The meta-part kit and character corporealisation

If you've followed the discussion on kitbashing at the House, now moving on to Lego, and the one at Tenkar's Tavern on using miniatures in roleplaying, you might be interested in the set of posts going up at Iron Mammoth's Studio showing a miniature being made up from scratch.

On the subject I have a question, and a thought about character creation, or generation.

40K OSR? (22)

It's been yonks since the last 40K OSR? update.

Not sure what a 40K OSR? is? If you know what a 40K is, and an OSR, you're pretty much there.

If you're part of it, feel free to use Colonel Kane's logo, here to the right, and consider linking to a superb example: their Tales from the Maelstrom.

Since that last update, they've set up and run a multiplayer Rogue Trader game, posted the photos and mused on the nature of old school.

And there's been plenty more going on too, for various systems and scales, and none.

• Mutants and Magic outlined a Mutant Future-WFRP blend - Weirdhammer.

• Jack at Tales of the Grotesque posted stats for various Tyranids in WFRP.

• Zhu Bajiee looks at a possible origin for the Tyranids in M.A.R. Barker's Tékumel and possible examples of UK politics appearing in the hobby...
  

• ... and SandWyrm at The Back 40K GW being a public limited company.

• Relic at Lead Space found a source of Epic-scale counts as Tyranids and looked at building up a Crimson Fists force for NetEpic over one, two posts.

• Fictive Fantasies posted two draft expansions for Fictive Hack (pdf), first for space marines then for genestealer cults, plus a scenario and playtest. 

• DarthMeer at The Heralds of Ruin took us all the way up to Kill Team v1.6.
  

• Col. Gravis released a possible IG bike and is crowdfunding field pieces.

• James at Warp Signal posted on the Ratling Project, a major reimagining.

• Master Bryss posted the second part of creature feature for sixth edition.

• TJ Atwell did Iron Warriors and Night Lords in Dark Future's bits series, ...

• ... Davey at The Marienburg Gazette uses this set for plague marines ...

• ... and smiler at Brush of Fumbling just posted a list of skirmish options.

• The guys at Spiky Rat Pack have been producing too much superb work to list - just go and look at it - but one piece, the Living Coffin, ties in with...

• ... the pic-heavy Arkke Retour series at Tears of Isstvaan on a return to the Yggdrassilium tree, for more INQ28 gaming with John Blanche and friends.

• Paul Schaefer mentioned a Necromundan Caves of Chaos at Talysman's.

• Unite All Action showed some great Necromunda Van Saar conversions.

• Lasgunpacker discussed the scope for normal life in the 41st millennium.

• John Bell - The Retired Adventurer - posted a map with lists for the Tellian Sector and psyker and warrior packages for 40K in Stars Without Number.

• Krisken at Scratchbuilt 40K has posted once, twice on a land raider build...

• ... Ansu at Farseer with a Brush once, twice, thrice a card Leman Russ, ...

• ... John Hanan III at Zorcon's Word once, twice the fairly rare arvus lighter...

• ... and Unite All Action - second mention - once, twice a cool Ork trukk, ...

• ... plus Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze finished the immense Ork kopta karrier.

• Andrew Lotz brings the warlock titan in line with the phantom at Apoc 40K.

• Phil at The Shell Case looks at getting back into 6mm Adeptus Titanicus.

• At Dropship Studio Carl gives advice on weathering Epic-scale vehicles...

• ... and Sigur at Tale of Painters converted up a 6mm Hunter anti-air rhino.

• J. D. Brink of Chaos Theory has a way of reintroducing shooting modifiers.

• Finally, The M42 Project has posted a lot more, including an introduction. 

I've probably missed a huge number of posts so feel free to leave links in the comments.

_

A few bits and pieces

First, BoLS has a major update on the ongoing GW vs. Chapterhouse case - there's a little more here - and HoP flags up a clever thunderhawk.

Second, if you've been having trouble seeing The M42 Project's vision of an improved alternative to 40K, SandWyrm posted a force organisation chart and revised game introduction. 

Third, there's a discussion going on at Trey's last Warlord review, on change in people and genre, and Roger the GM sees the old school in ITV's classic show Knightmare.

Fourth, one or two of us were commenting a while back with Lovecraft's favourite words, and to expand a shrunk vocabulary I've decided to build on that. I started here and here.

