Fine Paint: The Official Starships Collection Issues 148 and 149

AH HA!

This month feels like we're back on track with the Jem'Hadar Battle Cruiser and the Krenim Warship.

Two fantastic models this month. The latter isn't too glamorous but it still looks great from every angle. Now believe it or not, it's been four and a half years since the last Jem'Hadar ship graced the collection in the form of the Fighter (issue 29) and that was a great model. Now we have the third and final piece of the Dominion fleet with the Battle Cruiser. 

Already replicated in Attack Wing (recently reviewed in their Dominion Faction Pack), the Eaglemoss version is bigger, bolder, more detailed and all round epic. Sizewise this one clocks in just a smidge over the length of the standard black base and is one of the most intricately finished starships that's come out of the collection.

In comparison, both the Fighter and the Battleship are fairly simplistic whereas the Battle Cruiser has every millimetre of its form covered in surface detail. The base coat here is a purple-hued metallic  colour which helps draw out the panel lines, recesses and callouts right across the craft. The surface looks like a piece of art from bow to stern with every outcrop or undulation another mesmerising feature.

Out to the front of the cruiser we have two metal-cast prongs which give a hint of the rest of the ship. These two striking points might only be a very small piece yet Eaglemoss have still managed to introduce a second level of paint and detail although it pales when you look to the rest of the hull. All the way from the front to the back we have the purple base coat overlaid with a grey tiger-stripe pattern that compliments the eye-watering panelling. Thinking of how the Jem'Hadar were designed with rhinos in mind you can see the hard shell segments at the edges of the hull as well as some larger more regular segments on the dorsal section of the craft. It's a metallic work of art in no uncertain terms and outstrips both of the previous Dominion starships by a country mile - just disappointing we've had to wait so long to see it. 

The smaller inset panelling in metallic grey are exquisitely painted in as are the pink segments on the rear engine block and the scattering of yellow sections. It's got to be among the highest quality results from the collection and may well explain why we've had to wait so long to ensure it's been done justice. Even more impressive perhaps is the use of open sections of the hull within the wings of the Cruiser. 

To either side of the central hull we have two cutaway pieces which are linked in to the underside plastic section and are visible through the ship. It looks amazing and adds immense depth to the finished item. It could have just been done in recessed metal as part of the top hull section but Eaglemoss have chosen instead to go all out and make it a separate entity. Brilliant.

Nothing sits out of place here with every piece easily identifiable. The rear engine unit sits proud of the main hull and is a plastic addition yet its finish is a fluid transition from the metal of the main ship. Its also two straight halves locked together with the upper in metal,and the lower, plastic. This also makes it very easy to identify which way is up for display. You can also see the difference with top and bottom through the grilles on the upper sides of the engines and also in the golden hued bridge module that sits centrally in the forward module.

The strength of the engine block and the outboard pods is very noticeable with both offering very little "give"  but it's how that plastic under section is worked into the main body which is exemplary - and unique part of this edition. Both metal and plastic work closely together for the finished result and it works fantastically well.

I'm in love with this one in a big way so its limited TV appearances are even more cutting. The model relays such a threatening presence with its sharp, aggressive dynamic which Eaglemoss have captured perfectly. Everything on the Cruiser points menacingly to the front, even in the engines and weapon pods and it looks damn sharp.  

For me though the underside is even more interesting when it comes to the construction. The speckled purple/grey paint scheme wraps all the way round with some smaller panels again picked out with pink and yellowed sections.  On the underneath there does seem to be more in the way of panel lines too plus a nice array of bladed structural work that stands proud of the hull. 

All these underside pieces continue that gorgeous patterning in grey and are sturdily fixed into place. It adds a lot to the ship that these aren't moulded in but instead items added on externally giving depth and detail to the Battle Cruiser. Indeed, even more impressive is how these additional plastic pieces actually come together as part of the main hull and appear to integrate themselves into the metal - it really is a damn fine piece of sculpting; one of Eaglemoss' most well thought out concepts that looks amazing in the flesh.

Stand positioning for this one is from the rear with a single over/under grip leaving the Battle Cruiser "suspended" over the black base. To be honest I reckon you could stick this on a toilet seat and it would look just as brilliant. Love it - a real late bloomer in the series.

Now to the mag and the introduction offers up information on the reason for the creation of the Cruiser plus a range of its key features which came into play during the war against the Federation.  Most of the shots are from the Valiant episode plus the later Dominion battle from What You Leave Behind along with the new CG that helps bring the craft up to date. The discussion around the design of the supersize starship covers the next two(!) pages including some sketches of the process before heading into an issue filling interview with Deep Space Nine's Nog; Aron Eisenberg picking out highlights, memories and key parts from the series. A nice read but there will be a lot that fans are already very much aware.

