Diasporex sightings..

[Zelnik]

"...they even
design their own and build new classes of light attack craft at a far more rapid
rate then the much larger and costly cruisers. Because of this mix between new and
old designs, human escorts are varied and different, some having radically
different hull designs..."
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101109_215717.jpg  (used as either a heavy terran escort or as idolators)
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101109_215529.jpg (Used as a light terran escort, or a iconoclast)

"...the Ceti
have at their disposal a large number of small escort sized vessels, many
equipped with their potent EM disruptors..."
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101109_215607.jpg (alien escorts, or infadels)

"...The Skiff
vessels have a variety of designs, as each ship is designed by the will of its crew,
however they all tend to be very sleek and saucer shaped."
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101109_215817.jpg

[horizon]

Yay for Ninja Magic Models!
Nice stuff Zelnik.

[Zelnik]

Ninja magic, Zandris IV, and space rocket

I just wish new stuff would come out

[Sigoroth]

Where are those "Ceti" models from? The ones with the wing type things.

[horizon]

http://www.ninjamagic.com/prodinfo_starmini.html
kikoku.

Good stuff.

[Sigoroth]

http://www.ninjamagic.com/prodinfo_starmini.html
kikoku.

Good stuff.

Thanks for the link. Terrible site though. Hopefully they'll fix it up shortly.

[Zelnik]

Adeptus Mechanus report: Identification of heretical human commanders and stolen technology.
Investigation by: High Magus Alderich vonGearsmith
Security level: High Magus eyes ONLY

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101112_131850.jpg
Vessel: classified as "Jupiter Command Vessel" Illiad
Commander: Fleet Master Shrike
Responsible for: Destruction of ten reported (possibly more) cruiser class vessels and the crippling of the Adeptus Mechanicus cruiser "Hand of the Machine"
Description: This vessel shares the standard frame of the old Desolator battleship, commonly used by heretics and demon worshipers. It is important to not mistake this vessel for a dictator. It has been shown that the prow torpedo salvo is significantly weaker, and the vessel slower then it's counterpart. Reports of fighters launching from the aft bays unique to this vessel. No bombers or assault craft have been identified. Holds a potent broadside potential and has been unscrupulously modified with unknown technology. Commander of the vessel tends to stick around and fight instead of fleeing, but only when the odds are in his favor. This opportunism can be used against him, suggest laying a trap for the future.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101112_131747.jpg
Vessel: Classified as "Saturn Command Vessel" Odyssey
Commander: Fleet Master "Joanna" (last name unknown)
Responsible for: Destruction of Sword Squadron "Fireblade" and "Emperors Spear". Destruction of at least 5 cruiser class vessels. Adeptus Mechanicus cruisers "Determined mind" and "Hellwheel"
Description:This vessel clearly is based off of the Despoiler battleship, as it shares the hull configuration almost perfectly. Important to note is it's increased strength of it's broadside batteries, decreased dorsal lance power, and significantly slower moving speed. All strike craft launch out of the prow docking maw. Reports of the vessel randomly powering down during combat, intercepted communications confirm the vessel is not reliable.  Boarding pods similar to dreadclaws reported. Do not underestimate this vessel. Commander "Joanna" is known to stay far from the center of battle, and is quick to disengage instead of remaining in combat.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101112_132116.jpg
Vessels: Carrier group. 2 Europa cruisers, 1 "unknown" carrier.
Commander: unknown
Description: The two flanking carriers are well known to be the Europa class, the first vessel of the degenerates that the Imperium has encountered. Their armaments and capabilities are well known and documented. The unknown cruiser appears to be squadron leader. The large dome and the prow observation area have unknown functions, but it shares 78% of it's characteristics with the Styx heavy cruiser. Endeavor to capture or scan if this vessel is found.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101112_132020.jpg
Vessels: Callisto Squadron "Hero"
Commander: Unknown
Description: These vessels are well known to us, and are responsible for many imperial losses. For heretical degenerates, they display great tactical prowess with their vessels, and until now, remain at large. Instead of fleeing at the sight of our ships, they tend to attack, cripple as many vessels as they can, and then flee, making interception costly. Frequently found working alongside the Illiad. The Callisto class shares 85% of it's characteristics with the Slaughter cruiser.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101112_132248.jpg
Vessels: Ganymede cruisers
Commander: unknown
Description: Extremely dangerous, avoid close proximity. Vessels of this class have been shown to wield firepower greater then the Gothic cruiser, and equal to our own Gothic variants.  Suggested nova cannon target. Shares 95% characteristics with the Acheron heavy cruiser, but is slower, with stronger firepower.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101112_132336.jpg
Vessels: Unknown class
Commander: Unknown
Description: These vessels resemble Murder class cruisers, with a 99% compliance. Some unreliable reports have the prow lance array pivoting and firing to the port or starboard, investigation needed. Center vessel identified with dorsal weapons of unknown strength or range.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk318/Zelnik/IMG_20101112_131916.jpg
Vessels: Unknown Repulsive Grand Cruiser Variant squadron
Commander: Unknown
Description: These vessels show a 90% compliance with the Repulsive Grand Cruiser. Encounters are extremely rare, to see two in the same place suggests large fleet movement or important mission, ships have been dispatched. Reports of longer range, but weaker firepower on broadside weapons batteries, extra shield strength. Extremely dangerous, Capture, do not destroy.

