9 replies to this topic

[Lyon]

I've been working a bit on internal components of Mechs for a while*, using the art in MaxTech and other tech
manuals. The first one I've finished is the standard 7-ton particle cannon, in this case the Lord's Light PPC by
Alshain Weapons. I wanted to run it by Shortpainter first, he's my first choice in reality checks. Now, you guys
tell me: should I make the variant PPCs first, or move on to an AC-5 or the like?

(*I absolutely refuse to do SRMs and LRMs again. I tried them, using a Panther's CT-mounted SRM-4, and found out that Battletech ammo/weapon scales are horribly wrong when missiles are involved.)

Edited by Lyon, 18 June 2012 - 11:58 AM.

[Spleenslitta]

Please try making a medium laser...it's the workhorse weapon for most of us afterall.

[Lyon]

You're right, of course, they're as common as dirt. I should have just jumped into making one of those anyway. Okay, one Martell medium laser coming up. Give me a few days, and when it is done, I will put the model up for download as well, for those wishing to incorporate internal components into their work.

[Karl Streiger]

Make a run for the AC 5. I'm little bit curious how you will deal with the ammunition feed.

Small abstraction for the missiles. The scale of BattleMech missiles is broken (same as with most ACs) however -> what about sub ammunition. A SRM - salvo of the panther consists of 4 SRM - but maybe the leave the launcher in one missile - only near the target the payload of multiple unguided warhead is released. Ok it doesn't look that cool when a Catapult launches 2 instead of 30 missiles...

[Helvetica]

wow very cool.

[Lyon]

An AC/5 shouldn't be too difficult, and larger autocannon can certainly be made in a compact manner, if one goes with the GAU- 8/A Avenger as an example. It's a 30mm cannon that effectively melts a tank with volume of fire, rather than a bigger round (as in the 105mm guns on your average tank). One of those would fit nicely into a Mech, and it would answer the description given of the impact from a Hunchback in Black Dragon. There, the Hunchback knocked an Urbanmech onto its back and ripped it apart with sheer volume of fire.

And seriously, the ammo feed for one of those would be far simpler than trying to feed several 105mm rounds to an arm-mounted autocannon, through the arm joints, from a torso-mounted ammo bin. That's just ridiculous to imagine.

Now, the medium laser is nearing completion, although I'm trying to match scales for the power connections and coolant lines. Pictures soon!

[Malkinn Kerensky]

Very nice work Lyon! I love the extra touch of the dataplate.

[Lyon]

Thanks, Malkinn! That dataplate was more interesting to research, to make it as close to canon as I could. The base sticker was from an electric motor on our shop compressor, before I deleted all the data and started from scratch. I kept the formatting, because it was rather useful.

I've finished all of the basic lasers now, so here's the group photo. Next weapon is the base-model AC/5. I'll keep sticking to making weapon series from one canon manufacturer at a time. In this case, all of the autocannons in the base series will be Imperators, I think. As I have time, I'll modify certain weapons into an alternative-manufacturer version (Magna to Diverse Optics, Imperator to GM Whirlwind, etc.)

[Gingercrammer]

Love the PPC! and we all love some medium lasers. Very well done.

[Spleenslitta]

Now this is really cool. I can see the hard work you put into this. Next is AC 5 you say.....Hmmm.
I wonder what comes after that since you would rather not make missiles?

Since you've made a PPC the Gauss rifle fans are probably drooling in anticipation of the day when you finally make that one.
I guess it all depends on whether or not you bite into a founders package or not....If you do you might become too busy playing to make guns.