Maethius Commission Custom #7: RZ-307 Dreadmander

[Maethius]

RZ-307 DREADMANDER
Chassis: Wyvern
Power Plant: RDX-BA-300 (Royal/Dynasty Zoid – Biped, Avian Class V)
Primary Mission: Ground Attack
Secondary Mission: Close Air Support
Crew: 2 - Pilot (minimum rank requirement: Captain)
SIO (Sensor Intercept Officer - minimum rank requirement: Lieutenant)

Statistics
Length: 52.6 meters (Salamander: 24.1)
Width: 63 meters (Salamander: 33.3)
Height: 18 meters (Salamander: 17.1)
Mass: 134 tons (Salamander: 100)

Performance
Air: MACH 2.3 (Salamander: MACH 2.0)
Land: 190 KPH

HISTORY
As Zenevas continued its relentless crawl across land on every front, it established hardened bases of operation, command posts, supply depots, and maintanence facillities as it expanded. Helic's strong air forces were effective at slowing or stopping the Imperial air forces, but the Kingdom was slowly losing ground to the Empire as more hardened sites took root. Helic's fast fighter Zoids were virtually ineffective against the heavily armored structures and strategies to use them en masse resulted in heavy casualties due to the bristline air defenses Zenevas erected. After some strategizing, Helic high command determined that what was needed was not a faster unit but a heavier one; a unit that could crush the hardened defenses and cripple Zenevas on the ground in a decisive way. Modifications for the Salamander were at the top of the list, but due to the technology sharing program being implimented with Guylos, a new option opened up: the fuzing of a Salamander with a recovered Deadborder. The result exceeded expections, and in some fearful ways. This new heavy bomber Zoid quickly became known as the "Dreadmander" by those developing it.







Dreadmander began several concepts that did not take root: an articulated Salamander, an articulated Deadborder, or an evolved version as either. It was then planned that the custom should be a Deadborder evolved with Salamander wings, or a Salamander with Deadborder parts. In the end we opted for an almost equal blending of the two into a new hybrid Zoid. The result grew and expanded until it became an all new chassis: a true wyvern type. Dreadmander evolved to become one of my most articulate customs ever, with a mission of bombardment as opposed to blazing fighter battles.

I love the result, and I hope the community does, as well. As usual, please take a stroll down my oversized custom page and let me know your opinions and feelings about this, my seventh commission piece.

RZ-307 Dreadmander build page

]\/[aethius

[Hanyoutai]

This is a really lovely custom! I'm impressed with how unique the head looks even though you can tell it's a Salamander head. I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't looked at the notes.

The wing span is also quite nice. It's not easy to design a Zoid in any media with such flexible wingspans, and it works well for the Zoid being able to walk on them. I do wish there were higher res images of the poseability so you could really see the details, but I can tell a lot of work went into it. Also just want to say that's a really interesting eye design~

[Snowflake]

This is one totally gorgeous machine. Everything about it, the head, the cool legs, those awesome wings...

[Vig]

That is one handsome bird! There's a lot I love about it, in particular those white frilly bits on the head. Gives it a dinosauresque look I feel. Very cool.

[Gojulas Omega]

Another awesome custom!

I really like hows the tail build. It's also remind me a Yian Kut-Ku from Monster Hunter series.
(I guess I play too much Monster Hunter Stories)

[Maethius]

Hanyoutai-
Thank you! I really love how the head turned out... we wanted something that said both dragon and bird; also something that said both noble (more or less) and deadly. We also wanted something that looked as though the two Zoids blended together in a potentially sinister way. I am going to place some higher resolution photos in my Deviant Art gallery. The eye design is directly influenced by TRON. I started to stray from the cockpit glass look to a fully armored enclosure with sensor systems, and I liked the look so much it was become a signature.

Snowflake-
Thanks! Of all of my builds, I think this one is the most striking aesthetically. ^_^

Vig-
Yeah, we had many discussions about the head and looked at all sorts of dragons, dinosaurs, and birds to try to find features that really looked the part.

Gojulas Omega Omega-
Thank you! The tail worked really well because the Snake and the Salamander were essentially part of the same release series; they have lots of common architecture that helped it all blend together. I had several ideas for the stinger from guns to beam blades, but in the end I thought a drill with the equivalent of an actual Zoid-style tozin seemed the way to go.

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

[Leon35]

This is such a BIG one! I love the design of the wings. And the drill tail is a nice touch.

Out of curiosity, how many more commissions are you working on? Each new custom you share has been such a treat.

[Maethius]

Thanks, Leon! I have three commissions stacked up right now. If things turn out well, I would love to do another series for my "royal" line. I've done Guylos (Gil Kaiserin, Celestis Tenebris, Lucht Vuur, and the last is on my table right now!) and Helic (Supreme King Gojulas, Aerogeist, Dreadmander, and the last of my current lineup, yet to be started), but I really want to do a Zenebas set! I've also got an additional one on the bench right now that is a smaller piece, but a very unique concept.

Ultimately, of course, I have a half dozen personal projects I would love to do, but clients first!