Could we make cars more interesting?

Game Talk The Drawing Board
21

[quote=“Iosyn, post:20, topic:2886”][quote=“KA101, post:9, topic:2886”]Problem with USian tanks: their fuel economy is “gallons per mile” rather than “miles per gallon”. Given the finite amount of fuel available in Cata, I’d consider even a pristine tank a great opportunity for parts, rather than a vehicle ready-for-use.

(Now, if you want to have it use superalloy armor/structure or otherwise be downmassed…)[/quote]

I think that’s the same with any heavy military vehicle. The engines aren’t designed with fuel economy in mind – because the government doesn’t worry about cost, it needs to worry about a vehicle that can actually fight in an operational theatre. You want a tank that’s got a debilitating, but fuel efficient engine or something that can actually get itself into or out of trouble if it needs to? Mobility is king.

e.g The challenger 2 is about 62 tonnes with a 1200hp (26.6Litre!) engine, giving it a power to weight ratio of about~20hp/t iirc. That’s insane for a 62t vehicle.

In comparison, the T-72 had a 780hp engine. Must be noted that it seems to have been russian doctrine to strip off as much spare weight as possible (aka, strip off some armour-- and trust me, to consider the results it’s a design philosophy I’d favour) so they can get away with a weaker engine and yet still maintain a decent PW/R– the T-72 in particular came in at about 41t with a PW/R of 18.8hp/t.

The later verison, the T-90 was slightly heavier-- about 47t-- however they’ve upgraded the engine for it twice until now it’s got an 1250hp engine, which means a ~26hp/t PWR. It’ll be maneuverable as fuck, not even to mention acceleration/top speeds etc for simply being a lighter vehicle.

[edit] anyway, in game terms let’s stick a large electric engine in and some solar power.
Solar powered tanks! Eco-Friendly for a brighter tomorrow :smiley:

also check this vid out. near the end, it’s said 2 centurions (made circa 1945) destroyed 60~ T-62s, a tank made 20~30 years later.[/quote]

Or a minireactor (I’ve never seen one of those in-game!), or the superalloy, etc.

22

Good idea, I’d almost forgotten about them. Superalloy would make sense as well, seeing as most tank armour nowadays is composite and then layered with reactive armour. (the stuff that explodes when it gets hit to divert the projectile path.)

Considering cata is a bit sci-fi I think it would make sense for any such tanks, APCs or IFVs to use next-gen engines and equipment.

23

Copbots already use superalloy.

24

Yeah, they can drop Superalloy–but I’m thinking that there’s no such thing as Superalloy Frame. Cata tanks might well use it to downmass their internals/armor, freeing themselves to either put more stuff on or to be as tough, but lighter.