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I'm not too concerned with the idea of you being able to change the arms out between games or something like that. I'm more concerned with being able to get special weapons onto the existing line of arms without a lot of cutting and drilling and god knows what else.

I feel like you want a solution for a problem that does not exist.

Converting is part of this hobby.

There's nothing wrong with "plug and play". Unless you're the Grand Arbiter of this hobby and no-one told us?

 HisDivineShadow wrote:
I feel like you want a solution for a problem that does not exist.

Converting is part of this hobby.

IF U LUV CONVRTING SO MUCH Y DONT U MARY IT?

Sorry about that, I don't know what just happened. I feel like the biggest reason to use third party bits is because they are better than conversions in almost every situation. I mean, if you want rolled sleeve Imperial Guard arms, you can take Cadian arms, Catachan arms, a paperclip, a drill, a knife, green stuff, a sculpting tool and just listing the preparation I'm already tired. Plus, there are converns about lack of consistency, cost of getting the parts required, time and labor, the whole green stuff learning curve and on and on. The fact of the matter is I feel better off using Victoria's excellent rolled sleeve arms and being done with it. Faster, easier, and certainly far more attractive. It's worth mentioning that I'm talking about the arms, I'm not trying to state Victoria is fast or easy. She's certainly far more attractive, however.

 noneoftheabove0 wrote:

 HisDivineShadow wrote:
I feel like you want a solution for a problem that does not exist.

Converting is part of this hobby.

IF U LUV CONVRTING SO MUCH Y DONT U MARY IT?

Sorry about that, I don't know what just happened. I feel like the biggest reason to use third party bits is because they are better than conversions in almost every situation. I mean, if you want rolled sleeve Imperial Guard arms, you can take Cadian arms, Catachan arms, a paperclip, a drill, a knife, green stuff, a sculpting tool and just listing the preparation I'm already tired. Plus, there are converns about lack of consistency, cost of getting the parts required, time and labor, the whole green stuff learning curve and on and on. The fact of the matter is I feel better off using Victoria's excellent rolled sleeve arms and being done with it. Faster, easier, and certainly far more attractive. It's worth mentioning that I'm talking about the arms, I'm not trying to state Victoria is fast or easy. She's certainly far more attractive, however.

I shall not marry it. I do however love it so much, Imma take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

I don't disagree on any specific point, as I dislike green stuff myself. But weapon swaps are the ,most basic sort of conversion. And adding a pin like you suggested , I thought would add more problems then solved. They'd need recast correct? Would it replace the grip? Then people who wanted a whole weapon wouldn't want it. If the particular weapon or hand was made for a weapon without a pistol style grip it'd add a whole layer.

Some seems like a whole layer of logistics to save a modicrum of time cutting a weapon off.


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 Azazelx wrote:
There's nothing wrong with "plug and play". Unless you're the Grand Arbiter of this hobby and no-one told us?

Silly me, forgot this was Dakka. Mistook it for a discussion forum. I (didn't think I was at least) being snippy or combative. But discussing his suggestion.

I do so love Dakka's well deserved reputation.

 HisDivineShadow wrote:

 Azazelx wrote:
There's nothing wrong with "plug and play". Unless you're the Grand Arbiter of this hobby and no-one told us?

Silly me, forgot this was Dakka. Mistook it for a discussion forum. I (didn't think I was at least) being snippy or combative. But discussing his suggestion.

I do so love Dakka's well deserved reputation.

Which doesn't actually exist but if it did, I'm not sure you'd be helping the matter?

If you ever run across a post that you feel breaks the rule of the site, the best, and really only, response should be to use the Moderator Alert button - the Yellow Triangle with the exclamation point in it.

A Moderator will take it from there.

Thanks!

Hello. Long time lurker checking in...

 noneoftheabove0 wrote:
I mean, if you want rolled sleeve Imperial Guard arms, you can take Cadian arms, Catachan arms, a paperclip, a drill, a knife, green stuff, a sculpting tool and just listing the preparation I'm already tired.

