I've just finished assembling and priming the first of 2 Explorer Mk XXIV Class battleships for my BFG Tau fleet. The Mk XXIV differs from the Mk XXIII (which the pewter model represents) in having a prow gravitic launcher, for which half the attack craft capacity of the Mk XXIII is given up for missile storage for the launcher. GW didn't make a gravitic launcher bit (to my knowledge) for the Mk XXIV variant of the Explorer.
Over the past 2 evenings I built a pair of gravitic launchers from styrene, each having 36 parts ranging in size from 0.25 x 0.5 x 1.0 mm to 1.5 x 4 x 21 mm. They were copied from the design of the gravitic launcher on the Hero Class cruiser but made 1/3 larger in all dimensions because the Explorer's missile salvo is 1/3 larger (Strength 8 vs 6). The size looks appropriate for the battleship and the launcher was installed in the position of the furthest forward of the 4 railgun turrets underneath the prow on the Mk XXIII.
I decided to make the Mk XXIV Explorer visually distinct from the Mk XXIII in other ways. Reasoning that it wouldn't be wise to have the launch bays for attack craft positioned next to the missile magazines, I moved them aft and put the port and starboard gravitic hooks in the middle weapons module position.
Tau capital ships have no dorsal weapons in their game stats but the models all come with dorsal weapons turrets for some reason. As was done with my Hero and Merchant Class cruisers the Explorer's dorsal turrets were replaced by copies with no gun barrels and represent sensor domes.
The other thing missing from the model is the third gravitic hook used to carry Orca or Nicassar Dhow escorts that lack warp capability. The Mk XXIII Explorer is supposed to have a dorsal gravitic hook and the Mk XXIV's is supposed to be on the stern (over the engines?). I made copies of part of the gravitic hooks (the part with 3 tapering cylinders that inserts into the escort models' flight stand hole) and installed one where the furthest aft gun turret was to be installed. It didn't look right on top of the engine module. The diameter of the widest cylinder at the base of the gravitic hook is a tiny bit less than the dorsal turret mount's. When I build the Mk XXIII Explorers the third gravitic hook will be where the middle dorsal turret was to go.
When the models are ready for gaming I plan to have 2 squadrons of Explorers, each with a Mk XXIII and Mk XXIV and able to launch 12 attack craft squadrons and a Str 8 guided missile salvo.
Sorry - no photos yet.
