aaand with the Wilcox mount that makes both of the formally adopted Aimpoint mounts in Block 1 SOPMOD - the M68 CCO with the Aimpoint QRP, and the ECOS-N with the Wilcox CompM mount.

Not in any way complete, but here's the first of the CompM2 mounts, the Aimpoint QRP (and lower-third cowitness spacer, which is a separate piece because the maximalist in me once again strikes).

The first M68 CCO - the CompM2 Aimpoint. 3rd of 5 for the Milspec ARs, first of Phase 3. To do: lens caps, mounts(several), the weird rubber sling that went over the adjustment dials, probably a rubber band

Okay, mad season over, and we're back. In a Patreon post I made yesterday getting everything up to speed, I mentioned not having done the Sawback charging handle latch for the Diemaco rifles - I have now corrected that.

Right, with the ambi mag release and the butt pad, we're only short the razor saw bolt latch for a complete C8A2, and if you can imagine the full A2 front for the moment (CBF rendering it) - the C7A2.

Finally, we're getting close to looking like what people think of as the C7 and C8 (the A1 and 2). Diemaco BUIS to go with the Diemaco rifles. Gotta do the rubber butt pad next.

Vibes so rancid today that I had to model something Canadian - TRIAD I Rail System

There's a few details to go (mostly the knob shrouds, lens protectors and their retainers and plugs, and pic mount)

Started on the Eye-Cancer Box, Mk.2 (the first widely issued one).

One of the things about the KAC Vertical Grip is that it's phenomenally hard to screw up- both IRL and to render in 3D. Today I needed an easy win, so that's what I'm doing. Almost done. Missing the battery holder and a couple detail tweaks.

That's the SOPMOD done. OTOH I still have to do the M203 Butt-pad because the CAF used them on the C7A2 and C8A1/2 onwards. Time to start working on more accessories

Obviously not done, but the SOPMOD stock is being worked on and it's well over the hump now.

Getting the first of a few standard issue stocks out of the way, this being the regular USGI "Waffle stock" (so-called waffles not added yet).

Hittin' some CQBR Gear - First two pics - LMT L8A Second two - Chopped down Carry Handle

What's good about having done two full iterations of the AR15 carry-handle in the prior years is that I have all the important geometry loops and most details sorted and it's all about reusing and adjusting positions to fit the particulars of the bit. In this case- the M1913 carry handle.

[CS 1.6 noises] Work in Progress. Also, again, the Burden of Knowing has struck me once more. So there's two different Quad Rails that were issued with the M4- The RIS (from 1994-ish to early 00s) and the RAS. The Differences? Small, but enough to be a nuisance. I hate the Picatinny era of ARs.

553/ SU-231 is done. Movin' on.

553 Eotech/SU-231 in progress. A little past the block-out phase, starting to get into the details. Not the first one of them I've modelled , but I'm also learning with better refs the ways I was slightly off before.

Once again it's been slow progress over the last couple due to extenuating circumstances (tm), but the MaTech is looking close to done now.

Heavily in-progress Matech BUIS.

Done, next bit.

Because it was regular kit at some point - Grip Pod ,minus legs and attachment screw for now

A little slow over the last week or two due to things, but aside a few tweaks that remain and an optimisation pass - the M5 RAS is done.

the M5 RAS isn't done by any stretch of the imagination, but it least it's starting to look that way.

Okay it's now correct and I want to take you on a journey. By eye here's approximately how out-of-circular the outside profile of the M5 RAS is - Not much. enough that if someone wasn't looking hard it's look good and cylindrical (which is isn't). Why?

Deliberately not showing a higher profile because it's wrong. In a related note, KAC is officially on my shit list for the design of the M5 RAS.

Okay so this is not the first time this has come up, nor the first time I've gone mad asking myself this question - Is the technical spec measurements for the width of M1913 rails wrong?

So,at least for the mainline Milspec flat-top - embed the Pic rail profile, a little clean-up, done. They really did just make this one dead simple.

Traffic - To save confusion and spaghetti post, all links within - pastebin.com/nXBKi4KF

One of the first steps for getting started on a project, such as Phase 3 of the Milspec ARs, is gathering resources. In this instance I'm using PureRef as a pinboard, because while I have all the files sorted, it's sometimes useful to just have thing you can look at with everything labelled

Traffic - To save confusion and spaghetti post, all links within - pastebin.com/nXBKi4KF

Packing Files. Uploads to follow. Standby for traffic.

So the good news is everything is now in place, so that once I get over this head-blaster of a cold you can probably expect the update (tm). No fancy video- just files.

So the UH-1 holosight WAS going to be part of the SCAR release, but I dropped the ball on it. Imported it into Blender in the last couple days, gonna finish it off (and redo a few bits of it). Might come on the imminent release, maybe the next, depends how hardcore I am about getting through it.

So the randomised magazine textures idea was a bust, but now there's effectively 10 different STANAG magazine textures that I've re-purposed in a slightly different way (which you'll see in the release)

Preview build of Phase 2 of the Milspec ARs is now out for Patrons - check your inboxes/notifs. Meanwhile, fixes patches and improvements are going in on the rest of NIArms - the older AR15s are getting the windfall of improved quality parts and are receiving incremental detail improvements.

Couldn't have the second phase of milspec ARs go out without one of the quintessential 90's load-out. M4 with M203.

Follow-up : LODs are all in, still not really something that screenshots well, so imagine the guns looking worse as they get smaller in the screen. Chasing the loose ends remains.

Just one more OICW bro just one more it'll work this time we can still try to use it in the Middle-East bro trust me.

It's been a hot minute and it doesn't make for good screenshots, but all the technical mesh work (First-pass LOD, LOD for Shadows) is done. All thats left is getting those in game, and then chasing up the loose ends.

To expand on what's going on here- I had a thought to randomise the appearance on 30-round magazines between 5 different textures; of different makes, levels of wear,other details. Turns out the shit that usually makes that happen just does not work on proxy meshes (which mags are). Day, ruined, etc

Aimpoint 5000 in, Magazine to go, then I'm back on tech mesh work.

Aimpoint 3000's getting it.

Rate my 100mph tape /10

Getting close to being visually asset-complete now. With the fore-ends all done, the rifles themselves are all now looking complete, all that's left in texturing is accessories, then we shift over the remaining technical tasks.

Haven't posted in a little while, but progress is still being made. For all the real rivet-counters, behold: varied and model correct (as close as I could get it anyway) receiver forge codes. Forge codes identify which aluminium forge made the "blank" for the part.

Managed to knock out baking and collaging over the last fortnight while laid up. Now we're texturing. Not long now, folks.

So good news, I'm chasing the stragglers on the High Poly modelling phase - really only got 1 pieces to go before prepping for Baking.

It's been a few weeks since I showed off anything, partially because I had some urgent patch work on a thing, partially because I was down with the lurgie. But we're back this week and checking of High-poly parts. Working through 1 of the 2 lowers, back-to-front. You can see where I'm up to lol

Well, had a lot of fun putting together the configs and getting all the mechanics stuff going over the last couple weeks, but today we're back over to the creating side and we're doing all the High-Poly stuff again.