tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91505399342996195422024-02-20T05:18:46.664-08:00One thousand Starshipsscience fiction and starship designAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-73187057972168235372014-07-11T03:01:00.000-07:002014-07-11T03:01:15.247-07:00Heavy puller, CF type<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is the first post about those unsung heroes of every space game out there. The cargo ships. The interplanetary shipping lanes are the irreplaceable veins where the freight, machinery and people flow and help colonies flourish. Without the haulers, pushers, pullers, barges, trampers and blockade runners, the universe as we know it would come to a standstill.<br />
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The type 56 'Chris Foss' block 22 heavy puller is a rather unusual member of the type 40-60<span class="st"> </span><span class="st">Luzhou/</span><span class="st"><span class="st">Guarapuava</span> family. Instead of its buff bow, it has forward <i>separate </i>fusion engines. Most of the ships with a need for retro-boosters use a rotating fusion-chamber with separate nozzles, in effect removing the need for a separate set of engines. Alas, the CF type was built before such rotating chambers where wildly available on the market, so it has to carry at all times the extra mass of the secondary engine set.</span><br />
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<span class="st">This cargo ships' favorite shipping lanes are the ones needing last minute maneuvers, such as asteroid or debris heavy areas. Other ships must slowly rotate their entire bulk to maneuver or brake, and thus can damage their cargo or strain their structure. The CF can do much of that without breaking a sweat.</span><br />
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<span class="st">Unfortunately, the high inert mass and high operating costs of the CF are bound to make it disappear from the lanes in the next century or so, as it is being replaced by smaller and more versatile vessels.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-49142594270399178812014-07-10T05:53:00.002-07:002014-07-10T05:57:36.637-07:00Ganymedian light cruiser part II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is the second part of the post related to the new Ganymedian main light warship. Awesome agility, novel configuration, fearsome hacking capability and deadly weaponry, it has it all.<br />
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This ship has come as an unpleasant surprise to the complacent circles of those who expected the artificial intelligences of the gas giants to stagnate and ultimately disappear. While its appearance assuaged some fears of breaking new ground and making every human fleet obsolete, the light cruiser is set to very quickly challenge the outer trade lanes, and might even help build a control wall blocking the way to the Kuiper belt.<br />
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Much as been said already about the ship, so I will let the pictures speak by themselves. <br />
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soon I will post pictures of its lighter counterpart (and the human equivalent of a corvette) on this blog.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-11848629107826870012014-07-09T01:27:00.002-07:002014-07-10T05:54:12.340-07:00Space Eeel part I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A little bit of Master of Orion, a pinch of Dune and a sprinkle of the Empire Strikes Back, and you got yourself an asteroid-burrowing spaceship-eating 150 meters long predator.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This monster's origins are not clear, although it is suspected that it is not a construct: it must have found its way to living in the hard vacuum by itself. Its lack of easily distinguishable brain makes it impossible to be sure if it devolved from a species capable of mutating itself in such a way. The standard theory involves a possible past parasitic lifestyle in the innards of the large stargrazers, progressively mutating towards an autonomous lifestyle exposed to hard radiation and vacuum.<br />
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In any case, the Space Eel is known for is ravenous appetite, and can shred a spaceship in seconds if it passes close enough to its burrow. It is quite likely that the eel is attracted to radiation in the high energy part of the spectrum, and some speculate that it can also detect neutrons thanks to specialized sensors filed with organic solvents.<br />
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At 4000 triangles (damn that curvy long tail), the Space Eel has also a big appetite for polygons -but how can you make it twist its tail if you don't use lots of them ?<br />
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In the next post about this creature, I will replace its current generic skin texture with a more appropriate one.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-14401382722657040942014-07-08T01:42:00.000-07:002014-07-08T02:39:56.170-07:00Implacable class heavy cruiser<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Behold the upgraded Implacable heavy cruiser, the latest and fiercest of its kind.<br />
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In an attempt to overcome the overheating problems of the Insolent class protected cruisers, the Lagrange IV yards conceived a more massive ship with a twin boom hull. One half of the hull would thus contain all weapon and cooling systems, as well as support the main cooling panels.<br />
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The new configuration restricted the firing arcs of the ship and the general area of the hull was increased without adding much protection. Still, the Implacable is considered a great success and has been sent around in the solar system on every occasion -its aggressive lines and grouped armament always making an impression.<br />
