So, you know the drill by know. Dredge your collections for examples of this fine Lyran heavy cavalry 'Mech, and post'em here so we can share the glory!
The Zeus. Yes, it's an Assault, but it plays like a heavy. It's pretty much the counterpoint to the Leaguer's Orion. But it's a lovely looker, and those hulking shoulders add a gravitas the Orion sometimes lacks.
(And let's not mention the Perseus ;) )
Zeuses (although Zeii ??? ) are quintissentially Lyran, but can be found as trade in the FedSuns, as salvage in the Combine & League, and as gifts in the FRR. (And in the Death Commandos, should they feel the need). AFAIK there are the following sculpts:
- Ral Partha lead/ralladium, one piece
- IWM resculpt, three piece? (don't have one)
- Museum-scale
- 1st intro plastic
- 2nd intro plastic
Waiting for an update from our archeoboschologist ;)
So here's mine:
I've got three generations of Zeuses to share. First, a pair of lead original sculpts.
#1 is a 30-year-old mini, plus or minus a year or two. Painted in the two-tone "ground & sky" scheme from one of the early books with colour plates - Mercs Handbook? Housebook Steiner?
#2 is modded to "MechWarrior 4" style. In short:
- upper arms replaced with more angular pieces that tuck the weapons back under the shoulders
- some additional bulk added to the lower legs
- enhanced 'crown'. I think the repose models the MW4 style - one I'm very fond of. And for the cogniscenti, it's the BattleCorps colours, for the ride of MechWarrior Marc 'Ghost' O'Donoghue, part of Colonel Nichole's command lance.
The 1st Intro Zeus is a weedy, and often someone messy, plastic mini, but a little love repays the effort. Generic woodlands camo, FRR 3rd Drakons, and a Light of Mankind hotbox, aka the Zeus ZEU-10WB. Two heavy PPCs, an ERLL, four ERML, and nowhere near the heatsinks to cope. But it cuts an imposing figure ...
And lastly, the new intro box/lance pack minis. Not only are they sharp-detailed & better sized than the 1st intro box, they're plastic too, and so easy to repose! I like my Zeuses in motion, and a move of the lower leg is all you need.
The one on the left is the ZEU-9S2, with twin LRMs and a gauss rifle, as well as an ERPPC & 2 MPL. Listed in the Master Unit List as Clan Invasion era - something I wish I'd noticed earlier. The second LRM is from the intro box LoM Zeus, hence it being smaller. The second is a ZEU-6T with shoulder tucks & leg repose, in classic Lyran Guard colours.
So open the floodgates, and share your Zeuses!
Cheers,
W.