Kickstarter APPROVED!

Kickstarter has approved the COUNTERBLAST Project for launch! We will be ready to hit the green button as soon as some more of the work is ready to go! Stay tuned for the official launch update!

Setting

The COUNTERBLAST™ Adventure Battle Game is a skirmish-based rule set for miniatures in an alternate Earth future where humans join forces with several alien species to protect freedom throughout the Milky Way galaxy, particularly a region of space known as the Outer Reaches. Be they Alanti, Illyrian, human, or Shrinaar serving in the Galactic Defense Force or as a member of the mercenary freighter crews for hire known as Lancers, they all strive to protect the galaxy and themselves from various threats, such as the expansion of the mighty and brutal Neiran Empire, extermination by the mechanical and merciless Mekkus, or invasion by the feared and alien Edofleini.

FACTIONS

EDOFLEINI - [ee•doh•flee'•nee]
Strange cephalopods with bizarre mental powers, the Edofleini have recently emerged from the farthest voids of space to invade the known galaxy. What has brought them to the Milky Way is unknown and their motives are uncertain, but encounters with the Edo, as they are more commonly called, are sure to provoke hostilities. Linked as a race to the cosmic flux through bioengineering and wielding exotic arc technology, the Edo potential for menace is high. So far, neither the Galactic Defense Force or the Neiran Empire have been able to communicate with them successfully. Fortunately their forces encountered to date have been small, but some military experts fear these groups are merely scouting missions for a much, much larger force.

Collectively the Edo are seeking to form colonies within this new area of the galaxy known as the Outer Reaches. Fleeing from their home systems where they have stripped the resources bare, vast coral-formed ships drift onward to search for Ultonium deposits. Assured of its existence in this area of the galaxy, the Edo will eradicate any infestation that threatens their claim to extract the essential ore.

Colonies are generally scouted by a bloated Undermind who seeks to establish an area to deposit a spawning pool and begin cultivating more Edo underlings. These underlings are herded by wicked Leaders who carry out the mental commands of the Undermind and manintain order in the colony. 

The Edo faction of the COUNTERBLAST™ Adventure Battle Game is a creature force complimented by broad mind control abilities. Wielding formidable arc technology as well as the energies of The Deep, the monstrous Edo offer players an unusual force supported by alien weaponry and psychic power.

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The Galactic Defense Force (GDF) is the military arm of the Galactic Council of Worlds (GCW) charged with maintaining law and order among its constituent systems and territories. Comprised of various species including Alanti, Illyrians, Shrinaar and now Humans, the GDF seeks to protect the freedom and well being of all its members. All species of the GCW are welcome to enlist in the Galactic Defense Force.

Recruits receive extensive training at various bases located throughout the territories of the Outer Reaches before receiving their posting to a Crew. Highly respected, the Galactic Defense Force is a stalwart protector of the rights of the GCW and its greatest shield against galactic invasion. The GDF is well funded, equipping its troops with state-of-the-art Pulsar weapons and the latest in equipment, such as armored environment suits and vehicles.

The GDF faction is the most military force in the COUNTERBLAST™ Adventure Battle Game. It offers a wide selection of species that may be included, in addition to the very best in weaponry and equipment available. This makes any GDF crew an extremely capable force.

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LANCERS

Hailing from countless worlds and commonly seen operating throughout the vast regions of the galaxy are bands of miscreants, fortune hunters, and those merely struggling to survive collectively known as 'Lancers'. While many are traders, privateers or mercenaries seeking honest employment, hard times can drive some to unlawful activities like smuggling or piracy. Still others choose to embrace crime freely, tempted by the profits to be made in spite of the risks.

 Lancers crews are seldom homogenous in nature, with equipment as varied as the races that comprise them. All free species, such as Illyrians, Alanti, Shrinaar, the human newcomers, and even a rare Neiran exile may be included in Lancer crews. Some Lancers are loners, operating independently as bounty hunters, bodyguards, prospectors or other types of free agents. Most Lancers possess highly specialized skills, but all of them boast at least a modicum of martial skill, be it ranged or hand-to-hand. Indeed, some Lancers are highly notorious or renowned fighters.

The Lancers faction of the COUNTERBLAST: Adventure Battle Game offers players the most flexibility and customizability in choosing their force. It has the widest selection of not only species that can be included, but weaponry and other types of equipment as well, making the Lancer crew extremely versatile whatever the mission.