Second out of the cardboard box this time is the Krenim Warship. Featuring briefly in Before and After, the craft would see more extensive televisual action in the following season's Year of Hell. Like the Battle Cruiser it's been a while since the Krenim have featured (June 2014 would you believe) with their distinctive Temporal Weapon Ship and it was in the magazine for that edition that we were teased with a shot of the Warship that Eaglemoss have now slipped into the expanding collection.

In the bigger picture of the franchise this is small fry but I guess now we are getting into the real dirt-under-the-fingernails stuff since some of the last "obvious" entries have been ticked off with the Jem'Hadar Battle Cruiser this month and recently the Merchantman and the Fesarius. It's unique if nothing else with an odd swept pair of engines that seem to sprout from the rear of the starship and lunge forward.

I think that the model we have here is pretty fine and very, very different from the Temporal Weapon Ship with the two Kremin "kraft" having no distinct parallel features. You can tell a Klingon ship is Klingon or a Romulan one Romulan but between the two entries for this alien race you'd never put two and two together as each is very individual.

This Warship has a reassuringly used look about it, carrying all sorts of galactic muck and scum on top of it's rather eye-catching orange and grey paint scheme. Starting out at the matt black nose what does become apparent is that there is a lot of small detail on this ship and somehow the painting hasn't quite worked out for the best with greys and oranges mixing a little with the colours they're next to because of tiny gratings or an odd angle. 

It's not a horrendously blatant issue but you do pick up on it after a couple of passes over the hull. It seems, strangely, blotchy and a little haphazard particularly around that forward grey bridge piece where it also seems a total amateur painted on the windows and stripes. The actual metal casting detail is spot on with everything that should be raised and everything that should be lowered done correctly it's just that what's gone on over the top of that isn't on par with other creations.

Of course the main problem is that it's going to look a bit crap next to the stunning Jem'Hadar Battle Cruiser also out this month but I shall endeavour to continue. The Warship has a surprisingly large amount of hull detail whether it's green piping, grey fins or silver engine elements, there's something going on everywhere and thank god it's on a decent scale. Anything smaller than this and the whole effect would have been lost.

Following the central green tubing detail off the bridge module and back into the main hull area, there are, perhaps hints across to the design of the Temporal Weapon Ship to the rear of the neck section the oval grey panelling is not too dissimilar to that on the earlier model but even then I think I'm pushing for a physical connection that probably isn't there. 

Saying that, the detail on this piece is pretty good but you'll find you're looking at the two translucent elements just ahead of it which protrude forward and hide behind the bridge module. These would seem to be warp engines and their cleanliness does make them look a bit out of place against the mucked up hull of the Krenim vessel.

This oval shaping design feature extends all the way to the rear here where the base orange coat is again messed up with the over painted grey and white striping and more of the Temporal Weapon Ship-alike grey shading. 

The shape of the Warship is highly curve-ball with, as stated earlier, the engines erupting from the rear portion of the body and sweeping round to the sides. The propulsion sections are marked out prominently with the off-white panels at the back, middle and forward points of this "U"-shaped ship piece. Again the build quality is exceptional and the melding of the different sections is indistinguishable on the craft. These protrusions are also very solid and well supported given that they extend forward, unattached at the front and retain the dirtied look that is so evident across the other sections of the ship.

Indeed the engines also near one of the two features which helps tell whether you’re looking at the top or the bottom in the shape of the triple stripped metalwork which curves enticingly around the fronts of the oval propulsion units. These grilles are not repeated on the underside and you can also see that the bridge module’s mirror block is black and scooped. Otherwise the paint scheme and weathered appearance are very much alike with its assortment of oranges and greys covering the remaining hull plates.

The paint effect here is a big winner and you can appreciate the intricacies of the pattern a lot more than you could from the episode and certainly from the stills contained in issue 149. Oddly the CG in the magazine make the Warship look a lot cleaner than it does in model form; the episode didn’t do the craft any justice. In fact the amount if grilles and raised hull sections is pretty impressive with the Krenim vessel. Each is very neatly defined with the whole model providing a very tactile experience due to its undulating surface. 

Finishing the  Warship off at the back is the equally checked impulse engine. The join between the top and bottom halves is obvious here with the exhaust point simply flat and grey. It might be covered by the stand but it should still be finished. 

