M133A6 Hastati

[bbzwbbzw]

This picture was done for Michael Barger, a member of the Citizens of the Imperium forums illustrating his cavalry fighting vehicle design.

[Aresius]

Interesting.

It's a hove unit, aye?

[CASUAL OBSERVER]

oh, i like. Give us more! :)

[bbzwbbzw]

Yup, its anti-grav design, and yup, I think this will be a series as well.

[Tovette]

It's a series? A series for what?

[bbzwbbzw]

It's a series? A series for what?

lol. I meant I'll be illustrating several different designs, all in the same format. All are set in the Traveller RPG universe.

[Tovette]

I've never heard of the Traveller RPG. Is it new?

[Coolhand]

It's been around for a long time, it inspired the Elite & Frontier space trading games of the 80's and 90's.

Nice work on the tank.:)

[bbzwbbzw]

Yeah in one way or another it's been around for about 25 years I guess. I remember when it was the sci-fi rpg just like D&D was the fantasy rpg- their simply were no others being made.

[cavebear]

Yeah in one way or another it's been around for about 25 years I guess. I remember when it was the sci-fi rpg just like D&D was the fantasy rpg- their simply were no others being made.

Got my first Traveller copy in 1982 and have been collecting them ever since. I have most of the stuff from all editions that have been published including the old Traveller Digest and Traveller Chronicle. Lots of the ship figures and ship plans too. Love collecting it all.

Even did a bunch of my own anti-G tanks long time ago.

Great work :thumb:

[Andrew Boulton]

Excellent work!

[sorceress21]

Very nice work...I love this kind of illustration.

[Major Diarrhia]

That's very cool, it's too bad it isn't your design, I was about to compliment you on it's realism and the alien description. However, it's artistry is as high as your fighters, so kudos there.

If the hatches don't, they should open by moving vertically several inches, then swinging out of the way, that way they can't interfere with the turret. The rear hatch looks like it swings up instead of down, swinging down means it can act as a ramp.

I look forward to further angles and of this and other similar vehicles.

[bbzwbbzw]

My collaborator provided the vehicle concept and description, and gave a go no-go on the design flow, but the look of the vehicle is my baby. I'll be doing a three view of it in black and white, and we are working on some variants as well.

Oh, and the rear hatch is a three part design that opens to the top, left, and right, their is a skid below the hatch that extends out for a jump infantry team to operate off of. And I see what you mean about the hatches, makes sense and I'll do that on future designs. I was basing this one off my memories of being in a M2 Bradley as a mechanized infantryman

[Andrew Boulton]

I'm really tempted to model this...

[Major Diarrhia]

Oh, good to read that it is your design. Still, the rear door should be one piece, even if it is just to reduce mechanical complexity, it would also increase the security of the armor by having fewer breaks.

[Mihoshi]

Damn this is good. A APC which actually looks the part, it has a real-life feel to it's design.
I can't wait to see what you come up with in regards to tanks, but it should be seriously cool.

[bbzwbbzw]

Thanks all, The next one will be posted in a day or two.

[BolianAdmiral]

That tank is just wicked.

[bbzwbbzw]

Took a bit longer than expected

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/539/hoplitefinalpi9.th.png (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hoplitefinalpi9.png)

[Major Diarrhia]

I like the new gun, it's sci-fi looking, although I like the previous gun more because the new one looks like a flamethrower because of the small tank. The explanation of the armor plates is good, the only change I would make to that is how the second plate from the left has a cutout to leave the skid exposed, there's not reason to have that cutout or leave it exposed while retracted. I don't like the skids in general and liked the mention of them not being used in the field with belly landings being the norm. The only reason you would need the skids is for infield repairs but if you place everything so it's accessible from the sides or from inside, then you don't need to lift the vehicle. Also, the skids aren't large enough to proved low enough ground pressure to keep the vehicle from sinking into average ground, unless the entire belly plate gets lowered and it's not just ski like skids. Still, not skids is good if it can be worked out.

The only reason it would have a chin gun there like that is if it normally flies like an attack helicopter. Does it? Frankly, with anti-grav it should be able to fly exactly like a helicopter and then that gun being for point defense makes all the more sense. So, kudos if that's the case. Although, the gimbal should be redesigned. You should also have a second one behind and to the side of the main turret on top for when the vehicle is fighting and not traveling at high speed.

Also the description doesn't give any indication as to what the vehicle is actually capable of and what makes it a different vehicle from the last one shown other than it having a different weapon, which under other circumstances might just make it a variant, not a different class.

[bbzwbbzw]

Yeah, space limitations limited the amount of text we could put in, but it is an energy based weapon rather than a projectile like the last one. It does operate like a helicopter, hence the position of the gun. Its also not full deployed in the picture, ut actually drops down enough to fire to the rear.

You might have a point about the skids on a soft surface, but I think they would only be used on prepared surfaces so it shouldn't be a prob.

Thanks as always for your points, the are always welcome.

[marcus_chang]

A new type of AAAV