Chain of Command

"Welcome to the 31st OMU recruit! As a new member of the Resistance Militia on Orion 6 you need to be knowledgeable about the fascist scum that you'll likely be pointing your rifle at. The regular UMFL grunts out in the badlands shouldn't give you too much trouble, it's those damn snakes you should be really worried about. They're all hardened veterans, but sometimes you can gain an advantage by taking out the commanding officer. It's not going to make these grizzled warmongers retreat, but it might give you a moment while they regroup to change the tide of the battle. There are a few nuances to the command insignia, but if all else fails the one with the most green is the one in charge!"

Private
Soldiers ranked at either private of specialist do not wear any special colors. Privates are assigned standard loadout frames and make up a majority of the Serpent Legion forces seen on the field. Specialists only differ in the way of gear. They are usually given more freedom with the loadout of their frame to fit with their skillset.









Warrant Officer
Low ranking officers wear a splash of dark green on the left side of their frames. This can either be on the shoulder, or left side of the torso, but not both. These officers are generally given free-reign to loadout their frames with any standard issue equipment available in any configuration they choose.










Lieutenant
As we move up the chain of command, the command color switches from the left, to the right side of the frame. Again, this can either be on the torso or shoulder, but not both. Lieutenants are sometimes given non-standard issue or even prototype gear to use in combat.











Captain
Moving up to the Captain, the command color returns to the left side, but now the head is also green. The coloration of the head signifies a new rank increase while the coloration returning to the left signifies a lower rank in that "tier". These officers can carry nearly any range of gear, so be careful.









Moving Further up the chain of command continues the same pattern. A Major would be the same as a Captain, only the color would move to the right side of the frame instead of the left. Colonels have both the torso and shoulder colored on the left in addition to the head, and Brigadier Generals (in the rare instance that one would actually be on the field of battle) would have both the right side of their torso and right shoulder colored.

"You got that recruit? Remember it! It could save your life out there! Now go make sure that new Meerkat of yours in in tip top shape! The last thing you need is an actuator jam in the middle of a firefight."

Comic Con Deployment

With the Denver Comic Con approaching on the weekend of June 15th, I've been putting the final touches on two of the three companies I will be bringing with to demo Mobile Frame Zero. The third is a company being built by Soren which is shaping up rather nicely if I say so myself!

The 31st Orion Militia Unit

I still may be tweaking the companies a bit here and there, but this is two thirds of what you can expect to see on the game table out at Con! Hope to see you there!

The Pit Vipers

Not Your Typical Iguana

The ST-09 Iguana is one of two standard issue frames in use with the serpent legion (the other being the ST-07SLC "Fat Snake" Chub). Being a common frame in the Legion, it needs to be adaptable to multiple battlefield situations, which means there are a number of "standard" variants of the Iguana being fielded. Below are two of those variants.

ST-09c Recon Iguana

 2d6Rd - Heavy Autocannon

2d6Rh - Flamethrower

2d6Y - Commlink and Laser Rangefinder

ST-09d Longbow Iguana

3d6Ra - Guided RPG Launcher

3d6Rd - Poseidon Heavy Machine Gun

1d6B - Composite Armor Plating 

Building the XF-21b Anaconda

Thanks to Wordman over on the Mobile Frame Hanger Forums, there is now a lovely little Ldraw file and pdf building instructions for the Serpent Legion's newest prototype. He has also been putting together a number of other files for builds on the forums. Make sure you go check them out!

Building the XF-13b Grand Naga

First off, I'd like to apologize for the inactivity here over the past week or so. A combination of work and starting the process of buying a new home took up my time for a bit. With that, I'm going to be starting a new thing over here. Instead of just giving you a single breakdown shot of some of my builds, I'm going to be putting together a detailed breakdown with some setting fluff on their origins and current use. We'll start things off with the XF-13b Grand Naga.


After the riots on Quall, the Union became increasingly concerned with engagements dealing with close quarters urban environments. The Serpent Legion made finding a weapons platform to fit within that situation a high priority because their pilots were being deployed in similar situations with increasing frequency. The Skunkworks began designing a mobile frame from the ground up to give Legion pilots an edge. The result was the Grand Naga.

The first of my "cheats" for this build.

First things first. There are two "cheats" in this build that involve disfiguring some parts. Purists may scoff. But hey, I think it looks sweet, so I'm going to do it. Also, this is a very travis brick heavy build. There's 12 of them if you include the one in the shotgun, so don't be surprised if you start running low after building a few of these.

Let's begin the build with the legs. This is where my first "cheat" comes in. As you can see I've cut one of the tires to wrap it around the rear travis brick, with the radar dishes on the side creating the illusion that the tire goes into the back of the heel of the foot. That travis brick connects to a headlight, and then another travis, creating the foot. The ankle is one of the sturdiest connections you'll find while maintaining a good amount of flexibility. The only downside is there is no horizontal movement.

