CAST
Arosaurer
body
Arosaurer #2
Tail
Kotobukiya HMM Liger Zero Panzer
Tail details, COBRA array, rear missile pod
with Gatling cannons
Kotobukiya HMM Molga
50mm SABOT guns
Legend Blox CP-03
Sniper rifle
Heavy Rimos
Chin armor
Redler
Jaw Armor
Neo-Blox
Shoulder joints
Gravity Saix
Ventral rear sensory unit
Non-Zoid Parts
Kotobukiya Armored Core
Set 014: SAMPAGUITA shotgun
"Thundershock" Cannons
Kotobukiya MSG D-17 Joint Set
Jaw Hinge
Kotobukiya MSG Heavy Weapon Unit 02
Spiral Crusher
Sniper Cannon targeting system, fold-out boosters
Kotobukiya MSG PlaUnit P-124R Square mold
Head armor
WAVE Option Systems #4
large maneuvering verniers
Lower & upper leg booster exhausts
1:144 Gundam - Heavy Arms
Arms, mandible armor, head armor/sensor array
Core cooling duct, calves, ECM systems,
Riposte countermeasure pods
Kid Connection Military Action Figure
Sniper cannon magazine
Bionicle
Ankle Joints
Asoblocks
"Thundershock" armatures, dorsal munitions module,
Metatarsal joints, Sniper rifle mount
Megabloks Struxx
Torso, tail, neck, and knee joints
Silicate Gel Container
Torso Interchanger
Sheet Styrene
gunner station armor, part filling
Belkin Router
Rubber traction pads (feet)
LEGO Dragon Claws
Talons
VHS Video Tape
"Thundershock" barrels
Dish Soap Dispenser Valve
Dorsal targeting lens
Various Screws
Both for strength and cosmetic detail
Rayon Chords
Power cables
RBOZ-030 PALADIN - 2007 Phenotype Contest Entry
This is truly a monster of a page; perhaps you should get some coffee...
Built for
AEROGEIST
Chassis: Allosaurus
Power Plant: RZ-114 (Royal Zoid – Biped, Class II)
Primary Mission: Forward Strike/Assault
Secondary Mission: Reconnaissance
Crew: 1 (minimum rank requirement: Ensign)
Statistics
Length: 38.5 meters
Width: 8.5 meters
Height: 14.5 meters
Mass: 110 tons
Performance
Land (Cruise): 190 KPH (170 kph)
Land (Boosted): 240 KPH
Sea (Cruise): 5 Knots
ARMAMENT
The focus of the RZ-114 design team was to give it a small selection of highly effective weapons that were direct-fire based across a broad range of target types. The Zoid is equally capable of attacking a light armor company or a massive Seismosaurus. If the Aerogeist is seen as having a weakness in its base configuration, it is a lack of fire-and-forget, long range, guided options.
"Thundershock" 150mm Coalesced Beam Launcher (x2) – dorsal mounted armature, 360° universal Range of Motion
The primary purpose of the RZ-114 is to get these weapons onto the field. The Thundershock is, at its core, a form of CPC. Rather than build up an immense amount of power and direct a continuous stream of destructive particles at an enemy, it concentrates them into a single pulse. The effect is part CPC, part artillery shell, smashing into a foe up to 25 kilometers away with a superheated bolt of kinetic energy that also produces an EMP-like effect on the target on impact. The guns take almost a full minute to recharge and cool between shots, but because they have no recoil the Aerogeist can alternate fire without difficulty.
"Pinpoint 100" 100mm Precision Gun – tail mounted, 200° rear arc
Early in development the Helic Military Engineering Consortium was tasked to give the Aerogeist an effective sniping weapon. The Pinpoint 100 features VELAP (Velocity Assisted Projectiles) similar to the guns on the EZ-501 Fusillade and can punch a hole through most targets at 50 kilometers, the round then detonates to shred interior components. The weapon has advanced all-weather sighting and is fed 16 rounds from a quick-change magazine.