The stand on this one slips easily around the rear engine unit of the Krenim ship to provide the slick "flying" pose just as with the Jem'Hadar Cruiser. 

The magazine does contain a lot of fuzzy images from the Warship's original Voyager appearances (and not specifically of the ship) plus some much more recent and certainly more crisp pics CG'ed up for the collection. The initial article on the craft covers its impressive weapons systems which caused all sorts of havoc for Voyager as well as mentioning the differences which occurred when Annorax's Temporal Weapon Ship altered the timeline. 

The plan views are lovely and clear but unsurprisingly give the minimal - and most obvious - comments on the features of the ship. That said the detail is excellent and you can make out a lot more than was evident in the episodes.

Designing the Krenim Warship is a brief two page article with 50 percent of the space dedicated to two versions of the same picture which seems a bit of a waste. Tragically the design process seems more a strike of luck than it being heavily planned out.

Flipping back to the onscreen action, Shows That Unhappened looks at that wonderful curiosity that Star Trek has dabbled with on multiple occasions - times when events have been erased by resetting the clocks so to speak - Year of Hell for one plus Deep Space Nine's Visionary and Children of Time are among the selection which are highlighted from the extensive back catalogue. Interesting article this one but more of a reminder and summation than really diving into any serious depth of the episodes.

Decent couple of ships here to add to the shelving and the Krenim one was a real surprise. Beautifully crafted, it's a little hidden gem however the winner has to be the mighty Jem'Hadar Battle Cruiser with its sublime level of surface detail and one of the best paint finishes ever. That metallic purple/silver looks amazing and is razor-sharp across the whole surface no matter what it's made from. The other clever element has to be wrapping the plastic underside sections into the main hull. Eaglemoss have tied a lot together in this one and it works perfectly. Top Marks.

Next month - it's the fourth of the Miranda Class variants with the USS Antares from Deep Space Nine and secondly the easily forgettable B'omar Patrol Ship from Voyager.

Which was the winner this month? Is the Battle Cruiser out on top with that paint job or does the Warship clinch it with it's more used finish?

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Voyager's Bold Pioneer: Kirsten Beyer Talks to SKoST

Regular Some Kind of Star Trek contributor Tiffany Groves takes us off the page this week with an exclusive chat to Voyager literary helmer Kirsten Beyer!

Kirsten Beyer has written nine rivetting Star Trek: Voyager novels brimming with expansion and development of many characters whom fans have come to know so well.

A Pocket Full of Lies is the latest and continues the exploration of Voyager’s adventures by revisiting of one it’s most disturbing - and memorable - periods, The Year of Hell.

Kirsten stated in an earlier interview that the “...reset button is the laziest form of storytelling...”  and I given the opportunity to interview her recently I asked about this assertion and her latest novel which covers a story which used just such a device.

“Ever since I first saw the Year of Hell episodes I wished that the writers had found a way for the crew to remember the events, when they restored time.” said Kirsten.

A fascinating prospect for sure, she went on to say; “...the fact that the audience were the only ones who were going to remember this massive, heart-breaking adventure just felt like such a waste."

And so the novel tackles just this challenge very successfully.

It has always been a matter of great importance for myself and other Star Trek fans who loved the Year of Hell story, that we were left with a great number of ‘what if's’ and curiosity in general, Kirsten it seems, has always shared this feeling.

"It has occurred to me that among the species I’d like a little "follow-up with" as we return to the Delta Quadrant and the Krenim are certainly up there. That said, I think it would have felt wrong to see the Krenim again without the context of Year of Hell so one way or another, I needed to get that information to the crew if I was going to go there."

I have really enjoyed these books, and speaking to Kirsten made me aware that she is acutely aware of both the joys and frustrations of being a Trekkie.

As for the crew of the illustrious starship, Kirsten noted that there were some she believed needed greater exploration; “Among the main characters on Voyager I saw the most room for growth early on with Chakotay, Paris and Kim. Each of them had their own specific issues and some have grown more than others thus far."

And Neelix?

“I suppose there is a case to be made that Neelix could use the same treatment, but I find that a little Neelix goes a long way and I sort of like thinking of him in his life on New Talax happy and enjoying seeing his old friends from time to time."

Often in the TV show I personally found it hard to relate to Chakotay or Harry Kim, but within the novels Kirsten has been able to expand on their feelings and traumas and in doing so I have found myself far more interested in these two.

But one of my all-time favourite characters, Garak appears in the earlier novel Atonement and so I had to take the opportunity to ask Kirsten, her take on the great Tailor/Spy; “It was a huge treat to write Garak. He is such a fantastic character, so brilliantly portrayed. Capturing his voice was more fun than ought to be allowed." 

