Rapier Spinoff Covers the Carrier Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

ScoobyDoo is back with a new model concept. This one's a lighter - but still nicely hull-plated - variant of the Rapier. It looks like a fast, fun and sporty version. He's artfully composed a scene with it running picket in front of an out-of-focus background warship. There's also a pretty amazing collage of all the Wing Commander-y ships he's built over the years. Look at all those fighters!
Dirk, the little cousin to the Rapier... (I believe I started out with Klav's models that we were going to use for Saga)

Also a top down view of what I've released so far. I think you'll figure out the canon and near-canon ones

Noble Fleet Colors Highlighted in Enigma Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Deathsnake has released a new batch of wallpaper-quality images that show off some hot Confed hardware in the Enigma 2666 engine. The textures have all been tweaked to reaffirm the classic WC2 feel. First up is the glorious Concordia, and we also get to see it flanked by a Gilgamesh and Clydesdale. A carrier (dreadnought) would be lost without her fighters though, so there's also a varied mix of strike craft to fill the flight deck.
Credits for the new textures goes to RedBaron.

Round Two Casting Begins for A Defiant Few Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Despite some trouble filling the lead female character, Plywood Fiend reports that episode 1 of his new audio adventure has been cast. Scripts have now been distributed and the first chapter of "A Defiant Few" is now being recorded. Simultaneously, auditions now begins for the second episode of the story. There are Kilrathi, Firekkan and humans to read for! Check out the tryout lines here. The project sounds pretty cool, so I'd definitely encourage interested Wingnuts to look into it. Entries are due by February 15.
Kritharg – Male. A Kilrathi privateer and commander of his three-strong mercenary wing. He is irritable and largely contemptuous of aliens, though strangely philosophical. (Notes for auditions: If you can make your voice sound as feline as possible in your normal tone of voice, I should be able to make it Kilrathi-esque by reducing the pitch.)

Audition Line 1: Be silent Morgan, this monkey is of no use to us in battle, so I might as well profit from his atoms.

Audition Line 2: They threaten you, they challenge you, you should feel impatient to meet their challenge, and nothing else.

Art Imitates Life in the Kilrathi War Machine Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Klavs was so impressed by John Douglass' physical Fralthi model, that he decided to digitize it! The electronic version of the model splits the forward prongs and makes the inner engine nacelles more prominent to strengthen a few of the features emphasized in Wing Commander 1. It also borrows the sleek swooping wings and cannons that Mr. Douglass designed. There's also a nifty cut-away image that shows how a small contingent of fighters might park in the bay. And something about that side profile still looks gorgeous...
Thanks guys, I whipped up a quick Fralthi to blow up (and capture) based on John Douglass' awesome physical models. He's very talented, I'd have cut myself open and bled out if I tried any of this shipbuilding in real life.

I nixed the warp nacelle looking things because, well, giant guns.

You can see how they could fit some fighters in there, but definitely not the ideal carrier (Disclaimer, my Kilrathi fighters are a bit smaller than canon).

Passionate Modeler Brings Wing Commander to Life Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Klavs tipped us off about the amazing creations of John Douglass. He's been building physical spaceship models for more than fifteen years, and many of them have been carefully catalogued on his website. His designs are inspired by many different things, and several have a Wing Commander basis. The first ship below is the classic Drayman. He's taken the transport through numerous iterations beyond the Drayman II, but the very first one really resonates for anyone who remebers escort missions in the Vega Sector. There's also a Heretic from Privateer 2, which is painted an energetic orange. The third ship pictured below is a Kilrathi Fralthi, and it's one of a few of his warships based on the design. It's amazing how much that side profile resembles the original!
My first computer game was Wing Commander. I've built several ships inspired by it, mostly Fralthi Cruisers. One of my favorites, though, was the little, seldom seen, Drayman-Class freighter. I built one once, back before I took many pictures, making it look quite a bit like the original, even down to the paint scheme. Having become inured to any structural sensitivities by years of watching Star Trek, I can appreciate what makes the Drayman design so interesting.

WC vs History: Panama Games Are The Fleet's Problem Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

"Sir, that sergeant over at the comm center said a carrier had come through," Geoff said, forcing his voice to sound even and under control. "That's against standard doctrine, but it was a scenario you presented to us in class. They're most likely launching fighters and bombers now. They could be here in less than an hour and a half. This could be the Panama war game scenario, sir."

What purpose the aircraft carrier was to serve with the Fleet was still undetermined in 1929. Naval aviation itself was nineteen years old and had been born on 14 November 1910 when Eugene Ely, Naval Aviator No. 1, took off in a biplane from a wooden platform constructed over the bow of USS Birmingham (CL-2). On 18 January 1911, Ely completed the flight cycle by landing on a platform constructed over the rear of USS Pennsylvania (ACR-4). The United States' first carrier joined the Fleet eleven years later. USS Langley (CV-1), the converted coiler Jupiter, served as the early testbed for American carrier operations.


