Friday 27 February 2015

Concepting and Developing the Ikwen

On the 4th of March 2015 the latest expansion to the growing and respected Loud Ninja Games miniatures line will be released.  Eli Arndt has earned himself a reputation as a great guy, a keen hobbyist and a deliverer upon promises made.  If you missed the first look posting on the Ikwen then go back one post and have a look.  Otherwise you can read on to learn about the concepts and ideas behind the Ikwen that have taken them from the mind to the page to the hand and to the mold.  So here is a link to the Loud Ninja Games page on 15mm.co.uk and from here it will be in Eli's own words:


Over a generation ago, the planet Kwiell was set upon by aliens bent on exploiting the natural resources of the planet. The planet’s native population, the Ikwen, found themselves suddenly enslaved and their society rocked as they were enslaved, put to work and in many cases hunted and killed.  The Ikwen have spent decades in frustrated servitude to these invading overlords, hedging on their beliefs and their close-knit kinship ties to get them through. It was only when the invaders sought to remove their spiritual identities that they found the courage to rise up and go to war.

The conflict began as acts of sabotage, ambushes and in some cases organized resistance but as time went on it grew into a very real, very active militia war. Weapons were procured through theft or the trade of the very resources they had been robbed of. Groups of soldiers took to the wilderness, the highlands and steppes where they enlisted the locals there into their fight. Ancient desert fortresses and settlements were once more turned into homes for fighters and their families. Ancient warrior traditions and less-spoken of factions found a renewed place in the world.

The Ikwen are one side of an asymmetric war against a higher tech, invading enemy. They fight in a less organized, militia style, utilizing acquired weapons, not of their of own manufacture.  While we see them as very much freedom-fighting indigenous life forms, use them as alien invaders, allies, mercenaries or even lower tech indigenous forces for more organized warfare.


Designing the Ikwen, I have always had an image of their conflict in my mind, even if I have never quite assigned an enemy to them (this has become part of their appeal). In their back story they are an exploited indigenous people, rising up to fight for their home world. Part of exploring this back story has been trying to visualize what this world and their conflict might look like. To this end, I have been working with my concept artist, Todd Ulrich, to do some art that depicts their fight.

In the above picture we see several Ikwen moving through the rocky terrain of their home world. In the foreground three militia fighters move cautiously passed a long-downed flyer of alien origin. The foremost fighter packs with him a case containing extra ammunition. His companions can be see carrying Huli blades and assault rifles purchased from arms dealers, likely with valuable natural resources.  In the background, the other Ikwen are engaging an overhead enemy. The rocket launcher, hunkered down behind a half buried industrial rig is firing off his first rocket. After that, he can eject the spent canister from the disposable frame, dropping the second canister into place. ready to fire.  I hope that you enjoy this art from Todd Ulrich. As the Ikwen miniatures progress, I hope to have some more art done. 

The Ikwen range is designed to represent one side of a conflict against an undetermined foe, making them ideal opposition force for any range of miniatures as they are not designed to fight any specific force. This is not special, in itself, but what makes their weapon design tough as a militia force is that they have no pre-made world from which they would have sourced their irregular arsenal. When considering how to arm them, the decision was made to give the Ikwen weapons that were analogous to the weapons seen in terrestrial militia forces, but not human weapons. A balance between form and function had to be reached and with the help of artist Todd Ulrich, I think we did just that.


Todd took my notes and together we came up with what you see above. With the exception of the blades (Huli) the other weapons are very much cousins to weapons we know. Assault rifles, sub-machine guns, shotguns, and the rest of the cast are here. All familiar, but looking like they were made in a factory far away. This will allow them to fight any force of miniatures enemies and not have to worry about having weapons that are too human or too alien.

In a lot of ways the weapons were picked based on how they would look in the hands of miniatures. I can see Ikwen swinging around their Huli or lugging around the suitcase-like reloads of their rocket launchers while they scurry around, snapping off shots with their rugged assault weapons, all in a desperate play to fight whoever players pit them against.





The Ikwen do not wear conventional clothing because they really have no biological or societal imperative to do so. Having evolved in the environment in which they exist, unlike humans who evolved in warmer climates and then left that behind, the Ikwen are already protected from their environment by then nature of their bodies which include a small degree of natural body armour (e.g.thick, knobby skin). They have no external genitals either, so no reproductive parts to keep safe. They do wear religious clothing in the form of the breach cloth Zkoot. Another element that keeps them from covering up too much is that they breath through slits in their abdomen that are concealed under the scale there. As for body armor, it comes down to availability, the same sort of availability that limits the amount of body armor seen in current day Earthly militia/rebel/insurgent/freedom fighters. We see very few examples where such groups are equipped beyond the basics of war - a gun and some ammo.