The characters and crew have endured much in both the TV shows and the novels, I asked Kirsten about the focus she places in A Pocket Full of Lies on matters of depression;

“I think to have characters simply dust themselves off and move on the next day as if nothing had happened is dishonest. Star Trek lends itself to so many wonderful kinds of storytelling. That is one of the reasons it has endured for so long. I think there’s plenty of room in Star Trek for looking with some realism at the issues these stories raised, just as there is plenty of room for cool space battles and interesting new alien species. I'm always hoping to find a balance between deep character work and exciting, mind-bending adventures."

As a person who has mental health issues I was keen to ask Kirsten about her take on the subject being covered in Star Trek as a whole and in her novels;

“The issue of mental health is an important one and one that we still know so little about, but was wonderfully handled here, as was the issue of loss, something we can all relate too. Having these characters endure so much and still maintain their sense of self for me, at least, is a testament to their courage and bravery."

And for the future?

“I think of these characters as real people. I think most people who have endured a fraction of what these characters have on screen, let alone in the books, might have chosen to simply resign their commissions and take a house by the sea long ago and no one would blame them. Are they heroes because they haven’t? I’m not sure. But I do believe that the closer we try to stay to the truth of the circumstances we portray – given that we are in a universe where warp travel, replicators, artificial gravity, etc. are real – the more useful we can be in terms of keeping Star Trek relevant to today’s readers and fans."

I wanted to close our brief but wonderful Q&A with a somewhat ‘large question, but one that has intrigued me throughout life as a Star Trek fan, that being "Does Star Trek support the idea of a ‘God’ or Intelligent Design or indeed, should this be a discussion left out of Science Fiction for the better?"

Answered Kirsten; “I think there is plenty of room in Star Trek for considering the existence of and relevance of a belief in the deity of your choice. This has been going on since The Original Series and was handled, I think, in an especially great “science fiction” way on Deep Space Nine with the Bajorans and the Prophets. 

"I also think that for most of the main characters, it tends to be a non-issue. Star Trek posits a future where most of the humans we see don’t seem to be religious or overly preoccupied with the question of whether or not God exists. I think for those who believe in intelligent design, there is nothing in Star Trek that absolutely denies the possibility. We see many alien species with god-like abilities."

It has genuinely been a pleasure both reading Kirsten’s novels and getting the opportunity to correspond with her personally.

My full review of Kirsten Beyer’s newest novel, A Pocket Full of Lies is available separately HERE but suffice to say, another excellent novel from the New York Times Best Selling Author!

Many thanks to Kirsten for taking the time out of her busy schedule to answer these questions for myself and her fans. 

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New Beginnings in A Pocket Full of Lies

Tiff is back with the latest on Kirsten Beyer's ever impressive Voyager novel series...

To say I was eager to read Kirsten Beyer’s latest novel was an understatement. 

But before I continue, I must warn you that this review contains spoilers.

Following on from Atonement, this new novel is the unofficial start of a new plotline as the previous arc finished with the last novel. the main thrust of which is the appearance of another Kathryn Janeway.

The novel starts of solidly with the ramifications from the events in Atonement still clearly present.

Nancy Conlon’s recovery from Seriareen possession has proved slow and difficult, both she and her partner Harry Kim have suffered greatly, the latter sinking into a state of depression and anxiety.

But now the author addresses one of the biggest ‘reset’ conclusions from Voyager’s seven season run, Year of Hell.

Beyer has attempted (and succeeded) in taking on an exciting and intricate challenge here but her detailed knowledge the subject has allowed her to blend back-story and conjecture into a satisfying tale.

The story balances on the actions of the Krenim species and their refusal to allow what they call a ‘chaotic variable’ to exist and threaten their imagined ‘perfect timeline’. This variable is of course Admiral Katherine Janeway.

Proceeding with their abduction, the Krenim actually take an incarnation of Janeway from her younger life, the episode Shattered.

Beyer’s encyclopaedic knowledge really flexes itself here, as we enter the foray of two Janeways and the villainous designs of the Krenim.

We also get a chance to revisit another previously neglected character, Thomas Riker (born of a transporter accident yet a sentient independent person from the more familiar Will); Chakotay comments that …“two identical people choosing very different paths become pale reflections of each other.”

Beyer asks the reader to reflect on matters of destiny and the nature of the single identity in its uniquity.

As viewers, we were able to witness all of the events of the Year of Hell from safely behind the fourth wall. Here we are forced to share and allow the characters of Voyager to have that memory thrust upon them with cruel reality and unavoidable memory.

