IAF128 Arafa Strider three different 15mm mecha kits released!

“During his work on the Taranis main battle tank hulls chief engineer and guild master Ulus McTear allied himself with an up and coming younger woman who had come to work at the Targa work complexes on New Glastonbury.  Sally Bragan perfected the technology that would become known as the Bragan Memetic Neural Linkage system and this gained her entry into the same guild as McTear.  While arguing over the finer installation diagrams for the Bragan system, Ulus McTear had an idea that would give the armies of Prydia two new classes of war machine; the War Mecha and the Striders.  The ancient files from the Resource Wars of old Earth made mention of vehicles that walked on two legs and carried the fire power of the largest ground travelling war machines.  The GroatVey MkX HeavyIon Reasc Fusion Reactor had the power needed for a body frame some twenty to twenty five feet in height and by coupling them in pairs the reactors could also motivate a body frame over one hundred feet tall.  Revan Koore had perfected a gyroscope which would give balance and with Bragan's, linkage a pilot would be able to make his or her giant body respond to thought and become an extension of their own selves.  It took all the resources that the Targa works could provide and more than a year when with great fanfare the first Afara type Strider walked out of the fabricator yard on its own feet.

The Afara comes in three primary variants and these are the 26WA which has a centrally mounted Hermit 50mm Auto-Grenade Launcher as well as a Valerin 15Mw Laser Cannon on its arm while its other arm has a gauntlet for close combat and more delicate work.  The 26WB which has a Anda 60mm Missile Pod and an Angis 25mm AP Cannon and the 26WC boasts a 'Bladesman' load out with an Anda 60mm Missile Pod plus an Octa Powered Sword and a Shield.  The Strider has a similarity to the Duxis Battlesuit in its form it and it is a match for any light vehicle such as an Adder Combat Car and also some medium vehicles.  Since 4308 IC the Alfara has been in use by the Prydian Army and also the rebel leagues. Refer to other Auto-Trainer data swipes for additional technical and specialised information.  Restrictions for placement of pilots and training remain in effect as per Royal Decree in 4330 IC.”

Academy Auto-Trainer Series 58, New Glastonbury, 4334 IC 

Now on the website and our last release of the month!

The Afara is a light mecha cast entirely in high quality grey tone resin and supplied in three different kits.  It was designed by the awesome Sam Croes. These kits are easy to assemble from eight or nine pieces with a high degree of posing due to the sockets into which feet, legs and arms fit. Once assembled the Afara stands approx 55mm in height or about three times our typical human sized miniature. There are three variants under the code IAF128 each with its own battlefield role from troop support to anti-armour and close combat. 

Go HERE. Here is the information on each:

IAF128A Afara Strider 26WA 

One resin 15mm mecha kit for an Afara Strider armed with a Valerin 15Mw Laser Cannon arm and Anda 60mm Missile shoulder pod. 10.00GBP

IAF128B Afara Strider 26WC 

One resin 15mm mecha kit for an Afara Strider equipped for close combat with an Octa Sword, separate Shield and Anda 60mm Missile shoulder pod.  10.00GBP

IAF128C Afara Strider 26WB 

One resin 15mm mecha kit for an Afara Strider armed with a Bodkin Howitzer arm and Hermit 50mm Grenade Launcher shoulder pod.  10.00GBP

Go HERE.

The Afara Strider Diagrams

If you are a fan of The Ion Age and indeed science fiction warfare too (we really are!) you can click on the image above to bring it to its full A4 page size to see the Afara diagram and read the text too. This page fits in neatly with the Diagram Series pages for the Taranis super heavy main battle tanks which are to be found in the new Callsign Taranis expansion book to Patrol Angis.  You can find the game rules and statistics for the Afara in the Callsign Taranis book.

You only have a few days left to get IMP35 Cybernetic Retained Knight free in your order.  It will be retired and replaced on 1st August.  Free in every order and worth 0.60GBP it is a great bonus and fits into the collection of any wargamer who fields Retained Knights in Patrol Angis or elsewhere. Go HERE to read about this miniature in full.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

August and Year Three is nearly here!

It is about to be that time of year again that sees The Ion Age celebrate another year, this time its third year, of being space opera awesome for wargamers.  My baby is now a toddler with its own game system and near one hundred and fifty codes of 15mm scale miniatures, vehicles and terrain.  We will continue to grow of course but each August an event occurs which many look forward to namely the release of the full year of IMP Monthly Miniatures from last summer to this summer.  From September 2015 to August 2016 the miniatures were given away free in every order and shortly you will be able to purchase them as singles or a set in the YOC3 Year Three Collection come the start of next week.  It will be on this page HERE along with the Year One and the Year Two collections.  Below is an image of the collection and read on to hear what else will be happening next month as part of the fun!

