And what is this ‘Merlin’ thing anyway?

Over a year in development. More than 90% sculpted prims. Four torpedoes. Two cannons. One great big steam engine.

Cubey Terra and Reitsuki Kojima are pleased to introduce the TERRA-KOJIMA MERLIN-CLASS CUTTER AIRSHIP.

In this new world of lighter-than-air aviation, in which one navigates the clouds as easily as a steamship plies the waves, the Merlin-class airship will make you master of not only the sky, but also the sea. Fly kilometers into the sky between mountain tops and clouds, or skim the ocean to hunt ironclad ships with your potent array of torpedoes.

Through the advances in modern mechanicals and automation, the Merlin-class cutter airship may be crewed by a single individual; however, in the unfortunate event of an engagement with an enemy, you may wish to call upon the assistance of up to two gunners, with a third individual as lookout, for a total of four crew including yourself.

EASY TO NAVIGATE AND FLY…

• Carry up to four persons: a pilot, two gunners, and one passenger.
• Choose who can be the pilot. Set the access lock to “anyone”, “group”, or “owner”.
• Use the shiny control panel. A durable brass-and-wood HUD has all the gauges, buttons, and knobs you could ever wish for.

EFFECTIVE IN COMBAT…

• Engage in battle using the Ironclad Combat System (ICS) by Kandace Commons. This standard combat system uses physical ordinance and damage tracking without requiring damage-enabled land.
• Track battle damage to your airship. The ship tracks where you were hit, and alters its flight characteristics accordingly.
• Engage in team-based combat. Use nation flags and ensigns to identify your ICS team.
• Recruit a gun crew. Gun crews can aim and fire the port and starboard cannon.
• Fight without a crew. The pilot’s HUD lets you fire the cannon (without aiming) and drop torpedoes, even without a crew.

EASY TO CUSTOMIZE…

• Pick a colour. Choose from several colours. Paint the hull and the fins separately.
• Pick your flags. Choose one nation flag and one ensign from a list of flags that include both modern and 19th century flags. If your flag isn’t in the list, you can apply any texture from your inventory.

CREATE AUTOPILOTED TOURS…

• Plot a route. Plan a route for your airship by adding route waypoints to a notecard.
• Provide scenic tours to visitors. Even when you’re not around, you can get your airship to offer automated tours without giving away full piloting control.

WHERE TO BUY…

Starting Saturday, May 15, 2010, you can find the Terra-Kojima Merlin-class airship at these locations.

• In-world at Abbotts Aerodrome.
• On the web at XStreet SL.