Ground Unit Design Contest Thread - Vector Thrust

• The design can be hand draw (line drawing or coloured, then scanned or photographed), digitally drawn (via image editing suites etc.), 3D modelled in a CAD program or a combination of those.
• The design should be submitted with at least 2 (two) images of at least 3 (three) different views of the design, 1(one) in black and white to show the structure and the panel lines etc, and 1 (one) other in colour with the default factory skin applied. However the perspective views are not necessary, but that can be included to better portrait the design. The design can not be to large in scale, nor too small in scale.
• The design must use at least 1 (one) unique in-game mechanic in it's design (eg; electronic support) which the game supports so far, or use 1 (one) unique fictional designed special weapon (eg; laser), but not both, and must be designed with a realistic approach that can be implemented in-game.
• In the submission, it must be stated the name of ground unit and a description of in-game performance. For weapon load-outs it must use 1 (one) real world weapon each for both the main and sub weapons slots, but it can given up to 1(one) fictional special weapon (eg; laser) or 1 (one) unique in-game mechanic (eg; electronic support) but not both.
• The fictional special weapon or in-game mechanic chosen must be submitted with the ground unit design, with a description and capabilities. The fictional special weapon or unique in-game mechanic cannot be over-powered. It is recommended to include in the design´s entry an in-game description or history and when it was first commissioned and the decommission year. The designs must fit in the 1960's (nineteen sixties) to 2030's (twenty thirty's) time frame.
• The design will not be judge upon the artistic style or skill. The design will be judge upon the uniqueness, background history and the in-game abilities of the design. However the submitted idea behind the design is more important that the visual presentation, but the submitted design must necessarily be clean, easy to read and to understand.
• Any person(s) involved in the production of Vector Thrust in any scale or form cannot enter the contest. The winner will be awarded only 1 (one) Steam Key which is only redeemable on Valve's Steam client and which will give the winner access to the Vector Thrust Early Access program.
• Only 1 (one) ground unit design can be submitted per person. The design may be posted on either Vector Thrust's Facebook page, TimeSymmetry's Twitter page, Vector Thrust's Moddb Contest subforum or Vector Thrust's Community page on Valve's Steam. The design must be of the user's own design. The user may not submit plagiarised, stolen, copyrighted, creative commons art, etc. If they do, their submission will be forfeited.
• The winner once decided will be contacted via the respected platform they submitted their design on. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not reply within 2 (two) working weeks of the announcement of the winner, they will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen etc, et al. Any accusations that any submitted designs are not of the users own design or that the user is using multiple accounts to enter multiple designs will be forfeited.
• The winner, if they already have access to Vector Thrust's Early Access program on Valve's Steam client, may gift the Key to a friend or family member or another member of the contest who doesn't have access to Vector Thrust.
• The winner may not sell the Key on any form of on-line store (eg; eBay) or physical store which buys Steam Keys. The winner cannot trade it for another game, either on any form of on-line store client or physical store which trades Steam Keys. The Key can not be exchanged for any form of monetary value or exchanged for any other item(s), physical or digital.
• The contest will close on the 28th of September 2014 at 6pm UTC. The winner will be announced on the 1st of October 2014 at 6pm UTC.
• Any questions regarding the contest or complaints regarding to the choice of the winner will be replied to as soon as possible by either, midsummersnow, TimeSymmetry or any supporting Iceberg Interactive staff, if and where possible.

Blueprints:

• Include the images of your design here.

Metadata:

• Type:
• Place of origin:
• In service from and to:
• Crew size:
• Used by:
• Manufacturer(s):
• Weight:
• Width:
• Height:
• Length:

Stats:

• Mobility: ?/10
• Defense: ?/10
• Air-to-Air: ?/10
• Air-to-Ground: ?/10
• Stealth: ?/10
• Electronics: ?/10

Weaponry:

• Sub: eg; LMG
• Main: eg; Rifled 125mm Gun
• Special Weapon (if chosen, if not put n/a): eg; Surface to Air Laser

Special Function:

• Special Function (if chosen, if not put n/a): eg; Electronic Counter Measure and Support Module

Brief History:

• Include a short descriptive paragraph of the unit here.

Edited by: mittsommerschnee

Does amphibious land unit still count?

Nergal01 wrote: Does amphibious land unit still count?

In a way yes, If you make the amphibious bit the special function.

Another question; legged units/walker/mecha (I'm thinking about non-humanoid bipedal like Metal Gear or Battlemech, or quad leg) still counts, yes?

