Concept for an Irra Replacement Model

[Tenacity]

Currently, the Irra Purifier (Nomad Cruiser) uses a rather poor looking model created by enlarging and stretching out the basic nomad gunboat model. Additionally, the current Irra's hardpoints go by four way symmetry (top/bottom/left/right), rather than the three way symmetry used by all other nomad ships (top, bottom left, bottom right or vice versa). I suggested to Yuri earlier today that a replacement model was needed, and he asked me to come up with a sketch or image that he could base a new model off of.

I havent heard back from him yet (since he's probably sleeping) but hopefully he'll be able to use the following to come up with a better looking model. The images I made are rather basic and only meant to give an idea or representation of what I'd like to see in the new model.

Here's the suggested 'sketch' for the new model, and descriptions as to what my idea was when making these images:

These images are all top-down.

Image #1 shows the basic body shape of the craft, which obviously may be altered to fit the rest of the ship when the model is made. The basic idea here is that the new Irra model - unlike other nomad ship models, does not have a centerline engine at the back (that will be explained later on). Additionally, the front of the ship has a concave "mouth"-like opening which was meant to resemble the front of the Nomad Suncrusher, seen in the extended opening cinematic for Freelancer (Link to cinematic video) (The suncrusher's mouth is shown around 4:20-4:50)
This forward concave section of the ship would house a heavy weapon hardpoint, either a nomad equivalent of the light mortar or a nomad cruiser forward gun.

Image #2 shows the basic body with the "wings" added on. Instead of the current spike-like wings, which are used on all nomad ships except the Nomad Bomber, I opted to go with the bomber's wider, double-spiked tip style wings (which, IMO, look much better and more 'tough'). A reference to the bomber wing shape is shown at the bottom of the image. The wings are connected to the rear 'bulb' of the main body, with one wing situated at the top of the vessel, and two more on the bottom left and bottom right at 66 degree angles, all wings face forward.

Image #3 shows the basic body with the "engines" added on (but no wings). Currently, all nomad ships have a centerline engine design with the engine at the back/center of the main body. The idea here is that the new Irra would use reversed 'tubes' similar to the intake tubes on the Marduk Battleship model, and would have three engines - one in each tube. The tubes are connected opposite and inverse of the wings - meaning that they are attached to the forward 'bulb' of the main body, with one on the bottom of the ship, and two more on the top left and top right situated at 66 degree angles.
The reasoning behind this setup is that the forward gun and engines would, in-RP, use the same reaction chamber at the front of the nomad ship. When firing the forward gun, power is diverted from the engines, while the other turrets on the ship gain their power from the rear chamber instead.

Image #4 shows the body with both the wings and engines attached.

Below those are references images showing the design influence of the Bomber's wide, double-spike tipped "wings" and the engine tubes from the marduk battleship.

This image shows the front (left) and back (right) of the ship, to better elaborate on the placement and styling of the wings and engine tubes, as well as the 'mouth' at the front of the ship.

The final image shows a top down view of the ship and suggested hardpoint locations. These are up for debate, however.

The current Irra uses 10 hardpoints: 1 on the front of the ship which can only fire forward, 1 on the rear of the ship which can only fire backward, and 8 spread across the middle of the ship which can fire both forward and backward.
The suggested hardpoints here have no rear-only turret, but instead of 3 normal turret hardpoints placed on each of the 3 wings/leafs, with the final hardpoint being changed to a heavy turret or forward gun placed in the 'mouth' of the vessel. The 9 turrets placed on the wings/leafs can fire both forward and backward, while the forward gun or heavy turret has a limited forward firing arc.



We'll see what Yuri comes up with when he has time to work on the model itself. Until then, any feedback on the proposal?

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