Eugene Ely taking off from the Birmingham, landing on the Pennsylvania, and the USS Langley as she appeared in 1928.

During the interwar years, the United States Navy conducted twenty-two Fleet Problems, from 1923 to 1941, to test new doctrine and train the Fleet for war. They involved varied circumstances, a rainbow of different opponents, and allowed the Fleet to test specific operational and strategic scenarios. Of the exercises, Fleet Problem IX, 23-27 January 1929, is the one that most influenced the development of carrier doctrine. What made Fleet Problem IX so important to carrier doctrinal development was how the USS Saratoga (CV-3) was deployed during the exercise.


"Fleet Problem IX was arguably the most important in the entire series for the development of aircraft carrier operations." - Albert Nofi

Read the rest of this update here. Wingnuts can read the rest of the series in the WC vs History Archive.

Book Report: The Ultima Collector's Guide Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

If you're into Ultima, Ultima Online or RPG's in general, the comprehensive Ultima Collector's Guide may be for you. In more than 800 pages, the author details hundreds of releases, maps, books, packages and various collectibles. Wing Commander veteran Warren Spector says "[it] is nothing short of amazing. If you're an Ultima fan or video game historian, stop reading now and just buy this." Notorious Origin collector Pix has a more detailed writeup online here.

For more than 30 Years the Ultima series has defined the RPG genre, from Akalabeth to Ascension to Ultima Online and Beyond. Lord British's enduring legacy will forever live in the hearts and minds of gamers around the world. The Quest of the Avatar is Forever.

This mammoth 826 page tribute to the Ultima series contains highly detailed information and pictures for 520 main releases, 286 books & collectibles, and 149 miscellaneous items. A grand total of 955 items from 24 countries across 6 continents!

In addition to regular entries there are comprehensive variation guides for each game. They provide side-by-side comparisons illustrating the differences between different maps, boxes, books, discs, etc. There's even some history & lore for extra flavoring.

Every game in the series is covered in exhaustive detail including Ultima I-IX, Akalabeth, Mt Drash, Runes of Virtue I & II, Savage Empire, Martian Dreams, and Underworld I & II as well as the many Collections & Compilations. Also included are bonus chapters for Ultima X, Ultima Online & Ultima Media.

Excalibur Fix Gets Pilots Flying Again Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Clever Wingnut Luke has fixed a tricky WC Saga bug that's previously been described as "almost impossible to reproduce and fix." The issue involved corruption of the player's profile that stripped the Excalibur of her guns at a certain point in the game, which made completing the campaign impossible. The "EPW Bug" can now be resolved by running Luke's new tool on damaged profiles. If this has slowed you down, grab the patch here (300 k zip) and read instructions on how to use it here. Any additional questions can be resolved at the CIC Forums.
I am not a WCS team member, but I think I found a solution. After analyzing KalEl's WCS profile at wingcenter.net, I found the problem. Then yesterday I wrote a first version of my EPW repair tool and KalEl was able to repair his corropted WCS profile with the tool and now he has the primary weapons back on Excalibur.

After lot of tests I have now published my repair tool.

Strike Carriers Dominate the Front Lines Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

As I've said recently before, the Bengal class strike carrier is one popular ship! It also comes in many forms, and as Wing Commander has evolved over the years, fans have been incorporating more elements into their interpretations of the design. Lars started building a Tiger's Claw model in 2006 that merged Claws from the WC1 game, Movie and Academy. Now he's back with a new iteration, and this one even includes some Star Citizen touches! Unlike Klavs' version that's recently been in the news, Lars' sought to bulk up the ship in a way that he feels would better accommodate the ship's full fighter complement. Here's are the first images.
Klavs' great model of the Bengal and Star Citizen made me to go back to my own model. As I noticed that Klavs' Bengal got smaller and Star Citizen's got bigger, I thought to myself... what's a good size and how does everything fit into it?

So I went back and created the basic shape as it's seen in Claw Marks. From there my first step was to keep the 700m length (I am not doing the Claw here but one of the later ships) but fit in all the 104 fighters it's supposed to carry. Next step was to think about how high each deck would be and the stuff in between (you know where all the cables, tubes and what not are). Going from there I changed sizes again. Still fixed to keep the 700m length.

