ThreeA - WWR : Dark Deed Harold FS.

 

 

 

There is no time for diplomacy.
Well, like they say, we're f******.

A (mis) interpretation:

Category type: Warbot.

Unit type: Mass production tactical support warbot.

Model type: Harold FS.

Manufacturer: The Rothchild Corporation.

Affiliation: The Rothchild Experimental Division (former); Terra Coalition Armed Forces (former); The N.O.M. Legion - Die Grau Tatengruppen (former); The Fallen warbands (current).

Height: 7 feet.

Weight: 2500kg.

Powerplant: Twin turbo BRINK supercharger diesel engine.

Armour thickness: 130mm; plates 150mm.

Armour type: Super hardened steel alloy.

Std. armaments: 30mm FUBAR auto-cannon x 2; ; Auspex - multi-scanners and sensors; Machinensegnen - modified Task Intelligence System.

15th September 1916. Walter Rothchild would have been a proud father and happy war profiteer. His son Darwin's creation, the Harold FS under the Rothchild Experimental Division, which represented a breakthrough in technology of those times, could have reaped in massive profits for the Corporation. But instead the Harold FS tactical support warbot series, the first to be equipped with a Task Intelligence (T.I) System, with a "cross design" concept of upper torso, arms of a warbot but with a Type 61 tank-treads lower body, would turned disastrous. The primary armaments are a pair of 50mm depleted uranium bolter shells recoil-less FUBAR auto-cannons, with option to replace it with a pair of warbot arms for close combat.

It was highly anticipated for its official release since the preview of the prototype during the CLXXII Rothchild Annual Convention, with the sales pitch throwing in a free, bonus 4 feet Little Harold FS, which shares identical specifications as the standard Harold FS. Little Harold FS is deployed as "little protectors" of its larger brother. Both unfortunately the series end up as a failure during its mass deployment, a cautionary tale of which Darwin would reflects back occasionally as the only black spot in his otherwise impeccable lists of achievements and successes. Walter, the powerful, self-styled Lord of War, was personally hauled up to answer for the high rate of "friendly fires" incidences involving the Harold FS warbots causing exceptionally high casualty rates amongst human grunts, as well as its incredibly sensitive Anti-Tampering System, before the Council of the High Lords of Terra. The humiliation breaks the very much proud Walter, and it changes him forever. He resigns from all posts within the Corporation and at the age of 22, his son Darwin Rothchild succeed him. Walter later died of Luna dust poisoning related terminal illness at the Rothchild City on Luna, an incident of which Darwin personally played a role. Any traces of empathy within Darwin dissipates that night, as Walter gave out his last breath. Darwin at least keeps the tradition of weeding out the "weak" from the Rothchild family dynasty. And the long waited opportunity to ascend to the top of the mega corporation as the Emperor of Rothchild in order to mold and steer the fate of humanity as he deems fit.

The Harold FS warbot series or The Firstborn as Darwin referred it to, gain an ill-reputation and relegated into a pariah status amongst the various factions of Terra but ironically, this very status makes it a favourite amongst the emerging separatist and techno-anarchist factions of those times, such as the N.O.M. Legion and the MOD. The latter, consist of members of techno-savvy, cyber terrorism incline individuals whom sip their gourmet coffees in posh cafés within the Space Colonies, would use it to show their anarchist intent. The N.O.M. though, would easily machine wipe captured or stolen Harold FS and give them a second chance to prove their worth as rampaging but controllable war beast which would become equally feared by both the Terra Coalition Armed Forces and the Ecclesiarchy of Mars.

N.O.M. affiliated Harold FS are amongst the first warbots to be initiated into the newly established sub-group called the Dark Deed, which would later be re-designated as the infamous Dirty Deeds Einsatzgruppen. Controlled and herded by Noir de Plume personally, the "machine blessed" machinensegnen Task Intelligence system Harold FS would terrorise the battlefields of Mars and eventually Terra through their sheer indiscrimination of wanton destruction. Their 30mm FUBAR auto-cannon would cut through the enemies like weeds, with sufficient armour protections to carry out their objectives before falling back, disappearing like ghosts through the Webways. Decades later, news of Harold FS being sighted on Terra and Mars are still being reported, as well as being deployed by the N.O.M. Legion's traitorous Fallen warbands such as the likes of The Bleeding Eye, making it the oldest warbot technically still in service throughout the entire event of the Great War.

