Feller

Unnamed Creature.

This illustration is a remake of a piece I originally drew in 2003.

Curious about the mech on the cover of Reactors & Romance?

The frame is called the Takahe. It's named after a flightless bird from New Zealand of the same name. Even though the mech's "tail feathers" are massive jump jets meant to get this thing soaring!

Lore wise, its a frame designed for mobility and exploration of both terrestrial and space environments. The cockpit is located in the chest, and has an expanded compartment to provide barebones living quarters for extended away missions. Since the pilot isn't located in the head, it's head packed with various sensors and long ranged coms. Perfect for surveying and keeping in contact with distant teammates. It might not have the versatility of arms to pick-up different weapons on the fly, but it's head mounted weapons have exceptional accuracy due to the dampeners in it's neck. These dampeners do have the unintended side effect of making the head bob like a pigeon or chicken when the frame is running pigeon

Like most of my mech designs this one originally started off as a Lego build of mine for the game Mobile Frame Zero. A table top wargame that uses Lego mechs as minis. It's a lot of fun by the way. You should check it out HERE (I think I still have some of my bird mechs featured on their website)

My Lego Takahe build is actually a larger version of my Kiwi mech. Which is very similar in design to the Takahe, just smaller and cuter. I love these little guys and have made so many of them over the years.

Like... sooooo many! I have a whole Pride collection of them with each one colored as a different pride flag.

Here is the first painting I did of the Takahe, which also inspired the color pallet for Reactors & Romance.

I also did some pixel art of the mech too. I was hoping to use for a Lancer game, but that didn't happened. I did get to include it as part of my NPC roster for a game of Celestial Bodies that I ran! The players did a great job completely obliterating my children 😂

I think the scale is off, but this is my first LEGO mech in over a decade and I love it. @jp-nichts posted some cool MF0 MOC and it inspired me to get the bins out tonight.

Preview:

Look at dis absolute goober.

Full version below the cut. Naked ladies under here!

I did not paint this one, but I traded for it because he's adorable. It's a Hollader and his whole personality is GUN and he's so happy about it :)

Now I just need to come up with pilot names and some lore.

Im already decided that Black Knight pilot is former ComGuard member, who decided to leave after Tukayyid and Operation SCORPION, due to losing faith in ComStar as a organisation. Their Black Knight bears sigil of the minor noble house of Lyran Commonwealth, which was fully destroyed during Clan Invasion, after that, they remained the last heir of this house.

Clan Snow Raven Gamma Galaxy Gulon, requisitioned from local miners (irate miners included).

Added the Enforcers to my locally funded settlement defense force.