I want to try to give it a fair review when we finally have release pics. I know my feelings toward a miniature sometimes change once I get a better look at it. But the Bultrak is such an unattractive design. I really appreciate that they tried to do something different, and I feel like I understand the design intent, to create a TAG that looks and moves like a Hungry. And the Bultrak does kind of look like a Hungry. Its silhouette is interesting. But the pilot ruins the whole thing. Not only is it placed in an awkward way that seems like it would severely limit the TAG's mobility (can it even walk without kneeing the pilot?), it also seems completely counterintuitive for a TAG to leave the pilot almost completely exposed. Especially a Morat TAG! Especially a TAG that looks like it wants to be in close combat! There's lots of other design elements I don't care for too. The main gun looks like something off a GIJoe toy, and mounting on the back seems weird to me in a way I can't quite figure out. The pistols mounted on the arms are a cool idea in theory, but look really goofy to me. The head also just seems too big. I suspect we're going to see a half dozen good 3rd party 3d printed designs. Its too bad, because my preference would be to give CB my money, but this is an awful model. I was lukewarm on the new Morats, but told myself I'd give them a try if the Bultrak looked good. It needed to be the miniature that won me over. Instead it pushed me away hard, and I ended up spending the money I had earmarked for Morats on some new Star Wars Legion stuff (and previously I was probably the biggest Morat fan in the world).
@jake richmond hard agree on the main gun looking silly, it doesn't fit the established MAF/CA weapon aesthetics in any way, shape, and form. Also, cool design concept of a CC monster is wasted on a TAG that has no business being on CC. +1B CCW does not counteract low CC score and no CC skills. But this leads into the topic of wtf is Bultrak even supposed to be. I honestly don't see much need to field it instead of Raicho, even if it'll somehow keep a smaller silhouette. If it'll get bumped to S7 and won't get any changes to make it actually worth it (which would in turn indicate a poor design workflow)? What's the point? As great as new MAF is, it could still use a few tweaks. And Bultrak is the main one.
huh, I just noticed that. The motorized 112 is in the support pack, but not in c1 rules. But I think that motorcycles just having zippy movement and impetuous is enough to bring them into C1 no? Yeah they lose a chunk of versatility not being able to hop off in game. But that comes with the simplified nature of C1, lots of stuff loses utility. Plus someone at CB really likes bikes, and bikes do sell. It wouldn't be a move that surprised me.
The Motorised 112 is not in the Code One support pack, they released him in his own blister and put the on foot 112 in instead.
As much as I agree on everything said about its appearance, I think rules wise the bultrak is just a good supplement to the raicho (I know, I repeat myself). That Autocannon can kill things the raicho will usually struggle with, and I like the +1B CCW as a kind of deterrent to people trying to attack it in cc more than an actual incentive to use it in CC itself. But gods, that model. It sucks so much. And I generally like all the other nu-MAF models.
I respect your vision, unfortunately I don't see the same potential in this particular miniature, but will wait until we see the final product, preferably painted. As for the Vurgok, I concur with your assessment that a Morat fire superiority TAG would have been amazing on a chasis like that, with either tripod or quadropod continuous tracked legs. Maybe this is a clue about what went wrong, that they wanted to cram too much into the same profile and miniature, and became a mishmash. Okay, so I must confess that I originally did not see the likeness in the Bultrak and this idea coming from the Hungries, but now as you mention it, I start to see something... But then the problem stems from this half baked idea, and how they did not think it through enough and go all the way with it. The Hungries have a very distinct head for example, they should have made it reflected in the design of the Bultrak's head as well. The forelimbs of the Hungries are rather interesting, because the blade-like thingies make it effectively a three-part limb, which probably works something like a predatorial foreleg we see mostly in mantises (who are usually ambush predators). As the Hungries seem to be actively pursuing their prey, there has to be dissimilarity between them, but still, the idea is probably the same: 1. strike rapidly with its longer reach and preferably pierce the prey, 2. draw-in the grasped prey immediately, 3. bite it and eat it fast. The current Bultrak just doesn't scream this kind of mobility, swiftness, and close combat oriented style. They could have gone towards a stealth style TAG easily based on Hungries, but it should have looked either like the Siriusbot, on four legs, or a praying mantis ready to strike, stending on its hind legs. You mentioned about the main gun that "mounting on the back seems weird to me in a way I can't quite figure out", so here is my answer why I find it weird as well: it makes me feel this TAG wants to be everything and some more at the same time. The main gun mounted on the back makes it feel a like a cheap rip-off Overdron. The goofy pistols mounted on the arms remind me the high-tech Karakuri, which needs to have such integrated solutions because of its small size. And those predatorial forelegs, as we discussed earlier, make the impression of either a stealthy ambush or a high-mobility active predator built for close range encounters. These three are quite different from each other, almost block out each other. So I think CB should have embraced only one of the options, in my opinion the one based on the Hungries' style, and making it a fast TAG with great CC and good PH, good Dodging, Climbing Plus and Nanoscreen for reaching its targets, having Chest Mines, CC skills, devastating mellee (+1B AP+Shock CCW) and mid-range weaponry (something like Spitfire or Red Fury), with optional softening-up capabilities (higher costed profile with Panzerfaust).
