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Oooo that stinks. Sorry to see your work go to waste.

Ok, hung around the SketchUp forum, toyed a bit with cleaning up the model and before I knew it I basically remade the entire model, and not only that...I learnt how to get the thing watertight on SketchUp itself, no longer having to use stuff like Netfabb. Victory is mine!





A few small changes:
-Beefed up the backpart of the ship a bit, making it a tiny bit wider.
-Removed the wing mounted weapons. I never liked them, would have to come up with something else though...

Time for detailing...

The wings don't look right without something. If you don't like those weapons, maybe try some vertical end-wings?

Update time! Been starting on the detailing. At the moment the model stands at 42mm long:





@Boblogik: need to ponder a bit about that yeah.

Great work so far. Coming along nicely.

I fixed the first escort to improve its castability:




Also continued working on the blockade runner:





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By the way, here are the two ships next to one another:

Ok, I started playing with 'ordnance' again. This time a troop carrier shuttle. Well, not a troop carrier per se, but I imagined the Legion would use them in this role. They could be used to move troops between ships, but are primarily used to transport troops to the surface.




The model is about 6.5mm long, 2.8mm tall, and 4.8mm wide.

Here is the shuttle model next to the Blockade Runner:

Note that the scales of the actual models vary. I imagine the blockade runner to be 1:25000. The 40mm long model would in 'real life' be little over 1km. The shuttle model, being 6.5mm long is supposed to be little over 30m long in 'real life', making the scale about 1:5000. This explains why the shuttle model seems so big next to the blockade runner, but it's also the only way to have such a model.

Here are the two craft were we to use 'actual scaling':

In this case you'd probably need a magnifying glass and some tweezers to play the game since the shuttle would be about 1.25mm.


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The troop carrier shuttle is finished. Also designed a base for it:



The base's diameter is 20mm. The poles have varying lengths, their bottom diameter is 4mm and the top part is 1mm. The longest pole is 17.5mm, which made me think of the following. The ships are 'flying' pretty low compared to normal flight stands. However, in order to keep this thing castable in a 1 inch mold, the poles can't be too long if I want the entire base to remain a single piece. But isn't it then perhaps easier to mold the base in multiple parts, so the base itself and the poles? That way I can also make longer poles and such. Players could then put together their own base.

Not sure if this would become too fiddly and/or inefficient for production. I can imagine that casting the base as a single piece could mean a higher chance of miscasts and of course more "wear 'n tear" for the mold itself. Oh well, food for thought...


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Remember my old boarding pods? I've updated the design a bit...


The way I see it these are used to board enemy ships. Whilst the shuttles are also capable of doing this, the boarding pods emit some sort of 'counter field' that allow them to penetrate the enemy's Distortion Engine's field (since normally matter is turned into energy by these things).

Look what just became available...

These dropship are perfectly suited for largescale spaceship games (scales 1:10,000 and up). Kit includes 100 dropship models. Each model is about 6.5mm long, 4.7mm wide, and 2.9mm tall. Frosted Ultra Detail is recommended to get all the details through. These models will only be available for a limited period, until they will get cast. Bases and stems not included.

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Started on something of a distraction: transport ships. These lack the Distortion Engines the larger ships have, so they are dependent on stuff like cruisers. However, their main advantage is that they can enter a planet's atmosphere without completely disintegrating it due to the Distortion Engine's field, making the perfect craft to supply the vast Ecoria hive cities.





Plan is to have a few variants of these, primarily some different types of containers. Another wish is to make a bunch of smaller ones. Maybe this is just me unconsciously trying to postpone the redesigning of the modular cruiser kit...

Oh yeah, to give you an idea of scale:

The middle ship, which I had already printed is 37mm long. The blockade runner (on the right) is about 42mm long, whilst the transport ship, once complete will be around 52mm.

I continued working on the ship. Thing is that I'm in a bit of doubt at the moment. I also made a slightly shorter version of the transport ship, I'm kinda digging it since it looks sturdier. Which one do you guys think looks better?