Nergal01 wrote: Another question; legged units/walker/mecha (I'm thinking about non-humanoid bipedal like Metal Gear or Battlemech, or quad leg) still counts, yes?

Yes legged units count, but they can't be too complex for obvious reasons.

Time to bring out the current day AT-ST then lol.

I'm mulling over some ideas, but not really sure if I'll join so that someone can get the key.

Are ground effect vehicle designs allowed?

NoZoner wrote: Are ground effect vehicle designs allowed?

I consider ekranoplanes as a maritime vessel. So no. If this contest does well I'm thinking of hosting a naval unit design contest next month, so if you have a idea you might want to hold on to it.

Update: 3-view in glorious wireframe,

update2: default color, "Test Color" (in dual railgun configuration)

update3: rough render of "skimmer form"

Modular Assault Weapon System - 00X "Dire Wolf"
Metadata:

• Type: Amphibious strategic/tactical mobile weapon
• Place of origin: Earth (?)
• In service from and to: 2029-2030
• Crew size: 5 (commander, pilot, co-pilot/navigation officer, weapons officer, engineering officer), later variants are equipped with advanced AI that the crew size shrinks to 2 (pilot and co-pilot)
• Used by: UTOPIA Foundation
• Manufacturer(s): UTOPIA Foundation

Stats:

• Mobility: 8/10 on Skimmer mode, 6/10 on Land mode (depending on terrain, mostly)
• Defense: 9/10
• vs Air: 5/10
• vs Surface: 6/10 (without hardpoint arms nor container), 9/10 (with hardpoint arms, without container), 10/10 (with container)
• Stealth: 2/10
• Electronics: 7/10

Weaponry:

• Sub: 1x chin-mounted 30mm GAU-8 Avenger multibarrel cannon turret with 60000 rounds, manyx 30mm CIWS and RAM launchers on the later variants (not shown on blueprint)
• Main: two hardpoints on 360 degree swiveling turret, compatible with the following equipments:
• 250mm railgun artillery/siege guns (can I has hi-AOE artillery version of LIWAC plz)
• various tactical and strategic cruise/ballistic missile launchers
• heavy laser weaponry; one heavy particle cannon with capacitor + energy pack unit or one gamma wave cannon with capacitor and amplifier unit (either unit takes up both turret hardpoints)
• Special Weapon : Tail-mounted VLS container containing 20x BGM-109 Tomahawk variants or 20x AGM-84 Harpoon variants, but actually compatible with almost every NATO/Eastern Bloc tactical missiles

Special Function:

• Special Function : Amphibious, switch between "skimmer/sea" mode with top speed around 80 knots at full throttle or "land" mode (actually, wheels) with top speed around 95 km/h on flat surface

Brief History:
UTOPIA Foundation's secret project of developing an all-terrain modular tactical/strategic mobile weapon. Originally only intended to carry and launch tactical/strategic ballistic missiles not unlike TEL vehicles, it was later revised to carry long-range fire support after the R&D team seeing its potential of quickly bringing awesome amount of long-range firepower to the front line (as long as it's not in hard-to-navigate terrain like mountaineous regions), which ultimately become the Type 00-X "Dire Wolf" that also serves as a test-bed for various experimental high-output energy and magnetic-based armaments.
Since it was originally developed as replacement of the "traditional" method of carrying and launching ballistic missiles, it lacked of actual defensive measure other than its built-in anti-kinetic passive shield emitter which generates an "invisible shell" that protects the vehicle from incoming fire. Such flaw was compensated by addition of a chin-mounted GAU-8 Avenger gatling cannon turret as direct anti-surface or self-defense armament, as well as an externally-mounted, detachable "weapons container" that lets it store and launch 20 anti-ship/cruise missiles of various type. Future models will incorporate more advanced ECM and AMS suite, laser anti-missile system, CIWS, Rolling Airframe Missile launchers, and possibly Optical Camouflage and Early Warning module.
Only two models were made, and both of them are progressively upgraded/refited to test out its equipments. Here are the known variants/refits:

