Monday 17 June 2019

Core Space - Crew of the Black Maria

I have finished painting my first batch of 32mm scale hard plastic figures for Battle Systems Ltd's, Core Space sci-fi skirmish game. Over the next few posts I'll be showcasing my painted figures for this excellent game, starting off with the crew of The Black Maria.
First in line is Jace Dolman, a 38 year old human. Captain Dolman had a short but distinguished career in the military of his homeworld Kalli in the Derfer System. He became sickened by the constant civil wars between the nations of his planet and their neighbours and decided to cut his career short. After buying himself out of military service he found himself broke and in the rough end of the galaxy.
Jace spent most of a decade bouncing between jobs but eventually found work. He used his skills to establish himself as the cool-headed pilot of The Black Maria, a heavily financed trader ship constantly teetering on mechanical failure and repossession. After four years his Captain died and he found himself reluctantly in charge, left with the responsibility and financial burden of the ship. Jace takes his responsibilities very seriously, the welfare of his crew always his main concern. He uses his military-honed wits to keep his crew alive and ahead of the competition.

Next up in Eli Renton, a 36 year old human who is a trained soldier with a sardonic attitude that didn't fit well with his superiors, eventually resulting in a dishonourable discharge. He believes that every soldier and every civilian is not an expendable asset and tries his hardest to keep everyone alive. He likes to have as much information as possible before making a decision but can make sharp judgements under pressure.
Renton always looks for ways to avoid conflict, reasoning that the best way to win a fight is to not be in one. He would like to be anything other than a soldier, but his skill-set always brings him back to the fringe worlds, risking his life for little gain. He dreams of settling down and having a family but he craves excitement, and the Trader life gives him what he needs.
Jay "Lars" Larsen is a 42 year old human and the ship's technician, an overworked, underpaid master of his trade. Over the years professional differences with his employers have seen Lars move from prestigious positions in the Galactic heartland to head spanner-monkey of a decaying ship in the fringes. This is a position he greatly prefers, as he holds absolute authority.
A bit querulous with a short fuse, Lars struggles to form close friendships and has little patience with those he considers less knowledgeable than him - everyone! Arrogant and surly, he is however, an excellent technician, able to fix the most dilapidated machine with the minimal of resources. Keeping the ship from falling apart is a full-time job, but Lars also doubles as the ship's medic, approaching each injury as an engineering problem. Unfortunately, a good bedside manner does not come with it.

Finally, is Lukas Beck, a 40 year old human, who is the ship's quartermaster, keeping the crew supplied with food, weapons and other essentials. He is a speculator of the galactic stock exchange and a trader in every way, looking for the very best deals and infuriating his crew by insisting on travelling from port to port and negotiating until he is satisfied. Trader life is often lean but none of the crew have missed a meal since Beck joined up, so he's doing something right.
Beck looks younger than his years which can be a hindrance during negotiations, but he has learned to let his inexperience do the talking. He prefers to stay out of trouble but fights ferociously when backed into a corner. He claims to want a normal job in a quiet sector but the glint in his eye says otherwise.

In Core Space there are currently six crews, each made up of four humans and/or alien species. I haven't mentioned how the crew are armed and armoured as that can change from mission to mission depending upon what they can find or trade. I can certainly envisage using all of the Core Space figures in my N.E.W. or Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD games, which is a nice bonus.

10 comments:

  1. Nice work on them all Bryan. I think Eli's pose is a bit off but it might just be the angle of the photo.

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    1. Thanks, Simon. You could be right about the photo angle. They look fine in real life.

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  2. Looking forward to hearing all about "Core Space", Bryan, so please keep these coming. There's a definite "Firefly" feel to the sculpts (and your paint-jobs), so I can see why, knowing you to be such a big fan of that TV series, like these minis so much.

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    1. Many thanks indeed, Simon. "Core Space" definitely has a "Firefly/Serenity" feel to it. But, it is just a great game in its own right. I will be running batreps of this game once I finish showcasing the starter figures.

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  3. Cracking paint job Bryan & I'm really looking forward to you giving this a run out as I now the sets for are top notch :)

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    1. Greatly appreciated, Frank. As well as great figures, the scenery is beautiful too. The space shuttles in particular are a joy to behold.

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  4. Bryan you'll have to slow down one day, the rate you are turning figures out is amazing.
    The facial details on the mouldings look a little soft in the photo's but I like the poses on the 2 outer figures, particularly the one on the right. He has a very mean - don't mess with me look about him.

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    1. Ha, ha, thanks, John. I have no plans for slowing down at all. You are right - the facial details are a little soft. They are better than the "Resident Evil 2" figures but not as good as Mantic's "The Walking Dead" figures.

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