Warring At Play

[Chaos Incarnate]

I must say, I have really lead a blessed and privileged life to have been able to rub shoulders with people as singularly demented as Polenicus.

[Polenicus]

The necessities of the number of effects coming down the pipe require that I make smaller updates to keep anything close to regularity. Thankfully, I've picked up some new brushes to help me do things faster. That still doesn't solve the issues of having to SHOOT the blurdy thing, but, until I can afford my own house...

Anyway,

UPDATE!

Notes:

1. New brushes are lightning brushes, and explosion brushes. While the lightning brushes are kinda limited, the explosion brushes make generating explosions MUCH faster, and I feel they look much more consistent. Of course, I still have to play with proper blurring for them depending on their depth in the picture.

2. Ultra Magnus has sort of evolved to be a fusion of G1 and Animated UM. Not as much of a bastard, but able to deal with things, ruthlessly if need be. He is a soldier, and a COMMANDER of soldiers.

3. The 2nd and 3rd panels took the longest to do. I had to try and show the suddenness and brutality of the slaughter... people caught unaware and basically ripped to shreds. Of course, these are all just 'Hi and Die' figs... so far. Rest assured, people you know will start dying.

[Ninth]

Predictions!

1: TFA Megatron dies. The general theme of this story is a small group of Autobots/Good Guys trying to deal with a group of Decepticons who enjoy superior numbers, resources, and territory. If TFA Megatron survived this battle, he and the Megatron already there would begin to fight for control of the Decepticon forces, disorganizing them and letting up the pressure on the good guys (which would also cause a loss of dramatic tension). So he has to die.

2: Barricade. Grimlock. Friendly Fire. Barricade might even get killed because Grimlock either isn't informed of his newfound loyalty to Saber, or is just too skeptical. If Grimlock hurt or killled Barricade after the Good Guys adopted the latter robot, the shock they express may even contribute to the sense of alienation that caused him to turn into a lone wolf.

3: At least one more 'Hi and Die' instance. Just for setting.

4: Post-battle, the surviving Decepticon newcomers get integrated into the already-established group. What's-his-name, the guy who has a cat-face but isn't Ravage, tries to induct them into his side-conspiracy, and has to kill at least one of them when that person objects too much to the idea.

[Polenicus]

UPDATE!

Notes:

1. Some of you might not like where I'm going with Saber. Well... just bear with me. Not everyone can jump into the comic as a badass, and I really want to make clear this is MY Saber. Not the Saber of other comics and NOT Fate/Stay's Saber. She has her skills and memories, but I kinda wanna show that just because someone is a toy of a character, doesn't make them that character.

2. LOL Toy philosophy? Sorry... I'm prolly gonna go more into this. I know I could get away without explaining it, but there is a serious discrepency here... plastic toys don't have complex internal mechanisms, or energon, or whatnot... and although a LOT of toys have accepted this as just 'The way things are', some are going to question it.

3. I'm refining my explosion technique with the new brushes. How do they look?

4. Yes, I know, that's Classics Powerglide. He's had the reprolables treatment to turn him into Hothouse, a Micromaster with a color scheme so spot-on that I suspect the 'Powerglide' we got was originally meant to be him (Given how many other micromasters got classics repaint love)

5. Yes, they had shields, but let the box bots shoot at them. Would they have been so quick to charge if the shields had been up? The alts had pretty good cover, even without the shields.

[Polenicus]

Okay, seems we had a confluence of large library of ready shots, spare time, and inspiration, so this update is pretty large. Are you ready for the double-wide, super-sized, combo meal with extra pwnage? Well then open wide, because here comes the

Notes:

1. I dunno how the update ended up so huge. It didn't feel like I spent extra time on it. I just counted the panels, and... BIG.

2. So many of these figs are a joy to photograph, but none quite as much as City Commander. Something about him just 'pops' in the pictures. It doesn't hurt that his paint apps are the most perfect I've ever SEEN on a Transformer, much less a GARAGE KIT Transformer.

3. Roadbuster is close, though. He's just such an awesome little tank of a bot, and the Natobot set completes him so well.

4. The scene with the Decepticons should and could have come before the crate opening, but I wanted the whole sudden assault to be a surprise, and you wouldn't have been surprised if you knew the Decepticons were prepped. Still, that preparation needs some explaination, so here it is.

5. I wasn't originally going to use the 'Deal with it' thing for Ultra Magnus... but it seemed to fit.

6. *BOOM*!!

[Polenicus]

UPDATE!!

Notes:

1. I suspect you'll hate me for this update. Yes, Ultra Magnus is dead. No, he's not 'Comic Book' dead. This is permanent.

2. The 'Fog of War' effects were interesting to make. Makes it a little easier to fudge things when the background is obscured.

3. My camera loved Ultra Magnus. Every shot I've taken of him has been sharp and crisp and clear... unlike damn near every other shot I've ever taken. I dunno what it is.

[Benio]

great update.
Can't wait for more...

[Polenicus]

UPDATE!

Notes:

1. Special thanks go out to my roomie Liath, who aided in shooting this last segment, specifically the aerial combat sequences. Without her, the Evac vs Skywarp sequences literally would not have been possible, and the other shots she assisted with came out much crisper and better than doing it on my own. Thanks a lot Liath!

2. Mostly just action in this update, but it's an important turning point I think. This battle is just a serious of back and forths, isn't it?

3. Silly Megatron, your BFG is no match for THUNDERSHOT!

4. I apologize for he long delay in getting this out. Never again, I swear!

[Benio]

drat...waz hoping for a Megatron vs Megatron fight fest...

seriously though, great update. hopefully TFA Prime will get to kick some serious skidplate.

[Klyde]

I read through the first post up till the last update in one seating!. Awesome comic, great story, great shots and great effects!.
Enjoying every bit of it, keep it up!