August Release Preview (Patreon)

Patron Download Link: (Will go up on the afternoon of the 1st)

As always, a huge Thank You to all our patrons! The summer months are always slower for the hobby space since there are so many fun things to do outside. We're so grateful for our patrons who have stuck by us, giving support during months that they may not have printed as much, or didn't have a need for the theme. Your continued support is what makes it possible for us to keep creating our weird and wonderful CobraMode Universe, and we truly couldn't do this without you! Working as commercial artists, we don't normally get to create this freely; commercial miniatures and sculptures are usually dictated by market trends or clients, and don't leave much room for coloring outside the lines. Part of what makes our sculpts so different is that Erin is free to make whatever inspires him, and that means strange, new things like Koala warriors, platypus hybrids, and combat wombats! And it's always amazing to see how people take these sculpts and run with them, creating beautiful dioramas, bringing new people to the hobby, or just having fun with their families. 

We love seeing all our patron's art, so please keep sharing and tagging us with your paints :) When we see how much people enjoy the sculpts, it really makes all the hard work worth it. And if you haven't joined our Discord server yet, make sure to connect your Patreon Account with your Discord so the bot can drop you into the CobraChat automatically! The paid patreon channels include our Supports-support chat, where the Atlas team can help answer any printing questions, the 3d-modelling chat where Erin and our freelancers are ready to answer your 3d modelling questions, or the kitbashing-and-mods channel where creative patrons have made some pretty cool mashups using our models, and made them available for downloading! The open channels include the CobraCorps Weekly Painting Club, where everyone gets together once a week to paint the same model for 8 weeks. It's an awesome way to share painting tips and tricks, and keep on a painting schedule. 

Connect your Discord account here: https://www.patreon.com/settings/apps 

This month's collection is exploring the Boondaburran Continent, a place we haven't been to yet! Although we sailed the seas with some of our Boondaburran pirates, we didn't get to see the mysterious land they hailed from. A dangerous place, where everything is poisonous, venomous, or both, Boondaburra is a vast land where adventurers will have to keep their wits about them. Governed by the platypus-folk, there are nonetheless many different species on this continent, including the Gulamany koalas, the Budgekin, and the Cavy (capybara-folk). We're getting a glimpse into the Boondaburra military ranks this month, along with a peek at some of the interesting fauna native to this harsh land. 

The bases and terrain this month were sculpted by Calrais and Kittifizz, with concepts by Paul Ferret! We are also very close to being caught up to the Stats, made by Conflux Creatures and formatted by OddballOwlbear.

If you want to read more about the lore for Boondaburra, check out the CobraCompendium. It also has a numbered listing of all our releases (though it doesn't include the special patron exclusives, throwbacks, or cross promos). Link here: https://bit.ly/3om6snO 

Read this month's specific lore below!

The aromatic smells of pipe smoke battled with the sharp tang of dry cube cooking fires as the cavalry settled in for a cold night, a musty fug that hung heavily over the encampment.
Shenbar, Boondaburra Musari
The Musari are the cavalry unit of the Boondaburra military, and ride an aggressive breed of giant wombat. Shenbar is but a humble soldier with some skill at riding, though that’s no small feat; Tukbura wombats have a jolting, heavy gait that can shake a short-legged Boondaburra from his or her seat with ease. Keeping your seat is the primary training a Musari practices, with mounted swordsmanship coming much later. The ill-tempered Tukbura are trained to claw, bite, and trample, and are a major force to be reckoned with even without a rider. When charging into battle, the ground quakes beneath the thunderous stampede of the Tukbura; a fearsome sight to all would-be enemies. Shenbar dreams of riding to glory with the senior Musari, but for now, she is still working on her riding.

Heads low and swinging back and forth, their bills and tusks raked the cloudy waters. Like a choreographed dance, their monstrous heads raised to the amber skies, tearing up the fibrous water roots and fat juicy grubs that made up most of their diet.
Platyphant
An ancient, distant relative of the Boondaburra, the Platyphant is an aquatic hunter, its bill honed for detecting the faintest electrical signals underwater. Special electroreceptors sense the current created by its favorite water grubs, revealing the location of its prey as well as the vegetation the grubs (and Platyphants) feed on. An opportunistic omnivore, the Platyphant will eat most things that fit in its bill, including all manner of plants and algae, as well as fish, grubs, worms, and even hapless birds. Though generally docile, these curious animals are very large and can easily hurt an unwary traveller - the average weight of a Platyphant is around 9000lbs, and an errant step could easily crush a small Boondaburra. Platyphants are group animals, preferring to travel in herds of 10 or more individuals, sometimes up to 70. A matriarchal animal, the head of the herd is always the oldest female.

“The Platywary reigns as an embodiment of paradox: both captivating and dangerous.”
-Tukulti Shala, “Flora and Fauna of Boondaburra”
Platywary One of Boondaburra’s most dangerous animals, the Platywary is a large flightless bird that lives in deeply forested areas. Usually quite shy, Platywaries are nonetheless extremely dangerous when provoked; their large size (nearly as tall as the largest Boondaburran), and powerful clawed feet make them a force to be reckoned with. Males additionally have a venomous spur which they use to protect their mates and nests. A kick from a Platywary can be fatal even without the additional venom, as their muscular legs are capable of carrying them up to 50km/hr through dense forest. Their call is the lowest of any known bird, existing at the lower limit of most species’ hearing.

Gulamany

The Gulamany are koala-folk who live mainly in the eucalyptus forests of Boondaburra. An insular culture, they nonetheless have contact with the other surrounding peoples due to trade. They have a reputation for being laid-back due to their habit of sleeping up to 22 hours per day. However, they claim that most of these hours are not spent sleeping, but in contemplation of a religious nature, or meditation. When active, they are quick and vivacious folk who greatly value hospitality.

There is some political tension between the Boondaburra and the Gulamany - the Boondaburra platypus folk make up the majority of the people in Boondaburra and also control the government almost exclusively. The Gulamany maintain a pseudo-independent theocracy within their territories and do not recognize the Platyshah Emperor’s authority within their boundaries, whereas the Platyshah considers their territories to be part of the Empire. This has led to clashes between the two parties, with no clear resolution in sight.

“In the symphony of the forest, hear the whispers of leaves rustling in the wind. Therein will you find the tranquility that resides in chaos."
-Gulamany Koan
Gulamany Nisturu
The Guardians of the Forest, the Nisturu are the warrior priests of the Koala-folk. Their nature-worshipping theocratic society traditionally spends at least 12 hours per day in contemplation, meditation, or both. Some Gulamany are more successful at this than others; it is an open secret that much of this “contemplation time” is spent sleeping. As both warriors and spiritual leaders, part of this time is also spent practicing their traditional martial arts in order to condition their bodies alongside their minds, but due to their long sleep schedule, it can take several decades to gain proficiency.