Your favorite Official Vehicle Design

[43Supporter]

Am I the only one noticing _Combat Showcase_ not getting much attention in this thread? Might that have something to do with how the designs had to be fiddled-around-with long after publication (not least any design with CA -- the _Challenger_, for one)?

[swordtart]

Personally I didn't like to divisional format VG3 and the Combat Showcase. I use the books for picking out baddies for my players to fight.

In road fights I really don't care about division, but I might want to find, a bike say.

Also I discovered CW at the classic level and preferred the 3-4 projection line drawings to the blobby cartoon "ready to play" graphics.

I also thought a lot of the designs were niche or seemed to be one-trick ponies. With a custom car that is fine, but I'd rather roll my own. "Production" cars need to be a bit more rounded, especially if they are road models.

I am not sure what the logic for a lot of them was.

[ak_aramis]

My favorites - and it's a tie - Laser Doublecharge, and Security 6.

[Racer]

The T-32C Hays Texas Rangers' Luxury from 'When Duty Calls' in ADQ #6/2 is a great all round vehicle .

For a improved combat version the T-32H 'Maverick' from Nightmessenger pages , drops the IR , Active Suspension , Spoiler , Passenger etc for Heavier Armour , Fire & internal protection .

[43Supporter]

Originally Posted by Racer

The T-32C Hays Texas Rangers' Luxury from 'When Duty Calls' in ADQ #6/2 is a great all round vehicle .

For a improved combat version the T-32H 'Maverick' from Nightmessenger pages , drops the IR , Active Suspension , Spoiler , Passenger etc for Heavier Armour , Fire & internal protection .

Not sure if those count as "official" or not. (I *know* calling anything from _Nightmessenger_ "official" would probably cause heart attacks in some quarters. :) )

[DSumner]

The Wyvern from the AADA Vehicle Guide, Vol. 2, pg. 18. It just "clicks" for me. The Trapper and the Iron Horse tie for 2nd place.

[ParadoxGames]

I have always liked the Piranha.

[43Supporter]

Noticing most of the talk is about four- or-six wheelers -- not much about cycles.

_Hawk_, or _Santa Cruz_ -- solid performance; armor is decent for bikes; has both offensive and defensive weapons.

[Racer]

Unfortunately all 'Classic' Cycle designs are obsolete now . Any without a Windshell or Component Armoured Cyclist are far too vulnerable to Burst Effect weapons to survive long in Combat, on today's Roads .

A friend's Luxury , armed with twin rear GLs , Turret RR & SMD with Spider Mines , took out five Cycles without those protections during a Pack Attack earlier this year . Remaining three Cycles cut & run before they got any solid hits in . Okay Pack player was fairly new to the game & learned quickly to go for custom designs over those provided in the books .

Of Trikes , I always liked the Dryad & the Blastmaster . Of course with SCs , PCs & an X-Hvy Chassis , you can squeeze four RLs onto a Hvy Trike now . Updated Bastmaster with those upgrades & much heavier Armour makes for a good Div 20 vehicle in tight Arenas .

[swordtart]

Racer:

Agreed-ish ;)

Some can eke out a little longevity if they have space to add the CA (but then they stop being classic) otherwise you are relying on lots of expensive body armour.

Of course it also depends on your interpretation of exposure on bikes. As being behind vehicular armour is deemed "not exposed" then if the point of detonation is within the front or rear arc of an armoured bike then the biker (and even pillion) are safe from the burst effect. It depends if you view the statement that "all parts of a bike are exposed" as fluff text to explain the damage allocation rules for bikes or if you view the EXPOSED part as meaning universally vulnerable to burst effect weapons. Clearly I favour the former.

Correct placement of your other gangers bikes can prevent your opponent from tracing line of sight to a useful detonation point in a side arc (especially in a road chase - bikes in open arenas cannot channel an opponent effectively). This takes very careful management and a gang that is coordinated enough to effectively pull it off would probably be smart enough to not use bikes straight off the lot.

None of this is optimal however and you are better choosing another way: stationary ambush (shoot - using vehicular weaponry leveraging the front armour you have - and then scoot); dismounted ambush (just use the bikes as transport to and from the ambush site); pop up attack from close cover (attack from a side road so you can damage them before they get a chance to fire); combined arms (have some trikes that will be invulnerable to burst effects).

It should also be remembered that not every vehicle in the guide can call on a burst effect weapon. Even with those that do players also tend to focus on the points of damage and often use AP ammo to trade the burst effect for extra points per dice.

With all these considered you can argue that a stock bike is obsolete vs a custom vehicle (and to be honest that is probably true even ignoring burst effect weapons).

However, it is absolutely not true against many of it's non-cycle peers in the VGs. You can buy about 3 Poppers for the cost of a Highway Flamenco (using the nearest to hand in VG1). I wouldn't call that fight a forgone win for the car (hmm may have to run that one). If we are assuming people buy the stock bikes then we have to assume people also buy the stock cars.

Rule one of cyles - choose your target. I am not going to take my 3 poppers against a clearly custom job, but an obvious off the lot vehicle. Heck I might even try my luck against a stock rig (carefully chosen of course). 3 dozen Poppers vs a dead-heading Laser Wolverine anyone?