"Riposte" 50mm Countermeasure (x8) – thigh mounted in batteries of 4, rear arc fixed
Each Riposte pod houses four 50mm canister rounds. The mission commander may select from various standard-issue countermeasures: flares, chaff, ghost emitters, chroma-cloud (laser dispersing vapor which both diffuses light-based weapons and targeting pointers) and anti-personnel rounds that airburst a hail of tungsten caltrops in an area 100 yards around the Aerogeist or up to 500 meters away.
"Bushton" 50mm SABOT Gun (x2) – arm mounted, 60° forward arc
Considered a close-quarter weapon, the Bushton is effectively a belt-fed grenade launcher a 1 round per second rate of fire. The box magazine located along the forearm holds only 30 shaped-charge rounds, limiting pilots to single-shot use against most targets up to 8 kilometers away. Each round easily defeats light and medium armor, however, and has a better-than-average chance to pierce heavy composites.
"Sallow" 120mm Missile (x6) – tail mounted, dorsal arc, fixed
These small, canister launched general purpose missiles can target any vehicle or building that the pilot designates at launch. These are fire-and-forget weapons with excellent accuracy. Though they only have a range of 9 kilometers, they allow the RZ-114 to engage secondary targets and to defend itself from pursuit while continuing on its primary mission.
"Stream-Bolt" 50mm Linear Beam Gun (x4) – tail mounted in 2 batteries of 2 guns each, 200° rear arc
An updated version of the Arosaurer's original mainstay weapon, the 105mm beam cannon, the new weapon wields an aperture half the diameter but with a far more intense beam that can slice through most Zoids like a hot knife through butter. To conserve power and barrel life, the pilot may opt to engage lighter targets with a single barrel or alternate between the two, while striking a larger target has a similar effect to using the old 105mm version. The weapon has a range of 20 kilometers against standard armor but can even target lighter or aerial Zoids out to double that.
"Shattershock" Cryo-Bolt Cannon – head mounted, integrated construction, 90° forward arc
This gun system fires a round that contains a minor explosive charge that detonates the canister on impact, causing a spray of super-cooled reactive-nitrogen to instantly freeze up to a 3 meter area of the target to absolute zero in seconds. Most victim Zoids shatter affected areas immediately just through their own weight and momentum, but others succumb to becoming instantly brittle in other ways, such as shorn supports or cables. The cannon has a range of 4 kilometers and only 24 rounds of ammunition in the head, but can make short work of many foes and even the odds quickly.
"Firebrand" Flame Thrower (x2) – arm mounted, 45° forward arc
On the other end of the damage spectrum, the RZ-114 retains one of the unique weapons of Helic's forces, the mechanized flamethrower. The Aerogeist was designed as an infiltrator, so the concept of using a close-in area weapon against resident infantry and light units was a natural one. In addition to setting fire to terrain features and light sensory equipment, skilled pilots have used the "Firebrand" as a flare to counter heat-seeking missiles.
"Defender" 25mm Gating Gun (x2) – tail mounted, 260° rear arc
These two guns can be used in tandem or individually. Each has a 20 rounds per second rate of fire, but is generally used in 1-second bursts to counter incoming missiles and artillery rounds due to the small magazine capacity of 800 rounds. The weapon is generally ineffective against anything heavier than light armored vehicles at even close ranges but has been used against infantry forces out to 2 kilometers away.
Hardened Alloy Fangs, Talons, and Claws – integrated construction, forward arc
Though he RZ-114 is really designed for artillery and stealth, close-combat is always a possibility for Zoids. The Aerogeist can be a brutal in-fighter using speed and mass, and combining the leverage of its long limbs. It wields specially honed teeth, talons, and claws from a modified formula derived from the Gojulas Giga' Ancient Titanium alloy. These weapons can compromise armor and tear enemies to ribbons, should the Aerogeist require their use.
