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Old 07-07-2021, 02:05 PM   #1
Daimyo_Shi
 
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Default How many Auto Manufacturers are there in NA?

So I am marvelling that the second coming of the huge amoun of small Auto manufacturers in North America in Car Wars, I figure that this is highly standardized largely robotic manufacturing with Engineers and designers as major over head with small management teams when compared to the Corporations that existed before the Economic troubles. I interested in hearing opinions on this.
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Old 07-07-2021, 02:44 PM   #2
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Default Re: How many Auto Manufacturers are there in NA?

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So I am marvelling that the second coming of the huge amoun of small Auto manufacturers in North America in Car Wars, I figure that this is highly standardized largely robotic manufacturing with Engineers and designers as major over head with small management teams when compared to the Corporations that existed before the Economic troubles. I interested in hearing opinions on this.
Well, the number would seem to vary -- it's noted in the writeup for the _Bastille_ the company which originally made it went out-of-business, and Samson picked up the construction rights -- so there's no telling how many might exist at a given moment.
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Old 07-07-2021, 04:13 PM   #3
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Default Re: How many Auto Manufacturers are there in NA?

Also these could be three men in a garage knocking out custom vehicles, one of which got lucky in a regional final once. There doesn't have to be a manufactory producing thousands of that vehicle behind it, anyone can make a one-off custom design due to the standardised parts.

The Chassis + Suspension + Plant combinations are more limited and these might well be manufactured in the thousands by big companies, they just don't put their badge on the car that is built on them. This makes economic sense as fitting the plant is a more difficult job (and it is often the single most expensive component). Also the chassis limit pretty much determines what your plant needs to be and this further limits the credible combinations.

Every other component can be an after-market fit. Armour can be readily changed and that is what will set the "look" of the vehicle. Weapons are easily swapped in and out and they determine your combat performance.

This was the way it worked in the early years of motor vehicle manufacture. You bought a chassis and got another company to fit the coachwork to your personal specification. It was Ford who came up with the standardised design and that was only so that he could mass produce.
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Old 07-08-2021, 03:11 PM   #4
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Default Re: How many Auto Manufacturers are there in NA?

It's spelled 'Fnord' ;)

I imagine there is no equivalent to Ford or GM etc. Most manufacturers should be local. I think the original naming system was based on the designer (I'd have to check the back of the AADA VGs where it lists who designed what).

My favorites - Aquarius Motors with all of their astrological sign names (I guess they could only make 13 vehicles). Fnord (obviously) as it's iconic.

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.

This was the way it worked in the early years of motor vehicle manufacture. You bought a chassis and got another company to fit the coachwork to your personal specification. It was Ford who came up with the standardised design and that was only so that he could mass produce.
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Old 07-08-2021, 04:47 PM   #5
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Default Re: How many Auto Manufacturers are there in NA?

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It's spelled 'Fnord' ;)

I imagine there is no equivalent to Ford or GM etc. Most manufacturers should be local. I think the original naming system was based on the designer (I'd have to check the back of the AADA VGs where it lists who designed what).

My favorites - Aquarius Motors with all of their astrological sign names (I guess they could only make 13 vehicles). Fnord (obviously) as it's iconic.
It was Mystic with the Zodiac line. Part of the Reason I was wondering is because I slowly working through ADQ and AADA To create a reference for my campaign, some if it is guessing given how lore Light Car Wars can be.

It isn't complete but this is the start of it.

Car Wars Vehicle Companies
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Old 07-08-2021, 05:58 PM   #6
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Ah correct. I was going from memory. Good catch.

My own idea: Mercenary Motors. Founded by a successful cycle bandit gone (semi) legit. All MM designs are road tested, with an emphasis on survivability. Ironically, the 'Pursuit Special' is a very popular line of police interceptors, based on what cycle gangs fear the most.

