Zik-20

[SoCalBobS]

It lives on in ChatGPT..

[oldwolf]

If anyone here also visits the RC Tank Warfare forum, I put my Zik up in their tank of the month poll. It's lagging behind its competitor. If you can bring yourselves to do so, please vote for mine!

Vote cast. Yes, I finally got to sign up there despite their overly protective AI which kept insisting only a bot would use the name I wanted. Eventually I got a real person to straighten thongs out.
edit: things actually, but maybe the AI did have its underwear in a twist.lol

[SoCalBobS]

If anyone here also visits the RC Tank Warfare forum, I put my Zik up in their tank of the month poll. It's lagging behind its competitor. If you can bring yourselves to do so, please vote for mine!

[Nfafan]

Awesome! Next up; an SU-152?

[SoCalBobS]

Done!

[DavidN]

You built it and you took the picture, So it should be quite easy, I hope :-)

[SoCalBobS]

A Christmas surprise: wifey got this for me. 500 pieces! Modeling is on hiatus while I work this puzzle.

[Rubicon99]

You deserve a cover shot you did a great job on it.

[SoCalBobS]

Check out "Vandramodel"'s facebookpage. Some familiar photos there.

[DavidN]

I should get one for myself too. I have a few tanks jagds that I want to have them involved in the battle. Hopefully LegoDei will be at LA Battle this weekend and I can get it directly form him.

[SoCalBobS]

After reading Rubicon's x vs +, 45 degree sunshade comments, I contacted LegoDEI. He sells the 45 degree shade separately. I bought some for my Assault Guns to offset the fixed turret disadvantage. It's a simple unscrew replacement. Here's the difference:



The baffles on the left item are extended out to the edge. I won't replace the shades on turreted tanks, as it might be too much of an advantage. Besides, the turret turns, which sorta eliminates the point.

[Rubicon99]

Speaking of IR receiver placement, I see it is placed LED direct forward and sensors facing off at diagonals. I have noticed that the receiver is a bit more sensitive to shots coming straight in to a sensor rather than straight into an LED. Have others noticed this?

The LegoDEI receivers with the 360 sunshade that Bob is using are actually very easy to hit regardless of the position/direction of the IR receiver bulbs when compared to a Tamiya IR receiver. With the 360 shade they are nearly three times more sensitive then a Tamiya IR receiver. So Bobs tank is still far more vulnerable then if he was using a Tamiya IR receiver with a “turned mirror” or “turned mount”.

When and if Bob swaps the sunshade for the “45 degree hit” shade then the true effect of the “armor simulation” will be present. This will reduce frontal hit to very close range or side hit only. A similar effect to a Tamiya IR receiver modified for an IFA tank (non turret tank). With the Tamiya IR receiver the front half is blocked off causing it to NOT receiver frontal hits, or the internal mirror is turned to a different 45 degree setting which reduces frontal hits.

The above is usually only allowed (at club events) for IFA tanks to give them equal footing with turreted tanks. Personally I would like to see the change in hit angles for all receivers on “Heavy /Medium” WW2 tanks and on “Modern” tanks to reduce frontal hits and increase the need for side hits. Makes for a more realistic fight and requires a fair amount more maneuvering to score a hit. With Tamiya IR receivers this can be accomplished simply by “turning” the internal mirror and with Lego simply adding the 45 degree shade and turning the receiver to aline the bulbs in an “x” vs a “+” to the front of the tank like Bob has done. But it only works to improve realism If everyone is on the same page, otherwise the advantages are to great.

[oldwolf]

Correct, my placement is deliberate, to simulate the heavier armor on the front.

That is exactly what I was thinking and wondering if people were doing that. It's too bad the sensors cant be individually adjusted for sensitivity so rear could be most sensitive, sides medium sensitivity and front least of all.

[SoCalBobS]

Speaking of IR receiver placement, I see it is placed LED direct forward and sensors facing off at diagonals. I have noticed that the receiver is a bit more sensitive to shots coming straight in to a sensor rather than straight into an LED. Have others noticed this?

Correct, my placement is deliberate, to simulate the heavier armor on the front.

[oldwolf]

You are fine with the placement of the IR receiver. It’s unobstructed so it comes down to good shot placement and tactics to get hit on it. Personally I find that a lot more fair, fun and challenging then someone who simply blocks the front of the IR receiver.

Speaking of IR receiver placement, I see it is placed LED direct forward and sensors facing off at diagonals. I have noticed that the receiver is a bit more sensitive to shots coming straight in to a sensor rather than straight into an LED. Have others noticed this?

[Rubicon99]

Ummm, Amazon. Yumm!

Regarding fixed turrets in IR battles, I remember the kid I lent my Sturmgeschutz to putting up a really good fight! I also recall shooting away at A's Sturmtiger only to find out afterwards the front sensor was blocked. So, having that nearly flush IR receiver is fair game in my mind. There is an Achilles heel, the rear sensor is near the edge of the box.

I have metal tracks enroute. This'll be a juggernaut with the extra weight!

You are fine with the placement of the IR receiver. It’s unobstructed so it comes down to good shot placement and tactics to get hit on it. Personally I find that a lot more fair, fun and challenging then someone who simply blocks the front of the IR receiver.

[SoCalBobS]

Ummm, Amazon. Yumm!

Regarding fixed turrets in IR battles, I remember the kid I lent my Sturmgeschutz to putting up a really good fight! I also recall shooting away at A's Sturmtiger only to find out afterwards the front sensor was blocked. So, having that nearly flush IR receiver is fair game in my mind. There is an Achilles heel, the rear sensor is near the edge of the box.

I have metal tracks enroute. This'll be a juggernaut with the extra weight!

[Cisco Kid]

Are you sure thats not an amazon box sitting on that tank chassis?

[Rubicon99]

Got it outdoors today:

That going to be a hard tank to hit in IR battles especially the closer one gets to it. 👍👍

[DavidN]

So cool!