Thursday 29 October 2009

The Future Shape of Things to Come ©

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Dropship Horizon is delighted to announce the arrival of a new range of Ultra-tech Grav Armour in the pipe.....


Topgun Marketing LLC has developed a new range of futuristic 15mm Sci-Fi Grav Tanks for your gaming pleasure. We hope that you like them!


Topgun Marketing LLC 15mm Sci Fi

Type 15 Super-Heavy Grav Tank


We believe they are “The Future Shape of Things to Come” ©, and if they are well received by the Sci-Fi gaming public, further equally interesting vehicles will be released in the coming months.


We have solicited a lot of feedback as to what detailing people would like to see on their Grav Vehicles, and also what material they should be produced in. We have merged that information with what we feel is currently missing in the 15mm Sci-Fi miniatures market, to come up with a range of Grav Armor that will be compatible with those available from other manufactuers, and yet still unique in their own right.


At the current time, we aim to produce the Grav Armor in a robust, polyurethane resin, with metal weapons and detailing parts. However, we will need to evaluate the quality that can be achieved in casting, and balance the costs against producing them in white metal as well (metal is more forgiving, since castings that don’t meet quality specifications can be just melted down, and re-cast again, where resin cannot).


Confirmation of the final material to be used will be provided when production starts up, and we have a chance to actually inspect the miniatures first-hand.


If there is enough interest in our first releases, we will be producing them in a couple of versions. For instance, one with textured, reactive armor/passive defense surface detail molded onto the outer surfaces, and one with a smooth finish, more appropriate to vehicles seen fielded by the highest tech Grav Tanks. These are capable of operating at high speeds and surviving the rigors of planetary insertion from orbit. For the smooth-sided vehicles, you will have the option of using them as is, using decals to add surface detailing to your models (as shown on our painted model photo – the bright orange one meant to intimidate opponents), or adding white metal parts or styrene strips to the vehicle’s outer surfaces, in order to customize your vehicles, e.g. with the reactive/passive armor plating, and/or ablative armor panels that will be provided in strips to permit easy application.


Topgun Marketing LLC 15mm Sci Fi

Type 13 Heavy Tanks (left - two variants)
Type 11 Medium Tanks (right - two variants)


Due to the unique way in which these vehicles are constructed in the far future, panel lines on them are generally avoided during the manufacturing process, since it provides a weak point in the armor for enemies to exploit.These Grav Tanks and other vehicles are produced in the zero-G environment of space, on board giant military factory ships, from crystalline titanium, which is then roto-molded much like 20th and 21st Century plastic kayaks were, in order to create the strongest, lightest, single-piece hulls possible. The titanium ore is mined from the numerous asteroid fields found throughout the galaxies, in order to: avoid having to lift it out of planetary gravity wells, transport the vehicles vast distances throughout the cosmos, and to reduce expenditures on the military budget when conducting large scale planetary invasion operations.


As you can see from our photos, these super high-tech vehicle designs no longer need gravitic repulsor pods underneath or alongside their hulls, which were very vulnerable to damage on the early models. Now, a single, flat, oval-shaped repulsor pod on the bottom of the vehicle hulls provides all of the lift and propulsion needed to permit these tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and other units to zip along at just under Mach 1 at altitude, fly at 120 – 200 MPH at NOE level, or to enter a planet’s atmosphere at up to Mach 3.0 when dropping to the planet’s surface. When dropping in from orbit, grounding, or powering down, protective armored plates slide across the grav repulsor unit to protect it from damage.


Topgun Marketing LLC 15mm Sci Fi

Type 13 Heavy Tank (left)
Type 11 Medium Tank (right)


We hope to have our Grav Armor available for sale in 3 – 4 weeks, and will start taking pre-orders for them now, so that we can get a handle on what you would like to see released first.


Pre-paid orders will get priority in terms of actually filling the orders, and for determining which items to release first. If orders are strong, we will be able to release all of the vehicles at the same time. Otherwise, they may need to be released in phases, with the most likely candidates being the Type 11 Medium Grav Tank, Type 13 Heavy Grav Tank, and the Infantry Fighting Vehicle/APC.


We would also like to know if you prefer the miniatures with the moulded on reactive/passive armor detailing, or the smooth-sided miniatures which can then be modified, with either the decal detailing, or glue on detail parts.


Topgun Marketing LLC 15mm Sci Fi

Type 7 Scout/Recon Vehicle (left)
Grav Infantry Fighting Vehicle-2 (right)


The following items will be available for Range 1 of our 15mm Sci-Fi Grav Armor releases (more will be available in the coming months):


Type 7 Scout/Recon Grav vehicle $12.99 each

Platoon pack of 4 vehicles $47.99


Type 11 Medium Grav Tank* $13.99 each

Platoon pack of 4 vehicles $51.99


Type 12 Grav Tank Hunter – missile armed vehicle $12.99 each

Platoon pack of 4 vehicles $47.99


Type 13 Heavy Grav Tank* $15.99

Platoon pack of 4 vehicles $59.99


Urban Assault/Fire Support Veh. - heavy plasma cannon $15.99 each

Platoon pack of 4 vehicles $59.99


Grav Infantry Fighting Vehicle/APC* $15.99 each

Platoon pack of 4 vehicles $59.99


Grav Mortar Carrier $13.99

Battery of 2 vehicles $26.99


* When purchased in the platoon packs, several weapons options will be provided for the following vehicles: Type 11 Medium Grav Tank, Type 13 Heavy Grav Tank, and the Grav Infantry Fighting Vehicle/APC. We will also provide you with magnets, and instructions, so that you can swap out the weapons on the vehicles easily for your games, or when you desire to pit one faction against another, using the same tank hulls and turrets, but the different weapons for each side.


