IDW #41: Deamonic Siege Engine

[yoitisi]

Topic: Deamonic Siege Engine


Background: This topic is inspired by the Warhammer Game, so if you're down on inspiration I suggest you check on their website or something. However, it is not needed to stay whitin their style or world. The setting could be in the future, parallel universe or in the past or fantasy world.

*Edit: As some people were not completely sure what a siege engine is: it is a war machine to break down the enemies defences. The term often applies to medieval/renaissance weapons such as trebuchets, catapults, mortars, battering rams, ballistaes, siege-towers etc. etc. This said, you don't necessarily have to keep it medieval but could also transfer the idea of a siege engine to a bunker-buster or whatever. It should all serve the same goal: break down enemy fortifications.

Brief:

1. Design a siege engine driven by deamonic powers.
2. Also show some of the crewmembers (as someone should have at least some control over the machines otherwise they might start firing at your own ranks). These do not need to be as detailed as the machine, but should be clearly visible. Also very usefull to show the scale of the machine

Deadline: Thursday August 9 2007

[Legato]

i have absolutely no idea what a "siege engine" is after reading "as someone should have at least some control over the machines otherwise they might start firing at your own ranks" ;_;

[Michael Jaecks]

I think it's probably like a Demonic War Machine... with a sort of demonic "pilot" or crew that operates it. Some horrible killing juggernaut machine from hell.

At least that's what I read into it.

[ScaryPotato]

Final!




Fliegen-Aufsatz or FA-Mk1

During World War one, the Germans conducted many bizarre experiments to strengthen their armies. One such experiment involved the use of live demon embryos (anything more developed was found to be too powerful to control easily). Contained in a sphere of crystal, the demon is shocked at precise amounts with one or more of the four Tesla Coils on the upper corners of the tower. The embryo's pain and rage is then focused and amplified through the crystal and unleashed towards the intended target. The FA-Mk1's hovering ability is due to ionics lifter rings in its base, and can carry the structure silently to its destination with a crew of pilots and maintainence staff. It was used with devastating results in the latter part of the war, as they crossed the English Channel under cover of dark to destroy their defences and any coastal resistance until the rest of the German forces could arrive.

[D-Holme]

Siege engines are war machines used during sieges, generally medieval/renaissance period, Catapults, Trebuchets and Ballista or then the later siege-guns and mortars - usually whatever it takes to breakdown fortifications and defences, maybe rams and siege-towers could be lumped in too.

mmm - have to get thinking of how to be original with this one.

[Johnnyhorse]

Oh I totally got an idea now.
*placeholder*
(thanks IDW for getting me back into CA.org )

[yoitisi]

Legato: Read D-Holme's comment I suggest. Also, in a lot of tales and stories concerning deamons the deamons always try to find a way to turn agains their master/summoner. Some kind of control is needed to keep the deamon-powered machine at the right target.

Michael Jaecks: Exactly

D-Holme: That's exactly what I meant with it I woke up this morning thinking I should check whether people got the idea, as I was not certain the English name was correct. Good to see someone else explained it already.

Johnnyhorse: Glad to be of service

[gene0i1mortal]

This one should be fun.

[Legato]

just spent an hour working on one and it turned into a COW... might wait this one out

[Kamikazebob]

Bah! my first attempt ended up more COW/CHOW than IDW as well

Any indication of how much demon can be on our siege engine in relation to mechanical bits? I know that sounds kinda ridiculous but since this topic involves demons I figured there needs to be a bit of demon skin/flesh in or on it.

[zenichi]

"driven by demonic powers"
the engine is demonic in nature? or demonic magic holds the thing together. or demonic intent, or an enslaved demon, or machine controlled by demonic beings?... or all of the above!!
sounds fun, conjure up all sorts of images...

[KuJo]

Well it's been forever since I've done any work for CA, but here goes nothing

just an update getting a lil sick of coloring lol

Final - Hellfire Cannon


When the sky shatters, all will feel the fury in Lucifer's Heart.

For the hellfire cannon to properly charge its solar array, it must bask in the glow of hell's sun, known as Lucifer's Heart. To accomplish this in mortal realms there must be a portal ripped open directly above the cannon, a feat that only the most disciplined of dark priests can accomplish with their twisted runes.