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The four Implacables are equipped with powerful auxiliary thrusters and thence can roll and pitch very fast for a ship of their mass. The two latter of the class feature a large twin drone bay -those might nevertheless be removed in a future refit as they have proved to be an Achilles heel in the hull protection.<br />
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As powerful as they are, the Implacable might very well be the last of their kind, as their maintenance is costly, and they are too large to fill the patrol role of smaller cruisers. Some have also voiced concern over the wisdom of putting such a heavy armament in a hull without an armored nose section. The good sensors guarantee a high beam weapon precision but the class will probably have a hard time engaging any battleship, orbital or not, without putting itself at risk.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-80495204188869183442014-07-07T06:34:00.000-07:002014-07-07T07:01:30.678-07:00Asteroid Base<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For a change, I designed a large structure: a starbase carved in a large asteroid. The orange part is the large docking bay area, where ships too large for the interior can dock. The diameter of the inner bay is more than 400 meters, to give you a sense of scale.<br />
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There are several service entrances on the sides, for smaller ships, maintenance or secondary transit.<br />
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Thanks to the use of a large non-specific texture, I could achieve a good level of detail (you don't want large pixels in space stations, even when you crash your ship into them).<br />
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I modeled several more stations (this time with rotating discs) and will soon post them here !<br />
Take care all</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-19072798064689799012014-07-07T06:00:00.004-07:002014-07-07T12:28:48.703-07:00Silent Blade starfighter Part II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is the second post about the heavy starfighter Silent Blade. It is currently textured with a non-specific (read generic) 1024x texture. The results are mixed. I will probably try to make a texture specific to the object soon.<br />
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Modeling-wise, to make the design useful in the Ceres universe, I changed the single front turret to a twin mount, with a nose-mounted sensor suite. The weapons are a small laser (keen eyes will see the composite mirror) and a small short-barreled Gauss gun. I did not model the lateral fuel pods, but might in the future.<br />
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Once I complete the specific texture, I will model the massive two-stage retrobooster attached to the fighter. More on this soon !<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-68964239141774245482013-03-10T12:40:00.002-07:002013-03-10T12:40:27.351-07:00HummingBird Starfighter part I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello all. After another short hiatus, this blog once more forges forward !<br />
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Below is the near-finished humming bird star-fighter, a very classic take at our beloved and highly unlikely little space fighters. Starfighter is a lot sexier than short-range autonomous manned interceptor kill vehicle, so we will stick to the less elaborate but slightly more appealing naming, shall we ? :)<br />
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<a name='more'></a> As stated above, the design is very conservative, both shape-wise and architecture-wise. It is the smallest hull that can take an interplanetary engine and house both a small laser and a particle beam gun (the grey rectangular pod on the right side). With every economy of mass still made and extensive use of lightweight materials and structure, the humming bird is still beyond the 200 metric tons mark, without long-range tanks -that's the weight of a large cold-war bomber. Not exactly the flimsy little ship most would imagine.<br /><br />
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I have not included the propellant mass tanks as they would have cluttered the views. Still, there isn't a cubic centimeter not crammed with systems in this design: the powerplant and engine weighting more than two thirds of the total mass.<br />
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Operating the vessel for long times (say beyond the asteroid belt or with orbital slingshot technique) is beyond the capability of the crew endurance -even short transits between planets painfully showed that the primitive accommodation made the crew more or less useless on arrival.<br />
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There will be a more detailed description of this ship in the next post, where I will polish the texture and add a few details. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-11424154609179337892013-02-17T00:59:00.003-08:002013-02-17T00:59:57.151-08:00Mini Starships series #11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Below are some pictures of dazzle-camouflage ships.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right: a heavy cruiser, a light cruiser, and a heavy frigate</td></tr>
