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Author Topic: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish  (Read 5132 times)

Offline The_Baron

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 194
Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« on: October 13, 2018, 06:17:18 AM »
Hi all, here's something I've been tinkering with. Something I haven't seen anywhere else yet!

A Mortal Engines Traction City. Great series of books with moving cities 'eating' each other for resources a couple of 1000 years after a nuclear war. A steampunk setting although set it the future.

Ok well this is more a traction town or suburb, but I plan on making bigger ones also. 1/1200ish scale, about 60mm long. Built using a Dystopian Wars land something or other as a base (the track unit) with a bunch of 3d printed buildings and sculpting. Little rough around the edges but this was a prototype and I've learnt a lot for next time.

In the centre we have the well-to-do apartments, on one side the industrial sector, and on the other the middle class apartments with gardens and a pond. I wanted these to look like cities and not war machines. There are a couple of grapple guns on the front to grab smaller cities to eat.

Soon to be a major motion picture - check out the trailers, inspiring stuff. Hope you like it!













Cheers,
The Baron


My Blog: http://returntologansworld.blogspot.com.au/
Empire of the Dead, Strange Aeons, Old-School Fantasy and Rogue Trader, 15mm ATZ

Offline 3 fingers

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1246
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2018, 08:31:52 AM »
I’ve read the book with the red cover, looking forward to the movie as well,
There was someone on here doing a similar style project with 28mm figures for skirmishing between the different cities, but his thread got deleted when he got banned .

Offline Ironclad Paul

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 62
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2018, 06:17:03 PM »
I like that a lot. Impressive city on top and very compact.  It's inspiring me to make some now and it does seem to fit with a 'land ironclads' style of game too with smaller and larger units (like naval gaming on land maybe).
In a way (to my mind) the scale isn't too important as smaller units could be a slightly larger scale for practicalities of gaming, and the larger units are so unlike anything else you see in gaming that it's difficult to gauge scale anyway.
Thanks for showing, nice job, and intriguing too..

Offline Gunbird

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2297
  • With miniatures, anything is possible!
    • 20mm and then some
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2018, 10:45:12 PM »
Lovely, beautiful creation
Who is Gunbird? Johan van Ooij, Dutch, Mercenary Gamer, no longer mobile and happy to live life while it lasts >> http://20mmandthensome.blogspot.com/

Offline The_Baron

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 194
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2018, 02:52:09 AM »
Cheers all :)

In regards to scale, definitely fast and loose. I'd love to add some airship and fixed wing units, and much bigger cities also, as well as small suburbs for the bigger cities to eat. Some units of Stalkers for assaults could be cool too. Different forms of locomotion also - wheels, walkers etc.

There was someone on here doing a similar style project with 28mm figures for skirmishing between the different cities, but his thread got deleted when he got banned .
I do remember that thread and a shame it got deleted. It would make a fun skirmish game too, but obviously in 28mm the cities themselves (the stars of the show as far as I'm concerned) could never be represented. There appear to be some cool uniforms on show

I have this book on the way too, which hopefully has lots more information and inspiration.
https://www.bookdepository.com/Illustrated-World-Mortal-Engines-Philip-Reeve/9781407186788?ref=grid-view&qid=1539917479586&sr=1-1

Offline Ironclad Paul

  • Bookworm
  • Posts: 62
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2018, 08:20:59 AM »
Thanks too, just pre-ordered the book and now can't wait.  I really need to get more switched on to spin off merchandise!  Usually last to realise these things are available, but this is the benefit of forums like this!    Airships and mobile architecture - just great   :)
There is definitely a game in there somewhere..

Offline tin shed gamer

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
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  • Posts: 3332
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2018, 08:54:32 AM »
My kids are already cringing having read the books ( both the engines' and the prequel fever crumb. There's a lot more scope for skirmish games in the crumb books. As you can re cycle a lot of your existing scenery.)
They've seen the trailers and are worried he's done a hobbit. As the trailers seem to show a rewrite of the whole premise.Hester predestined to stop Valentine ::) .But We're still going to see it :D.
I'm intrigued as to how you'd represent municipal Darwinism?  Predation seems as if it would be little more than a chase game.
Or do you see it more of rework of epic 40k?

Mark.

Offline The_Baron

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 194
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2018, 10:14:28 AM »
Mark, I completely agree. But I'm fingers crossed optimistic that the movie will be good. At the very least the traction cities look amazing. The hobbit was awful and I'm hoping he can shake they as original Lord of the Rings has stood the test of time in my opinion.

In regards to gaming it, I think it needs to be more than just a chase. I see it as resource management, keeping the population happy, eating smaller towns while avoiding bigger ones, managing speed etc. With a healthy dose of air combat and boarding actions thrown in. Just thought bubbles at the moment though, would love to hear other's thoughts

Offline Ballardian

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1585
  • Too old to stop now
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2018, 03:51:37 PM »

 A very cool project 8) - would the DW ground unit rules cover you for the basis of a game?

Offline redrevuk

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 34
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2018, 09:35:38 PM »
Thatīs a glorious creation! I have had it in mind to do something similar, using old Epic40k mega gargantuan chassis as a basis, but the old DW models are also excellent. Very well done, sir!

Offline fred

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4359
    • Miniature Gaming
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2018, 07:17:39 AM »
A very cool build.

I kind of remember the books - or perhaps I just read one book. Municipal Darwinism is a great phrase. It did seem a bit vague in practice within the books, particularly with regard to city vs city combat.

Offline blacksoilbill

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1487
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2018, 08:47:20 AM »
What a great creation! It certainly captures the spirit of the cities.

I'm three chapters away from finishing the last book with my kids. Unfortunately, I don't have high hopes for the movie. But we'll see...

Offline DiggerPete

  • Assistant
  • Posts: 20
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2018, 02:28:20 AM »
Way cool :o Great work, really great.

Pete

Offline The_Baron

  • Librarian
  • Posts: 194
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #13 on: December 05, 2018, 02:55:05 AM »
Hi all,

Thank you all for your compliments, and apologies for the delay in getting back on here :D

It is quite a fun distraction and I recommend giving it a shot. You could get quite far with monopoly houses and various tank tracks from bigger models.

City vs City combat was always vague, particularly if they were the same size. So I think some artistic liberty would be needed here to game it. I think it may need to be a bit of a custom ruleset, I actually have never played dystopian wars land so not sure how it works

If any of you build your own please post photos and put the link here

Cheers, The Baron

Offline Shaved Dwarf

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 402
Re: Mortal Engines Traction City - 1/1200ish
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2018, 09:51:09 PM »
Missed this thread until today...

Great work!
More, please!

I love book one...