Aotrs Shipyards September 2021 (Re-)Release: Stone Portals

[Aotrs Shipyards]

So, the first thing to note here (as I discovered when I came to make this release) is that TheShop3D have changed their name to only-RPG I presume this is simply for better brand recognition. (I have asked for clarification, but I don’t want to be delaying the release while waiting for a response. So stuff will say “TheShop3D” for a little longer in existing mentions, just until I hear back from them!)

Though it is hilarious ironic in this particular case. I suppose “only-RPG Except For Aotrs Shipyards” while it might have given them the enhanced google-ability of “Aotrs” (no, not “Actors”. google search) was probably a bit long… Currently, all old links are re-directed and still work (though how for how long, which brings the ominous question of me having to re-do the links in the PDF catalogue having JUST finished that…)

Right. Release. This month, here is the re-release of the mysterious Stone Portal fleet. The Stone Portals have the distinction of being the very first models I did (the Dreadnought was the second, and the Rim Runner from the GDH release), coming as a result random sweep while playing with TurboCAD to see what I could do in 3D and going “there’s a ship there.” They very much have a Babylon 5 old-ones sort of feel.

(Though in the Stone Portal’s specific case, coming from superspace and picking on the wrong star power in its infancy led them to being sealed away and coming out a thousand years later only to realise that not only had their technological edge been blunted to the point they were just average, but their old foes remembered them and were more advanced.)

The Stone Portals, along with the Vivrathk were designed mechanically to be the sample fleets included with the Accelerate and Attack rules.

As with the other re-releases, the Stone Portals have been re-faceted from 14 to 32 facets and re-sprued. In the case of a couple of the ships types, namely the corvettes and the frigates, due to their small size, I ended up combining two classes into a single sprue.

As before, rather than double-link them, I’ll direct you to the latest version of the catalogue pdf downloadable from here, which has links to both webshops.

Failing that, on both Shapeways, here’s the (pre-sorted!) link to the Stone Portals shop section and at only-RPG, if you filter alphabetically and look for SP codes – page 15 at time of writing (or just use the newest-to-oldest filter!)

So, here we are!

Stone Portal Fleet

Stone Portal Fighter Squadron

Stone Bomber Squadron

Stone Portal Assault Shuttles

Stone Portal Corvettes and Escort Corvettes

Stone Portal Frigates and Recon Frigate

Stone Portal Missile Frigates

Stone Portal Destroyers

Stone Portal Torpedo Destroyers

Stone Portal Escort Destroyers

Stone Portal Light Cruiser

Stone Portal Escort Cruiser

Stone Portal Heavy Cruiser

Stone Portal Transport

Stone Portal Assault Cruiser

Stone Portal Light Carrier

Stone Portal Battlecruiser

Stone Portal Battleship

Stone Portal Dreadnought

Stone Portal Heavy Carrier

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Photos of VPN versions. I have endeavoured to take better photos, but with my limited resources, trying to take good pictures on black is really quite hard and it isn’t helped by the Stone Portal’s height making it harder. I tried to get some group shots, but I did not manage anything satisfactory, unfortunately. This has underlined that perhaps I need to try and get a slightly better camera. (Limited by the fact that I know basically nothing about photography). I have taken pictures of the quantities in the sprues where possible, but in some cases it has been limited by the fact I never had that many printed when I did them in 2010 myself.

Next month, the Vivrathk are in the final stages of preparation for re-release. As I am finally coming to see the end of the re-releases, I want to get them done, so I am half intending to see if I can squeeze in the 144th Galactic Terrorists as well.

I, along with my cohorts at Manoeuvre group, will be at Other Partizan on October 10th. I haven’t 100% decided what to put on yet, so in the highly unlikely event anyone coming along has something specific they’d like to see in action, now would be the time.

I have put in an order at TheShop3D only-RPG for some resin stuff, so with a bit of luck if it comes before next release, there will be some resin prints to show off as well (I’d like to hope to have them for Other Partizan, but we’ll see.)

I have also updated the “products” section on the left-shand side of the Facebook page so that it has links to both webshops and an updated link to the PDF catalogue as well, since I can do that now (it’s tucked away under “see more” toggle). Follow the Shipyards is you haven’t already; as tiresomely sick as I’m sure you are of hearing that (which is why I rarely remember to say it myself)).

Accelerate & Attack: Aeons of War is available of Wargames Vault here.

There is also a free Web Enhancement Pack; this contains the markers and the QR sheet the latter of which is an indicator of the level of the game if you want to have a quick nosey.

And, of course, I’m always happy to answer questions about it here or via Facebook slash email (the latter of which you can get via messenge or from the PDF catalogue).

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