Friday 28 November 2014

ThreeA - WWR EVOL : Iron Panda 4Square.








4 legs good - everything else bad!
- promo write-up.

A (mis) interpretation :

Category type: Droid.
Unit type: Mass production reconnaissance droid.
Model type: 4Square.
Designation: TF001.
Manufacturer: The Rothchild Corporation.
Affiliation: 14th TRP "Iron Panda" Mechanized Division; II Corps; First Army; Oceania Expeditionary Army Group; Terra Coalition Armed Forces - excommunicated 1943.
Height: 4 feet.
Weight: 30kg.
Armour type: Super hardened ceramic steel composite alloy.
Armour thickness: 40mm.
Power plant: Single turbo BRINK supercharged diesel engine.
Std. armaments: The Auspex - multi-scanner system; "Kildren" empathy broadcast system; "Hypnotize" - jammer system; "Tarantula" - all terrain transverse system; Task Intelligence System ver. 3.5.

The 4Square mobile intel platform droid is the replacement of the bi-pedal Square2 MK2. The primary design difference is the incorporation of four crab and spider-like legs call "Tarantula" system. This allows a 4Square to move and transverse up to four times more effectively and efficiently in comparison to the Square2 MK2 bi-pedal system. It could turn around 360 degrees and could climb a near vertical surface. Regardless, in a straight line, a Square2 MK2 would still out-run a 4Square. A 4Square could also use its legs to act as a melee weapon, slashing and ripping whatever which is threatening it.
Their primary roles in the battle field is retained, with further refinement and upgrades to their T.I. (Task Intelligence) System. The Auspex multi-sensor is carried over, a mid-range sensorium which detects motion, invisible gases and energy emission across a wide band of the electromagnetic spectrum. This include emissions such as heat, radiation and most form of energy given off by vehicles, warbots and human troops. The main tactical use is for triangulating the location of otherwise hidden enemy forces so that they can be fired upon. The standard range of the Auspex is one hundred metres, although walls more than fifty metres thick as well as certain types of building materials are able to block both their passive and active sensor modes. Other software carried over include the "Kildren" empathy broadcast system which utilize sickly sweet human child voice frequency to lull a warbot or human target into submission.  A newly introduced software is the "Hypnotize" jamming system. Like the name denote, utilises its eyes to basically lull an opposing warbot immobile by confusing its T.I. system. The eyes would blink, its changing colours not only affect a warbot but also disorient human grunts and sloggers alike. Grunts like to disparage the 4Square "Hypnotize" system as disco lighting or "Christmas is here".  A handful of recondition 4Squares by the end of 20th century after the Great War is favoured by DJs as stage props during rave parties.
 
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The latest Square from 3A, maintaining the same boxy, uh, square look but now with revised, four legs design instead of the stumpy ones from MK1 and MK2. Materials use are different, ABS plastic, the ones use on, say, Lego, instead of soft vinyl, which tends to suffer from deformation (which makes me wonder what happen to all those WWR bots in the boxes at the store room). However, vinyl is easier to bring out the weathering effects, a hallmark of WWR bots, which, is minimal on 4Square (I like me bots heavily weathered and worn). No loose joints, and everything is sturdy. I did not put in the batteries (which I forgot of what size) to light up the pair of eyes, but based on the forum feedbacks, it seems to flicker and change colours like those decorative lightings for Christmas tree. Three version were released, for Bambaland, the Iron Panda and new colour-way, Krabs Labs. A very limited EMGY MLTA version is available through IDW Publishing. Overall I like the new design, and maybe, a Mighty 4Square? Now, that would be awesome.



Tuesday 11 November 2014

ThreeA x Marvel - The Invincible Iron Man : Stealth Version.




 


I am iron man
Has he lost his mind?
- Black Sabbath, Iron Man.
 
