Hi, All!
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| A new Weapon of Mass Delusion nears completion... |
Seeing as it was Easter this weekend and I was a bit annoyed with Mr Bazalgette's invention, I decided to take a little break and have a crack at one of the many other machines in my sketchbook.
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| Concept sketch. As you can see, the large rear wheel has been dropped - mainly because I couldn't find anything to make it from in a hurry. Maybe next time! |
So over the last couple of days, the steam powered tank you see before you has taken shape.
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| A brand new steam tank! Just the thing for bravely confronting spear-hurling natives of any species! |
She's armed with a
Mark II Faraday Cannon, and I will also make provision for crew firing rifles from within.
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| Cheap toy wheels, castors and sellotape tubes... It's true! You can make awesome weapons out of everyday household items! Is nobody safe these days?! |
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| Tracks take shape. Blanks are fitted with pegs, wheels are attached, the whole thing is boxed in. A strip of corrugated card forms the track. |
The small wheels in the tracks have been kicking around in my Big Box O' Stuff for a few years. I found handfuls of them at a junk shop ages ago and thought I should have a few. The larger wheels are from the castors which formed the feet of
HMSW Gargantua. The tracks are the same corrugated card I used for tin roofs in Leadwood. The boiler is the inner reels from two small rolls of sellotape.
A pushpin forms the cylinder on top of the boiler.
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| The two finished track units are attached to the body plates. Sellotape tubes form the boiler. |
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| Right: MR11 lamp reflector, turret and chimneys are attached to the basic body structure. Centre: The gun barrel, before being attached. Left: Armour plates and details are added. |
The gun, of course, is a halogen lamp. I was so pleased with the final effect on the
Faraday Galvanic Field Gun that I thought I'd do it again. This time, it's an MR11 - smaller than the MR16 of the Field Gun. I'm toying with the idea of building a coal tender to be pulled behind the tank.
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| Closeups of turret details. No rivets yet... |
This vehicle has taken shape very quickly and should be finished quite soon, after an epic rivet-gluing session, I'm sure! Then it's back to slogging away at the
Bazalgette Light Armoured Perambulatory Contrivance, which I'm sure will be splendid when it's done - but: Boy, Oh Boy..! Sigh...
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| Faraday Galvanic Field Gun and tank with Mark II Faraday Cannon, to show size comparison. |
Anyway, there you go for now. More soon.
All the Best!
Very effective!! Well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much! Keep watching...
DeleteYou do more in a short month than I manage in a year!
ReplyDeleteI find that hard to believe, Frank, but I'm glad you're impressed!
DeleteAll the Best!
Looks like the Mk. II is a lower voltage device than the Mk. I. Will there be a generator trailer?
ReplyDeleteAnd putting the boiler to the front is a brave move! I'd rather not crew it, thanks.
I figured the vehicle is so big in comparison to the Field Gun's generator carriage that the cannon could easily be charged by steam-driven turbines within. Is this a cheat?
DeleteHmmm.... Probably. I'll give it some thought.
As for the boiler, well, "I like trains..."
It is such a delight to see this great behemoths emerge from the most humblest of materials; very inspirational!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michael! Still to come: the USS Enterprise from three elastic bands and a stale piece of toast!
Delete... or... not...
Love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much, Ferret!
DeleteMore excellent work Colonel. Though surprised to see boiler mounted to the front, unless you have turret on wrong way round for picture?
ReplyDeleteThese creations are a wonderful paradox - on the one hand you have primitive steam locomotion matched with futuristic zingy laser zapper thingies! Excellent!
I recently had a play about with the Gaslight rules - check out my recent blog post of it if you wish...
Shameless plug:
http://scottswargaming.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/steam-transformers-via-gaslight.html
We must together for a game sometime soon!
Thanks, Scott!
DeleteI know what you mean about the boiler, but it's all about the look of the thing, innit? I want this tank to look like a train - as we've discussed, simply taking a WWI-style tank and sticking a chimney on top is just not good enough.
I'll take a gander at your blog...
You're right - a game is required! How are those Prussians coming on? ;)
Ah yes of course... when I think about it, its a similar idea I thought of months ago for the first of the vehicles I was considering, using a Steam tractor as a basis which of course have all the boiler etc in the front!
DeleteI like the idea of using the corrugated card as the tracks, thats saved a lot of chopping plastic strips to make the track ruts...
Sadly the Prussian/Bavarians are protesting loudly and threatening 'marching songs' for being left unattended for so long!
If I can get current FoW howitzers done soon, I'll have all the core troops I need for my beach defence stuff, and I'll see if I can crack the VSF troops open and give them a whirl...
Other than that I've still got my 'Neu-Bavarinas' who are willing to give you a run for your money!
Or perhaps Great Britain could consider arming its enemies in order to have a decent little war...?
Delete;)
I'm game for anything!
DeleteAnother thought occurred to me, to get some actual gaming in, if you want to shoot up the 'aliens', well I've got a pile of old 40k orks and their vehicles (all painted good to go)... it might not be 'the look' you are after but it would be a chance for a good trial out of the rules...
Inspired! I shall shamelessly steal the idea of using corrugated card for tracks. The boiler looks a bit exposed (ooh-er, missus!) and the tank will require a stalwart crew to drive it into battle. I'm looking forward to seeing it all riveted-up and painted.
ReplyDeleteThanks, AJ Old Bean!
ReplyDeleteStalwart crew? We're British! Was there ever any doubt?
Remember the heroic (and short) Charge of Lord Percival Scunge and the 22nd Armoured Himalayan Skateboard Hussars?
I rest my case.