[BFG] Corvette

[Islacrusez]

While I was thinking about the QF (quick-fire) guns I proposed for smaller ships , I pondered how they might be used if they were an option when a ship was first designed. Transports are an obvious choice, as they're a great defensive weapon. What else then? System ships would probably make use of them, again as largely defensive weapons. They're very good against smaller ships like raiders.

But finally, they'd make a great weapons for smaller system ships, like fast interceptors. Traffic cops, revenue and customs, border patrol. That sorta group. I'm sure the Imperium has someone that fills that role, and these would be the ideal ships for them.

Mind you, they'd probably pass for Space Marine ships too, but they'd need an option pack for a slightly different loadout.







Trying to keep away from actual GW IP, but it's not too difficult due to every GW ship being fat. The gun is a QF twin or quad barrel, which would be separate, possibly metal either stock or turned. The gun assembly is already separate from the ship, so I can easily make an attachment point and a number of gun options, for those who favour a more SM type ship.

Still undecided on the prow, aiming for something more cobra-ish than anything else in the IN fleet, but a split-prow might be doable, perhaps something with launch bays?

[mangozac]

Interesting start. Will be keen to see where you take it!

[Islacrusez]

I've cleaned up the inverted faces, to keep the item suitable for printing. Added a fore launch bay, finalised length and moved winglets to appropriate proportions. Lots of details added to engines and wings/winglets both fore and aft (so far nothing on aft of fore and fore of aft). Turret pedestals being added to the bridge tower.

[Islacrusez]

Engine detail:



Hmm. Should I change the main engines to all be like the upper one? When I drop this back down to lifesize, I fear the smaller details of the others might be too small to be of any use (down to the 0.05mm thickness)...

[Islacrusez]

Fwd gun moved onto a pedestal, additional details to top of wings to help with casting (increasing thickness of thin areas).

Defensive turrets being added. Not sure I like the shape, so they might get traded out for others.



Might thin the pedestal down as it is currently very tall, making the ship look very nose-heavy. Not entirely sure what to dump on the centre section... Someone mentioned a Hunter replacement; would I need to put broadside weapons on it for that? (No pictures please, stats only)

[Islacrusez]

Pedestal has been thinned, some more work done on the engines, additional turrets added to front of bridge tower (just behind the aft gun) and on the aft underside of the bridge itself.



Profile:



Think a small ventral spine is needed to balance the ship, extending from the main hull section to at least halfway along the length.

[mangozac]

The detailing work is looking good, but I think the hull shape is still too blocky. Especially on the prow. Maybe it just needs further detailing? Dorsal and ventral details will help too

[Islacrusez]

Doing my best to unblockify the hull, including the addition of raised bits, and turrets.

The turrets aren't actually attached to the ship as yet, and it'll actually be more work to add them as a permanent fixture than it would be to remove them. This brings me to a thought - would it be reasonable to include the main guns and the defensive turrets on a separate sprue, with instructions (for the main guns) and suggestions (for defensive turrets) on where to place them, allowing the end user to choose their configuration and style?

[Islacrusez]

Right, so been doing some work on the empty dorsal area:



Work still to be done on the ventral spine. Someone has very kindly pointed out something I've been quietly avoiding - that there's a rather large vent blocking where the stand should go. Some surgery on that is still due...

[Islacrusez]

The large vent has been reduced to 20% of its original length (not visible). I've also added further details to the side... Worried I'm overdoing it though; this stuff is tiny.

[Islacrusez]

Approaching completion, I think. Just some work on the prow, bridge, and aft sections, minor detailing really. Then comes the torpedo conversion.

Engines getting their various overhauls:

[Islacrusez]

Ok, so I'm just about calling the Corvette done! Any criticism is absolutely vital at this stage, so please point out any issues you see.

The launch bay will be replaced with torpedo tubes for a sister class, and will proxy for the Hunter.

Let the photo-shoot commence:











She currently comes in at 37mm, compared to the Cobra at 32, Sword around 45 and Firestorm at 50.
If any major issues are spotted, they'll be fixed and then a set of images with dimensions will be added.

[mangozac]

OK I have a few comments at this stage (I didn't comment on these before because I'd figured you were yet to refine them). You've been doing a great job but I still feel that more revision is necessary, especially before going to the expense of printing and casting. Overall I still feel that there are too many large perpendicular surfaces and shapes. This makes the model look like a bunch of basic 3D shapes stuck together. Obviously is is actually a bunch of shapes stuck together - and it's the same when scratchbuilding by hand - but the trick is to make sure it doesn't look obviously like that

1. The rear wings and keel fin are far too blocky. They need some angled surfaces to be introduced in the top and side views (like on the rear of the bridge structure).

2. I think a lot of those brace pieces along the midships are going to be too fine to reproduce with that depth. Same with the detail inside the engines. I think the barrels on the turrets are far too fine as well - what diameter are they?

3. The angled wings near the prow need some banding and other details. At the moment I think they look quite out of place and tacked on. Add some bracing where they join the horizontal parts that join them to the hull.

[Islacrusez]

[mangozac]

You're going to have to chop it up sooner or later so you might as well do it now!

I don't have time to type out a comprehensive reply, but I just did some quick dirty sketching over the top of your pics. Pretty self explanatory. Just some ideas I had.