A (mis) interpretation:

Category type: Exoskeleton armour.
Unit type: Prototype infiltration/reconnaissance armour.
Model type: Stealth Armour MK XII.
Designation: Iron Man.
Manufacturer: Starke International.
Affiliation: Ferrum Legionis (current).
Powerplant: Ultracompact Arc-Reactor.
Armour type: Luna titanium steel composite hyper-alloy (primary); poly-alloy epidermis armour (secondary).
Armour thickness: 30mm - primary armour. 4mm - secondary armour.
Height: 7 feet.
Std. armaments: "Unibeam" - chest repulsor transmitter x 1; "Repulsor Gauntlet" - hand repulsor transmitter x 2; force-field generator; jet pack booster x 4; multi-stealth enabling system; Auspex - multi-sensors system.

1963. Ezekiel Starke, flamboyant multi-billionaire, industrialist, ingenious engineer and weapons designer, is on his way to the test site to personally demonstrate "The Ex-Wife" missile, a newly developed weapon of mass destruction with repulsor technology, to Duke Ngo, more popularly known as The Mandarin due to his political power and influence, in war-torn Southern Nam Viet, Indochina Axis, Oceania Confederation. He owns and runs Starke Industries, a leading defence contractor and security provision conglomerate, which develops and manufactures advance weapon and defence technologies. Ezekiel has full entrepreneurial autonomy over the company. En route, the convoy is ambushed by a Martian sympathizer group. An Extremis viral bomber detonates herself, killing everyone except for Ezekiel. whom is protected by the flak armour he is wearing. Nevertheless, the detonation is powerful enough to shatter the armour. Several shards of shrapnel severely wounds Ezekiel on his chest, embedded several millimetres away from his heart. He is captured and imprisoned in a cave amongst the hills. A fellow captive, Newel Medic Dr. Ho Sinh Cung, a specialist in integrated circuitry, rigged and grafted an electromagnet into Ezekiel's chest to stop the shrapnel shards from moving into his heart. The Martian sympathizer group, whom call themselves The Four Seasons, offers Ezekiel freedom in exchange for building them "The Ex-Wife" but he knows they would not keep their word. With the assistance of Dr. Ho, Ezekiel secretly built  a miniaturised version of  an Arc-Reactor, an innovative power generator invented by Ezekiel's late father, Hadar Starke and Anakoni Vanko. The Arc-Reactor is envisioned to provide clean energy and resources but the project is scrapped by the Board of Directors and the funding channels into weapons development instead. The Arc-Reactor would make a Fusion Reactor engine like an AAA battery in comparison and without the dangers. Ezekiel intends to use the Arc-Reactor to power the electromagnet in his chest which would in turn allow him to power a hastily rigged up armour suit as the means to escape his captors. They try to keep it as secret but when Ezekiel's captors find out he did not built the missile, they attacked the workshop both of them have been working in. Dr. Ho sacrifices himself in order for Ezekiel to power up the suit. In anger, a fully armoured Ezekiel destroys and kills everyone there before flying out from the area and crash landed several miles away from a JEA Marine outpost. While recuperating, Ezekiel watches a news report from the war zone on the telescreen that the 61st WF Jungler Division Company C has succeed in capturing a major Ecclesiarchy stronghold in Son My, Quang Ngai Province. Major credits are given to Starke Industries for providing the latest infiltration technology. Later, a leaked vid-vox footage of the event is uploaded into Melchizedek by a Martian sympathiser whom has secretly recorded what actually taken place, before the Terra Ministry of Information takes it offline. Son My turns out to be no more than a hamlet of no strategic value whatsoever. The atrocities committed upon the villagers before being brutally massacred result in Southern Sectors population mass protests and lost in support for the Terra Coalition's Indochina Axis Campaign. Duke Ngo and his wife are forcibly removed from their positions by the Oceania Confederation Central Government after a protestor carried out self-immolation in the capital. Both their bodies are found floating in the Mekong River. Ezekiel immediately holds a press conference and publicly announces that Starke Industries would no longer develop and manufacture weapons. The decision is not well received by the stakeholders, which included the Cordoza Corporation, a proxy division of the former, defunct Rothchild Corporation, and particularly his uncle, Obadiah Starke, whom orchestrated the entire kidnapping incident in an attempt to control Starke Industries. In fact, Obadiah specifically paid The Four Seasons to kill Ezekiel, but when the leader of the group realises the identity of the hostage, he reneged on the arrangement in return for weaponries. But the conspiracy plays into Obadiah's hand. The Board of Directors remove Ezekiel as CEO and appoint Obadiah Starke, whom later sold all his shares and assets to Cordoza Corporation. When the remains of the armour suit used in his escape is discovered and realising its potential as a powerful offense weapon, the United Americana Defence