12 replies to this topic

[pueriexdeus]

Has anybody here ever read the BOLO series of Sci Fi books?

I just finished one and was thinking about building one VDR. Looking through FW Imperial Amour V1 I started to covet the Shadowsword which would be loaded out more like a Warlord Titan. Though I think it might be too small.

[Ian MacKay]

The BOLO stories are pretty good. I started with the original Keith Laumer shorts back in the 80's when I was playing a lot of OGRE.

A BOLO would probably be larger than a Baneblade (given that a Mark XXXI is contained in a room 40 meters long x 10 meters wide x 4 meters high in one short) with a few more guns. Void Shields would be appropriate due to their ability to survive a nuclear blast.

Personally I'd aim for an OGRE Mk V or Mk VI. 50 meters long, 10 high, 4 tread drives, 2 or 3 Earthshaker cannons, a bunch of autocannons, lots of heavy bolters, and a few h/k missiles. In OGRE game terms, 2 or 3 Main guns, 6 Secondaries, 12 Anti-personnel guns, and 6 missiles. In the OGRE universe, they chuck low yield nukes at each other because the armor can withstand a contact nuclear blast with only 3 or 4 centimeters of bi-phase carbide, and OGREs carry 2 to 3 METERS of BPC.

Have fun if you try. It does sound like a nice idea. Maybe think Warhound on tracks with extra short range stuff.

[Race Bannon]

The BOLO series are very good and underestimated.

I agree that a BOLO would be bigger than a Baneblade, but I imagine the Mark III to maybe ... X(?) be about Baneblade size. After that, they seem to be friggin' 'uge.

[pueriexdeus]

OGRE another blast from the past...
Thanks for the loadout input.

[Viray]

I was always curious about the name of the BOLO tank. Judging by how you all capatilized it, I'm assuming it is an acroynm of some sort. Still, I can't help but feel that it may have been named after the Filipino term, Bolo. Am I correct in this, or am I waaaay off?

[pueriexdeus]

The acronym BOLO is derived from the name of the subsidiary of the manufacture that created the original chassis. Something like Chevrolet belongs to General Motors, Dodge is a Chrysler, etc. It has no special Big Overpowered Laserslinging Official meaning. It simply is a BOLO.

[Ian MacKay]

The BOLO series are very good and underestimated.

I agree that a BOLO would be bigger than a Baneblade, but I imagine the Mark III to maybe ... X(?) be about Baneblade size. After that, they seem to be friggin' 'uge.

OO! Good link there. I hadn't read the Wiki entry on them in a long time. I had actually forgotten about the Hellbores. Sounds like the plasma weapons from Warlords as the Blastgun for Stormblades, Warhounds, and Reavers wouldn't be strong enough.

The short that I referenced is from Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade. It implies that they have short-range microwave and sonic weapons for anti-personnel duties.

So I'd think one Hellbore cannon, several lascannons, and either heavy bolters or assault cannons for close in weapons.

[Viray]

The acronym BOLO is derived from the name of the subsidiary of the manufacture that created the original chassis. Something like Chevrolet belongs to General Motors, Dodge is a Chrysler, etc. It has no special Big Overpowered Laserslinging Official meaning. It simply is a BOLO.

Much appreciated. Still, I'm kinda sad that it wasn't named after the bolo, I mean, considering all the things named after European and Japanese weaponry
Edit: Ah, the wonders of proper spelling.

Edited by Viray, 02 March 2010 - 07:28 AM.

[Rymeer]

I am an OLD fan of the BOLO series. I think I own every short story, and novel to date. (Been collecting for nearly 40 years!).

As for a BOLO version of a BaneBlade? nah... Shadow Sword would make a better chassis. Although, one would realistically need at least TWO to make a proper BOLO tank. Each hull/track section would be a single motive unit for the BOLO. One should be able to link the track units somewhat easily with seperation space between them. The Hull sections would need to be sliced down the middle, front to back, and sheet plastic added to expand the width to proper dimentions (I'd aim for about half again width... or to say it another way, the finished hull should be about 150% wide).

Weapons:
A Titan's Plasma weapon for the 'main gun'. This should be hull mounted, since the BOLO would need it's mass for recoil.
Turret weapons: humm.... an Earthshaker cannon in each? Perhaps use both Shadowsword guns in rotating turrets?
side weaponry: two sets of TL-Lascannons sponsons for each of the Shadowsword hull sections.
anti-personnel: 6 to 8 TL-HB's mounted in 'mini-turrets' on the hull along each side?
Anti-aircraft: 4 TL-Autocannon mounts.
Missiles: up to 12 Hunter Killer Missiles, OR 2 Vortex missiles
Armor: FA:14, SA:14, RA:14.
8 Mass Points
4 Void Shields

Before you concider this TO) much... concider that this vehicle is a mobile fortress and battle platform. The model should end up around 12 to 14" wide and about 20 to 24" long. That's a LOT of area to plant weaponry on! Personally, I would build this and aim at 14" wide and 20" long, or 16" wide and 24" long. Although, I could see it being built at 12" wide and about 18" long in a pinch.

as for points costs?? Geeze... how about LOTS? This thing would easily be the cost of a Warlord Titan, perhaps a bit more.

Just my thoughts

Rymeer

Edited by Rymeer, 29 March 2010 - 02:25 PM.

[commander alexander]

In the book Fallen Angels from the Horus Heresy series, a very similar vehicle is described, and with good references to size and construction.

[pueriexdeus]

As I have been searching for anything to put my Titan on Treads together I found this. Linky oh, yes. Now to crunch this down into 40K.

[Brother_Fatiswon]

never read any of the stories, but i used to spend hours and hours playing the old Apple IIe game BOLO it was frantic... and wonderful for it's time. (the era of Black and green computer games! werd up)

[kitsune106]

heh. i love bolos.


although, what woudl describe their battle screen's ability to absorb and redirect energy from incoming weapons to their own energy systems? that is one of the thigns that made bolos deadly. they wcoudl absorb the energy from attacks and use them to channel their own systems.

of course, fielding a bolo would be very expensive in point costs. not to mention that their main cannon would be the equalievent of a nova cannon on from battle fleet gothic, i believe. big big gun, ona moving chassis.

and their point defense and anti personal systems are like scary. they woudl have BS to hit of 6, i think, if not more. and IIRC, they coudl probably tank crush other tanks easily. a bolo of the later series coudl sprint at battle speeds at up to 100 kmph.