 

The Year Three Collection is a real doozy eh!  From the top left across and to the bottom right we have: Muster Cutter Trooper, Female Nox Trooper, Florian Pumpkin Spore, Missiletoe Claus, Cold Climes PM Sergeant, Xin Monkey Bot, Padraig O'Malig, Hand of the Duxis, Happy Burger Clownbot this months Cybernetic Retained Knight and then you can see...August 2016's brand new twelfth miniature IMP36 Prefecta Aimar of the Styx Legion!

In August we will be releasing two new packs of miniatures sculpted by Dave Foley into the Ion Age Universe of 15mm characters which you can see HERE on the website.  These will be a pack of five different Security Droids and a rocking pack of five different Entertainers which will be great for any setting from space port to cantina and city streets of the future too.  Early next month for these.

In August we will be adding to our Poster Prints range with a fantastic resource for fans of The Ion Age created for us with cooperation by Aris Kolehmainen over in the mighty USA...a poster of thirty uniform schemes for Muster, Retained and Desteria along with their titles from the Prydian Army to the Marcher Barons and the Condots along with many more.  Essential and already on my own wall!  You can see our poster prints HERE.  

As it is our 'birthday' we will be having a great month long offer and it will be all about the IAF028 Khamel Tracked Bike where there will be 25% off the pack of three miniatures (Bike with Rider, Bike alone and Rider on foot) and 25% off the Bike with Rider on its own for those wanting to build a big force! You will also get a third new weapon mount option too! You can see this pack HERE and the offer will begin 1st August 2016.

August is going to be awesome!

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Afara Strider of the Quarrel Company: Last Chance on pre-orders!

“Contracts such as these were the product of centuries of tradition with Condots, and it did not take long for mercenaries to be found who were willing to fight the League of Yordan. The Condots hired were famous throughout the Prydian Precinct and belonged to one of the largest Company's of lances for hire. The Quarrel Company owned by Diodine Sparrow composed twenty six regiments including five thousand veteran Retained and its own portable castles and several starships for transport. Having established a reputation for solving the most complex military problems and being careful with his stores of iridium and other precious metals during the now long past Gurtan Activation conflict, Diodine Sparrow had been a mercenary his entire life. Their Alwite and Aketon armour in colours of ivory and sea blue along with banners and emblems showing a stylised gem for the fortune that the Sparrow family had made centuries before at Riki on Fulton Prime was their mark.” - Taken from Patrol Angis and the campaign for Dando II.

There are only a few days left until the end of the Early Supporter Offers on the fantastic 55mm tall mecha resin kit for 15mm wargaming that is the Afara Strider!  Go HERE to save 10%, 15% or even 20% with free worldwide shipping.  Offers end on 25th July and after this the Afara will be on our website HERE among our range of 15mm scale Prydian vehicles.  I want to thank everyone who has taken up the offers thus far and all orders will ship out after the promotional period ends.  We have had such a good response to our first mecha kit that we will certainly be doing more.  Remember you get a free miniature (currently IMP35 Cybernetic Retained Knight worth 0.60GBP until 1st August) as well as Reward Points with your orders.  Plus a free Fallen Duxis Battlesuit worth 5.00GBP, read on below for details of this.

There are three variants of the IAF128 Afara Strider, two with ranged weapons and one with melee weapons as a load out.  Composed of six or seven easy to assemble parts you can pose the Afara in many ways without any conversions at all.  Articulation at the shoulder, hip and foot gives dynamic possibilities.  In this short article you can see an Afara armed with a Bodkin AP Howitzer and shoulder mounted Hermit 50mm grenade launcher which belongs to the famous Quarrel Company; mercenaries in the pay of the legendary Diodine Sparrow.  Fighting against forces of the League of Yordan the Strider has a foot placed upon the chest of a destroyed Duxis Battlesuit which creates a really special looking piece.  You can see the battlesuit on this link IAF032 Fallen Duxis Battlesuit upon which the Afara was mounted.

UPDATE
We are actually so taken with this one off Afara Strider (on the left above) that we have decided to add a FREE IAF032 Fallen Duxis Battlesuit (in green above forming the scenic element of the base) worth 5.00GBP to every early supporter order that contains one or more Afara Striders.  This means you can re-create our pose here if you want!  One added per order and all orders already placed will automatically get an IAF032 Fallen Duxis Battlesuit included for free.

The Quarrel Company is my own personal favourite force in the Prydian Civil War and my intended lads when time allows me to field them in numbers.  A lance first for Patrol Angis and then some vehicles for expanding into Callsign Taranis.  The 'in play' photograph in this article shows a Quarrel Company Afara having dispatched one Yordan Duxis about to take on another and three female Retained Knights...the odds favour the Strider!