and Weapons Research Committee forces Ezekiel to hand over the knowledge and information to built it. When he refuses, foreseeing the lethality of the armour, Ezekiel is indicted for treason. Captured and handed over to the Terra Military Intelligence Bureau, he is tortured extensively. After Cordoza Corporation successfully reverse engineered the technology behind the armour, Ezekiel is released from captivity but has become a paraplegic with missing arms and torso. Together with Pepper, his secretary and Harkon "Happy" Favreau, his loyal cyborg bodyguard, Ezekiel escapes to USCF (United Space Colonies Federation) where he is granted political asylum. Augmenting himself with prosthesis cybernetic parts, Ezekiel establishes Starke International through the funds he accumulates in off-world accounts. As part machine, he is physically imposing.
1968. Ezekiel has become a recluse and eccentric, due to worsening OCB (Obsessive Compulsive Behaviour) and declining health from the Arc-Reactor due to palladium poisoning. Over the span of five years, he has secretly  develops numerous power armours, continuously improving each version with its own niche specialisation. He also replaces palladium with a new element and heightened the cycle per seconds of the power generator, effectively advancing the armour suit, which Ezekiel calls the "Iron Man", to another level. While he rebuilt his business empire which now focus on the development of consumer products based on sustainable, clean energy technology, Ezekiel begins to clandestinely don the "Iron Man" armour to pursue a personal vendetta against the Terra governments and mega-conglomerates. His primary objective is to eliminate all the previous "Iron Man" replica armour develop as drones by Cordoza Corporation known as the "Iron Monger". Eventually, Ezekiel would be invited by other like-minded individuals to join them in the secret organisation known as Ferrum Legionis based on USCF. He continues to hold on to the technological secret of the Arc-Reactor personally. Comprise of individuals wronged in certain way, Ferrum Legionis is a vigilante clandestine group which holds no allegiance to any existing factions but are based on the primary principle of justice and protection of the oppressed.
The Stealth Armour MK XII is primarily used by Ezekiel for reconnaissance and infiltrate heavily defended stronghold. It could also be used as an assault armour. The advanced power armour is composed of Luna titanium hyper-alloy with nano-technology driven poly-alloy epidermis internal protection. The poly-alloy epidermis layer mesh with the primary armour, linking the Ezekiel's nervous system to the suit's mind impulse controls, turning the entire armour into a second skin that moves with all the speed and precision of Ezekiel's own body with unprecedented reactionary time. The entire armour is powered by an advanced ultra-compact Arc-Reactor power generator. The power generator and the suit's mechanical servos allows Ezekiel to achieve super human physiology and flight speed capable of escaping velocity into space. The jet boosters include advance gyro-stabilisers for un-precedent maneuvering, with design to operate in low and zero-gravity environment. It has the standard Unibeam particle energy weapon built into the Arc-Reactor,  and a pair of Repulsor Gauntlet power fists with built in plasma weapon. The Unibeam could deliver a particle-beam powerful enough to punch through the void shield of a space battle cruiser. The Repulsor Gauntlets functions as a highly tuned power fists, enabling the "Iron Man" to pulverise and tear apart armour plates from even the most well protected vehicles or warbots. When activated, it is sheathed in bluish crackling energy which violently disrupt any object at the molecular level. Alternatively, it also allows Ezekiel to project deadly plasma shots, either continuously or in short bursts, at its target from both palms. The entire armour is sheathed in force field to repel any form of energy or projectile weapon attack. The force field is generated on molecular level of the armour. The force field also gives the armour extra protection in extreme climates and environments, including atmospheric re-entry without any damage to the armour. The primary difference of the Stealth armour is the multi-stealth enabling system. Each molecular structure of the poly-alloy epidermis and primary armours are coated with advance version of Cameoline, which effectively enable the MK XII to blend into the surrounding like a chameleon. The Cameoline, which was used by bot snipers in the Great War, also prevents the armour from detection across the entire electro-magnetic spectrum, rendering it virtually invisible. The jet-boosters backpack has super-coolant system to hide heat emission as well as super noise dampeners at a near zero decibels level. Internally, the entire armour is a self-contain environment, possesses a full suite of life-support functions for operation in hostile environments, an automated medicae system to provide some level of first aid to a wounded wearer and a modified, superior Auspex fully integrated multi-sensors, which include tactical targeting and threat analysis system.
 
