Which model looks more like a Traveller grav vehicle?

[Sturn]

I'm looking at purchasing some resin vehicles from Old Crow. They have several versions of their vehicles - grav, wheeled, tracked, hover, etc.

I was about to order some grav versions for Traveller, to be of course grav vehicles. But, I noticed that the "hover" versions may actually look more Traveller-esque. Old Crow grav vehicles have aerodynamic fins below them that you don't see in Traveller. The Old Crow hover vehicles have rounded plenum chambers that in my opinion may actually look more like the rounded undercarriages of Traveller g-carriers and tanks. The plenum undercarriage could even make sense as a heat re-entry shield.

Pics below of examples of both versions for comparison. Opinions?

Grav Tank

Hover Tank

Grav Truck

Hover Truck

Grav Tank2

Hover Tank2

 

[rust]

I would go for the Hover versions, to me they look more "like Traveller".
A good example would be the tanks from Andrew Boulton's Traveller
trailer, I think:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iWehLi_4ug&feature=related

 

[Sturn]

The Trepida/Intrepid grav tank in that video was exactly what I was thinking of. Most depictions of this most-known Traveller tank have a rounded under-carriage, often even with vertical lines like in the plenum chamber of the Old Crow minis (see pics above).

Here is a top-down I made of a Trepida that shows what I mean (the gray colored area).

Other classics like the air/raft also have a rounded undercarriage, but rarely the vertical lines.

None have "underfins", the reason I may be considering the hover versions instead of the grav versions.

I'm picking vehicles for a campaign set in the Solomani Rim during the Long Night though (Terran Dawn). TL10-12 vehicles. So the fins could be explained by the difference in lower technology in a corner of known space. Perhaps the Terrans made things differently then the later Vilani influenced 3rd Imp?

Since my Terran Dawn guide is free for others to use, I was going to go with popular opinion since I can't decide.

 

[Emperor Herdan]

The Hover versions appeal more to me. (for whatever reason they seem to have more "pleasing" lines... Perhaps because I can't see the support base that the Grav models have visible.)

They also look more in line with the Hammers Slammers vehicles from the preview. Not that they need to "share" a common vision, but it doesn't hurt either. Your comments about the Trepida/Intrepid are spot on as well.

Take care

E. Herdan

 

[GJD]

I would suggest you check out some of the newer 15mm models at Ground Zero Games - they are ideal for traveller, especially the high-tech Grav vehicles. Plus they do a very nice line in figures, scenery and accessories.

www.gzg.com

and

http://www.gtns.co.uk/store1/commerce.cgi?page=sg15-fp.html&cart_id=402205.17810

G.

 

[Sturn]

I have several GZG (in 25mm) resin vehicles. But, they are currently out of production. I understand they may retool and start them up again, but I would prefer to start picking vehicles that I know will still be available down the road.

My character figures collection will be all GZG Stargrunt. I switched to Old Crow only because of the availability - I can still order direct from them without having to find an alternative company that still has them in stock (as I would have to for GZG vehicles).

Picked Old Crow for vehicles and Stargrunt for characters since both come in 15mm and 25mm versions. Players can pick whatever scale they like or even switch back and forth if you have the money for such a collection.

 

[Walker]

I could go with either in a pinch, but like the lines of the Hover vehicles better.

As you said though, maybe the fins are a result of how the need for areodynamic stabilisation for lower tech level vehicles is addressed in the area of charted space in which the game takes place. :wink:

 

[qstor]

are there any 28mm? for use with 1" maps?

I tend to use WOTC star wars minis with my game now.


Mike

 

[Sturn]

are there any 28mm? for use with 1" maps?
I tend to use WOTC star wars minis with my game now.

Mike

Most or all metal and resin stuff seems to be in 15mm or "true" 25mm which would be noticeably smaller then the WotC. 25mm peeps look like 12 year olds compared to Star Wars WotC minis.

I have encountered 28mm metals, they seem to be rare, can't recall any off the top of my head. As for vehicles, I don't recall any 28mm resin at all. You might have to look at plastic models perhaps that come in a variety of scales.

One of my many Terran Dawn projects in the future is to make top-down graphics of my vehicles such as the Trepida I posted above. These of course could be printed in any scale and mounted on some poster board to make cheap vehicles.

 

[G. K. Zhukov]

One of my many Terran Dawn projects in the future is to make top-down graphics of my vehicles such as the Trepida I posted above. These of course could be printed in any scale and mounted on some poster board to make cheap vehicles.

