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Baron-Engel — Pony Rifle 01
#roan #conceptart #firearm #ponies #rpggame #sketchdrawing #baronengel
Published: 2015-11-10 23:39:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 4408; Favourites: 134; Downloads: 99
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Description
More brainstorming for the Roan RPG. One of the original reasons I was approached by for artwork for the game was to do weapon design. Well now I am getting around to it. This is me starting to try out ideas.When designing equipment for folks with no thumbs or individual digits one has start thinking differently. Ponies do have sticky, gecko hoofs that allow them manipulate and handle objects that normal ponies wouldn't able but one still has to account for the lack of fingers.
Also ponies move on all four so any weapon system they would have would need to quickly and easily stowed on a moments notice so they could start walking, running, climbing, immediately. That means slings and holsters will be integral parts of the overall weapon system. Yes unicorns can levitate and some systems could be mounted on the front legs but those create their own problems.
This is an initial idea I have for a semi-automatic rifle. It is not what the final design will be, but is instead a rough proof of concept. I still need to work a three point sling system. Since the weapon will usually be slung across the chest when moving I wanted to keep its overall length as short as possible so I decided to use a bullpup arrangement.
The other question was how work the trigger mechanism. I quickly settled on squeeze bar mounted on the vertical bar/pistol grip, however I wanted the pony to be able to pull the weapon back with one hoof to help seat it against their chest/shoulder. If I put the trigger on the front of the vertical grip where most triggers would located the pony might accidentally discharge the rifle.
So I thought about putting the trigger bar on the back of the vertical grip. However then my concern was that the trigger was exposed and anything bumping up against might accidentally discharge the weapon. Then I hit upon an idea, what if I put grip safety in the front part of the grip that had to be depressed to allow the trigger to work? Yes it means a pony has to use both hoofs to fire the weapon but you should be using both arms/legs when firing a rifle in the first place!
This is still a work in progress and the final design will evolve quite bit more, but it is a step in the right direction.
I hope you like what you see. Please help make more art like this possible by supporting me at Patreon
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Comments: 52
This is cool.I also designed a bullpup assault rifle for ponies.
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Somehow it strikes me that a standing pose like this — with hindlegs being the only weight support and the centre of weight leaning forward — is really hard to hold unless there’s something that the pony could lean on.
Still, consider that the ponies usually use tongue/mouth/neck for finer tool manipulation, and the weapon needed to be fired at moment's notice under most circumstances, it would make more sense, I think, to have a stationary firearm on one side of the body, with some sort of mouth-operated trigger mechanism and an ammo feeding system that opens on top of the gun instead of bottom, so when a magazine is emptied, it could be easily removed with mouth, and the pony could turn to the other side of the body and fetch a fully loaded one.
Or just have ammo boxes with belt feed that goes over or under the barrel of the pony. But even so reloading would still be a hassle, and in a heated gun battle that could mean the difference between life and death.
Hmm, things like this is definitely something interesting to think about.
Great design though, as always.
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This reminds me of a Flaming Carrot/TMNT comic book (yes, really) that showed one turtle commenting at how his huge fingers could never fit in a rifle's trigger. Nice work.
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Nevermind! I just realiced an arquebus would be exactly the same, but with a large trigger, since those had no safe XD
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Your firearm designs always intrigue me. It's nice seeing equine weaponry done by somebody with a knowledge of firearm mechanics.
I love this one in particular, although I think a paddle release for the magazine would probably work better with hooves.
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If you're interested, I have a practical solution already made that explains how most quadrupeds would use weapons.
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Okay. Noted.
So, based on what I've written, the most logical way for a quadruped to use weapons is to have it mounted in a back turret that is controlled by a Psychotronic Computer.
This allows it to fire in any direction.
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Nicely done as always.
I was wondering - if a pony should fire a human rifle, he could use his mouth for the safety. The trigger guard would have to be removed of course.
Would it make sense for ponies to use a mouth-operated (extra?) safety?
I thought about them using their teeth, as we've seen them hold a full tray with their teeth or AJ use her rope with her teeth, but a recoil could knock out a tooth or two. Unless it was nearly recoilless? What if they didn't use explosives, but a magical version of a railgun?
Also: cars, in case you start on those. Would stearing with the front legs like in a helicopter work? Then gas pedal on one rear leg and brake on the other, or maybe both on one and gear up/down on the other rear leg.
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the next changeling invasion try will be VERY short XD
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Well remember, this is for the Roan RPG which does not take place in Equestria. It takes place in its own world. That's why the ponies have no cutie marks.
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You know, a burst fire mode could be good for earth ponies and pegasus users, since that could help with the accuracy during combat.
Since a full automatic fire could be troublesome for someone with just hooves.
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That is very trew although i think the biggest problem is the magazine.
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Now that you mention it, some kind of ''handle'' in each magazine could do the trick.
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when I designed weapons for my sheep character, I made his hooves jointed so it would be a bit easier to grip his weapon
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That is definitely one way to tackle the problem.