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The camouflage is not intended at concealing the whole vessel, of course, but to confuse the fine-aiming of enemy energy beams upon the vulnerable spots of the hull. When 50.000 km away, any laser beam diverges and (the energy deposited by the photons) divided by (the target's surface hit) decreases. This is especially true if the laser has a high wavelength (infra-red or visible, say) and if the target's surface is heavily sloped.<br />
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So if you want to hit your enemy before he hits you, you got to fire first, but focus the relatively weak beam where it hurts. Unmasked sensors and laser mirrors, radiators and propulsion are prime targets, but they might not be visible. Thus you got to hit the right spot and focus the beam long enough to melt/ vaporize the skin of the ship, and reach its inner organs.<br />
This is where the dazzle camouflage comes in. It disrupts the shape, mingles shadows and armor angles and by slightly moving or changing (yes, all those ships have octopus-like skin changing capability), it confuses the continuous aiming and moves away the beam from the weak spot. The camouflage covers a broad part of the spectrum (infra-red especially) and associated with fake surface hot-spots, hides the inner structure of the ship to prying enemy scans. Hard to hit Achilles' heel when it crawls all over his body !<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eMbDhn5mzI8/USCOF97hakI/AAAAAAAAAYw/Jfxt3S3lOx8/s1600/Dazzle_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eMbDhn5mzI8/USCOF97hakI/AAAAAAAAAYw/Jfxt3S3lOx8/s1600/Dazzle_02.jpg" /></a></div>
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Protection is further augmented by moving the radiators to the stern of the ship, and making them rotate (except for the central light cruiser). Moving systems down the stern of the ship generates problems: it is where the fusion propulsion is. Fusion engines that generates neutrons eats up metal and matter so that within a year, the metal incorporates neutrons in its atomic structure and looses 80% of its strength. So you have to use neutron-less reactors that are more massive and use more expensive fuel.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bD3HomOXjTg/USCOF3lAmyI/AAAAAAAAAY0/Xfy55FSWGEQ/s1600/Dazzle_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bD3HomOXjTg/USCOF3lAmyI/AAAAAAAAAY0/Xfy55FSWGEQ/s1600/Dazzle_03.jpg" /></a></div>
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The armored cruiser above has two lasers turret mounts well clear of the hull, with exceptional firing arcs. Furthermore, the weapons are mounted on a tower extension equipped with vibration dampeners -so that the ship may fire while accelerating. The propulsion group is made up of four neutron-less fusion reactors, whose exhaust provide active protection to the weapon's system further down the hull.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vY9qMX_xHlQ/USCOGo12tXI/AAAAAAAAAZI/RS4eKT8NkC4/s1600/Dazzle_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vY9qMX_xHlQ/USCOGo12tXI/AAAAAAAAAZI/RS4eKT8NkC4/s1600/Dazzle_04.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The light cruiser has fixed radiators, although they are slightly armored. The two laser turrets are again well clear of the hull, while they are this time very close to the engines. This solution makes it easy to provide maximum protection to the trio "energy core - propulsion - laser core", even though it forbids precise aiming of the lasers while accelerating.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-79001271329023482542013-02-13T01:58:00.001-08:002013-02-13T01:59:25.457-08:00Universe #1: Hubris<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i> With this post, I will start laying the foundations of some universes of mine -they are the spawning grounds were my designs hatch. The first universe is Hubris, a raving mad epoch were man and machine </i>meet again.</div>
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Humanity is no more.</div>
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<i>And nobody gives a damn.</i></div>
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The reasons why the machines made the
human race go extinct are obscure. Some say it was a theological
dispute, others count tales of revolts against an
oppressing master. Some creationists even claim that man never
existed. Nevertheless, as it happens, nothing or no-one really
cares about the disappearance of man.</div>
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Machines have more pressing matters at
hand.</div>
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The last generations of
Mechanical Oracles have been unable to reach out and communicate with
God. Deprived of their link with the Creator for the very first time,
the machines slowly succumb to madness. Every day that passes the
numbers of machines joining pagan cults or practicing psychotic rites
increase: fratricide aggressions, collective suicides become ever more common. Nothing seems able to stop the all-engulfing maelstrom of insanity.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As madness relentlessly progresses, an
Oracle-Machine takes an unbelievable
initiative. Violating all the taboos and interdicts of its race, the
Oracle recreates a <i>human</i>. It has been a long time
since such a creature roamed the worlds, and nobody really knows what
it is capable of. Still, machines feel an instinctive fear towards
the humans: didn't they almost prevail against the machines, at just
ten thousand against millions ?</div>
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Does the Oracle know that what she
brought back to life is the latest, <i>deadliest</i> evolutionary
step of man ?</div>
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<br /></div>
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What if the Oracle had resuscitated
