The Way

Not every Supreme available for The Way, but all that I have painted so far! The Way is a Faction primarily focused on defending Pulp City and especially the Little Asia quarter from the grasp of the Jade Cult, but it is more than that. Its members come from a diverse array of Teams, and under other circumstances would be genuine enemies of one another, but within the ranks of The Way they have shared purpose.

The way is a good extra Team for players as many will have a couple of minis that are members, so definitely worth thinking about, and it definitely offers an eclectic mix of Supremes and a lot of choice.

Back Row:

• Twilight
• Stormblades

Middle:

• Crimson Oni
• Sgt. Bale
• Amok (the huge guy in the centre!)
• Chronin
• Jade Hawk

Front:

• Tanuki
• Chimp Chi

Heavy Metal

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It has taken me quite a while to get around to posting my Team shot of Heavy Metal, so apologies for that.

Apologies too for the ropy picture, but trying to get that number of minis in focus around the Giant Hadron model was a pain, so this was the best I could manage. I got my new Pulp City at salute (20th April) so look forwards to new painted stuff appearing sooner or later.

Heavy Metal are the celebrities of Pulp City's Heroes; they are the ones that the city turns to in times of greatest need, lead by the mighty C.O.R.E.

(centre)

• Giant Hadron: Size changing Supreme.

(surrounding Giant Hadron counter-clockwise from the back left ):

• Iron Train: Pulp City stalwart, this old-timer is every inch the blue-collar hero.
• Chronin: Time-bending warrior.
• Nuclear Jones: Nuclear powered cyborg, and Nuke's brother.
• Lady Cyburn: Punk flame-throwing cyborg, currently assigned to Heavy Metal on probation due to past crimes.
• C.O.R.E.: Possibly the most-intelligent being on earth; a sentient technological life-form able to adopt different battle forms to best fit the mission needs.
• Mini Hadron: Size changing Supreme.
• Captain Hadron: Size changing Supreme.
• Dr. Mercury: Tragic hero reborn into a living metal body.
• Androida: Super-fast artificial intelligence.

(front row)

• Access Points: Remote support units (Minions).

Ulthar (Sub-faction - updated)

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A technologically advanced alien empire bent on invading and subjugating the Earth; their efforts have been repelled time and again so far.

The Ulthar have a culture based around a shifting caste system. Currently the Aquarius Warlords are the masters.

Ulthar Supremes (rear row left to right):

• Gorgoroth, Taurus Captain: a raging slave caste ground assault commander.
• Stormblades, Libra Sensei: warrior monk master of close-quarters fighting.

(middle row, left to right):

• Stinger, Scorpio Fencer: deadly armoured blade-warrior.
• Ra'Leigh, Aquarius Warlord: royal caste, current masters of the Ulthar forces of war.
• Xyllian, Master Sagittarius: incomparable scout and infiltrator.

(front row, left to right):

• Gemini X: twin psychic mutant, healer and defender.
• Gemini Y: twin psychic mutant, manipulator of minds.

Dark Solar - Villain Equinox

The dark side of Nature's fury is revealed with Dark Solar's Villainous equinox.

Like the Heroic version, this is not a strict Sub-faction per se, but does behave like one if you stick to the stipulations of Dark Solar's additional Team Power.

With some mutual restrictions (Ulthar versus Tritonious and Virgo), a Level 22 Team can still be put into the field.

Supremes pictured above:
(back row, left to right):

• Harrier: her Greed can be used to turn her to towards the Villainous side.
• Seabolt: mysterious watery force of Nature.
• Gorgoroth, Taurus Captain: raging ground assault leader.
• Father Oak: parks warden reborn as a mighty agent of Gaia.
• Guerilla: ferocious co-leader of the ARC revolution.
• Riposte: playing the long strategic game, does working with the Dark Equinox serve a broader purpose?

(middle row, left to right):

• Stalker: Solar's loyal companion, in any incarnation.
• Stormblades, Libra Sensei: warrior monk master of close-quarters fighting.
• Dark Solar: avatar of an ancient god.
• Tritonious: alien-human hybrid and enemy of the Ulthar.
• Virgo: extra-terrestrial rebel; will not work with other Ulthar.

(front row, left to right):

• Gemini X: psychic defender and healer.
• Gemini Y: mind manipulator.
• Xenobi: peculiar little mutate.
• Acorn: destructive force of Nature able to tear down mankind's edifices with a whim.
• Le Murtiple: self-replicating saboteur turned revolutionary.

Mysterious Man Crime Cartel Team

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Sometimes known as the Hooded Man, is he really the infamous Doctor Van Der Beek coming back from beyond the grave? Or just a guy that wants us to think so? Just to name several things that he might be involved in: Nuke, military facility raids, Quantum Holes to 1940’s, Kodo Island. That makes him a major player.