 

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I call this experience "being itchy". I obviously suffered from being a spend thrift syndrome. I have had previously owned the Goodsmile x 3A 1/6th JDF EMGY Harold FS which should have sufficed but sold it off, only to later enquire about it to 3A customer care after the closing of the Bambaland sale, whom put me in the KIV list in case of cancel orders, and they are kind enough to reply that the colour way I wanted, the Dark Deed, is still available after readying for shipment and, now here it is. The Bambaland online store release offered a staggering range of most colour-ways for a WWR robot in recent memory. It took a while for it to be released, and comes with an additional 1/12th scale version. The box packaging is the same, except, due to the inclusion of the 1/12th scale Harold FS, is bigger. The box illustration is slightly different, with the JDF version having additional schematics of the weaponries and wordings. That aside, it includes the  paragraph of a story involving the notorious Harold FS. Nevertheless, I thought I am by now fully prepared for the actual battle to come, that is, to put in the bloody ball sockets and joint pegs, or whatever they are called. Due to my suspicion of somewhat gradually lower IQ as my age increases, I underwent the same cycle again - fiddling like fiddler on the roof - on how to get the joints in the right angle, slot the peg in etc. I was sweating like a pig in the air conditioned room as usual over matter involving act such as this. Get the angles right, which involves rotating the ball joints. The arms slots in, albeit balancing insane pressure and delicateness. OK done. Could not remember how it fit in. Pulled it out again to remember the angles so I could swap the arms with the guns. Screwed up once more. Repeat, more fiddling. OK. Arm slots in once more. Now the pegs. Pegs? Darn pegs all crucial to reinforce the joints, otherwise - possible breakage, could not be plugged in! How did I do it for the JDF version then? I finally gave up after the pegs were, say, two third in. Apart from that, the first strike, the first thunder has been stolen by the JDF version, pertaining to what and how the Harold FS is all about and posted about it. I made the right decision to go for the Dark Deed colour-way. It is reminiscence of the Large Martin Iron Panda rust and accent. And thus sits well with it and the weathered NW MK2.5 Heavy Bramble too. Lets see if I were lucky enough to see a 1/6th scale improved Bertie MK2 this year from 3A in, what else, Dirty Deed colour-way. And I hope they include some, now this definitely sounds grisly, of those severed human heads and machete as seen in the 1/12th scale versions and the earliest first Bertie 1/6th fig with those almost non-existent legs.

ThreeA - Adventure Kartel : KA Mumb.

Your life happening again, without your ba being kept away from your divine corpse, with your ba being together with the akh ... You shall emerge each day and return each evening. A lamp will be lit for you in the night until the sunlight shines forth on your breast. You shall be told: "Welcome, welcome, into this your house of the living!" - Description on the tomb of Paheri, translated by James P. Allen.

The steam powered mumb. 5000 years in the making.

A (mis) interpretation:

Unit type: Steam powered embalmed corpse.

Model type: Mūmiya (مومياء)

Designation: KA Mumb - Lot No. 249.

Affiliation: The Sydow Famiglia / The Cult of Osiris.

Power plant: Kebechet - ultra compact steam engine.

Abilities: Semi-immortality/de-accelerated aging; defunct physiology; solar energy absorption; enhanced strength; hibernation; pain suppression; sand manipulation; insect manipulation; tektakinesis.

Std. armaments: None.

1989. Bleak Mission has succeed in locating the Tomb of Imhotep, at Saqqara in The Republic of Middle East but not before battling the tomb guardians, both dead and alive. Imhotep was an Egyptian polymath, who served under the Third Dynasty king Djoser in the 27th Century BC as chancellor to the pharaoh and high priest of the sun god Ra at Heliopolis and historically considered by some to be the earliest and greatest known architect and engineer and physician in early history. Bleak's mission (pun intended) is to obtain an ancient papyrus scrolls, Book of Coming Forth by Day, which contain instructions to resurrect embalmed corpse. Both the tomb and its eternal sleeper inside, and the scrolls are Fed-Ex to Baron Seth von Sydow and the Governor General of pre-destruction Andria keeps them in his Black Library, later forgotten.

2001. The dhampir Governor decides to use the instructions and methods stated in the papyrus scrolls to re-animate the New Luxor embalmed corpses in order to reinforce the defence of New Andria against the Zombs Horde in the Z War and later, the Zombots in the Robot Islands War. Unfortunately, several important sections are missing from the scrolls, which Bleak has intentionally taken. The spells of Ib (heart), Sheut (shadow), Ren (name) are present but the Ba (personality) and Ka (spirit) are absent. Without the spells of the two elements, the Akh or entity, could not be formed nor summoned. This means the 5000 years old embalmed corpses could not be brought to life. This results in the Baron reverting to alternative means to fill in the gaps. After numerous attempts, including prayers and offerings, the KA Mumbs are born, with Ka being the vital essence, that which distinguishes the difference between a living and a dead person. The KA Mumbs are not ideally perfect as the Akh has not manifested and recalled back from the Realm of Osiris. But the Baron deems the KA Mumbs satisfactory enough to carry out their primary functions of countering the Zombs and Zombots assaults. On a hindsight, Seth has done the right thing, for if the Akh were to manifest and taken forms within the Mumbs, he could not have controlled them as easy as now. They would have their own thoughts, intellect equal to their previous lives, corrupted by ambitions and rebellious. Through ingenuity, the Baron designs and attaches an ultra compact steam engine which is plugged into each of these KA Mumbs. The steam turbine extracts thermal energy from the pressurized steam, and through its rotary motion, drives a separate electrical generator to animate the Mumbs. The Baron name these steam engines as Kebechet, in honour of the goddess of embalming liquid.