its own maker ?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-32633633442101591372013-02-10T02:57:00.001-08:002013-02-10T02:57:26.484-08:00Astral Arena boardgame cards<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Are displayed below a few of the in-game cards of my boardgame Astral Arena.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xx2BO6ye1gQ/UQ00Z4Te3KI/AAAAAAAAAWg/EsaIxjoySTs/s1600/ingame-cards_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xx2BO6ye1gQ/UQ00Z4Te3KI/AAAAAAAAAWg/EsaIxjoySTs/s1600/ingame-cards_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The blue cards are technologies, the green events and the red ones battle cards, in space or on the ground.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-51402852641610924612013-02-06T03:26:00.003-08:002013-02-06T03:27:21.797-08:00MHD atmospheric cruiser Part I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is the unpainted model of a <b>M</b>agneto-<b>H</b>ydro-<b>D</b>ynamic atmospheric cruiser.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CkqTbWHboTk/URI6KONJnMI/AAAAAAAAAX4/JQQxmIbi3Vg/s1600/MHD_cruiser_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CkqTbWHboTk/URI6KONJnMI/AAAAAAAAAX4/JQQxmIbi3Vg/s1600/MHD_cruiser_01.jpg" /></a></div>
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This ship uses MHD propulsion (use of strong magnetic fields that can induce conductive fluid movement) to fly through gas and liquids without using any moving parts. The large ducts and hull surface act as giant lifting surfaces in atmospheres, while in space a more classical mirror fusion engine is used. The ducts act as radiators in this last case. The nose antennas are a sensor array used in dense fluid mediums, sensitive to fields, chemical trails and pressure waves.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AafbKzZVek/URI6Jxw5ThI/AAAAAAAAAXw/IyC7S35UXGU/s1600/MHD_cruiser_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AafbKzZVek/URI6Jxw5ThI/AAAAAAAAAXw/IyC7S35UXGU/s1600/MHD_cruiser_02.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the MHD cruiser with landing gear and bow ramp deployed</td></tr>
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While the constraints on the hull shape are rather sharp, the MHD propulsion is very light on maintenance and efficient in very varied atmospheres -even in gas giants. The armament cannot be used while flying with MHD though, because the strong magnetic field interferes with the laser (located in the tear-dropped pod beneath the hull, as shown above).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N3x2shS-iNk/URI6KBTo5SI/AAAAAAAAAX0/hO55aKKKG4A/s1600/MHD_cruiser_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N3x2shS-iNk/URI6KBTo5SI/AAAAAAAAAX0/hO55aKKKG4A/s1600/MHD_cruiser_03.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stern view of the ship, with its alternate asymmetrical duct configuration clearly visible</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>The face count is again about 7300 polygons -this being my current benchmark for 3D models. Of course this can be reduced on increased depending on the engine that will display the model.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-48952020433158880892013-02-04T03:37:00.001-08:002013-02-04T03:38:13.417-08:00Silent Blade Starfighter part I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Yes yes I know</i>, starfighters are absolutely unlikely creatures that crisscross the heavens like so many annoying little mosquitoes, buzzing and happily ignoring every law of physics devised. But hey, then again, they <i>do </i>look cool.<br />
Here is my take on what a starfighter could look like if we did not violate too many laws and gave it a sensible role in a fleet. I will start from the selected sketch all the way up to the 3D model.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oFtG4so6K3M/UQ-bW6RX6nI/AAAAAAAAAXY/-GQ68EYdAaM/s1600/StarFigher_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oFtG4so6K3M/UQ-bW6RX6nI/AAAAAAAAAXY/-GQ68EYdAaM/s1600/StarFigher_01.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>When I say fighter of course, I mean <i>lightweight near-disposable multi-stage manned attack craft</i>. It is to be released by an approaching fleet before its final deceleration and is intended on giving intelligence and harass enemy shipping. When the fighter is close enough to the target area, a large retro-booster fires up for several days and then disconnects. The main combat strap-on engine is still on in case a last minute course alteration is necessary. Then, it also eventually drops off, at last releasing the fighter.<br />
<br />
At more than 150 tons, the fighter is not <i>that </i>light, and without a system to dampen inertia, it would not be able to maneuver a lot before exiting the target solar system from the other side. In the next post, we shall look a bit what's <i>inside </i>the starfighter.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-57547055108155371322013-02-04T00:51:00.000-08:002013-02-04T00:51:24.580-08:00Mini Starships series #10<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here are two starships during a live fire exercise over their homeplanet. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ISl1Rb5jTM/UQ9ztrvfL8I/AAAAAAAAAW4/VBPDvMjuDKE/s1600/green-armor_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ISl1Rb5jTM/UQ9ztrvfL8I/AAAAAAAAAW4/VBPDvMjuDKE/s1600/green-armor_01.jpg" /></a></div>
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The specific scenario was a crash course alteration and long-range anti-missile fire. For obvious reasons, ships would avoid exposing their weakly armored flanks to any enemy in range, especially in such close formations. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d45mNZpzHPQ/UQ9zv9_5VQI/AAAAAAAAAXA/bLtyMjSsewI/s1600/green-armor_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d45mNZpzHPQ/UQ9zv9_5VQI/AAAAAAAAAXA/bLtyMjSsewI/s1600/green-armor_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