HISTORY
As the war cabinet of the Helic Kingdom was developing the RBOZ-024-X Supreme King Gojulas, they were also seeking to upgrade the Helic core combatants to excel against the latest generation of adversary units. The RZ-114 was created as a way to narrow the base ground unit corps of a dozen light to medium Zoids, from the old Godos models to the newer Blade Ligers, to a select few multi-role units. The first of these new Zoids is the Aerogeist. Inspired by the Arosaurer and success of the Eradicator's design, his Zoid is on the smaller, sleeker side of the ground Zoid lines. It was intended as a fast and stealthy platform that is capable of defense penetration, interdiction, and direct confrontation with multiple units from light to heavy.
CAPABILITIES (Performance)
The Aerogeist’s Allosaurus form was upgraded from its predecessor design, the RZ- Arosaurer. It is a compromise between the higher speed Velociraptor and the higher powered Tyrannosaurus Rex proposals. Even without core-tap boosting engines, the Aerogeist can achieve a ground speed of 190 kph; almost 10% faster than the last Arosaurer model. Integrated boosters are used to increase overall speed upwards of 240 kph for surges of up to three minutes, but overheating and a drastic increase in heat signature limit the system’s use in this capacity. Pilots have claimed that there is no loss to agility, even with the increased size and mass. This is due to well-balanced engineering and the AI2’s superior use of counterbalancing. The Aerogeist can thread through forests with little difficulty, even boosted. Over more open terrain, it can engage boosters to leap up to 75 meters in the air, or clear a quarter-kilometer chasm at a dead run, though sticking the landing of an extreme jump requires an excellent pilot or a very experienced Zoid.
CAPABILITIES (COBRA Interface)
As with the mighty Supreme King Gojulas, the Aerogeist incorporates the King COBRA (Central Omniscient Battlespace Resolution Array) tactical system that allows it to integrate information with all allied units within a designated zone. Using COBRA, the Aerogeist can assist in directing artillery, lighting missile targets, and presenting infiltration data to its allies. As any unit with the system installed can act as either a hub or a node, a force commander or even the king himself can use any Aerogeist as a command unit.
AI-2 PROFILE
The Aerogeist may be a powerful hunting machine in its own class, but it is quite aware that it is a featherweight in the world of Zoids. It usually relies on stealth as its first mode of operation, then its speed. Similarly with weapons, it seeks to pick enemies off at a distance rather than get close enough to use its claws or teeth. They tend to be "wait and see" Zoids that like to function alone, but they are intelligent enough to know when spontaneity is wise. In all the Aerogeist has been labeled a "quiet and efficient killer" on the field, but one with a predator's mean streak if it detects it is in a superior position.
THE BUILD
A DINOSAUR ASSASSIN
In a world where Zoids are becoming fully intelligent beings and technology is increasing all manner of sensory capabilities, weapons, and defenses, it seemed logical to develop a Zoid that was designed to penetrate defenses by stealth and carry enough firepower to cause significant damage. The Arosaurer was a great base for a fast, non-feline, non-raptor Zoid in the heavy-side of the light class. It just needed to have its silhouette updated a bit... and it needed to be given some real firepower.
KEEPING THE LOOK
I wanted to make sure that this Zoid didn't lose the look of using caps to hold it together, even though none are really needed. When I placed the joints into the hip portion of the torso I also cut out the peg that held it all together (and the caps with it). So I drilled through the original hole and then installed a rod made from Arosaurer's sprue tree. I was able to secure the rod in place so it could hold a pair of caps, keeping that Zoidy look we all love. ;-)
BUILDING BACKWARD
Base Segment #1 (and cross-section) required a load of internal work that won't be noticeable from the outside. This piece had to not only support the transition hardware from the torso into the tail, it had to appear to be larger than the next segment, which is made of the exact same external parts. Segment #2 has the same pieces angled differently to maintain the proper taper, and the sides are also shaved towards the head to reduce the horizontal tapering, making the overall segment appear just a little smaller than the first.
