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Post by madmorgan on Apr 28, 2016 11:58:54 GMT
Nice. btw MBA has a nice selection of T-walls & Hesco baskets. Acheson has 28mm corrugated wall section as well as 'braced' straight wall, outer corner, and damaged wall sections. MBA has a really great selection of Direct Sale items (including the afore T-walls & Hesco baskets). I will do a seperate listing under terrain for those interested. As they're direct sales, you open an account and order what you want. They also have 15mm stuff and part of their line includes docks and piers. Good stuff if a bit expensive.
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Post by hardlec on Apr 28, 2016 22:06:07 GMT
(Personal note: Not far from where I live a bridge is going over 4 lanes of interstate highway. They are placing steel reinforced concrete beams to support this bridge. Truck comes in with a prefabricated beam, crane lifts it into place. Looks easy. There is a certain majesty to the process.)
Long befor I heard Scott's Ideas, which are great, I had an affection for concrete as a building material. Concrete can be cast into many shapes Concrete can be mixed with various aggregates to make it light, or to resist heat, etc. Concrete plus reinforcing rod is incredibly tough. Wet concrete can effectively glue cast concrete pieces together.
There is a mound of earth near Berlin. It had been a steel reinforced concrete bunker in WWII. It could not be demolished, so it was buried. look again at the phrase: Could Not Be Demolished.
Consider the possibility: Precast reinforced concrete "logs." They come in by boat or by truck. Like building with "Lincoln Logs" but on a bigger scale. The idea is to build tall, thick walls fast.
The concrete block idea can be expanded as well.
I'm not so sure I would line my pits with concrete, I'd like them to be sticky, soft and hard to get out of.
Now: How can I fill them with a non-newtonian fluid (quicksand) to fill them with.
Now Now: What would work on Martin as pungi sticks?
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Post by scottwashburn on Apr 28, 2016 23:17:49 GMT
In Europe there are numerous German "Flak Towers" left over from WWII. They are enormous concrete structures designed to give flak guns an elevated platform above the surrounding buildings. Most of them are still there because it would be so difficult to demolish them.
Of course in our 1910-15 world, construction is more difficult because transportation isn't as advanced. There are railroads, but not many big trucks and few roads worthy of the name. Plus most of the industry is far behind the front lines.
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Post by madmorgan on Apr 29, 2016 10:06:19 GMT
Good discussion. I've seen those towers on several sites of miniatures (MBA and the little 2,3,6mm historical stuff). I like the 'Lincoln Logs' of concrete with reinforced rods. You need a concrete mixer style truck to pour the quicksand, should be done. Lots of construction style trucks to go with your 'steam powered digger'! I'd think the pungi sticks would be the same reinforced rods, sharped, with a little Martian metal on the points (very little required, just the tip), supported in a poured concreate mold - like a stalagmite (sp). In fact, Acheson and several other companines have those very same formations for RPGs - you could put a nice little painted round toothpick top on it for this. Be careful with you hands (says the man who's been injuried playing Pike & Shot minis!). Look for my Terrain Tab thread today on Direct Sale MBA items - lots of "poured" concrete walls (T-Wall etc.) and barricades (Jersey & Texas) plus other AQ use items.
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Post by boxholder on Apr 29, 2016 18:51:03 GMT
Really good thought that. A 'crater patch' would definately cause some problems, especially if time allows a powerful mine to be placed in the bottom, with or without concrete. The concrete would also help focus the mine blase upwards towards the tripod. Heck, the crater patch would worked in a limited capacity against drones and lobos, falling into one with a mine at the bottom is very disruptive to said target. Peppering mines or dragonteeth with explosives amongst the crater patch only increases the disruptive nature of this obsticle, as the tripods would be focused on those dragonteeths which they (by now) would recognize as a threat due to the explosive nature of the 'teeth'. All of this nicely distracts the Martian crewman, whose trying to avoid being blown up whilst firing at the prey-that-stings. A side rule for the crater patch might be to give a -1 to hit roll for tripods in the crater patch, due to this distraction. Hey, every thing to make Marvins stay uncomfortable. The single Martian on board a tripod is a serious limitation. I would suggest that things like the crater patch, hasty minefield, or any obstruction that has been demolished into rubble should force the Martian to forego shooting this turn if it moves through this kind of terrain. This suggestion flows from the fact that the tripods' single "pilot" must now pay close attention to navigating the obstacles instead of blazing away with weaponry. Over reasonably even terrain, the gyro-stabilization system should be able to handle the variations, so the "pilot" can concentrate on roasting, gassing and smoking the defenders, while giving his tripod its general steering commands. Standing still in the obstacle should invoke no penalty other than no movement that turn.
