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Simply amazing.

After you're through with that it's off to work on a motorized deff rolla, right?

YOU


ARE


GOD

Dakka_Dok wrote:How about feeding the wires into a box-like contraption looking like a copperwire dynamo(that houses the battery) powered by a squig chasing a grot in a thread mill.

Fixed that for you.

I'm curious! Got update pictures.

Just gotta be patient; I'm working on this when I have the time and am able, but that's not often.

I sat down and scratched my head for a minute while I tried to figure out where I was going to end up hiding the power source on this model. The battery pack that was pictured in my last video for this project was my original plan, but it just seemed impractical due to its size; I couldn't figure out how I was going to hide the dang thing.

After pondering it over a while longer, I remembered that I had coin cell battery holders that might work better: BAT1013 from B.G. Micro. I've used these on a couple other projects, but it never occurred to me to try and fit them in on this one for some reason. As luck would have it, these battery holders are the exact same diameter as the hole in the middle of the Thunderfire Cannon chassis. The only problem is that they have a bit of a square 'tab' on one side that houses the clip that holds the batteries in. I grabbed my jeweller's saw and went at the Thunderfire chassis and removed a section of the back so that the battery holder would fit properly. The results?







A perfect fit! This holder can comfortably seat two 3v coin cell batteries back to back, giving me the desired 6 volts to power the motor with. Even better, it should be very simple to actually change the batteries if they ever die.

My next challenge is probably going to be figuring out how to mount the cannon itself onto the treads.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, an additional note that I need to follow up with:

There's been a really, really strange demand for the bitz I used to make the spinny bit on this Shokk Attack Gun. I would have figured 'slightly larger than normal Shokk Attack Gun' was a bit of a niche product, but judging just from the number of people who have e-mailed me and PM'ed me since I first showed the mold off, I guess some of you want it. With that said, I've shipped the parts off to the folks at D6 Hobbies for proper casting, sale, and distribution, because I don't have the time or resources available to be selling stuff out of my basement right now. Expect it to be up under the Warforged Miniatures listing shortly.

Truly you are an inspiration to modellers everywhere.

I love this kinda stuff , the little extra fun bitz that add character to an army .

If only the technology was smaller and cheaper and easy enough for my inept hands... i dream of rotating autocannons and self-propelled gyrocopters...

So I had a couple hours yesterday, and I'm sad to say they weren't very productive ones. I intended on mounting the cannon down onto the treads, but I realized very early on that without a finished back end to the cannon I didn't quite know how it would sit on the treads. This led me around to trying to work on the back end of the gun, which proved largely unproductive for lack of creative ideas. So, I am looking for help.

I figure that first and foremost, I should unveil my until-now secret 'ammunition' for the Shokk Attack Gun.



Yes, these are snotlings in small, metal, bullet-shaped cages. Or, well, at least they look like it. They are from a now-OOP model from Rackham's Confrontation line called "Master Sulfur". Basically, these cages hang off a large minotaur-looking dude on their source model. The moment I saw them, though, I knew they had to be Shokk Attack Gun ammunition.

You can get a look at a model that has these added to it on CMON here - it's the only decent, painted picture I've been able to find of the blighters.

As far as I'm concerned, they're perfect for the job. They're projectile-shaped to begin with, which lends to clear interpretation as to their purpose. It saves the Big Mek from the trouble of trying to wrangle up a horde of snotlings into your typical SAG-vacuum, so from an orky standpoint it's convenient. Plus, think of how satisfying it would be to take a screaming, thrashing snotling in a cage and slam it into the breech of a gun to fire off!

Here's a shot of the 'ammunition' with the gun for scale:



Now, here's where my problem comes up. Let me throw these in here just for reference; they're pictures of the back end of the gun and a side profile.







The shadowsword cannon has to sit a little forward on the thunderfire treads so that the spinny bit on the front of the SAG has a comfortable amount of clearance to actually, well, spin. Because of that, any additions I make to the SAG have to extend it backwards a bit.