I'd get that checked out with a doctor. That level of fatigue could be indicative of a serious medical problem.

I get that some people aren't big on conversion*, but I think saving on weapon swap troubles is quite a lot less cool than the other things that Vic could bring us instead. When it comes down to it, most people can stretch to a weapon swap... how many people can do a decent job of converting women for their armies?
I know I could, but it'd be a lot more of a stretch for most people (as evidenced by the rarity of said armies).

Not to say it's inherently a bad idea... but as HisDivineShadow says, it does sound like it'll have a lot of complications to fix what most people don't necessarily consider much of a problem.

* Personally, I love conversion heavy projects. It's not a proper modelling job until I've cut it up and applied lots of green stuff.

Hi all,
I have just packed up this selection of Vic Minis to go on sale at MOAB 2013, Sydney 5th-7th Oct. All selling in AUD and with an extra 10% off website prices. Find them at the Mainly Medieval stand. Get in quick to grab a bargain. Cheers V
http://www.southernbattlegamers.org/moabsite/

Those packs look sharp Vic. Does this mean you're going to start pushing your product out to stores, or is this purely for conventions and the like?

Also, this reminded me to replace an order. I had forgotten that I have money again

 MrMoustaffa wrote:
Those packs look sharp Vic. Does this mean you're going to start pushing your product out to stores, or is this purely for conventions and the like?

Also, this reminded me to replace an order. I had forgotten that I have money again

Thanks, just conventions for now. Once I have the resin production nailed down, I will think about wider distribution.

I have been working on a new las-gun design. This is the first draft. The final sculpt will be done digitally. It is loosely inspired by an AK-47. Comments and feedback appreciated before revisions are done.
Thanks,
V

 vic wrote:

 MrMoustaffa wrote:
Those packs look sharp Vic. Does this mean you're going to start pushing your product out to stores, or is this purely for conventions and the like?

Also, this reminded me to replace an order. I had forgotten that I have money again

Thanks, just conventions for now. Once I have the resin production nailed down, I will think about wider distribution.

I have been working on a new las-gun design. This is the first draft. The final sculpt will be done digitally. It is loosely inspired by an AK-47. Comments and feedback appreciated before revisions are done.
Thanks,
V

For one, the single most iconic feature of the AK is the sickle shape mag, tho I can see it being problematic for fitment etc.

It also has a lasgun-like muzzle, but looks to have a ejection port. The gas tube above the barrel also doesn't fit what one might suppose a laser based weapon needing.

Overall, it feels more like an auto gun with a las muzzle. Not untoward, mind you, I have a few troops with autos instead of las. Same stat line, and its like I try to hide one is plasma!

Not a bad gun, but if you want to emulate an AK, you need to keep in mind an AKs most prominent feature.
Its rugged simplicity. Russian arms generally are not finely tuned machines, they are blunt and rugged. They have slop, and play.

They don't have the buttery smoothness of an English Enfield.
Or the clockwork precision of a German Mauser.
Or the overbuilt sturdiness of an American Garand.
Russians do numbers, plain and simple.

Ooh i like that. Will these guns be replacing the current guns that are in your kits or will the be a seperate pack?

A bit of feedback.
1. The stock looks a bit weedy compared to the comparitively hefty body.
2. The iron sight thingymabob on the barrel looks a bit wrong. Maybe if it were a bit smaller and placed on this thing...

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I do agree that it looks more like an autogun, less like a lasgun. Ultimately, while the Kalashnikov is an iconic weapon, it doesn't translate to energy weapon aesthetics well. Too much of what makes it iconic are mechanisms of a conventional firearm.

I'm assuming these are nominally for the not-valhallans you showed pictures of some time ago, as while your current lasguns are great, they're very 19th century styled, which doesn't fit the more modern lines you've got coming down the tube.