Lastly, it seems no one got that movie reference from the last post, so I've put a slightly more open reference into the next entry for the Maelstrom table. This is entry no. 6 of eight unless someone else jumps in before Saturday. If you have a suggestion, go for it.

     The descent into the Maelstrom... (heading for 1D8)

     6. ... wakes the traveller - who is afloat and wired up in a sensory deprivation tank.
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40K OSR? (21)

More 40K OSR? We know what 40K is, or think we do, but what's an OSR? Still a good question.

If you're part of it, feel free to use Colonel Kane's logo, here to the right, and think about linking to their exemplary blog Tales from the Maelstrom.

Since the last update Major Hazzard has posted an Eldar shuttle and crew - with spirit warriors.

And there's more of that heresy right here...

• Big Jim at Galaxy in Flames released the latest version of Killzone - now updated for sixth - and posted on changes and rules being tested, as well as looked in 1, 2 parts at adapting his Soul Reapers to the new CSM book.

• Old School Terminator at Dark Future Games has been suggesting parts for modelling better noise marines, bezerkers, Thousand Sons and plague marines, and is building an alternative flyer, but Nurglified - the hellworm.

• I managed to overlook Spiky Rat Pack last time - izeColt has now finished Hagard and the Færwyrd, with a snippet of fiction, and okkiW is building Task Force Pherion, in both cases for playing 54mm Inquisitor at 28mm...

• ... regarding which, zhu bajiee suggests a possible origin for the Inquisition symbol and presents a rebound tome of some classic 40K rule resources.

• Staying on the subject of playing at smaller scales, Relic at Lead Space has 1, 2, 3 more 6mm Epic Crimson Fists models for use in skirmish games, ...

• ... and scottsz has some shots of how it can look in practice, with a map, ...

• ... while Carl at Dropship Studio is back and redoing a titan battlegroup, ...

• ... Wargaming Workshop has phantoms - one reposed - and revenants ...

• ... and Realms of Chaos has two great gargants: a snappa and a gutbuster.

• At 15mm scale Dropship Horizon suggest possible base space marines...

• ... and for Ork conversions in 15mm, Wesley over at TheOrky 15mm SciFi suggests the bodies of those Wasteland Warriors with Khurasan orc heads.

• Still with greenskins, FrDave at Blood of Prokopius has stats for Ork types in Stars Without Number, for the Black Reach campaign he's developing, ... 

• ... Kamui at Creative Twilight is working on old-new lootas with grotbots...

• ... and The M42 Project have more on the Grün, as well as some possible sub-factions, and continued developing their ruleset, an alternative for 40K.

• Master Bryss posted the first abilities of the revised creature creation rules.

• Laughing Ferret has a possible genestealer cult character and hybrids.

• At Confessions... dwez has done more work on the Tyranid defence line...

• ... Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze is retailing his dragons' teeth tank traps, ...

• ... - and there's a tutorial at 122nd Cadian if you fancy making your own - ...

• ... but Spyrle decided against mass-producing his Eldar-inspired defences.

• T Planet at Conflict Valorax showed off some potential scatter terrain for 40K interiors and some mixed-source adeptus mechanicus and Squats.

• Grazer at Claws and Fists has a scratchbuilt overlord armoured airship.

• Mordian7th is working on some sagitarii robotic weapons systems for his adeptus mechanicus and making progress on the scratchbuilt leviathan.

• Mike at SC Warhammer near-scratchbuilt a big cannon for the traitor guard.

• At From the Warp Ron has a superb tutorial for Death Korps-like troopers.

• Robert Morris at Back to the Keep has some pics of classic IG regiments...

• ... Col. Ackland at The Thunder Guard has a thorough introduction to two producers of conversion kits suitable for building a praetorian-like regiment...

• ... and Blight Wheel Miniatures have added arms to the new human range.

• Back to the Crimson Fists, Coopdevil of FightingFantacist played the Battle at the Farm from Rogue Trader, with miniatures then with the counters.

• TastyTaste at BoK has some thoughts on the Horus Heresy then and now.

• At The Evandalists, vandalworks has an interview with the ex-GW designer Andy Chambers, and there's an older blog interview here at Digital Waaagh!