Now, I'm trying to figure out what it is that I could do as far as a loading mechanism for the Shokk Attack Gun goes. My primary goal is to have the ammunition [caged snotling shells] be visible and obvious, so that any observer who picks the model up could spot it and decipher what's going on. This basically means that I don't want to cover the shells up too much in whatever ammo feed I decide to go with. I dug through some Forgeworld and Armorcast artillery pictures for ideas, and three jumped out at me.



Idea 1 is probably the most straightforward. Similar to what you might see on the back of an Earthshaker cannon, there'd be a single hatch door and a sort of tray that slides out. The loader places the snotling shell onto the slide, pushes it up into the breach of the gun, closes the back hatch, and pulls the lever, and off the screaming blighter goes through the warp. While this has the added benefit of allowing me to pretty much show the snot-in-a-cage on the loading tray, from a design standpoint it seems pretty flawed in that it'd limit the gun's perceived rate of fire quite a bit; you'd be firing one snotling at a time, and each shot would require you to close the back of the gun up again. That hardly seems impressive for a gun this size, since it's not really artillery in the strictest sense.

Idea 2 came from an Armorcast Cannon. Basically I'd try and work in some sort of 'clip' that fed the snotling shells around into the chamber. The particular example illustrated in the picture has the advantage of showing the snotlings off, but covers the shell design up a bit, and could prove to be a bit difficult to incorporate into the Mega-SAG since it'd basically need to be off on one side of the weapon.

Idea 3 borrows from the Thudd Gun concept. I'd basically have 4 breaches on the back of the cannon, instead of just the one in Idea 1. Three could probably be sealed up and closed, and one of them could have it's hatch swung open with a loader (possibly a grot or lesser mek) about to insert the snotling shells into the chamber.

I'm giving a bit of thought to having a separate loading platform behind the shadowsword cannon, similar to what a Basilisk has, so that the loaders would move with the gun. It'd give me a chance to put a couple of the extra shells propped up against a railing or what have you, too. That sort of detail depends on what I end up doing with the back end of the Mega SAG, though.

Normally I'd just break out my tablet and start sketching ideas out on the reference images, but I'm finding myself at a bit of a creative impasse and my tablet is unavailable in any case. I'm hoping to get some ideas and input as to what might work well for the back end of the cannon and it's loading mechanism for the snotling shells... after that, the rest of the model may well sort itself out.

Hmmmm I like the idea of the krew carrying the ammunition while following the vehicle... Maybe get a grot that pulling a cart around with the ammunition?

Only picture I could find. But second picture on the link, those two grots might be good for pulling that cart? Just my own personal thought. I do I like the third idea best though. http://www.the-waaagh.com/forums/?showtopic=42285

What about a vertical feed? Sort of like this...



...or this...



You could then set up the gun to eject spent 'shells' from the rear, which would further reinforce the uniqueness of the ammunition.

As far as extending it to the rear goes: just add some mechanical components alongside the breech/ejection port. Capacitors, rudimentary targeting systems, empty cages in case of an ammunition shortage, or an auxiliary vacuum for the same reason.

Edit: You could also model a couple gretchin chasing snotlings with open, empty cages that had just been 'fired'.

It just popped into my head but as a fourth approach to the ammo feed. This also keeps that feel of the original SAG, but you could put a giant sucker thing on the back sort of like this picture (except it wouldnt blow them out ) Just a thought.

Option 1 - the others look too hi-tech for my taste.

I couldn't find a picture of what I was imagining so I'll try and explain it as best I can.

I like the idea of the breech loading cannon, but you could have a clanky automated loading mechanism so that it looks like it can fire fairly rapidly. It would be a rotating wheel with 3 or 4 grabbers that could be simulataneously grabbing a grot-cage, has one ready grabbed, is loading one into the chamber, and an empty claw ready to grab the next grot.