STARTING TO GET HIP
Amid the vapor of melting plastic, I dove in and carved the hell out of some bits to build the first thigh. I had to take a large Asoblock piece to function as a strong core for the part and cut off three joints, then carve out a notch for the Struxx joint for the knee. I had sized several joints and decided that Bionicles will be required for the heel and ankle, but that the size the model has become warranted a larger knee/thigh. After assembling the first two pieces I drove a screw through them for strength. I then created the top of the thigh/screw cover using the original thigh and calf hydraulic. I ran a peg between them so I could mount a cap to preserve the original look. Finally, I still have a pair of spare Arosaurer feet in a box, so I trimmed it down for use as the hamstrings (back of the thigh). That boxy thing? You'll see that in a second.
PLANNING STAGES
I set parts aside to essentially double the length of the tail, but I wanted cutting the torso up would be a bit more than chopping a straight line through the body. Also, there was the matter of navigating around the existing holes. Finally, there was the issue of there being a huge, open hole where the motor key went through. On the other side was a solid, round piece that has a much smaller diameter.
FIRST CUTS & CHOICES
Cutting up the torso posed some challenges, but it came out well. Unfortunately, upon arraying the pieces (the tail pieces digitally), I could see the new torso simply wasn't going to be long enough. Further, there was no real place to attach the arms. Considering the allosaurus has such imposing arms for its size, that was going to be a problem. I also noticed that the head was looking diminutive compared to the new body; it would have to be improved too.
REDUCTION PLAN THAT ENDS WITH A BANG
Segment #3 is assembled like Segment #2, but on a smaller scale and with a notable difference that the tapered end is fitted with a NeoBlox joint. Segment #4 starts with a NeoBlox ball (screwed in for strength) and ends with a notch for the Asoblock joint that becomes the body segment for the tail cannon. This gun is needlessly complicated because I had to thread several tubes inside of each other to give the gun barrel stability. That barrel, by the way, is from a limited edition Legend Blox Dark Horn; the Gatling gun to that set was used as Siobahn's main Gatling cannon.
NEO NEO BLOX
I had to search a bit to locate a part that fit the size, shape, and function required to fill in the missing torso piece between the neck and the midsection. I had a spare Hard Bear that gave it's life for the cause I pried open the Neo Blox torso and found some marvelous hinges... that had to go. So I carved things up a bit in order to install a pair of Struxx joint cups that I double screwed to help them survive the torque of use. Now, I needed to modify this section in such a way that the shoulder joints would still work, which was a bit of a bear.
CHEWING THE FAT (FAR MORE EFFICIENTLY)
One feature that neither my client or I liked about the original Arosaurer's head was that the jaw had such a minimal range of motion. This was made worse in that one of the famous features of the Allosaurus among theropods is that it had and unmatched ability to open its jaws insanely wide. I set about the complex task of jointing the base of the skull securely and building a new jaw and mandible joint together. This required securing a heavily chopped Struxx ball joint in place within a floating "bridge" that was required to pin the two halves of the head together. This bridge was drilled to allow the pin of a Kotobukiya generic joint set to be installed. The other end was placed into the new lower jaw, now comprised of a discarded chunk of King Gojulas, a spare Redler foot armor piece, and the original Arosaurer jaw. It it ain't done yet, either.
ARMING A DINOSAUR (part 1!)
My first idea was to keep using the standard Arosaurer arms; even though the Aerogeist was shaping up to be much larger than its source model, the arms were still very much in scale with the actual Allosaurus. I modified some Blox cups to fit inside the shoulders and attached the tips of the original arm pegs to them so that the new shoulders could retain their rubber caps. I thought it turned out quite good, actually. But it wasn't to be.
HUMP DAY
Though the large sized Neo Blox filled the bill for the chest component, it still left a huge visual gap in the Allosaurus' silhouette. I decided it needed some high hump over its shoulders. I made one by tearing apart the medium size Neo Blox component. I took out the joint cups and flipped one to make a sort of sensor panel, then I installed the aerator from a soft soap pump as kind of master sensor dish. The final piece I added was some metal grill material to close up the unsightly hole left by pulling the joints out..
