Thursday,Mar31,

Spotlight On... The Aphid

Adeptus Mechanicus, Rules, Spotlight On 8:56 AM

The Aphid is a model from a different game system called Robogear that I use in my Adeptus Mechanicus army.

Robogear offers some fairly whacky vehicles that are clip together, fast to make and kind of interesting – especially if you convert them from the originally intended design as I did with this Thunderfire Battery.

Because I didn't want to use the pilot that came with it, I used toilet paper soaked with glue to make a curving cocpit.

For its rules I used the old Vehicle Design Rules again to design a medium-heavy walker. It’s quite nice in the game but needs to be used carefully to avoid being destroyed prematurely as its weapons are fairly short-ranged.

Aphid	BS	Front	Side	Rear
Aphid	3	12	12	10

Points: 129

Vehicle Type: Walker

Crew: Skitarii

Weapons: Twin-linked Assault Cannon, Twin-linked Bolters

Friday,Mar25,

Spotlight On... The Neutraliser!

Adeptus Mechanicus, Rules, Spotlight On 5:51 AM

The Neutraliser is a toy I bought a few years ago. I originally painted it up to be a Starship Troopers vehicle but it didn’t sit too well within that game system. When I started to pull together my Adeptus Mechanicus force it seemed like a logical addition.

With the addition of a Forge World brass etched Imperial Eagle it looks (to me) like it fits quite nicely.

As far as stats went, I was tempted by the Apocalypse rules for the Knight Warden from the Tempus Fugitives Cult Mechanicus codex but I wanted something I could use in normal sized games.

A quick fiddle through the Vehicle Design Rules and Bob was my uncle. Although I had to fiddle it a tad to use the Punisher Gatling Cannon as that hadn’t been invented when the VDR came out. I transferred the points across from the Imperial Guard codex.

In the game he is rather cool, mostly because he looks so good. I’m a sucker for the look of things. Rules and winning come far below this on my priority, but they came out quite adequately this time I think.

Neutraliser	BS	Front	Side	Rear
Neutraliser	3	13	13	10

Points: 250

Vehicle Type: Tank

Crew: Skitarii

Weapons: Punisher Gatling Cannon, Missile Launcher

Special Rules: Lumbering (Can only turn 90 degrees after moving a maximum of 6” forward)

Tuesday,Mar15,

V10 with Ferrari DNA to power Dodge Viper of the future

V10 with Ferrari DNA to power Dodge Viper of the future 8:59 AM

The association of Chrysler to Fiat brings some rumors that it might be using a V10 Ferrari derived engine for the next generation of the . It will definitely be a welcome

Just a few months back, Chrysler was trying to get rid of the Dodge Viper brand as bankruptcy loomed dark on its future. The attempt to sell the brand only got a single bid from the low end amounting to $5.5 million. The top executive of Chrysler wants the brand to live on and run on a Ferrari power plant.

The reports are unofficial still though but the Dodge Viper getting more raw power might transform the brand into a powerhouse which can redefine the lineup of Dodge in the current competitive market.

The V10 on the drawing boards will be an extension of the V8 from the Fiat line up. The Viper will be having a crossbreed with cylinder banks on 90 degrees, valves actuated by pushrods, but not having the same flat crank like that in the Ferrari.

Bologna auto show

Bologna auto show 8:57 AM

Ferrari 458 Challenge unveiled at

The Ferrari 458 Challenge was recently unwrapped at the ongoing Bologna Motor Show that runs until December 12, 2010. The 458 Challenge is the track version derived from the 458 Italia. The track version of the 458 has a lot of upgrades from the road legal stablemate making everyone awaits for its performance at the single-racing series of Ferrari hitting North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific.

The 458 Challenge retains the 458 Italia’s V8 4.5L capable of giving out 570 horsepower at 9,000 rpm but the Ferrari engineers have made a lot of adjustments in terms of the gear ratios and the F1 dual clutch gearbox to make it gallop faster on the track. The Challenge is also equipped with the electric differential setup just like the road legal version. The Ferrari Challenge will be utilizing the F1 traction control system.

