Topgun Marketing 15mm Sci Fi: Type 13, Heavy Grav Tank $15.99 eachIf like me you were looking for something out of this world to go with GZG's new Trooper minatures, then look no further. Topgun Marketing's Future Shape of Things to Come range of 15mm Sci Fi Grav armour is available to pre-order.
Better still, Rob is offering a pre-release deal on platoon (section) packs which runs through to 31st January:
USA customers - our discounted platoon (or section, on some vehicle models) pricing; free shipping, and a free set of nap of the earth (NOE) flight bases (and magnets to mount them with) for your vehicles. These clear bases raise the vehicles slightly off the tabletop, so that they can be shown to be in a low hovering configuration.
International customers - our discounted platoon (or section, on some vehicle models) pricing; 50% off shipping, and a free set of nap of the earth (NOE) flight bases (and magnets to mount them with) for your vehicles.
So what is available:
Type 7 Scout/Recon Grav vehicle
- two weapons options - $12.99 USD ea, or $47.99 USD for four
Type 8 AA Point Defense/Light Mortar Vehicle
- $12.99 USD ea, or $24.99 USD for two
Type 9 Light Grav Tank
- $13.99 USD ea, or $51.99 USD for four
Type 10 Medium Grav Tank Hunter
- laser/blaster/cannon armed - $13.99 USD ea, or $51.99 USD for four
Type 11 Medium Grav Tank
- $13.99 USD ea, or $51.99 USD for four
Type 12 Grav Tank Hunter
- missile armed vehicle - not yet available
Type 13 Heavy Grav Tank
- $15.99 USD ea, or $59.99 USD for four
Type 14 Heavy Tank Hunter
- $15.99 USD ea, or $59.99 USD for four
Type 15 Superheavy Grav Tank
- not yet available
Type 16 Urban Assault/Fire Support Vehicle
- short, heavy weapon - $15.99 USD ea, or $59.99 USD for four
Type 21 Grav APC
- $15.99 USD ea, or $59.99 USD for four
Type 22 Grav Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- $15.99 USD ea, or $59.99 USD for four
Type 23 Grav Ambulance/Ammo Carrier
- $13.99 USD ea, or $26.99 USD for two
Type 24 Heavy Grav Mortar Vehicle
- $13.99 USD ea, or $26.99 USD for two
Where can you see these models? Click on a link below:
If you have any questions about the range, email Rob direct. He's a good bloke and nice guy and will help you as far as he can. E-mail: topgunace111@yahoo.com
Those Type 7 Scout/Recons look so good! But so does the Type 11 , Type 13, Type 21...... 221st Zod Mech reporting for duty! - I've already worked out a colour scheme for the Troopers - Oh no! I'm doomed!
Cheers
Mark
I'll be curious to see those in a better paint scheme. Looking at the bare resin and the bright orange scheme, they just look... unfinished. The reactive armor and hatches are just floating on the surface, without any real sense of something anchoring them visually. I had to go look up the tank that people were comparing it to in the comments thread on an earlier post, and the illustrations of that vehicle at least had panel lines making it look more in-scale.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure about these at first (my initial reaction was "a floating egg with a turret?"). But after seeing the complete line, I think they'd be great for some gray aliens with flying saucer support.
ReplyDeleteI like them and I don't see that their hatched and armor are any more "floating" than any other 15mm scale vehicle. They do have a certain older style to them that is charming. I agree about the pretty bright choiceo f paint scheme they chose for their demo paint job. I'd have gone with a more 1070s style with a nice base white with a contrasting orange or red stripe.
ReplyDeleteI agree that these new AFVs have an 'older' style but only in being comparable to some of the designs from Classic Traveller. Surely, the majority of 'boxy' designs currently on the market are retro. These are the T34 to your Panzer III. Tau Hammerhead to Space Marine shoebox on steroids.
ReplyDeleteThese Topgun AFVs are what I always expect of far future Sci Fi. But it goes without saying each of our visions of the future are going to be different.