The KA Mumbs are devoid of any of their former lives' personality due to the absence of the Ba. Few possesses slight intelligence with rudimentary skills of speech. Some are complete, mindless automatons and could only carry out their tasks with certain spells. Yet, they are formidable and relentless in combat, marching forwards like perfect foot soldiers, never taking a step backward. The KA Mumbs would never question the Baron, whom holds the spell of mastery over them, and obeys all his orders perfectly.

Fuelled by their ability to absorb solar radiation energy, KA Mumbs would become exceptionally strong, with enhanced endurance and durability in increasing exponential rate based on the time they are exposed in the sun. They are independent of oxygen requirement, immune to all forms of disease, self-sustenance and incapable of feeling pain. Their mummified skins serve as a form of dermal protection. They carry a mutated form of the black mold, Aspergillus niger on their bodies, and when inhale in large amount, it could destroy living lungs, as well as causing ear infections, leading to hearing loss, severe ear canal and tympanic membrane damages. They exhibits ability to summon great numbers of scarab beetles which would strip away the diseased flesh of a Zomb, leaving it to nothing. The KA Mumbs also possesses tektakinesis, shooting out their linen wrappings at their enemies, choking, strangling and crushing them to death. They could summon elemental power in the form of bring forth massive sand storms to overwhelm their enemies of greater numbers.  

The KA Mumbs gradually becomes weak as nightfall, making them sluggish and physically vulnerable. They are children of the sun, and are required to return to sleep in their sarcophagi to rejuvenate. Otherwise, they would reach a physical state where their shrivelled bodies would become extremely fragile, become immobilise, and when struck, the Mumbs would instantaneously disintegrate and crumble into dusts like made of sands. Some KA Mumbs are reported to self-combust, due to overheating. They are also susceptible to flames as a result of their embalming process which involve mixture of highly flammable substances. Certain spells of undoing could reduce them to no more than a pile of rags and bones. As such, the Baron put in protective charms, spells, and written glyphs onto the linen of the various KA Mumbs.

The Baron, regardless, is fond of them, whether as a means to his end or to gain the favour of Osiris. Combine with the ANKOUs robot protectors of New Andria, the Mumbs could more than match the Plague Lord, Zomb MD's own horde of Zombs.

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The KA Mumb was offered last year as blind single colour-ways, which means you won't know what colour would get till you get it, as well as a complete all four colour-ways pack. These include white, yellow, red, and green. The secret drop of the day is a camo version. I passed the Mumbs, as my mind isn't into to, only to my occasional regret for not obtaining it. I finally made up my mind and pull the trigger on the secondary market for one, at a curiously very reasonable price, for the yellow version one. Fully wrapped in Band Aid, with a steam / boiler pack attach to its back and hoses, it is a special figure seeing it in hand. I know nuts about the Adventure Kartel universe, with the exception of the one sheet comic and poster which comes with almost every 3A figures, so I have to resort to gleaming various infos about mummy, Egyptian deities and Boris Karloff. As well as thermo dynamics. I just love the cycle of liking a 3A fig, then go on to check on the stuffs all over the net, perhaps gaining some half baked general knowledge in the process. With a twist from my imagination of course.

ThreeA - Popbot : Tomorrow King Edo 2 Pack.

A (mis) interpretation:

Category: Custom mass production replicants.

Model type: The Tomorrow Kings - GEN 0.

Unit type: X Annis De Tenebris Protectores - The Ten Years of Darkness Protectors, The Momba Local Defence Militia.

ID: Edo 001 - The Great White; Edo 002 - The Big Black  / "金".
Rank: Shatei.

Manufacturer: The Luthor Bean Jr. Corporation.

Incept date: 7th October 1994.
Serial no.: TKG00XBD07101994.

Longevity: Unknown.

Function: Tactical support.

Physical level: B.

Mental level: D.

Abilities: Cybernetic and bionics reinforced superhuman physiology; PBU (Pressure Built Up) and DNK (Dominant Non-Stop Knockouts) combat arts.