Updated the design once again. Removed the turrets, added a bridge (!!!). I know...quite a thing coming from me. The reasoning is two-fold: (a) since these craft are meant to also travel to a planet's surface, they would need something more meant for '2d flight', meaning they work more as aquatic ships in a way. (b) this more 'conventional' thing might make the ships more compatible with other games, but also add a certain crudeness to it which I kinda like. These are supposed to be simply work horse kinda ships, not the sophisticated military gear such as the previous escorts and cruisers.



Need to add some more details to the tanks and then this one is good to go. I noticed that I could also add other stuff to be transported, the back of the ship is basically the 'ship', with the cargo just being a removeable attachment (at least in the background, not sure if I want this to be a multipart kit). I am pondering a bit about another type of transporter, more meant for colonisation, able to carry a few 300x300x300 meter cubes... (hint hint hint...)

Looks good bridge definitely works on the in-system craft. For the Blockade Runner you might need to lengthen the rear wingy bits so the gun can easily clear the front wingy bits. Would a distortion engine tug craft be an idea?

Looks good bridge definitely works on the in-system craft.

Thanks! I was really hesitant about it at first since I quite dislike the whole idea of a bridge on such ships. I mean, for trans-atmospheric flight ok, but in space itself?

For the Blockade Runner you might need to lengthen the rear wingy bits so the gun can easily clear the front wingy bits.

I know what you mean! However, the "latest" picture of the blockade runner (the one with the other escort and transport next to it for scale) is an older version of the model. This is the latest version of the blockade runner: no more big wing guns. I found them a bit off for the concept.

Would a distortion engine tug craft be an idea?

Too 'expensive', at least from a background perspective. Distortion Engines normally only work on rather large ships such as cruisers and battleships. Smaller craft such as escorts, transport ships, etc. get inside the 'field' generated by the Distortion Engine, meaning that these larger ships kinda become 'tug craft'.

The blockade runner is an exception, but it's very advanced tech compared to the rest of the ships. Normal transport ships and such would use relatively 'cheaper' tech, so they kinda use larger ships as a tug. However, ships with a Distortion Engine can't enter a planet's atmosphere. However, some larger civilian tug ships with Distortion Engines might be a cool idea. Need to ponder a bit on that.


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Got a feeling the ship is almost finished. I'm sticking to a single piece model for now due to easy castability. However, I've got two models now: one transport ship with two tanks, and another one with three.






All the ship needs now is some additional detailing here and there.

So I decided to try out modular...

Some pics:



Here are the four parts needed to make a three tank ship. Two of the tanks are identical, the front one is a unique piece. It looks too cool to ditch, at least in my humble opinion. In the meantime I could try to come up with other components that fit as 'carriages' in between the tanks.

The second pic shows how the tanks are connected to one another.

Sorry for just catching up now, very good work on the ships, especially his last container ship. Almost responded as I was reading, glad I didn't, that you should make it modular . I'm terrible with sizes so I wonder how viable it would be to make the ends of the containers able to hold the tiny magnets. That way in game you could remove sections of the ship for deployment.

I never got into battle fleet gothic, just started playing x-wing mini game and I'm enjoying that thoroughly. I would love to see something along the lines of the battlestar galactica fleet ships though.

The gaps have a diameter of 3mm, should be big enough to fit a magnet in right?

As for X-Wing and Battlestar Galactica, I have been pondering about doing some X-Wing inspired stuff and put it on my shop on Shapeways (check the Bits Blitz link in my sig). Lets see how that'll work out...

The thing I think that would sell really well right now for x-wing is gun turrets like on the Death Star. A few people have made them, but the ones I've liked haven't been made sellable by the makers (just for themselves), or just are too big in my opinion.

By the way, I've put my old escorts up on Shapeways for those interested in getting some ships: LINK.

I've been tweaking my existing escorts, let me know what you think!

Continued with the ships. The one in the back/left has been given some larger guns, enabling it to actually give out a punch in combat, making it akin to a corvette version of a Sword/Gladius Frigate I guess? The guns need a bit of extra work, and then it's just adding some final details here and there.