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dracophobos.deviantart.com/art…
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I love your designs, you really put time into thinking how they would really work, Great work!
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Well I feel that trying to create what appears to be plausible technology for that world contribute toward good world building which turns helps create a greater sense of immersion when you're playing. Yeah we're taking and talking, magical ponies, but I still try to give some time and effort. Besides I find stuff like this challenging and often very fun to do.
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It is pretty fun! ^^.. i wish i could created stuff like this, but i suck at coming up with ideas XD
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It is something I have had knack for since I was a child.
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Good idea with a grip safety.
Less levers and buttons to push or manipulate.
Slings are tricky. I personally use a single point. Weapon hangs from a single point just behind the trigger area on the stock. Right were the stock joins the receiver. This allows me to drop the weapon to hang in front or I can swing it to either side. Example is over left side to free up my right pistol side. Side benefit is I can switch to either right hand or left hand depending on cover like walls. On a two or three point you are restricted by the sling to one side only. To shoot opposite hand or hoof you would have to lean out more body exposing more target. I like this weapon. It's clean. Not complicated.
Even a fingered anthro could use it.
Caliber 6.8SPL maybe? If going old school 7.62 NATO. With the monsters in ROAN I would hedge on 5.56. It would work but you would need a lot.
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The one main concern I have with a single point sling is having the weapon swinging around in front of the legs as the pony moves. From what I've seen most single point slings could create that problem. Two point slings might give me enough control; however I am very concerned about weapon retention while moving.
Also I have to remember that this is more like Pre-War US. military.Things like swapping shoulders to shoot around corners is more of Post-Vietnam concept if I remember right? The Roan universe is more 1930's US. Military where performance at Camp Perry and other formal/traditional marksmanship competitions sometimes took greater precedent to what would actually happen on a battlefield.
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Actually switching shoulders has been military taught for years before Nam. Just in a hurry most forget many times dying that way. No the single point for ponies is not good like you point out. A double would work crossing it across the chest and some what out the way.
But now you pointed out another The ROAN time frame. This weapon is very AK like more post 50's. I would think more Thompson or Grease Gun. This actually looks like a Tavor by IMI. Same design maybe drum fed like the Papasha.
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However ventilated metal handguards are so period.
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"But now you pointed out another The ROAN time frame. This weapon is very AK like more post 50's. I would think more Thompson or Grease Gun."
Ding ding! You sir are correct. Once I figured out what I was looking for I just start throwing components down on the paper. With no regard to design or period. Now I need to go back and create a more unified appearance that speaks of the right era. Finned barrels, Cutts compensators, and wood furniture.
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Now you are rocking sir!
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That certainly is interesting. The chunky, hoof-friendly design reminds me a bit of the APS underwater assault rifle
slings and holsters will be integral parts of the overall weapon system.When I read this, I immediately thought "this sounds like the makings of a sort of Stedicam harness... "
Is that something they use for larger calibre weapons?
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Well it will be more of a web sling arrangement. The Stedicam harness is more like what Eclipse has for her machine guns
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Why is it a bullpup though? It looks too futuristic to be in Roan unless you are going off of the British EM1
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And I am not satisfied with the overall design feel for the rifle so that will evolve. It looks like a mish-mash of different designs, but likes the overall concept so now I need to refine it into a more unified package.
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Gotcha. Needs more stamped parts and wooden furniture. That always makes it look more WW2
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Actually since I'm shooting for, pun intended, for more of a WWII US. look it will definitely be lots more wood but more machined metal. The US. showed up kind of late to the "Stamped Metal Party". Really only the M3 Grease Gun fits the stamped metal craze that was sweeping Europe and the USSR.
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Well the main reason is to get the overall length of the rifle down to shortest possible while keeping the barrel length as long as possible. There were some bullpup designs proposed in the late 1930's but the concept didn't really catch on until after the war.
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I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about these things myself.
I'm diggin' the image. :3
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Thanks! It is still a half-baked concept but it is moving in the right direction.
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Well, at least things are in the oven. 
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Yep, I've already got other ideas I'm developing.
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And it's a beautiful thing. I have a character that loves revolvers. That one took some thought.
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Apologies in advance for my inability to draw anything lol. Instead of traditional handle and trigger, there is a pivot switch trigger and a set of spring enforced bracers that cling to the foreleg. Flick of the hoof, round fired - sort of thing. The bracer can also be folded and mouth fired if desired, but that's just an additional utility. Of course, this sort of setup has a lot of moving parts that are probably not all that practical for mass-production and large combat theaters. But they aren't widespread in my universe, so I'll let a physicist pony pipe dream some designs.
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I have played with leg mounted weapons for ponies. Their will probably be couple in the game, but they've always been for pegasi. Although I am working on some ideas for ground ponies. Never was one for mouth firing systems. I know FOE universe had them but not my thing.
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I opted... to keep the option, but it's not my thing either.
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Ingenious design! I like it! Very smart thinking!
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Still not happy with it yet, and I've recently come across some concepts that I want to consider adopting into their designs.
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Of course. Always looking for improvements to designs!
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