....................................................
 
ThreeA x Marvel's Iron Man is designed by Ashley Wood based on the classic, golden age era version of one of the most recognisable superheroes in comics. Several versions are released by ThreeA and I decided to go for the Stealth version. When the teaser is released, its design has mixed reaction from Iron Man fans. But I like it enough to order one. Still as more information is released over the period, I begin to have my own personal reservations about the figure. The limbs would be covered with rubberised/pvc material. And I know what that means - bunched up joints, discolouration, deterioration, depending on the climes. I guess it is a matter of capturing the aesthetic look versus practicality, just like Lasstranaut. When the box arrived (which after a severe delay of several releases, suddenly a slew of those orders just shown up on the doorstep, resulting in my surprise and overwhelm feeling), I had the prior opportunity to read the review of those whom had the figure already in hand. And as most would aware by now, the figure suffers from virtually none existing joint support or tightness in the torso area. There are feedbacks of paint peeling (which shouldn't be since it is announced that the pvc material would be dyed instead of paint on, unless it is due to the weathering effect which happens sometimes) and oil-like substance secretion (Hot Toys' Batman belly oil syndrome?). With the figure in hand, the torso joint is indeed loose and floppy. No amount of effort nor the recommendation by 3A would rectify it. I basically just let it lean back and balance. But if I want to pose it in fluffy manner, I would need to forget it. I do not even want to risk bending the arms and legs. I did not try on the light-up effect as I am too lazy to move the gauntlets etc. apart. It is one tall figure, at least 14 inches tall, and the weathering is great. I very much like the design, cuirass-like with those bolts and overlapping layering of armour design. Regardless, it seems like this year would go down as 3A's historic moment of a slew of floppy joints and QC concern figures. Too bad because the early years figures are indeed great, both in terms of characters and more importantly, QC. Hopefully this would be rectified for the new year. All I know about Iron Man is from the movies, and I took some infos from Games Workshop's WH40K universe and Marvel on the fan fiction crappy "mis-interpretation" story. Excelsior!

Thursday 6 November 2014

ThreeA - 2014 3AA Membership : Lasstranaut.









When the world was young.
- promo write-up.

She is Lasstranaut. You are not.
- t-shirt write-up.

Just take my hand.
- write-up from box.

Never wake alone.
- write-up on "long lost garb" box.

Let's take a trip together
Headlong into the irresistible orbit
Breathing the cold black space
With the glistening edges
Let's take a trip, me and you
Let's go the scenic route
Get to finally, get to finally, get to finally
Get to know each other
Just to be alone with thee, just to be alone
Just to be alone with thee
- Morphine, Let's Take A Trip Together.