HIP DECISIONS
One of the trickiest parts of the build. At fist I planned on punching a straight spine straight through the torso, but after a few tries I realized it wouldn't work out well. I decided to split the spine and install separate joints at different levels that would pan out when the pieces were all assembled. While the Struxx ball and sockets were curing, I experimented with different hip concepts, too. I tried and eliminated Struxx hips (too much damage to the shell with a slender margin of success). I tried Asoblocks (too awkward to install and too weak). I looked into Bionicles, but the were going to be hard to install and their shapes cut off too much movement. In the end I used a combination: NeoBlox cups and Asoblock ball joints, but these, too, would require some experimentation in engineering to come out right.
TIME TO BELLY UP
I decided to build this custom from the center out. I began with the center in order to better gauge the proportions of the build in both directions. The spine of the build was going to have to be Struxx; I had to modify them both by length and to secure against the shell. If I didn't, the torque of using the joints would rip them free. There was also the matter of the huge gaping hole in the side of the frame. To fill this and add some strength, I found a cylinder that perfectly fit the space; a Silica Gel capsule from a bottle of vitamins. I helped secure the piece in place using a piece of mesh grille that I've used throughout this series of commissions. The Struxx pieces were overglued and screwed into place as well to add strength.
GETTING A LEG UP
So, here we have one Gundam leg vs. one Arosaurer arm showing the pieces that need to be removed. I had to open the thigh and carve out a notch to receive the shoulder; I wish I could have kept the twisting action, but the two joints are simply too close together (I would have to compromise the shoulder socket), but there is still a decent amount of movement there. Next I had to remove the Gundam's ankles, trim the hinges a bit, and installed new joints that allowed me to place turning wrists in their place. I ended up using stock Arosaurer claws rather than a plan to rebuild them as fully articulated, since it would have taken too long and would have significantly raised the price of the piece.
CAMS, RODS, AND CAPS
I had a pair of NeoBlox joints shaped like pistons. It just so happened that the two could be lined up through the ring at the base and would fit my width requirements perfectly. I did, however, have to increase the diameter of the original ports in the body frames just a hair to slip the cams through. To keep them strong and in place, I shaped a piece of sprue into a rod that would punch through the wind-up motor wall mount and secure around an alignment peg after being slipped through the rings on the backs of the joint cams. All of this was welded in place, but I left some sprue jutting out the front so I could top it with a rubber cap to retain the aesthetics of the original kit.
CAPABILITIES (Defenses)
The RZ-114 was designed to go toe-to-toe with Zoids three and four times its mass. Like the RBOZ-024-X Supreme King Gojulas, it benefits from the technologies of multiple alliances and generations. Unlike the SKG, Guylos refused development and maintenance of their technologies on production Zoids, so while the Aerogeist has some incredibly durable armor and structural technology it lacks the features of Deochalcum or Emeraldite infusion. The Zoid can take a hit, but even if the armor can survive it the structure would likely buckle. To offset this, the RZ-114 makes use of ECM technology and sensor defeating materials (SDM) to mask its heat, power, and magnetic signatures. Aerogeist lives up to it's name; "Ghost like Air."
CAPABILITIES (Melee)
The Aerogeist was designed to carry heavy ranged weapons onto the field, but it was also built to close with the enemy and deal damage with tooth and claw. Unlike raptor-type Zoids that rely on high leaps and attacks centered predominantly around their rear claws, the RZ-114 often leads with a powerful bite. This attack is almost always in tandem with its claws; with longer, stronger arms for its size than most theropods, the Allosaurus frame can do some real damage close-in. If attacking a unit larger than itself, the Aerogeist can still implement its talons. Again, these it combines with claws and bites to great effect. The production model of the RZ-114 also incorporates elbow blades to offer the unit additional close combat options.
SUMMARY
The Aerogeist is considered to represent the newest iteration of Zoids as they continue to evolve on Zi. Intelligent like an officer, aggressive like a trench-fighter, and tactical like an artillery controller. It is fully self-aware and extremely efficient at what it does. Hard to detect, the RZ-114 is a very effective infiltrator and a menacing heavy weapon platform. Thoughtful and brave, but also wise enough to know if it is seriously outclassed or outgunned, pilots rely on the machine almost more than the Zoids rely on the pilots. Their intellect also makes them vulnerable to turning to join Gil Kaiserin as she continues to develop her Zoid Nation in spite of their initial loyalty to Helic.