[yoitisi]

Legato: I guess this topic brings some difficulties, but I think that's a good thing Challenges are there to be overcome.

Kamikazebob: It should not end up being more creature than machine, if that's what you mean. I thought a more organic machine might be a nice change from all the super technological stuff in IDW. Keep in mind that it still is IDW though

Zenichi: Whatever way you choose to interpret the topic. I think enslaved deamon is what I was thinking when setting up the new topic, but any interpretation is fine (although I would be careful with the deamonic controlled machine thing - who will control the deamons themselves?)

Kujo: Good to see some work already showing up Be carefull to show enough of the cannon to make clear how it works and moves and stuff, as this is conceptart (which means your drawn concept has to be modeled in 3D or whatever, and right now it's a bit of a guess how the base of the cannon looks).

[Legato]

Legato: I guess this topic brings some difficulties, but I think that's a good thing Challenges are there to be overcome.

pftttt, i give up!!! its too hard!!! rabble rabble rabble!!!

[fughi from yuggoth]

The war ends...
....The defenders do not capitulate,so Gnoph-Keh,
high priest of the Gnoph-Keh, summons the council,
and the prayer calls to CTHUGHA, the fire in the sky.
and baptism in fire will end the siege...

Actually the gnoph-keh really believe in this story,
but you know the truth,don't you?

[AK86]

Scary Potatoe lol love it! reminds me of the good old days playing the original C&C.

This is my first IDW. I had tonns of fun painting this one!



The Helbras Jugger Noughts are built to with stand heavy artillery volloys and still be able to stampede through large barricades. The Helbras main purpose is to storm through any defensive barricade in its wake. The Halbras will charge at enemy strongholds and just before the moment of impact will fire a volloy from is seige cannon to ensure nothing is left standing.

[Act.Appalled]

Wow AK looking good.

Heres mine..
Basically a gigantic bull-esque creature used for its massive cranium and powerful neck fitted with armor and weapons to knock out barricades and walls.
Still a WIP, need to add in weapons and armor.

Silhouette


WIP

[yoitisi]

Act.Appalled: Just a little warning for your design: make sure the focus is on the machine and not on the beast carrying it. This is IDW and not COW after all. I know this topic begs for the approach you're taking, but I'd prefer if you put more effort in the machine than in the monster. Machines pulled or carried by monsters or other creatures are fine, as long as the machine is the main focus of the picture (and probably bigger than the creatures).

[Adi.]

OoOooOo lucky for me you said something Yoitisi, i was going along the same lines as Act.Appalled.

i just finished sketching up my design, but ima change it now and do something different, heres the old design.

[anhedonic analog.]

Interesting topic!

I'm going to do some thumbnails tonight and try to have a full illustration by thursday.

[D-Holme]

I think that the representation of the daemonic is the most difficult to capture this time – either it could be too dominant or not obviously present.

Scary potato: I think the smaller image helps represent the daemonic-power-source but perhaps the overall structure could be more suggestive of it.
KuJo: The effect seems to be there sort of daemonic-mech-cannon.
Funghi: Perhaps the daemonic elements could be more strongly represented, is it wasn’t for the title one might think that is could be a ‘normal’ orbital ray cannon – bring the figure more into the piece might also help to overall effect.

AK86: looks good

Act.appalled/Adi – I am interest to see how these come out, considering similar things myself I wondered on how to make the ‘carrying’ monster appear truly daemonic.

I had originally thought of doing something similar to other people, with a ‘creature’ mounting a siege gun or beam-weapon. I still don’t have a scanner to work on my new system so I’ve had to do without a sketch again this time and work straight in Photoshop which I’d rather not do. In the end I’ve decided to stick close to the original inspiration so this should be a daemonic version of a classical siege engine.


UPDATE - FINISHED PIECE

[anhedonic analog.]

2 - 3 hours of figuring out painter:




kinda hard getting the 'creature' out of 'Daemonic'.... doubt I'll do a full illustration, but definitly a couple more sketches.

[ScaryPotato]

This was a cool topic, everyone has come up with pretty interesting looking ideas so far.