Pursuit Special -- Luxury, Extra-Heavy chassis, Heavy suspension, Sport power plant w/SC, Heavy-Duty High-Torque Motors, 10-pt CA (Power Plant), Fire Extinguisher, 4 Solid Radial tires, Driver w/HRSWC and BA and Safety Seat and 10-pt CA, Blast Cannon Front w/extra magazine and magazine switch and 10 shots HEAT and 10 shots HESH, Heavy Flaming Oil Jet Back, Heavy-Duty Shocks, Heavy-Duty Brakes, Antilock Brakes, Overdrive, Spoiler, Airdam, Plastic Armor: F40, L35, R35, B40, T10, U10, 2 10-pt Wheelguards Back, 2 10-pt Wheelhubs Front, Acceleration 10 (x2 w/HDHTMs), Top Speed 120 +20 w/Overdrive, HC 4 (5 @60mph), 6600 lbs., $39550

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Originally Posted by Daimyo_Shi View Post
It was Mystic with the Zodiac line. Part of the Reason I was wondering is because I slowly working through ADQ and AADA To create a reference for my campaign, some if it is guessing given how lore Light Car Wars can be.

It isn't complete but this is the start of it.

Car Wars Vehicle Companies
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Old 07-09-2021, 07:40 AM   #7
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Default Re: How many Auto Manufacturers are there in NA?

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Ironically, the 'Pursuit Special' is a very popular line of police interceptors, based on what cycle gangs fear the most.
That wouldn't catch any of my bikes :)

In my view a pursuit special would need the same 15 default ACC that my bikes have with HTM's to boot. It needs a top speed well over 100. If it doesn't have these then it isn't really a pursuit vehicle.
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Old 07-09-2021, 11:13 AM   #8
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Default Re: How many Auto Manufacturers are there in NA?

Your cycle gangs are very different from mine :)

Sure you can outrun the cops in a Shogun 200 (TS 180, MG front, exposed cyclist) - but those are no threat to anyone

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That wouldn't catch any of my bikes :)

In my view a pursuit special would need the same 15 default ACC that my bikes have with HTM's to boot. It needs a top speed well over 100. If it doesn't have these then it isn't really a pursuit vehicle.
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Old 07-09-2021, 01:13 PM   #9
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Your cycle gangs are very different from mine :)

Sure you can outrun the cops in a Shogun 200 (TS 180, MG front, exposed cyclist) - but those are no threat to anyone
Very probably. Mine prey on the weak (attacking outlying farms). They harass poorly armed travellers (like many of the ones in VG1). They attack in numbers from advantage and only when they have advantage. Rarely they tool up for a punishment hit (and then will be supported by trikes). These can destroy a pueblo in short order.

You can do better than a Shogun 200 and still have a top speed in excess of 100 and an acceleration of 10 or more. A pursuer needs to be faster and have higher acceleration, if it merely equals then it can never close. You don't drive in VG1 guide stock vehicles, why assume the surviving bikers will (but a shogun 250 ain't bad).

1 MG isn't much of a threat, but that's only 1 bike. I can buy half a dozen for the cost of your car. As these are all individual attacks even if you have tons of metal armour they will quickly strip your HS down to where you are requiring control rolls on every subsequent hit. At speed, even a fishtail can be fatal and those speed modifiers mean fishtails are less likely.

A rear mounted laser guided AP HR doesn't run much more than a MG (and I have never had a MG armed bike last long enough in a fight to use a full mag, they either fall over or run before then). Fire a couple of sighting shots with the TL from out a ways, until you have a reasonable chance to hit then fire your warshot. Once it is off, trigger smoke dischargers and high-tail it. Do this with a dozen bikes staggered over a short distance and even non-metal rigs will be in danger.

I'll have to run this :)
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Old 07-09-2021, 03:15 PM   #10
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Default Re: How many Auto Manufacturers are there in NA?

My "pursuit" car starts with a T-cat plant -- the Interceptor from "Midwest Passage", but with MGs and SS/SD (or FCE in later models).

My "corporate" ID was "CFI"; cars were sponsored by "Torgo's Pizza" (there's a backstory to that, but I'm not sure I can discuss all of it on this forum; it delves into socio-political matters, and, well, I treat this place like a formal dinner table, so there's certain topics one does not discuss aloud).
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