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Old 10-20-2008, 12:19 AM   #1
chaoticsyst3m
 
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Default Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

I love the simpler, faster rules of Car Wars Fifth Edition, but its one weakness is its lack of vehicle design rules. I wanted my friends to be able to make their own cars for autoduels, so I reverse engineered the cars from all the 5e books to figure out the cost/weight/space of all the various components. I printed up my 5e vehicle design instructions and made copies for my friends. I thought I'd post them here in case anyone out there might find them useful.

BODY SIZE
Subcompact - $600, 1000 lbs., max weight 2800 lbs., max space 7, HC 2.
Compact - $800, 1300 lbs., max weight 4500 lbs., max space 10, HC 1.
Mid-size - $1200, 1600 lbs., max weight 5800 lbs., max space 13, HC 1.
Luxury - $1600, 1800 lbs., max weight 6600 lbs., max space 19, HC 1.

POWER PLANT
Small - $500, 200 lbs., 1 space, 2 DP, 2000 power.
Medium - $1000, 300 lbs., 2 spaces, 4 DP, 4000 power.
Large - $1500, 500 lbs., 3 spaces, 6 DP, 6000 power.
Super - $2000, 650 lbs., 4 spaces, 8 DP, 8000 power.
Sport - $2500, 850 lbs., 5 spaces, 10 DP, 10000 power.
Super Sport - $3000, 1000 lbs., 6 spaces, 12 DP, 12000 power.

Platinum Catalysts - $500, 25 lbs., +1000 power.
Superconductors - $1000, +1500 power.

A car with power equal to or greater than its weight will accelerate 10 mph and have a top speed of 90 mph. A car with power equal to or greater than twice its weight will accelerate 20 mph and have a top speed of 100 mph.

SUSPENSION
Improved Suspension - $500, +1 to HC.
Heavy Suspension - $1000, +2 to HC.

TIRES
Standard (4) - $200, 120 lbs., 4 DP.
Heavy-Duty (4) - $700, 170 lbs., 8 DP.
Solid (4) - $1700, 270 lbs., 12 DP.
Standard HP (4) - $700, 120 lbs., 2 DP, +1 to HC.
Heavy-Duty HP (4) - $1200, 170 lbs., 6 DP, +1 to HC.
Solid HP (4) - $2200, 270 lbs., 10 DP, +1 to HC.

HUMAN ELEMENT
Driver or Gunner - 150 lbs., 2 spaces.

WEAPONS
Anti-Tank Gun - To hit 7, 3d damage, $2500, 700 lbs., 3 spaces, 5 DP, 10 shots.
Blast Cannon - To hit 8, 4d damage, $5500, 600 lbs., 4 spaces, 5 DP, 10 shots.
Flamethrower - To hit 9, 1d damage, $750, 500 lbs., 2 spaces, 2 DP, 10 shots.
Flaming Oil Jet - $1175, 130 lbs., 2 spaces, 3 DP, 25 shots.
Heavy Laser - To hit 10, 3d damage, $8000, 550 lbs., 2 spaces, 2 DP, unlimited shots.
Heavy Rocket - To hit 6, 3d damage, $200, 100 lbs., 1 space, 2 DP, 1 shot.
HD Flamethrower - To hit 9, 2d damage, $1750, 750 lbs., 3 spaces, 3 DP, 10 shots.
Incendiary Heavy Rocket - To hit 6, 3d damage, $400, 100 lbs., 1 space, 2 DP, 1 shot.
Light Laser - To hit 10, 1d damage, $3000, 200 lbs., 1 space, 2 DP, unlimited shots.
Machine Gun - To hit 8, 1d damage, $1500, 200 lbs., 1 space, 3 DP, 20 shots. (w/incendiary ammo +$250)
Medium Laser - To hit 10, 2d damage, $5500, 300 lbs., 2 spaces, 2 DP, unlimited shots.
Micro-Missile Launcher - To hit 7, 1d damage, $950, 125 lbs., 1 space, 2 DP, 10 shots.
Minedropper - $1000, 200 lbs., 2 spaces, 2 DP, 10 shots. (w/frag mines +10 shots)
Oil Jet - $500, 75 lbs., 2 spaces, 3 DP, 25 shots.
Paint Sprayer - $650, 75 lbs., 1 space, 2 DP, 25 shots.
Recoilless Rifle - To hit 8, 2d damage, $1850, 300 lbs., 2 spaces, 4 DP, 10 shots.
Rocket Launcher - To hit 7, 2d damage, $1350, 250 lbs., 2 spaces, 2 DP, 10 shots.
Smokescreen - $350, 75 lbs., 1 space, 4 DP, 20 shots.
Sonic Cannon - To hit 9, 3d damage, $6000, 750 lbs., 3 spaces, 3 DP, unlimited shots.
Spike Dropper - $300, 75 lbs., 1 space, 4 DP, 10 shots. (w/explosive spikes +$300)
Surge Rocket - To hit 6, no damage, $800, 100 lbs., 1 space, 2 DP, 1 shot.
Variable-Fire Rocket Pod - To hit 6, 2d damage, $3050, 425 lbs., 3 spaces, 5 DP, 15 shots.
Vulcan Machine Gun - To hit 9, 2d damage, $2700, 400 lbs., 2 spaces, 3 DP, 20 shots. (w/incendiary ammo +$350)