Seven of Nine describes the similarities she sees in ‘our’ Janeway’s eyes which convince her that she is Janeway: “a specific combination of defiance and pain.”

It is at times painful to read as we secretly wish that none of them should have to know or feel the horrors of that year, but there is hope yet for reasoning. Janeway herself acknowledges some relief that of the many versions of her that she witnessed die, most were following a similar path to her, affording her some comfort in her chosen path in life.

Kirsten Beyer stated previously that the story of the ‘other’ Janeway was in need of telling, and I found her viewpoint that they were better versions of their own selves because of the ‘Year of Hell’ compelling and convincing.

Classic themes are abound, courage, forgiveness, redemption and destiny of course

Tuvok battles with Loss, the Krenim protagonist demonstrates courage, even the omnipotent Q ponders familial immortality.

It seems as though no one, not even a Q can escape destiny.

Hands down this is one of the best Star Trek books I have ever read.

I can’t wait to see what Kirsten Beyer has in store for us next. 

Are you a fan of the new Voyager novels? Keep watching Some Kind of Star Trek for Tiff's interview with author Kirsten Beyer!

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On the Other Side of the Mirror: Attack Wing's Wave 14 Opponents

Your opponents will be taking your fleet a little more seriously with two great additions to the Attack Wing range.

Taking us, firstly, to the 22nd Century we slide into the Mirror Universe and encounter the ISS Avenger. A sturdy little NX Class starship the model is very good given the size with a moderate level of detail all over.

Thing is you could make the model out of platinum but if the cards and stats are a bit rubbish then it would be utterly useless.  Now the ship itself isn't the highest powered ship available with zero shields and a maximum move of three but this means that HeroClix have accurately noted the difference in generations of the franchise and the nuances between ships.

It wouldn't be good to have the Avenger up against the Sovereign Class for example but in its own era it would hold its own. Comparing her against other ships in this wave though you might stand a chance since her stats are similar to those of the USS Pegasus - albeit a bit lower. Her movements are also a little more restricted with only a maximum of a three and some of those restricted and in need of auxiliary power to make them happen.

Looking into the crew and upgrades,  you have a choice of four captains. One is a nondescript Tellarite but the other three all have their benefits. Black can be utilised as either an Admiral or ship commander, allowing you to make a sensor echo maneuver whether your ship has a cloak or not but does mean you gain an auxiliary power token for your sly efforts. 

Gardner looks very angry and his special feature does back up his scowl with you gaining an attack die but losing one in defence on the round you choose to utilise him. Then there's the token goatee-wearing Vulcan in the form of Soval. who has a cracking little benefit that you can stick any upgrade you want onto the ship he commands and there's no penalty. Both he and Black will also allow you to keep your tech upgrade card.

The Avenger comes with a nice set of upgrades too. The Andorian Helmsman allows an additional movement during the combat phase of the game while the Orion Tactical Officer lets you pull either Weapons Malfunction or Munitions Failure from the Damage Deck, dealing severe consequences on your enemy should they be hit with a critical damage icon on the defence die. Both are low points draining upgrades that will certainly make a lower ranked ship stand a fighting chance - the question is will you relinquish that faster, larger vessel for more devastating attacks.

That bigger, faster and generally nastier ship certainly isn't the Krenim Timeship or, as it's known here, Kyana Prime. This thing turns like a truck but with a six on hull and a four on your shields it will take some beating. It can execute small reverse maneuvers under auxiliary power (red moves) which does give a slight advantage over the clunky Avenger. Yet it won't go down without a fight especially when you check out what it's packing. Model-wise it's OK with some nice purple/black colouring and a fairly good reproduction from the two-part Voyager classic.

The Krenim can play as either an independent race or as a part of the Mirror/Alternative universes faction. While everyone else is relying on quantum torpedoes, that silly thaeleron weapon (!) or a phasing cloak you can take on the whole universe by erasing it!

There's a choice of three captains as per usual with one of those being the generic, low point-using officer as well as Kurtwood Smith's calculating Annorax and his first officer, Obrist. Annorax provides an extra tech slot for your upgrades and allows a dice reroll if you disable one of your upgrades so there's a good two-for-one offer with him as captain. His right hand man costs less but doesn't have the flexibility with his action but through the use of the card and disabling a secondary weapon upgrade you can stop a nearby ship from taking a pot shot.