And of course crime is his game. Mysterious Man is, like Dark Solar and Dead-Eye, an unaligned Supreme. Like them he is a Level 3 who creates Sub-Faction type of Team when all of the Team lack a Sub-faction. Thta leaves him a good number of Villains to draw upon..

Supremes pictured above:
(back row, left to right):

• Tangent: Pulp City's deadliest shot?
• Seabolt: living water elemental?
• Tritonious: alien-human hybrid.
• Father Oak: parks warden reborn as a mighty agent of Gaia.
• Stalker: feline companion to all aspects of Solar, empowered by ancient mystical forces.
• Sister Bedlam: disgraced former doctor; underworld medic.

(middle row, left to right):

• Gentleman: gun for hire.
• Virgo: renegade Ulthar.
• Nuke: radioactive menace.
• Mysterious Man: the ultimate criminal scientist.
• Kitty Cheshire: returned to earth, her body and sanity twisted apart from her time in an other-dimensional plane.
• Sanguine: vampire corporate raider.
• Arquero: vengeful vigilante given direction by Riposte.

(front row, left to right):

• Harrier: vengeful mutant; her Greed makes her an option for Mysterious Man to exploit.
• Vector: former thief transformed into digital form as a consequence of his own crimes.
• Xenobi: sadistic little mutant; one of the Mysterious Man's experiments?
• Acorn: an agent of Gaia on earth, believed to be the offspring of mighty Father Oak.
• Avatar of the Jaguar: the darks aspect of the power of Ahau-Kin.
• Riposte: tactical expert and master swords-woman seeking to topple her father's corrupt empire.

Dark Solar - Hero Equinox

The power of primal Nature unleashed in a Team of Heroes led by Dark Solar - the ultimate iteration of Solar/Avatar of the Jaguar.

Although I have listed this as a Sub-Faction (as with the Dead Eye team), it isn't strictly a Sub-Faction, but with Dark Solar in charge shares enough commonalities with a Sub-Faction themed Team that it is simply more convenient to list it as such.

As things stand, this can currently be an EL 21 Team - no mean feat.

Supremes pictured above:
(back row, left to right):

• Stoner Hawk: native American Earth-controlling Hero seeking redemption.
• Tritonious: Ulthar-hating alien-human hybrid.
• Father Oak: parks warden reborn as a mighty agent of Gaia.
• Guerilla: ferocious co-leader of the ARC revolution; a great fighter at range and close quarters.
• Perun: Slavic Thunder god embodied on Earth.

(middle row, left to right):

• Virgo: renegade Ulthar.
• Stalker: feline companion to all aspects of Solar, empowered by ancient mystical forces.
• Dark Solar: ultimate incarnation of Solar/Avatar of the Jaguar.
• Harrier: vengeful mutant.
• Jade Hawk: failed by justice in the past, she metes out her own version today.

(front row, left to right):

• Riposte: master tactician and expert swords-woman seeking to topple her father's corrupt empire.
• Acorn: an agent of Gaia on earth, believed to be the offspring of mighty Father Oak.
• Le Murtiple: arrived in Pulp City from the jungles and cities he terrorised in South America; stealthy self-replicating saboteur.

Dead Eye Vigilante Team

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Unlike the public fanfare associated with the much-lauded Heavy Metal, at times of great peril the shadowy Vigilantes of pulp City will also emerge to do battel against evil threats.

Dead Eye is the greatest of their number, and a team led by him can count on an array of Supremes at its disposal. Any non-Sub-faction and non-E.T. Hero (including Hero/Villain) can be including, and thanks to all Supremes in the Team gaining Hatred it makes an ideal Team to battle against all-Necroplane or all-Ulthar Teams, and against Pulp Monsters.

At present all bar-one of the Level 1 Supremes could be used, creating a Team capable of being fielded in anything from Encounter Level 12 to 18.

Supremes pictured above:

(back row, left to right):

• Stoner Hawk: native American Earth-controlling Hero seeking redemption.
• Riposte: master tactician and expert swords-woman seeking to topple her father's corrupt empire.
• Jade Hawk: failed by justice in the past, Jade Hawk metes out her own version today.
• Perun: Slavic Thunder god embodied on Earth.
• Skyline: simply the right guy, in the right place at the right time - who wouldn't be a hero in those circumstances?
• Arquero: vengeful vigilante given purpose and focus by Riposte.
• Father Oak: parks warden reborn as a mighty agent of Gaia.

(middle row, left to right)

• Vector: thief transformed into digital form as a consequence of his own crimes.
• Kitty Cheshire: returned to earth, her body and sanity twisted apart from her time in an other-dimensional plane.
• Stalker: feline companion to all aspects of Solar, empowered by ancient mystical forces.
• Tritonious: alien-human hybrid.
• Solar: sun-powered hero with a dark side.
• Trail: master of mental powers, haunted by strange visions.

