StarDestroyer.Net BBS

I made this thing for a quick mesh o' the month competition as a backout plan B entry, since my first attempt was a kind of Humvee thing that both sucked AND blowed. It's by no means finished, but the basic design is pretty much finalised and thought I might as well let some of the intelligencia over here at SD net see it. I don't actually have a name for it yet, I was calling it a land barge as a laugh but it's hardly fitting or in any way cool, so suggestions always welcome.

It's designed as an exploratory vehicle or massive APC, around 2.5 decks deep and approx 7 metres high at the shoulder. The front door is designed to allow a 2 metre tall man in without ducking, and the control deck is all pretty much walkable without ducking till you get right to the front. I was thinking of putting in a hatch and gun affair on top at one side of the control compartment, rather like a tank commanders position, but I might also go with a remote chin turret and chaingun, not decided yet. It's driven by 6 electric motors, 1 in each wheel hub and is steered by varying speeds in each (all computer controlled of course).

Comments and design ideas welcomed.

Latest shots, now with lights!
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/kenny7/HV1b.jpg
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/kenny7/HV2b.jpg

Earlier WIP shots
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/kenny7/HV5.jpg
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/kenny7/HV6.jpg
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/kenny7/HV7.jpg
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/kenny7/HV8.jpg

I'd call it the deathtrap.

That thing is not a combat vehicle. EVER.

Exploration yes. Combat no.

All Terrian APC maybe? Otherwise, Yes Deathtrap

All IFVs and APCs are deathtraps, it's a well known fact. It's no combat vehicle, but it's always nice to have a little gun or two on your side just for the odd emergency. I pictured it more as something to go on an expedition in, and if somethings too quick to run over then I want a gun to shoot it with. As for the name 'Deathtrap', while it does have a certain ring to it I'm not sure it would inspire confidence. Until something better comes up though, the Deathrap it is...

Did you know that Ferdinand Porsche designed and built an electric car in the 1890's with a motor in each wheel hub? The suspension was contained in the wheels, as well. This isn't the one I'm talking about, but it does illustrate the motors in the front hubs.

Chassis looks kinda like the Longsword fighter from HALO... I'll link to a pic when I find one.

How about calling the "Gator". With the ramp down and painted green it reminds me of an alligator.

"TARGET PROFILE" comes to mind, followed by "EXTREME VENERABILITY"

"EXTREME VENERABILITY"

Hell, I know it's good Skimmer, but I think veneration is too strong a word here. Maybe just worship it a little first, eh.

that thing needs a rotatable flamethrower on the bottom front.

To turn it into an APC.

Remove the windows. Lower it about 1m. Move the ramp to the side or rear. Add armour to all sides.

maybe some more detail such as little ladders and equipment tied to the sides, crap like that.

A vehicle like that needs a proper acronym that's so ridiculously complex that no one would understand what it stood for. I propose:

HIPOTAPCEV, or "Hippo".


HIgh PrOfile all-Terrain Armored Personnel Carrier and Exploratory Vehicle

JediNeophyte wrote:A vehicle like that needs a proper acronym that's so ridiculously complex that no one would understand what it stood for. I propose:

HIPOTAPCEV, or "Hippo".


HIgh PrOfile all-Terrain Armored Personnel Carrier and Exploratory Vehicle

The world already has an APC called Hippo.

I say that it needs a remotley controled vulcan gun on the top. Vulcan guns are your friends kiddys.

darthdavid wrote:Vulcan guns are your friends kiddys.

Not if you're on the receiving end. Remember kids, it's always better to give than to receive, when it comes to high-powered automatic weapon ammuntion.

Sea Skimmer wrote:

JediNeophyte wrote:A vehicle like that needs a proper acronym that's so ridiculously complex that no one would understand what it stood for. I propose:

HIPOTAPCEV, or "Hippo".


HIgh PrOfile all-Terrain Armored Personnel Carrier and Exploratory Vehicle

The world already has an APC called Hippo.

Damn.

Turtle. All you need is a long barreled gun of some sort on the bottom pointing to the rear.

"Mine Eater"

GUNS GUNS GUNS! Why all the arms talk, can't we all just be friends? Some people might think you guys were obsessed with firearms or something.

This is something you go on expeditions in, not to conquer nations single-handed. No modern APC is worth a damn in a firefight involving anything larger than small arms, they're just there to keep the rain off and stop the grunts complaining about the long walk. This is no different. Hell, even main battle tanks are just large, mobile targets when faced with the correct modern weaponery. This thing is just a serious RV, if it was meant for war I'd have put the ramp at the back where the guys would get some minor protection as the exited the vehicle.

Then again a big, fuck-off vulcan cannon might be fun to animate....

Why not turn the thing into heavy arty like the SPHA-T in AotC?

Kenny_10_Bellys wrote:This is something you go on expeditions in, not to conquer nations single-handed.

If it's a civilian vehicle why does it have a camo paint job?

Enlightenment wrote:If it's a civilian vehicle why does it have a camo paint job?

I don't think he said it's not a military vehicle...

Kenny_10_Bellys wrote:GUNS GUNS GUNS! Why all the arms talk, can't we all just be friends? Some people might think you guys were obsessed with firearms or something.

Been here much?

GUNS GUNS GUNS! Why all the arms talk, can't we all just be friends? Some people might think you guys were obsessed with firearms or something.

They've clearly fallen victim to the Trekkie brainbug of "Everything must be capable of handling any situation!" As such, they expect you to make your basic transport into a Bolo-killer.

As for a name... call it a Migrator-class RATT (Rapid All-Terrain Transport).

It's not a camo paintjob, it's just a crappy green paintjob with stains and bits flaking off. It's not even necessarily the final paintjob, I actually like the arctic style camo paint seen in the first of the test images better. Again, even if it is a military vehicle there's no reason why it should be waterproof, bullet proof and invulnerable to all known attacks. You'll find no shortage of Humvees in the army, but I wouldn't want to go up against a tank with one, and the same applies to this.

There are already ladders up the side of the thing just before the main cabin, and there's more detail going on all the time, but you cant see cos I've not showed you it yet. I'll add the usually military style tiedown points, brackets, eyelets, etc to finish it off. The idea of turning it into a humungous MLRS artillery does have it's appeal, I could make the box section at the back swivel upward and to the side like the real MLRS, only much bigger

so to summarise, we have...

MIGRATOR
ALLIGATOR
RATT
DEATHTRAP
HIPPO (HIPOTAPCEV)

My vote goes with Alligator, it's big, green and thrives in marshes. Hippos kinda fit that too but I'm informed the name is taken.