Voltron (The Game)

Today, Toyconstruct brings you back into the 90s.

And Voltron is definitely something in that era. The era of Action Cartoons comprising Superheroes and Robots. Lots of Awesomely cool Robots! Among which, Voltron, Defender of the Universe is one of them.

It was one of those days where I felt like getting something nerdy and cool and I just so happen to browse around my local hobby shop and stumbled upon the Voltron, Defenders of the Universe Monsterpocalypse Game.

The Classic Lion Version Voltron

Just so you know, Voltron was the early 90s staple cartoon in my childhood. While I was into the cartoon in those days, I didn't really compile much facts on the robot except for knowing that 5 badass Lions combine to one awesome looking robot kicking ass and defeating all its enemies. Admittedly, I didn't follow the cartoon episode by episode as I didn't really know the timings for the tv series which so happen to be on a foreign broadcasting channel.

Voltron duels with Lo-tron

Similar to Gundam and Transformers, Voltron was created by the Japanese in the mid 1980s. And in my opinion, is the first famous "combined various pieces to form a massive robot" concept. In fact, I feel that it is the forefather of all future "Megazord" type Robots.

Voltron's Arch Nemesis, Lo-tron or Doom-tron

Derived from Robeast and like Voltron, Lo-tron would be the response from Beast King Golion  to fight Voltron and the Galaxy Alliance.

Lo-tron, Super Robot of the Drule Empire

These photoshoot was done in collaboration with Josh

Thanks to Josh's awesome macro Lens and his help, I was able to come up with these awesome pictures. The Macro lens really brings out the awesomeness of these figures.

Galaxy Alliance Ships

It is always iconic to see these good guys get down and gritty against the Drule Empire Skeleton Space ships in full out space wars. Amidst the massive scale battle, you would see Voltron and his adversary as the centre piece of it all. Similar to the cartoon, Privateer Press had come up with the Voltron Tabletop game that involves two players pitting for victory and taking the side of Voltron and Lo-tron respectively.

The Lion Force as Individual Lions

I have not had the chance to be able to play the tabletop game due to the many pending tasks I have to do. However, I am told that the gameplay is the same as Monsterpocalypse.

Robeasts

Seperate Robeasts forming the components that make Lo-tron.

Full out Fight! 

It is said that Voltron is about as big as an Aircraft Carrier. That being said, there is always some truth in the saying of "Size does Matter". And with the success of Pacific Rim involving gargantuan robots fighting colossal kaiju monsters, there is something about Robots and Monsters that bring the child in every geeky adult. Nothing speaks epic block buster like Humungous Robots and Monsters.

Speaking of big-assery and Pacific Rim, another classic monster shall be hittng the big screen real soon. For those who don't already know, the reimaging of Godzilla shall be hitting theaters on 16 May and the trailer below looks pretty darn promising.

 

Now wouldn't it be super awesome to see Voltron take on Godzilla? In fact, Guillermo del Toro expressed enthusiasm for a potential crossover between Godzilla and del Toro's Pacific Rim but stressed that no such plans are in place. Gareth Edwards, director of Godzilla is intending for the Godzilla film to be a standalone so we might not get what we want from this idea.

Nevertheless, know in terms of massive Robots, we have Voltron as one of the inspiration to thank.

I leave with the Theme Video of Voltron. And be sure to check out our FB Album page on all the Voltron Miniature from the Privateer Press, Voltron: Defenders of the Universe Game here.

Once again, Special thanks to Josh for helping me on this shoot. Let me know how you guys find the pics and any memories in relation to Voltron.

Cheers!

The M2A3 Bradley

Oh dear me, how time has got the better of us all.

Almost a third of the year has passed and I have only finished cleaning all my collectibles and their respective compartments. (Well, I do have huge collections of various stuff)

Regardless, I am behind time on doing many models and miniatures but will try my best to finish all on time. At the moment, working to concurrently complete the 1/700 Modern US fighter jets and some M-ATV as you may have noticed on the sidebar on project I am working on. Furthermore, as mentioned before, I am intending to post more this year compared to before.

I will most definitely put up lots more stuff this year with many new surprises for Toyconstruct.

For now, I shall be featuring one of the main categories of this blog. And it would be none other than the Modern Military Section. Ironically, this would be the first Modern Military post for the year. What with the MarvelHero madness for the start of the year, we have been focusing more on Action Figures. Nevertheless, I shall be showcasing some pictures of the M2A3 Bradley by Dragon Armor.

 The M2A3 IFV. Capable of carrying 6 Men and Packing firepower to rip through squads of infantrymen.

In service since 1981, this mean machine is already in its early 30s. The newest of the M2 version of the Bradley would be the M2A3. Dragon Armor has provided a detailed 1/72 collectible complete with up armor that makes the M2A3 look really impressive.

Nothing speaks America and Freedom like an M2A3 rolling down the Desert Road with an Eagle in the background.

 Did you know that M2 Bradleys had fire port with which Infantry could fire from. All within the protection and confines of the vehicle. However, with the commonality of the M2A3 putting up extra armour kits, these fire ports are often covered up. In any case, 6 fireports were reduced to two from the older version of the M2 to the M2A3. On the perspective of  reviewing the M2A3 model, it would be vital to note that unlike my previous showcase of Dragon Armour, The Challenger II Tank shown in 2011, this M2A3 is made from plastic.

Dragon Armour is pretty good with 1/72 Ready Made Models

 Despite being different material from the Challenger II, the quality and detail have not been compromised. The vehicle looks like a beau.

