Your favorite Official Vehicle Design

[Magesmiley]

One that still sticks out for me:

Michael Montgomery's Navigator from the Combat Showcase (used in the 2036 World Championship). Even with the later rules updates, it's still not a bad design. What was unusual about this one was that it had some commentary on the strategy behind it. It's the design which, more than any other one, got me thinking more about the some of the stuff to consider when making a new design.

The championship summary of the design in action in ADQ also made it even more memorable.

[43Supporter]

For massed cycle attacks, nothing beats a _Gazelle_ RR model; every $5,000 of budget is one 2d6 attack at TH7. And if one buys them later on, HEAT and HESH become available, so even Metal-armored trailers aren't safe.

As to the Light-Cycle-with-sidecar debate: Where I live, I've seen a scooter with a sidecar -- it looks like this: http://safervideos.com/pictures/moto/monkeyp3.jpg . And a search on "scooter sidecar" reveals a plethora of examples. So I don't see why someone couldn't build a Light Cycle with a Light Sidecar -- the only real issue would be having enough PFs to use all of it.

Just pulling from my "first-gen designs" folder, I cobbled this together from various officially-published designs:

Lt. Cycle; Hv. Susp.; Sm. PP [400 PF]; 2x HD tire; Driver. MG [F]. Armor: F: 8; B: 7. $2,950. 800 lbs.
Lt. S-car; Lt. Susp.; 1x Std. tire; SS [B]; SD [B]; link [SS-SD]. Armor: F, [L or R], B: 2. $1,380; 395 lbs.
Unit total: $4,330; 1,195 lbs. Acc. 5; TS 90; HC 2.

So, a D5 Cycle dueller which is just about equal to a similar-cost Medium cycle.

[Racer]

I know , the 'Light Cycles can't use Side Cars' Rule is waaay out of date now . Like many of the Original Car Wars rules , that's another one does seem to have been 'plucked out of thin air' , with not much logic behind it ...

In our games it rarely comes up , as Light Cycles aren't seen too often . A stripped back Medium Cycle with Component Armour around Cyclist & Power Plant , 1 Space Weaponry & light Armour is far more common . Usual costs are in the $3,200-$5,000 range .

As time & tech marches on , many of the older designs just won't cut it today for Road Combat .
Off the top of my head one that does is the Defender . Old time favorite the Iron Horse , with it's side mounted MGs , unprotected PR Tires etc , is almost obsolete .
Modern updates we've used replace MGs with second RR Front ( sometimes with HEAT Ammo ) , added 10pt Hubs & Guards & often upgrade to SBPR Tires , at the cost of losing some of the 40pts Top & Bottom Armour . PFE for Driver is fine for the Road & a SWC can easily be added - all for under $15K .
McCloud has used graphics on a number of counters to show these changes . And with his garish metallic colour schemes they often attract much comment at our game sessions .

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by Racer

Off the top of my head one that does is the Defender . Old time favorite the Iron Horse , with it's side mounted MGs , unprotected PR Tires etc , is almost obsolete .
Modern updates we've used replace MGs with second RR Front ( sometimes with HEAT Ammo ) , added 10pt Hubs & Guards & often upgrade to SBPR Tires , at the cost of losing some of the 40pts Top & Bottom Armour . PFE for Driver is fine for the Road & a SWC can easily be added - all for under $15K .

[nod] The saving grace for Mids is: A conversion to protected tires is easy -- drop 1 point Plastic armor, add 2 pts. WH or WG, +$4 to cost; so if I've done the numbers right, a 20-pt. armor armor drop for 2x 10pt. WH and 2x 10-pt. WG is only +$80 to cost.

[Racer]

The Mini Sherman was a good training vehicle back in the '80's : lots of ammo , good acceleration , rear protection . The unprotected tires weren't much of problem as Tire Shots against Compacts were so rare in those days . And actual hits were even rarer .

Stick 4-6 newish players in some of those & let them loose on the Midville Map & watch the fun start .

Modernized versions upgrade to Hvy Chassis , Tires to SBHD , 5pt Hubs & Guards , medium PP with HTMs instead of Large PP and a lot more Armour . MGs can easily be changed for RR with Magazine . All for about $8,700 .

Playability is very similar to the original & add a PFE & it makes a good vehicle on many of modern Roads .

( We play by the ADQ #6/4 & #7/1 ruling of +33% DP for Steelbelted Tires - thus SBHDs have 8DP . Very reasonable on a budget design - four for $600 & 8DP vs $800 & 9DP . )

[Racer]

The Scrambler from VG1 still draws lots of comments for it's SIX Machine Guns . Modern updates have Twin HD MGs in a Turret , MG ( or two ) Front, a Smartlink , Hubs , Guards and a Fire Extinguisher etc .
Can then be squeezed in to Div 20 if you wish .

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by Racer

The Scrambler from VG1 still draws lots of comments for it's SIX Machine Guns . Modern updates have Twin HD MGs in a Turret , MG ( or two ) Front, a Smartlink , Hubs , Guards and a Fire Extinguisher etc .
Can then be squeezed in to Div 20 if you wish .

Hm -- version I saw dropped some armor, moved the side MGs to a turret, then used the MD option.

[Racer]

That would work well on the Road - especially with a PFE , Targeting Computer & a Smart link . I've seen versions with 3 MGs Front & 2 MGs in Turret - all with Incendiary Ammo to add to the fun .


Tomahawk & Bastille 'VG1 Late Arrivals' from ADQ #2/3 are also favorites & easy to upgrade and/or customize to .

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by Racer

Tomahawk & Bastille 'VG1 Late Arrivals' from ADQ #2/3 are also favorites & easy to upgrade and/or customize to .

I've beaten "updated" opponents with a bone-stock _Tomahawk_. The _Bastille_ has its charms, but I prefer the '37 from _Combat Showcase_.

[MatheoDamm]

For me the best was the Moose! Defender was good too though!