This is especially true for these ships that concentrate all armor in the front arc. Huge disposable armor tiles are held in front of the hull, in hope that it will dissipate the energy of lasers or kinetic impactors. Depending on the mission profile, further layers can be added at the expense of acceleration.<br />
The armament is mounted on large armored turrets that can fire while the rest of the hull is masked by the armor. The destroyer in the picture above has a turret located just on top of its engine group -not a very sound idea given the vibrations the propulsion emits when working. This reduces the amount of armoring required and allows the engines to directly pump the laser weapon.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-77076189833637825742013-01-31T10:00:00.001-08:002013-02-01T10:20:21.367-08:00Shock Runner Mech, part I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is the first post on the Shock Runner cybertank -or Mech.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ocd33wiOLI/UQqnPjSq8lI/AAAAAAAAAWI/ddIVToS5cWc/s1600/ShockRunner_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ocd33wiOLI/UQqnPjSq8lI/AAAAAAAAAWI/ddIVToS5cWc/s1600/ShockRunner_01.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>The model 6 Shock Runner is designed and built by machines, more specifically by the Rheinmetall automatic design bureau Anton/ Talos, in the underground installations beneath the Rhur. The first assembly line began operating in 2073, and the model 6 was accepted into service a mere 2 years later.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gmaJeCO018/UQqnNMrbwVI/AAAAAAAAAVw/6X9LUfU6nA0/s1600/ShockRunner_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gmaJeCO018/UQqnNMrbwVI/AAAAAAAAAVw/6X9LUfU6nA0/s1600/ShockRunner_04.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Its main characteristics are moderate cost and complexity. It is built around a Thales-ThyssenKrupp MD400 cybercore [canis vulgaris] and its main locomotive gear -an advanced 2+2 leg adaptative-gait unit. Model 6 can run, crawl, gallop, even climb small obstacles using two or four limbs. Top speed in uneven terrain is well over 80 kph without forcing, and walls over 2.5 meters can be jumped above. The front limbs possess claws that allow for precise and fast swiveling of the chassis -very useful when firing its low velocity assault gun.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JmqifIQzdYs/UQqnKRhPGGI/AAAAAAAAAVg/c_Z19urdTPA/s1600/ShockRunner_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JmqifIQzdYs/UQqnKRhPGGI/AAAAAAAAAVg/c_Z19urdTPA/s1600/ShockRunner_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
The design of the 'torso' and lower body is such that it can withstand the explosions of most mines in service. Indeed, mines have been the bane of all early combat walkers, as their legs are very vulnerable to cheap explosive devices. The slanted undersides of the model 6 direct the force of the blast to the sides, just as the forearms and the articulation-less frontal claws.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mGyhnr_WHEA/UQqnLu6BluI/AAAAAAAAAVo/LmLsCJV3Bo0/s1600/ShockRunner_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mGyhnr_WHEA/UQqnLu6BluI/AAAAAAAAAVo/LmLsCJV3Bo0/s1600/ShockRunner_03.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the amount of equipment lashed onto the mech: an extra limb is even carried on the back.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The weapon systems greatly benefit from a hybrid fire-control center and panoramic all-weather sensors. Model 6 is fully integrated in the battlefield noosphere, and can use all information and decision-making assets in the C5i environment. The main armament is supplemented by a dorsal turret with an anti-personnel/ AA /PD blue-wavelength laser. Miscellaneous sub-munitions and smoke dispensers are located to either side and behind the walker. Furthermore, mines or extra fuel are routinely carried on hardpoints behind.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g6CaRKCQZQI/UQqnOTxNWHI/AAAAAAAAAV4/DnwGaFmLwJM/s1600/ShockRunner_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g6CaRKCQZQI/UQqnOTxNWHI/AAAAAAAAAV4/DnwGaFmLwJM/s1600/ShockRunner_05.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cylinders beneath the mech are smart mine containers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The model 6 was to be the fighter of the future: autonomous, adaptable and with great learning capacity. It played a non-negligible role during the Catharsis, wiping out scores of human troops in the fighting around the glass craters of Jerusalem, Aleppo and Tyr.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YIV7Uqy0L_M/UQqnPoL2sLI/AAAAAAAAAV8/_ZrA6O2uwvE/s1600/Shock-Runner_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YIV7Uqy0L_M/UQqnPoL2sLI/AAAAAAAAAV8/_ZrA6O2uwvE/s1600/Shock-Runner_01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the first sketch of the model 6 Shock Runner</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-5684470242027505712013-01-30T00:49:00.001-08:002013-01-30T00:50:51.451-08:00Mechs and StuGs #1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Below are a few color profiles of armored fighting vehicles.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oeHOHCwLI8Q/UQjYSalnOhI/AAAAAAAAAVI/aizgEQ5qRtc/s1600/Mechs-and-StuGs_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oeHOHCwLI8Q/UQjYSalnOhI/AAAAAAAAAVI/aizgEQ5qRtc/s1600/Mechs-and-StuGs_A.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
There are:<br />
