My understanding is heavy weapons must be mounted over the center of gravity in order to avoid slewing the vehicle upon firing, throwing off the aim. However, physics is optional in 40k, so Rule of Cool it is. And it is indeed.

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SG

Ghost's Paint Blog, where everything goes that isn't something else.

If you build them, we will want.

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"I don't believe in destiny or the guiding hand of fate." N. Peart

Well, old classics like the T34 series and the modern BTR-90 have forward-mounted turrets and are very successful designs.

I don't think that turrets are centrally-mounted to aid aiming or to stop the tank slewing when it fires though. There may have been early tank or two where this may have been a design factor, but these issues are not too hard to overcome.

A number of reasons (too many to go into here) exist for locating turrets in various different positions on AFVs. Generally though the main benefits to a centrally-mounted turret are more mundane:

1) Tanks often have long barrels (for accuracy) and central mounting makes it easer to get the tank around roads in built up areas or other tight corners. Likewise, it is easier to negotiate steep slopes with centrally-mounted turrets.
2) You can have a larger turret (lengthwise), which can allow a more sloped front and a larger bustle.
3) Turrets are heavy; mounting them further back reduces the weight over and strain on the front wheels. Also aids better weight distribution across the tank's contact with the ground.
4) Easier access for the Driver from the front of the tank.

Well put Major Gilbear ...

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

Always good to be corrected. *thumbsup* My understanding was apparently flawed...

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SG

Ghost's Paint Blog, where everything goes that isn't something else.

Not to mention it's easier for maintenance to have the engine in the rear.

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"I don't believe in destiny or the guiding hand of fate." N. Peart

But ... both the M113 and Bradley among others, have the engine in front. Since that leaves room in the back for troops. And as we said, about the 113 ... the best armor is in the front ... the engine !!

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

And there was quite a lot of trial and error behind current designs - consider the Russian KV-2 heavy assault tank. Yes its the one with a 152mm howitzer mounted in an enormous turret. Try firing that sideways and you risk the recoil rolling the tank over.

but we're not talking about MBTs here. it's an APC, designed as a rear access squad sized troop transport, and currently carrying weapons with no real recoil to speak of. centre-line turrets are fine on tanks, and even some APCs may have them, but the Otter design should probably have it's turret further forwards, it would look better, and fit closer to the source material.

i'll have to put mine forwards a smidge, but due to the way the front panel is designed, i wont get it as far forwards as i'd like without too much overhang on the turret itself. greenstuffing on such a scale is currently a bit beyond what i'd be comfortable with, especially on the buttload of APCs i was hoping to get

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~Every Tool Is A Weapon, If You Hold It Right~

Yes, as I said, you can glue the turret a little farther forward ... It would be very easy to do ...

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

Terribly sorry, but I must disagree. The plastic source material uses that position.

well, i have to admit that i dont have the Otter version in front of me to do a proper comparison so it could just be problems with the perspective, and i may just be wrong, but it doesnt look right to me. (and at this scale looking right is more important than being right anyway)
i'll do some serious measurements on the source material when next i have the turret at hand, but from eyeballing it:
the top hatch seems too small. it should run to about the midline on the 4th viewing port (given that while there are 3, there are gaps between them)
the turret seems a bit too big (but that's not an issue with 6mm scaling, except combined with the other things) looking at this, the back hatch should be slightly longer than the turret itself (or rather the non-gun part of the turret) but in this case it's rather smaller
and the big one is that the front plate of the tank has a recessed part at the top, which the source does not. this means that while the turret follows the same line to connect with the chassis, it does so further back than in the source.

here's a quick shopping of what i mean,


personally, i think that version looks markedly better, but i suspect it's too late for that now.

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~Every Tool Is A Weapon, If You Hold It Right~

I'm pretty sure this thing is only supposed to bear a passing resemblance to "the source material," not be a simple scaled down copy. In that respect, I think it accomplishes that.

That being said, I think if I were a gaurd guy, I would move the turret further forward. Luckily that looks like something that can be easily done.

Yes, all the turrets are separate ... so you can glue them anywhere you want ...

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

yeah, well unfortunately for me that photoshopping wasnt just pushing the turret forwards (i also removed the recess at the front, and expanded the back hatch by about another quarter)
if i could do those things in 6mm scale 30 times over, well then that'd be pretty damned good for me. unfortunately i am a muppet who cannot, and is forced to parasite the talent from other individuals to get my tiny little mans.

i'm not trying to gripe for the sake of griping, and i really like everything else with these tanks, just the way the turret sits really does bug me (being as to how it's close, but not quite right) and since i'd be using a buttload of them, the little things become bigger things. think of it as a wargaming equivalent of the Uncanny Valley

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~Every Tool Is A Weapon, If You Hold It Right~