Schmetterling Von Schwarsturm, mastern engineer of the empire, owner of most magnificent mustache in her graduating class, voted most likely to make more friends than anyone- OUT OF METAL. She rides about the country side upon her mechanical steed Steambiscuit. A creation of her own design necessitated by the loss of her legs while taking her academy to the championships of gunpowder keg lacrosse.
The to date full array of her mechanical forces. Constructed as a possible solution to just how many imperial soldiers are being cut down on a day to day basis by all the hellbeasts and ne'er-do-wells that can inhabit the world. When human production can't keep up, it's up to ingenuity and cold metal to make up!
The basic soldiers of her forces, (Heavily reliant on http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/boses ... kwork1.jpg this design and slightly modified for a different power source, from tension springs to powerful and plentiful coal, the real working man's power source.) Equipped in similar fashion to their human counter parts, but with naturally occurring armor from their very act of existing!
The original of Von Schwarsturm's "Scuddle-bug All-Terrain Ordinance Platforms and Companionship Comrades" Were equipped with a rack of muskets to allow one bug to fill in for 6 mechanical men!
What in the history of ever hasn't been improved with a new mounting for larger, if fewer, guns for shredding those opponents in all new calibers?!
The Scuttle-bug Lancers have a proud tradition dating back almost 3 months since their first creation. They ride valiantly upon their steed in their sturdy howdahs, directing their more melee-inclined than average Scuttle-bug into the heart of formations, scattering opponents and allowing them to be easily poked by the riders.
So there's still more to come! At least one update will follow!
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An army of the Empire which marches to war without an Imperial Griffin in its ranks marches with its pants about its ankles and with signs carrying disparaging remarks about its own mothers around its necks. And Schmetterling loves her mother. But having technically never "commanded soldiers of the empire" she is technically not a General. And since the Imperial court is 90% Bureaucrats and 10% cool guys, that means she's not going to be getting a griffin from the stables any time soon. But, being the greatest engineer of The Empire, that's only a momentary hurdle...
So, with all the fanfare this mechanical carnival can muster, presented to you for amusement and awe, The Schmetterling Special, MK. II, The Imperial Gyro-ffin!
Sporting 100% more heads and tails than your standard Imperial Griffin, and outweighing such beasts by a hefty margin, the Imperial Gyro-ffin brings the height of class and poise to the battlefield. Regal, yet mechanically efficient, belching black coal smoke and flame from its stacks as its twin props on rotating nacelles give it excellent maneuverability and speed.
With twin sharpened metal beaks, heavy grappling claws, and powerful drive lines and gear ratios, it sports excellent offensive capabilities.
Since its introduction, Steambiscuit still remains the favored mount of Schmetterling von Schwarzsturm, as riding the Gyro-ffin poses some significant health risks. Spinning blades and constant supply of choking smoke prove rather detrimental to even the most unhinged of inventors. As such, Steambiscuit and The Gyro-ffin have become quite fond of each other, as much as two machines can-- Likely owing to being the two master pieces of a great artist, who paints with all the colors of carnage.
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After extensive testing, it was determined by Schmetterling that simply attaching the harvested beard off a wizard onto one of her creations did not bestow magical abilities to her constructs. Hats and staves proved similarly ineffective. Fortunately she wasn't entirely without flesh and blood companions. Enter Dain "The Boulder" Jotunnson, a renowned rune caster and forger. Before their partnership, he had to limit himself to augmenting non-animate creations, such as weapons, armor, and siege engines. Now, with Schmetterling's forces arrayed before him, he doesn't have to simply cause a sword to be engulfed with runic-flames, he can do that to the whole soldier!
He rides into battle upon the Battle Boar Biga, a two boar chariot, wielding the ancestral staff of his clan and a hammer inscribed with runes bestowing great power to the throwing arm of its dwarven wielder. Where it lands, elemental forces strike, be they lightning and earthquakes, or firestorms and freezing winds.
Nice stuff.