Named after General Omar Bradley, this war machine main armament is its 25mm M242 chain gun.

 While no matched for the Main Battle Tank in armour or firepower, the Bradley still can hold its own with its TOW anti-tank missiles.

 The IFV still remains relevant in Modern Urban Warfare. Providing fire support and troop transport, the M2A3 is a vehicle to be reckon with.

Alert on the Highway

Like the M1 Abram, the M2 Bradley caught my eye in one of the first RTS games I had played when I was a primary school kid. The game was none other than Command and Conquer. Dubbed as the light tank under the link here, it was the main armour of choice for the mid game missions under the Brotherhood of Nod.

Ahh the good old days.. I am not sure if i have said this before, but what made me get more involved in Modern Military would be the great influence that the Original Westwood Command & Conquer had on me. In any case, after I delve more into Modern Military, it became more clear to me that the light tank was a wrong classification to the M2A3 and Infantry Fighting Vehicle was a more suitable term.

Hope you guys like the pictures and there are more of the Dragon Armour M2A3 in our Toyconstruct Facebook Page as shown in this album here.

Do let me know if CnC had any influence into you getting into Military Model Kits and Modern Warfare.

Till Next time, 

Thanks for your viewership and support! 

Aoshi Shinomori

Hi Anime Fanboys and Girls,

If you haven't already know, Warner Brothers are releasing a sequel to the successful Movie Version of the Rurouni Kenshin. Rurouni Kenshin 2: The Great Kyoto Arc is set to release in August 1 2014 as shown below in the trailer.

And I am excited to find out that they will be featuring Aoshi Shinomori in this sequel. For those who are new to the Rurouni Kenshin story. Aoshi Shinomori is the leader of the Oniwabanshu who faced Kenshin. Historically, the Oniwabanshu worked for the Shogunate during the Edo period. After the revolution, Aoshi and his band found it hard to adapt to life in the Meiji period and decided to work for the corrupt business man Kanryu. Aoshi face Kenshin when Kenshin was enroute to save Megumi from Kanryu.

Enjoy my pics on Aoshi below!

 Okashira: The Leader

 With his Kodachi, Aoshi uses the Kaiten Kenbu techique for his defense.

In the Anime and TV Series, Aoshi is first featured as Kanryu "Muscle" in his opium manufacturing business.

Let the blade do the talking.

Aoshi is mesmerizing. His swordplay beautiful yet deadly.

 His two Kodachi are but extensions to his ouigi, the Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren.

I was truly impress by Aoshi grace and swordplay when I saw him in the anime. And I was quite disappointed to find out that he wasn't in the first Rurouni Kenshin Movie despite the fact that the storyline involved Kanryu and Megumi in the opium manutacturing business.

I assumed that they put Hannya and Aoshi persona as one character, Gein in the life action movie as shown below.

However, I was quite wrong on that guess with the updated news that Aoshi would be in the next show.

Any guess on what role he would play in the new movie? Please do pray tell on this!

In any case, it is gonna be pretty awesome to see the next sequel and I do hope they do justice to his character in the series. It took me quite awhile to get these pictures done right and I do hope they truly showcase his character and sword mastery.

Hope you guys enjoyed much from this post! Check out his album here. See ya next time for more of our models and collectibles!

Bloodletters of Khorne

Good Day to all of you again!

As previously mentioned, we have been on a hiatus for quite awhile. It has been so long that I have forgotten as to whether I may have featured or publish posts that I might have mistakenly post before.

Nevertheless, we are back to our old regular ways of posting more awesome geeky posts. I assure you that there will be more to come and I plan to at the very least post more than the past previous two years and get you guys into reading more of our features.

For today, I am going to feature my recent accomplishment in Warhammer.

Have a look at my Bloodletters of Khorne!

Regiment of Khorne

While these daemons are simple enough to paint due to its one colour get-up. I decided to do much layering and blend many shades of red and orange together. Furthermore, I thought giving the flaming backdrop for these minions of Khorne would provide a more terrifying atmosphere to showcase their power.

Bloodletter Champion: Bloodreaper

In my opinion, among all minions of Chaos, the Bloodletters are the most menacing core minions of them all. I am also always enchanted by their Hellblades which have the Killing Blow ability that proviides a great deal of POW to a battle.

 

The Blood Reaper is given a special base in which I made from green stuff. Essentially, the Champion walks on fire.

Bloodletter of Khonre scans for challengers

The Notoriety of the Hellblade

The Pinnacle of Fear in the Hearts of Men

It has been quite a long while since I last put my various armies to battle. And with Warhammer being much more alienated from its community, it has given me less impetus and motivation to want to get updated and play the current game. Furthermore, with the new updates on the Daemons of Chaos, the Bloodletters of Khorne have become a little less scary with the higher cost of fielding them and the drop in strength. It seems that without their herald, they aren't as powerful as before

The Sculpt looks scary and I am hoping my paintjob makes them even more menacing. But on paper, they seem like...paper.

Despite all the downright bummer aspect of the company, the cost of keeping updated and playing the game, I still have a liking for fantasy miniatures. Having been collecting, assembling and painting these guys for 13 years or so, I have a special place in my heart for these guys.

And while I may be less of a gamer, I will still from time to time, get a few miniatures to paint. In fact, it is due to painting my fantasy miniatures that have enabled my skills in drawing and painting to improve. Through that, I am able to transfer these skills into drawing better stuff and painting better for my military models too.

Till next time, please enjoy the rest of my Bloodletter on our facebook page album here.

Cheerios!