the shape of things to come

STEP 2: INSTALL ENGINES AND
CONTROL SYSTEMS
The second step in Combat Vehicle design is the installation of
the vehicle’s engines and control systems. This step establishes
the key factors in the Combat Vehicle’s mobility, including the
size and performance of its engine, the mass of its lift/dive systems
(if any) and the weight of the control systems the crew uses
during battle.
INSTALL ENGINE
Under these rules, each Combat Vehicle carries one engine
to power its movement, weapon systems and other integral
components. The relative output of this engine is measured by
the vehicle’s Engine Rating, which is directly determined by the
ENGINE RATING AND MOBILITY FORMULAS
Base Engine Rating = Vehicle Tonnage x Desired Cruising MP
Final Engine Rating = Base Engine Rating – Suspension Factor*
Flank MP = Desired Cruising MP x 1.5 (round up)
*Minimum Final Rating = 10; Maximum Final Rating = 400; Round up results to the nearest multiple of 5.
vehicle’s total weight and its desired speed, as modifi ed by its
suspension factor.
To compute a Combat Vehicle’s Engine Rating, the designer
simply multiplies the vehicle’s tonnage by its desired Cruising MP,
then subtracts from this result the suspension factor appropriate
to the vehicle’s tonnage and motive type. A vehicle’s Flank MP
is also calculated at this time; multiply the Cruising MP by 1.5
and round up to the nearest whole number. The Engine Rating
and Mobility Formulas Table below provides the formulas for
computing Combat Vehicle Engine Ratings and also provides
the suspension factors for various Combat Vehicle motive types
and weights.
Under these rules, no Combat Vehicle may be constructed with
an Engine Rating below 10 or above 400. An engine may never
have a negative rating. If, through the formulas presented, a
designer fi nds the desired speed and tonnage of the vehicle will
produce an Engine Rating below 10, the designer must either
upgrade the vehicle’s speed until it reaches the minimum rat-
Combat Vehicle Suspension Factors
Motive Type (Weight*) Suspension Factor Motive Type (Weight*) Suspension Factor
Hovercraft Naval
(01-10 tons) 40 Displacement Hull (All) 30
(11-20 tons) 85 Submarine (All) 30
(21-30 tons) 130 Tracked
(31-40 tons) 175 (All) 0
(41-50 tons) 235 VTOL
Naval – Hydrofoil (01-10 tons) 50
(01-10 tons) 60 (11-20 tons) 95
(11-20 tons) 105 (21-30 tons) 140
(21-30 tons) 150 Wheeled
(31-40 tons) 195 (All) 20
(41-50 tons) 255 WiGE
(51-60 tons) 300 (01-15 tons) 45
(61-70 tons) 345 (16-30 tons) 80
(71-80 tons) 390 (31-45 tons) 115
(81-90 tons) 435 (46-80 tons) 140
(91-100 tons) 480
* Weight is the target tonnage for the entire Combat Vehicle