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Old 10-02-2004, 03:36 PM   #1
cybermancer2k1
 
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Default 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

I was trying to convert some GURPS Traveller starships to 4e using the examples in Book 2 as a guide. I'm not quite sure what the relationship is between the vehicle's ST and its Loaded Weight/Load. I assumed going in that the ST is calculated based on the vehicles Loaded Weight or Load, but my numbers keep coming up unbalanced. How is the ST for a vehicle calculated under 4e? Should it be calculated per the rules in Book 1 or Update, or is there a formula missing somewhere?

All the other vehicle stats transferred over very smoothly (HP, DR, etc.) I just got stuck on the ST-Wt. ratio thing.

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Old 10-02-2004, 03:51 PM   #2
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Default Re: 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

Shouldn't ST be determined by the power of the drivetrain?
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Old 10-02-2004, 10:57 PM   #3
David L Pulver
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Default Re: 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

[QUOTE=cybermancer2k1]I was trying to convert some GURPS Traveller starships to 4e using the examples in Book 2 as a guide. I'm not quite sure what the relationship is between the vehicle's ST and its Loaded Weight/Load.

____________________________________

Vehicle ST does not relate to its loaded weight. In terms of characters, vehicles have PAYLOAD, the Advantage of having extra load above Strength.

A vehicle's power output, of course, relates to its total loaded weight. A vehicle's ST is essentially what is left over after subtracting the power went into ST and speed. In practice, the limit is more structural ST, so find ST the same way you find HP: (the cube root of vehicle empty weight in tons) x 50.
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Old 10-04-2004, 05:44 PM   #4
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Default Re: 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

Cool. Thanks

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Old 10-05-2004, 12:05 AM   #5
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Default Re: 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by David L Pulver
A vehicle's power output, of course, relates to its total loaded weight. A vehicle's ST is essentially what is left over after subtracting the power went into ST and speed. In practice, the limit is more structural ST, so find ST the same way you find HP: (the cube root of vehicle empty weight in tons) x 50.
I've been wondering how to calculate Body ST for Mecha easily, so that I could use the new 4e strength rules with them. And apparently the arm ST with robot arms also has to be calculated differently. Most of all I really would like to know how to calculate the effect of extra load on the Mecha's movement, and on the leg ST for kicking purposes.

And doesn't the structural strength affect the HP or ST values with anything but with it's weight? For example if the vehicle is built with extra-heavy structure? So wouldn't that affect the hit points and structural strenght also (extra payload capability), just as in 3e rules?

Any thoughts how to deal with these issues?
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Old 10-05-2004, 09:06 AM   #6
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Default Re: 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lupus
I've been wondering how to calculate Body ST for Mecha easily, so that I could use the new 4e strength rules with them. And apparently the arm ST with robot arms also has to be calculated differently. Most of all I really would like to know how to calculate the effect of extra load on the Mecha's movement, and on the leg ST for kicking purposes.

And doesn't the structural strength affect the HP or ST values with anything but with it's weight? For example if the vehicle is built with extra-heavy structure? So wouldn't that affect the hit points and structural strenght also (extra payload capability), just as in 3e rules?

Any thoughts how to deal with these issues?
Sadly, there is no easy conversion available until a 4e Vehicles book comes out. If you really want to try, get a copy of the 4e update rules and use the quadratic ST conversion {4e ST = Sqrt(10* 3e ST) }for Arm ST (add Striking ST for damage) and the massive creatures rules for body ST {ST = 2 * (cube root of weight in pounds) }. It's not perfect, but it will pass until some beter conversions are published.
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Old 10-05-2004, 11:18 PM   #7
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Default Re: 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by cccwebs
Sadly, there is no easy conversion available until a 4e Vehicles book comes out. If you really want to try, get a copy of the 4e update rules and use the quadratic ST conversion {4e ST = Sqrt(10* 3e ST) }for Arm ST (add Striking ST for damage) and the massive creatures rules for body ST {ST = 2 * (cube root of weight in pounds) }. It's not perfect, but it will pass until some beter conversions are published.
Thats pretty much that I had in mind if no one else can suggest a better way. But for striking damage (with Mecha) I think I will use my own formula; Swing = (STxST)/100 and thrust about half of that. This way it would follow the same principle as the lifting strength (which seems more realistic to me...) and the values below 20 even gets pretty much the same as in 4e damage table.
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Old 10-05-2004, 11:23 PM   #8
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Default Re: 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

Heh. This way an ST50 elephant would have the same thrusting power as a .50 caliber gun (13d), only if it had metallic thrusting point instead of bone tusks. Sounds plausible to me...
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Old 10-06-2004, 12:03 AM   #9
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Default Re: 3e-4e Vehicle Conversion Question

I know this would be against the rule that damages are all square of the energy, not linear, but it seems to work with the 3e HP and DR values with Mecha.
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