Std. armaments: FU2  12.7 x 99mm assault cannon x 1; monomolecular katana x 2; krak grenade x 2; frag grenade x 2; bionic implants; plasteel ceramite epidermis armour.

1994. Leviathan 1 interstellar space ship, Site 7, L3. The Ten Years of Darkness. Queen Mortis and her machine legions have successfully breached into the realspace from the Underverse Warp rift and gained control of 70% of the geographical land mass. It ended Luthor Bean Jr's string of victories against the Mortis Legion which began in 1986. Besets by the irreversible malfunction of the DNA Organ machine, random Interloper mutations occurrence amongst the Tomorrow Kings and Queens due to gene seeds degradation and systematic obliteration of the hatcheries, the mysterious dhampir lord and crafty biorobotics genetic engineering prodigy has no other choice but to retreat to Grid 7174  and defending it tenaciously in order to deny Queen Mortis a complete victory and control over Leviathan 1. Luthor Bean Jr comes up with the alternative method to produce next generation of his replicant superhuman warriors by harvesting the Progenoid Gland from the dead ones which contains the DNA to cultivate the gene seed important to produce a Tomorrow King and Queen. Nevertheless, the shock of defeat and the speed of the Mortis Legion re-domination over the battle fields mean that the only remaining fully functioning gene-laboratory, Hatchery 51 could not meet the production numbers require to reverse the result immediately.

As temporary stop gap measure, Luthor Bean Jr orders the re-introduction and re-development of the Edo series Tomorrow Kings. These are the very first replicants produced by his late father. Derisively called the "basement model" by critics, the Edo series are technically replicants with cybernetics and bionic implants. Also nicknamed as "dolls", the Edo TKs are generally put together using left over replicant parts during the culling process. Apart from bionics, the Edo series  have their entire torso, limbs and even heads bolted (some say cobbled together) and reinforced with plasteel ceramite epidermis armour, based on the original template of the earliest experimental model made by the late Luthor Bean Sr. Some argue that they are not replicant at all, more akin to an android or cyborg.

The Edo TKs are neural mapped to defend Grid 7174, also known as Momba, at any costs as well as fending off all forms of Mortis Legion attack. Their cybernetic enhancements give them unprecedented endurance and resiliency, comparable to a standard TK, as well as gain reputation as relentless and disciplined fighters. In defence they are stubborn and indefatigable, able to stand unwaveringly against the heaviest fire and hold their position against all corners to the last living body. Luthor Bean Jr once remarked, 'Say what you like about 'em. Mean, ugly bastards but tenacious.  And cheap. There's no one else I would rather have by my side in a war of attrition.' All Edo TKs are standard issued with six-barrel, belt feed 12.7 x 99mm calibre bolter ammunition FU2 assault cannon, with adjustable firing rate of from 1000 to maximum of 6000 rounds per minute. Like all rotary type assault cannon, it unleashes a torrent of bolter shells, a mass reaction, depleted uranium armour piercing tip shells with explosive ammunition and is amongst the fastest firing weapons in the Underverse War. The FU2 could shred a Mortis corrupted machine to ribbons in seconds. They are also given a pair of standard monomolecular edged katana each, with krak and frag grenades. By the nature of their design, the Edo TKs could not be programmed as a Panzer Kunstler, but Luthor Bean Jr. compensate the absence of the anti-armour martial art with the combination of the Pressure Built Up (PBU) and Dominant Non-Stop Knockouts (DNK) hand to hand combat techniques. When not in combat, each Edo would lies still, almost catatonic in nature, but a slight sight or sound made by a Mortis machine, they would immediately jump into life, ready to sacrifice themselves and defend their position at all cost.

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The final of the first wave of TKlub is a pair of these black and white colourway TKs which look like cyborgs. There are rivets on the arms, legs and rusty looking face. Which is kind of, for the lack of better word, eerie looking. Think Chucky. Comes with awesome gatling gun with rotating barrel, grenades and katana swords as usual but the primary difference is the movable finger digits and ball joint (?) bendable shoes. The thumbs on both figures come off easily just as it is re-attachable back but are kinda loose. I am very afraid of breaking the fingers. The ammo belt is made of soft rubber with two points to plug into the machine gun but I failed miserably. Glue to the rescue. Again I re-imagine the entire fluffs, not official mind you, which is ironically what makes me attract to these figures from 3A in the first place. Abbreviations are order of the day - PBU, DNK - pretty much what these really means are unknown to me. Typical of 3A, a random "Red Commander" version, in, uh, red colourway was also made available on drop day. Later an exclusive fourth "blue" version was released for BBICN ACG 2013 toy fair.