Other points I incorporated or think about are as of now:

  • The number of big turrets is about the same as in the Claw Marks
  • Number of AA turrets is from the movie numbers
  • Side missile tubes (changed to planetary bombardment missiles keep from the time as the Bengal was a "troop transport" ) from the movie
  • Under the flight deck will be a number of torpedo tubes, also kinda taken over from the movie
  • Hangar will be similar to that of the movie claw
  • Bridge inspired by a mix of Star Citizen and the ingame graphics
  • Catapulte tubes from the game
  • Still thinking about incorperating the flechette guns for missile defense as it was mentioned in the novels
  • Building into the model the bridge, CIC, sleeping room and other rooms but most importendly the bar ^_^
  • Creating the lower hangar decks
  • Made the connection to the outer pod a bit more like the WCATV version.
You can help provide feedback to further refine the design at the CIC Forums!

Nearly Complete Tiger's Claw Gets Destroyer Escort Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Here's an updated look at Klavs' gorgeous new Tiger's Claw. Keen observers have noticed the proportions look slightly different from the games, because he's going for a tighter feel. The design we've seen so far potrays the carrier slightly shorter/narrower than typically seen. The later few images also show off a small warship based on the WC3/4 cruiser and destroyer. We're anxious to see the animations Klavs has planned for these!
Thanks guys, the new Claw scales to about 640 meters, a little smaller than canon, and the air wing is similarly reduced to about 50-60 spacecraft. Why, you ask? Well, it's easier for me to detail a smaller landing bay, and I wanted a little more intimate feel to the old girl as I progress into some animations. I'm shooting for a semi-stylized look, not so much photo realism but a bit more cartoony.

Attention on Deck! Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Here's some new shots of a Wake class escort carrier's flight deck from Deathsnake. The setting is being arranged for the Enigma 2666 mod, but it could wind its way up in Last Line of Defense as well. The perspective on the third shot is meant to evoke familiar scenes from the Tarawa's hangar bay in the novel End Run. It's claustrophobic, but intense as well. There's also some exterior shots of the ship, although they're in a much more preliminary stage at this point.
In the third pic you see the view like Jason has over the flight deck. I was not happy with the design early and read the novel a few times to learn about it and the complement of fighters. All 3 Squadrons (15 each) fit here. Some Rapier/Sabres in the bays, some in front (special Ferrets for a quick launch). I can even put the 9 Spartan Class Marine Transports on the deck, but then it's very very full. Or dock 8 of them on top of the hangar (docking points done).

Outside the ship, I used Scooby's 4 barrel in a bigger size as the Heavy Neutron Gun in front. The Harrier Class from Saga forms the tower for the Wake. Engines and turrets are also done. Some parts needs an overworking as the ship is still WIP.

Congratulations Award Winners! Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Hundreds of votes have been cast, and we now have the results! Many many Wing Commander endeavors made their mark on 2012, but only a couple can win the contest. Thanks to all who helped select these few! Without further delay, here are the winners:

Pix's Origin Adventures has won in the category of Wing Commander Web Site of the Year! There's plenty of attention devoted to Wing Commander and Ultima at his site, but Pix is also careful to include Bioforge, Cybermage and many other Origin series in his research. In addition to gathering the most votes, we also hear that quite a few former Origin veterans use Pix's site as their go-to source of information or to relive old times.


The Wing Commander RPG Wiki is our Web Site Runner Up! In mid 2011, capi3101 created a plan that outlined exactly what his RPG project needed, and over the course of 18 months, he proceeded to build exactly that. Along the way, fans were kept informed by weekly updates, and several related side-projects were also released.


The Fan Project of the Year is WC Saga! Its selection comes as little surprise, as anticipation for the game's release had been building for many years. That event came in March, which brought significant attention to the Wing Commander series from around the web. After taking some time off, the team is now working on ports for other operating systems.


The Fan Project runner up is Klav's Models! In 2012, Klavs both released new designs and improved on older ones in order to provide fans an opportunity to own a physical piece of Wing Commander. Work continues to increase feasible sizes and decrease at-cost pricing. There's even tantalizing prospects for pre-painted designs!


And that's it for 2012! Our biggest thanks goes out to all the people who work hard every day to keep the Wing Commander community going with exciting fan projects and dedicated web sites. Here's to a great 2013!

Last Chance to Vote Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The annual Web Site and Fan Project of the Year awards are winding down, so here's your last chance to vote if you have not done so yet. As you can see by visiting the CIC each day, there are lots of Wingnuts out there constantly doing great things! Please help us to recognize some of the best. Undecided voters can read up on each of the nominees here.


Last, but not least, don't forget to vote in our annual New Years poll. How do you think 2013 will be in the world of Wing Commander? We can't wait to see what's in store!