Also worthy of mention, Rob at Warhammer 39,999 is selling a large range of classic miniatures for various 40K armies and some fantasy, with the final day being Sunday.

I have a contribution this time too, the introductory post to a series on developing 40K the wargame into an easy-start RPG, with or without a GM. The next part isn't far off.

If you think I've missed anything, leave a link in the comments, even to your own work.

Update: In the comments scottsz has a link to Angel Barracks, where there's 6mm with possible counts-as squigs, a wheeled chimera-like chassis and various humans.

I also want to mention Dave G's weekly updates at Wargaming Tradecraft, which very often link to fan-made art, and BoLS this week had a Necron piece with a timelapse.

And I've just seen Curis at Ninjabread recently posted on building a Squat force - the Furnace Valley Brotherhood - with some newly-painted classics and current stats.

_

40K OSR? (20)

It's been a while since the last fuller 40K OSR? post, even if the list of Epic-related links came close. Maybe it's the summer, or maybe sixth?

But what is an OSR anyway? A good question.

If you think you might be a part of it, feel free to use Colonel Kane's logo, here to the right. If you do, consider giving him credit and putting Tales from the Maelstrom in your blogroll. They have 1, 2 reports up since last time and more minis.

So here we go, with some fine fusion this time...

• Relic at Lead Space is mixing Rogue Trader - that's first edition 40K - with the Lovecraftian skirmish game Strange Aeons and playing at 15mm scale with classic factions: a genestealer cult and Squats. And he's using 6mm Epic models to play skirmish games, with some good-looking marines here.

• Von is getting into Epic and has some first impressions at GAME OVER...

• ... and something could be up because two other bloggers recently posted about starting too, MANGAMAX here at 2000 AD and Closet Gamer here...

• ... and Zac posted a report from an Epic tournament with a lot of pictures, and a little further back also played another game using second edition.
  

• FrDave at Blood of Prokopius has gone from the idea of using Rogue Trader - the RPG this time - to explore Christianity in M41, to planning a campaign set around Black Reach using Stars Without Number and D&D categories for 40K factions - with some abhumans up already - onto detailing Black Reach, with 1, 2, 3 posts up so far on mapping a hive like a megadungeon.

• James S at Warp Signal has even more examples of custom background.
  

• Dallas at Fawcett Avenue Conscripts has been posting on RT-era minis and fought the Battle at the Farm in a campaign for 40K's 25th, in 1, 2, 3 posts.

• Dave Bone gives examples of campaigns mixing systems at The Wargate.

• Oddleg reported on a final campaign game that used their Space-Munda system and has some thoughts on count-as Chaos marines and guard.

• Griffit is building a set of characters for In the Emperor's Name, with stats.

• The M42 Project is still building an alternative to 40K - updated goals here.

• At Confessions... dwez has 1, 2 marker sets for sixth, and possibly beyond.

• Thor at Creative Twilight has been updating the entries in the mission set.

• At Warpstone Flux jabberjabber posted fortification power source rules.

• Virtual Stranger at The Grim Cheapness... builds a thunderbolt in card...

• ... and Loken highlighted a scratchbuilt blasta bomma at Apocalypse 40K.

• Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze is all but scratchbuilding an Ork kopta karrier.

• Mordian has been very busy, but to pick a few highlights, he converted and painted his own version of Angron, painted up a knight errant and finished even more of his adeptus mechanicus, and is now building a leviathan.

• Warhammer in Progress has some excellent plague marine conversions.

• Mike at Santa Cruz Warhammer is converting up a traitor guard force.

• Ron at From the Warp looks at souping up kit rhinos and builds the turret and the sponsons of the original predator, but in the style of the FW version, and has the start of a heresy-era jetbike and death korps-inspired unit.

• TheAmbit has a marine command squad on jetbikes of a different pattern and converted a Cruorian war beast for Dark Heresy, with the intro here.

• Master Bryss just posted the first part of his revised creature creation rules.

• Carjacked Seraphim posted some rules for a very familiar-looking 'Catachan firebreather', examples of counts-as land speeders in the style of the RT grav-attack vehicle and some pics of the original land raider instructions.

• demi_morgana has some great scavvies and got their bunker into a zine.

• Lasgunpacker used an odd mix of parts to get Neo-Soviet power armour.

