Questions from Newbie GM - Creating Vehicles

[Dejavroom]

So, Once again I'm posting here in reguards to something I don't know about Gurps.

So how do you create vehicles?

I've currently go the High Tech supplement Book and had a brief look at the statistics for some vehicles. The WW1 Renault FT17 etc.

But I'm curious how I'd go about making my own? Because of my current campaign's setting, I'd like to create Airships and "Mechs" for my players to fight and crew.

Problem is, I have NO idea where to begin with this, Especially in terms of balancing this out. I've heard words of the Spaceships supplement having a good starting point but I'd like to hold of on spending more green for a while.

Could anyone help?

[Refplace]

Pyramid #3/120 is probably your best bang for the buck.
The Spaceships is great and expanded on in a few Pyramids but is probably overkill in a non-vehicle based campaign. and you said your on a budget.
Pyramid has a single article that describes the various stats with examples and is likely good enough, especially if your willing to fudge weapons. It doesnt include the variety of options the Spaceships series does of course.

[whswhs]

Here is what I would suggest for mecha. If you look at the weight statistics for humanoids, you can approximate human ST as 2 x (cube root off weight in pounds). But the formula for unliving entities is 4 x (cube root of weight in pounds). So I would give a human-sized "robot" twice human ST and HP, or typically 20.

The Growth advantage recommends minimum ST equal to 5 x height in yards. So for a mecha, I would go with 10 x height in yards. Pick an SM, check the height in yards, and multiply by 10. Example: We want a mecha that is SM +4; that's 10 yards, or 5 x human height. That gives it ST 100.

From this, you can get HP, weight, BL, and a basis for estimating occupancy and cargo (as Payload).

In approaching it this way, you're kind of building the mecha as a character. Of course you don't have to give it a full character sheet; just come up with the stats you need for the vehicle.

[Dejavroom]

Originally Posted by whswhs

Here is what I would suggest for mecha. If you look at the weight statistics for humanoids, you can approximate human ST as 2 x (cube root off weight in pounds). But the formula for unliving entities is 4 x (cube root of weight in pounds). So I would give a human-sized "robot" twice human ST and HP, or typically 20.

The Growth advantage recommends minimum ST equal to 5 x height in yards. So for a mecha, I would go with 10 x height in yards. Pick an SM, check the height in yards, and multiply by 10. Example: We want a mecha that is SM +4; that's 10 yards, or 5 x human height. That gives it ST 100.

From this, you can get HP, weight, BL, and a basis for estimating occupancy and cargo (as Payload).

In approaching it this way, you're kind of building the mecha as a character. Of course you don't have to give it a full character sheet; just come up with the stats you need for the vehicle.

This is helpful thank you. But I'm also struggling with things like Calculating Load realistically. Especially fully laden or unladen. I kind of find the main rules slightly overcomplicated but I don't know if making it simpler by excluding certain stats would make vehicles or mechs overpowered.

[Stormcrow]

Forget calculating things. One day the vehicles book will come out and you can calculate to your heart's content. For now, you can simply decide what seems right, and that's good enough. If you think it seems right, unless you have an expert mech-tech (or whatever such would be called) as a player, who's going to tell you you got the load capacity wrong?

[Refplace]

I write up a review (with links) that might be helpful.
https://refplace.blogspot.com/2019/0...-in-gurps.html

[Dejavroom]

Originally Posted by Refplace

I write up a review (with links) that might be helpful.
https://refplace.blogspot.com/2019/0...-in-gurps.html

Thanks for this. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the system provided in Basic Set: Campaigns. A clear system would be a good thing for me, As balancing is super important in my campaigns,

[Donny Brook]

Just wait a couple of more days and surely by then GURPS Vehicles 4e will be available.

[Johnny Angel]

Is there a particular type of vehicle you're wanting to create?

I built two (and a horse) in this thread: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=161159


I used the guidelines in a Pyramid article. It took a little bit of math, but I didn't mind putting things together; most of the information I needed was readily available online by searching for performance specs for cars. Honestly, if vehicles aren't a huge part of your game, you could likely get by with refluffing some of the stuff found in Campaigns

[Dejavroom]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angel

Is there a particular type of vehicle you're wanting to create?

I built two (and a horse) in this thread: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=161159


I used the guidelines in a Pyramid article. It took a little bit of math, but I didn't mind putting things together; most of the information I needed was readily available online by searching for performance specs for cars. Honestly, if vehicles aren't a huge part of your game, you could likely get by with refluffing some of the stuff found in Campaigns

I'm trying really to build 3 styles of Mecha, Scout, Assault and "Tank" All about 9-20 feet tall. But I don't really know how to balance that out.