Post by keltiksylk on May 3, 2005 1:54:29 GMT
I took a shot at sketching the Fighting Machine based on re-reading the novel.
I tried to incorporate all the details I picked up from the novel and made some assumptions. I figured a simple design similar to the Martians themselves in some ways.
After reading it over awhile I decided the machine has an open cockpit and included such an opening at the front. The small circle under the cockpit is the searchlight. I got this idea from the hump that rises out of the Pit at Horsell Common. I made the heat ray generator over large, as Wells always desribes it that way. The arm it's mounted on seemed to be long so I went with it.
I tried to make the tentacles center around the front in two bunches like the creatures themselves. This resulted in an awkward ring around the front of the machine, like a squid, so I moved them to the sides. I think there should probably be more. If the Martians were used to using 16 arms, not having at least that many on the machine might seem a drawback to them. I also made them long enough to actually reach the ground. It would be inconvenient to have them too short.
I think the legs should be more jointed than I show, but couldn't come up with anything I really liked. I just couldn't think of anything jointed and telescopic. From the text it's obvious the things could collapse in some way as well as bend and shorten. I'm thinking there is also some way the Martian can clambor down in some fashion as they do when the one machine looses a leg.
I did add feet, which are also plainly described and would be required to keep the machines from sinking into soft ground and sand.
I'm still not sure about the cage. It sounds like it is mounted on the rear as I show it in some passages. In others it's described like a pouch or basket that might be hung over a shoulder.
I did not include any weapon for the black smoke, as these bazooka like tubes are "handed out" and are not integrated. I believe they are held in the tentacles as shown in the one Corea illustration.
Sorry for the rough quality.
I tried to incorporate all the details I picked up from the novel and made some assumptions. I figured a simple design similar to the Martians themselves in some ways.
After reading it over awhile I decided the machine has an open cockpit and included such an opening at the front. The small circle under the cockpit is the searchlight. I got this idea from the hump that rises out of the Pit at Horsell Common. I made the heat ray generator over large, as Wells always desribes it that way. The arm it's mounted on seemed to be long so I went with it.
I tried to make the tentacles center around the front in two bunches like the creatures themselves. This resulted in an awkward ring around the front of the machine, like a squid, so I moved them to the sides. I think there should probably be more. If the Martians were used to using 16 arms, not having at least that many on the machine might seem a drawback to them. I also made them long enough to actually reach the ground. It would be inconvenient to have them too short.
I think the legs should be more jointed than I show, but couldn't come up with anything I really liked. I just couldn't think of anything jointed and telescopic. From the text it's obvious the things could collapse in some way as well as bend and shorten. I'm thinking there is also some way the Martian can clambor down in some fashion as they do when the one machine looses a leg.
I did add feet, which are also plainly described and would be required to keep the machines from sinking into soft ground and sand.
I'm still not sure about the cage. It sounds like it is mounted on the rear as I show it in some passages. In others it's described like a pouch or basket that might be hung over a shoulder.
I did not include any weapon for the black smoke, as these bazooka like tubes are "handed out" and are not integrated. I believe they are held in the tentacles as shown in the one Corea illustration.
Sorry for the rough quality.