The setup of the track version 458 is further bolstered by an upgraded suspension setup with stiffer springs, lower ride height, uniball joints made from steel, and single rate alloy dampers. The engineers ensure its stopping capabilities by installing the latest CCM2 brakes from Brembo and the Ferrari ABS setup similar to the 599XX.

Ferrari also made the car lighter with the focus on decreasing the thickness of the body panels and by using Lexan and carbon fiber materials all over.
p27 Ferrari 458 Challenge etc

With all the improvements done to the Challenge, the lap time of the 458 at the Fiorano circuit was trimmed down by 2 seconds compared to the performance of its predecessor.

Other racing vehicles are also being exhibited by the Italian car marques at the motor show in Bologna including an F1 and AF Corse.

Posted in: Ferrari 458 Italia, News | | Comments (0)

Post tags: 458 Challenge, car news, Ferrari, Ferrari 458, Ferrari 458 Challenge, Ferrari news

Rumor mill: Ferrari 458 Italia Spider will come with folding hardtop

7th June 2010

People from Maranello hinted that the 458 Italia Spider from the stable of the prancing horse marques will come with a folding hardtop! You read that right and that will be a feature similar to its sibling, the Ferrari California.

Ferrari lovers though might be wondering how the mechanism for the hardtop will be installed since unlike the California which has its engine in front, the 458 Italia has its engine mounted in the rear.

We are pretty sure though the designers and engineers have all it figured out so we leave it all to them. With the California, the hardtop was made from aluminum panels with a supporting structure also made from cast aluminum which decreased its overall weight. Press the switch and the roof will close or open in 14 seconds.

The 458 Italia Spider will make use of a V8 4.5L engine that can give out 578 horsepower. This Ferrari can zoom from 0 to 100 km/h in a matter of 3.4 seconds with its max speed pegged at 325 km/h. This new model will be a bit slower compared to the coupe as the mechanism for the mechanism of the folding hard top will add some pounds to the car.

Photo via teamspeed

Spotlight On... The Triceranoughts!

Crimson Blades, Deinosus, Dinosaurs, Space Marines 5:45 AM

Background

With the majority of their armoured support devastated beyond repair, the Crimson Blades solution was to turn to the indigenous xenoforms on the planet where they became stranded, but this new biological “armoured” division proved the equal of any technology that had come before.

Used both for spearheading heavy assault actions and as beasts of burden, the Triceranoughts excel at the role they play in allowing the Deinosus company to maintain such a potent mobile force. Carrying everything from heavy armament to the concentrated liquid gruel used to sustain the marines in the field, the Triceranoughts prove invaluable, especially with the Cortex Units drilled into their brains to control them while accelerating their natural aggression.

Making the Models

The Triceranoughts were made from the same basic Triceratops toys as the Triceratank. Then I strapped on as many spare parts, barrels, lights and rolled up sleeping bags as I could. The goal here was create the idea of a support unit that spends long periods in the field and I wanted to explore the question of what Space Marines might eat in those circumstances.

As with the Triceratank (and the rest of the army), I wanted the Triceranoughts to be heavily weathered and battle damaged and used a drill to make shell wounds in their armoured front plates.

They have the same assault armour on their legs as my Tyrannosaur has as well as the razor wire, to act as a deterrent.

Game Rules

In the game, they count as Chaos Space marine Dreadnoughts. The rules there match up well with their capabilities and also have the Crazed element to symbolise their out of control nature.

Tactics

It’s difficult to talk much about tactics here because in almost every game, the Triceranoughts have ended up getting immobilised far from the enemy. They are designed to be close assault units and need to get into combat as quickly as possible to avoid getting shot up. Because they look so threatening however, they tend to draw a lot of fire.