The total spaces of weapons mounted on any one side must be less than half the car's maximum spaces.

EXTRAS
Body Blades - $100, 25 lbs.
Discharger - Cost varies, 5 lbs. (Flaming Oil $100, Oil $50, Paint $50, Smoke $50)
Extra Magazine - Cost and weight varies by weapon, 1 space, +1 DP. (Anti-Tank Gun $550, 115 lbs., Blast Cannon $1050, 115 lbs., Flamethrower $300, 65 lbs., Flaming Oil Jet $925, 65 lbs., HD Flamethrower $550, 115 lbs., Machine Gun $550, 65 lbs., Machine Gun w/incendiary ammo $800, 65 lbs., Micro-Missile Launcher $250, 40 lbs., Minedropper $550, 65 lbs., Oil Jet $300, 65 lbs., Paint Sprayer $300, 65 lbs., Recoilless Rifle $400, 65 lbs., Rocket Launcher $400, 65 lbs., Smokescreen $150, 65 lbs., Spike Dropper $250, 65 lbs., Spike Dropper w/explosive spikes $550, 65 lbs., Variable-Fire Rocket Pod $1100, 240 lbs., Vulcan Machine Gun $750, 115 lbs., Vulcan Machine Gun w/incendiary ammo $1100, 115 lbs.)
Fire Extinguisher - $300, 150 lbs., 1 space.
Heavy Ramplate - $1000, 500 lbs.
Heavy Structural Reinforcement - $1000, 500 lbs., +10 to confetti number.
Light Ramplate - $500, 300 lbs.
Link - $50.
Low Profile - $250, 1 space.
Spoiler - $500, 100 lbs, +1 to HC.
Structural Reinforcement - $500, 250 lbs., +5 to confetti number.
Targeting Computer - $1000.
Turret (1-space) - $1000, 150 lbs.
Turret (2-space) - $1500, 200 lbs.
Ultra-Low Profile - $500, 2 spaces, +10 mph to top speed.
Wheel Armor - $1000, 100 lbs., 5 DP (for all four wheels). (fire-resistant $1500, fireproof $2000)

ARMOR
Subcompact - $10, 5 lbs. (fire-resistant $15, fireproof $20)
Compact - $12, 6 lbs. (fire-resistant $18, fireproof $24)
Mid-size - $15, 8 lbs. (fire-resistant $22.5, fireproof $30)
Luxury - $20, 10 lbs. (fire-resistant $30, fireproof $40)

CONFETTI NUMBER
A car's confetti number is equal to its total weight divided by 75.

Last edited by chaoticsyst3m; 10-22-2008 at 03:50 AM.
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Old 10-20-2008, 08:35 PM   #2
Scurv
 
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

Well done man!

That is frikkin gold! was going to do the same thing but now I dont have to cus you have done all the hard work for me.

