Hello everyone!

First, we want to make it clear that everything you are about to see is still very much a work in progress.

We are showing these sculpts much earlier in the development process than we normally would. That means this update is not just about showing you what we like, it is also about discussing the areas we are already looking at changing before these miniatures move towards production.

This is exactly what a development preview should be: an opportunity to show you where a miniature starts, what we think is working, and what still needs refining.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the six members of the upcoming US Infantry Command Team.

First up is our EOD Specialist and bomb disposal robot.

We are really happy with the direction of this miniature. The bomb suit already has the bulky, distinctive appearance we were looking for, while the disposal robot adds something completely different to the range and opens up some interesting possibilities for scenario-driven games.

The Military Working Dog Handler is a particularly exciting addition to the set, partly because dogs are just fantastic.

For the US team we have gone with a Belgian Malinois, a breed strongly associated with military working dog roles within US forces.

Rather than depicting the dog in an overtly aggressive pose, we wanted to show the relationship between the animal and its handler, giving the dog an alert but positive character.

Other than those changes, we are really pleased with the overall concept and think the pair should have plenty of character on the tabletop.

Our Senior Officer is designed to represent a higher-ranking officer, Major or above and potentially serve as a high-value target in scenario-driven games.

Unlike the rest of the team, he is not dressed for direct combat. We think that distinction gives the miniature a lot of character and, more importantly, makes him useful for scenarios beyond simply representing another infantryman on the battlefield.

We have also included three head options, giving you some additional flexibility when building the miniature.

The overall pose and concept, however, are working well.

The Junior Officer is intended to be your leader in the field, equipped with an M4A1 and posed in a way that immediately identifies him as someone directing the soldiers around him.

Additional equipment includes fragmentation and smoke grenades, helping to distinguish him from the standard infantry and reinforce his role as a command miniature.

Once again, we are largely happy with the overall direction of the sculpt and the proof of concept.

The Joint Terminal Attack Controller, or JTAC, fills a very different role within the team, coordinating close air support and other supporting fires alongside troops operating on the ground.

We wanted that role to be immediately apparent from the miniature, so the sculpt incorporates communications equipment alongside a ruggedised military tablet.

This is probably the sculpt where our feedback will result in the biggest change to the overall pose.

The equipment and basic concept are already there, now it is about finding a pose that better tells the story of what the miniature is actually doing.

Finally, we have the Combat Medic.

This early version has been assembled from separate component parts to give us flexibility while experimenting with the pose. That is also why, in this particular render, his slung rifle appears to be floating slightly away from his body, do not worry, that is definitely not intended to be a feature of the finished miniature!

The concept here is straightforward: we wanted a medic who looks ready to actually administer first aid, with his medical bag open and accessible rather than simply representing another rifleman carrying medical equipment.

Beyond that, we think the miniature captures the look and purpose we were aiming for very well.

Poses change, equipment gets corrected, proportions are refined, details are added or removed, and sometimes an idea gets substantially reworked once we can actually see it in three dimensions.

Showing you these early versions means you get to see that process rather than simply seeing the finished sculpt once all of those decisions have already been made.

It also gives us another opportunity to gather feedback before the designs are locked down.

Andy
Warfront Studio