We will also be offering bigger combined arms Battle Packs of these vehicles, which will provide a larger discount for the vehicles, NOE flight bases, and more accessories with them. More info will be available on these, once we know the cost to produce the vehicles and detailing parts.


Future Range 1 Releases may include:


Type 9 Light Grav Tank

Type 15 Superheavy Grav Tank

Grav Anti-Aircraft Vehicle

Other vehicle ranges are under development.


We’d love to hear your feedback on our new products, or to answer any questions you may have, so feel free to contact us at the following e-mail address regarding them, or if you wish to place an order:


topgunace111 AT yahoo DOT com

(eliminate the spaces, and use the @ symbol and . as appropriate)


We take Paypal and US Postal Money Orders (sorry, no other money orders, due to the time they take to clear the bank). E-mail us, if you want to pay with a US Postal Money Order, so we can provide you with our payment processing address.


Shipping within the USA is 10% of your order, with a minimum charge of $6.00, and 20% international shipping.


More photos and information about our Grav Armor range will be provided during the coming weeks.


Best regards,

Rob

Topgun Marketing LLC



These really are los cojones del perro! Where do I sign up!

Cheers
Mark
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11 comments:

  1. Awesomecakes. I love the look of these. I've always thought high-tech tanks shouldn't like they were made of welded steel plates!

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  2. Lovely Ultra high tech vehicles that look like they were grown form a single crystal of titanium in zero g!
    Nice that TOPGUN are looking at a range of vehicles rather than one-offs. In my book unless you've goy 4-5 vehicles of similar design then don't bother.
    Not sure about the oragne colour scheme though? Still one motion sensors, battlefield radars and UAV drones are common place on future battlefields I don't suppose it matters what colour a vehicle is! Reactive armour is a nice touch though!

    Paddy

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  3. Love these and can see them in Traveller-style armies or even as the backbone of an alien force.

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  4. Thanks for the kind comments guys.

    I really appreciate it, and am happy you like them.

    The bright orange color of the 9857th Heavy Grav Armored Division's vehicles strikes fear into the hearts of all that oppose them, much like the Red Baron did in his bright red aircraft many centuries ago. All enemy units are required to perform and pass a mandatory morale check when they first spot them visually.

    "The Fireballs" (named that due to their brightly colored vehicles, and the contrails they leave in the sky as they drop to the planet's surface from orbit) have developed a fearsome reputation throughout the galaxy, rarely giving quarter to their opponents.


    Best regards,

    Rob
    Topgun Marketing LLC
    e-mail: topgunace111 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very nice. Very Traveller. Must have.

    K-

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  6. Some people are a little confused by the size and placement of the smaller circles on the orange tank.

    This is a more advanced model of those shown in gray primer, hence the smoother finish of the vehicle. The smaller circular patterns shown on it house automatically controlled, passive defenses, like:

    - large shotgun/cannister shells, which fire automatically to defeat incoming shells and missiles, or enemy infantry (friendly infantry have IFF chips, to keep them from being targeted);

    - smoke launchers which both obscure the target, and degrade or defeat lasers and other energy weapons;

    - small, micro-missiles, which can attack infantry, vehicles, or other targets;

    - and other top-secret defenses which we are not permitted to discuss.

    That is why more coverage is not needed over the entire vehicle hull. A combination of the above are carried on every vehicle, in order to be able to defeat all threats.

    The larger patterns on the gray-primed vehicles can either be older variants of the above, or reactive/ablative armor.

    You get to decide what fits in with your Sci-Fi background.


    Best regards,

    Rob
    Topgun Marketing LLC

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  7. Very nice. Different from most grav AFV/APC's-they actually look like flyers. Would be perfect for Traveller Imperial armor.

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  8. Someone has been reading their "Striker" rules again- where do you get em

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  9. We had hoped to have them for sale before Thanksgiving, but ran into some technical difficulties, and delays, due to the busy Holiday Season.

    These are my first resin and metal prototype models.

    I have just received copies of the production masters, made from our prototypes, and they turned out superbly.

    I just need to have the production molds made, and to then get them cast up in quantity.

    They should be available in a few weeks, and I will ask Mark to post more info on that here, when they are ready for sale.

    You can contact me directly via e-mail as well, if desired, at the address below:

    topgunace111 AT yahoo DOT com

    Thanks for your interest.


    Sincerely,

    Rob
    Topgun Marketing LLC

    ReplyDelete
  10. See here:

    http://www.topgunmarketing.org/15mm_grav_armor

    ReplyDelete