Jazzyamx
08/12/20 10:48 PM
96.42.48.89
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I know a reactor takes up a fairly large amount of space in a BattleMech, but the Ground Car, a civilian vehicle listed on the Sarna Wiki weighs only 3 tons, about in line with today's SUVs and pickups. It is said to have a fusion engine, but that some also have a battery-electric system.
Obviously, such a small reactor probably wouldn't have anywhere near the power generation capability as the multi-ton ones used in 'mechs, but what would a reactor sized for automotive/truck/semi-tractor use weigh? Could you make one for a motorcycle?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Richard
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ghostrider
08/12/20 11:25 PM
66.74.60.165
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There is the big issue with fusion engines. The smallest fusion engine available weighs half a ton. Yet the mass it takes up does not seem to change from the largest fusion engine. And that half ton fusion engine comes with 10 heat sinks as well.
By the construction rules, the engine with transmission would have to be .75 tons for the smallest, as half the weight is required for the transmission.
But wait. It gets worse.
The inclusion of XL engines means the engine can weigh half of the normal fusion engine, though a bit bulkier. But again, the same engine takes up as much space as the 400 xl engine does. Yet the larger engines hide more of the heatsinks then the smaller ones. There is no extra space in the internals of a mech or vehicle for using a smaller engine.
The construction rules have the engine scaled to weight of vehicle, movement size with a movement factor on anything but tracked. So the answer isn't simple, but required the vehicle weight, movement and suspension factor. I don't see why a motorcycle can't be made, as the fusion engine is not supposed to be radioactive, and the Transmission includes shielding according to their definitions of the set up.
To support this, there is no set about of 'wheels' that goes with the figure. It only cares if it is wheeled, tracked, hover or flying. Space craft are a little different, but that is another set of rules.
So technically, you can have a unicycle that is fusion powered, which Alex Carlyle has in the one novel.
Hope that isn't as confusion as it looks.
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Jazzyamx
08/13/20 12:16 AM
96.42.48.89
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Thank you much! No, what you wrote makes perfect sense, thanks for the help.
Richard
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Cray
08/14/20 01:56 PM
71.47.193.139
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Quote:
I know a reactor takes up a fairly large amount of space in a BattleMech, but the Ground Car, a civilian vehicle listed on the Sarna Wiki weighs only 3 tons, about in line with today's SUVs and pickups. It is said to have a fusion engine, but that some also have a battery-electric system.
There are fusion rechargers, 40kg reactors. They're considered unsafe, though, since they can't absorb the heat from a hard shutdown and might actually explode when damaged.
Quote:
Obviously, such a small reactor probably wouldn't have anywhere near the power generation capability as the multi-ton ones used in 'mechs, but what would a reactor sized for automotive/truck/semi-tractor use weigh? Could you make one for a motorcycle?
Tactical Operations' support vehicle rules allow you to make fusion-powered motorcycles down to about 100kg vehicle mass. Tech rating C (~2100-2200AD) fusion engines have a significant minimum size, but Tech D and Tech E (Age of War, Star League) can get quite small.
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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