"Defiant Few" Looking For A Few Good Voices Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Plywood Fiend has a few more roles that need to be filled for his "Defiant Few" audio project. Wingnuts interested in lending their voice to the project have a few days left before auditions close on the 21st. Be sure to check out the project's Chatzone thread for more details and the list of open roles below. If you were looking for a great way to get involved with the community, this project is a great place to start!

Whilst I'm here, I just wanted to thank everyone who's auditioned so far. I've had some great sounding lines sent to me and it's encouraging to see people's enthusiasm for the project. ... Below are the roles that, as yet, have had little to no auditions.

Admiral Sandra Goodin
Amanda Ganeson
Commodore Pryce
Pryce's Com Officer

Bloodfang Stars in Enigma Test Vid Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

FekLeyrTarg's Bloodfang has made the leap from Blender to outer space. The new video below shows the ship in action in the Enigma 2666 engine. It's not just any Bloodfang however - this iteration is the classic WC1-style Bloodfang that Prince Thrakhath flies in the WC2 demo. It's a really cool looking design!

In this video I'm testing my Bloodfang model, which is based on the Bloodfang-Sprites of the Demo of Wing Commander II. I have been able to center the Bloodfang correctly and to fit it with weapons, subsystems and engine glows.

Engines Aglow on New Tiger's Claw Model Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Back at the virtual frontier, Klavs has continued to improve his new Tiger's Claw model. The ship already looks fantastic, but he's still hard at work. These shots reveal updated textures and improved detail on the flight deck. Note the doors for side hangar bay access. Bengal class carriers always make a fantastic foundation for any Wing Commander project, and we're very eager to see where Klavs goes with this!
And a bit more detailing...

WC Mod Adds Turret Gunner Position Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

There's a new batch of screenshots for the Last Line of Defense mod. Deathsnake has posted a picture that shows off the ability to play from the capship turret perspective, which is a fairly novel feature for a Wing Commander game. There are also updated looks at a Gettysburg class cruiser and beefed up destroyer. They certainly have plenty of turrets to man!
The ship has now an AA-turret for capship missile defence and fighters. It has 4 barrels and fires like an Phalanx CIWS, but it's not overpowered.

Model Price Lowered, Color Tests Promising Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

There's been a price reduction on some of the models available in Klavs' Wing Commander fleet. After acting on a tip by Richard H to hollow out the designs, Klavs was able to lower the cost of various 1/300 and 1/600 scale ships by about 25%. Some of the vessels are still rather pricey, however, and the mission continues to find cheaper and more efficient ways to mock up these miniatures. There are also ongoing experiments to take advantage of color 3D printing, which look very promising! Here's one of his non-WC ships as an example.
I just had to use my MAG. COLOR PRINTING WORKS! Not quite as detailed as the Frosted Ultra Detail Material, but I can make the models quite large for less money. The detail level is quite good for the size, terracing is not that noticable, and the ship has a sturdy "rough" finish.

I just wish the color was a bit clearer and more vivid, but the solution to that is to make them even bigger. Seriously, stay tuned, I'll be prototyping some WC models soon.

Star Citizen Development Under Way Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Cloud Imperium Games has settled into their new Austin offices, and that means it's time to hunker down and get to work on Star Citizen. Chris Roberts was on hand last week to officially kick off development. Although the pace of news related to the game has slowed compared to the height of their crowdfunding campaign, there are several cool new methods to interface with fans.

A new weekly show called Wingman's Hangar broadcasts live at 11 AM CST on Fridays. The inaugural episode aired January 4 with Eric Peterson, president of production, and Ben Lesnick, designer and community manager. Check it out below. Subscribers also have access to an insider newsletter by Wing Commander veteran David Ladyman.

Finally, here's a shot of the newly retextured Bengal class carrier flight deck, plus an image of Chris Roberts consulting with Mr. Ladyman. Note the Wing Commander guides and Privateer boxes piled around the office for reference!