• Adeptus-B posted a good-looking Dark Heresy report at Zorcon's Word.

• Mercer at Imperius Dominatus has some ideas for enhancing Planetstrike.

• Fritz posted on experiments with a multiplayer approach to Space Hulk and some musings on Dark Heresy and the current state of D&D and 40K.

• LuckyNo.5 shows some inspiration - it's dark, and could even be horrifying.

• Josh Graboff at The Signe of the Frothing Mug offers up some thoughts on violence in gaming and 40K, also looking at the nature of space marines.

• Hungry Ghosts reminds us of the comment on the Squats that made a 40K myth, has a Ratling and Squat size comparison, completes the series on Squats in Epic and shows another bold conversion, a rust monster biker...

• ... and with chariots back and Chaos big again, there's more inspiration for mounted character conversions in this set of tables at The Dungeon Dozen.

• Finally, Big Jim at Galaxy in Flames reports the Killzone update is close...

I can't possibly have got more than a fraction of it with the length of time involved, so as ever, feel free to leave links to anything else you think should be in, even your own work.

_

The noble art of the rip-off?

Tied loosely to the subject of the last post is this suggestion - link found here - that Electronic Arts has been heavily inspired by old GW tanks. The usual debate follows.

One commenter even writes: "Nothing’s been truly original for the past 50 years or so, however the given combination of unoriginal can produce something original." It's not so original a claim, but coming up with a specific number of years shows creative potential.

Another links to this exchange on replicating miniatures. Could the commenter who says "The onus is on the rest of us to get these stupid laws changed" have a point?

_

40K OSR? (18)

The latest 40K OSR? update. What's an OSR?

Could be an Old School Renaissance, an Other School Renaissance or even an Optional School Renaissance, or not, and maybe the 'R' stands for 'Review', 'Revolution' or 'Revelation'. Maybe...

Colonel Kane's logo is to the right. If you use it, consider giving him credit and adding Tales from the Maelstrom to your blogroll for the inspiration.

Here we go then - even more of that inspiration.

• Big Jim at Adventures... talked more about Killzone Evolution, posted a house rules pdf and looked again at the wow factor and using GMs in 40K; his full interview with Loquacious is also up at World of Wonder, ...

• ...while Brian at A Gentleman's Ones covered KZ's missions and tokens...

• ... and the third full interview was Lantz, looking at the AdMech FanDex.

• Bryssling has hints for homebrew weapons and more on the Disciples.

• Overlooked last time were the custom missions and cards at Roll With It.

• Karitas at Excommunicate Traitoris has a three-way idea, with a H Mudd. 

• At Confessions... dwez has biomorph markers and looks at terrain setup.

• Zac's Gaming Blog has a second edition battle report, found via Musings.

• Fine Detail Miniature Painting posted the Necromunda video report that triggered the multi-system online campaign, as well more Necro painting and an ash nomad conversion, with the shrike, and a nomad long rifle.

• Loquacious also posted a Specialist Games-focused Top X with Von over at HoP and the very next day Von posted a thoughtful look at Inquisitor.
  

• At Kenzie's blog the action moves to a Deathwatch drop on the starport.

• There's a list of warbands and two mini reports up at Terminus Omega.

• TheAmbit has parts two and three of a Night Hawks tale; the first is here.

• At Warpstone Flux jabberjabber presented a Tyranid origin hypothesis...

• ... and Laughing Ferret has pics of a genestealer cult infantry squad.

• Drathmere at 40k Hobby Blog is scratchbuilding a Ragnarok - 1, 2 so far - ...

• ... Krisken at Scratchbuild 40K built then painted some Eldar platforms, ...

• ... Kamui showed a scratchbuilt opening drop pod at Creative Twilight, ...

• ... Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze put up 1, 2, 3, 4 more posts on Ork looted wagons, and 1, 2, 3 on the defensive walls, moulds for which are for sale, ...

• ... Apocalypse 40K gave us a look at a scratchbuilt Ork soopa stompa...

•  ... and at Heresy Workshop Will Wright made a salamander on a chimera.

• Scaling back down, Warhammer in Progress converted a demon prince, a great unclean one, cyberwolves and some cyclone missile launchers.

• More Nurgle at Rust and the city, where Cameron has some terminators and more plague marines, and looked at sculpting the belly plates.

