Hansa Nairoba - Details Wanted

[admin]

Hi All

We have our first real feedback discussion ready for you, his name is Hansa Nairoba - there's some background, species and faction information below about him - and we'd like you guys to 'create' him.

He's going to be a very special figure to the game as he's an exclusive model only given to backers of our Kickstarter. we don't know that much about him yet so we'd like you guys to get creative and start giving him some detail! Feel free to post concepts, descriptions, accessories, hair style thoughts, weapon ideas, old figures or whatever you like really

This is the first time we've done this, so if you have any ideas of how we can make it a better experience for you all, we'll be glad to hear them. I think once we've had some ideas through, we'll feed into the thoughts and then poll results to see what most people think are the best ideas. From that, we can build him out with a full background story, concept art work, some attributes and finally a full painted model.

Obviously difficult at this point to give him any specific game attributes as we haven't given you any information on that part of the game yet (as Rick's still writing it!) but let me tell you that ALL your ideas are influencing the team already, we're already adapting our thoughts around some of the comments and feedback we've read and now we have a more structured forum setup we're looking forward to exposing more and more details to you over the coming weeks, months and years!

Good luck!


"
Every backer that selects the ‘Inflationary Epoch(£25)’ tier and above receives a free Hansa Nairoba model.

Hansa Nairoba is one of the characters from the Antarean story – a Rever Freebooter who skirts the boundaries of space between the Concord, Free World Determinate and Isorian Shard. His old-fashioned human appearance leads many to underestimate him, but those more familiar with his exploits know better. The Concord have long suspected him of gun-running for ExCon Freebooter gangs – but thanks to his complete bio-immunity to all forms of IMTel no-one has ever been able to find out for sure. Despite their suspicions CoCom agents are not reluctant to make use of his skills, and he is rumoured to be one of the only humans to have penetrated the Vorl homeworld and returned. Perhaps even the Vorl find him too useful to kill

This is an EXCLUSIVE model based on one of the new characters in GoA, he is only available to Kickstarter backers and we will NEVER release this model again - not only are they fantastic models that will grace your forces for years to come – but they will mark you out as one of the founding members of the Antarean gaming universe.

He will have unique game attributes and those purchasing a reward tier that includes the ‘Feeder Hansa’ tier will receive a Hansa Nairoba model expertly custom painted with your own preferred choice of uniform colour and either your chosen faction ID patch or your own personal ID patch design if you wish
"

[The Gruff Profile Private message]

So from the description.

Revers – Revers (without the ‘t’) are humans whose ancestry has ‘reverted’ to the primitive type that we would recognise as ourselves. Revers are humans whose minds and bodies have either ‘reverted’ to a primitive condition, or who come from populations that never evolved beyond the basic pre-spacefaring human type. On some feral worlds they have become the dominant type – but in most advanced societies they are considered throwbacks and treated as if afflicted. They integrate only poorly or not at all with IMTel – a condition other humans find analogous to blindness or mental impairment. However, they tend to lack the extreme pacifist and cautious nature of most other humans so they often end up as fighters. Many become what are effectively mercenaries or pirates depending upon circumstances.

Externally they look like us

All the human militaries include Revers – even the Concord and Isorian Shard. Revers make up a considerable proportion of the Freebooter mercenary companies too. Many of the most successful companies include, or led by, Revers.

And Revers often make up a lot of any force

So what should this "hero" look like?

I think a grizzled veteran with skin like old leather where it has been tanned by many suns.

Grey hair, trimmed short. A few scars. Perhaps of a mixed ethnic background "coffee coloured" to reflect he come from a planet which originally had a diverse population.

[Melcavuk Profile Private message]

(my 2 cents)

Having read the brief provided for this character a few times it definitely gives me a han solo/captain mal (firefly) vibe of a rogue out for themselves that gets dragged into conflicts far larger than their own desires through a code of honour they and those around them stick to. Something I'd like to see modelled (and backgrounded) is the emphasis on the fact he is "only" human, complete incompatibility with nanite tech means he cannot recover from wounds through nanite cellular regeneration (I'm guessing at tech here), limbs and organs damaged can not be provided by nanite clones so a life of trouble will inevitably leave scars that differentiate him from the physically perfect nuhus.