Zkoot. My background in gaming starts as an RPG guy and this has stuck with me all along. I usually end up on the GM side of things and as such world building, character developing and background fluff are sort of second nature to me. This comes out in my miniatures projects as well whether it is my own gaming or designing stuff for release by LNG.

When developing the Ikwen, it was important form to manifest some sort of cultural elements in their designs. One of the easiest ways to do this in miniatures is through distinctive articles of clothing. In the Ikwen this came out as a sort of ceremonial cloth worn around the waist called a "Zkoot". 


Every Ikwen receives a Zkoot at birth. It is the first and last thing they will ever wear. The Zkoot is tied into their belief system and the Ikwen believe that they record the events of their life to be proclaimed when they enter the afterlife and join their ancestors. To die without a Zkoot is to be denied the afterlife. 

Zkoot are worn tied around the waist in a way that allows a wide panel to hang between the legs. This panel displays patterns and symbols that identify the family ties, community and even nationality of the Ikwen wearing it. The Zkoot is worn at all times except when being washed or repaired and even then certain rituals must be upheld in the way it is maintained including restrictions on materials, folding and storage. Holy men among the Ikwen do not wear the Zkoot around their waist. Instead they wear their sacred cloth draped over their head and shoulders, shrouding their faces. In this way, interaction with the holy men is not with them but directly with the lineage displayed on the Zkoot and thus the ancestral line of the Ikwen.

Because of the connection with the afterlife, the absence or loss of a Zkoot is a serious crisis for Ikwen. Those born outside of traditional family bonds or who are orphaned often have no Zkoot and live marginalized lives. Those without Zkoot or "Hadzakoot" are often looked on as untrustworthy, false, even corrupted as they are seen to have no accountability. It is no surprise that Hadzakoot are often involved in criminal dealings and other undesirable lines of work. It is possible for a Hadzakoot to acquire a Zkoot in some cases such as adoption, special religious rituals and high-level political decree. It is considered an incredibly solemn and selfless act to bequeath one's own Zkoot to another Ikwen and thus surrender ones chances at an afterlife.

Ki-Ki-Zkoot. There are few instances where the Zkoot plays directly into the actions of Ikwen as in the case of the Ki-Ki-Zkoot, a sect of fanatic warriors. Ki-Ki-Zkoot have always existed among the Ikwen but have always risen in numbers during times of great conflict when there is a need for those who are willing to do the things that would shame their lineage.  Ki-Ki-Zkoot surrender their sacred cloths in a ceremony in which they pass them on to an unfortunate soul, bringing them into their families to replace them. While this frees the fanatic of his obligations to his ancestors, it also indentures the recipient of the Zkoot to the great responsibility of not only fulfilling his obligation to his new family but also honoring the warrior who's place he has taken. The recipients known as Yotzkoot often go on to be civic leaders, frequently rising as priests, teachers, or other mentors to their communities. 

Once they have shed their Zkoot, these fanatics are unfettered by societies rules and expectations. They are now ready to fight an unrestricted battle and it is expected that they will do anything and everything to win short of suicide. While sacrifice and extremes are the stock and trade of these fanatics, to waste their lives and the opportunity needlessly is still looked on as taboo. Ki-Ki-Zkoot are often scarred and marked, showing their savagery in open displays. They often carry multiple weapons, including melee weapons.

Mugoda. Every society has it's rebels and those who buck convention. Among the Ikwen, these are the Mugoda or "Shadowy Ones". These Ikwen live by a different set of rules within  proper Ikwen society. They are a sort of under-society that exists to function where a society needs them to - breaking rules, while adhering to their own. In many ways the Mugoda are the organized crime syndicates of this alien culture. 

Like the Ki-Ki-Zkoot they exist to do things that polite Ikwen society does not look fondly upon. Unlike the warrior fanatics, these Ikwen have not surrendered their Zkoot but instead wear theirs proudly and garishly, attaching charms and trinkets, trophies and other embellishment to what is normally a very modest attire. They also pierce their skin with obvious signs of wealth and wear jewelry. To the Mougoda, it's best to live life well because the afterlife is not going to be pleasant. Mugoda afterlife is an eternity of low service and drudgery. It is also worth noting that dealing with Mugoda is allowed by common Ikwen belief as the layer of detachment absolves one of any real guilt. 

The Mugoda figure prominently in the Ikwen's fight as their underworld enterprise allows them access to materials and resources not available to those among regular society. This has allowed them to stockpile weapons and armor, fighting with gear that is often far more sophisticated than the rest of the Ikwen militias. In this way, these criminal syndicates provide a much needed backbone to regular militia, though often at a cost.





The Miniatures. At the end of this process we have the miniatures sculpted by Roderick Campbell. We hope you like them as much as we go.

Thanks for Reading.