If I may be so bold as to suggest an alternative source, have you looked at the SVT-40? Soviet semi-auto from WW2, smooth lines, functional-looking and easily modified aesthetically to be similar to a lasgun. All it would need is a change to the muzzle and removing the receiver. With the draft you've posted, if you were to raise the muzzle to be in line with the rest of the body, remove the gas exhaust and lengthen the stock, you'd be pretty close. Only thing I would recommend on top of that would be keep the cartridge design similar to existent lasguns; most versions of them keep the flat features and single diagonal line, and the simplified design would likely be easier to cast as well without issues.

EDIT: This is a quick and dirty slapjob I put together in paint to illustrate roughly what I'm thinking:



I just threw the red dots on there as a rough marker for some kind of ammo indicator or somesuch instead of an ejection port.

That front sight looks really weird with no rear sight on the receiver. It may as well be a sharp pointy bit to stab people with otherwise. Doing ironsights at this level though would be incredibly fiddly though, your call. I doubt it would really bug people that much.

I also agree the stock looks a bit weedy.Stoffer's slapjob is definitely on the right track I think as far as a good stock is concerned. A beefier stock alone would make the rifle look ten times better and I would buy it in a heartbeat.

Crap, now I have to rebuy lasgun arms for the Cadian project Will these be able to be attached to rolled sleeve arms somehow?

 MrMoustaffa wrote:
That front sight looks really weird with no rear sight on the receiver. It may as well be a sharp pointy bit to stab people with otherwise. Doing ironsights at this level though would be incredibly fiddly though, your call. I doubt it would really bug people that much.

Russian arms design generally don't have a sight on the rear ward end of the reciever. They are usually around midway. Its entirely plausible her design has a sight around the same area. A laser weapon wouldn't necessarily need an adjustable rear sight. So a simple notch would do.

At the risk of sounding like a party pooper, I feel we need vic plasma/melta goodness first.

Half way there Rick. Vic has done a fusion gun Now all we need is the plasma.

 MajorStoffer wrote:
I do agree that it looks more like an autogun, less like a lasgun. Ultimately, while the Kalashnikov is an iconic weapon, it doesn't translate to energy weapon aesthetics well. Too much of what makes it iconic are mechanisms of a conventional firearm.

I'm assuming these are nominally for the not-valhallans you showed pictures of some time ago, as while your current lasguns are great, they're very 19th century styled, which doesn't fit the more modern lines you've got coming down the tube.

If I may be so bold as to suggest an alternative source, have you looked at the SVT-40? Soviet semi-auto from WW2, smooth lines, functional-looking and easily modified aesthetically to be similar to a lasgun. All it would need is a change to the muzzle and removing the receiver. With the draft you've posted, if you were to raise the muzzle to be in line with the rest of the body, remove the gas exhaust and lengthen the stock, you'd be pretty close. Only thing I would recommend on top of that would be keep the cartridge design similar to existent lasguns; most versions of them keep the flat features and single diagonal line, and the simplified design would likely be easier to cast as well without issues.

EDIT: This is a quick and dirty slapjob I put together in paint to illustrate roughly what I'm thinking:



I just threw the red dots on there as a rough marker for some kind of ammo indicator or somesuch instead of an ejection port.

While I like your rough design, I only have to say that it really doesn't look like the SVT. While the SVT was an autoloader, it still had that wood stock battle rifle aesthetic, much like most of her other rifles

Its also good to note, that looking to bring more designs out is great, but as WW2 Russians in space, not vahallans don't really need new guns. Most of the War was won with a wood stock bolt action rifle. The Mosin Nagant.