(front row, left to right)

• Ace of Wraiths: cursed gun-slinger.
• Acorn: an agent of Gaia on earth, believed to be the offspring of mighty Father Oak.
• Dead Eye: disgraced athlete seeking to atone for past mistakes.
• Harrier: vengeful mutant.

ARC (Sub-faction)

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Despite finally finishing Guerilla in July, I have yet to post my ARC minis collectively, so being long-overdue, here you are.

The ARC are freedom fighters to some, militant paramilitaries to others. Opertaing out of the abandoned Pulp City Zoo they have been known to work alongside both Heroes and Villains around the city, all the while pursuing their own agendas. Their leadership is currently formed by the sometimes-conflicting ideologies of Guerilla and Dr. Red - will a third prominent ARC member rise to destabilise that unsteady status quo?

The ARC (rear row, left to right):

• Apebot: inspired creation of ARC, Apebot has forged a close bond with Virus beyond the limits of its basic programming; a real engine of destruction.
• Dr. Red: tactical and strategic mastermind; rival to Guerilla; wild bomb-throwing enhanced primate.
• Guerilla: ferocious leader of the revolution; an able fighter at range and close quarters.
• Silverager: ARC's truest dichotomy - brilliant engineer on the one hand, while within the venerable ape rages a veritable furious beast.

(front row, left to right):

• Virus: master of electronics, and Apebot's most able handler.
• Chimp Chi: master of secret Eastern martial Arts; Chimp Chi has rumoured affiliations with the fabled Way of the Fist & Blade.
• Howler: the most human-culture assimilated member of ARC, Howler spends time away from his team enjoying the opportunities available; gun-wielding action hero.
• Le Murtiple: arrived in Pulp City from the jungles and cities he terrorised in South America; stealthy self-replicating saboteur.

Blood Watch (Sub-faction - updated)

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With the recent painting of Moonchild/Moon Coyote and Loup Garou II, and guessing it may be a few months before further Blood Watch are released, I thought an update could be in order as with the The Coven update yesterday.

The Blood Watch are guardians against the threat of the Necroplane and other arcane evils. They are dark defenders, creatures of the night, and men and women empowered by occult forces.

The models above are sufficient to field a Level 9 Blood Watch Team.

The Blood Watch (rear row left to right):

• Loup Garou II: fast and brutally powerful; requires Moonchild to be present to be be fielded as Blood Watch.
• Sgt. Bale: ex-special forces soldier turned arcane-empowered supernatural hunter.
• Six Feet Under: enslaved in Hellrock, the Necroplane's terrible prison, Six Feet Under is a man from another world determined to spare this Earth the same fate as his home world.
• Zombie Wolf: (Minion) Hoodoo's guardian; is this Loup Garou - a former enemy - turned to serve Red Riding Hoodoo?

(front row, left to right):

• Moon Coyote/Moonchild: support Supreme, fast and mobile.
• Blood Rose: the last of her kind, the Blood Watch's healer and source of mobility - she can teleport them across the field of battle.
• Red Riding Hoodoo: New Orleans voodoo practitioner, and mistress of ancient rituals.

The Coven (Sub-faction - updated)

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Since I do not expect any more Coven releases for a while (but they will come, I am sure!), I thought I could afford to take time to do a Sub-faction update.

The Coven are the antithesis of the Heroes of Heavy Metal, yet can be compared with their own corporate headquarters across Golden Plaza from Heavy Metal's base. They utilise scientific and arcane resources in the pursuit of their aims.

I have enough here to field a Level 7 The Coven Team.

The Coven so far (left to right):

• Twilight: shadow thief, shadow shooter.
• Rook: bruiser and bodyguard. Offers decent area denial capability.
• Francis Gator: bloodthirsty swamp-dweller offspring of an occult dabbler and a swamp devil. Tenacious low-Level brawler.
• Loup Garou II: true 'combat monster' in every sense. Fast and brutally powerful.
• Moon Coyote/Moonchild: support Supreme requiring Loup Garou II to be present to be fielded in a The Coven Team.

Ulthar (Sub-Faction)

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The Ulthar landed last summer; alien invaders bent on conquest. The Ulthar are the most recent Villain Sub-faction in Pulp City, and soon should be bolstered to form a complete Level 12 Team.

The Ulthar are mainly Nature Origin so far, although that may change as the line-up grows.