[Zhukov]

These look really nice!!!!

-Zhukov

[Zelnik]

thanks What are you waiting for, get to making your own fleet!

[Trasvi]

Love them! especially the dual launch bay ship.

Off topic but: can we get a few good photos of just the table? It looks fantastic, how did you make it?

[horizon]

We approve.
Great conversions.

[lastspartacus]

What all did you do to make those chaos look so...clean?

Very nice.

[phil-o-mat]

very nice work!
i love your conversions!

[Zelnik]

Allow me to provide some answers.

the table: A home construction, pretty damn simple if you have strong arms, some power tools, and time. It was painted by a professional artist who has won several golden demons (james wappel) and is a friend of mine. He painted it for only 150 bucks because it was his first opportunity to have a canvas at that scale (and he was sick of doing mini's.). the covering is your run-of-the-mill bomb-proof resin coat.

The ships: It took a collaborative effort between two guys who had way too much time on their hands. Between me, who came up with most of the crazy ideas, and my friend Brandon Miner, who did most of the major conversions.  There was not much surgery done to the ships in question, things like the centrally mounted weapons batteries on the callisto/slaughter weapons bay were one of his ingenious ideas. When it comes to the smooth, clean look... it's just paper with a coating of superglue. It's not perfect, but it works just as well as plasticard.  To make the perfect edge, he waited for the paper to dry on the surface and filed the excess off with a standard modeling file. pretty damn brilliant work.

Don't ask me about the desolator/jupiter... i still don't have a fucking CLUE as to how he did that.

The Saturn/despoiler and the Neptune/styx were really my idea. For the saturn i really wanted it to look like the prow 'maw' was actually USED, and with a little piece of wood cut down to the right size, it literally slid in and sat perfectly (there are little nubs on the mini that were practically made for this!), I got the idea for the styx from a scene in Star Wars, where all the fighters were sitting in the huge, open space launch bay, and i really wanted the same effect. The actual design was Brandon's genius, of course.

The Europa/devastation were our biggest hurdle actually. The Europa has weapons batteries in place of the twin lance cannons the devastation has... modeling it to represent both was a huge problem.  Brandon probably remembers this better then I do, because I literally woke up from a dream, called him, and told him the idea (at 8 in the morning).  The basic idea was to cut the two quad-cannon lance bits (the one with the circle dividing them and the standard quad cannon) in half, to make double the number of lance bits (since we were rapidly running out).  If you cut the quad-circle lance bits in half ventrally, and stand them up, they look like turbo-lasers from star wars :3

The Io/Repulsive were probably the most difficult. The entire prow section had to be pretty much covered, and it's not exactly the easiest shape to mold paper to.