Wierd Armored Car

Challenge Entry

Based on: Sizaire-Berwick Armored Car, c. 1915, WWI

Controls

LaunchCounterMeasures MUST press to start the car (before throttle) as an AG. Creates a nice a little poof of smoke for starting the car.
Throttle Might need to throttle before launching counter measures. Sometimes requires a few tries to start going with countermeasures as AG. Lower speed for controlled turns and some rough terrain.
Roll Turn, might flip on hard full speed turns and rough terrain…but that is to be expected for this nonsense.
AG 1 Open Side Doors
AG 2 Open armored plates (windows, upper observation plates)
AG 3 Head Lights
VTOL Machine gun sweep
Fireguns Machine Gun, was actually .303 rifle of some sort, so I gave a slight upgrade.
Cameras Internal seats (have fun with vision), front nose (cockpit is radiator cap/hood ornament).

Background

The World's Worst Weapons, Martin J. Dougherty, c. 2008

Note this not a promo for the book, just a convenient reference for the Sizaire-Berwick Armored Car on its cover, which should be the poster child for weird vehicles IMO. Also, how did this little book, one my favorites in my collection, go from costing me like $15 to 60…was 2008 like half a century ago for inflation?

Anyhow, my shout out (not complete recreation) to this odd British-French concept vehicle that was to be driven by a prop-engine and maybe designed for potential desert use (hence its color scheme) for WWI. It was clearly a flop, who uses a completely exposed prop engine (often high-maintenance) for desert warfare? I have no idea what the interior or what most of the vehicle actually looked like, other than a few exterior shots.

I tried to make a half decent under carriage/chassis without going overboard, including the leaf spring suspension that might have been used…sorry for the lack of detail on these.

I kind of assumed 2-3 people sat inside, and someone would need to stand on their seat or a stool to look out the observation sunroof thing. I have no idea what the overhead piping from the engine to the passenger compartment was for, I hope it was for control wiring for the engine. However, based on the radiator being in the front and exposed to enemy gunfire (what the hell?), it is possible the overhead piping was for coolant exchange and went through the passenger compartment in some fashion. Good old WWI tech: let’s run some engine stuff right next to the troops, even when the engine is as far away as possible from them…what could go wrong.

While I dunk on this strange vehicle (and happy it didn’t see any battle action), I love that it looks like it belongs in a Steampunk roleplaying game, or as part of a Mad Max movie. It’s one of my favorite odd-designs out there.

Back to work for me, so I won't be back for a while, take care all!