[43Supporter]

From my days in NOVA:

-- Body/Power pack is Mid/electric to about D20; D25 and up, Lux/150cid with Turbo. I do have a 150cid-turbo-powered Pickup in D40, but I only used it once, and the next time NOVA ran a D40 event, no one showed up but me.... (Apparently two linked BCs is a bit intimidating. >:) )

-- Massed F-facing direct-fire weapons. Unless it's D5-10, if you're not throwing at least 4d6 at your target, you have botched your design. And even at D5, minimum 1d6+3 (passenger with HAVR). D25 and up, minimum 6d6 (we ignored Scott's nonsense about Sloping and Streamlining affecting 1/3-spaces, as it, like most of his rulings, was meant as a direct slap at our group).

-- Dropped Weapons, one B, one L or R, for the "checkerboard of death" (guaranteed at least two 1-4 rolls, plus however-many 1-2s). SD with Explosive ammo is de rigeur; Incendiary is even worse; but one has to worry about one's own tires being hit if the foe is to close. FCEs or FOJs obviate this a bit, but are expensive.

-- Armor: LOTS of it. When the typical incoming volley is doing an average of 27 points (2d6+2, three times), one gets one's can opened on the third hit. Past D15, don't bother with Metal Armor; HESH is cheap, and commonplace.

-- Tires: NOVA didn't allow aimed tire shots -- see above re volume of damage. (Even with Plasticores behind full WH and WG, one was mobility-restricted in two shots, and mobility-killed in four.) That said: Note above comments re dropped weapons; shorting tires was a good way to be taken out in a DW-induced crash. I was able to get away with PRs by keeping my distance (and the fact that most of NOVA were idiots about DWs), but all my vehicles have a Solid-tire option - There Is A Reason For This. :)

-- Targeting: SWC minimum; HRSWC to F battery preferred. (See above re keeping distance. :) )

-- Personal Kit: BA/FJ-or-ABV. Less expensive than IBA; doesn't affect GEs or reflexes; one only needs to worry about rolling a 5-6 for the FJ or ABV. For hand weapons: Any gun which does vehicular-level damage (minimum MP or SMG), plus a couple Foam Grenades or a PFE unless one knows no one is rolling flame rounds. If one cannot bring proper DWs into one's design, a brace of WP or Thermite Grenades is a good option for a "go away present" [sic]. :)

-- Anything else is just taking cost and weight away from stuff which can hurt, maim, or kill one's opponents; and is therefore a complete WOMBAT in the arena.

["WOMBAT": Waste Of Money, Brains, And Time]