• Brovatar finished the female C'Tan and a Necron overlord; court here.

• At Spiky Rat Pack izeColt introduced us to Skull Hopperre, a companion for Mutie Kul, and there's a new JB-inspired build underway, the Rifleman.

• And to finish, another Goatboy interview, also for ID at World of Wonder.

If I've overlooked anything this time round, feel free to leave a link - even your own work.

Update: I missed Ron's post at From the Warp on sculpting hair and beards, as well as this 28mm Inquisitor force at The Grim Darkness, of which there's even more here.

_

Porky models - Ork (10) - Body 2

The next part of the series. This time it's the body of the current 28mm Ork, still without the arms. The torso is part boiler and one leg is a peg, which follows the bionik theme of the other elements - the piston on the shoota arm, the toof-like plates bolted directly into the choppa arm and the antenna on the head. Pics first, then the write-up area by area.

Porky models - Ork (9) - Head 2

It's been a while, but here's the next part of the series. I'm converting a group of 28mm GW Orks for the blog, with alternative ideas for elements like weapons and greenstuff detail, to show how easy conversions and minor sculpting can be for anyone unsure.

40K OSR? (17)

Yet another batch of 40K OSR? links, because the posts are coming thick and fast. There are some definitions for 'OSR' here, but my current mood has me thinking 'Other School Revelation'.

Colonel Kane's logo is to the right. If you identify with the idea and want to use it, consider giving him the credit and adding the great Tales from the Maelstrom to your blogroll as an inspiration.

• The Hogs of War finished the fortress walls and posted 1, 2, 3 scenarios - the first for the table with the walls - and a set of 18 mission cards per player.

• Stealthy Stealth posted entries for fire warriors and the devilfish, the second part of the Tau Fandex being developed over at Creative Twilight.

• Brian has more Killzone design at A Gentleman's Ones, the themes, and Loquacious at World of Wonder posted the full interview for the ID series.

• The current army list challenge at Warpstone Flux uses deep darkness...

• ... and Odd-Leg played 'Space-Munda' with a new rule for flickering lights.

• Curis at Ninjabread looks at costing Squat thunderers in the current Epic.

• Gothmog has ideas for moving the history on at Sepulchre of Heroes.

• Bryssling has some unfinished fiction not posted at Rules Manufactorum.

• The DH campaign at Kenzie's blog reached an agriworld and a starport...

• ... and Gotthammer has an update on the RT campaign at Collegia Titanica.

• Ron over at From the Warp sculpted a Tyranid spore mine in greenstuff, ...

• ... Spikey Bits showed a screamer-killer conversion from the current kit...

• ... and LuckyNo.5 at Eye of Error posted a tutorial on sculpting tentacles, with thanks again to Dave G at Wargaming Tradecraft for putting up the link.

• For help casting your work, Tallarn at still practicing_ has an introduction.

• Krisken has part three on the DIY rhino chassis at Scratchbuild 40K...

• ... and Redscorps finished work on a modified design for the predator.

• One I missed last time is Fire Broadside! on alternative IG vehicles...

• ... and The March Rider at Codicium Aeternum also reviews a six-wheeler.

• Following all of which, I'll give a mention to my own crewbrew expansion.

• Brovatar is working on a female C'Tan, with parts here and a video here.

• Cameron at Rust and the city converted a plague marine champion, and the trio of WIP marines seen in that post are shown finished in this one.

• Warhammer in Progress shows 1, 2 obliterators built from starter set rat ogres, but if you prefer ready-made, The Hogs of War found a fine batch.

• Fine Detail Miniature Painting has some finished ash waste nomad conversions for Necromunda, with pics of the basecoated minis here.

• Rictus at Recalcitrant Daze posted part eight of the ongoing series on 3D printing defensive walls and 17 and 18 on converting Ork looted wagons.

• At Confessions... dwez added a terrain template to the archive page.

• At The Dark Workshop Cursed13 is building an spaceship hull turret.

• Infamous at Cobblestone Chaos looks at grocery store terrain materials.

• Apocalypse 40K has an update on the legal situation re Chapterhouse and Paulson Games and reports Quantum Gothic is back, with plenty of pics.

• Colonel Shofer linked to this solid video on the Pig Iron System Troopers.