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MEKKUS - [mek•us']

Originating from Gallinia Prime, the home planet of their now extinct makers, the Mekkus make their methodical way across the galaxy to imperil the home planets of every living being. Comprised of modular mechanical constructs directed by an artificial intelligence, the Mekkus appear to be devoid of emotion, carrying out their attacks with ruthless efficiency. By their nature, Mekkus are very resistant to the mind controlling psi powers wielded by channelers of the cosmic flux.

They are now solely reliant on the designs programmed by their makers forcing them to use weapon technology assimilated from the inhabitants found throughout the known galaxy increasing their dependency on Ultonium for fuel. Having exhausted the resources of their homeworld, the Mekkus now commandeer ships and other transport offworld to search for other resources to exploit. They now spread across the galaxy like a great mechanical virus exterminating all organic life in their pursuit of exploitable resources.

The Mekkus faction in the COUNTERBLAST™ Adventure Battle Game is almost exclusively mechanical in nature. Its modular construction facilitates easy weapon and mode of transportation upgrades for its various troops. While many Mekkus are slow compared to their organic counterparts, they are usually more heavily armored and difficult to destroy. This faction also includes fast attack troops and a troop capable of repairing other friendly units, making any Mekkus crew a challenging and defendable force.

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NEIRAN EMPIRE - [neer'•en]
Intent on galactic domination, the Neiran Empire has posed a constant threat to the free peoples of the Galactic Council of Worlds for centuries. A matriarchal society, they are ruled by a semi-divine empress counseled by religious Oracles and huntress warlords of a powerful female warrior caste. The expansion interests of the Neiran Empire often place it at odds with the rest of the galaxy. Neiran society is highly ritualized and at times can seem quite brutal. Its citizens revere their supreme goddess, their empress, and strength above all else. Weakness is held by most in utter contempt and is rarely tolerated or condoned.

Neiran are large, taller than most other known species of the galaxy. Born and bred for conflict, they are dedicated, strong, agile and tough. Their forces are fearlessly led by powerful huntresses or warlords called Jamad, some of whom can form bonds with feral beasts to fight at their sides. They also use specially trained battle beasts as well as form alliances with sentient creatures indigenous to their planet called the Vorog. Their weaponry is passed down through the ages of their culture, modified only by the technology of the current time. The Neiran longrifle is as feared on the battlefield as it is prized on the black market for its range and power, and almost every Neiran fighter, from clansister to huntress, carries one. In addition, Neiran forces are often bolstered with priestesses who can wield mighty powers drawn from the cosmic flux known as The Deep.

The Neiran faction of the COUNTERBLAST: Adventure Battle Game offers players an exotic fighting force that is swift and powerful. Its unique weaponry, mighty fighting beasts, and fearless, hardy warriors make the Neiran an extremely formidable force with which to do battle.

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Happy 2014!

...and all is well! We have successfully merged all of the blog posts from the old Bombshell page to the new Airlock Games site here.

The all new Counterblast Facebook Group is open for discussion and we will be updating the forums with a playtest area and new look over the coming weeks as we prepare to launch the Counterblast Kickstarter project.

Master castings have arrived from the foundry for some of the parts offered on the Scout Ship Kickstarter project. We know they are hard at work finishing up the castings to get the pieces sent to us for fulfillment.

COUNTERBLAST

Over the coming weeks updates for the various factions will be posted along with new art and pics of some of the sculpts that will be offered through the Kickstarter project. This will allow potential players to examine the various factions and will provide a more detailed overview of how they will play and what makes them unique.

The Outer Reaches is a varied collection of aliens, some cat-like, some shark-like, some unlike anything on Earth. Only recently have intrepid explorers from Earth been encouraged to travel out among the Reaches to make their way in this hostile environment. Many human-owned corporations seeking rich ultonium deposits have begun to stake claims bringing them in direct competition, and conflict, with the the native Reachers. This make the environment rich for many adventure battles.

We here at the factory are very excited to see all of our work reach the point where it can now be shared with you. Seeing the characters and ideas that have only lived in our imaginations come to life through the talented artists, writers and designers over the course of development has been a fulfilling and rewarding experience. We look forward to 2014, as we look back to what 1948 might have been, to share with you what the Illyrians have shared with us, adventure in the Outer Reaches.