Eli

Thursday 26 February 2015

Ikwen coming 4th March 2015 from Loud Ninja Games

Over a generation ago, the planet Kwiell was set upon by aliens bent on exploiting the natural resources of the planet. The planet’s native population, the Ikwen, found themselves suddenly enslaved and their society rocked as they were enslaved, put to work and in many cases hunted and killed.  The Ikwen have spent decades in frustrated servitude to these invading overlords, hedging on their beliefs and their close-knit kinship ties to get them through. It was only when the invaders sought to remove their spiritual identities that they found the courage to rise up and go to war.

The conflict began as acts of sabotage, ambushes and in some cases organized resistance but as time went on it grew into a very real, very active militia war. Weapons were procured through theft or the trade of the very resources they had been robbed of. Groups of soldiers took to the wilderness, the highlands and steppes where they enlisted the locals there into their fight. Ancient desert fortresses and settlements were once more turned into homes for fighters and their families. Ancient warrior traditions and less-spoken of factions found a renewed place in the world.

The Ikwen are one side of an asymmetric war against a higher tech, invading enemy. They fight in a less organized, militia style, utilizing acquired weapons, not of their of own manufacture. 

While we see them as very much freedom-fighting indigenous life forms, use them as alien invaders, allies, mercenaries or even lower tech indigenous forces for more organized warfare.

On 4th March 2015 we will be releasing the next packs in the Loud Ninja Games range at 15mm.co.uk.  These will be the Ikwen as described in the words of their imagineer Eli Arndt. Sculpted by Roderick Campbell there will be three packs and a platoon pack with saving.  Here are pictures of the codes for you to look at:

RAP016 Ikwen Militia with Assault Rifles (6 in pack)
RAP018 Ikwen Militia with Light Machine Gun (6 in pack - 3 poses)
RAP017 Ikwen Militia with Rocket Launchers (6 in pack - 3 poses) 
RAP016P Ikwen Militia Platoon (24) with saving!
We will be putting up more information real soon in a background posting before the release. These are lovely 15mm sci-fi miniatures with an original idea behind them and we love them.  We hope you do too.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Tuesday 17 February 2015

New Element Bases for HOTT at 15mm.co.uk

As part of our ongoing process of enlarging and improving our own and your beloved 15mm.co.uk we have taken the step today in retiring most of our old 'Supabase' range of bases and replacing them with lighter resin ones.  These are high quality resin bases in the cartouche style as used in Flintloque over on Alternative Armies meaning they have rounded edges.  This rounded edge makes for a lovely finish when painted and is much easier on your gaming terrain surface as well.  So without further ado lets move along and have a look at the HOTT 2nd Edition element bases now on our website.


HOTT 2nd Edition Element Bases
We have five new packs of cartouche style element bases for use with HOTT 2nd Edition or with any other element using wargame system.  Produced in high quality grey tone resin these bases all have a 40mm frontage and varying depths.  These correspond exactly to the sizes used in HOTT and to the basing table for different troop types in the game; those being Letter A to Letter E.  Each pack is priced at 2.00GBP and contains a varying number of the same size base.  Our website features one page for these bases and you can make your selection by clicking on the drop down product menu.
CLICK HERE to go to our website.  Details are below.

EBR01 15mm by 40mm Rectangle Element Base (10 per pack)
EBR02 20mm by 40mm Rectangle Element Base (8 per pack)
EBR03 30mm by 40mm Rectangle Element Base (6 per pack)
EBR04 40mm by 40mm Square Element Base (4 per pack)
EBR05 60mm by 40mm Rectangle Element Base  (2 per pack)


HOTT 2nd Edition 24AP Armies at 15mm.co.uk
We have twenty different great value pre-assembled army packs for use with HOTT.  These are very popular and we will be doing more of them during 2015 as we outlined in the Monster Survey.  From today the element bases supplied with every army you purchase will be our resin ones.  These armies offer great value for money and give you all you need to play right out of the box.  Go HERE.


From today all of our HOTT 24AP Armies will be supplied with our resin bases when unpainted and when purchased painted and based will be supplied finished upon the new resin bases.  We offer all of our armies professionally hand painted by our experienced staff right here in Scotland.  This means you get an expertly packaged army which is ready to use right away upon arrival.

We have new images of three of our Pro-Painted and Based 24AP Armies now with the new bases on the website.  These are HOTT1003 Orc Warhorde, HOTT1007 Undead Army and HOTT1010 Dragonman Army.  These are in stock and as a wee treat we have taken 5% off the price unpainted and also painted and based.  You need do nothing as the price is already changed in the screen. HOTT is a great classic game system for any level of experience of wargamer.  Give it a go this weekend.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Wednesday 11 February 2015

SHM66 Skorath Mercenary is Half Price until 1st March 2015

Skorath are a mammal species that inhabit three star systems near the galactic core. Unfortunately these systems are poor in resources so many adult Skorath are forced into working as hired guns for the major merc companies of the Human realm. 