Help Us Recognize Community Contributors Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The annual CIC web site & fan project contests are in full swing! If you haven't voted yet, please take a look at the nominees and help pick a winner below. There's a lot of busy fans out there that have helped make 2012 a blast, so we know it can be hard to choose!
    Web Site of the Year
  • Pix's Origin Adventures is amazingly dedicated to all things Origin. Pix is constantly researching old material, digging up cool oddities and sharing new insights into the Wing Commander series and its sibling franchises. His archive is neatly organized by game, and troves of information are available in just a few clicks.
  • Shotglass' Bar fills the need to keep German fans in the loop. Germany has historically been one of the largest markets for the WC series, and they stay on top of the latest news here.
  • Tactical Operations is an awesome fan made tabletop Wing Commander game, and it continues to be refined into a slick online package. Basic coding is virtually complete, and a game manager is coming soon.
  • Wedge's Wing Commander continues to see incremental updates to help Wing Commander fans stay on top of things. The site moved to a new web host, added new WC patches and updated its interface and presentation in recent months.
  • Wing Commander RPG Wiki is the headquarters for capi's fan made role playing game. In addition to rules for playing the game, it's also packed with information about the WC universe. There are also other resources to help aspiring fans of tabletop WC play.
    Fan Project of the Year
  • The Collected works of CMDBob highlight classic Wing Commander 1 ships in a charming animated style. It'd be great to see these in more than just wallpapers someday.
  • The Collected works of Cybot are numerous and diverse. His models cover everything from the Academy TV show to Privateer, and they highlight understated buoys and transport craft just as much as massive dreadnoughts.
  • The Collected works of NinjaLA adds a hand-made touch to Wing Commander fan art. His Wing Commander sketches are also timely as they are prolifict as they often commemorate news or special events in the WC universe.
  • The Collected works of ScoobyDoo have a distinctive metallic style that has contributed to the fleets of multiple fan projects this year. When he's not helping out various mods, the results are very creative hybrids inspired by famous WC ships.
  • Enigma 2666 has been one of the more consistent mods over the last year. It's seen steady progress that's added many more ships and implemented them in the game engine.
  • From the Jaws of Defeat is a case study in how to set a goal, work hard and release a fan product in a timely fashion. It's an audio adventure that stars voice actors from around the community - hopefully the first of many!
  • Klavs' (Physical) Models aren't just beautiful on screen. Via rapid prototyping, a handful of Wing Commander ships can be yours for tabletop gaming or desk ornamentation. This is still an emerging technology, and there are high hopes that more complex designs will be possible as model size increases and cost decreases in the coming years.
  • Wing Commander Saga concluded a decade of development with the big release of their highly anticipated game in 2012. The game garnered much attention and fans hope for ports to be released in 2013.

RPG Content Completed Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

capi3101 has announced that the first draft and "principal editing" of his Wing Commander RPG was completed this week. This means that the hundreds of planned game mechanics, detailed rules and character profiles have all been written. That's not to say that everything will remain totally unchanged from this point forward - capi is now working out how to execute an efficient proofreading of it all, and there will be some valuable playtesting soon. A final publication is expected in the spring. If you're into pen & paper RPGs or have looked through the game's material, feedback is encouraged at the CIC Forums!
This may be a good time to begin talking about what will happen after first draft editing is finished. Since the game's mechanics have not been properly playtested by anyone (to my knowledge), I may delay publication of hardcopies for a while. If anybody has tried out the game, I would dearly love to hear about it and get some feedback).

Certainly the proofreading process will begin immediately thereafter, a long and boring process that (unfortunately) is going to take two to three months minimum. I do plan on taking only one pass with the proofreading, so I'm hoping the final versions of the game will be ready by this coming April. I won't know for sure until everything gets further along, of course, but I will continue to keep y'all updated as much as I can. I'm still accepting submissions for the game's non-canonical sections; I will continue accepting submissions right up until work is completed on the Index. This isn't that far off now: if you've been waiting until the last dog, this is it.

Thanks for all the help you given me so far, y'all.

Guards, You Are Dismissed... Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Michelle D has created a Kilrathi guard sketch and model inspired by the Emperor's protectors in the Wing Commander II demo. They're quite faithful representations of the ceremonial armor! A simple animation of the model has been posted to YouTube here, and Wingnuts who are not familiar with the alternate version of the WC2 intro where these are highlighted definitely need to check it out.
"I granted the title of Slave Lord of Terra to you, not to your scientists!"

"Defiant Few" Project Needs One Narrator Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Preparations continue for the new audio adventure by Plywood Fiend. The story's dialogue has been refined, and a new narrator position has opened up. Interested Wingnuts can apply for this spot and a handful of other roles through January 21. There's been some good buzz about this project so far, and this is a relatively easy way to help get more involved in the Wing Commander community. Details on the other positions and additional background info is available at the CIC Forums here.
A recent script tweak means there's a new role of sorts to audition for if anyone's interested. Specifically a narrator for a few lines at the start of the episode.

If you know of anyone who you think might want to lend their voice to this project, would you mind directing them to this thread? I'd like to present it to as many interested persons as possible. The two female roles are in particular need of auditions. Even if I can't use someone for this episode, there'll almost certainly be a place for them in future ones. The script for episode 2 is already in the works. I'll almost certainly be posting a new casting call for that before episode 1 is released.

Audition Lines:

'The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.' (NOTE: This is a biblical quotation. It'll make more sense with the rest of the passage.)

