I kind of wish it was the Patchers or the Strannik that got release with the Alpha pack so I can fill out my Fireteam. But I guess those 3 Kosmoflot models are great too.
I would say for a TAG the Agamemnon has a pretty dynamic pose. I like. But both TAGs look like S6 HI somehow. I miss the TAG feel. Carlotta and the Tomcat are good. She looks more "modern" like the old one (which I painted not so long ago) but not enough that I want her in the new design. And Moraty - just a normal Zondcat. The old one is so much more cool - I ever wish the would gave her some funny CC skill like MA1 or CC-3 in add to Para-3. I do still not like the medikits pistol pose (everytime) and the Gizmo is too big for one hand wielding, is looks always a bit akward. Apart from this, three models with one ZC would not be so bad ;-) Hungries - I just realise they are two different kinds in the render. At first I thought some new kind of Antipodes. Shukash ? new Haq TAG. Looks cool but more like a HI and the armour looks not Arm 6, more Arm 8 or 9. Ariadnans: Agree to the silly sword pose, like the cool AC and the open helmet - nice stuff.
Shakush, very chunky model, I like it a lot and can't wait to add it to my collection - but as many of us have said before in the waiting of this model, the choppa has to go. Agamemnon - overall nice, would like to see it painted but I'm sure I'll add it to my collection. Tomcat / Carlota - cute zondcats (skinny legs though, hope they won't break!), I like the Doc, Carlota looks good but her leaning tactical rock pose is a bit off for me. The box is nice, hopefully it won't be priced too high give there's only two models (plus two bots), it'll give me a lot of options and proxies with the models. Hungries - I like them, I'm not a fan of the previous model at all. But I already have Taigha's and with the new design, they will stand proxy quite nicely :)
I would like to see another angle on the Tomcat Doctor, but seems fine from this side. Carlota seems OK, but I was hoping for less cute and more gritty. I am very disappointed it is both a Zondcat and Moriarty, as one mini could have easily filled both profiles. That would have left space to replace the old D.E.P. mini (eg a Panzerfaust, or a Mine).
This makes me worried about what this takeover could mean for the other groups on Bakunin. I don't think the Observance should be the face of Bakunin considering the fluff of the mothership. Though this event can make for some interesting story material if written well.
CB designers miss the most important side of making an infinity mini. A mini has to define the unit abilities. I want my tomcat dr to look like a dr with a bag. Holding 2 weapons seems to me silly. These are parachutist guys but they dont look like one.
I dunno... Carlotta's pose is awful. She should be bossy, not "let me stand on that thingy for no reason with two guns in hands". This is sooo generic and overused. And Moriarty is just a generic zondcat now :( That's the February Tomcats box, right? I hope they won't make more Tomcat releases. And of course it would be priced like any other box. Look! It's 4* models there! All hail Mistress Kusanagi! I hope they'll finally get some totalitarian black ops sect going.
The Doctor is holding a Medikit, defining it as either a Doctor or Paramedic (and also has a bag on his hip). Likewise Carlotta and the Engineer from Beyond both have Gizmokits, signifying that they're engineers. Parachutists generally don't have jetpacks or similar as they drop away from the battle and arrive from the flank (it used to be called Airborne Infiltration), having jump gear or wings is usually a sign of Combat Jump, which Tomcats don't have. The Tomcats are consistent with the visual language CB uses for their abilities.
But they are going to be changing fluff. Actually moving it along. It sounds like the Observance managed some sort of coup. I'm interested in what they mean by corruption. Shasvastii corruption or good old fashioned human corruption? This corruption probably led to more than normal bad things, making the people even as libertarian as them to want the Observance to take over. Now that I look again, I'm liking the Hungries a lot more. I think Aggy will look better painted. Shakush looks very static. I also am not a fan of the sword. That's a chopper btw. It's probably useless to stab with a TAG CCW. Or at least sub optimal to stab. Otherwise he looks cool. I think I might be a little jaded with poses now. I've been putting together and painting MCP figures and the dynamics they put into their figures are fantastic.
If the Observance takes over, Bakunin is in great danger. All of those fringe groups would be targeted by the fanatical nuns to wipe or expel them off of the mothership. the Moderators and other parts of Bakunin will need to fight back. I hope there is someway to have the crazy kooky side of Bakunin as their own sectorial. I hope there will be a forum thread for the lore that comes out of the book when it does release next calendar year.
We don't know which way they'll go with it. This might not be an internal conflict on Bakunin, but a voluntary shift of ideas and values. Also, everyone seems to believe that religious and progressive sides to Bakunin will be at odds, what if they'll decide to act in unison?
The fact the Observance itself is a fairly reactionary organization already plus acting now against the corruption and Social Energy seem to weigh against at them cooperating.
I can definitely see Riot Grrls having conflict with the Observance. I look forward to seeing how it works out in the fluff.
Things are, we don't know yet what kind of "corruption" it is : material ? Ideological ? Shasvastii massive infiltration, ALEPH subversive propaganda, PanO or Yu Jing influence growing, inner corruption of the system going really too far, just to name a few. The Observance is already know to have saved the ship once against ALEPH, so they can play on that status to rise to a more prominent power on the ship without creating too much opposition. You know, the famous, "Look, we are here to save the day, again, don't worry, remenber what happens last time, everything will be ok... we will just burn one Commune or two, take more power here and their, but it's for the greater good of the ship, and it will be temporary... maybe... promise!". And as far as they don't mess too much with the Communes system, I can see everyone not bating an eyelash about that. Or, the Observance can simply absorb them. Both organisations are very feminist, very belligerent and they both are fighting against the "system". It's just their definition of system can be different but I'm sure the Observance is convincing enough to channel the Riot Grrls, and powerful enough to tame them if necessary (if the Observance is really taking power, it's a "follow me or die" situation for the Grrls)
The Observance may very well have manufactured the Violent Intermission to unify the fracturing ship against the common enemy that they already hated. Doing so again doesn't seem too far fetched. "Sure we don't have any evidence, but who you gonna believe, us or those other guys that aren't us?"
I discovered in artstation that Corvus Belli hired Lucas Allegretti, a sculptor of human interface. While waiting for the painted minis to be published, we have more 3d renders of the O12 drone here : https://www.artstation.com/artwork/2qwRdY
