What's in the Pipeline 2: the Wrath of Speck

[pokefan548]

All I can say is I would hella buy the Eurus.

[Heavyguard]

Agreed, meh on more urbanmech in general. Would have been thrilled with a mad cat iv, shrike, jade phoenix, iron cheetah....something exciting. CGL likely won't get around to doing ilclan stuff in plastic for a good while, IWM could have filled that void more in the meantime, oh well. I got my first hierofalcon in the mail yesterday, and it's quite a fantastic sculpt...makes me wish for the jade phoenix.

Mad Cat IV and Shrike are already available from IWM. Or do you mean resculpted verisons?

[Deckard_2049]

Mad Cat IV and Shrike are already available from IWM. Or do you mean resculpted verisons?

Yeah just a modernization to fit in better with the newer range of minis. (think the Mad Cat looking like it did on the book cover for hour of the wolf). The current shrike is okay but when put next to something like newer like the hierofalcon it ages the sculpt a bit.

[Colt Ward]

The Savage Wolf has a flaw in assembling the mini- the shoulder.

The Shrike vs new Falcon Omnis are supposed to have a aesthetic difference representing the sort-of split philosophies of the Falcons.  The new Omnis being less totem-ish is pushback against Malvina's behavior by those who oversaw the program and I would assume the scientists.  This is pretty spelled out in the opening fiction of ilClan where a Malvina devotee on Mars mentally goes on about how she uses a Shrike-era totem mech like Malvina.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The shoulders and hips both are flawed on the Mad Cat Mk IV.  Same issue with the Vulture MK IV, since they use the same arms and legs.  It's been a problem since the minis were released.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

On Reddit the Saladin was mentioned as being just a remake of the master mold. Not a new thing.

[Luciora]

Aww bummer.  I did get a new custom idea for it however, so may need to look into it.

On Reddit the Saladin was mentioned as being just a remake of the master mold. Not a new thing.

[Wrangler]

Aww bummer.  I did get a new custom idea for it however, so may need to look into it.

There always Exile from Syberia/TRO Syberia inspired out fits. 

[Death_from_above]

IWM's website now lists the 1st Quarter releases :

the aforementioned Awesome, UrbanMech and Warhammer.

Currently no sign of the previously announced 20-5214 reference.

[Luciora]

Oh this idea is from TV/Movies.   

There always Exile from Syberia/TRO Syberia inspired out fits. 

[Alex Keller]

I got the AWS-8Q/9Q Awesome.  The sculpt is super crisp, great detail. The arms have an actual round (and not squished) PPC barrel.  Feels great moving the miniature around on the table, I like the weight of a metal assault mech.   Its just such a shame the scale isn't coming out right.  It's noticeably smaller than the plastic CGL sculpt. 

[paladin2019]

Its just such a shame the scale isn't coming out right.  It's noticeably smaller than the plastic CGL sculpt.

The scale is probably coming out right. CGL changed the scale from the old RP/IWM sculpts. IWM would have to rescuplt literally everything in their BattleTech line to align to the changed specs.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The scale is probably coming out right. CGL changed the scale from the old RP/IWM sculpts. IWM would have to rescuplt literally everything in their BattleTech line to align to the changed specs.

It's a metal version of the new plastic mini.  There was a similar issue with the Battlemaster mini released last year.  IIRC it has to do with the fact that liquid plastic and liquid pewter shrink by different amounts when they cool in the mold.

[Luciora]

If they are consistent with the other metal minis, I don't care.  The are close enough to the plastic releases that, if you have to nitpick them on the tabletop complaining about scale, maybe mini gaming isn't what you really are interested in.   

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

It's noticeable if you put the metal and plastic versions of the mini side by side, but it's still only a difference of millimeters.

[Luciora]

I did put up a comparison post here and its been generating alot of buzz on some of the FB groups.  The Discord servers I put it on haven't been too critical either.  Can't please everyone I suppose.

[Crackerb0x]

It's noticeable if you put the metal and plastic versions of the mini side by side, but it's still only a difference of millimeters.

I do not believe that IWM does any compensation for shrinkage, which is why this is happening.

[Dragon41673]

snip...Can't please everyone I suppose.

TRUST ME...no, you cannot! LOL

[paladin2019]

I do not believe that IWM does any compensation for shrinkage, which is why this is happening.

If simply casting from the a mold of the plastic, you can't. That would require an entirely new sculpt.

[Corrinald]

I just picked up the new Awesome 8/9Q mini and I can't wait to build it. At a glance it looks wicked cool.

As far as size comparison...to be fair the plastic Awesome and Battlemaster are fairly plump.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Hey Speck, I know things are busy at Iron Wind Metals, but if you get a chance could you ask about the possibility about getting the Ares Apollo variant from Dominions Divided added to the catalogue?  It uses the right arm of the Hera and the left arm of the Aphrodite, so it's just a matter of matching already-existing parts together in a new combination.

[Alex Keller]

I suppose the question then becomes, why are some of the new sculpts smaller than the CGL plastics (i.e Awesome,  Battlemaster,  Griffin,  Wolverine, Commando, Stormcrow but then others are just right? (i.e. Catapult, ShadowHawk, Locust, Black Knight)

[worktroll]

IWM minis made to match the new CGL plastics are typically made from the same 3D masters. But there's a step in producing metal minis - the master has to be put in the uncured silicone mould, and subjected to heat & pressure to make the mould - this is nicknamed "the squeeze".

And the squeeze is a black art. It's not uncommon for a mould to lose a little in breadth or depth in the process, and I understand from other companies that masters are typically slightly oversized (eg 110%) to allow for this. But the compression isn't always the same in all directions. Consider the Reseen Grand Crusader, that maintained height + breadth, but lost depth. I guess - and this is purely a guess - that the time and effort in producing the mould is itself not trivial, and 'minor' variations aren't enough to justify re-moulding.

I understand the IWM Stinger and Catapult match the plastics pretty well, but I've seen reports that the Awesome also looks a little undersized next to the plastics. Which in a way is ironic because the plastic Awesome is somewhat oversized for an 80-tonner.

Now that may have nothing to do with the extra-edition Rifleman, because they come from someone else - probably someone as not familiar with IMW minis as us obsessive fans.

[Alex Keller]

Hmmm.  Yeah I am just so impressed with the detail of the new IWM sculpts.  Just lightyears ahead of where they were just 10 years ago.  And superior in many respects to the CGL plastics.   I just wish they could get the scale right, or at least consistent. 

[Dragon41673]

Hmmm.  Yeah I am just so impressed with the detail of the new IWM sculpts.  Just lightyears ahead of where they were just 10 years ago.  And superior in many respects to the CGL plastics.   I just wish they could get the scale right, or at least consistent.

Part of that is the 3D sculpting, and the other part is associated art for the new stuff. If you look at the art work over the years, it does reflect in the miniatures...so better art, and sculpting equals better miniatures.

[Greatclub]

Part of that is the 3D sculpting, and the other part is associated art for the new stuff. If you look at the art work over the years, it does reflect in the miniatures...so better art, and sculpting equals better miniatures.

I recently looked in my combat manuals, and the contrast between the new and old stuff is stark.

[I am Belch II]

How about another QuadVee like the Notos or the Boreas??

[GRUD]

How about another QuadVee like the Notos or the Boreas??

I'd be Happy with either of those, or the Lich Quad Drone.   

[Kerfuffin(925)]

I think it got missed here but the Ares superheavy variant in the Dominions Divided book is live on IWM now.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Nice.