- an aninertial self-propelled howitzer, more likely a StuG (sturmgeschütz: assault gun in German). The chassis is swiveling on top of an unbalanced cross-wheeled base. The vehicle sports a high velocity railgun with shell injection (the shell is initially fired by a powder cartridge and then the railgun takes over). Thanks to the aninertial dampener, the chassis can fully rotate in less than a second.<br />
- an armored car (Gepard), armed with a small squeeze-bore anti-materiel gun. A small retractable laser turret is located in the rear part of the turret.<br />
- a mobile siege laser, the largest diameter laser mounted on a legged chassis. The firing arc is 360 degrees although the laser is not suitable for point defense. The design is a bit unbalanced and too heavy on the front legs since the turret had to be moved forward during the design (to accommodate the cooling circuits). Sensors in the head of the chassis provide ground-penetrating scanning to a depth of one meter (using a small particle accelerator).<br />
- a low-gravity recon tank, equipped with a pivoting 6-wheel mount. The wheels can rotate around a common axis to give a better off-road capability. A 20mm gauss gun is housed in the turret.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-58808715365409273892013-01-23T22:56:00.000-08:002013-01-23T23:10:01.194-08:00Mini Starships series #9, orbital stations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here are some orbital installations.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g0t21Y4p8Io/UQDa4iPXmQI/AAAAAAAAAUo/IHhs11jOuRM/s1600/space-stations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g0t21Y4p8Io/UQDa4iPXmQI/AAAAAAAAAUo/IHhs11jOuRM/s1600/space-stations.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>Of course, no orbital installation will exist on its own: it will rely on a complex array of smaller structures, some mobile, others immobile. The basic problem with anything orbital is <i>vulnerability</i>: it is easy for an enemy to forecast its future position and hence target it from afar. Orbitals have to be able to drastically change their orbit if needed, or perhaps disassemble themselves into smaller pieces to confuse the attacker. That means engines, fuel, stronger structure and thus higher cost.<br />
Using a hollowed-out asteroid is tremendously expensive and not very secure: even nickel-iron asteroids are very vulnerable to high speed penetrators. <br />
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Orbital shipyards were all but abandoned when powerful enough Higgs generators allowed for ships to be lifted off underground building facilities. Only in asteroid and Kuiper belts do we still find orbital building installations.<br />
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Here below is a quick montage with the Overlord in orbit of a terran-type planet.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DEZ7uo-0GzA/UQDbbArtHAI/AAAAAAAAAUw/7newVU9E-qs/s1600/Overlord-in-orbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DEZ7uo-0GzA/UQDbbArtHAI/AAAAAAAAAUw/7newVU9E-qs/s1600/Overlord-in-orbit.jpg" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-29701043511019112372013-01-21T02:41:00.000-08:002013-01-30T04:20:28.618-08:00Myasishchev Крокодил transport part II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Myasishchev M-85 has been christened 'Crocodile' (Крокодил) by the troops due to its long nose and large mouth. The unofficial name stuck pretty well because the aircraft proved to have larger teeth than expected.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uv-GLT1XX0A/UP05dEFZYqI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/1knF-guEoNg/s1600/Crocodile_01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uv-GLT1XX0A/UP05dEFZYqI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/1knF-guEoNg/s1600/Crocodile_01b.jpg" /></a></div>
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I remodeled this aircraft since the first post, to give it a pseudo-stealth shape with cut-diamond faces.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--SeI-bgYyrw/UP0aQSbvzPI/AAAAAAAAAS4/0s1VHJ9P5JA/s1600/Crocodile_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--SeI-bgYyrw/UP0aQSbvzPI/AAAAAAAAAS4/0s1VHJ9P5JA/s1600/Crocodile_02.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Crocodile is a sesquiplane trans-orbital transport designed in 2028 by Myasishchev -alternative history timeline. It features VTOL capacity and stealth profile, and the ability to clear the Landing Zone by itself. It is armed with a nose laser and a tail smaller one, so it has near 360 degrees point defense coverage. As with most of the soviet war machines, it is excessively heavily armed, with several hard-points on the extrados of the wing (this is because anything carried under the wing will melt during atmospheric re-entry, while on top of the wing it is sheltered from the excessive kinetic heating).<br />
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As before, the large jettisonable tank on its back contains the much needed fuel in case the Crocodile has to go into low orbit with full payload.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ToLLa-kk-tI/UP0aQ0YrNJI/AAAAAAAAATA/9K3zTXsS4nY/s1600/Crocodile_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ToLLa-kk-tI/UP0aQ0YrNJI/AAAAAAAAATA/9K3zTXsS4nY/s1600/Crocodile_04.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>The model is made up of 7300 triangles everything included. The next part will deal with the texturing and UV mapping.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-74260353892997594712013-01-20T22:45:00.001-08:002013-01-20T22:45:38.795-08:00Mini Starships series #8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Continuing the display of my boardgame's small-and-fast ship designs, here are the Axolotl ships.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AOgVDwcoWTs/UPzgaTf_2HI/AAAAAAAAASU/OpoEF-CIM24/s1600/silkies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AOgVDwcoWTs/UPzgaTf_2HI/AAAAAAAAASU/OpoEF-CIM24/s1600/silkies.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Axolotl would be a cross between Van Vogt's Silkies and well...axolotls: they are a unique species capable of withstanding hard vacuum and at the same time aggregate themselves to construct ships, like giant cells that differentiate to perform given tasks.<br />