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Post by charleybourne on Apr 29, 2016 18:55:30 GMT
Good point boxholder. That said they are pretty much just one big brain so multi-tasking might well be their thing.
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Post by boxholder on Apr 29, 2016 19:22:50 GMT
Here is a low-tech item that can add to Martian enjoyment: the fougasse (foo-gas). From Wikipedia: "A flame fougasse (sometimes contracted to fougasse and may be spelled foo gas) is a type of mine or improvised explosive device which uses an explosive charge to project burning liquid onto a target." Basically, just a barrel of combustible liquid (kerosene, gasoline, paint thinner.....)buried with the top flush with the ground. It can be at any angle from horizontal to vertical. An explosive charge is buried underneath. It can be fired by tripwire or command detonated electrically. And when you set it off, you get: Toasty!! Martian flambe'
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Post by charleybourne on Apr 29, 2016 19:32:44 GMT
Oooh nice!
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Post by madmorgan on Apr 30, 2016 9:38:35 GMT
Yep, used those in Nam - highly effective vs infantry - not so sure how'd it work on a tripod, but worth a shot.
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Post by boxholder on Apr 30, 2016 12:23:18 GMT
Yep. Simple. Cheap. Scary as hell. Worth a shot, indeed.
However, the references indicate that the fireball can reach 50-60 feet up, maybe more from a vertically oriented fougasse with a big charge. Blasting the flame upward into the bottom of the tripod may expose vulnerable stuff to the flames. It might tend to run off the upper surfaces.
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Post by hardlec on Apr 30, 2016 23:52:40 GMT
Try a mixture of naphtha and palm oil (Napalm) There are mixtures of Moonshine (alcohol) and other common substances that do similar things. Sticks like glue Smells like Victory.
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Post by madmorgan on May 1, 2016 0:32:17 GMT
I do like it, just make sure the Forlorn Hopes, hell anyone friendly downrange are well away. That sucka is going to fry everything in its path. I think I'm burned out at the moment for doing stats. It should point 'cost' high (for game sake, not actual materials) and be one use of coarse, but this would be a major impediment to the Martians tripods closing with humans. There would be a high priority on the part of lobos and drones to clear any of these seen on the advance toward the human trenches - but, what a great Ambush trap!! The Ambushing units pops this on a Slaver with drones and pours on the bullets. Even if the Slaver (or other tripod) survives the foogas, it will definately be armor weakened for lots of penatrating shots. Someone what to suggest some stats for this puppy?
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Post by boxholder on May 1, 2016 23:56:34 GMT
Yes, indeed. Stay well clear.
I don't know what that guy in the photo is doing, but he is sure in a big hurry! The car is truly toasted.
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Post by madmorgan on May 2, 2016 2:41:38 GMT
Besides the tilted versions, a straight up foo-gas tank makes a really nice mine type devise. You have the wires buried to it for HQ or Units controlled detonation. It probably shouldn't be pressureplate, as this makes it a dicey as to whether a tripod will step on it or not. Firing up 50 to 60' gets the tripod right in the bottom, the sticky flames may even take out the legs in a few minutes. Good stuff and less chance of lighting up someone friendly down range.
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Post by mikedski on May 2, 2016 10:56:12 GMT
Wouldn't all this be covered in an abstract way with the traps rules?
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