SMC M#03 - Japo - All Terrain Armored Vehicle - Pz.Kpfg. IV Ausf. H

[JAPO]

Guten Tag!
After discarding Panzer IV as my ATAV (it would have been too real), I have decided to do Panzerkampfgänger IV Ausführung H (Pz.Kpfg. IV Ausf. H). Now all german speaking readers are either dying lauging or know what that is (my german language is limited).

I am working on walker tank. Sort of mechwarrior, only from WW2 and featuring only accessible weaponry available at the time. To an extent. Of course coordination of such vehicle would require computer stronger than we have today. And of course legs.

Anyways, full story later. Here are some wips featuring chasis of SdKfz 222 with a floodlight, radar antena array (didnt make that one up) and twin FlaK 88.

Still 2 hours to go.

[rocneasta]

hahaha good one JAPO

the part where you say still 2 hours to go keeps me in suspense what will happen next

[Psycho Mantis]

your german is topnotch. that would definitively be the marks name in german.

[rocneasta]

don't listen to Psycho he can't even spell Location: properly

[rocneasta]

always finishing just in time any updates JAPO?

[JAPO]

I know
Of course finishing at the last minute. The model has been finished since Friday, but I am working on textures. For this model, being it WW2 model (or based on WW2), I want it to have proper paint scheme. And I chose german winter coating with panzer gray underneath. In winter campaign germans used water based painting so it could be washed off easily when the spring came or conditions changed (white tank deep in mud is not very subtle). It created characteristic smudges. Often, in order to make markings and numbers visible, they simply washed off the paint from those spots (or thinned the paint). If only those renders didnt take soooo long.

Once this test render is done I will make wire and clay. In the meantime, here are armament specs, as a sneak peek

4x 8.8 cm PaK 43
3x mounted MG 42
1x 2 cm Flakvierling 38/B

Additional armament:
2x Kar98 with zeiss rifle scope
1x MG42
10x MP40
30x Stielhandgranate

FuG 202 Lichtenstein radar station

Main weapon of this walker are 4x 88 cannons mounted on 2 independent turrets. Each cannon is operated from with turret by a single gunner. Loading is handled by automatic mechanism in the rear of the gun. Besides 2 gunners there is also spotter/engineer in each turret.
There are 2 modes of fire for the turret. Either each gun is operated independently allowing 2 different targets to be tracked, or both guns are in linked mode allowing either faster rate of fire for suppresion or bigger firepower when both barrels are fired simultaneously.
The mode has to be set prior to the battle and it is advised to do so in open space. For linked fire the guns are usually locked in a position with slight convergence. In this mode entire turret revolves for aiming. In single mode each gun is operated independently. Targeting on wider arcs is difficult and it is a common practice both turrets are rotated relative to the main hull with each gun covering its own angle.

Secondary weapon is Flakvierling (quad flak cannon) located under the nose of the walker. Unlike its counterparts, version B is belt fed, which allows only one crewmember to operate entire weapon. The gunner sits in the hull and operates the weapon through periscope aparatus. Flakvierling is intended as close encounter weapon against infantry and light vehicles. The gun has elevation 70 degrees.

MG42 machineguns are intended only for close encounters (Very handy when the nose weapon is disabled or destroyed.)

The top platform is accessible from the main hull and may be used as platform for sniping or mounting additional MG42.

[hammering3D]

can't wait ...

[JAPO]

It will be hell squeezing all the wireframe into one picture. I mean the way I usually do it. With the dissected model and view of every part.

Renders take 11 minutes, ot its the worst scenario. Bored and psyched at the same time.

[hammering3D]

u could count the unrendered pixels from the image
Or make some bets where the render bucket jump next on the image

[JAPO]

Hello, so here is my Pz.Kpfg. IV Ausf. H

Modelled in 3Ds Max 2008, rendered with V-Ray, wire are screenshots
Modelling time 234 minutes.

I will edit this post with beauty render when I have it finished.

[czacen]

wow japo, that's an a lot of objects on that beast. Spread the legs for the final image to show more weight being distributed from the top to the bottom.

[JAPO]

Here is the beauty render. Well what my PC managed in time. I will make version "as intended" soon.

[rocneasta]

looking nice, please tell me you didn't unwrap every part?!

[hammering3D]

ok this is definitely the ultimate killing machine ).

I think U need 5000X5000 render to show all the details and then we must place it on a plasma big tv or something )

i don't know if U seen this on 3dtotal gallery it was a giant monster made of duracel bunnies, and I don't know how this type of portfolio was made in flash but for sure some day when u have time is nice to render u'r robot like this :d
www.mecanique-g.com

[JAPO]

Thank you for those kind words

I know that bunny sumo warrior you speak of. Totally incredible

As for unwrapping, Originally I dreaded the texturing process but then I thought I should find an automated way. So in the end most of those objects have procedural and automated and whatever other words there are for textures you only set paramaters to and they just stick there. Only non procedural is the dirt map for those smudges.
The hull and the turret... (and here go model kit terms) base is made with panzer gray with decals and over it is placed the white coating. with mask so it looks like the white paint has been washed off

Oh and as to those decals... the red number on side indicates its the third vehicle, first platoon of second company of the batallion. The insignias on the turret indicate the walker belongs to division Grossdeutschland (Wehrmacht). The last decal indicates it belongs to assault walker battalion and thats the only one I made up (not entirely. Its based on heavy tank batallion decal).