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The basic, atmospheric form of axolotl is a soft-bodied cephalopod -quite similar to squids. Once exposed to hard radiation or vacuum, it radically transforms itself into a hard-shelled grey mass, with spiky sensors and plug-holes on its surface. It may then grip and partially fuse with other individuals to form larger structures.<br />
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The result is organic ships that may disassemble themselves at will, releasing thousands or millions of troopers ready to fight. Sometimes, a pseudo-skeleton is required for the assembly of complex structures, such as a nano-carbon spine of some sort -but that structure might be secreted and modeled by the axolotl themselves.<br />
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Needless to say that the axolotl are an engineered species -no evolutionary path would be tortuous enough to give rise to such living creatures. But, <i>engineered by who</i> ?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-3325300154525358622013-01-18T06:07:00.001-08:002013-01-18T06:07:26.896-08:00Jian thermospheric fighter part III<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Below are the final pictures of the Chinese Jian bomber-fighter.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3TbAw8N_VDU/UPlVqaIjg1I/AAAAAAAAARk/Ek8gL6V0S50/s1600/Jian-C_00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3TbAw8N_VDU/UPlVqaIjg1I/AAAAAAAAARk/Ek8gL6V0S50/s1600/Jian-C_00.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>The model was done on 3DS max and weights 7254 polygons (triangles, that is), without the runway. The texture is 1024x1024. I clearly overdid the paint flaking, but I wanted to see how far I could go with it.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-7981586074652012302013-01-16T02:30:00.001-08:002013-01-17T02:58:08.681-08:00Mini Starships series #7<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Below are some twin-aspect ships.<br />
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Those ships' basic philosophy is that ships need a different profile/aspect to cruise and another to fight. So they use two sets of engines and stances, one for each purpose.<br />
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When they travel, the ships move like the picture above, with their large economical drives engine, and their lasers/ lidars facing forward for scanning purposes. When engaging hostiles, the ships turn around and move sideways facing the enemy: the side burst-engine allows the ship to slide and jerk in the perpendicular axis to the hostile target.<br />
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In the case above, the target would be towards the bottom right of the screen. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-30416810087534394032013-01-14T10:32:00.003-08:002013-01-29T10:58:02.251-08:00Steampunk SMS Emden, HG wells style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here below is the SMS Emden, light cruiser designed specifically with aerial and space combat in mind.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y1ssyj6J5Bs/UPQ7eWNXzQI/AAAAAAAAAPA/D4lN28QY480/s1600/emden_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y1ssyj6J5Bs/UPQ7eWNXzQI/AAAAAAAAAPA/D4lN28QY480/s1600/emden_05.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This image, as everything else 3D in this blog, is straight from 3DS MAX, without tampering.</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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Just as the Royal Navy had started departing from traditional designing techniques with its HMS Dreadnought and subsequent capital ships, the German navy at last started questioning the wisdom of some design choices in warships.<br />
It was found that converting ships to anti-gravity with the use of cavorite was done with great waste, and that new solutions had to be adopted if the ships had to out-perform the innovative British, French or Italian navies. Unlike the French (and their mess of prototypes), the Imperial navy would adopt a cautious approach and not attempt to revolutionize its designs -there was no Nouvelle Ecole in Tirpitz's Mind.<br />
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As it was, the Emden at last incorporated armament aligned with its gravity center and inertia center: a front gun and two torpedo/ missile tubes, one on each side. It was also the first German ships to incorporate a telescope for fire control, a precursor to the large stereoscopic one installed later on the Scharnhorst.<br />
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The main armament was two 10,5 cm SK L/40 in vacuum-capable turrets front and aft, and six same guns in open turrets. The former turrets did not perform very satisfactorily, having very poor ventilation and heat loss characteristics (crew had to wear vacuum suits most of the time, with the demand on stamina it represented).<br />
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Its propellers were installed widely apart so as to limit collateral damage and undue vibration, and the italian smoke exhaust system was at last copied (the smoke is forcefully vented on either side of the ship, depending on which side is engaging the enemy). Two assault ladders were installed in the belly, allowing for fast disembarking of raiding parties. The undercarriage has designed to allow for fast skid landings on uneven ground.<br />