• Unit "Minus Zero-L" (L for Land) : early unarmed prototype to test out leg actuators, engine performance and roller wheels
• Unit "Minus Zero-S" (S for Sea) : early unarmed prototype to test out water-based performance and "skimmer" flight thrusters, which was something loosely inspired by Ekranoplans
• Unit "Minus Zero-V" (V for Variable) : prototype model to test out land-sea performance (all Minus Zero models doesn't have main turret)
• Unit "Minus Zero-Z" : final version of the "Minus Zero" series with much improved stabilizers and added wing stabilizer units
• Unit 00A : early prototype with only one available turret hardpoint, non-swiveling turret, test-firing was made using conventional 152mm railgun
• Unit 00C : unarmed prototype with folding wing stabilizers to allow it maneuver through tighter space, considered as failure due to the folding mechanics (the wing stuck once they're folded? Go figure)
• Unit 00F : armed prototype with VLS container
• Unit 00H : armed prototype withused to test-launch newest model of strategic missile
• Unit 00L : unarmed prototype with newly equipped radar and ECM
• Unit 00N : armed prototype with swiveling turret and a railgun artillery. Crashed and burned due to generator overload (guess guess), resulting in the complete loss of the first unit
• Unit 00S : second unit based on the "Minus Zero", still no turret but with bigger engine/powerplant and much improved roller wheels
• Unit 00T : first model with dual hardpoint, now that the powerplant is stable enough to fire both railguns in the same time
• Unit 00V : cancelled modification featuring single unit of experimental-but-highly-unstable gamma wave cannon a wave motion gun with a dose of nuclear radiation, yes along its capacitor and amplifier module. Apparently the gun's so unstable that there's 99% chance it will blow up the entire lab during charging/firing sequence Also this is the thirteenth revision model and we all know thirteen means bad stuff will happen
• Unit 00X : Commonly refered as "Code Zero" or "The Fourteenth Carnation", it's the first 'complete', combat-ready model incorporating all successfully tested features from previous variants.
• (bonus) Command Unit 01 "Deep Blue" : the first unit was initially planned to be converted into as an amphibious command vehicle with slightly redesigned leg sections and tons of improvement on almost every performance (it's 30% faster both on skimmer and land mode than Code Zero despite it's not painted in red. har har). The container port and turret hardpoints are removed and the turret section now houses a C&C module and several anti-projectile/anti-missile inteceptor lasers, rear legs are mounted with "Purgatory's Door" 36-tube cruise missile launchers while the front legs now housing hardpoints to accomodate surface to air/multipurpose VLS. This variant was ultimately cancelled after the complete loss of the first unit.
  

(Rough) size comparison to the existing/revealed units

Edited by: Nergal01

Well Nergal that looks pretty interesting.

Also please note people, please submit your final design before 6pm UTC on the 28th of September if you're planning on competing.

ARGILE

(A)gile (R)econnaissance
(G)round (I)nterdiction
(L)ightweight (E)lectric

Metadata:

• Type: Light Armored Scouting/Light Attack Vehicle
• Place of origin: an arid and mostly flat country with areas of very rough/rocky terrain
• In service from and to: 2020-2050
• Crew size: 2
• Used by: wide exports have lead to the proliferation of the design among many nations allied to the manufacturer
• Manufacturer(s): Abadon Serif Co.
• Weight: 2.68 tonnes
• Width: 1.7 m
• Height:1.95 m
• Length: 3.9 m

Stats:

• Mobility: 8/10
• Defense: 3/10
• Surface-to-Air: 2/10
• Surface-to-Surface: 5/10
• Stealth: 8.5/10
• Electronics: 8/10

Weaponry:

• Sub: M2 HMG
• Main: DAGR Hydra 70mm guided rocket
• Special Weapon: AGM-176 Griffin vertical launch

Special Function:

• Special Function: Datalink (datasharing)

Brief History:

The ARGILE is a vehicle borne out of the AL SV (Advanced Lightweight Scout Vehicle) program, spawned from an urgent need for a lightweight, high speed reconnaissance and attack platform for use in low and intermediate intensity conflicts. With many ambitious concepts utilizing unvetted vehicle based UAV launch and retrieval, Abadon Serif's ARGILE (eventually designated V-43) won the competition in 2023, using a more conventional platform, which is not to say the ARGILE has not ample room for future growth.

Design:

Propulsion
ARGILE is a hybrid electric vehicle, using a high efficiency diesel engine powering a bank of high energy density carbon foam capacitors. Lightly armored, with the some exception taken for its underside, the ARGILE was originally envisioned to be capable of sustained speeds of 95 kph on roads and capable of sprints at 125 kph. Actual capability, was impressive, though not quite so stunning, with sprints coming to be 108 kph and sustained speeds of 89 kph being found most sustainable. Using in-hub motors for locomotion with individually actuated suspension for each wheel, the ARGILE had surprisingly good handling characteristics, given its weight.