'We shall be bathed in our own blood and rotted flesh shall be our fare.' (Kilrathi voice optional)

Thanks to everyone who's auditioned so far; plenty of time left to do so for anyone who's interested.

Help For Untalented Pilots Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Forums member Lin Kuei Ominae spotted an error in our Privateer 2 cheats listing. Further testing revealed some odd behavior in the NAPALM cheat:
Ok, I've checked it ingame and you get 10 Nukes with each "Napalm" cheat. The first 9 nukes are full nukes, lasting the normal duration of about 3-4 seconds. The 10th nuke however lasts only a second, thus it doesn't do that much damage and can kill only very weak targets (most fighters stay alive with 25-50% hull intact).
Here are the correct cheats again. Open the navigation screen by pressing Alt-N, then press F. Type one of the following and hit enter:
  • NO TALENT (Invincibility)
  • REP ME UP (Repairs armor and shields)
  • NAPALM (10 nukes)
  • PETY PETY (Full afterburners)
  • CHILL OUT (Resets laser heat level to 0)
Cheat codes for other Wing Commander games can be found on their respective encyclopedia page.

Trojan IV Naval Yard is Busy Again Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Klavs81 is taking a brand new crack at the legendary Tiger's Claw. The shots below reveal just the first glimpses at the design, and it's already looking great. As has become popular in other recent takes on the design, this edition includes both the large primary flight deck and the side bay doors made famous in Wing Commander Academy. There are also smaller shuttle and corvette spaceframes pictured in some of the images for scale. Sharp observers will note that the Claw features some of the rounded edges and stylings that fit in really well with his other Confed fighter designs. We're looking forward to seeing the ship in action!
I've started a new Tiger's Claw model. I had to spend some time blocking this one out, wanted to make sure the hangar deck was the correct size and that everything would fit. The factory is on full blast, more pics as she nears completion!

It's also collapsable into the non-strike, shorter Bengal class variant, possibly a TCS Bengal or Wolfhound conversion in the future.

Corvette shaped hull thingy for scale, and a new people mover. I tried to strike a balance between the Bioforge/SWC shuttle and the WC3/4 Shuttle, with some of my existing Marine dropship thrown in.

I'm especially proud of the design work on the launch bay (note the side bays). Some placeholder procedural textures & colors while I continue to greeble. More soon!

Excellent Banshee Fan Art Sets Waypoint for Wild Blue Yonder Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

We recently mentioned that there was some cool stuff over at DeviantArt, but that was an understatement! Overseer has put together this fantastic wallpaper image of a Banshee squadron moving in tight formation towards an asteroid belt. The scene appears to be lit by an Scylla-style anomaly in space. Gorgeous! Let Overseer know what you think here!
I loved the games (played them all) and the movie was awesome in my books as well. So this was kind of overdue.

There is not really a story to this; just a Banshee fighter wing on patrol and approaching a gravity well (or maybe a jump point into the unknown...).

  • Background: Textured environment (starfield), plus digital painting. My work. Thank you Google Earth for the planet/moon textures.
  • Meshes: Banshee fighter by Alan Hart.
  • Composition: Scene and lighting setup in LW, final composition in PS, including all FX.
  • Original size: 4750x2250, cropped, including frame with a record breaking (for me) 157 layers and a 1.9GB PSD file!

Banshees Dot the Entire Landscape Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

The Banshee has been a fan favorite fighter since it first graced the cover of The Price of Freedom. Ever since first being imported to the Prophecy/Secret Ops Vision Engine way back in 1998, it's been featured prominently in fan mods of games such as Homeworld 2, Starlancer, Freespace 2, X3 and Empire at War. It's also starred in a number of gorgeous physical projects. For starters, you can build a Banshee out of paper thanks to Thunderchild and Péricles. Astro Commander made a fabulous Banshee mini, Herr Koos made a medium size model and elend even built a large Banshee that's fit to be a museum piece. It's got quite a following!

Annual Awards Contest Begins Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

