warehouse 51 Director who entered that the Most Holy of Holies be placed next to the recently unearthed Mummy of Akenaten and Professor Mildred Tuna’s recent discovery of architetuthis. While overseeing the placement of the Ark, Rabbi Tavia Weinvenchiz ventured a little too close to the Ark and was immediately transformed by the power of the spirit into the first Octabrew. Being a religious fellow Rabbi Tavia immediately declared his new species a gift from the Gods. Since this time the Octibrew have served in all manner of maritime careers including Oil Worker and Teamster but it wasn’t until humanity began to explore the stars that the Octabrew really came into their own learning quickly to adapt their gills to breathe in the small contents of nitrogen in space and therefore being able to work and even thrive in environments that would otherwise be considered extremely uninhabitable.

    Today Mr. Blue is waiting on a fellow Octabrew and enjoying himself in Mos Eisley downing Corellian Ale and playing rounds of Sabbac. Mr. Blue is an exceptionally able member of his race and is also known as one of the more unsavory sorts in the universe. Wanted for charges ranging from hurtling insults to the Emperor to illegal inking, Mr. Blue is an accomplished criminal. He now sits quietly, sipping his ale and enjoying himself until his associate arrives so he can terminate his contract…

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  21. Alias- Metal Head, Steel Face, Iron Man,etc.
    Name- Zelekial
    Species- Arindins

    Once a fre, anture-loving Aridan Zelekial was of the scholarly type. He studied in the endless forests of his home, Argonius, where his people the Arindins swung from tree to tree. But soon the thugs of the local crimelord Kelzkalin, on a spice-mining slave raid, came and they stole his love, Madelina. He hid away on the starship until they reached the grand palace of the crime lord Kelzkalin, from where he controlled his vast domain. He could take it no more he ran at the throne and tried to rescue his love. But Kelzkalin's thugs shot him down.

    They were both hurt but it was she who perished for him. But among them throngs of slaves the was a man, a scientist by the name of Jarden who saw to this creature wounds, crafting his a body of iron.

    One might have see this as a blessing but it was not so for Zelekial. He was now confined to this unbreakable prison. Wanting nothing more than to die he still found a perpose, he would seek revenge on Kelzkalin. He has com eto Mudd Eisley looking for someone, and will kill any who gat in his way...

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  22. Alias: Mr. Scarlet
    Call Sign: Doppelganger
    Real Name: Many (Small organization of assasins)
    Species: Varies (All humanoid of similar proportion)

    Doppelganger is an enigma in the underworld that frequents places like Mudd Eisley. While he has taken credit for an ever growing number of hits, few can explain his ability to take down a target with no one directly seeing him do it. Often he comes at targets in a fairly straight forward manner, taking on their security in a hit and run chase that leaves them scattered and firing at shadows. Most who fight him claim he has the ability to teleport, while others say he can take over the minds of those around him and control them like a puppet master causing civilians to attack his target. Whatever the truth really is, he is a very effective killer and his presence at Mudd Eisley has everyone watching him very closely. Roomer is that someone here tonight claims to have a new device they claim can prevent the Doppelganger from teleporting and it appears they may get to test it out.

    The reality is that Doppelganger is not a single individual, but a small collective of assassins trained to put on the masquerade of a supernatural killer able to be in multiple places at once. They use a mix of very rare cloaking technology combined with hologram projectors to make the “Doppelganger” seem to disappear and reappear, often moving great distances in an instant. The illusion is created by one assassin cloaking while another uncloaks with a holographic flash that attracts attention to a different location. The teams suits are shielded to make it impossible to obtain a reliable bio-reading to prevent others from figuring out the ploy. Even more intriguing is that the “Doppelganger” never seems to get very close to the target regardless of the teleportation, but they still end up dead. When the shooting starts, it may be more important to pay attention to the cute blond next to you or the unassuming gent at the next table than trying to keep your eyes on the “Doppelganger” because what you don’t see will kill you.