FROM AROSAURER TO ALLOSAURUS
I sketched out a few concepts, but one thing was certain; if I wanted to keep the Arosaurer aesthetic and fit a more realistic silhouette, I was going to have to use more parts than came with the kit; the tail, especially, was not long enough. Fortunately, I happen to have some parts from a second Arosaurer, but only the tail and arms. There was also the matter of stretching the torso and reconstructing the legs, which were well built for mechanical walking but not so great for articulate posing.
HIPS: INSIDE AND OUT
Here is the thigh core sandwiched between the top portion with its hydraulic cylinder and the bottom portion with its... boxy thing... which is actually a fold-out thruster/jump jet. Heck, I could drop a pair of missile nose-cones into it and it could be a rear-facing missile rack. I think the parts came together marvelously, but I will have to do a little adjustment work on the torso around the hip and dial the upper hydraulic post a tad to give a little bit better range of motion to the thigh.
MAJOR CHANGES A-FOOT
I had looked at several renditions of Arosaurer customs, but I came to the conclusion that the foot would have to retain no more than 2 joints including the ankle. I had a plan to flex the individual toes, but in the end, it this model were going to remain free-standing, the toes had to remain a stable platform. I modified the original foot to become the metatarsals. I took the two-hole cap the formerly held the knee together and I used it to cap the huge hole on the instep of the foot. I plugged the holes with styrene rod, which added a little detail. I knew a lot of torque would rest on the small tarsals joint, I secured a Bionicle joint into place at the heel. When I painted it, I added three layers of DulCote to tighten it a bit. I screwed an Asoblock at the front of the foot to joint the toes, which required a lot of shaping to firmly hold an Asoblock clip. The result was wicked-strong.
CLAWS IT COULD BE DONE
One of the difficulties I often come across in my builds lately is that the finished product ends up twice the dimensions of the original. This made the feet look absurdly small on the Aerogeist. My daughter collects Lego dragons, and I saw the claws and knew they would be perfect for a lot of builds. I ordered a package of claws (you didn't think I would steal her's, right?!) I then trimmed them to hit the right angles when installed on the toes. I drilled holes in the toes so that they would be very strong. The final look is very intimidating.
GAURDING YOUR BACK
With the arms and legs done, it was time to start filling in gaps in the silhouette and improving the Aerogeist's combat abilities. From the start I had considered adding the last of the Liger Zero Panzer's missile pods to the back arc. Now that the tail was so long, the pod would also help the look of the taper of the tail. First had to cut and send a flat platform to place the pod on; I intended it to rotate like a turret as opposed to building it in. I drilled a hole into the back of the first tail segment and affixed a pin. To make the pod into a turret, I trimmed a Gundam arm joint and placed it inside the pod and glued the heck out of it. When I assembled it, the whole thing turned very well, the missile hatch raised, and the Gatling guns also elevated.
SCREWING THE DETAILS
With the main structures completed, I began to focus on the smaller details. I attached some WAVE Option Systems #4 large maneuvering verniers on the backs of the legs and fold-out hip boosters. I placed a pair of small 4-shot missile pods behind the large hip roll bars. I then started cutting the heads off of small machine screws and used them to fill holes left in the frame from cutting off the limb mounting pegs. Finally, I added some pieces from the Gundam Heavy Arms model to act as ECM units.
WEAPON UPGRADES
The original Arosaurer came equipped with a quartet of long-barreled pea-shooters, and was supposedly to help the Mad Thunder battle Deathsaurer. I opted to increase the weapons about ten times and give the impression it just might be able to hold it's own against some really steep odds. The main guns are a pair of Kotobukiya Armored Core Set 014 SAMPAGUITA shotguns, which are really heavy and powerful looking. I had originally Intended to mount them to a dorsal turret, but because the body was so flexible and built for speed and agility, I decided to go with armatures that could aim the guns anywhere. I mounted Asoblocks in place of the shotgun handles, using screws for strength. I had also originally planned to keep the barrels flush as they came out of the package, but in the end added barrel extensions. These are made from the rollers I found in an old video cassette I peeled apart. The inner barrels have a stratified detail and the chromed metal band fits perfectly over them. I used Asoblocks once again to build the gunnery platform and the arms, adding a couple of HMM Liger Zero pieces to break up the monotony of the design. I then to Liger Zero Panzer's sensor dish and mounted that as an external COBRA array.