Those are your only "person" options with the timeship as the remaining six cards all focus on the unique temporal aspects of this expansion. Temporal Core reduces the number of attack dice that can be rolled against you in a phase while Temporal Wave Front gives you the chance to disable upgrades on ships within your forward weapons arc. I'm a fan of the Chroniton Torpedoes too which act just as they did in Year of Hell and ignore any shields that may be in operation, causing damage directly to the hull of the opposing vessel. Yes it requires a target lock and disabling the card but it's a game-breaker for sure, using five attack dice instead of the standard four.

Spatial Distortion is a different take on "Get Out of Jail Free", letting you remove the ship from play and reset her out of weapons range and remove all active tokens except for any auxiliary power ones in operation. This is a really neat action and could save your skin at the last minute turning a defence into a deadly offence. Causality Paradox costs an opponent one of their upgrades to reactivate one of yours but none of these comes close to the timeship's signature move, the Temporal Incursion. Costing a huge nine points to upgrade your ship, this feature allows eight attack dice to be rolled at the expense of a target lock and the card itself. For every critical hit you make the opposing vessel also loses an upgrade and for regular damage one upgrade is disabled. 

This could leave that Klingon, Federation or Romulan vessel without it's finishing move and the Krenim ship in command of the game. I'd say pairing this with Spatial Distortion could win you the game as there's nothing else I'm aware of that has this kind of potential to wreck your opponent's chance of victory.

This pack's special mission, entitled Temporal Incursion sees the Krenim player attempt to erase a planet from existence with a Federation ship out to stop them. Ideally you're going to want Voyager (got that one) equipped with all that funky Borg tech that came in the expansion and should fit on board given the 80 point limit. Ablative armour and transphasic torpedoes first please.

Combined with the USS Pegasus, Wave 14 has a wide range of abilities and faction opportunities with Starfleet, Independents and the Mirror Universe covered. The quality of the models certainly varies and I wouldn't go for this series purely if you're looking at a ship collection. For one thing Eaglemoss produce much more finely detailed craft (no offence WhizKidz) and this is much more about the features, actions, crew and tactics than the ships. They are merely there to represent your situation. I can live with their lower level of detail given their nature and the tiny scale. Wave 14 has an interesting and certainly varied selection to choose from. While there's no "super" ship here, these will give your fleet a neat trick or two extra if you're planning to mix and match your elements.

The reduced stats for the Avenger make perfect sense given its placement in canon. Likewise I recall the Timeship being flaky once you got past all the temporal science that shrouded it so the figures add up. In battle the Timeship is definitely a secret weapon and well worth holding back using your upgrades until later in the game as they provide a heavy blow. Using them early could leave her open to general attack and a quick exit.

The Avenger and the Krenim Timeship (I can't call it Kyana Prime, it just feels wrong) are my only recruits from alternative universes so far but getting any more seems a waste of funds since the other releases so far are all duplicate models with different cards. I might push to a couple but my main focus remains Federation/Klingon/Romulan. The next few waves in that case will be peaking my interest no end.

Wave 15 sees the arrival of the USS Prometheus (must have), the Bajoran Ratosha and the Klingon Bird-of-Prey Ning'tao. Wave 16 brings the USS Pasteur, the Dauntless (independent and Starfleet options perhaps?) and the Ferengi Kreechta.

Wave 17 in August adds the Akira Class USS Thunderchild, Klingon D7 IKS T'Ong and IRW Vrax. September's 18th wave Quark's Treasure shuttle from Little Green Men, the Species 8472 Bioship Beta and the Nebula Class USS Phoenix although pics suggest it actually looks more like the Sutherland due to the shape of the rear pod. 


Checking out the boadgamegeek page it also suggests we have four more waves planned beyond that with the IKS Rotarran, the Delta Flyer and the Constellation Class USS Hathaway all set to feature as well as a variety of other alien vessels.

Fan of Attack Wing and added these to your fleet? How have you been using them? What advantages do they give you? Let us know below!

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Out of Time: Starships Collection Issues 22 and 23: Krenim Temporal Weapon Ship and Nebula Class

At first glance you might have been mistaken for thinking Eaglemoss had sent through a novelty pen as part of this month's releases.

Luckily it's not and instead we're treated to one of the best replicas so far - the Krenim Temporal Weapon Ship from Voyager's seminal Year of Hell. Certainly one of the more unique designs we're going to see, the long, thin vessel has been meticulously reproduced from the CGI models originally created for the two-part fourth season story and no fan will be disappointed, even if you're not a huge Voyager fan. 