Patrick Keith

The Sculptdude

December Things in the Works

We are happy to announce that Bombshell Miniatures are now handled by Minerva Games in the UK. If you are a UK or European retail store or online game and hobby provider, please contact them directly to order wholesale products by Bombshell Miniatures.

Minerva Games

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The Scout Ship Kickstarter fulfillment is still chugging along and we have the Production Update #5 posted over on the project page with all the news.

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There is a big update over on the Airlock Games blog with new concept art and info about the upcoming game project.

New Concept Art

Here are a few more designs that have been rolling in from our concept artists.

Keri Ruediger worked up a couple of Shrinaar iterations for the Lancers faction.

Shrinaar are a race of felinoids whose homeworld, Shrina, was conquered and enslaved by the Neiran during the later reign of Empress Messilina III. Before that time, the Shrinaar had reached early space travel and, having an innate sense of curiosity, had begun exploration of nearby systems, even colonizing several worlds.

Jeff Paulsrud has provided us with a look at a couple more creatures for the Edo faction.

Large and fearsome, a Psider's abilities can put even the most battle-harded veteran on edge. Psi-ders share the chameleon ability of Eye-Spys, due to the enhanced chromatophores of their skin, allowing them to infiltrate enemy forces. Mighty wielders of the cosmiverse, Psi-ders are able to surround the pseudopods at the tips of their tentacles with Arc energy during their attacks. They can also protect themselves with force fields and have a powerful ability that apparently allows them to fold space and move instantaneously from one spot to another, more limited, not unlike what Jump drives perform for starships.

An odd type of spider-crab-like creature, trappers seem to travel with and on Edoflenii forces until under some alien direction they swarm together to surge forward releasing a sticky web-like substance that ensnares and immobilizes any being or creature unwary enough to get too close. As unsettling as they appear, they pose no other danger, seemingly used by the Edo to slow enemies until the main Edo troops can arrive.

Bret has fabricated a fantastic new prototype for the Edo faction we have dubbed as the Scutter. His cool Scutter prototype model is kitbashed from a variety of materials and has been used in several of the demos we have have been running at various shows.

While Edoflenii seem to be a species that has developed and continues to practice advanced bio-engineering, they also apparently have their own technology as well. An example of this technology are the formidable Scutters. Fashioned in the image of their makers, these machines stride across the battlefield on articulated legs bearing their Edo leader pilots in domed cockpits above.

I have been working on many of the weapon designs for the various faction in ZBrush which will be going to print shorly so they can be mastered and added to the sculpts.

As more art arrives over the next few weeks we will be adding more designs for some of the other factions.

New Characters for Counterblast

We have created a selection of Counterblast "preview models" to accompany the Scout Ship Kickstarter project. These characters are found within the Outer Reaches setting but are not part of any designated force list. We will be offering a datacard Print&Play™ PDF file  for these characters which will have all of their in-game stats, points values and equipment once the game is published so that you can include them in your Adventure Battle Games.

Skip Westmoreland, GRA Agent

Smap, Illyrian Agent

Wanda Whitestar, Lancer Captain

Neema, Illyrian Lancer Tec Specialist

Maintenance and Custodial (MaC) Bot

GDF Security Officer

GhNT Security Bot

BdE Bots

You can find all of these models in our web store in the Counterblast section.

November News

Pre-Order News

Girron is on mold and we should have copies to ship out as soon as they are cast. Masters have arrived and have been approved so the production casting should begin later this week.

If you missed the Scout Ship Kickstarter Project we have added all the items that were unlocked to the web store. You can place a Pre-Order for them and they will ship along with the backer's fulfillment as soon as we receive the production castings. See the new Pre-Order category here!

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Two new items in the web store

We now have Andrea and the Doom Bunny! These were characters originally concepted for our feature vampire film Blooodwine. They would make great additions to any zombie apocalypse game.

Andrea, Vampire Hunter - Painted by Elizabeth  Beckley

Doom Bunny

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Concepts

Robyn Haley has designed one of our upcoming releases the Sun Paladin.

I will be posting updates of the progress on this over on the forums as I work on it. Right now I am practicing on my 3D chops in ZBrush and this would be an excellent candidate for a digital model. You can follow along on my progress on the forum post over there.