Interface
Neither of the ARGILE's two crew, a driver and a fire control officer, can see directly out of the vehicle as it has no windows. Instead, both use an advanced VR interface to operate the vehicle and its systems. An array of infrared, light field cameras create a 3 dimensional map of the outside for use in the vehicle's artificial vision system, which gives both crew excellent situational awareness, allowing swift response time to various threats, which is important to the system's survivability, given ARGILE's light armor.

Sensors
ARGILE's sensors include the various synthetic vision (light field camera) mounts, its weapons sensors and a sensor/designator suite situated on a mast on the remote weapons mount. With aerospace levels of sensor data throughput, it made sense that the Abadon Serif's proprietary sensor fusion suite, Century Eye, made its way onto the platform.

Thermostealth
From the outset, Abadon Serif's vision included thermostealth as a key component of ARGILE's capabilities as a scout, which has lead to a significant reduction of its heat signature and has made the vehicle one of the premier scouting and surface interdiction platforms. In many cases, distance to detection was reduced significantly over other platforms, allowing for undetected, close approaches to enemy forces.

Armament:

ARGILE's armament varies, as the remote weapons mount and the rear mission module block can both be reconfigured to better suit a particular mission. However, a common arms suite usually includes a .50 BMG gun, guided 70mm rocket combination turret, with non-line of sight Griffin missiles in an attack focused VLS module capable of mounting up to eleven missiles. Other common armaments included 40mm automatic grenade launchers, 7.62mm guns and a variety of AT missiles.

ARGILE's light armament does not mean the vehicle is not capable of inflicting considerable damage, as the platform is a fearsome desert fighter, capable of traversing great distances to harass and destroy static positions and supply lines, especially with its superlative capacity as a fire control platform. ARGILE is a fearsome and highly mobile combatant under the umbrella of artillery or air support.

Edited by: IbizenThoth

Well the competition is now closed! Thank you to those who participated.

Well after much difficult discussions and talks the winner was chosen: It's IbizenThoth's ARGILE.

He will be contacted via his Moddb PM system.

Edited by: mittsommerschnee

Well, congrats I suppose.

Thanks for choosing my design! Can't wait to see what it'll look like in game!

Congrats. I wished I could have entered, but life and school are both competing for more attention at the moment.

Any chance of superweapon design contest someday? Gotta redesign my stuff from scratch.

Nergal01 wrote: Any chance of superweapon design contest someday? Gotta redesign my stuff from scratch.

Next planned one is a naval unit designed contest, if theres any interest that is.

Edited by: mittsommerschnee

naval unit design contest

Woohoo, want. Time to make a "good use" of Warship Gunner, I suppose.

Oh you have my interest with that one. Noting how advanced ships are becoming, it would be fun to make something like a super Zumwalt with lasers.

I think ships would attract more contestants, if only because there's room for some really outlandish stuff as far as surface combatants go.

IbizenThoth wrote: I think ships would attract more contestants, if only because there's room for some really outlandish stuff as far as surface combatants go.

Moreover, we may have to wait for a long time for this but once take-off/landing has been implemented, people'll also able to go crazy with CV designs (that CVs are also no more being gimmicks/not unlike other naval stuff/large "shoot me!" sign floating on water with a couple of AA/SAMs).

Edited by: Nergal01

Nergal01 wrote:

IbizenThoth wrote: I think ships would attract more contestants, if only because there's room for some really outlandish stuff as far as surface combatants go.

Moreover, we may have to wait for a long time for this but once take-off/landing has been implemented, people'll also able to go crazy with CV designs (that CVs are also no more being gimmicks/not unlike other naval stuff/large "shoot me!" sign floating on water with a couple of AA/SAMs).

Another reason why the Naval Contest may be held in November/December time. Hopefully the launcher mechanic will be implemented by then. Hopefully.

As I´m always running around I forgot to thank you both for participating in the contest.
I really like both entries, great work!

Also tell me your names so I can add it to the credits page.

timeSymmetry wrote:
Also tell me your names so I can add it to the credits page.

Just...use my username here.

Any chance of seeing the runner-up™'s design in-game? Also applies to the previous plane design contest.

Nergal01 wrote:

timeSymmetry wrote:
Also tell me your names so I can add it to the credits page.

Just...use my username here.

Any chance of seeing the runner-up™'s design in-game? Also applies to the previous plane design contest.

YES!