KuJo - I'm looking forward to seeing this one done. It's so intricate!

fughi from yuggoth - I think D-Holme has it right, that it isn't at first glance obvious a demon is powering the weapon. Neither is mine though. A big challenge making a weapon demon-powered without making it look demonic!

AK86 - Yours is pretty cool, the steam engine grille and mouth cannon are nice ideas that work well in the design and concept.

Act.Appalled and Adi. - Funny how the two ideas are SO similar. Maybe you're long-lost twins but still share a psychic connection?Hmm...

D-Holme - Nice to see a more traditional style for the weapon. The silhouette makes me curious how it will look in the end!

anhedonic analog. - I like the top sketch more than the second one you've got there. It looks a little more heavy-duty while the bottom one with its long slender legs seems a little too graceful to bust up heavy defences (assuming they're both the same size!) I do really dig the spiky cauldron on the top of the second machine though

[fughi from yuggoth]

my thought was that cult of Cthugha tells that story,that there is no ray cannon,they tell the crowd,that this is real magic,done by the evil demon who they serve.
the real deamonic thing is the surpressing of the people (or the gnoph-keh,in this case).

maybe my english was too bad and the description to incomplete.

thank u for ur comments!!

[D-Holme]

funghi: I rather think I am not the best person to expand on that but to me part of "concept design" is that the concept is portrayed though the illustration and the description is just there to support what is already represented within the image and perhaps show it in a greater context. If the image was just shown to anyone they should be able to say, oh that looks like a daemonic siege weapon or whatever - but people might want to correct me on that.


A suggestion would perhaps be that if you didn't want the daemonic nature to be obvious, have it implied by runic carving or some areas of eldritch or occult structure. As a separate point some stronger lighting on the planet and satellite might give the work a more dynamic and distinctive appearance.


---------------
KuJo - updated WIP looks good – I’m liking the brooding posture and colours.
anhedonic - I prefer the second version, the cauldron structure on the back looks good and ominous.
---------------
WIP updated - I am still not happy with how this is looking, that it has too many similarities with what is has already been done. I've played around with wheels or other legs but they weren't working too well.


I've been busy with work so I might have a job getting this done for deadline.

[darthnader]

the pirates have discovered a way to harness the power of the ancient rackaliae to their advantage.
the ship is lashed to a rackialen and it is powered by its jet propusion. usualy underwater,the squid will come up to attack adjacent ships and pull them under. all attemps to stab and cut and shoot the tentacles to ward it off have failed, because the rackialen cannot feel pain and regenerates at an extremely high rate. once the ship has been sunk, the tentacles are usualy long enough to reach the wreck, so it will pick up chunks and deposit them on the shore for crewmen to loot. when attacking a port city, the rakialen wil pick up boulders from the seafloor and throw them into the buildings.
food is not a problem, for it will eat any creature.
it is not known how they control it, or why it obeys, but it is presumed that it prefers human meat to regular meat, so it attacks without command.

[daveneale]

In the year 3000 the pharaohs have been resurrected and are waging war with civilisation for control of the world. These tiny deamonic siege engines may be smaller than a blade of grass....but have more power than a ballistic missile.

[anhedonic analog.]

BAAHHH!! far from done.. but then again I only found out about the topic Tuesday.

Inspired by the Defiler's great success in Chaos campagns, the Black Legion required a similar machine of near titanic proportions. The Besieger, lead by a mighty Chaos Sorcerer, is a towering symbol of the Dark Gods' power on any battlefield.

'refined' design


WIP:

[Pimpfish]

really digging the walking chaos tower, it would fit well in a warhammer or 40k environment. Love to see a conversion or a scratch built model of it

[Chris Hershberger]

I did mine in graphite because I wasn't around my computer and really felt like drawing the old fashioned way.

This Demonic Siege Engine can be manned by only one person, unfortunaly that person has to be the one who summoned it. It does not fire conventional shells or even large objects. Instead it focuses demonic energies, requiring a soul as ammunition, and fires a yellowish green ray that bursts into a portal. The "portal to hell" as it is called allows demonic troops to be deployed inside enemy bases where they can now reap havoc. If the summoner looses control of the Siege Engine often times it will consume thier soul and use it to open a portal on the nearest unit of troops.