Until the end of this month we have a great offer on the character miniature SHM66 Skorath Mercenary. Great for all your near or far future skirmish and battle games in 15mm scale. Its half price, that's 50% off normal price. Go HERE

Skorath with HOF28 Charger

Designed by Eli Arndt the aspiring miniature designer behind The Prang and also Loud Ninja Games it deserves a place in your collection. 

Thanks for Reading. 

GBS

Tuesday 10 February 2015

Potomac 15mm ACW Range is 15% off until 1st March 2015


We have a promotion until the end of this month on our 15mm scale American Civil War range. The range is called Potomac and it contains everything you would need for any wargame set of rules for ACW. Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Command. Both Union and Confederate armies. The promotion is that every code is reduced on screen on our website by 15% off list prices. You need only add items to your cart as no code or such is required. Go HERE



 
Potomac codes are sold in single miniatures meaning you can tailor your choices exactly to what you need. These codes were formally the Tabletop Miniatures classic range from the 1980's present in collections worldwide. 

Thanks for Reading. 

 GBS

Monday 9 February 2015

Results of the 15mm Monster Survey


A couple of weeks ago we carried out a huge survey of our whole email database asking just what wargamers who are fans of 15mm Fantasy would like to see next in our HOT 15mm Fantasy Range in terms of new Monsters.  We had a really good level of response and I took pride in personally answering every single person who took the time to reply to the survey.  So thank you again and if you got a reply from me that did not make total sense I apologise but I did my very best to address all points raised.  Suggestions totalled more than two hundred different creatures, behemoths and monsters and it was quite a task to collate and then rank the replies.  While many of these got one or two votes only some got a couple of dozen and then a few got several hundred and one...well one was near a thousand votes.

So what were the winners?  Here they are in no particular order beginning with the top four which we will now promise to design and release this year and then the top four runners up which we may also design and release this year:

Monster Survey Winners
  • The Cockatrice (Engish Medieval Monster)
  • The Ghoul Dragon (A Gaunt and Fearsome Monster)
  • The Lammasu (Sumerian Monster)
  • Giant Scorpions (Behemoth Arachnids)


Monster Survey Runner Up's
  • Ogres (Brutish Pair of Monsters)
  • The Djinn (A Magical Creature)
  • Cyclopes (Single Eyed Staulkers)
  • Giant Carrion Bird (Ally of the Undead)

Expect more news on the 15mm Fantasy front soon and also about these monsters.  What was evident from the survey was the amount of love out there for not only 15mm.co.uk but also for this scale and genre.  Well we will not let you all down.  The monsters are coming!

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Monday 2 February 2015

Mutants and Aliens released by Loud Ninja Games

Today is a big day for the fledgling boutique miniature brand Loud Ninja Games and for all of us at 15mm.co.uk too because we are releasing three brand new packs designed by Eli Ardnt (he of Prang fame!) into their range. These new packs mark the first regular releases by Loud Ninja Games and they begin two new sections to the range on top and away from the Chuhuac space raptors. Alien Encounters and Wasteland Mutants. Read on for more and click through to see the new packs and pictures. 

"Strange creatures from the stars, these aliens are perfect for space encounters, invasions, or menacing local teens in a B-movie style extravaganza." 


RAP013 Alien Encounters I 
Tunnel Oozes are often found boring their ways through asteroids and seemingly dead planetoids. They use powerful acids to literally eat the rock, often leaving precious materials exposed in their wakes. Carbonians are a race of rock aliens who are powerful individually but nearly unstoppable as a people. Cruel and aloof, they delight in the torment of "lesser" beings. This pack contains two larger 15mm scale white metal miniatures. The pack price is 5.00GBP Go HERE


"The wastelands of the blasted future are a dangerous and crazy place where sanity and even life itself have been challenged and often destroyed by the powers that brought the world to its knees. These miniatures are designed to be used in any post-apocalyptic or science fiction setting where wasteland peoples and creatures have developed." 

RAP014 Mutants I 
This pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal human sized humanoid mutants with a variety of weapons. We call them Hackmaster, Chopper, Worry Wart, Mama Dog and Shark Grin and these gnarly fellows can form the core of your post apocalypse gang. Part of a range that is going to grow a lot and goes well with RAP015 Super Mutants I. This pack price is 5.00GBP. Go HERE


RAP015 Super Mutants I 
This pack contains four different powerful mutants in 15mm scale white metal. These are the stronger, psyker, crazier and just plain more dangerous mutants that are great for leading your post apocalypse gang. We call them Reaper, Zebnerd, Brain and The Judge. Part of a range that is growing this year and great for being in charge of RAP014 Mutants I. This pack price is 5.00GBP. Go HERE

Well done Eli from all of us at 15mm.co.uk!

Thanks for Reading. 
 GBS