Last month, we were introduced to Black Sector and specifically the Global Interdiction Group. As well as looking at the Assault Team and the Breacher Team, we also looked at some more of Gunslinger’s Lore.
This time, as we cover the Support and Command teams that make up the August release of Gunslinger over on the Flytrap Digital Patreon, we’re also going to touch on some other aspects of the Gunslinger Range, such as the impact of what modular heads can bring, the importance of Character models to the range and a little bit of the working process between Anton and myself when it comes to getting these figures made.
First up – lets talk about those heads.
A bit of a stone in our process this month was the need to redo the previous packs to support the new headless design we’re aiming for going forward. This first range is, in many ways the exploratory set, working out what works and what doesn’t and then adding improvements. With the heads, this was something we originally anticipated to be a request only by the more advanced users – looking at similar products, most of the printed examples you see use the default heads in the default position. However, even before the initial release, there was an overwhelming number of people asking for modular heads so we decided that it would be worthwhile to make the switch over.
Luckily, aside from making the patrons happy, there is a plus side to this re-work. Going for modular heads massively reduces the potential number of figures we have to make per range (we don’t have to do variants with things like NVGs raised/lowered for example) while at the same time allowing more flexibility in how the end users (aka you guys) will play with them. Black Sector, with their lightweight plate carriers and 416s, are ideal for a whole host of forces depending on the head you pick – maybe some CIA goons with baseball caps and face masks or a few hero operatives with some of our Character heads mixed in if you’re building a special team for a specific scenario. Even if you don’t start mixing and matching outside of a range, each faction will include a selection of heads over the three months, giving you plenty of options by the end of each quarter as to how you want to build each faction.
The separate heads also allow us to launch a different type of range coming in the next year, one that helps to take a concept that a few people have already tried but pushes it to the next level with all the Gunslinger ideals and design notes. Stand by for more details on something we’ve titled “Project Ubique” in the upcoming months.
With that covered, we can now move forward and start discussing this month’s release. The first big thing (especially for me) is that this was the first month I got to decide the initial concepts of what was going to go into the packs. Early on when talking about Gunslinger, we came upon the idea of using three months for a release, giving us the ability to provide a full range worth of figures rather than limiting options to only a single squad per design. With the core of the force completed (assaulters and breachers), the next step was to decide on the Support Weapons and the Command Specialists to augment the options for someone using the range on the tanletop.
Discussing support weapons brings us to how we arm and equip the Gunslinger figures. Despite building a fictional world, picking the specific weapons for a range still follows some rough guidance to keep them feeling realistic and plausible. Working from kit used by real-world teams is the first step – equipment used by DEVGRU is the starting point for us for Black Sector’s Global Interdiction Group, seeing as they have become an iconic look for Tier 1 Operators. They also do a good job of providing examples for pretty much every role (in addition to the baseline assault rifle) you’d want as a wargamer building a list – machine guns to provide your base of fire to allow you to advance, sniper or marksman rifles for precision fires, and launchers either for varied ammo types (HE or smoke) or specifically to deal with light vehicles. With them also being a close-quarters raiding force, there is also space for room clearing special equipment such as SMGs and shotguns, specialised tools you won’t see in every force (I have a bit of a bugbear about this that I’ll get into at some point). We included the DMR in the Breacher Team, so the Support pack would provide LMGs, Grenade Launchers and some Anti-Tank capability in the form of disposable launchers. This should mean it’s easy to build a full squad + attachments with various support options without having to repeat poses.
And speaking of poses, seeing as we decided to go with two figures for each piece of gear, it made sense for the pair of them to be in two different poses. One pose would have the operator using the kit, while the other would match the dynamic nature of the Global Interdiction Group to show the operators on the move.
For the LMG, we went for a variant of the MK46 (a modified version of the Minimi), taking some design elements from the earlier M249 SPW (such as the lack of bipod and the collapsing stock). As with all weapons in this set, the MK46 has got a suppressor, laser aiming module and a holographic optic, helping to give across the well-equipped feel. Both figures have had their plate carrier adjusted for their role, with mag pouches replaced by three belt boxes. While one gunner is laying down fire while advancing, the other is pushing up hard, grenade off the belt and primed ready to lay down a smoke screen so his team can advance.
The grenade launcher is the now ubiquitous M320. Following the modern trend, we decided to have them carried separately rather than the traditional underslung role it was originally designed for. On both the UGL figures, we replaced a chunk of their belt kit with 40mm pouches to really sell that these guys are loaded up and ready to drop the hammer on some distant targets. The grenadier on the move is posed giving the halt signal, ideal for running him as one of your team leaders.
Finally, for the Support pack, we lay down the LAW. The M72 is an iconic piece of kit that still has a place on the modern battlefield, thanks to its ability to be shoved onto a rucksack. It’s also not that outdated, thanks to the more recent M72A8 and M72A10 variants. We used the distinguishing caps for those variants the LAW gunner advancing, as well as including multiple tubes to show off the capability. The firing pose, with the launcher fully extended and rear sight up, includes a subtle rock to really sell the braced pose. Both of them are also Assaulters and so include the same kitted-out 416s as the first set to make sure they can pull their weight when technicals and fortified structures aren’t a problem.