All I have to do now is add some chassis and crossbow items to the list.
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Old 10-20-2008, 11:52 PM   #3
davester64
 
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

I find it interesting how many of the same numbers are similar to those in the unpublished 5e VDS rules that were playtested several years ago...
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Old 10-21-2008, 07:12 PM   #4
Scurv
 
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

if it works it works
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Old 10-22-2008, 03:47 AM   #5
chaoticsyst3m
 
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

Here are a few things from the previous edition that are useful and easily added to the 5e rules:

Sedan - $1400, 1700 lbs., max weight 6200 lbs., max space 16, HC 1.
Sedan Armor - $18, 9 lbs. (fire-resistant $27, fireproof $36)

Autocannon - To hit 9, 3d damage, $7,250, 600 lbs., 3 spaces, 4 DP, 10 shots.
Gauss Gun - To hit 10, 3d damage, $10,500, 400 lbs., 2 spaces, 3 DP, 10 shots.
Ice Dropper - $1250, 100 lbs., 2 spaces, 3 DP, 25 shots. You'll have to use an oil counter to represent ice. Rules for driving on ice are already included in the 5e rules.
Junk Dropper - $50, 125 lbs., 1 space, 4 DP, 10 shots. Drops a standard 5e debris counter.
Light Flamethrower - To hit 9, 1d-2 damage, $500, 280 lbs., 1 space, 1 DP, 10 shots.

Bumper Trigger - $50.
Extra Magazine - 1 space, +1 DP. (Autocannon $800, 115 lbs. Gauss Gun $550, 115 lbs. Ice Dropper $550, 65 lbs., Junk Dropper $50, 115 lbs. Light Flamethrower $200, 45 lbs.)
Hi-Res Targeting Computer - $4000.
Ice Discharger - $75, 5 lbs.
Magazine Switch - $250.
No-Paint Windshield - $1000.
Smart Link - $500.

Last edited by chaoticsyst3m; 12-21-2009 at 01:11 AM.
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Old 10-23-2008, 02:36 AM   #6
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

So, pretty-much all they did was eliminate chassis upgrades, make the power
plants slightly less ridiculously heavy and bulky, and fiddle with the weights
of a few items....
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Old 10-23-2008, 07:09 AM   #7
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

Yeah, that's pretty much it.
The extra heavy chassis is standard on all cars with the max load rounded up to the nearest multiple of 100.
All components have a fixed cost/weight (so things like ramplates don't care about how much front armor you have, for example).
I know the 1/3 total space weapon placement rule no longer applies because there's a subcompact with an Anti-Tank Gun and a compact with Blast Cannon in the 5e books. I assume it's 1/2 total space now cuz none of the preconstructed cars are in violation of that. My guess is they changed it because the power plants are smaller and there's more room for weapons.
My theory on why the power plants are smaller is that the cycles were gonna use the same power plants as cars. (Or maybe it's just the advanced fuel cell technology of 2052.)
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Old 10-24-2008, 04:08 AM   #8
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

Quote:
Originally Posted by chaoticsyst3m
My theory on why the power plants are smaller is that the cycles were gonna use the same power plants as cars. (Or maybe it's just the advanced fuel cell technology of 2052.)
I think it's because the writers figured out the PP numbers from the original
game, which were based on 1980s tech, were painfully wrong -- the size and
weight of fuel cells and batteries has been plummeting, especially lately.
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Old 10-24-2008, 11:05 AM   #9
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

Quote:
Originally Posted by 43Supporter
I think it's because the writers figured out the PP numbers from the original
game, which were based on 1980s tech, were painfully wrong -- the size and
weight of fuel cells and batteries has been plummeting, especially lately.
Nah. There's no evidence for consistently believable weights anywhere else in the game, so there's no reason to think that was the logic here.
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Old 10-24-2008, 02:22 PM   #10
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Default Re: Car Wars 5e Vehicle Design

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIB 1473
Nah. There's no evidence for consistently believable weights anywhere else in the game, so there's no reason to think that was the logic here.
Right. I'm guessing darts thrown at random numbers were the order of the day. ;)
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