ursangnome: (Default)
ursangnome ([personal profile] ursangnome) wrote2008-04-23 09:39 pm

The Cannon

I play in a campaign larp called "Threads of Damocles". In the game, I play an engineer form a post-apocalyptic part of the world. He's put together to be a really hot engineer, but not so good in a fight.

One of the GMs noted that, in the real world, there are two ways to win a gunfight. One is to be a better shot, the other is to have a better weapon. Well, to be a better shot, I'd need to spend character potential I didn't have. However, building a better weapon is right up the character's alley. Whether or not they allow him to have a weapon with better stats, it gave me the excuse I needed to indulge in making a steampunk Nerf Gun.


Nerf currently makes a number of really cool toy dart guns. Mostly for reasons of style, I chose to work with a Nerf Maverick, shown here in it's unmodified state:

Pic of normal Nerf Maverick

While I may not be a dim bulb, I have no pretensions of being a real engineer myself. So, I had to be careful when taking the thing apart, diagramming as I went:

Maverick Guts

And then, after painting, the finished product:

The Cannon

Which looks pretty darned good, if I do say so myself.

[identity profile] umbran.livejournal.com 2008-04-24 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
I'm proud of it. It is the firearm equivalent of the big wrench I carry around in game. The wrench got named "Asshammer" by Lawrence (albeit unintentionally). For the moment, the gun is just named "Cody's Cannon".

[identity profile] arachne8x.livejournal.com 2008-04-24 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
I like it. I really do. Its classy.

[identity profile] wcg.livejournal.com 2008-04-24 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
Looks good!

Remember, get your first shot off fast. It'll usually throw the other guy's timing off enough that you can make the second shot really count.

[identity profile] umbran.livejournal.com 2008-04-24 05:15 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, classic strategy.

This is really mostly a prop, for visual effect. I doubt I'd ever actually fire this beast in game. Most of the combat I've seen has been theatrical, or simulated with rules like any other RPG, so that strategy doesn't really apply.

The game does also include combat with airsoft weapons - far superior to Nerfy, here, in range and accuracy, so that using it would be a losing proposition...

...except I could simulate that very surprise you mention, if I get the whistling darts they make for this thing. Not that they'd allow it, but it'd be funny.
mindways: (Default)

[personal profile] mindways 2008-04-24 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
That's a sweet-looking conversion! *applauds*

[identity profile] pixel.livejournal.com 2008-04-24 11:48 am (UTC)(link)
Nicely done. I like that color combination a lot.

If you want to make it look used and abused some drybrushing with black paint could work nicely.

Also you do know there is a tactical light that attaches to the top for added baddassery.

Edited 2008-04-24 11:50 (UTC)

[identity profile] umbran.livejournal.com 2008-04-24 01:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes.

The nice thing about modding Nerf guns is that they're pretty darned cheap. The tactical light was five bucks, and came with extra darts, so I picked it up and put it next on my painting agenda. :)
laurion: (Default)

[personal profile] laurion 2008-04-24 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Very smooth paint job!
jducoeur: (Default)

[personal profile] jducoeur 2008-04-24 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
*Very* nicely done...

[identity profile] vettecat.livejournal.com 2008-04-30 05:40 am (UTC)(link)
Very cool!