A (mis) interpretation:

Name: Neuth.
Alias: Lasstranaut; The Sky Goddess.
Age: Unknown.
Affiliation: The Nine Sisters (former).
Rank: None.
Abilities: Star creation; cosmic manipulation; tetralogy; nigh omnipotent; nigh omnipresence.
Std. armaments: Herself.
Lasstranaut is the eldest and oldest of the Nine Sisters, who, as a conceptual being, was imagined into existence when the realspace was given the breath of life. Lasstranaut or Neuth as she is known amongst the Sisters, is believed to create stars to give light amongst the darkness of realspace. She can create, shape and manipulate cosmic energies to produce nearly any effect she desires, including the molecular restructuring and transmutation of matter, the manipulation of matter across space and time, the creation of force fields, the creation of inter-dimensional portals and vortexes, telekinesis, and cosmic awareness. Lasstranaut can call upon the comets, meteors, asteroids, stars, moons, planets, nebula, quasars, and dark matter, as well as generating stellar winds, solar flares, cosmic storms and invoke meteor showers. She usually doesn't actually summon a planet/celestial object or control and manipulate its movement (as that would result in it being obliterated), but she can summon and control its energy. Nevertheless Lasstranaut is unable to create or form new planets and inhabitants into existence. As such she wields almost supreme power, but it is limited due to a certain element she is missing that limits her power and prevents her from gaining true omnipotence. Despite that missing element, Lasstranaut still wields unimaginable levels of power and can achieve a near-limitless number of effects with her near-omnipotent abilities. She has the power to be almost everywhere in existence at once but are bound within realspace. Lasstranaut has the almighty ability to manipulate the four definite aspects of knowledge and power. The ability allows her to use the combined forces of science, magic, divinity and philosophy, giving her potentially unlimited power over the four concepts. This power encompasses the four aspects that define reality and are used by Lasstranaut to understand the universe itself. Her true form is incomprehensible to any sentient beings. In the current time, Lasstranaut taken a physical form of a female astronaut whom died in an unfortunate space mission to Saturn in 1859. A chanced sighting of her led an enterprising woman to set up a t-shirt business which becomes an online fashion empire a century later, primarily in terms of sponsorship, particularly for Luthor Bean Jr. Corporation's superhuman replicants, which fuelled the craze for anything Lasstranaut related image to an un-imaginable height. Space farers and pirates hold various superstitious believe about Lasstranaut. Some would say that sighting her would bring misfortune while others believes otherwise. The Dead Astronaut Gangsta, whom has encountered and sighted her more than once, would laugh at these individuals. Yet, he too would steer clear of her for his own good.
.....................................................................................................................
After months of waiting, in fact nearly a year, the 2014 3AA Membership set finally arrived. This set is particularly highly anticipated personally due to the 1/6th figure it featured - Lasstranaut. This female astronaut without any pants nor undies has been teased and seen on 1/6th t-shirts of Tomorrow Kings, sketches and artworks by the man himself, Ashley Wood, since day one of 3A. It is one, if not the, most iconic image of the company. The wait itself caused some controversy, primarily amongst fans, but unfortunately, all the shouts and louts are now leading to more, personally, greater concern, in fact, issue - pre-made figures in order to cut down the lead time. I said this because pre-made figures would have to be based on forecast. And forecasting usually means hit or miss. And limited. So, in a nutshell, if there were to be a particular figure which I like by 3A, I am assuming either I have to F5 like crazy or hunt for one in the secondary market at flippers price. But I digress. Now back to Lassy. The set, from the box to the presentation, is breath-taking. Brent Ashe, the one responsible for the design of the set I believe, did a really great job. 2013 set is nice but this one really raise the bar and set the standard of the word "exclusive". The set comes with, apart from the figure, a giclee print, a lithograph copy, a booklet worth of artworks on the subject, a t-shirt (which I hope would be the right size ordered since I have put on weight and girth), and get this, for renewing members, a 1:1 scale female underwear. Six years veterans get a different version while first year member gets nothing, heh. And for the patience of waiting, a bonus badge is thrown in at last minute. Now onto the figure. The upper part is pretty much standard stuff, typical 3A female figure. No defect. However, the astronaut suit, couple with the heavy backpack, means zero balancing to allow the figure to stand on its own. The weight basically caused the suit to be lopsided, leading to some difficultly in locking in the helmet, which could not stay in position. Luckily 3A includes a holding stand. As seen in the teaser picture, the lower torso is made in rubber, to capture the essential naked look of Lassy, seamless and sexy. But alas, from experience, rubberised torso means potential deterioration over time, the bunching up on joints, and as such, I am not brave enough to even bend the knees. Also, I noted some blemishes (mold injection?) and slight mold lines on both legs. Being rubberised (or PVC?), it also stains quite easily (based on previous experience with other companies rubber torso). There is a star which comes with it but my itchy finger un-ravelled the knot and while fiddling through on where to and how to put it, the entire bendy wire becomes, well, really bendy. Other than the rubber torso and balance issue, this is a great figure. For the fan-fiction story, I really have no idea who Lass is, cryptic as Ashley Wood was on answering the question in the weekly Q and A on the 3A website, so I thought of her as possibly a conceptual being sailing perpetually amongst the stars.