Rocking in at a touch under 15cm in length, the Temporal Weapon Ship is fractionally shorter than the first issue's Galaxy Class but crafty diagonal box positioning makes you think otherwise. Aside from the rear section featuring the aft momentum conditioners and stabilizer fins, the ship is crafted in plastic and is simply excellent. Notably there is some painting detail missing from the rear section in comparison to the plan views in the magazine (shame) but the remainder of the ship bears a distinctive pixellated scheme which covers every inch of the surface. That does give it a minus point but the rest of the ship makes up for this omission very easily. That back section does carry some detailing in blue around the ion dispersal vent and find which just picks it out of being a solid lump of grey/paperweight however there is only so much you can do with a ship that is fundementally two shades of that colour.

The detailing on the forward momentum conditioners and the temporal shockwave ring is also particularly good with some of the more intricate hull markings highlighted. What does strike you when you look closer is the accurate placing of the blue transparent plastic sections within the forward section.

Given that on previous occasions this has been of varying accuracy (and quality fitting), Eaglemoss should be applauded for this continued improvement in the delivery of the end product. Make a note too that if you're eagle-eyed, this is actually one half-mould twice as both sides are identical. 

Nor are the seams that noticable. In fact I had to remind myself to take a look at them, again with the benefit of 21 previous issues worth of experience.  It really does look good - when you get it to sit straight that is.

The Temporal Weapon Ship employs a totally unique stand design but while the Borg Sphere just slotted onto its base in a second and stayed there, be prepared for a few moments of "erm..." as you try and understand exactly what the magazine guidelines for display are telling you.

Being very back-end heavy, the Krenim's near-indestructible vessel sits with best with the stand angled forward and not as shown on the Eaglemoss site. Try it that way and you might see it perform a triple somersault out of the cradle or at the least, point skywards with it's rear resting on the base.

Opening up the magazine brings us into the story of Year of Hell with a good choice of photos from the two-parter followed by the usual plan views of the ship. I'd love to see more notes on these diagrams as they only touch on the very basics when fans who are collecting will want to have more features pointed out. Twelve notes over three decent size images does seem less than there should. 

What marks this issue out as different to every one previous is the choice to discuss the two versions of the Krenim Imperium's craft from alternative universes. Guess this means we won't be seeing a warship or a patrol craft from these guys in the range anytime soon - or just anytime. The overview on both ships is brief but the CGI images are very clean and clear, showing the distinctive changes in the fleet that came about through the interference of the Temporal Weapon Ship commanded by the impressively named Annorax.

Neatly this sedge-ways well into the Designing the Year of Hell feature. Rather than focusing just on the Krenim super-weapon we get the inside scoop on the challenge to create not only a new ship for a new race but also on breaking apart Voyager herself as the story evolves through the two episodes. The images and sketches alone are worth flicking through the pages and I'd recommend taking a closer look at the detail shown in the battered Intrepid Class ship as you can see corridors, hatchways and even part of the exposed bridge on Deck One. The intricate nature of the finished, crumbling starship is extraordinary and I don't think its kind has been seen anywhere else in the franchise. Being able to compare it to Rick Sternbach's original and equally beautiful drawings is a massive bonus.

Even the final battle and destruction sequence is broken down, telling us why it was filmed in the manner we see in Year of Hell. Rounding it off is a slightly predicable Key Moments page since the Temporal Weapon Ship only appeared in one story but the trivia covering some background information is the bigger draw here. 

Probably one of the best accompanying magazines so far in the collection. In fact I know I said this last month, but this is already one of my absolute favourites and I didn't expect it to be. Eaglemoss knocked it out of the park here and I'm now more confident than ever that their issues have been addressed and the results going forward will prove they aren't sitting on their laurels. Clearly fan reaction has been important to them and this release is sure to secure their place as the best producers of Star Trek ships EVER.

Lending herself to The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and two movies, the Nebula Class is a Star Trek starship superstar.

Revealed for the first time in The Wounded, the Nebula Class answered the call for a new ship that wasn't just a reuse of the aging Excelsior, Miranda or Oberth models from the movies.

We could all tell that she was just a reworking of the Galaxy Class due to budget constraints but the introduction of a new type of starship was very, very exciting. Over the years the model and the subsequent CGI reconstruction would receive updates and changes as she became one ship then another. Her arrival in the Official Starships Collection therefore is more than welcome.

Welcome and impressive. More compact as a design than the Galaxy Class, the Nebula Class really lends itself to the restrictions on box size, being more square in form. The metal saucer is 100% identical to that of the larger Enterprise-D although the colour is distinctly duck-egg blue. The sad part is that whoever was responsible for imprinting all the windows did it at an angle so the markings don't all match up with the recesses. Annoying since they got it right for issue one!

