Tactical Command
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Zeus
http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=15692		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Warmaster Nice [ Wed May 27, 2009 5:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Toms first concept sketches for the Guild Modular tanks also included a rough draft for a mobile siege tower that would be in line with the quasi greek/roman feel of some of the army. Basically Tom wanted something that would be able to crack open even the strongest Khazari stronghold, and the solution is this recommissioned piece of anti starship ordinance: The Zeus!

The piece still needs some tinkering; for example the gun itself should probably be some kind of techy looking laser/plasma destroyer thingy of doom rather than the farily conventional(but probably still quite potent) piece of ordinance you see currently. Since this model is fairly complex I'm not sure how well this sketch portrays it, but please do post feedback as a large and expensive model like this needs to be done right before any 3d prints are made.

The major issue here is of course production costs so we are looking into either a combined resin/metal kit or a relatively complex multi piece model in all metal.

Happy birthday Tom :)
Author:  Man of kent [ Wed May 27, 2009 6:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Wow! If more stuff like that get's made i can see me wanting to proxy certain things with it...or even just buy it as a collectors piece; i think it looks great in concept and really advances ideas that began with a certain now 'dead' GW race...
Author:  Otterman [ Wed May 27, 2009 7:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
That's neat looking. Who's going to model it for you?
Author:  Warmaster Nice [ Wed May 27, 2009 10:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Tsk tsk Otterman... Do your homework:

Oh I think we should reveal this years prezzie :D.

Last year to indulge myself I got the Droid Controller (and Karnaks special) sculpted.

This year Otterman has been tasked to make me something bigger, nastier and with about five times the firepower.

It is a veritable behemoth of a model, an armoured giant, leviathan, titan of a vehicle.

Designed of course by the humble Warmaster, and crafted by the loving hands of the hairy beast Otterman.

:D :D :D
Author:  Warmaster Nice [ Wed May 27, 2009 10:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
That thing is crazy big. Are we going to do it in 1:900 scale

I imagined it roughly the size of a CI (roughly 10 cm long) so some scale specific details like hatches may need to be adjusted. I guess it really depends on how we end up putting this thing together. Printing it as a massive block would cost an arm and a leg!
If there's no way to hollow it out and split it into parts we probably need to downsize it somewhat, but a rouch mockup of the shape calculating the mass would give us a good idea of exactly how much.
Author:  Legion 4 [ Wed May 27, 2009 11:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
CI size makes sense ... I'd like one in my inventory ...  8v)
Author:  zap123 [ Thu May 28, 2009 12:46 am ]
Post subject:  Zeus
CI sized would make for an impressive model, but I wonder what demand would be like?  Perhaps if there were a few variants (one with uber-mega centreline gun, one with greater numbers of smaller calibre weapons and missiles, one with a huge turret mounted railcannon) you might get some interest from people wanting true scale proxies of certain praetorian class vehicles.  I do wonder if making the model more of the size of say a Colossus/Leviathan might make them more popular and accessible. (and I vote for the huge turret mounted railcannon for purely selfish reasons :) )
Author:  Markconz [ Thu May 28, 2009 12:51 am ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Quote: (zap123 @ 28 May 2009, 12:46 )

CI sized would make for an impressive model, but I wonder what demand would be like?  Perhaps if there were a few variants (one with uber-mega centreline gun, one with greater numbers of smaller calibre weapons and missiles, one with a huge turret mounted railcannon) you might get some interest from people wanting true scale proxies of certain praetorian class vehicles.  I do wonder if making the model more of the size of say a Colossus/Leviathan might make them more popular and accessible. (and I vote for the huge turret mounted railcannon for purely selfish reasons :) )

I was thinking the same, though I also think the Colossus/Leviathan models should be bigger than they are in any case  :)
Author:  Dwarf Supreme [ Thu May 28, 2009 3:50 am ]
Post subject:  Zeus
:wow:  :wow:
Author:  Warmaster Nice [ Thu May 28, 2009 8:54 am ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Quote: (zap123 @ 28 May 2009, 01:46 )

CI sized would make for an impressive model, but I wonder what demand would be like?  Perhaps if there were a few variants (one with uber-mega centreline gun, one with greater numbers of smaller calibre weapons and missiles, one with a huge turret mounted railcannon) you might get some interest from people wanting true scale proxies of certain praetorian class vehicles.  I do wonder if making the model more of the size of say a Colossus/Leviathan might make them more popular and accessible. (and I vote for the huge turret mounted railcannon for purely selfish reasons :) )

I agree: If this thing becomes more expensive than a GW titan it won't sell, so we need to strike a good balance between size and cost.
I think the absolute minimum size would be something slightly longer than a FW super heavy, but preferably somewhat bigger than that. In terms of modularly I think the gun and mount would be seperate pieces so one could easily imagine a variant with a landing pad, missiles or smaller guns at some point. I'm also considering different gun muzzles like the new 40k super heavy tanks to make laser and conventional ordnance variants without a complete resculpt of the weapon.

One option to keep development costs down is to have the prototype printed with fairly thin panels and then beef the bronze up on the inside with some greenstuff to make it easier to cast
Author:  Otterman [ Thu May 28, 2009 2:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Quote: (Warmaster Nice @ 28 May 2009, 02:54 )

One option to keep development costs down is to have the prototype printed with fairly thin panels and then beef the bronze up on the inside with some greenstuff to make it easier to cast

I don't have a good feeling yet for the metallurgy involving in the investment casting, so that statement makes me nervous.

In a curious bit of parallelism, a gentleman from Epic Battles DE has been corresponding with me about a Warbarque, which faces similar problems. One of these models will be the proof-of-concept for the other.
Author:  Warmaster Nice [ Thu May 28, 2009 3:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Yup. Construction would probably have to work similarly to the torso/carapaces of the Mk2 and 3 Warlord titans as well as the CI , which all suffer from bent parts during casting. It will require some engineering work to make a model like that for sure.

I imagine it something like 4 parts for each tower + roof, left and right track skirt, interchangable track section that will fit both left and right side, centresection, main weapon and various turrets and details
Author:  Otterman [ Thu May 28, 2009 3:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Then it's a good thing that I have a degree in engineering.
Author:  Warmaster Nice [ Thu May 28, 2009 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Lucky coincidence  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:
Author:  Legion 4 [ Thu May 28, 2009 4:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Zeus
Quote: (Otterman @ 28 May 2009, 15:10 )

Then it's a good thing that I have a degree in engineering.

THAT's why we luv ya ... :love: :yes:   Like a brother ... :D   Of course ... ???
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