Monday 3 November 2014

ThreeA - Popbot : Tomorrow King Seven Bones Slicer Kureiji Yaro.








"Know the day of your death, know the freedom of life, the freedom to fight for your King.
Give all for a half breath, let your bones lay with your family, all for a punk kid and his shitty cat.
We fought the entire universe, just for one day with you!"
- write-up from leaflet.

A (mis) interpretation:

Category type: Experimental prototype replicants.
Model type: The Tomorrow King - GEN 2.5
Unit type:  The Seven Bones () Slicer.
ID: Kureiji Yaro / The Crazy One.
Rank: Wakagashira-hosa.
Manufacturer: The Luthor Bean Jr. Corporation.
Incept date: 9th June 1990.
Serial no.: TKG2.5MAB0000007B.
Longevity: Unknown.
Function: Close assault.
Physical level: A.
Mental level: B.
Abilities: Panzer Kunst - anti-armour martial art; superhuman physiology; pre-cognition.
Std. armaments: "Slice and Dice" - power weapon x 2; melta grenade x 8; krak grenade x 8; frag grenade x 6.
 
Yaro is one of the elite Seven Bones or Nanatsu Hone-gumi, hand selected, experimental prototype replicant TK which also acts as personal bodyguard of Punk King the Fourth. He is genetically purpose-engineered and bred from the Slicer TK gene seed template. Yaro is far removed from a standard Slicer in terms of both skills and abilities. Wielding a pair of master-crafted monomolecular-edged Biting Blade electro-plated power blades called "Slice and Dice", which is powered by a THC fuelled power battery pack and sheath in blue-ish energy, the weapon could cut through any object at molecular level. Like a whirlwind, blurry in movements, Yaro could cut up a Mortis Warp corrupted Titan and reduce it to pieces at a pace which is said to be between the span of a human inhaling and exhaling. He would charged into the intertwined and intermixed Warp energy and realspace corrupted battlegrounds of the Underverse Warp rift armed with at least twenty two hand grenades, capable of destroying large swath of the Mortis Legion singularly, if they hadn't been fell by the Slice and Dice. He is called The Crazy One due to his hyperactive behavioural trait. In combat, Yaro would be nigh-uncontrollable, sometimes even defying the orders of the Onna-Oyabun, Queeny. But he is exceptionally loyal and dedicated, to the point of obsessive and fanatical. To the untrained eyes, Yaro is sometimes mistaken for Kyoku, the wakagashira and second in command of the Seven Bones for both shared the basic physical template as a Slicer, different only in ranking and authority. Like all Seven Bones members, he has pre-cognitive ability, giving him the fore-sight to see the ebb and flows of a combat in advance. And Yaro has seen how he would die but like they say, he doesn't care and in fact looking forward it.
 
