virgileso
02/24/04 11:45 AM
165.95.89.36
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This is quite odd, and it makes me wonder why they even made it an option to have a 1 ton vehicle. Going off of the rules as presented (Master Rules), the engine/cockpit/internal/lifting aspects are automatically half a ton apiece. Therefore, making wheeled vehicles the only ones capable of even existing at 1 ton. Even then, all you get is a man, his wheels, and bugs hitting his face at over 180mph.
Granted, all of this would be solved if fractional accounting (to the tenth of a ton) was allowed. Which would also make sense since protomechs are about the same mass and enjoy this benefit.
This brings up another point I wish to ask. Are you required to have an engine rating above zero? I ask this in relation to vehicles that have an inherent lift, and can therefore have a level of movement before they even have an engine rating.
Edited by virgileso (02/24/04 12:17 PM)
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Cray
02/24/04 01:31 PM
147.160.1.5
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1) During the original introduction of vehicle construction rules (in the 1980s, with Citytech), "fractional accounting" was used, where components were not rounded up to the nearest half ton. This is clearly seen in the original Warrior helicopter, which was 21 tons and had a 2.1 ton internal structure, 2.1 tons of lift equipment, and 1.05 tons of controls. It was quite possible to build a 1-ton vehicle, because the frame would be 0.1 tons, the controls would be 0.05 tons, and you could fit a .75-ton fusion engine, leaving 0.1 tons for cargo.
Somewhere along the line, this fractional accounting was tossed out, then later re-introduced in MaxTech as an optional rule.
2) There are forthcoming rules that will allow the construction of light civilian vehicles in better detail, measuring construction in kilograms (like protomechs and battle armor) rather than tons. The rules will also cover super-sized "support" vehicles, like oil tankers, trains, etc.
Quote:
Are you required to have an engine rating above zero?
Yes, with one exception.
To build a vehicle, you must assign an engine. The only engines available begin with a rating of 10. (There is an exception for protomechs, which DO require engines, but have rules for creating odd-sized engines below a certain size.)
The exception to the requirement for installing engines is in trailers, i.e., towed vehicles. These are covered under the optional rules of MaxTech. However, they are not standard rules.
Normally, if your engine has no rating, you go nowhere.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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