Experimental Dreyse M1855 Cavalry rifle (Patreon)

Doing more research into making firearms for ponies. Particularly for the Roan RPG. Beyond my General Education in college, history was not required for my degree. However since I was studying illustration and was hoping to do historical illustration I took far more history classes than were required. Also I am something of a history nerd so I naturally have an interest in it.

When I started to seriously do concept design I found this interest in history was valuable in being able to recreate the feel of different cultures and periods in history. You want Victorian Steampunk I have some idea what the period actually looked like so I can capture some of the flavor of the era. Need 1930's automotive design for your pulp-adventure game I have reference libraries on the subject. Trying to recreate Gerry Anderson "Thunderbirds are Go!" sci-fi? I have researched postwar aircraft designs that Gerry's crew were using for their inspiration.

Also by studying history one can come across the projects that got forgotten. Sometimes they have been lost to time because they really weren't good ideas, but they capture the spirit and mindset of an era. Perhaps they were ideas and concepts that society wasn't ready to embrace or the technology or economics could not support them. Maybe politics or some other form of skullduggery conspired to keep certain design from having their day in the sun. And sometimes someone comes up with an idea that folks just look at and go."What?"

This design looks like it could've fallen in the "What?" category. These are some sketches I did of an experimental M1855 Dreyse cavalry rifle. This rifle came up for auction at James D. Julia while back.

link

At the time I was starting have dreams in my Equestria dreamscape and my subconscious was start to chew over how ponies might design firearms for themselves. So I grab some reference images for my own digital library. The other thing that is fascinating about it is the fact that it was built in the Mid 19th Century. The Dreyse system, sometimes referred to as the needlefire system, was rather popular in Europe and was one of the most successful breechloading systems around before the rise of the metallic cartridge. The Prussians used Dreyse Needlefire rifles to defeat their enemies and create what would become a unified Germany.

While I don't plan to use a design like this for the Roan RPG, I am curious about it because it would almost work for a pony as it is, and one of the things Robert wanted me to do is design tech that really looks like the ponies designed for themselves. Not just Tommy Guns with hoof triggers.