Good name for a super weapon and which super weapon idea do you prefer?

[Zefiris]

So, the major conclussion of my current WIP features a steam-powered super weapon that is been designed.

It's a Steampunk novel and the novels world is essentially 1930s-1940s technology level (With a few differences, i.e no major powered flight) in a world where railways cover the continent and where Steam Engines are the commonly used type of transport for all purposes (Freight, private travel, outlaws, war etc)

I've got two ideas for the super weapon and could do with any input on which would be best.

1. A steam locomotive/rocket hybrid. Rail mounted and launched from a ramp that is packed with enough TNT to destroy a city.

2. A set of interlinked steam engines and rail cannons modified into a flying weapons platform powered in a similar way to a helicopter.

Any input on which of the two would be best would be awesome, apologies for the pretty bad description. I suck at describing stuff :)

Also has anyone got any recommended names?

Best I can come up with is Archangel which I think sounds a little cliched.

Thankies! :) :) :)

[ishtar'sgate]

When I saw your thread title I just couldn't resist it.
The first thing I thought of was Calvin & Hobbes and Calvin setting his Zorcher on shake and bake. I loved that line.:D

[Krintar]

I like the sound of the second one better. If powered flight isn't a big thing, a heavily armed flying machine would be very intimidating to those below, given its great mobility and speed combined with that they probably wouldn't have any reasonable means for bringing it down.
The first idea, on the other hand, would have a major point of weakness: the launching platform. It might not be easy to destroy, but it would at least seem do-able.
No ideas for names though, sorry.

[Zefiris]

Thanks for the replies :)

Tis a good point about a flying machine been intimidating to those who haven't seen. Think I'm gonna go with the flying weapons platform super weapon.

Gotta think of a good, uncliched name now. Having the build-up to the weapon hinted at by name a few times first so want a good name to draw the reader in so they want to read on and find out what exactly the weapon is.

[Dr.Gonzo]

I'm going to have a think about it. Hmmm, a super weapon that's either late or cancelled....

[Stunted]

Second.

[Axler]

SATANICOPTICON?

[Dr.Gonzo]

Sounds like a decepticon from Transformers^ lol

[som1luvsmi]

OLD BOB.

Offensive Locamotive Device Bringing Obliteration Beyond.

:D

[slcboston]

OLD BOB.

Offensive Locamotive Device Bringing Obliteration Beyond.

:D

I second this.

Plus, to me at least, it has that certain steampunk feel to it.

[James D. Macdonald]

Be aware that "enough TNT to destroy a city" is likely to be in the thousand-to-million tons of TNT range (That is, kilotons to megatons, which are used to measure the explosive power of nukes.)

A flying steam locomotive/rocket that could carry several thousand tons of TNT ... would be impressive.

(I like "Super-Padoopy Gun".)

[Torrance]

Storm cloud? _____ rain? ________ thunder? I don't know what the machine does so it's tough to assign it a name, but if it is in the sky, it might be cool to have it relate. You might check out some sites with meteorology terms.

[cbenoi1]

Anything that begins with BFG, as in Big F***ing Gun. (ref: BFG_9000 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFG_9000))

-cb

[lucidzfl]

shake and bake

http://media.monstersandcritics.com/articles/1232395/article_images/shakeandbake.jpg

[lucidzfl]

THE DISASTER PISTOL!

[MikeGrant]

CHURCHILL'S WRATH!

[slcboston]

Oh... and for what it's worth - only flying machines I ever associate with steampunk (so this may well just be my limited exposure) wouldn't be able to carry that kind of arsenal sufficient to destroy a city...

Unless all the buildings are made solely out of wood, and you firebomb the heck out of it.

... Plus, I think trains are cooler anyway.

:D

[lucidzfl]

CHURCHILL'S WRATH!

That's what I call sunday mornings after an entire bottle of scotch the night before.

[Axler]

I'm writing a sorta steampunk graphic novel sequel to War of the Worlds, starring Gulliver Jones, arguably the first interplanetary hero, so I'm working on all sorts of steampunky kind of names, like Spaceonautical Service and that sort of thing.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs387.snc3/23617_1194948928897_1683663722_386485_3204656_n.jp g

[Zefiris]

OLD BOB.

Offensive Locamotive Device Bringing Obliteration Beyond.

:D


I like it!

Permission to steal I mean use :)?

Oh yeah, city I guess is the wrong word to describe the settlement it's going to be set up on. It's actually a small town.

Anyway, thanks for your comments and stuff y'all :)

[VileZero]

I'm going to have a think about it. Hmmm, a super weapon that's either late or cancelled....

:roll:

Thank you for that laugh!

[Zefiris]

I'm going to have a think about it. Hmmm, a super weapon that's either late or cancelled....


This totally went over my head at first. Few hours later and I finally cottoned on and laughed.

:D:D:D

[som1luvsmi]

Permission granted.

[Zefiris]

Permission granted.


Yay! :)

[JackinElgin]

The Omega Option? Project Orion? Something like that. Something the president would say like, "Omega Option Authorized." Or "Commit Omega Option." Or "Use Project Orion." That'd be me.

[Ehab.Ahmed]

I like the sound of the second one better. If powered flight isn't a big thing, a heavily armed flying machine would be very intimidating to those below, given its great mobility and speed combined with that they probably wouldn't have any reasonable means for bringing it down.
The first idea, on the other hand, would have a major point of weakness: the launching platform. It might not be easy to destroy, but it would at least seem do-able.
No ideas for names though, sorry.
Second this. Also, I'm not sure you need a name for such a thing. Names that inspire doom and the such are not attractive to me. Instead, you could use an acronym made out of the weapon's chemical make up. For instance, TNT stands for Trinitrotoluene, so maybe you could follow suit. Just a suggestion, though :)