That way you could get the breech-loading coolness aspect with a little bit of automation to make it less slow and cumbersome.

I leave the details to Orkier minds than mine!

If that doesn't sound good, I like the top loading clip that Dogma suggests, I think that would also work very well.

DoW

dogma wrote:What about a vertical feed? Sort of like this...

thats exactly what i was thinking, do it! it would look awesome =D

This is a fun project to watch develop. Great work, dude.



Ghidorah

How about something like this?


It's basically a tray with a spring that would push a few grots up towards a rotating piece (doesn't need to rotate, obviously...) that would re-orient them for being loaded into a breach-loading style cannon.

Just a random thought here, but this is amazing (so up to your usual standards of making others look bad )

the electro generators on the spinny bitz (the orbs)
Is there any chance of finding a thin plastic version or a clear one?
Just thinking that a green LED in each one would make it even better as you then have the movement and lights

JD21290 wrote:Just a random thought here, but this is amazing (so up to your usual standards of making others look bad )

the electro generators on the spinny bitz (the orbs)
Is there any chance of finding a thin plastic version or a clear one?
Just thinking that a green LED in each one would make it even better as you then have the movement and lights

I gave lights some thought when I first started the project, but I don't think it would have worked for the simple fact that I would need wires going to each LED in each prong, and those wires would need to be connected to the power source located in the gun itself. No matter how I would hide the wires, when the gun spins, the wires would end up getting all twisted up inside the model and eventually breaking.

Anyway, I'm content with what I have for now.

I gave it some more thought during the week, while I was at school, and I had a bit of an idea.

The main reason I didn't like the back-loading, artillery-esque concept for the Mega-SAG was that it seemed to suggest a tremendously low rate of fire in my mind; you'd have to put a shell in, close the hatch, fire, open the hatch, and repeat. Not very effective for a model that's supposed to stand in for three Big Meks with SAGs, but then again I'm probably the only one who'd ever really worry about the logistics of the model's fictional firing speed like that in the first place.

However, I was playing Left 4 Dead the other day, and while I had the Automatic Shotgun I remembered something. Combat shotguns can chamber multiple shells while being loaded, and then fire them off in series.



Basically, each shot ejects the spent shell and chambers the next one from the internal magazine. I figure, why can't the same mechanism apply to the Mega-SAG? The rear hatch is opened, and multiple snotling shells are loaded into the machine. Hatch is closed, and then the weapon is fired in rapid succession, ejecting spent 'cages' and chambering new ones until the internal magazine's depleted.

I did have time to make one quick conceptual doodle, which I figure I'll share:



I've been seriously considering the alternative design of having a top-loading ammo rail system for the shells to slide into the gun on, as was suggested here a few times. I have yet to draw that concept out, and it's definitely a good one, but truthfully I think having some sort of ammo-rail projection out the top rear of the gun ruins it's lines. Silly to be concerned with aesthetics on an orky warmachine, I know, but right now I'm sort've digging on the straight cannon-esque form in the above concept. I'll doodle up the alternative top-loading design when I have the time tomorrow. In the mean time, I feel slightly more comfortable knowing that I've come up with an overly elaborate, shotgun-magazine based explaination for the above design's rate of fire. I think I have some sort of mental disorder, because I am spending so much time thinking about the gun's method of firing, something most players would never consider in the first place.

Edit: You know what? Before I go to sleep, I may as well do this, quick and dirty.



This way I have something to work from for comparison. It's not terrible, certainly, but I'm not sure how to design rails for the shells to slide in on that won't obscure at least something. The back-loading artillery design would let me have a whole shell visible being loaded into the gun, and a pile of the remaining shells waiting to be lifted up and chambered somewhere on the base nearby... However, this one could be interesting as well. Maybe if I looted the shell-loading winch off a Vindicator I could add in a way of getting the snotling cages from the ground up to the loading grot on top...

Let me know what you guys think.