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Afara Strider 15mm mecha early supporter offers now live!

The Afara mecha is now here.  Great for any 15mm sci-fi system. What a reaction to the concept art and story of our first 15mm mecha kit from the start of this week!  If you missed it on our blog and want to see the diagram page full size please go HERE to read it and download the image.  From now until Monday 25th July we at The Ion Age are delighted to have Early Supporter Offers on the Afara with all orders containing one or more of these codes being shipped out worldwide once the offer period ends.  Place as many orders as you like and remember every order earns Reward Points on your account with our website plus a free IMP35 Cybernetic Retained Knight miniature worth 0.60GBP.  Existing customers who have been storing up their Reward Points CAN use them for discounts upon their early supporter orders for even bigger savings.  Excellent!  

Go to our Early Supporters Page now or read on for details here.

What is the Afara Strider?

The Afara is our first 15mm mecha and it is a light mecha cast entirely in high quality grey tone resin and supplied in kit form.  These kits are easy to assemble from eight or nine pieces with a high degree of posing due to the sockets into which feet, legs and arms fit.  Once assembled the Afara stands approx 55mm in height or about three times our typical human sized miniature.  There are three variants under the code IAF128 each with its own battlefield role from troop support to anti-armour and close combat.  Here is the release information on the codes:

IAF128A Afara Strider 26WA  

One resin 15mm mecha kit for an Afara Strider armed with a Valerin 15Mw Laser Cannon arm and Anda 60mm Missile shoulder pod.

IAF128B Afara Strider 26WC   

One resin 15mm mecha kit for an Afara Strider equipped for close combat with an Octa Sword, separate Shield and Anda 60mm Missile shoulder pod.

IAF128C Afara Strider 26WB 

One resin 15mm mecha kit for an Afara Strider armed with a Bodkin Howitzer arm and Hermit 50mm Grenade Launcher shoulder pod.

What are the Early Supporter Offers?

We have several offers for you that all give you a saving off the above release prices which will be online after the 25th of July 2016.  Here are the offers:

Single Strider

Purchase any single IAF128 Afara Strider and save 10% off release price!  9.00GBP per kit

Trio of Striders

Purchase the set of three different IAF128 Afara Striders and save 15% off release price!  

25.50GBP (release price 30.00GBP)

Strider Bumper Box

Purchase the Bumper Box and get the following:  Three of each of the three Afara variants saving 15% off each, an additional random Afara for just 3.50GBP and this bundle is free worldwide shipping automatically.  Fantastic value.  80.00GBP (release price 100.00GBP)

Where does this new model fit in The Ion Age?

During games of Patrol Angis there are vehicles deployed using the Callsign Taranis expansion book. Walking vehicles such as the Afara Strider are included in the rules with stats for play in the book too.  In vehicle only platoons of three striders they are deployed as light or medium vehicles in opposition to Espaten Portable Weapon platforms or Adder Combat Cars and Lifters.  They can take on a Mullo armoured fighting vehicle but they are no match for the mighty Taranis main battle tank. Afara's in the field supported by lances of Retained Knights can deal with some serious odds such as the Canlastrian encroachment on the Everian Temple on Gatsby III during the Prydian Army's liberation of the planet. With its great mobility and moderate firepower the Afara is a welcome addition to any force. 

Go HERE for the Early Supporter Offers

We hope you enjoy these offers and that our entry into the next category of 15mm scale vehicles can be a part of your 15mm science fiction wargaming collection.  Here are some two scale images for you and remember you can ask any question you like by sending it to info@theionage.com and we will do our best to answer it.

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

War Mecha of Prydia – The Afara Strider

“During his work on the Taranis main battle tank hulls chief engineer and guild master Ulus McTear allied himself with an up and coming younger woman who had come to work at the Targa work complexes on New Glastonbury.  Sally Bragan perfected the technology that would become known as the Bragan Memetic Neural Linkage system and this gained her entry into the same guild as McTear.  While arguing over the finer installation diagrams for the Bragan system, Ulus McTear had an idea that would give the armies of Prydia two new classes of war machine; the War Mecha and the Striders.  The ancient files from the Resource Wars of old Earth made mention of vehicles that walked on two legs and carried the fire power of the largest ground travelling war machines.  The GroatVey MkX HeavyIon Reasc Fusion Reactor had the power needed for a body frame some twenty to twenty five feet in height and by coupling them in pairs the reactors could also motivate a body frame over one hundred feet tall.  Revan Koore had perfected a gyroscope which would give balance and with Bragan's, linkage a pilot would be able to make his or her giant body respond to thought and become an extension of their own selves.  It took all the resources that the Targa works could provide and more than a year when with great fanfare the first Afara type Strider walked out of the fabricator yard on its own feet.