A busy year in the Wing Commander community has come to a close, so it's time for another annual tradition. The CIC Web Site & Fan Project of the Year contests help to recognize the numerous contributions of our fellow Wingnuts. Below is a list of major undertakings that made an impact in 2012, although it's certainly not an exhaustive list of all the incredible things that fans accomplished over the past year. On to the nominees!
    Web Site of the Year
  • Pix's Origin Adventures is amazingly dedicated to all things Origin. Pix is constantly researching old material, digging up cool oddities and sharing new insights into the Wing Commander series and its sibling franchises. His archive is neatly organized by game, and troves of information are available in just a few clicks.
  • Shotglass' Bar fills the need to keep German fans in the loop. Germany has historically been one of the largest markets for the WC series, and they stay on top of the latest news here.
  • Tactical Operations is an awesome fan made tabletop Wing Commander game, and it continues to be refined into a slick online package. Basic coding is virtually complete, and a game manager is coming soon.
  • Wedge's Wing Commander continues to see incremental updates to help Wing Commander fans stay on top of things. The site moved to a new web host, added new WC patches and updated its interface and presentation in recent months.
  • Wing Commander RPG Wiki is the headquarters for capi's fan made role playing game. In addition to rules for playing the game, it's also packed with information about the WC universe. There are also other resources to help aspiring fans of tabletop WC play.
    Fan Project of the Year
  • The Collected works of CMDBob highlight classic Wing Commander 1 ships in a charming animated style. It'd be great to see these in more than just wallpapers someday.
  • The Collected works of Cybot are numerous and diverse. His models cover everything from the Academy TV show to Privateer, and they highlight understated buoys and transport craft just as much as massive dreadnoughts.
  • The Collected works of NinjaLA adds a hand-made touch to Wing Commander fan art. His Wing Commander sketches are also timely as they are prolifict as they often commemorate news or special events in the WC universe.
  • The Collected works of ScoobyDoo have a distinctive metallic style that has contributed to the fleets of multiple fan projects this year. When he's not helping out various mods, the results are very creative hybrids inspired by famous WC ships.
  • Enigma 2666 has been one of the more consistent mods over the last year. It's seen steady progress that's added many more ships and implemented them in the game engine.
  • From the Jaws of Defeat is a case study in how to set a goal, work hard and release a fan product in a timely fashion. It's an audio adventure that stars voice actors from around the community - hopefully the first of many!
  • Klavs' (Physical) Models aren't just beautiful on screen. Via rapid prototyping, a handful of Wing Commander ships can be yours for tabletop gaming or desk ornamentation. This is still an emerging technology, and there are high hopes that more complex designs will be possible as model size increases and cost decreases in the coming years.
  • Wing Commander Saga concluded a decade of development with the big release of their highly anticipated game in 2012. The game garnered much attention and fans hope for ports to be released in 2013.

The Cuusoo of the Lego Dralthi Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

There's something about somebody taking the time to take transform their love of Wing Commander into a physical work of art. It seems to have slipped everyone's notice but user leighs79 submitted a Dralthi model to Lego's Cuusoo service.

Cuusoo is like a hybrid version of crowdsourcing. Users submit their Lego creations and make a project page to go along with it. Cuusoo members click to support projects they like and then projects that meet a certain threshold get reviewed by Lego themselves. If the sets pass the review process then sets are produced and put up for sale on the website with a 1% royalty going to the model's creator. While there would obviously be some IP rights that would have to be worked out with EA (Or maybe Chris Roberts if it's the movie designs!) I know I would be first in line to buy Wing Commander Legos.

Wing Commander fans have been avid Lego builders in the past - something we're sure hasn't changed. It's only a matter of time before we see more Wing Commander themed projects on Cuusoo! Maybe these images of previous Wing Commander Lego brick creations will inspire you to start your own project page.

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WC vs History: Inglorious Losses Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

This is Colonel Christopher Blair. Report to Admiral Tolwyn. The wreckage of the Concordia has been located on Vespus off the Mistral coast.
Evaluation . . .

Total loss.

Almost nothing is known about how the TCS Concordia was lost on Vespus, save that it was during a rearguard action. An almost excruciating amount of silence given the prominence of the Concordia in Wing Commander. The player's ship in Wing Commander II and seen in the Baen novels End Run and Fleet Action, Concordia's final resting place is only explained through a short paragraph in the Baen novel Heart of the Tiger:

Blair fought back a shudder. He'd been wing commander aboard the Concordia for three years, until the Battle of Earth. If he hadn't taken that Kilrathi missile which left him grounded for six long months, Blair would have been on board when Concordia fought the rearguard action over Vespus: fought and died. Blair had been part of the survey crew that had discovered the carrier's broken hull lying half-submerged in the waters off the Mistral Coast.

The battle must have been intense, and interesting, for the hull of the Concordia to end up off the Mistral Coast. Why General Taggart and Colonel Blair were part of the survey team sent to locate the Concordia's is also an interesting question. Was Tolwyn thinking about rehabilitating his old command, if possible, from somewhere around Vespus? We'll leave those thoughts to the Chatzone thread.


The history side of this update turns to final steaming of HMS Glorious, the only aircraft carrier sunk solely by enemy gunfire. This incident was chosen because it was an interesting battle, perhaps like that of the Concordia and the only one of its kind in history. Even in Wing Commander, it's not often we see the former Confederation flagship half submerged in an alien ocean.


