Stormcrow Concept Sketch

You know... looking at this again I think a slightly smaller, 3 fingered hand would be a great improvement over a design not known for having... hands.

Chris

The one on the right would have been "just ok" though, not good enough anymore when we've gotta compete with solid scifi games out there. Not everyone is a fan of modernized high detail designs, but the majority are.

Anthony Scroggins

I would have to say that less is more here. I am a bit of a fan of the armor plating look of the one on the right. The cluttered lines everywhere look from MWO isn't quite as appealing and to echo a poster above the larger hands seem like they don't fit. I think minor adjustments to the model on the right would have been spot on.

Andrew McKenna

"Ugly" was never a definition of this mech in my opinion, "Odd" was. The only design decision here I don't like after thinking about it for a while is the gun placement. It throws the weird away and tells it to fall in line. I like how it's done on the right. The left tells me it wants to brawl, not be precise. But I'll accept new art over old art, regardless and mod my minis

Raymond White

This new rendering is growing on me, but those hands . . . I think that is what I'm most hung up on. I think back to the older Shadow Cat left hand and it makes me cringe how unproportionate it was to the rest of that mech. These aren't nearly as bad, but the old "ugly" Stormcrow has always been one of my favorite mechs, both in the video games (specifically MW2) and the table top. I love the resculpt that was done some years ago vs the first or second one that came out back in the 90s. Comparing the 90s era to the early 2000s just made the early Crow look frail while I will say this newest one makes the overall design bigger and more imposing. I will love the design either way and your work is impressive . . . Even if I don't like the hands lol.

Thanks for sharing the sketch and the insides. I definetely like the new one more...the look is just right and as you said - it looks more lethal and threatening. By the way...what use are tiny hands in a Mech, where they cannot properly used? 😁

Henning Boessler

My personal gripe with top mounted arm weapons is you instantly lose a ton of elbow mobility. Also never been a fan of guns looking handheld unless you really go all in. Actual BT handhelds are cool, and it works for some of the Dougram based designs, but otherwise I avoid em.

Anthony Scroggins

Exactly, if a mech only had 1-3 loadouts we'd feel a little more theme of roles for each, but as the game is about your only decider on a mech is what speed profile, engine type, and armor it brings. Weapon flavor is broad per chassis. I think this really plays into why most ugly mechs are rarely played even if loaded well, something else can fill the role.

Anthony Scroggins

I think that looks menacing and highly detailed. I can't wait to paint one

Maybe if the hands were slightly smaller and the gun barrels were above the hands. Not as small as the original, the arms just look a bit too beefy.

I like it. I do especially like the air intakes, cockpit, and pods underneath the cockpit in your final one. I am glad to hear your comment on the Ugly isn't a thing that will be acceptable moving forward. I want the sleek designs and I pick my mechs because they look cool (and then I find a loadout that works).