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Ever since the debut of Baka and Kyuuketsuki, the Slicer TKs, I have been a fan of its design. For all that's worth, the Slicer TK is exceptional for its time, different from other TKs which 3A came out with. Of course, the law of progression means that much more interesting and creative designs have come and gone, but the Slicer TK remains a classic, which I guess why 3A market it under their, uh, Classic line. I have not expected 3A to revisit a Slicer. And it is great when Yaro was announced because I have since sold off my Kyuuketsuki. Initially I was abit unhappy, as I noted that the prototype pictures seem to have omitted the part where I could slot in a grenade on the helm of the pants. Which is not. Good news. No QC issue with this figure, and comes with the 7B tattoos and all the standard stuffs expected of a Slicer. Of course I would wish 3A would put in the word "大麻" on the battery pack like Kyuuketsuki. I miss the "naughty and cheeky" times of those days from 3A.
 
 

ThreeA - Popbot : Tomorrow Queen UKTQ.








F*** you, f*** them, we do what we do for us, get out of our f***ing way and shut your gob!
Time is like a dream, you made up memories of it all, we clear up the shit left on your carpet! We can't grow old, we can't escape the beginning.
- write-up from the leaflet.

Survival of the fittest.
The enemy is fear.
The bully boys are coming.
Can it really happen here?
Pornography of violence.
The dogs will have their day.
The bully boys are coming.
Machismo rules O.K.?
But don't you cry my darlings.
No don't you shed a tear.
Just put on your black leather.
The bully boys are here.
No time to be a victim.
When the enemy is fear.
So put on your black leather.
The bully boys are here.
Overkill! Overkill! Overkill!
- Poison Girls, Bully Boys.

A (mis) interpretation:

Category type: Mass production replicants.
Model type: The Tomorrow Queens - GEN 3.5.
Unit type: Anarchist TQ.
ID: Vi.
Rank: Sukeban.
Function: Search and destroy.
Manufacturer: The Luthor Bean Jr. Corporation.
Incept date: 12th April 1998.
Serial no.: TQG3.5FBB12041998S&D.
Longevity: 4 years.
Physical level: B.
Mental level: B.
Abilities: Panzer Kunst - anti-armour martial art; superhuman physiology.
Std. armaments: monomolecular-edged wakizashi x 2; Ion Cyclotron glove x 2.

1998. Albion City, Europa. The Battle of Manchester. Archduke Samael Bridger begins to invoke spells and prayers to summon the Dark Gods of Chaos from the Warp for assistance. Lady Sham enters the Palace of Thorns, senses the formation of the Warp energies. With no time to lose, she counters the Archduke's effort. If she fails, the fabric of reality within the entire combat zone would collapse, with daemons entering realspace, unstoppable and creating unprecedented chaos. She doesn't want another Underverse to be formed. More importantly, Lady Sham doesn't want to attract the N.O.M. Legion Supreme Mother's attention. Garmr's intervention would equally tear the place and its inhabitant apart within minutes. They may be sisters but of different paths. The Lady instructs the Tomorrow Queens whom followed her inside earlier to track down the Archduke before too late. The once opulent and baroque designed halls and corridors have began to change - signs of the corruption from the Warp. Lesser daemons begin to manifest, attacking the Lady. But standing in their way are the TQs. Long thought to be the ultimate slayer of Mortis's colossal Titan machines, the TQs prove themselves equally effective in stopping the daemons for they could not lock into the psyche of the TQs for the fact that as replicants, the TQs are soulless. Invoking a powerful counter-spell, the Lady blessed the TQs with protection which allows them to slay the lesser daemons. Somewhere she could hear the shriek of the Archduke echoing across the multi-faceted halls as reality begins to melt and mend with the Warp. The remaining TQs, clad in black leathers, boots and punkish attitude, form a circle around the Lady as she moves into the primary chamber of the Archduke.
 
