YavakarO Infantry Minifigs
LEGO by: Justin R. "Saber-Scorpion" Stebbins

Yavakaro is a nation that concentrates on such things as technology, economy, and culture over military power. Because of their concentration on technology, however, they often develop devices that can also find a military use. Because of their economy, they can afford to give such technology to the majority of their soldiers. And because of their culture... they also have some really cool-looking stuff.

First of all, here's the Yavakaro pilot that you've already seen with my Goryo bomber. She says hi.

On the ground, however, combat still falls back to the basics: the soldier. And Yavakaro makes sure its soldiers are equipped with the best gear it can afford. For some variety, I thought I'd show my various minifigs in action this time, so here is a group of Yavakarese soldiers in combat in the streets of a Zygbari city.

The commander here (note the different helmet) is a man named Brutus Ares, rumored to be a distant cousin of Lucas Mars himself. This is only a rumor, however, and it's far more likely that the two men simply knew each other in the past. In any event, they hate each other for unknown reasons... reasons neither one has seen fit to divulge. Ares has risen through the ranks of Yavakaro as fast as Mars has risen through Xarkon, but he does not share Mars's aspirations. He prefers to lead his squad of infantry on the battlefield, as seen here.

"Hey man, get back from there and take cover! Are you crazy?!"

"We'd better take cover! I think this one's a crazy!"

With their advanced technology, the Yavakaro soldiers triumph!

I put a lot of thought into the design of the Yavakarese battle armor. I wanted it to look artistic and unique, but effective and technologically advanced. I think it came out well... in fact, I think it came out almost TOO well - these minifigs are way more detailed than my old Xarkon soldiers! I may have to go back and update them with more detailed decals just to keep things even. Just as a side-note though: Yavakarese armor of the type shown here actually isn't *quite* as effective or rich in features as Xarkonian infantry armor.

One thing to note is the visor decals, with the comm. mics and the "headlights." I wasn't originally going to include these, but when I looked at the finished minifig I knew the helmet needed something. These are my first visor decals, and they went through several different designs before I was satisfied. The design on the commander's visor is one example. Oh, and here's a game you can play while looking at all the minifigs: see how many Yavakaro "eye" symbols you can find "hidden" in the designs on all of the different armor types.

Of course, the lightweight standard infantry armor isn't great for all situations: such as in space or underwater. For that, a more advanced suit was developed. Much like their Zygbari counterparts, these guys are typically referred to simply as "heavies." Their suits can function underwater or in the icy blackness of space. Here, they seem to be planting a demolition charge on the surface of a disabled enemy ship... which looks surprisingly familiar somehow...

"No, no! THIS one goes there, THAT one goes there!"

These guys are actually some of my favorite minifigs. I just really like the way they turned out. Note the belt decal on the back of the minifig on the far right. Spared no detail! The visor decals will probably end up being re-used on some Halo minifigs in the future... (Hint-hint... Halo 3 customizable Spartans!). The engine on the back of the suit, by the way, is used for propulsion either underwater or in space... it can be modified for either use depending on the circumstances.

And now for something a little different... something with a bit more finesse... a bit more discretion and subterfuge... something like the Yavakaro Shadow Ops. Also possibly known as... SPACE NINJA! ZOMG!

Little is known about the Yavakaro Shadow Ops, or just Shadows for short. And rightfully so, since Yavakaro actually denies that they even exist. Some believe they are merely highly-trained soldiers... others think they are mercenaries... some rumors say they are actually the Hands of the Six (the personal bodyguards at the bottom of this page)... and a few even go so far as to insinuate that they may be members of the Six themselves. Whoever they are, they are seldom seen and operate with deadly precision.

At many key events such as meetings between influential people, important battles, and even political assassinations, Shadow Ops have been spotted, often merely as a shadow on a video monitor, leaving no trace of their presence behind... except, sometimes, a few dead bodies. From what has been seen, they appear to wear black mesh suits that blend in with their environments, but occasionally appear purple where the light shines on them right... though this may simply be one mode the Shadows use when they actually WANT to be seen.

Aside from this tight, form-fitting mesh body-glove, the Shadows wear no armor. Their gear ranges from silenced firearms to blades of many types, including knives and blazer swords. They always wear masks, and typically some form of vision-enhancing goggles as well.

A few more facts about the Yavakaro Shadow Ops:
- All of them are mammals.
- They are the ultimate paradox. On the one hand they don't give a crap, but on the other hand, they are very careful and precise.
- When provoked, one of the many abilities of the Shadow Ops is to flip out and kill people.
- They can be mean OR totally awesome.

Of all the Yavakaro guys you see here, these are the ones I worked the hardest on. I had to re-design the decals several times to get the details to show up, especially the purple highlights. Note the male and female shadows. Clearly they are equal-opportunity employers. The one on the right there may in fact be the mercenary known as Spectra. There's no way to be sure.

Space ninjas not good enough for you? Luckily for you, we also have space samurai! These are the royal guards and enforcers to the Six, the secret council that rules Yavakaro. As such, they are known as the Hands of the Six. The guy in purple robes in the middle there is, of course, a member of the Council of the Six. The identities of the Six are secret, and they always wear masks. Who they are and how they decide their successors when one of them dies or steps down is entirely unknown to anyone but themselves.

Highly trained, the Hands of the Six are the closest thing that nation has to super-soldiers. They are not part of the regular army and usually work alone, though most soldiers are required to follow their orders when given. The armor worn here by the Hands is largely ceremonial in nature, but still effective. It is always worn when they are in guard duty over the Six, but when they are sent on a mission, they wear whatever suits the situation, including the armor worn by the Heavies, or according to some rumors, the Shadow Ops.

Another illusion manifested by Yavakaro: their outfits may look primitive from a distance... but they also have guns!