[15mm] Ockman's Sci-fi, update 250121: Children of Thunder

[Ockman]

Lander in spaceport by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

Ubiquitous through all of United Government space, a workhorse throughout the millennia. It was there at humanity's first steps towards the stars, it's still in use ferrying travellers, troops and goods throughout the galaxy. It's neither sleek nor advanced, but the rugged construction can withstand rough handling and anyone with a hydrospanner and a user's manual can make a damaged one flyable with makeshift repairs. There are many models and copies, but they all go by the same moniker - Lander.

Originally designed and built by House Lander - it is unknown if the craft got named after the house, or if the house got its name from the craft - it was Earth's first mass-produced civilian transport spacecraft. Although the cargo hold is quite spacious, most of the freight is carried outside of the craft. Large and powerful electromagnets under the Lander lock the cargo in place, whether it is containers, fighting vehicles, or even prefabricated colony buildings...

Lander 501 was built unlicensed in an isolationist enclave in the Tichewa cluster, where it served the local militia for over two centuries. After successful reintegration of the Tichewa cluster (local civil war might be tolerated, but tax evasion won't be), the United Government sold off Lander 501 as military surplus. It has since shifted owners many times. It has been ferrying goods between the moons of Salbu V, it has been used for colonization on the Fringe. During the Purple Uprising, the 501 was commandeered by the Katonian army and used to exfiltrate the royal family. For a short while it transported pirate loot in the Dunba system, until it was stolen by daring adventurers looking for a ride. It has been repainted numerous times, but the protective coating originally put on the ship doesn't take paint all that well, leaving the ship with its original colours after a couple of hyperspace jumps...

Lander delivering a prefab colony building by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

Installing prefab building by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

Lander leaving the colony by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

Lander leaving by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

Lander in spaceport by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

Lander and the Peregrine by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

[Metternich]

Wonderful painting and a very interesting backstory.

[Ockman]

Wonderful painting and a very interesting backstory.

Thanks, Metternich!

[War Monkey]

I love it! The backstory is great too, the photos are great as well, it is amazing what a glass can do too!

[Scarper]

Love the scorch marks on the shuttle - understated, but tell a story of its background.

The fluff is great - I'm a huge fan of small details that build out your world, and this reflects a ton of implied backstory. Very characterful!

[Ockman]

I love it! The backstory is great too, the photos are great as well, it is amazing what a glass can do too!

Thanks, Doug! I tried to mount a magnet underneath the Lander, but it was too heavy to be supported by just one small magnet. Realized that I could just go with using a glass 

Love the scorch marks on the shuttle - understated, but tell a story of its background.

The fluff is great - I'm a huge fan of small details that build out your world, and this reflects a ton of implied backstory. Very characterful!

Thanks, Scarper! I'm inspired of the little lore snippets found in old RPG books, the tiny stories that tell something about the world at large, without having to spell it out in an obvious way.

"Alright, so the United Government doesn't have the ability to have every world under close control and allows some conflict, but will step in when there's genocide, slavery and ...tax evasion? And sometimes there are revolutions on United Government worlds, but they might let it play out, as long as the new leadership will pay their taxes..."

[Ockman]

Pembuka Extractor by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

Pembuka Extractor by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

Almost every space-faring civilization shares the same view on safety; some risks are acceptable as the civilization first struggles to leave their homeworld, but as soon as intergalactic travel is available to the common citizen, safety becomes paramount. All but the most makeshift ships and stations employ multiple safety systems, making space travel much safer than terrestial. Even so, accidents happen, as well as sabotage, terrorism, attempts of hostile takeovers and attacks.

The Pembuka Extractor was created as an emergency evacuation craft. Its powerful shielding made it possible to enter hostile environments, whether it was due to debris, asteroid fields, or enemy starfighters. What distinguishes the Pembuka Extractor is that it isn't reliant on functioning docking ports to evacuate passengers. Powerful electromagnets in the front can lock onto the hull, while four industrial beam cutters penetrate it, creating an entrance. The pressurized cabin can hold twenty human-sized individuals (although it might be tight), while the aft port can be used to dock with other evacuation ships. Although originally created as a rescue craft, the Pembuka Extractor soon found itself in new roles. Salvage crews used it to disassemble space hulks, while the United Government Navy and pirates alike used it as a boarding vessel.

Pictured here is "The Eviscerator", belonging to the Crimson Reavers. It was used in the infamous Kalara Station Heist, as well as the boarding of Star-Line Cruises' liner Vaera. Even if the Pembuka Extractor is nominally unarmed, Crimson Reaver hacker Becky Billions has managed to weaponize the electromagnets with signal modulation, creating rapidly shifting magnetic pulses that can disable electronics (or on higher settings, create rips in the hull), while overrides of the beam cutters' safety systems has given the craft a short range, high damage energy weapon. The hull of the Eviscerator is adorned with skull and crossbones motifs to strike fear in their prey. Fear is a weapon of its own, one that preferably can be used to make your prey give up, rather than fight you...

Boarding action by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

The Eviscerator by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

The Eviscerator by Oscar Falk, on Flickr

[LouieN]

That is a great little ship

[War Monkey]

That is a great ship! I love it's capabilities. The paint work is great as well.

Glad to see you back Oakman!

[Ockman]

That is a great little ship

Thanks, Louie!

That is a great ship! I love it's capabilities. The paint work is great as well.

Glad to see you back Oakman!

Thanks, Doug! I do enjoy building and designing little ships. I've used some waterslide transfers from GW on this one (the Krieg transfer sheet had some skulls and crossbones to warn for mines. I liked them better as pirate symbols. I was debating whether I should use these or the ones from the Ork transfer sheet, but these won out.

I haven't had a lot of hobby time this year, but now I have some things coming up!

[Idle Doodler]

That looks terrific. Love the effect you get with those simple panels.

The thought of cramming 20 spacegoers into that reminds me of my days commuting on Mexican combi public transport. Standing room only.

[Ockman]

That looks terrific. Love the effect you get with those simple panels.

The thought of cramming 20 spacegoers into that reminds me of my days commuting on Mexican combi public transport. Standing room only.

Thanks, mate! I really enjoyed cutting 0.5 mm plasticard for panels, so easy, so good looking!

I based this on being able to cram 24 people in my 2 sq.m kitchen when I turned 24. They would have plenty of space, if the choice was between being crammed or being dead

[Cacique Caribe]

Ockman

You never fail to amaze and inspire.  Thank you so much.

Dan

[Ockman]

Ockman

You never fail to amaze and inspire.  Thank you so much.

Dan

Thank you for the kind words, Dan!

[Ockman]

Sometimes things just need to rest for a while.

I was really excited by the third edition of Five Parsecs from Home, but couldn't find the peace to play some games. Two years later, I finally am back where I really want to play. Now I have a lot of minis that can stand in for different enemies, and enough terrain to build several different settings.

I have also started to finalize half-built things from the last eight years. One of the better examples is the Lander at the top of this page, but I've also put paint on some old terrain projects that have been forgotten about. I have gotten a new friend who is feeding me hobby updates from his side, which makes me more eager to commit hobby myself 

Hopefully, I'll be able to update more frequently!