While not a "great" model, Primus has come up with a nice enough one for the Cavalry Attack Helicopter. Small, fast, and powerful, yet plain and rugged. Just the way I think an attack chopper should be!

You probably think that by now you have seen LEGO models of every single existing helicopter from MechWarrior?
Well, the Cavalry arrived in time to prove you wrong! :) Granted, it's not the most spectacular design of all times, in fact it is a rather straightforward little helicopter. However, building the tail rotor posed a minor challenge, at least. Since most of the MWDA figs share the same element for the main rotor blades, I could borrow the rotor from the Crow scout and keep the overall building time for the Cavalry well below three hours.

An interesting model of an interesting vehicle. Appearing in the MW:DA set "Domination" this CBT Vehicle is a unique tank that I for one think looks really cool in Lego ;)

The Enyo is another example for a vehicle from Classic BattleTech, that made the jump into the MW set "Domination" without major changes. This tank is also easy to recognize because of its cranelike main gun mount and the missing track covers on the rear area of the chassis. The LEGO version is the first model for which I especially created tank tracks, instead of using the standard LEGO technic pieces. They were either too small, or (the new 5-wide ones) too large. Not to mention not availible to MLCad.

The Jihad is building. Behind the scenes, around the world of Odessa. Operation Vengeance continues with previews of Tactical Operations and TRO:3075.

Odessa.
A world of serenity and quiet, even as the fires of the Jihad swirl ever closer.
A world of secrets and lies. Conspiracies and suspicion.
A world targeted for corporate warfare.
Join your fellow BattleTech players around the world as two new mercenary units forged in the flames of the Word’s Jihad strike this once-peaceful planet of secrets and lies in an extended campaign, facing old and new foes alike.
In this next installment of the Vengeance campaign arc, Classic BattleTech players can help decide the fate of the Odessan campaign before it even begins; the results of the climactic battle will set the stage for the planetary assault on Odessa by Uncle Chandy’s forces, which will be played out at the Origins Game Faire and GenCon this summer.
Each officially-run campaign will utilize the rules from Total Warfare and will also include a sneak peek from Tactical Operations and TRO:3075.
Will you side with the Ronin or the Ghosts of the Black Watch, or stick with the system’s defenders: the Odessan Planetary Guard or the newly-hired Burr’s Black Cobras?
Sign up with the Catalyst Demo Team leader near you at http://www.catalystdemos.com/. Follow the action on the Classic BattleTech (www.classicbattletech.com) and Battlecorps (www.battlecorps.com) forums.
Beginning April 4, 2008, pave the way for the biggest crusade of the Jihad.
Or die trying.

Rick has released some new versions of HeavyMetal Pro and HeavyMetal Vee with new updates to the BV2 functions. Also included is an update on the progress of HMPro6, the next full version of the HeavyMetal software, which will be a paid update for current users.

Hello all!

Just a quick note to cover a couple items that may be of interest:

New HeavyMetal Pro Update

I just realized that while I had released several playtest releases to assist in compiling the BV2 listings, I had not released a final BV2 release of HMPro. There were a number of small details, or corrections, that were incorporated into the final BV2 rules. The errata for those rules are being written up now, and hopefully will be available soon. In the meantime, HMPro V5.21 is available to you, and you can, as usual, download it at the following web page:

http://www.heavymet alpro.com/ ProgramUpdates. htm

HeavyMetal Vee Update

Just a small one, but I realized that I still had the Clan Light Active Probe considered as Offensive, rather than Defensive, when calculating BV2. This only applies to the BV2 version, but a new release has been posted at the above site incorporating this.

I sincerely hope this will be the last Battle Value 2 changes, to both the rules and the programs. I'm sure many of you have been confused, as have we. I will say that in general, I think the BV2 rules are a good improvement. And I do know that many playtesters have spent countless hours to make them as good as they can be, so thank them if you see one. ;-)

HeavyMetal Pro6 Status

I've been doing some work on HMPro6, mostly regarding the weapons and data format, and hope work to resume in earnest shortly. I won't give the same old excuses again; I'll only apologize for this taking so long, and thank you for your patience.

Regards,

Rick Raisley

BrickCommander's new release of the Kinnol Main Battle Tank from the Falcon's Prey expansion of MW:DA is a nice model. Primus uses a new technique of using two different tank tread styles combined (wheels from one and actual treads from another) that I find interesting.

There is no LE-version of the Kinnol MBT's tabletop figure from MechWarrior Falcon's Prey and Domination, which means there is no fluff either. So there is little known about its origins. At least I managed to steal some technical data from Kelly's omniscient computer :)
I like it whenever I can employ a new building trick or technique on the nth LEGO model of a 'Mech or a tank. In this case I combined the 3-wide LEGO technic tank treads with the trackwheels for the large rubber tank treads. At least to me that's new. And the pieces fit, even though the treads may not have the best possible grip on the wheels now. But this solution saves me the usual trouble with technic tooth gears for wheels, and the wheels look considerably better.

Travis Roesner's copy of the Gyrfalcon also features a considerably good look, don't you think so too?

And finally a holiday post card reached me from our friends of Wolf's Dragoons Gamma Regiment. Apparently they found a nice, quiet tropical island to hang out for a while ;)