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Sometime prior to UKTK Search and Destroy edition drop day on Bambaland, announcement was made that there would be a UKTQ Search and Destroy edition. Stoked and excited needless to say. Like UKTK, the UKTQ is based on punk subculture once more, with black leather jacket, studded belt, combat boots, eyebrow ring and fox tail. The more significant is the hair sculpt, incredibly awesome. There is a slight variation in the face sculpt, taking the direction of the Easter TQ/Choco Hunter. The surprise drop of the day is an all-black Shadow UKTQ. Everything is fine with this figure except that the boots initially prevent it from standing properly, forcing me to use a hairdryer to soften it up a bit. 


ThreeA - Popbot: Tomorrow King UKTK.







Search and destroy, f***ing smash its face in, that's what we do. We stand between you and f***ed, we didn't look away and hope they would go away, you said we were s***, trash on the street and now we are your kings.
GOD SAVE THE MORTIS QUEEN, FOR SHE AIN'T NO HUMAN BEING!
- write-up from leaflet.

I'm a street walking cheetah.
with a heart full of napalm.
I'm a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb.
I am a world's forgotten boy.
The one who searches and destroys.
- Iggy and the Stooges, Search and Destroy.

A (mis) interpretation:
 
Category type: Mass production replicants.
Model type: The Tomorrow Kings - GEN 3.5.
Unit type: Anarchist TK.
ID: Sid.
Rank: Shatei.
Function: Search and destroy.
Manufacturer: The Luthor Bean Jr. Corporation.
Incept date: 12th April 1998.
Serial no.: TKG3.5MAC12041998S&D.
Longevity: 4 years.
Physical level: A.
Mental level: C.
Abilities: Panzer Kunst - anti-armour martial art; superhuman physiology.
Std. armaments: Monomolecular-edged ko-wakizashi x 1; monomolecular-edged o-wakizashi x 1; "Oi" - melta grenade x 4; Ion Cyclotron glove x 2.

1998. Albion City, Europa Union. The Battle of Manchester has entered its 1000th day. Samael "The Devil" Bridger's Palace of Thorns is being besieged from all sides by the coalition army led by Lady Sham which comprise the ICG (Independent Countries Group) and the Neo Zoroaster Movement factions. Yet, the stronghold of the Archduke still holds, its defences dug in deeply. Waves after waves of the rebel bots lead the assaults. Lady Sham summoned her reinforcement - the Tomorrow Kings and Queens. These are amongst the last generation of the famed replicants given birthed via the DNA Organ machine in vitro within Hatchery 51 using the gene seeds. A group of these super-warriors have been sent by Luthor Bean Jr. from Leviathan 1 to reinforce Lady Sham's army. They move in with speed and agility blurry to the eyes of a normal human. Neural mapped to suit Lady Sham's preference, these replicants throw themselves at the defences, obliterating it. Carving out a path for the Lady to enter the main gate of the palace, the TKs and TQs fight the loyalist bots and defend the gap in the defence breach simultaneously. The replicant warriors move like a wraith, the bots could not re-act in time. As Lady Sham enters the palace, the Archduke Bridger is shaking in fear and begins to summon help from the Warp. The cost would be high, for invoking the mightiest of the Dark Gods of Chaos for direct intervention and assistance from the Immaterium would be no less than millions of souls.
 
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This is the Bambaland version of the UKTK. The first version, with blue shirt, was an exclusive for ToyConUK in April 2014 of which a few were put up for auction at eBay with 100% proceed to Cancer Research. I am excited, needless to say, when 3A announced the Bamba version, called the Search and Destroy edition. This is one of the most unique TK in collection, based on the punk subculture movement. Mohawk hair, leather jacket, tartan pants, studded braces/suspenders and fox tail. Alas, this TK also marked the debut of what I personally call the "brinjal face", shoehorn headsculpt (the other being the Thiddy TK). Honestly in hand, it is not that bad though. The QC concern continue, with the left arm joint coming loose and pop out from the moment I un-box it. Luckily, it could be attached back. The two swords are held by loops which came loose and I had to re-tie it. Anyhoo, a great addition to the TKs collection.