The ship on the right/front has been modified as well. Brought back the torpedo tubes, removed the guns at the back and put them at the front. The whole bridge/tower part still needs to be made. I'm also tempted to make some sort of turret/cannon on the top of the hull, not sure yet though..


In the meanwhile I also started working on a light cruiser. The "body" with the bridge and engines still need to be added, as are the weapon systems and the rest.


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Continuing with the Light Cruiser:

Been working on the ships some more. The escort with the removed big guns will be some sort of fast ship. Very lightly armed, but able to move really fast (maybe even with some sort of stealth thing). Mainly used for invasions and boarding actions, it is capable of transporting elite units fast and quietly.

The one with the missing bridge part (basically the other ship) is a heavier escort. A relatively slower ship, but able to give quite the punch due to its torpedos and plasma cannons (lances?).



I've also been busy updating the light cruiser. Some of the small gun turrets have been removed, it felt a bit too much. However, I did add something else to compensate that...

Good to see you back to work, interested to see what you do with the prows.

Thanks!

Revisited my transport ship. Altered the design of the "ship" component a bit (including adding a few tiny turrest), as well as created a variant cargo component. Idea is that the ship is a two part kit, allowing you to add different kinds of cargo to it.


Also continued working on the escort craft, I've started detailing the wings:

Another update on the escorts:





I've been tweaking the bridge components of the two ships, as well as some minor things here and there.

Shapeways just came out with some good news, seems we can now print out stuff in wax which, if I understand it correctly, will be pretty amazing. None of those nasty printlines, just a clean, smooth model that's ready to be cast! However, I've tried doing a test print, but for some reason Shapeways keeps telling me the model isn't suitable for printing in that material, which is odd since it follows all the parameters. Guess I'll have to contact Shapeways about it.

Luckily for me though, Shapeways is still testing the material, so it might improve in the coming months, enabling me to finish up the designs!

Little update, I've also added the dimensions:

Loving the work on the transport ship , but I was just thinking about it and thought. Why don't you make a small fore section that goes in front of any cargo pods, which can attach to the front of the larger vessel when its deadheading (moving without cargo containers), and can operate as a tug to grab the pods and maneuver them into position to/from the cargo ship. It could have a couple small engines that when attached to the ship actually face forward and could assist is slowing the ship down in emergencies, or be a escape/lifeboat in case of problems with the larger ship. Just a suggestion. Could also give it a light weapon to act as an escort craft of primary defense against raiders.

The big guns on the escorts have been bugging me for a while now, so I decided to make some variants!



The ship on the top/left (depending on which pic you're looking at) is a carrier craft, launching waves of fighters to intercept incoming ordnance, but are also capable of launching their own bomber waves to deal with larger targets. Its torpedo tubes are replaced for plasma batteries.

The other two ships are basically the same model, but with different weapons. Instead of launch bays, it is armed with additional turrets. Whilst not that effective against more armored targets, mass waves of fighters, bombers and torpedoes don't stand a chance against this configuration. Its prow weapon can either be the traditional torpedo tubes or plasma batteries.

All in all the models should be relatively easy to cast, the only potential challenge might be the launch bays and the plasma batteries, so I need to see whether this could be done as a single piece model, or if I might have to cut it up.

Whilst the escorts are as good as done (besides the potential challenges regarding their casting), I've been paying some attention to the light cruiser again:

Still haven't started on the back of the ship yet, but I did work on a variant carrying plasma batteries...

In the meantime I've also delved into something different...


It's still a very early WIP. A lot of the structure still needs to be thought out, the plasma batteries will need some serious tweaking. One thing I'd like is that the domes are meant to be see through, the four outer structures would contain vast forests in their domes, but I doubt that would be a real possibility, kinda tricky to do perhaps? I guess it will take some experimentation.

The station sounds cool. As always keep up the great work!

These are looking fantastic! I will be very interested once they are up for purchase.

By the way, remember my old Absolutist Light Cruiser? It got painted up by Icesword from Miniatures of the North!






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In the meantime I'm still working on the station. And yes, the see through parts are separate components. I'm wondering if they'll work in see-through resin, the domes are about 1mm thick.