Next, the torso. As you can see, the central core of this is from Squieu's brilliant mini-frame. The motor piece (#4595) at the center is a wonderful place to start for torsos due to the large amount of studs hanging off it and the fact that it is also a very common piece in my experience. Three more travis bricks make an appearance here as well as some plates, cheese slopes, and tiles to complete the look.

This section of the frame is also very, very solid. There is little to no wiggle anywhere and the only piece that feels like it may fall off in any means is the 1x2 hinge piece on the crotch.

The legs attach by plugging the taps into the travis brick at the bottom of the torso.

Next we move to the arms. The tire technique here is something I use quite frequently due to the fact that I absolutely love how the matte, rubberized black breaks up the look of the frame beautifully, while adding a rounded aesthetic that is rather hard to achieve with standard brick usage. The arm attaches to the tap via a 1x1 plate w/ ring. This technique is something I've used a number of times with frames like the MkII Meerkat.

 It's a sightlier fragile connection without being too flimsy, although it gives you a lot of options for posing the arms. That plate is attached to a headilght piece and a travis brick (bringing the count to 11 with both arms at this point). Then come the standard issue weapons. We have a Molecular Blade and a Tactical Shotgun (which can be seen in more detail here). The shotgun contains the 12th travis brick of the build and could easily be used as a grenade launcher or really any number of other weapons.

The second cheat.

Bringing it all together gives you a near complete Grand Naga. There is just one more piece missing, the top. This is where the second cheat comes in. It involves cutting the ring off of a 1x1 plate w/ring and placing them into the top of the motor piece of the torso. If you're against destroying a couple of pieces, you could use 1/4 pins, although the connection isn't anywhere near as solid, and there is a bit more of a gap between the torso and the top slope. Now you have a completed Grand Naga!

The XF-13b Grand Naga is currently in the field testing stage with the Black Adders, commanded by Captain Uri Reed on Orion 6. So far, they have been invaluable tools in subduing and eliminating the  Free Colonist Terrorist movement on the planet's surface. Assuming continued excellent performance, these Nagas may be seen on the field in standard production within the coming year.

MFZ has been officially kickstarted!

The Kickstarter has finished with a final count of $82,499! First off, congrats to Josh, Soren, and Vincent for putting together such a wonderful game that has gathered so much support from this exploding community that is developing! I'm happy to be a part of it. Secondly, There has been a recent avalanche of cool stuff being put together as backers are now getting those pick-a-brick and bricklink orders in. Let me take a moment to give you a quick mid-week rundown of some of the cool stuff that's been popping up.

Sagethe13th has put together a pair of really badass frames with racecar inspirations.

Micah Bauer is still at it with his brilliant C6 system. His latest creation being a bit larger and more detailed.

MacLane's tiny little missile bot is one hell of an artillery frame.

A Yates's Badger has a really badass torso, and LOOK AT THAT GUN.

And Malcom Craig yet again puts together a phenomenal frame.

Joshua also spilled the beans on the Serpent Legion's Special Custom Chub in his last update. The ST-07SLC "Fat Snake" designed by Soren. Soren is designing a few more of the Serpent Legion's frames and I'm excited to see what he comes up with. I'll be sure to post them here when they're finished!

The ST-09 Iguana

Here's the rundown on my latest addition to the Serpent Legion's war assets. I built this guy using the core of a Squieu Mini-Frame and and the torso is inspired by Malcom Craig's Lansen. I've been keeping with my tire kick by working them into the guns on the arms. 

The ST-09 Iguana

Stats

Twin Heavy Autocannons 2d6+d8 Rd

Linked Anti-Infantry Machine Guns 2d6Rh

Composite Armor Plating 1d6B

And here's a breakdown.

Underneath the Hood: Special Edition the X13b

So as many of you have seen, one of my more recent creations is the X13b-Grand Naga (Seen Here). I've finally taken one apart and took some shots of the barebones frame so that all you wonderful MFZ fanatics out there can try your hand at building one of your own (or your own kickass variant). So here ya go! If you do something with this, please let me know. I'd love to see it!

Structure of the Serpent

The XF-13b Grand Naga is a deadly foe in close-
quarters and urban environments.

The Hierarchy of the Serpent Legion
The Legion is not your typical UMFL division for a number of reasons. The largest reason being that it technically has no ties to the UMFL whatsoever. As it is privately funded, the Serpent Legion is the known galaxy's largest PMC. Who funds such a high-tech, elite army? No one knows his real name, but he is known as the King Cobra.

The King controls the Legion from the shadows, issuing orders to his three Division Generals who are in command of Python, Viper, and Rattler Divisions. Each division is in command of roughly 750 mobile frames, 6,000 infantry troops, and 150 armored vehicles, although generally most of those forces are stationed within the Sol system. Much smaller numbers have been deployed to the colonies. In fact, there are only about 500 known Serpent Legion frames outside of Sol.