The Afara comes in three primary variants and these are the 26WA which has a centrally mounted Hermit 50mm Auto-Grenade Launcher as well as a Valerin 15Mw Laser Cannon on its arm while its other arm has a gauntlet for close combat and more delicate work.  The 26WB which has a Anda 60mm Missile Pod and an Angis 25mm AP Cannon and the 26WC boasts a 'Bladesman' load out with an Anda 60mm Missile Pod plus an Octa Powered Sword and a Shield.  The Strider has a similarity to the Duxis Battlesuit in its form it and it is a match for any light vehicle such as an Adder Combat Car and also some medium vehicles.  Since 4308 IC the Alfara has been in use by the Prydian Army and also the rebel leagues. Refer to other Auto-Trainer data swipes for additional technical and specialised information.  Restrictions for placement of pilots and training remain in effect as per Royal Decree in 4330 IC.”

Academy Auto-Trainer Series 58, New Glastonbury, 4334 IC 

If you enjoyed the image at the top of this post please click on the one above for it full size so you can read all of the text.  Excellent!  This page fits in neatly with the Diagram Series pages for the Taranis super heavy main battle tanks which are to be found in the new Callsign Taranis expansion for Patrol Angis.  You can find the game rules and statistics for the Afara in the Callsign Taranis book.

The Ion Age will enter the realm of mecha on Friday 8th of July with offers on the fantastic Afara Strider!  Yes.  The concept art in this article is a real 15mm scale model which will be on our website then with some great early supporter offers lasting a couple of weeks before global shipping on all orders containing them.  For just now we wanted to show you the design and to tell you that it is coming real soon.  Three variants and produced in high quality grey tone resin just like our other 15mm vehicles which you can see for the Prydian Precinct HERE.

We hope you like our first mecha designed by Sam Croes.  I know I do!

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

p.s  A little joke from the office during the development of this new mecha.  'Is it ready yet...no, it is still Afara way'.  Groan...awful eh.

IMP35 Cybernetic Retained Knight free miniature for July 2016!

It is the nature of war that injury and death occur while on campaign and while an honourable retirement is offered to every man or woman harmed defending the Precinct some do not choose to leave the oath they took to the Code Gallant. Those, often badly injured, who make the choice to return to their regiment are offered the means to do so in their treatment.  While 'Rederm' can repair the skin and flesh leaving in most cases no sign that injury ever occurred this is not the case for lost limbs or the most serious of injuries.  Cybernetic limbs and casings which once fitted and slaved to the nervous system give a performance equal to or exceeding natural limbs are given instead.  There are different styles available from indistinguishable from natural to purely mechanical.  Those who see regular active campaigning often opt for the mechanical due to its superior durability and de marking a true veteran. 

Academy Auto-Trainer Series 26, New Glastonbury, 4326IC

June was a massive month at The Ion Age with the release of Callsign Taranis the expansion of Patrol Angis our 15mm wargame rules system.  July is now here and this month we have a man who was badly injured in the service of Prydia but returned to the front line as well as some big lads as walking re-enforcements for your collection in the form of an Early Supporter Offer too. More on that soon. Allow me to present to you IMP35 Cybernetic Retained Knight.  It is July 2016's free 15mm miniature of the month all month.   This miniature is automatically put into every order at the rate of one per order regardless of order value.  It can also be bought in any amount on the monthly IMP page of the website for this month only too before being withdrawn on the first of next month. It will be one of the twelve in the 'Year Three Collection' next month.

Wearing specially modified Alwite powered armour this character has returned to his duty as a knight despite having one of his legs, one of his arms and half of his head replaced with cybernetic parts. Holding a Carnwennan mini-mine pistol he would make a fine officer or notable character in your Prydian Army, Marcher Baron or Condot forces. This miniature is in one piece and stands approx 17mm tall.  We realise that some of you may wish to purchase the currently free miniature to get multiples of it without placing a lot of orders so you can do just that.  Go HERE.  There is a growing page on the Ion Age website where the current and all former IMP series free miniatures are shown so that you can see what came before.  Enjoy looking at them and go HERE. 

We ask you to sign up for a website account with us on your first order.  Why?  For one reason only. Not to send you emails (we never will.  If you want our emails sign up for our Mailchimp list on the right top of the blog) or to pester you; but only to keep track of the Reward Points that all orders with us earn.  Reward Points through our online partner Sloyalty which can be used once accumulated to get discounts or free stuff at any point in the future.  Learn more about this HERE.  Every order earns Reward Points!  Yes free extra value.  Part of our promise to keep the fun in wargaming.

This is our first article of the month and other events, releases, ideas and wargaming fun will occur across the month.  If you are looking at this article later on then please go to our blog or website and see what we have done since.

Thanks for reading.

GBS