Ground Effect Ogre (GEO)

[Desert Scribe]

Over on my blog I've posted pics of my Ground Effect Ogre (GEO), along with proposed rules for using it in a game. Please let me know what you think.

[offsides]

Originally Posted by Desert Scribe

Over on my blog I've posted pics of my Ground Effect Ogre (GEO), along with proposed rules for using it in a game. Please let me know what you think.

Looks more like a Mk II than a Mk III, which frankly makes more sense to me anyway given how heavy a Mk III is. I'd cut the weapons stats down to that of a Mk II (1 MB, 2 SB, 6AP), maybe even drop the AP down to 4, and either leave the GE units as is or drop them to 3 per movement rate. I doubt you'd get anything bigger than that to float on air :)

[Desert Scribe]

Good points. Either way, I need to playtest this. :)

[Tim Kauffman]

Very nice. I really like the design. It looks functionally believable and not too much weaponry that it couldn't move as stated. I noticed you have 2 additional Secondaries but they are not on the model. I like the way it looks with 2, and think having 4 would look to cluttered, Imho.

Do you have another OGRE unit to put beside it to compare sizes?

I hope this was alright to do:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/128248...posted-public/

...Also, my take on GEVs is the ones we have today which are just big fans blowing craft around, and craft that would use some sort of advanced vector thrusting, like on the F22 RAPTOR and F35, only more advanced. The F22 and F35 are the predecessors of the GEVs in OGRE. GEVs in OGRE are actually advanced versions of the F22 and F35, only redesigned to hover-fly at extreme low altitudes, with some exceptions like when they "Ride The Shockwave". https://www.flickr.com/photos/128248...posted-public/

[Desert Scribe]

Originally Posted by Tim Kauffman

Do you have another OGRE unit to put beside it to compare sizes?

Here are some side-by-side pics of the GEO next to a Mark III.

Originally Posted by Tim Kauffman

I hope this was alright to do:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/128248...posted-public/

Of course! Loved the drawing, and I'm happy my kitbashing inspired you.

[Mack_JB]

Once again you've induced me to spend money. I went with a different version of the Matchbox hovercraft, the one generally referred to as the "rescue version". It has a more GEV looking engine set, and the central cabin may adapt better to an Ogre style conning tower. Heck, with some judicious carving, the water cannon could become the Ogre main gun. There are also suitable nubs to mount either the AP weapons (up front) or the secondary guns (midships).

Bitly link to an image on eBay:

http://ebay.to/2cHIT2M

[Phasma Felis]

Originally Posted by Tim Kauffman

...Also, my take on GEVs is the ones we have today which are just big fans blowing craft around, and craft that would use some sort of advanced vector thrusting, like on the F22 RAPTOR and F35, only more advanced. The F22 and F35 are the predecessors of the GEVs in OGRE. GEVs in OGRE are actually advanced versions of the F22 and F35, only redesigned to hover-fly at extreme low altitudes, with some exceptions like when they "Ride The Shockwave". https://www.flickr.com/photos/128248...posted-public/

You might look into actual ground-effect vehicles, which take advantage of the ground effect (where wings produce more lift at extremely low altitudes) to produce vehicles that look like stubby-winged airplanes and are very fuel-efficient at the cost of the ability to fly above ground effect. In Ogre, the efficiency might be rationalized instead as necessary to carry the weight of plenty of BPC armor.

In real life they're pretty much limited to high-speed cargo transport over water, but a combat GEV isn't any sillier than a combat hovercraft (which Ogre "GEVs" actually are). It seems like a more apt comparison than a modern fighter aircraft, since "GEVs" top out at 135MPH on a good road, less than 1/10th of the F22's top speed--not much of an "advancement"!

[offsides]

The disadvantage of "true" ground effect vehicles is that they have a minimum speed, and can really only traverse clear terrain. Hovercraft, while they might not like forest/swamp much, can still poke their way through it eventually. A large ground effect transport might make sense for fast transatlantic crossings, but not so much for a combat vehicle outside of a fast fleet escort...

[Desert Scribe]

Originally Posted by offsides

A large ground effect transport might make sense for fast transatlantic crossings, but not so much for a combat vehicle outside of a fast fleet escort...

See my ekranoplan transport, for example.

[Phasma Felis]

Originally Posted by offsides

The disadvantage of "true" ground effect vehicles is that they have a minimum speed, and can really only traverse clear terrain. Hovercraft, while they might not like forest/swamp much, can still poke their way through it eventually. A large ground effect transport might make sense for fast transatlantic crossings, but not so much for a combat vehicle outside of a fast fleet escort...

Enh, I think they make as much sense as hovercraft--i.e. not much, but they're cool, so we gloss over the problems. :) The only advantage of real hovercraft is that they're amphibious; they're not really any faster or better at terrain handling than a civilian truck, which makes them pretty useless for most combat applications. Real ekranoplans do have a minimum speed, but there's no reason you couldn't make a VTOL version if you really wanted to.