I was being snide when I called it WBA's star trooper though, because I wish it wasn't. That said, Shang Ji are one of the coolest designs in the game, survived their update in perfect condition, and before the curtailment of international travel left me separated from my INFINITY collection by a vast distance, I was working on building up my IA and Spiral, so this very welcome. All that's left is to keep our fingers crossed that Shang Jisus isn't sculpted as a Ca-deficient gnomeish woman tripping over a large rock and wildly flailing her HMG from her left hand.
Considering its pretty much already sculpted (or at least a big version for that failure of a kickstarter) I don't think there's much of a chance of this happening.
It'll probably look like the failed busy minds statuette kickstarter, I reckon they'll reuse whatever CAD stuff they had made up for it.
Hope you are right. No matter what it will be Javier Urena Sculpting them, who has a very high success rate, but I believe a couple of terrors when it comes to power-armoured women like Wu Ming HRL, Domaru spitfire, Brigada women...
I'm hoping for a female sculpt just so we need to find a new name for that profile. I'm mildly evil like that. Although I will mirror the hope for sane use (or non-use) of tactical rocks, good sizing and intelligent pose. I haven't really liked the design of most of CB's female HI sculpts recently (the dysmorphia on ORCs is so bad I refuse to use both genders in the same list), but I really like the MULTI Rifle Crane and some of the other old YJ concepts.
@the huanglong Is this me having bad taste, or the sizing? I'm pretty sure there's no space for hips in that armour, but best I can tell many of the male concepts were similar at the time.
It's hand sculpted I believe, like the original Shang Ji, which this model shares many similarities with. I know this model very well and have fond memories of using it in games. It is not from an era where INFINITY released subtly feminine models. If it were intended as a female it would have globular breasts sculpted into the armour, and heels at a minimum.
It is not, it is way tinier than CAD sculpts. And it has a slim braid, which CAD sculptors haven't managed to make. And it doesn't have giant power armor titties so its probably a dude.
Just remembering how I darkened it's armour at some point and painted the scenic base after it killed it's first Shasvastii. (Triangulated fire against Noctifier)
It's a decent shape and great size for being a female Crane with today's measurements, however, take a closer look at the old Daofei HMG sculpt for what sexual dimorphism for HI looked like at the time when that Crane was released. You'll probably need to miniature in person and not go off a picture
I've actually got one of those. Grabbed it right before White Banner released. It's still in the blister, on account of the White Banner release. From looking at the pieces I saw boobplate, which I'm not fond of, and it being relatively thin in comparison with the male MULTI Rifle version- though not as bad as something like an ORC. Guess I used to be spoiled back when I played Yu Jing for nice designs (picked it up about 6 months before Uprising), with the exception of the Wu Ming HRL which I hate to this day. Could have sworn the Crane was female from the relatively narrow shoulders, I'm used to Infinity's men being built like gorillas with a rifle. I have now learned my lesson, and will give up hope of ever getting some miniatures with slim, sleek power armour that don't have missile nosecones attached to the breastplate.
I'm not a fan of heavy dimorphism in general, but the old Daofei is one of my favourites of the old ones because the complete pose doesn't let the massive boobplate dominate or define the miniature. Of course, the new Daofei are offer significantly better sculpt quality, so the old one doesn't stand the test of time, but the old Crane is only marginally less detailed that a skilled painter can't compensate for or an unskilled painter won't destroy on the newer miniatures, so that one is still really good IMO. Plus you know... the removal of the HMG from Daofei and the fact that the old style HMG looked a) bad and b) like nothing but a HMG...
I actually plan to use an old Hsien HMG as the proxy for the MULTI Marksman Rifle variant until/unless we see a real one, the multiple barrels aren't the weirdest thing put onto a MULTI weapon. My Daofei HMG will probably see the table as a Hacker unless I can get the other old one, in which case it will replace my Kaldstrom Spitfire- I like fielding deliberately obsolete-looking or visibly undersupplied armies, and that older power armour fits well with WB's scrappier elements. That or absolute gonzo; I actively avoid trying any Sectorial with access to the Knight of Montessa because I know I have an old plastic forklift that would fit perfectly on an S4 base and my opponents deserve better.
On white banner identity and how it would translate gameplay wise, I'm still utterly convinced that one of the main attribute of "new yu-jing" since the uprising and IA's launch is its ability to play on order generation. ISS plays on kuang-shi and powerful Imperial Agent lieutenants to lead their squads of henchmen and carry the day (admittedly this could be improved upon, but it's a topic on white banner so let's keep this discussion for another day). ISS could be the ultimate "I'm gonna fuck you up with my lieutenant" sectorial. IA has powerful NCOs, as well as squads of Tactical Aware HI. The focus is less on singular units and more on teamwork. Enters White Banner. At the moment, the banner doesn't do this play on order any better than some other sectorials. There is, however, one niche left to fill for the banner, which is to give additionnal orders to solo units. Spreading tactical awareness all over the sectorial, but only to non-linkable or haris-only profiles. Tac aware daofei, ye mao spitfire, specific guilang profile (like the non-minelayer shotgun, or the barebone combi rifle), jing qo, maybe even tiger soldiers. Reworking monks to give them tac aware instead of impetuous could fit well with this as well, and give them a unique niche amongst warbands. Overall, it would still promote the aggressive, active turn focused playstyle characteristic of yu-jing, but while ISS is focused on pumping orders into 1 lieutenant, and IA into 1 squad, the banner would focus on attacks on multiple fronts.
I don't hate the concept, however I'm not sure about replacing impetuous on the monks for TacAw, they'd get charged for TacAw which is 3 points to only sort of get an extra order. Then they'd get double whammied by increasing in cost again for losing impetuous. Also TacAw doesn't work on Tigers, can't generate the order if they're not on the table. "During the Order Count step, if the user is on the game table as a Model or Marker, the player will place an Irregular Order beside the user." Overall concept is decent though, and also keep the profiles out of Vanilla otherwise we're just buffing Vanilla and not fixing the problem.
Maybe let the monk with frenzy then? I kinda like the idea of monks going on a tactical zen rampage once they're warmed up. Though looking at jaguars I'm not sure it would be enough of a discount. Yeah obviously.
Remove the Shang Ji, give Zhanshi AVA Total, and then let the Pangguling FTO, Rui Shi, and Son Bae join the Zhanshi link. Hell, throw in a holomask-only Lu Duan FTO for good measure. Regardless of how it's done, I want WB to be a sectorial that focuses on supportive links helping to enable strong solo pieces, not the other way around like it is now.