Cheers
Mark
I think I'll reserve judgment until I see some finished and painted up in schemes other than day-glo orange. They certainly are close enought to the MegaTraveller/TNE "Trepida" design to be a reasonable substitute.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what they look like without the "ERA boxes"? A bit bland I suspect, and I don't fancy using the ERA in a far future design.
Pricing (even without shipping costs) seems a bit more than many GZG vehicles. (US$15.99=£9.45). Difficult, at this stage, to say they are really worth more than the excellent GZG range.
We considered scribing panel lines in the hulls, and turrets, but decided against it, since that would be a weak point that enemies could exploit (you don't see too many panel lines in modern armored vehicles either, where it really matters). It would also be a vulnerable point during high speed, high temperature drops, through the atmosphere, at Mach 3.
ReplyDeleteOur theory is that the hulls and turrets of these futuristic vehicles are made in the Zero-G environment of space, in special manufacturing ships. Titanium is mined from asteroid belts, and is then taken to the manufacturing vessel to produce the grav vehicles, before a planetary assault. The metal is then superheated, and poured into a rotational mold, like was used for plastic kayaks in the 20th and 21st centuries, in order to produce a seamless, strong, and lightweight hull (relatively speaking - these grav vehicles still weigh considerably more than the modern day battle tank). The superheated metal liquid is then quickly cooled to produce a fairly thin, but incredibly strong crystalline-titanium, armored hull and turret, during this advanced forging process (similar to how samurai swords are produced).
Invariably, if we had scribed the hulls, people would prefer they were done differently, e.g. horizonally, vertically, diagonally, around the circumference of the vehicles, or a mix of all of the above. Since they are made of resin, it will be easy for the buyer to do that if he or she wishes, with a cardboard, or plastic template, and an x-acto knife, razor saw, or scribing tool. A thin, flexible steel ruler will work as well.
If people wish to attempt this, I suggest using a mechanical pencil to draw in the panel lines, before scribing, in order to ensure you like the look before proceeding.
Our take on the circular surface detailing is that in the future, advanced vehicles will be well equipped with automatically fired defensive, and in some case, offensive systems.
In our view, the Active Armor Defense System ©, or AADS © consists of an active/passive defense launcher system (selectable by the vehicle commander), equipped with a variety of the items below:
1. large shotgun-like, canister and mortar rounds, which fire automatically to defeat incoming shells and missiles, or enemy infantry (friendly infantry have IFF chips, to keep them from being targeted) - treat these as a cannister attack at short range, and a grenade launcher, or medium mortar attack against opponents at longer ranges;
2. smoke/chaff launchers which both obscure the target, and degrade or defeat lasers and other energy weapons being fired at the vehicle;
3. small, micro-missiles, which can attack infantry, vehicles, or other targets;
4. other top-secret defenses which we are not permitted to discuss openly (rumors of launchers carrying chemical agents, nerve gas, and radioactive materials are commonplace). One of our favorites would be a high-energy plasma, or high-dose radiation burst charge, which can be launched out to medium range to devastate enemy troops (like was used by Kirk and Spock in the battle against the Gorn in the original Star Trek series).
As mentioned, the circular surface detailing can also represent ablative, appliqué, or reactive armor plates instead, if you prefer.
You get to decide what fits in with your Sci-Fi background.
I think you will find our vehicles to be competitively priced with many other ranges on the market, especially if you purchase them in our discounted platoon packs.
I hope that explains some of the creative choices we have made in designing this range of vehicles.
Ultimately, you, the customer will need to decide what you want to purchase for your gaming pleasure.
Best regards,
Rob
Topgun Marketing LLC
e-mail: topgunace111 AT yahoo DOT com
These look great! I think they provide a great new look and still compliment a lot of what's out in the market already. Totally agree with you Mark that they would work great as mounts for the 'Legions of Zod' featuring the new GZG troopers.
ReplyDeleteRob,
ReplyDeleteMy disagreements with design choices aside, it's really cool to see that kind of response from a company. You make an excellent point regarding panel lines and scribing them yourself. It definitely sounds like you've got a strong vision for your line, and I wish you guys the best of luck.