THE CALF IS OUT OF THE BAG
Once the body became so long the legs had to follow suit. I arranged the parts so that the joints would give much of the needed length, but adding the tarsels really gave it a longer form. I used half of the Arosaurer's lower leg as the femur and used some of the leg armor from the Gundam kit to form the calf muscle. Originally I had placed a pin for a rubber cap to make it more resemble a classic Zoid, but it impaired the flexibility of the ankle, so I removed it. You can see in the final shot that the new leg really looked the part! I had to make sure the Bionicle joints were strong enough to hold poses, too.
BIGGER BODY, BIGGER HEAD
Another issue with adding such length and height to the Arosaurer was that the head looked positively diminutive. While I had already extended the jaw, the skull looked too small, now. I added to the back of the head with the leg of a Gundam model, as well as the cheek armor with the cut through it. An allosaurus skull shows large ridges high on the head in front of the eye sockets; this ridge was made using parts I had trimmed off of the second to last tail segment. Another generic Gundam Heavy Arms part was used to create the bump on the Aerogeist's nose, which I construed as some kind of environmental sensor array for deep night operations. Some styrene bits made up the slab armor on the muzzle, and three small pieces from a Kotobukiya MSG square panel set were placed on top of the head. With all of this mass added to the top of the head, the jaw appeared to recess, so I added a slab to bulk up the chin, cut from a Metal Rimos. The final addition to the head was the in-mouth cryo-cannon, made from a trimmed up Saicurtis gun.
FILLING OUT
As I neared completion I looked for more gaps to fill, either literal holes in the existing framework or hollow spots in the silhouette. The first two images show how I filled a large gap in the center torso piece. The wide, gray 'capsule' I mounted before the ball joint was an extra piece left over from one of the Kotobukiya MSG kits I used to make Gil Kaiserin's talons, and the brown box with grill right under it was trimmed from one of Kaiserin's backpack support struts. The third image shows another ECM unit made from the Gundam Heavy Arms I used on the shoulders to create a matched set, while the large gray box underneath the tail segment is part of the sword mount of a Lightning Saix. I added that part to help build the taper of the first tail segment and better fill out the silhouette. I also added a small HMM bit above the ball joint which gave some extra detail but also separated the cable bundles to help keep them uniform. The final pic shows a piece of Gundam leg armor installed in the torso/hip section. Again, the piece added a minor detail while helping to keep the cables organized.
LAST BITS
Down to the final stretch, I added a few last minute details to tie is all together. Pic #1 is one of the fold-out maneuvering thrusters with a new vernier installed. Another random Gundam kit part was used to cap the inside of the shin/calf piece of the leg so it wouldn't be just an exposed Struxx piece. Two different mechanical pencil caps were placed together beneath the hip frame to act as jump jets that could assist the Aerogeist in terms of land speed and surmounting battlefield obstacles. The last frame showcases a glass bead the I used to act as a sort of 360-degree focal dome for a COBRA-based targeting system.
FIRST ASSEBMLY
With all of the construction done, it was time to see how it all came together. The proportions came out very well. The model could stand on its own and the feet could manage a wide array of poses. The stresses on the smaller knee and ankle joints limited what poses it can hold without assistance, but with a stand it can be frozen at a dead run, a high leap, or any number of dynamic poses. The Asoblocks did a remarkable job holding up the huge "Thundershock" cannons. I am truly pleased with how well the proportions and features came out in the end.