• Steve at Bleaseworld posted 1, 2, 3, 4 batches of newly-painted early IG.

• Old School Terminator interviewed Goatboy over at Dark Future Games.
  

• There's an at-a-glance archive for the John Blanche art at gothic punk.

• For Old Stuff Day Griffit linked to a tumblr for the Rogue Trader era.

• And finally, another 1, 2 images from Space Crusade at All Things Fett.

You know how it works: if I've missed anything, just leave a link, even to your own posts.

_

40K OSR? (16)

So far, so good then - it's been less than two weeks since the last full 40K OSR? update.

Possible definitions for 'OSR' here and Colonel Kane's logo to the right. If you use it, consider giving him the credit and adding Tales from the Maelstrom to your blogroll as an exemplar.

• Another PSA to begin: Warhammer 39,999 is back - note the new address.

• Stealthy Stealth is working on a Tau Fandex in posts at Creative Twilight.

• Plague Marine at A Plague Spreads is after suggestions for a new fandex.

• If you missed the mention here, Rended Press found some 40K fanzines.

• Big Jim has 1, 2, 3 characters and house rules for the BAO at Adventures in Wargaming, as well as news of Killzone Evolution and more details...

• ... while Brian at A Gentleman's Ones talks about Killzone team-building.

• Neil Gilstrap has a useful approach at The 11th Company BLOG to the discussions of RAI vs. RAW, as does Nurglitch in this post from last month.

• John Bell has more material up at The Retired Adventurer for using Stars Without Number to run the 40K universe, Eldar and DE, Orks and Kroot.

• Gotthammer has Gazetter #3 up at Collegia Titanica, and advice for GMs.

• Kenzie's blog has another 1, 2 more write-ups for the Dark Heresy campaign.

• At Warpstone Flux jabberjabber paints a map tile forest and river, and that reminds me Kraggi's brother is doing ME / PE maps on commission.

• Nurglitch has more thoughts on a combat card-based Adeptus Titanicus...

• ... and the first Spikey Bits post has an ad mech force with Epic walkers.

• Krisken at Scratchbuild 40K has 1, 2 posts so far on a DIY rhino chassis...

• ... and again at Spikey Bits, reposted to BoLS, there's a possible driver.

• Old School Terminator at Dark Future Games honours the many tervigons.

• AJ's gaming world has some converted IG heavy weapon team carriages.

• Rictus posted on sculpting various Nurgly textures at Miniature Wargame Conversions and had more on the 3D printed walls at Recalcitrant Daze.

• Staying close, Cameron at Rust and the city has more on a Nurgle dread...

• ... and Bix at The Veil's Edge makes a press mould, with advice from Ron.

• A big reveal were Mantic's Veer-myn - possible counts-as Hrud - for the board game Grim Cargo by Jake Thornton; it's like GW alternate history.

• Apocalypse 40K has 1, 2 posts on a scratchbuilt Ork thunderhawk, more on the Eldar super-heavy flyer and lots of possible alternatives, including speeders and turrets, a weapons platform and some large resin wings.

• ... while big_d over at The Hogs of War reports on a true-scale marine kit.

• Mad Robot Miniatures updated on the sci-fi greatcoats in development.

• Volomir's near-/not-Rogue Trader cover diorama won official recognition.

• Noel at TheOrky15mm SciFi reminisces about Gorkamorka and shows a converted Ork bike, and also has a few photos of a range of Ork bits.

• CrimsonTurkey at DUKE'S INFERNO builds a bits gang for Necromunda.

• For nostalgia and maybe technical interest, Spikey Bits also posted pics of an old blister pack and the contents of the second edition boxed game.

• Mike at Santa Cruz Warhammer showed some old GW branded items.

• Last time I missed 1, 2 updates at Confessions... on the DoW generator.

• Staying with terrain, if the FW interiors set you off, big_d at The Hogs of War also has two alternatives, assuming you won't build like Brian or Hudson.

• This time round Hudson has a WIP diorama using new Space Hulk minis.

• CounterFett has another 1, 2 pics from Space Crusade at All Things Fett. 

As always, feel free to leave links to anything you think I've missed, even your own work.

Update: Look at what Jeff just posted, but only if you're not easily provoked, and don't mind a bit of strong language - it's Lasfodder, an RPG set in the world of Rogue Trader.

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