Last chance to buy update. June 1st. PanOceania: - Zulu-Cobra, Recon and Special Intervention Group (Jammer) - Akalis Sikh Commandos (Spitfire) Ariadna: - Chasseurs (Adhesive-Launcher) - Ariadna Scout (Ojotnik) JSA: - Oniwaban Shinobu Kitsune (Monofilament CCW) July 1st. NA2: - Joe 'Scarface' Turner, Mercenary TAG Pilot - Armand "Le Muet", Freelance Killer (MULTI Sniper Rifle) - Authorized Bounty Hunter (Combi Rifle) - Father Lucien Sforza, Auth. Bounty-Hunter (Viral Rifle + ADHL) - Señor Massacre (AP CCW, E/M CCW) August 1st. Haqqislam: - Hortlak Jannisaries - Odalisques (Spitfire) - Hassassin Ragiks - Hassassin Lasiqs (Viral Sniper / Viral Rifle) - Hassassin Bahram Haqqislam Sectorial Army Starter Pack - Tariqa, High Rank Counselor - Janissarie (HMG) - Hassassin Barid (Hacker) - Hassassin Farzans (Boarding Shotgun, Contender) - Hussein Al-Djabel (Rifle + Light Shotgun, Viral CCW) ALEPH - Deva Functionaries - Asuras (Spitfire)
It does seem soon for the Hortlak to go. But the only other Ramah unit on the list is the Janissary HMG which is old and bad. To me the weirdest choice is the Odalisque Spitfire, an excellent model which already replaced an out-of-date sculpt. The rest are HB units that will presumably be repacked or resculpted, but I don't know whether we should expect the same with the Hortlak, Janissary, and Odalisque. I bet @colbrook would know.
I appreciate the confidence but I don't know more than the average bloke. Some are obvious, Kitsune is already confirmed to get a resculpt, Zulu Cobra have two blisters which makes them an ideal candidate for a double blister repack. Mr. Deadpool already has a resculpt on the SoF box, and the Chasseur and Scout are old as balls. Pilot Joe and Le Muet are odd ones, both are CAD sculpts and in factions that are currently supported. Sforza is probably due a resculpt soon as he was in Defiance, and the ABH is pretty ancient at this point. Hortlak and Odalisque might be a dual blister repack? Doesn't seem ideal as they're only together in QK which is OOP. Maybe Hortlak and Jann HMG? The surprising thing to me is that the Haqqtion pack is staying around with its mixed contents (80% RTF, 20% HB) it seemed an ideal candidate for a repack replacing the Fiday and Ragik for a couple other RTF blisters. Then do the two HB units in their own blister.
The OOP from Pano line is strange, it doesn't look like a resculpture (too recent) and not a repackaging (because for the zulu they would have removed the blonde zulu to repackage them). I think there will be some permanent removals.
Possibly they think it's not worth having 3 sculpts for the ZC in the catalogue and the jammer one sells the worst/needs a new mould? Or they forgot to put the hacker on the OOP list.
I don't have anything against the Bultrak's rules. In fact, I was thrilled we got a second TAG. Its very close to the exact TAG I suggested several years ago (minus the Heavy Shotgun). Its not perfect at all, but I think that's okay.
I think we have a hint at what is in the Haqqislam side of the Code One Haqq vs Aleph box. These models are going OOP August 1st. Which means that the box could be released around that time.
Operation: Black Wind will be up for preorder on the 1st of August, and available at Gen Con on the 4th, if previous convention releases are anything to go by.
I must say that if the Op: Black Wind goes the Crimson Stone way (I needed only two models from that box for my Corregidor - I had the rest in one or another older version), I'll have to seriously reconsider purchasing it. And given the list of Hassassin models scheduled to go OOP, I can't say I'm optimistic about it.
Interesting… looks like my wallet needs to prepare for the haqqi deluge that’s coming. The Aleph one too as my impulse to buy stuff is rampaging out of control.
Those Haqq discontinuations are a little curious in some cases. I can understand Hortlak and Odalisque being a repack for an Alpha or Bravo box. But I'm surprised at seeing Tariqa go, have any of the other RPG characters vanished or been reboxed? The Ragiks maybe a triple re-pack with the new one that was in the Beyond box. The rest are in a good position to be redesigned. However, what's with the Merc's... Scarface, Le Meut etc? I wouldn't have minded the Ltd Le Meut to be fair, but I never got around to picking up either model, and they have no chance at getting in on my radar anytime soon.