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  23. Figure:Mr.Grey
    Name: Bartok
    Callsign:Warhead
    Race: Terusian Vat-grown "Altered"

    The Terusians are a highly evolved race that at some point in their long history decided to embrace high technology as the highest goal, and as a result decided to control their evolution. Now all Terusians are grown in protein vats, and some are grown around cybernetic enhancements. "Warhead" is an extreme example of the "Altered" with nearly his entire body made up of various mechanical parts. He has come to Mudd Eisley to negotiate the trade of some of his race's secret cloning tech with the G.I.M.P.S.

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  24. Figure: Mr. White
    Name: Naskal T'bor
    Race: Unknown, but thought to be a descendant of a great warrior tradition

    T'bor is a mutant hunter, and amongst the greatest in the business. His 3cm plasma carbine has over forty notches along the barrel, a number of them from unregistered espers. His distinctive white armor appears to be completely custom, but those possessing a long racial memory may find visored helm frighteningly familiar...

    His current hunt for a disguised mutoid has brought him to the Mudd Eisley cantina, and he has a certain sense that the red-cowled humanoid may be more than he appears...

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  25. Figure: Mr.Scarlet
    Name: Victor Raite
    Alias: Fong Gubbitz
    Race: Human, Esper mutoid

    Folk in the Cluster take a dim view of unregistered espers, but even more so those that scour the minds of others and sell the contents to the highest bidder. "Fong's" latest caper involved the exposure of a local sports hero's affair to several exteremely bored media agencies. Unfortunately for "Fong", the sports hero's personal trainer had a psi-detector on during the brain-robbing session, and now his picture is appearing on all the telescreens. Mr. Raite is currently posing as Carellian behind his red cowl, and that white-armored merc at the bar seems to be staring at him awful hard.

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  26. Figure: Mr. Blue
    Name: Grakstrom
    Race: Morbonian

    Grakstrom is a Morbonian diplomat, and as it is customary for the Morbonians to conduct diplomacy from behind the barrel of a large firearm, she comes suitably equipped. Having just issued promises of total annihilation to the peaceful plant folk of Varlon 7 in the conference center of Mudd Eisley's fine Queen Hotel, Grakstrom is nursing a Sterno Steamer at the Mudd Eisley bar next to some white-wearing weirdo.

    Both the red-cowled figure at next to the band and the Orobosian seem twitchy; she wonders if it has something to do with the wanted posters flickering on the telescreen. Oh well, there seems to be some sort of hoverpod race on the other telescreen...

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  27. Alias: Mr. Gray

    Real Name: P'Took

    Species: Micronian

    P'took is known as a small-time merchant and free trader in the local sub-sector. He's just delivered a shipment of Correllian Ale to the Mudd Eisley bar, and is now ostensibly lingering , hoping to pick up a few leads for his next trading run.

    In reality, P'took is an agent for the Micronian Directorate, using his cover as a trader to gather intelligence for the Micronian's long-planned invasion.

    Like all Micronians, P'took is only 4 inches tall, and so operates out of his human-norm sized battlesuit when interacting with those bumbling "macros."

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  28. Alias: Mr. White

    Real Name: Harold Schlichtman

    Species: Homo Sapiens Lex

    Like most of the patrons of the Mudd Eisley Cantina, Harry has a few secrets. The first is that, under his spiffy white mask, he is one of the few humans in the bar.

    The second is far more sinister--Harry is actually a lawyer. He's scoping out the cantina for any minor code violations, hoping to squeeze a small settlement out of the owners. If the bar tender has so much as stacked the glasses the wrong side up, the cantina will soon be receiving a threatening e-Vid, full of legalese, with a link to deposit a modest sum in Harry's off-world account.

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  29. Alias: Mr. Red

    Real Name: Grix-grax

    Species: Graxon

    Grix-grax is a teetotaler, and decent, family graxon. He's also an employee of the Mud Eisley Bar Association. He would never set foot in this dirty old cantina, except on official business.

    Harold Schlictman doesn't know it yet, but his law license has just been revoked for gross ethics violations. Grix-grax is here to give him the bad news, with extreme prejudice...

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  30. OK Hombres! Competition Closed.......

    Fantastic entries by all.
    Cheers
    Mark

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