However, the secondary hull and nacelles are well made and fit together well. As with the Krenim Temporal Weapon ship on the same delivery, the joint lines are becoming less intrusive with each passing edition. 

For some utterly random reason Eaglemoss have branded up the Nebula Class as the USS Honshu from Deep Space Nine's Waltz. It's a curve ball to say the least as you might have expected USS Sutherland or USS Prometheus (perhaps) - I had to have a quick memory refresh when I opened the box as to where I'd seen her before.

The secondary hull and nacelles are a good, close fit with the latter, once more having the transparent blue and red sections to highlight the warp grilles and bussard collectors. Those nacelles look spookily like they could be found on a Galaxy Class(!). The aztec paint job is a lot more subtle than usual across the primary and secondary hulls while a single shade of grey covers the rear pod, nacelle supports and nacelles themselves.  The issue with the Nebula Class however comes when you turn her around. 

OK, I get that there is a cost implication and that there are restraints on the models and that these are still the best and most affordable range of starships ever produced BUT the rear of the equipment pod support is terrible. In the magazine there is clear depiction of the detail at the back and all of this is missing - the hangar door, the registry, everything - and it's not a small omission however it seems to have been sacrificed due to the location of the seam between two sections of hull. At the top of the support the pod has a little bit of excessive glue which also ruins the effect. I guess I'll have to make sure I look at her from the front at all times because it just looks awful. 

That said, the detail on the top of the pod is excellent, very crisp and clean with all the grills and markings very clearly laid out.

The stand configuration attaches to the warp engine supports and is pretty stable, giving the Honshu that more favourable "suspended in air" display look. Not sure how it'll weather given all the weight is in the saucer section as mine already has a tendancy to lean forward.

The magazine is one that will have the fans raging on Facebook in the next few weeks since there are a couple of questionable points. On the opening stats we have "Shelby" noted as a captain of a Nebula Class ship (USS Sutherland) - a single throwaway line from Deep Space Nine's You Are Cordially Invited which was originally intended to be the same Shelby from The Best of Both Worlds. However it might not be if we step outside canon and refer to Peter David since Shelby features in the New Frontier series. We never actually saw this captain so I'm not totally cool with the mention here anyway as there should be others that could have been named that we have seen. It is a nice little trivia tidbit, almost as good as the naming of the model itself.

Which brings me to another point - was this originally going to be the USS Bonchune? The plan views contain the registry and name of two ships. The only reference to the Honshu is emblazoned across the top of the primary hull (and the cover) while all other markings relate to the Bonchune. In fact all the "new" CGI images here including the one on pages three and four name check the latter. Bit messy there and I'd have hoped that would have been caught before publication.

Moving away from these two points, it's back to more of the same after the diverting contents of Issue 22. Just to emphasise the lack of detail on the rear of the pod support the main CGI image on pages three and four is from the rear. This section also manages to avoid being an episode synopsis, focusing more on the design brief and comparison to the Galaxy Class as well as some key moments from notable Nebulas. No new pics here but I had forgotten that the rear pod on the first Nebula we saw, the USS Phoenix, was a unique, elliptical design with twin support struts.

Six pages get taken over by the Designing... feature this time but there is a lot to cover since the class was probably one of the most developed in the history of the fleet. Considering it's inexpensive origins it's not that much of a surprise that it went through a few permutations both as a physical model and as a CGI construct. Did you know for instance that the window spacing on the saucer was supposed to be wider to indicate that it was smaller than the Enterprise-D? However that didn't happen so it ended up with a saucer the same size. The detailed shots of the miniature in this expanded section are better than the plan views, showing that the rear pod and the saucer here are superbly and accurately detailed. The problem is that one of the images backs up the CGI image to show how much is missing from the rear of the pod support.

Trying to guess the following pages would have proved a challenge this time and so we get a double spread on Introducing the Cardassians who also made their first appearance in The Wounded alongside the Nebula Class. Brought in as a new, recurring baddie since the Borg were never meant to be back often, they certainly have evolved since these early days and you wouldn't have thought that under two years later they would be a major player in Deep Space Nine.

Rounding out the issue are two key appearances from The Wounded and Deep Space Nine's Second Sight although I would have thought Redemption II would have managed a look in here.

Overall and aside from the detail devoid support, this is another step in the right direction for The Official Star Trek Starships Collection.  Each month now is maintaining a good standard but those occasional niggles do keep reappearing and stopping them from being absolutely perfect. That said, I'm more than happy with the final item and the USS Honshu will look awesome among the other Starfleet ships.

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