My only objection to the lasgun design is that the 'power pack' looks too much like a magazine of bullets - fine for those wanting the pseudo-WW2 theme, but less good for those wanting a sci-fi look. Of course, you could just make multiple versions and make everyone happy

Jes Goodwin has an interesting take on doing a lasgun as an AK, I couldn't find any sketches of it on-line, but a lot of the Necromunda range used his design:



Personally, I'd go for a design that looks sturdy and reliable, but doesn't have to copy the AK. As mentioned before one of the bigger points of recognition is the sickle magazine, something an energy weapon would not really need, as it's just a battery that goes in there. Sure, GW has done sickle las mags before, but they look rather out of place IMHO on an energy weapon.

A beefier stock might be welcome, though as is, the weapon looks fine: Chunky and mean, like it belongs in the hands of a warrior of the forty first millennium.

As I said on FB, please keep the pressed steel magazine. Absolutely perfect for autoguns, I've been trying to find a good range for far too long.

 BrookM wrote:
Jes Goodwin has an interesting take on doing a lasgun as an AK, I couldn't find any sketches of it on-line, but a lot of the Necromunda range used his design:

Speaking of ladies with guns, any updates on the female Galaxiest Finest, Vic? Specifically the Flak-Armor variety? I need to expand my guard forces...

 Snrub wrote:
Half way there Rick. Vic has done a fusion gun Now all we need is the plasma.

Oh, I know about them! Hell I have 3 sets!
I guess I'm saying a few (3?) poses of each of them(plas and melta).


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 BrookM wrote:
Jes Goodwin has an interesting take on doing a lasgun as an AK, I couldn't find any sketches of it on-line, but a lot of the Necromunda range used his design:



Personally, I'd go for a design that looks sturdy and reliable, but doesn't have to copy the AK. As mentioned before one of the bigger points of recognition is the sickle magazine, something an energy weapon would not really need, as it's just a battery that goes in there. Sure, GW has done sickle las mags before, but they look rather out of place IMHO on an energy weapon.

A beefier stock might be welcome, though as is, the weapon looks fine: Chunky and mean, like it belongs in the hands of a warrior of the forty first millennium.

I remember the Necromunda sprue that had those!

It does look more like an autogun than a lasgun, but I like it.

 BrookM wrote:
Jes Goodwin has an interesting take on doing a lasgun as an AK, I couldn't find any sketches of it on-line, but a lot of the Necromunda range used his design:



Personally, I'd go for a design that looks sturdy and reliable, but doesn't have to copy the AK. As mentioned before one of the bigger points of recognition is the sickle magazine, something an energy weapon would not really need, as it's just a battery that goes in there. Sure, GW has done sickle las mags before, but they look rather out of place IMHO on an energy weapon.

A beefier stock might be welcome, though as is, the weapon looks fine: Chunky and mean, like it belongs in the hands of a warrior of the forty first millennium.

I wouldn't take inspiration from this particular gun. It looks like a bolter with power pack glued at an angle and a catachan pattern las barrel. Not exactly 'AK' styled IMO.

And while everyone seems to clamouring for beefier stocks, an awful lot of AKs were ran as pistols (read: no stock) or with folding stocks. Aimed shots are less important then mass of bodies and rate of fire, no?

Hi, thanks for all the feedback on the concept sketch. I have been working with the ever patient Jake Schneider on this new Las Gun. It will have a sight and bayonet option and we are working on a shorter variant with a folded stock. Also, up and coming is an auto gun version and a digital sculpt of the Plasma Gun sketch previewed recently.
Cheers, V

Looking good Vic!

Like it lots.

Something about that giant front sight makes me think it needs a big hole through it (and another corresponding hole somewhere on the back stock) as mounts for a carrying strap. Too silly?

Looks like its really coming along. Something that I like more than the previous laser-gun design (on your current range), from a painters perspective, is that I can actually see the different sections of the gun. e.g. Which section was going to be painted metal, which is going to be painted the same as the armour, which section is the grip etc. I found the previous guns hard to paint, which is not a gripe about the models, rather this digital design may make my life easier.

Yep that's looking pretty spiffy Vic. Much more streamlined and laser gun looking.

Can't wait to see the auto and plasma guns.