DOTG - Ballista (WIP)

Hello everyone!

Update March 9th

Sorry for taking this long to post something but, we are almost there. I have finished building the ballista from the ground making it more realistic. I had to move down the bow limb because the string was in touch with the wings (This is good for 3d printing but it sucks IRL, so I lowered it a bit to still maintain the contact points).

The downside of the build order that I did is that there are few contact points, I will see If I can hollow the model, maybe make the bottom wood solid. or maybe I can split the model into many pieces (not too many, maybe 2 or 3) allowing people to glue and assemble a ballista.

I will start adding details to the model.

Update March 8th

I have started to detail de model from the bottom to the top. I made the mistake of adding too many details to a piece that I ended up deleting. Similar to organic forms I can't move to details before I find a more defined shape, lessons learned. 

So I raised a little the Ballista body using a structure.

I am starting to think about the printing process of this Ballista, should I split the model into two parts or send it to the printer as a single object? Should I increase the amount and diameter of contact points to make them hollow?

Update March 7th

I have assembled the shapes for the Ballista using the most amount of information about the game Ballista, but as I tried to see how it could fire and etc it didn't make sense so I started to think how I could make sense out of it without losing the essence.

First of all, I made the cart, there is no big deal here, it has a four-wheel and supporting structure.

Once I attached the top part, how does it fire? the only explanation I had was magic.. to rely less on magic and make something that makes sense I had to add a bow limb, I could use the wings to do the bow work but it would change the design so I added a bow on the front, and the wings would slide along in the rail.

With the Ballista assembled it was too small to operate (for a night elf that is), so it needed to be taller. Increasing the size of the wheels could work but it would increase the size of the Ballista making it huge, not large. So I had to elevate the launcher pad. While thinking about how to elevate I decided to add a single stand (red on the picture) and a firing range angle slider (Purple).

I also added a string puller on the back of the launcher.

I know that it does not need to be a functional ballista, but I believe that It should be believable that it's operational. 

Today I will start making the cart with mode detailed parts.  

---End of update---

Today I started to collect info for the Ballista. I gathered info in-game (as many versions as possible), Miniatures from other creators: Zombicide, Lord of the rings, and a built (unknow builder name).

Design: I could make one that stands on the ground solo but I guess the cart is a lot cooler, so I will go with that. I think the 3 wheels motorcycle ballista is an ugly design, so I will go with 4 wheels. It crossed my mind to make a cart plus a standing ballista on the cart, to cover a wide firing arc without moving the cart but, I will stick with the built-in barista art.

It will be a large creature (not really a creature I guess a construct), compatible with a 50.8 mm round base (I might pass a bit from the base, but the wheels will be on the base).

I will try to see if I can manage to make a construction that the Ballista will be compatible with Glaive and Bolt, both printed separately, this way you can pile ammunition to compose a scene, make loaded and unloaded ballista. And also depending on the complexity of the firing mechanism I will try to make a firing (or fired), and a reloaded ballista. In other words open and closed wings.

Feel free to leave your comments below and tell me what do you think.

As I move along in the sculpting process I will keep this post updated.

Best regards,

Ivo