Ground Vehicles

New from SouthPac Dynamics (NZ) for 2301, the Weta armored recce vehicle.

Find one at a desert military vehicle show near you. I wish they all could be New Zealand girls.

Bikini girl Photoshopped in. And her shadow, too.


Djuanatire? We gots tires. All kinds.

The Weta's about being quick, getting in, and then bugging out, fast and undetected. On-the-fly adjustable linkages on six large (2m+ diameter!) wheels enable speedy self-extraction from the tightest of situations, with near ±90°-from-forward lateral motion possible. The wheels themselves, computer-controlled carbon fiber reshapable (tall, thin, and smooth to go fast, fatter and knobbier for mudding), with self-contained drive motors, are based on industry standard truck tires, and are therefore easily scroungable in the field.

Macro-ing was learned to make these tires happen. Square, round, or pointy knobs, textured as you please. Also the Flatness variable included, for "deflation" for the spare.

There's even a nice tail light on the back of the full 360° rotatable turret. Handy for late-night wheel switch-outs, or just kicking it playing some cards and quaffing a lager or two on the front deck.

The was a first foray into lighting effects and media absorption, and turned out quite well.

And don't forget weaponry. Only lightly armored (for stealthy speed, not offensive operations), the Weta has no problem with running away firing 45mm slugs, a storm of 23mm grenades, and a missile or few for good measure backward at its detectors. It's not at all about tail between the legs.


45mm Mass Driver Cannon & 3-bbl fully-articulated 23mm Grenade System


8 rear-mount vertical launch Manta-1 missiles
notice new "eyelid" on the tail light, and filament


Guessing there should be at least one big "nice" picture, sorry the wheels are so standard.

A full Weta write-up with 2300AD gaming statistics can be found here, with some additional pictures.

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