SIMPLE SCHEMING
In truth there were five paint schemes contemplated for the Aerogeist, the first being a match to the "in-your-face" majestic colors used on Supreme King Gojulas. In the end, however, it was decided that the king's "showroom" colors made sense for his personal Zoid but not for these more tactical units. The Aerogeist's colors are a tribute to my first Age of War Helic paint scheme (gray, black, and blue) found on Paladin, but with patches of white and trim of dark gold as a nod to the SKG. For story continuity, the Aerogeist would also have the blue glowing vents as it uses Guylos plant technology.
HOW THINGS EVOLVE
This image gives a fairly striking idea of how vastly different the Aerogeist grew away from its source material, the Arosaurer. More than doubling its length and maintaining the same cockpit height even with the horizontal versus vertical stance, it is more similar in size and power to Deadborder.
GALLERIES
FINAL AEROGEIST
Overview shots from the first photoshoot after the model's completion. I really must get a better photography setup; these shots don't really convey the details and color complimenting of the finished product in person, but they do come close.
BLACK LIGHT PHOTOS
I really have come to love what has become known as the "Tron" look of the new Deochalcum models. The glow paint is a real pain to use, but the presence of the fully glowed kit makes it all worthwhile.
SPIRITUAL PREDECESSOR: AEROGEIST vs ERADICATOR
As the Aerogeist took shape I realized that it was taking on features I had originally intended for my Eradicator. In fact, my original design for Eradicator was a smaller Zoid that wielded a pair of RiPPeR Cannons. Should these two meet in battle there is little hope for poor Aerogeist. Even if it managed to get off the first shot with those powerful Thundershock cannons, there is a chance the Eradicator could survive. If it did, or if it got the opening shot, the RiPPeR or Spectre-Bolt force howitzer would end it quickly. In melee, the fight would only prove more divisive, the Aerogeist scrapped in seconds.
AEROGEIST vs DOS GODOS
If I had a Tiga, I'd compare those two. Still, in my Age of War timeline the Dos Godos would be more the Aerogeist's contemporary than the original. The Aerogeist was conceived to fill the gap between the smaller trooper Zoid and the forthcoming Gojulas Dreadnought, and I feel it will fit that niche perfectly.
AEROGEIST vs GOJULAS GIGA
This comp shot demonstrates how much larger the Aerogeist is compared to its original wind-up roots while simultaneously conveying that it really doesn't come close to its brutal big cousins in the Gojulas line. Still, at almost looks as though it could hold its own against a Giga. It couldn't, but it looks like it.
AEROGEIST vs STORM HERON
Another ally Zoid, Storm Heron actually has the closest color scheme to Aerogeist of all of my prior Helic builds. Seeing the two together was really quite wonderful, as both models represent quite dynamic builds chock full of details and very true to their animal counterparts.
AEROGEIST vs SIOBAHN
Considering how similar the two original kits were compared to each other (Arosaurer and Gul Tiger), it is still impressive how well balanced they seem to remain after so many modifications. The Siobahn would be meat and drink for those Thundershock cannons on the Aerogeist, but without them I would side with the lioness on this one! Her three Gatling cannons would eventually tear the allosaurus to ribbons.
AEROGEIST vs LUCHT VUUR
These two were intended to be built as the same class., Both originated from Hi-1000 Zoids and both found themselves more than doubled in length. As far as capabilities goes, both are stealthy units intended to scrap with heavier enemies than their class (much like a Humvee taking out a Merkava tank). In the final analysis, though, the Lucht Vuur would slay the Aerogeist before the latter even knew there was an opponent. If they were mutually aware then the flier would perish against those huge Thundershock cannons, but one MACH-5 pass with the huge wing blades would cut the Aerogeist in half.
INTERESTING BITS
Like so many of my builds, the Aerogeist was intended as something simpler; a jointed Arosaurer with upgraded weapons. The project evolved into a double-sized, almost anatomically accurate allosaurus that could rival a Deadborder!
Hours to complete: 32
Articulations: 48
Build Firsts:
Ironically, this build represents the first custom I've made since I started work in 2006 that doesn't really have a first! I used almost every technique I've learned (not including wiring or using magnets), but didn't use any new ones. And that, actually, is a first!