HMS Glorious in her original cruiser role and later as an aircraft carrier


Glorious was a converted Courageous-class cruiser that had served in World War I in its original role. During the 1920s, the ship was converted into an aircraft carrier as a result of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. The high speed needed to potentially outrun enemy ships, and much later necessary for the heavier takeoff weight of naval aircraft, and the large hull, which was an excellent base to build a carrier upon, made cruisers perfect candidates for conversion to aircraft carriers. After World War I and her conversion to a carrier, Glorious spent the majority of her career serving in the Mediterranean, with a brief sojourn into the Indian Ocean with Force J to try and locate the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in 1939 during World War II.


One of the last known pictures of HMS Glorious in April 1940


The only other leave the Glorious took of the Mediterranean was in April 1940 when she was recalled to cover the British landings in Norway. After a month of operations, Glorious was given orders to withdraw independently to Scapa Flow for the court martial of the Commander (Air), J. B. Heath. He had refused an order to carry out attacks on shore targets because his aircraft were not fit for the targets and the targets were ill defined. Proceeding with two destroyers, HMS Acasta and Ardent, Glorious set course for Scapa Flow early on the morning of 8 June 1940. Later that day, the smoke from the small task force was spotted by the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. The two battlecruisers closed the range and opened fire. Six minutes after targeting the Glorious, Scharnhorst scored a hit on her third salvo, starting a large fire in the forward section of the hangar. The carrier hadn't had a Combat Air Patrol up at the time of the attack. It didn't have planes on the deck ready to respond to any threats and even the crow's nest was unmanned. For over an hour, the two battlecruisers fired at the carrier and her escorting destroyers. There was no question that Glorious was done. The British had managed to bloody the Scharnhorst. The Acasta had managed to hit the German ship with a single 4.7 inch round, which did minimal damage, and a torpedo which severely hampered the ship's operations.


The sinking of Glorious and her destroyer escorts was unknown to the British Admiralty until it was announced on German radio. There was some controversy over sighting reports, and an interesting connection to the fleeing of the Norwegian royal family, and numerous other issues related to the sinking. (An interesting analysis of the loss of the carrier can be found here.) The carrier was caught as flat footed as it could have been. No planes in the air. No planes spotted on the deck for a quick launch. No one even watching the horizon for enemy ships. Because the British didn't hear about the loss until the following day from a German broadcast. They mounted a diligent search of the area, but the losses were devastating. 1,519 men were missing from the three ships. Only 40 men survived from the three ships, although some survivors thought that perhaps 900 men had gotten off the Glorious before succumbing to the freezing waters of the Norwegian Sea.

Wing Commander "Defiant Few" Prepares to Launch Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Plywood Fiend has kicked off his new Wing Commander audio project! Defiant Few follows the Confederation response to a surprise attack in the Gemini Sector. Plywood's last project, From the Jaws of Defeat, turned out surprisingly well, and Wingnuts have been lining up to participate in the next story. If you'd like to volunteer as a voice actor for the new adventure, recordable audition lines are available here. Submissions are due January 21! You can learn more and help provide feedback at the CIC Forums.
Hello all, and Happy New Year. A lot of you are aware of the audio production ‘From the Jaws of Defeat’ which me and some fellow Wingnuts recently made. I’d now like to announce my next and considerably more ambitious project: Wing Commander: Defiant Few – An Episodic Audio Series, and say that I am now accepting auditions from anyone who’s interested in doing some voice acting.

Premise: The series covers a devastating Nephilim attack on the Gemini Sector and the attempts of Admiral Sandra Goodin and her piecemeal fleet to safeguard the civilian population and fight back against the ever growing Nephilim armada.

There are five major roles and seven minor roles to audition for. I’m going to be casting new characters as needed with each new episode, just to keep people whose characters don’t appear until episode 4, for example, from having to wait months for me to get to that point.

Check out the mission below for an idea of what to expect!

Happy New Year! Update ID Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

Happy New Year to Wing Commander fans everywhere! We hope 2013 has been terrific for everyone so far. The traditional New Year's poll is up, asking what kind of year you think is in store. Wing Commander's sales performance on GOG has been pretty stellar, and hopefully that will result in more titles being released on the service in the months ahead. The WCPedia will continue to grow thanks to volunteers like you, and renewed excitement and interest brought on by Chris Roberts' new endeavors are sure to benefit our community and all the various fan projects. This year will also mark the CIC's 15th birthday, and there will be some fun things in store. Thank you for sticking with the CIC year after year. Let's make our 15th year the best yet!

The last poll asked about your favorite fighter to fly in the original Privateer. The Centurion was a strong winner as expected, and the Galaxy seemed notably more popular than either the Tarsus or Orion.

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