Altogether, the support team should give you enough options when building a force, augmenting your Assaulters and Breachers while still fitting the feel of the high-speed raiding force.
The Command pack is somewhere we get a chance to add some more Character to the range, both literally (in the form of Ms Jensen) and also in terms of extending the designs we already have in the original two packs. In terms of gameplay, they also provide the force multipliers a force may need, both in terms of leadership or specific equipment.
First on the drawing board was two figures designed to be used as the Raid Leader and the 2IC. With the Raid Leader ordering a halt before the breach, he stands in contrast to the 2IC who is looking down at the chest-mounted tactical display while carrying a comms setup on his back. The original intention was to provide them with unique custom heads but due to the delays at the start of the month, you’ll have to wait until next month for the specific faces. That said, these guys look cool enough with the default heads, giving you a pretty cool pair of a NCO figure and a JTAC or drone controller.
To go with the original teams, we had to give you a pair of specialists. The original idea had just been two guys wearing bigger rucksacks but as Anton got to work they evolved into more distinctive poses. The Assaulter specialist has pulled out his tactical knife, keeping it ready for a close encounter while carrying a larger rucksack full of a whole host of possible kit combinations, making him perfect for taking the EOD or Medical role.
On the other hand, the Breacher Specialist looks like he’s dangerously close to going medieval with the hammer in one hand, his tactical display folded down. He’s also got a pack of extra breaching kit on his back, with plenty of pouches and even a tactical tomahawk. These guys give you some extra cool-looking poses to go with your regular troops, able to fit in and be run as just another pose or to stand out as Team Leaders or your custom characters.
There is also a fur missile. A hairy hand grenade. A military working dog, inspired by a Belgian Malinois complete with his Doggles and backpack-mounted camera. A few people have done MWDs (probably inspired by the presence of a dog as part of Neptune Spear or the fine actor Dita from SEAL Team) but I haven’t seen any of them wearing the eyepro you can see in photos. The fur texture might seem a little over top on the render but it’s there to make sure that it shows up properly once printed (something Anton has used to great effect on some of his Caveman vs Wild figures). He’s also in pose which should mean he’s pretty stable when mounted to a base while still looking ready for action.
Finally, we come to Catherine Jensen, the first character figure in the world of Gunslinger. I mention some of her lore in the release post, so here, let’s talk about her design.
The rough pitch for Jensen was to make a character that fit alongside the rest of Black Sector, but a careful observer would see that she has slightly different gear and stands out slightly. The visual we had was her turning up to the pre-mission briefing with her own kit bag, picking out the right gear for the job. This is the reason her head comes with the more advanced GPNVGs rather than the dual tube option but there are also a few other little things to make her different. She’s using a SIG MCX rather than the 416, her gear has many more grenades on it and she has a set of kit mounted on the rear of her plate. There is also the fact her pose is supremely confident, cracking her knuckles ready for action. Basically, she’s cool as hell. She also comes with a selection of heads, letting you use her for both day and night operations.
I keep talking about Characters but what does that mean for you guys? Well, the idea with Characters is to build an ecosystem of operators, usually with their own head sculpt, carrying equipment and providing capabilities to the rest of the range. These characters can then re-appear across different ranges, showing the way that this world has created an ecosystem of these operators, contractors and agents plying their trade. It also means we get to make some figures that look super cool, while also providing a fun project for hobbyists while still providing a useful part of a force for the gamer. We’re aiming for at least one Character per range and can’t wait to see what Patrons get up to with them.
If you’d like a set of these for yourself, you have until the end of the month (31/08/2023) to sign up and get them via the Flytrap Digital Patreon, available at the Gunslinger level or above. If you miss out, then they will be available from the Flytrap Digital My Mini Factory or Cults3d. There has been a little delay getting Release 1 up on MMF, but hopefully, by next month they should be available for ala carte purchase.
Next month is going to be the last release for Black Sector’s Global Interdiction Group. If you join the Flytrap Digital Patreon in September, you’ll receive the GIG Security Team, a pack of figures ideal for bringing a new style of play to the tabletop. It will also bring the first Character Team, giving you a four-figure pack in a brand new style for a brand new faction. Finally, we have a few heads for Black Sector that we sadly ran out of time this month to provide. We’re aiming to give you a brand new set of NVGs I haven’t seen anyone else use, as well as some additional variants for the mainline troops to make them look cool.
And once that month is done? In Q4, Gunslinger will be advancing into brand new territory, bringing a new faction up to the same level as Black Sector has achieved in the first three months. By the end of the year, you’ll have two ranges all ready to go up against each other, with a complete set of capabilities for each force. More details coming soon.