Hansa is at his heart a relic of an age that he wasn't alive to see, humanity before its symbiosis with Imtel. This represents chaos and unpredictability in a society so integrated that rebellious thoughts are an alien ideal. Nanite tech has enhanced humanity to perfection, cleanliness and a predictable nature, Hansas biological defect preventing nanite integration has made him the antithesis for these ideals. He relies on his own ingenuity and courage to persevere where others have failed, constantly underestimated by Concord who struggle to think outside the bounds of nanite enhanced humanity. But it is what makes Hansa unique that ultimately will provide his downfall, his life is fleeting compared to the longetivity of the Nuhus, age has already begun to take its toll on him turning a rebellious youth into an almost embittered adult. His reputation draws other rogues to him like moths to a flame but it is his honour and respect for his cohorts that breeds fierce loyalty.

A great way to model his incompatibility with the sleek and hi-tech gear provided by the factions would be a roughly jury rigged interface gauntlet that allows him to utilise the tech at hand. Old war wounds and a well beaten outfit would represent a man leaving on bare minimum on the fringes but his weaponry, a mark of his trade and survivability should be near pristine.

Rulewise I think he should not be a combat monster, his strength should be in resourcefulness and the fact his is less "evolved" than those around him would leave him physically disadvantaged.

[Deadmanwade Profile Private message]

I would make him more like the colonel from Avatar. Physically strong and fit, ruthless and efficient. Without the advanced tech, he will need to be in good shape to compete with enhanced opponents. Note that having muscles on a mini doesn't mean he should be a combat monster. I think a military style approach to his appearance along with low tech gear will make him look suitable for use on a battlefield and emphasize his professionalism. I like the idea of some kind of tech interface gauntlet. And as was mentioned above, some scars to show he has been about a bit would help bring out the character more.

[The Gruff Profile Private message]

Would he use "cloud" tech through an interface though?

The NuHu are "one" with the tech.... they are part of it, not just controlling it. It would be like trying to play a game on a ZX spectrum against someone on a modern ninja machine with wifi access.

I would suspect he would avoid "cloud" tech and drones because they could too easily be turned against him. Rely on "Cloud" proof tech and weapons that could harm the NuHu and be less limited by shields.

Sort of like BSG relies on 1940's tech as it is immune to Cylons.

[booyaa Profile Private message]

this is great stuff, keep it coming guys! and I'll get Rick to post once I can drag him out of the xmas party..!

[tnjrp Profile Private messageWebsite]

Hansa Nairoba is one of the characters from the Antarean story – a Rever Freebooter who skirts the boundaries of space between the Concord, Free World Determinate and Isorian Shard. His old-fashioned human appearance leads many to underestimate him, but those more familiar with his exploits know better"

How high tech Rever Fb ships are? Do they have sufficient articifial gravity and other protection for the crew to escape the depilitating effects modern day spacers suffer from? If not, Mr. Nairoba could be forced to wear an exoskeleton in normal gravity and could in fact be rather a thin and emaciated-looking individual. He could compensate for lack of physcial strength in the usual ways: being tough-as-nails, a ruthles SOB and carrying a few very big guns either on his person or that of his henchmen/crewmen.

[Piers B Profile Private messageWebsite]

I think the key to getting the look right is this;

His old-fashioned human appearance

You will want a figure that looks different to others to a degree and offers a more simple, and old fashioned garb, compared to the other humans. He and his men, should represent what humans used to look like, a throwback to a simpler time.

As he is what seems to essentially be little more than a pirate, I'd say some good functional combats, a decent longcoat for concealing those boarding shotguns and a hat. Maybe an eye patch...

On a serious note though, I'd use his design to focus the look of Reavers into a far more simple and military look. Workmanlike clothing, designed to do its job, without any sense of flair or pandering to style.

So Steven Lang in Terranova could work...

[Aulus Profile Private message]

From the description I get the feel he's more of a loner, a master of deception and manipulator.
I see images of Clint Eastwood in the Dollars trilogy, Franco Nero in Django, Mad Max, Riddick or even Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.

[The Gruff Profile Private message]

I was thinking a long coat too, its good for concealing weapons for those "just in case" occurrences while trading guns.

But this might make him seem more like Cpt Tightpants from Firefly....

A Military long coat? not based on westerns, victorian, ww2, or manga. Not like Heresy, ERM, GW or numerous others. Really hard to find something original.

How about a very light long coat/combat vest combined in one piece of clothing





Worn but serviceable armour on underneath, light enough to be worn all the time, but without huge shoulder pads - more like "iron man" / "boba fett" than "space marine".

this could be powered (not power) and include an exoskeleton.

Clint Eastwood in the Dollars trilogy, Franco Nero in Django, Mad Max, Riddick or even Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.

Yep all good inspiration, guys with experience

edit Steven Lang from Terranova and the colonel from avatar are the same actor... he could work too.