AotF "Invasion Teaser" Coming Soon

I did it again. At the very last moment, I decided to extend the new teaser so that it's truly worth it. It's going to take a little longer, but... just wait to see those space battle scenes in action :-)

- MK

AotF: Raffia

A new matte painting for Armies of the Fallen. Raffia, Fallen's safe haven.

Master's betrayal left Fallen weak and broken. He needed a place to hide and gather his strength, a safe haven. Raffia was perfect. Located at the very edge of the known galaxy, hidden deep in countless star nebulas, it offered a perfect opportunity to disappear from Master's sight.

Here, he gathered his first followers, young men and women with similar experiences, cheated with false promises and then tossed away when no longer needed. Here his plan for revenge was born.

- MK

Star Wars Armies of the Fallen Teaser

On April 18, 2010, I finished Star Wars Shadows of the Past. I had a vision then, of armies of soldiers with lightsabers clashing in the setting sun. I spent the next few moths learning enough CG to make this happen. In December 2010 I announced Armies of the Fallen and I've been working on it ever since.

In summer 2011, due to computer failure, I lost 90% of my AotF data. I had to start again. In December 2011 I got to the same stage where I was in August. Then, when I finally started to export the shots, complications arose, I wasn't happy with the shots, the music, everything. A lot of back and forth work was required. But we kept on going. And I am now ready to present to you what I saw in my head two years ago.

Dailymotion version - better quality:

Star Wars Armies of the Fallen: Concept Teaser by MartinKlekner

And it's just the beginning...
:-D (It sounds so epic when I say that)

- MK

AotF: The Invasion Plan

The planet Akuss is a fortress. It relies on its orbital shields to prevent any kind of bombardment. Its only surface structure is the Temple - everything else is built underground. The anti-air guns can destroy any spaceship in a matter of minutes. And in case everything else fails, an EMP field can be activated around all the essential military centers.


It is impossible to reach the surface by ordinary means.

Fallen's plan is simple, crude and effective. He wants to flood the Akuss' skies with drop pods powered by ordinary fuels, able to withstand the effects of the EMP field. Each Pod is carrying several soldiers, ready to fight on foot as soon as they hit the ground. Fallen intends to assemble an army near the Temple and attack it head-on, while his fleet remains on the orbit to occupy Master's forces.

Fast and  decisive action is the key. Even cornered, Master is a powerful opponent.

- MK

Armies of the Fallen: Akuss

"This is where it began. And where it all ends."

- Fallen

Though located in the very heart of Master's empire, the desert planet Akuss stands completely isolated from all the neighboring sectors and very little is known about it altogether. There are in fact only two things one can be sure of. While it may seem barren from the outside, it is an impregnable fortress with strong orbital shields protecting it from bombardment and huge underground military bases, storing hundreds of thousands of soldiers, ships and war machines.

It is also a place where Master's Throne is located. From here he rules with an iron grip over his vast intergalactic realm.

Or at least – that is how it was before Fallen's revolution.


After his long campaign he managed to steadily push Master's troops from one planet to another, forcing them to retreat and surrender. Enduring defeats and striking decisive victories, he slowly turned the empire to shreds. Then, after many years of fighting, he finally reached Akuss, the place where his fate will be decided. The place where he'll meet his former Master for one last time...

- MK

AotF: Archon

Archon is the second largest ship of the Fallen's fleet. It is usually used to guard conquered territories, serving as a mobile baseship. It can carry several smaller battleships and is equipped with heavy blaster cannons able to tear through the shields of even the mightiest starships. Its speed, reliability and strength is the very reason why it's also called "The Scourge of the Sith". 

Archon

This is a second preview frame. I tested the newest model and also decided to make the overall look less funky, more gritty. It's still not quite where I want it, but I'm getting there...

I'm fairly happy with the detail on the back of the ship, but the front definitely needs more work. However since Archon will be mostly seen from the back, the goal is probably completed with this one. And it takes only 1 minute to render one frame at 1920*1080. Definitely less than I'd expected.

- MK

AotF: Main Characters Part 2

The General
Fallen knew he wouldn't stand a chance alone. His revolution needed allies, slaves like him, freed from the oppression of the Master. One by one he sought them out, warriors blind to their slavery - and he opened their eyes.  And when he did, in their rage and lust for revenge they swore an oath. To follow him to freedom...wherever the path may lead.

The General was the first one to join. He used to be just a low ranking Master's Executioner, hunting down and punishing anyone who'd dare to oppose His will.  A perfect tool - careless and brute, always ready to carry out any order. He is now the high commander of the Fallen's army. The one to lead his men when the final assault comes.

The General

The Advisor
While he prefers to call himself simply 'the Advisor', throughout the years he was given a different name - 'the Gray Eminence'. It is unknown where he came from, but according to general belief he's never served the Master's empire.
He quickly gained Fallen's trust and became his first and only counsellor. Every time there's a major decision to be made, the Advisor is there to whisper silent words of wisdom into Fallen's ear, on every grand ceremony Advisor holds a compelling speech. Some even say he's the one who truly rules the Fallen - but no one would dare to speak those words aloud.
For he is the Fallen's favorite. And if there's a single person he would share his secret plans with, it would be him...

The Advisor

These two awesome concept arts were created by Travis J. Wright. Visit his blog on http://neechart.blogspot.com/

- MK

AotF Main Characters: The Fallen

The enigmatic main hero of the Armies of the Fallen. Little is known about his past, who he was, where he came from...only dark stories go round, whispers of unthinkable horrors. Yet one thing is certain; he was the first one to break the chains and escape the slavery. The first one to rise up and challenge the Master.
And as the story of his deeds started to spread, others like him began to see through the Master's lies. They fought and died in great numbers to free themselves and join his cause - and together they formed a new force in the galaxy. A force banished from Light and betrayed by Darkness...they are the Fallen.
Yet behind the mask of their leader more secrets hide. And nothing is ever the way it seems to be.

The Fallen

This awesome concept art was created by Travis J. Wright. Follow his blog on http://neechart.blogspot.com/
Stay tuned for more info about the characters of Armies of the Fallen.

- MK

Armies of the Fallen Announcement

This is it. The sequel to Shadows of the Past is now officially announced. Follow us and wait. The pulse of battle is growing stronger...

"The circle is complete." - Master

Several years have passed since the end of Shadows of the Past. War has been raging ever since. Fallen's revolution changed the whole Empire, it turned the Master's realm to shreds. Fallen's armies, though weak and unorganized at the beginning, were forged into a deadly and unstoppable weapon. Now all that's left is to strike a final blow and confront Master directly.

Yet even our hero can feel that something is wrong. That something was born inside himself and it can not be undone. It made him reclusive, solitary, until finally one day, his mask appeared. Since then, no one has seen his face again.

Together they march, towards the final battle. They have crossed the Shadows, but lost the Light. And the way forth is only one...

The Assault on Master's Temple Concept

Even this time we plan to deliver only the best quality, but in much bigger scale. We will focus not only on the VFX and action sequences, but also on the story and acting.  Stay tuned for more info. This will be THE Star Wars fanfilm we've always dreamed of!

One more thing - no black screen this time. The goal is to bring 30 minutes of non-stop jaw dropping Star Wars epicness.

- MK