Drive A Tank Options

[moosegod]

What skill do you use?

[Ed_209a]

By 2060, you could probably drive one with the same skill you drive a big truck with.

[GunnerJ]

Cars Skill with the Large Vehicle of Type modifier

[Wish]

We haven't gotten a chance to implement it yet, but there was a point in our game where it looked like we might have to hijack a tank. It was decided that it would use the Car skill, with an unfamiliarity penalty of +4 to TNs, reduced by 1 per week of familiarization (so after 4 weeks you could drive with no penalties). Or something similar to that.

[moosegod]

I don't like using "car". Cars are wheeled and use a steering wheel, instead of the two levers. So far we've been working with the skill "Armored Vehicle" specialized by vehicle type.

[Austere Emancipa...]

Is there no Tracked Vehicle skill? Also useful with many non-military vehicles, like those digging machines. (What the heck do you english-speaking folk call those vehicles with tracks, a small "cockpit" in the center on top and a mechanical digging arm/scoop/whatever?) I'd definitely use Tracked Vehicles.

[moosegod]

I don't remember a tracked vehicle skill-page and book? And the vehicles you are talking about are named by their uses- bulldozer, digger, etc.

[Hero]

I tend to use the crawler skill my self for tanks and other large tracked vehicles. I have been inside a M1 Abraham(one of the air shows that they used to hold at the Reserve March Airforce Base) they actually have something that you would find in an a modern air craft. But I use crawler anyways, was thinking of making a separate skill but figured just using Crawler would be easier in the end.

[Edit]Oops, thanks for the correction Req[/Edit]

[Edit]I been using the term crawler for anything tracked, my bad.[/Edit]

[Req]

M1 Abrams, actually.

[moosegod]

Where is this fabled crawler skill? I don't remember seeing it anywhere.

[Austere Emancipa...]

I just made the Tracked Vehicle skill up, dude. :) I just asked whether there was one so I wouldn't be calling something a house rule when it was canon...

This post has been edited by Austere Emancipator: Nov 13 2003, 08:42 PM

[Game2BHappy]

Pg. 24, R3:
"Tracks (Reaction)
The Tracks skill covers tracked ground vehicles, such as tanks and bulldozers. Tracks skill is grouped with Car skill. (B/R)
Default: Car
Specializations: By specific vehicle type, Remote Operation"

[Austere Emancipa...]

I TAKE THE LAST MSG BACK!
:rotfl:

[moosegod]

Thanks, Game2BHappy.

(I don't have R3)

[Pthgar]

Modern tanks don't have two levers, they have a steering wheel (sort of, it's not really a wheel). Doesn't anybody watch History Channel's Mail Call with R. Lee. Earmey?

[Frag-o Delux]

The steering is more like a handle bar for a bicycle.

[Phasma Felis]

[easytohate]

The controls for a tank are similar, and are getting even more similar to the controls for most of the track type machines in the world.

The newest bulldozers drive using one stick for forward/reverse/direction and a second stick/peddle for acceleration and deceleration, gears are shifted with the push of a button on the directional stick. The directional and throttle are on the right hand side of the cab.

A second stick on the left hand side controls the blade and the ripper.

An excavatator as two joysticks on the arms of the seat for controlling the boom, and has foot peddles connected to levers for directional control. A slide stick throttle with gearshift is on the right side of the cabin.

A wheeled loader like the 980G, drives a lot like a car. A stick controls the bucket, a wheel controls direction, and there is a Forward/Reverse gearshift and throttle lever. Backhoes drive like a wheel loader but also have an excavating bucket that operates like an excavator boom.

A skid steer loader (the tiny machines that commonly called "bobcats") Uses one lever for directional control, one lever for bucket control and a footpeddle for throttle. No brakes, to stop you just let go of the directional control. A child could operate a skidsteer effectively. A trained operator in a skidsteer can do a 360 spin with the machine with no clearance at full speed (the turning radius on the machine is null, even at 20 mph, of course doing so the operator will have chance of flipping the machine.)

All machines are ultimately leaning toward the skidsteer, caterpillar wants to make machines that are as easy to use as possible. The military is also leaning in the same direction for the same reason, less of a learning curve means less special training.

I would imagine a tank in 2063 operating like a skidsteer, one lever for direction, one lever for boom (turret) and then foot peddle for throttle. I would add a brake however.

I would see the tracked machines skill applying to the driving of a given tracked machine, but using the tools/boom I feel would be a separate skill.