And one of my dreams is that GZG cast a "not-Trepida/Intrepid" grav tank and a "not-Astrin" grav APC in 15mm and 25mm.

 

[Mark A. Siefert]

And one of my dreams is that GZG cast a "not-Trepida/Intrepid" grav tank and a "not-Astrin" grav APC in 15mm and 25mm.

Seconded.

 

[Infojunky]

I have several GZG (in 25mm) resin vehicles. But, they are currently out of production. I understand they may retool and start them up again, but I would prefer to start picking vehicles that I know will still be available down the road.

Jon has stated a couple of times the Resin vehicles are gone, they are just too diferent from the rest of his work-flow for them to be continued. Though he might produce them in metal.

The traditional look at least in my Traveller experience were the old Martian Metal tanks. Which RAFM is producing here.

Though I really am fond of GZG's mid-tech Grav vehicles, the ones with the external Grav pads...

 

[G. K. Zhukov]

The traditional look at least in my Traveller experience were the old Martian Metal tanks. Which RAFM is producing here.

The problem is that those are outrageously expensive! :shock: And IMHO are not so similar to the Trepida after all. The new one Jon put out recently is cheaper and in quite the same league as the MM/RAFM one:



But still not the same as the real thing:

Drawing by Andrew Boulton

Though I really am fond of GZG's mid-tech Grav vehicles, the ones with the external Grav pads...

Well, maybe for early grav vehicles... After all, according to the OTU, we will be discovering contragravity in no time! :lol:

 

[GypsyComet]

Eureka is still doing some of GZGs 25mm resins, I think.

 

[Sturn]

The traditional look at least in my Traveller experience were the old Martian Metal tanks. Which RAFM is producing here.

Holy cow, $25 US for ONE 15mm tank. An Old Crow 15mm tank goes for about $10, some less.

 

[Infojunky]

Eureka is still doing some of GZGs 25mm resins, I think.

Nope just selling out remaining stock, last Jon said anything.... Though I have been wrong in the past

 

[Sturn]

Follow-up on the Old Crow resin models:

After the above discussion, I went with the Old Crow models and am very happy with them. I have 5 models now that I plan on putting togather and painting next winter.

I went with the grav versions (fins on the sides) and like them. The big block they sit on (see picture above) that some didn't like is an optional piece. It isn't a part of the resin, but a seperate piece of clear rubber. The vehicles will sit just fine on the fins that seem stout enough. The blocks are to make the grav vehicle hover and there are notches on them that match up with the vehicle so it won't slip off.

The resin quality is much better then those that I have purchased from GZG. It's a different kind of gray resin. The Old Crow vehicles also come with a pack of spare pieces for most of them to allow options (open hatch, closed hatch, different kinds of mounted weapons).

The only complaint I would have is the shipping time. If you are in the US, expect a month or even more to get your box of minis. You UK blokes will probably benefit from "Jez" (a friendly fellow) being local. Just a guess, but I think it is a one-man show and he casts them as you order them. The disadvantage is the time from purchase to receipt in the US, but the advantage seems to be some loving care put into the models with post-casting sanding done before they ship.

PS: This seemed like an advertisement, but it's not. I'm not getting a cent from Jez!

 

[kafka]

Depends upon the era that you play in...I could see an Interstellar Wars milieu or M:0 opting for what is offering as Grav vehicles. As with the age of the Imperium advancing...I could see greater attention paid to aesthetics (even for things like military vehicles).

 

[Sturn]

Depends upon the era that you play in...I could see an Interstellar Wars milieu or M:0 opting for what is offering as Grav vehicles. As with the age of the Imperium advancing...I could see greater attention paid to aesthetics (even for things like military vehicles).

My original post was looking for vehicle minis for a late Long Night campaign in the Solomani Rim.

 

[kafka]

Depends upon the era that you play in...I could see an Interstellar Wars milieu or M:0 opting for what is offering as Grav vehicles. As with the age of the Imperium advancing...I could see greater attention paid to aesthetics (even for things like military vehicles).

My original post was looking for vehicle minis for a late Long Night campaign in the Solomani Rim.

Then I would go for the uglier minis. For the reason that they would most approximate Vilani design. In the Long Night, a time of great economic hardship and return to tried and true designs would prevail over aesthetic considerations. Combined with possible diminishment of resources making cruder designs more practical. Lastly, it then can pave the way for something better. Either in the form of the rise of the 3i or a relic from the the glory that was the Second Imperium.