M61B ARES Self Propelled Gun (SPG): the primary mobile artillery platform of the United Arms Services.
About this creation
I went a little nuts with Photoshop and discovered the 'paint can' tool. I'm sure I'll regret it in future.
Moving right along, this is the first of the turret variants for the M61 series of combat hover vehicles. By being built on a common hull the Ares SPG can keep up with the advancing Cerberus hovertanks and support them with indirect fire. A battery of six Ares are included in every CARA Regiment.
The Ares carries the normal loadout of eight long-range missiles with a full set of reloads. In addition to the full magazine of shells, another full reload is stored in the rear of the vehicle in lieu of an infantry compartment.
Shell types include:
• HE: High explosive. Can be fused to air burst over a target.
• HEAB: High Explosive Air-Burst. Standard HE charge with specialty casing to improve fragmentation and penetration by means of air-burst.
• Smoke: Generates a heavy white smoke cloud in the radius. Smoke can also be generated in different colours to act as markers.
• Thermic smoke: Generates a super-heated metallic smoke cloud that obscures radar and thermal optics. Lasts for about a minute before it cools and dissipates.
• ECM: Electronic Counter Measures. Essentially a shell with a powerful but short- lived energy source able to broadcast radio noise within its radius and interfere with enemy radio and radar use.
• HEAT: High Explosive Anti-Tank. Uses a standard shaped charge to destroy vehicles from top attack. Smart munition able to guide itself towards any target detected during its decent.
• EMP: Electro-Magnetic Pulse. Fires a powerful magnetic charge that burns out electrical systems. Larger vehicles tend to have better EMP shielding and are less susceptible to being overcome.
• DMUAV: Deployable Micro-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Deploys one or several small MUAVs similar to those used by infantry.
• FASCAM: FAmily of SCAtterable Mines. Shell that contains small mines capable of borrowing into the ground and attacking either infantry or vehicles. Can be deactivated to allow friendly forces to pass or detonated when no longer needed.
• SADARM: Sense And Destroy ARMour. Essentially a shell that contains several small HEAT warheads. The shell first navigates towards a cluster of targets, air-bursts and then deploys the smaller warheads that seek individual targets and fire a shaped charge into the top of the target. Excellent fragmentation effects as well.
• Fusion: Uses micronized hot fusion to generate a clean thermal-nuclear explosion and EMP in the blast area.
• Flare rounds are also available and illuminate an area equal to the rounds HE blast radius for 2 minutes while it parachutes to the ground.
Normal loadout is a combination of HE, HEAB, smoke, thermic smoke, FASCAM and/or SADARM.
BUILD NOTES
Unlike the Cerberus turret, the Ares turret is pretty solid. I don't have to worry about someone blinking and watching in horror as the thing falls apart. Like all the turret variants, the same turret basket is used and aligned with the crew hatches. This turret was by far the easiest build of the lot and was a pretty simple design with a rather brutal shape. SPGs tend to be butt-ugly so this got the point across. It's also twice the brick height of the Cerberus giving it a heavier look. The extra long main gun also adds a certain bad-ass-ness-ness to it.
The variant turrets are just for show without the 'play' features of the Cerberus. I'm planning out a brickfilm and the star is the Cerberus with variants like the Ares in supporting roles.
Main gun: BIG! 203mm like the old M110 series. Auto loader of course because nobody wants to lug 200+lb shells around.
Commonality of systems is important. Here you can see the GPS (modified as it's unlikely to be used in the direct-fire role), atmospheric sensor, millimeter-wave radar, etc. Not facing a direct threat, it lacks the ATLIS system of the Cerberus but carries grenade launchers for self-defence and smoke screens. Thermic smoke dischargers are mounted along the sides.
A secondary radar system is FIREFINDERS, a system designed to detect and track incoming counter-battery fire (dish structure on aft left of turret).
Close-up of the recoil system.
Magazine bay doors on the aft turret.
While unlikely to be used in the direct fire role, if it did a 203mm shell would ruin somebody's day.
Better resolution pics on my Flickr account.
Please rate and comment.
Comments
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I like it |
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December 29, 2011 |
that is awsome! i love this si fi tanks! |
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I like it |
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December 29, 2011 |
I love your creations though i'm not on to future weapons much. Can you check out mine too? |
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I like it |
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December 28, 2011 |
Great concept for futureware! Very orginal design! |
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I like it |
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March 7, 2011 |
Love the Design, Pictures, and the concept. Great work!!! I'm a fan! |
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I like it |
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August 10, 2010 |
I love all the varients of the M61 and really want
(A.) instructions to them
(B.) to see the brick film with them |
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I like it |
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August 3, 2009 |
you did a really nice job on your main picture. |
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I like it |
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August 2, 2009 |
very nice effects! this is the last one for me to look at in the turret and body series! This is the kind of seeries of tank that you just wish you could see in real life! this inspires me! |
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I like it |
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masterchief 1 March 6, 2009 |
Very nice! I like the photoshop effects. |
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I like it |
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March 5, 2009 |
Ahhhh! That's sweet! Love those graphics too! |
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I like it |
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March 5, 2009 |
man, the cerberus is EPIC! i favourited you! i smiled inside when i saw you're gunna make a stopmotion |
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I like it |
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March 5, 2009 |
Again, fantastic job. Very good work with the colour, the same from your tank, the cannon and the side parts of the M61B. PS: Nice name! |
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I like it |
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March 5, 2009 |
Again, fantastic job. Very good work with the colour, the same from your tank, the cannon and the side parts of the M61B. PS: Nice name! |
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I like it |
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March 5, 2009 |
Again, fantastic job. Very good work with the colour, the same from your tank, the cannon and the side parts of the M61B. PS: Nice name! |
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I like it |
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March 5, 2009 |
Sorry, I didn't have time to comment earlier. As usual, excellent work, and I love the colors you use. It makes it seem more believable that things like this might actually exist some day. |
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I like it |
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March 5, 2009 |
Oh, great, now your just making us all feel bad. It wasn't enough that you had an incredible tank AND a really detailed interior(not to mention all of the things the tank can carry), you had to go and make VARIANTS! I feel completely inadequate right now, I guess I'll just go back to building DUPLOS. *sigh* |
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I like it |
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Ryan Mitchell March 4, 2009 |
HOLY #%!@! I want instructions! NOW! |
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I made it |
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March 4, 2009 |
Quoting Areetsa C
Quite impressive; is the hull new or are you just switching turrets?
Thanks. I'm turret swapping just like the real-world Swedish CV90: common hull, plug N play turrets. |
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I like it |
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March 4, 2009 |
Quite impressive; is the hull new or are you just switching turrets? |
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