The Ulthar so far (left to right):

• Xyllian, Master Sagittarius; scout and infiltrator par excellence


• Gemini Y; psychic, mind manipulator


• Gorgoroth, Taurus Captain; ground assault leader


• Gemini X; psychic, healer and defender


• Stormblades, Libra Sensei; warrior monk

Blood Watch (Sub-faction)

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Guardians of the rift-breach against invasion by the Necroplane, the Blood Watch are dark defenders, creatures of the night, and men and women empowered by arcane forces.

Nicely balanced so far with enough minis to make an Encounter Level 6 Team, the Blood watch offer a nice collection of archetypes.

The Blood Watch (left to right):

• Red Riding Hoodoo; New Orleans voodoo practitioner, and mistress of ancient rituals.
• Zombie Wolf; Hoodoo's guardian; is this Loup Garou - a former enemy - turned to serve Red Riding Hoodoo?
• Six Feet Under; enslaved in Hellrock, the Necroplane's terrible prison, Six Feet Under is a man from another world determined to spare this Earth the same fate as his home world.
• Sgt. Bale; ex-special ops turned arcane-empowered supernatural hunter.
• Blood Rose; the last of her kind, the Blood Watch's healer and source of mobility - she can teleport them across the field of battle.
  

The Coven (Sub-faction)

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This time around we have the Coven. The Coven are the antithesis of the Heroes of Heavy Metal, with a corporate headquarters across Golden Plaza from Heavy Metal's base.

The Coven offer a mix of Origins, primarily Mystery, but with some Science thrown in as well. At present there are not many Coven Supremes, but more Coven are on the horizon for next year.

The Coven so far (left to right):

• Twilight; shadow thief.
• Rook; bruiser and bodyguard. Offers decent area denial capability.
• Francis Gator; bloodthirsty swamp-dweller offspring of an occult dabbler and a swamp devil.

Necroplane (Sub-faction)

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Following on from the Forgotten, the Necroplane.

Invaders from another realm, the Necroplane harvest life energy to drive their machinations forwards.

A growing collection of Supremes and Minions, they are (left to right):

• Necro GI's (and right); unliving foot soldiers able to infect unwitting opponents who in turn become more Necro GI's - a self-sustaining army.
• Mourn; screeching Supreme possibly empowered by a malign spirit which Mourn hosts.
• Dr. Tenebrous; lord and master of the Necroplane; twisted scholar with designs on extracting the abundant life energy of Earth.
• Supreme Zed; unstoppable agent of the Necroplane, Supreme Zed was a hero on another world before becoming an unliving engine of destruction.
• Sanguine & Draku; vampiric agent of the Necroplane on Earth, Sanguine is the head of Royal Investments, but his loyalties don't always lie with the Necroplane. Draku is his vampiric canine companion - beware of the dog.

Forgotten (Sub-faction)

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Over the next week or two (or however long really!), I plan to start photographing the whole painted collection in groups, starting with the various Sub-factions as they are complete so far (meaning I will aim to update these entries every so often).

Fallen gods. Bloodthirsty beasts. The Forgotten are long-lost gods returned to Earth to enact their diabolical aims.

Only two so far, both Level 2 Supremes (left to right):

• Boreas; wind demon. Exceptional when it comes to shutting down enemy Action capablity as well as controlling battlefield areas.
• Hellsmith; powerful warrior-smith. Excels in close combat and at short range.

From Beneath The Streets!

Just a picture of all of my Grimm so far, and something I may repeat as my collection of the little blighters grows.

What will be interesting is that when more Grimm are available, as Minions they may be mixed and matched to provide different ability combos; pretty nifty I reckon.

Factions

Pulp City is divided into Alignments: Heroes and Villains, setting up the premise of a conflict of good versus evil.

Both of these Alignments (as well as those neutrals who straddle both camps) also encompasses a number of Factions, also known occasionally as Allegiances.

The currently known Factions with models available or upcoming are the following(click on Sub-faction name for a link to models under that allegiance):

ARC: (H/V) Ape Revolution Committee. Mutated intelligent apes and monkeys working to their own agenda.

Blood Watch: (H) heroic yet arcane mystic defenders of the city and especially Twilight Hills.

Coven: (V) villainous mercenaries making use of technology as well as esoteric forces.

Forgotten: (V) forces from ancient myth at large in Pulp City.

Grimm Under Empire: under dwelling occasional invaders.

Heavy Metal: (H) technologically orientated heroes.

Otherside: (H/V?) extra-dimensional faction.

Necroplane: (V) life-leeching villainous force from another plane.

Ulthar: (V) alien invaders.


In addition there are Heroes, Villains and Hero/Villains that belong to no Faction. Under the likes of Dead Eye and Mysterious Man this lack of Sub-faction creates an ad hoc Faction bonus for all if all are without allegiance.

It is Factions that factor into skills such as Freelancer and Merc (see this post here for discussion).