One thought... If you really wanted it to be LED lit, you could redo the twirly bit and make it bigger. The wiring and power source for the LED's could all be housed within it so that, when it twirls, the WHOLE THING twirls.

No twisted, broken wires!

Eric

MagickalMemories wrote:One thought... If you really wanted it to be LED lit, you could redo the twirly bit and make it bigger. The wiring and power source for the LED's could all be housed within it so that, when it twirls, the WHOLE THING twirls.

No twisted, broken wires!

Eric

It's doable, buuuut... I think I'll save that for a rainy never.

I can certainly see the charm in it, trust me. I of all people can appreciate unnecessary lights in miniatures. That said, it's just such a monstrous pain that I'm not really feeling it. Plus, there's the issue of maintenance to consider. Motors are hardy, from what I've seen, so I'm not concerned with the one I have inside here burning out. If the battery goes out on the main gun, I've made it easily replaceable. A self-contained spinning apparatus with 3 LEDS has plenty of opportunities to fail that I couldn't easily fix: an LED could go out, the battery could die, and so on... plus, I'd have to have the lights on some sort of separate switch if I did that, which isn't nearly as impressive.

Reminds me of the H R Giger 'gun babies' shaped like bullets and fed into the automatic pistol, very imaginative and flavourful.

All you need to do to power rotating LEDs is to get 2 metal rings and a couple of small motor brushes. Connect the rings to + and - and fit the brushes. Sorted.

High power white LEDs apparently have an average lifetime of about 50,000 hours. Are you planning on gaming for 2 years solid?

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Reminds me of the H R Giger 'gun babies' shaped like bullets and fed into the automatic pistol, very imaginative and flavourful.

i love giger. so with that reference i instantly love this.

I like the second loader, because it can show off multiple shells being loaded, and a few can sit next to it, waiting to be loaded.

Just to throw it out there, you are of hell of an ork, and inspired me to start my ork army itself.

The second design is better in terms of 'showing off' the ammunition. The rails can be on the front and back (not the sides) of the ammo hopper, so long as the ammo cages have some rail connextors on their tops and bottoms.

But the first version will be easier to build, and will show off the cages just as well if there's a small crew of grots carrying cages around.

How big were you planning on making the base?

Wow. Is there anything you cannot do?

Simply amazing as usual Ein.

Cheers,

Jack.

If you do use the vertical feed concept I would suggest pushing the rails forward on the gun, so that the rear rail clears the back of the breech by a decent amount. I think it will help preserve the line of the weapon itself.

I'd go with the second version you drew. It just looks cooler, although I'd have five or so of them in the loader. Surely simple thin wires on the sides of the bullets to hold them in the loader would be enough, along with a thick 'bottom' and 'top' part of the loader.

jamsessionein wrote:

MagickalMemories wrote:One thought... If you really wanted it to be LED lit, you could redo the twirly bit and make it bigger. The wiring and power source for the LED's could all be housed within it so that, when it twirls, the WHOLE THING twirls.

No twisted, broken wires!

Eric

It's doable, buuuut... I think I'll save that for a rainy never.

I can certainly see the charm in it, trust me. I of all people can appreciate unnecessary lights in miniatures. That said, it's just such a monstrous pain that I'm not really feeling it. Plus, there's the issue of maintenance to consider. Motors are hardy, from what I've seen, so I'm not concerned with the one I have inside here burning out. If the battery goes out on the main gun, I've made it easily replaceable. A self-contained spinning apparatus with 3 LEDS has plenty of opportunities to fail that I couldn't easily fix: an LED could go out, the battery could die, and so on... plus, I'd have to have the lights on some sort of separate switch if I did that, which isn't nearly as impressive.

Well, I wasn't trying to say you SHOULD do it... just giving you a method on HOW you COULD.
LOL

It's nothing I'd ever actually suggest ANYONE try. Then again, MUCH of the stuff you decide to do is stuff I'd never suggest to anyone (sane). LOL

Looking forward to more!

Eric