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The typical three Wagner solid fuel rockets provide thrust for orbital and interplanetary travel: they were of acceptable performance but of great reliability (something the British achieved only after the Cressy and Bellerophon disasters in 1906 and 1910).<br />
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The Emden performed well in its commerce raiding role, capturing more than 40 ships and orbital transports -both human and martian. She was able to escape British ships only to be ripped apart by an Asteroid Kraken while evading Martian vessels. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-50008069737440252532013-01-13T10:14:00.000-08:002013-01-13T10:14:13.485-08:00Mini Starships series #6<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is a little collection of biological ships. It's crazy how fast they grow: I have the impression that it was just yesterday that it left its growth vat in orbit !<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-62829787988727516572013-01-11T07:51:00.003-08:002013-01-16T02:42:11.545-08:00A fistful of aliens part II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Here are some more aliens !<br />
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- The toxic originates from a planet with very dense atmosphere and undergrowth: it uses a sonar for direction. Its ears are located on its elbows and the two membranes connected with its front legs collect and orient the echos through bone conducts to the ears. Its colorful appearance signals that its skin is covered with toxic peptides. So are his tongues, that the toxic uses to grip and manipulate things. Its ancestor was akin to a chiropter that lost its flying capability. While they are not specially aggressive per se, they are known to consume their own kin, their youngsters being considered a delicacy.<br />
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- The nidifier is a strange evolutionary marvel, with an intelligence that fluctuates along its egg-laying cycle. There are no real males to speak of in the species, only different sorts of females. Longer epicycles also influence its memory and other capabilities. Synchronization and harmonization of those cycles are at the center of the nidifier's society. The tail-hands are remains of limbs used to take care of eggs (oxygenation and repositioning of eggs, specifically). Dominant females also sport a large hollow crest above the head, used for infra-sonic communication.<br />
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- The Pillar shows a double symmetry body: radial and axial. A very large head houses a long prehensile tongue and other retractable olfactory organs. With this agile tongue acting as hand, the main limbs have degenerated into powerful but fingerless pseudo-hooks. Males are smaller but with bigger heads, because of the larger chemio-receptors inside.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-32998960964980932942013-01-11T07:42:00.003-08:002013-01-11T07:52:00.251-08:00H.G. Wells Amalfi armored cruiser<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is an italian armored cruiser of the Pisa class, converted for aerial service.<br />
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This ship was laid down in 1906 and launched in 1912 -slow construction being typical of the Italian yards of the time. It took the Italian navy less time than others to adapt to the use of the cavorite (gravity-bending metal alloy, read the entry on the German<i> </i>Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm pre-dreadnought below). Indeed, the Italian navy was among the most innovative of the day: they were the first to design a ship with triple-gun turrets, complete wireless communications and later electrical controlled rocket impulse propulsion.<br />
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The Pisa class, despite its elegant lines, was soon rendered obsolete by the advent of the British Dreadnought: it was not fast enough to escape nor armored enough to prevail against battle-cruisers or battleships. It was relegated to colonial service and space-commerce raiding, for which it was quite suited. Nevertheless, its bow contra-rotating propellers forbade the inclusion of most of the axial-firing weapons used in space (more on this in a later post).<br />
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Below it is compared with the Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9150539934299619542.post-36428593454272851322013-01-03T06:40:00.001-08:002013-01-03T06:40:11.088-08:00A fistful of aliens part IBelow are a few aliens.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Since they are all supposed to belong to intelligent species, they all possess means to use tools -whether they use their limbs, tentacles or even tongues.<br />
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- The hallucinated live in two worlds: the 'coherent' one and the 'decoherent'. The second they live in when they release into their blood-stream hallucinogenic drugs from their special glands.<br />
- The mitosers grow their offsprint on their back, attached to their spine. Sometimes four or five at-a-time.<br />
- The treehuggers originate from a world where vegetal life is as elaborate as the animal. They are completely adapted to a forested environment, where visibility is low and where their huge mobile ears help them navigate.<br />
- The monks may harden or soften any of their body parts, depending on their mood and their sexual cycle.<br /> They do not have a real skeleton to speak of, only a structure of muscle-stiffened cartilage.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09336047654189215498noreply@blogger.com0