Most needs of the Union are met in the colonies by the UMFL. In the rarer cases when the UMFL is not suited to deal with the task at hand, an appropriate number of Serpent Legion personnel and assets are requisitioned to achieve results. As one would imagine, forces like these do not come cheap. It is commonplace for the Serpent Legion to set up a forward production facility on planets where lengthy operations are to take place. The Legion prefers to construct a majority of their assets onsite to avoid the costs of transport. Experimental and Prototype frames (like the Grand Naga, pictured above) are psychically sent through the gates to avoid the potential threat of their schematics being stolen by resistance members.

Even if someone other than the UMFL could afford their prices, it's very unlikely an agreement would be made. The King Cobra keeps himself and his organization closely allied with the UMFL as much politically as militarily. The Serpent is devout in it's desire to eliminate the terrorist threat of the Federation and the similar minded Free Colony Resistance Cells. Very little else is known about the going-ons within the organization and it is widely suspected that there are a number of shady deals being done by the King Cobra behind closed doors. But since no one knows who he is, it makes it hard to do anything about it.

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With all-terrain wheels and a light composite construction,
The XF-13b Grand Naga is much more agile that it's
size would suggest.

During initial operations on Orion 6, the Legion suffered higher than expected losses within the urban city centers where the colonists had not only better knowledge of the area, but were able to blend into the civilian population as well. Serpent pilots were being lost in quick, close-quarters engagements which needed to be addressed due to the expense (in time and money) of training each cadet. No expense was spared to create a mobile frame that would bring survival rates back into acceptable levels. The result was the XF-13b Grand Naga.

A handful of these advanced frames are currently being used by the Black Adders, a company within Viper Division led by Sgt. Uri Reed, a three year veteran with the Serpent Legion.

Stats:

High Capacity Tactical Shotgun: 2d6Rd

Molecular Blade: 2d6Rh

Composite Armor Plating: 1d6B

All-Terrain Wheeled Drive System (ATWD): 1d6G

Secret Weapons of the Serpent Legion

"You know what the best part of being part of the Serpent Legion is? You get to use all the cool new toys." - Specialist Jacob Hines, Diamondback Platoon


Aside from modifying existing mobile frames in production, the Legion also has it's own mobile frame R&D division with a state of the art research facility on the Jovian moon of Poseidon. These "skunk works" produce and develop new weapons, defensive technologies, mobile frames, and pretty much anything else that can help the Serpent Legion get the edge.

Pictured right is one of their most recent prototypes, the XF-13 Sand Naga. The Legion had found a need for a highly mobile artillery platform since their arrival on Orion 6. Equipped with a HE railgun and a superior drive system, the Sand Naga can get into advantageous positions quickly and dish out the punishment once it gets there.

Resistance reports also indicate there is a stealth frame in use by the Legion. No photos of the frame have been captured and the engagements with the frame have been at extreme range with no visual contact. Is it thought that these frames may be equipped with some form of optical camouflage. Luckily, there have only been a small handful of encounters with this frame, which means it is likely present in very small numbers.

MFZ Stats as pictured: 2d6+d8Ra, 1d6B, 1d6G, 2x SSR

A look into the Serpent Legion

"Rattler One this is C&C, we've got reports of a resistance cell relocating a protein silo over on the west side of the canyon. King Cobra wants you to check it out."


"Affirmative C&C, Rattler One on the move."


The Serpent Legion:

The UMFL, unlike other union forces, does not consist of citizens of the Sol system. Among their ranks are those who settled the colonies and instead of living a life of starvation and poverty, signed on the dotted line to become military. Companies of "space farmers" turned frame jockeys are the hand of the Union among the colonies.

The Serpent is different.

"We're hardened. We aren't soft like those recruits trying to escape their impoverished shacks. Our hands are forged through battle, hardship, and experience. Every man who wears a serpent on his shoulder earned it in one way or another." - 2nd Lt. Donovan Sykes, Sidewinder Platoon


The Serpent Legion is the chosen elite of the UMFL, hand picked by the ranking members of the Legion. Every member of the steadily growing force has done something to distinguish themselves from the rest of the peasants populating the ranks of the UMFL. Some overcame incredible odds in battle. Others were ruthless in the pursuit of their mission objectives, sacrificing anything that wasn't mission critical to get the job done. Some were outright insane, charging headlong into battle with reckless abandon. Incredible technical aptitude, a mind for tactics, a keen and suspicious eye,  every one of these people has a place with the Serpent, it's just a matter of where.

Every candidate is tested rigorously and placed into a role where his or her particular talents will be put to the best use. It takes on average about 4 months for a potential candidate to go from the first rounds of testing to the first day in their new position. During this process they are given the best training money can buy, and access to some of the most advanced gear available.

The Serpent has their own "skunk works" division as well, continuously working on improving and developing weapon and frame designs. Their most recognizable contribution to the Legion is the ST-07X Stealth Chub. The Stealth Chub is completely covered in a rubberized radar absorbent material and has especially designed systems that generate next to no noise (as far as an 18ft tall walking tank is concerned anyways). They are primarily used in small squads which support the main bulk of a company from superior positioning with either long range support fire, targeting information, or hit and run harassment.

Any Orion Militia will tell you when the Serpent's head comes over the horizon, you best find somewhere safe.