A good smuggler plane Options

[The Jopp]

Right, we have a rigger who wants something more than a regular “teamcar”. He’s the Border bandit, a smuggler, and he needs something that can ferry cargo or people across borders at speed, under the radar. Border bandit is rich so he’s got 60BP in gear and he borrowed and scraped together cash from the Mob. [Rich & in Debt]. Also, he’s got a contact to get some restricted and hard to get gear [Chosen Vehicle & Signature Masking Restricted Gear].

So the Qualities needed are:
-30 In Debt
+10 Rich
+5 Restricted Gear: Vehicle (Due to +4 used vehicle availability)
+5 Restricted Gear: Signature Masking
+10 Black Market Pipeline [Vehicles]

So how do we afford it.

Let’s use the availability rules and used vehicle rules to get a discount first.

First we get a used vehicle so that’s a 20% discount – unfortunately it is +4 availability as used vehicles seems to be more rare these days than new ones…

The vehicle has recently been stolen as well so that’s an additional 10% discount.

We also know that the contact wants to get rid of it pretty fast since it is rather hot and MIGHT have been identified by someone in a heist last week…another 20% for used in a crime under investigation.

And finally our black market pipeline manage to get it at a discount at another 10%.

We now have a 60% price reduction on a vehicle, and for a good rigger and a career criminal it might not be hard to hide it.

So what vehicle might be useful in this case, it’s gotta fly first of all.

The best and most flexible alternative would be a Renault-Fiat Fokker Tundra-9 Amphibious Jet at a discounted price of 130K. First I though a Cascade Scraacha would suffice but it is 12F instead of just availability 12 and the jet’s base price is about 100K cheaper and only 100M/Turn slower.

We will add tilt wing VTOL ability for 90K to get an amphibious jet aircraft with VTOL ability.

We can also add rating 3 Signature Masking (Availability 18) against sensors and as a final note we add Ruthenium Coating to be a bit more hard to see with the naked eye.

Our jet engines also gives off heat so a Special Armor Modification with Thermal Dampening.

For extra fuel we have a pair of additional drop tanks and/or enlarged fueltanks.

So what space do we have left?

+6 VTOL (90 000)
+1 Ruthenium Polymers (18 000)
+2 for X2 Additional Fuel Tanks (2 000)
+1 Thermal Dampening 6 (3 000)
+3 Sensor Dampening (6 000)

COST (plane+mods): 250K

That’s 12 points used out of 18 from modifications. We could now add a weapon mount or other fun things for the additional 5 slots we have left or even 6 points if we go by the rule that we can have a different model of a plane and reduce say, -1 armor for +1 body.

The plane would have an 18 hour operation time and a speed of 500 meter per turn which becomes 600km/hour and can land anywhere you have a flat surface at land or water.

The operation time of this vehicle gives it a range of 10800 kilometers before refuelling.

The character still have 80K for gear or 50K if they don’t want to be indebted to the mob.

There is one thing I DO wonder about LAV’s though, do they take off like planes on a runway or are they usually VTOL?

[CeeJay]

Have you thought about using a Cessna C750? A used one has availability 12, same body (size) as the Fiat-Fokker and with engine customization it has a top speed of 400, that's not so much slower than the Fiat... and it comes a lot cheaper (even with engine customization).

-CJ

[Doc Chase]

LAV's have either VTOL or VSTOL capability. Assume everything wants at least a short runway for fuel consumption purposes.

[The Jopp]

Have you thought about using a Cessna C750? A used one has availability 12, same body (size) as the Fiat-Fokker and with engine customization it has a top speed of 400, that's not so much slower than the Fiat... and it comes a lot cheaper (even with engine customization).

-CJ

The problem I have with the Cessna is that I envision a tiny single prop plane 2-4 seater. The Amphibious Jet seems to be more of a cargo plane - and I get more body and included floatation devices.

[The Jopp]

LAV's have either VTOL or VSTOL capability. Assume everything wants at least a short runway for fuel consumption purposes.

That's the problem with RAW - there is no mention in the books if they actually have them, by RAW they function like regular aeroplanes.

An errata that says that LAV's get VTOL or STOL ability would be nice.

[Doc Chase]

That's the problem with RAW - there is no mention in the books if they actually have them, by RAW they function like regular aeroplanes.

An errata that says that LAV's get VTOL or STOL ability would be nice.

I thought the books said LAV's were all vectored-thrust aircraft, which would then suggest V(S)TOL capability.

[The Jopp]

I thought the books said LAV's were all vectored-thrust aircraft, which would then suggest V(S)TOL capability.

I thought so as well but I cannot find it in either the description of SR4 and more importantly not in the vehicle descriptions in Arsenal regarding Standard upgrades.

The only description is that they are low Altitude Aircraft (LAV).

[Doc Chase]

I may have to go back to 2nd or 3rd ed to find the description. Hate having to do it that way, but sometimes that's all you've got.

[CeeJay]

The problem I have with the Cessna is that I envision a tiny single prop plane 2-4 seater. The Amphibious Jet seems to be more of a cargo plane - and I get more body and included floatation devices.

Well, the Cessna is described as a "Twin-prop airplane", but of course it could still be only a 4 seater....

Cessna C750: This dual-prop craft can carry passengers or serve as a surveillance plane. Its light frame and economy have ensured some are used by smuggling operations.

At least it has the same 18 body as a Fiat-Fokker, so it should have roughly the same size, shouldn't it? But ultimately it's your choice, of course. I just wanted to point out an alternative...

Regarding further modifications: Don't forget to put a rigger adaption in your plane and Lock-On countermeasures can also be quite handy when you do get spotted...

-CJ

[Neurosis]

I would go with the Skraacha because I have the feeling it can seat more people and has superior stats beyond just speed. I'm not sure.

Also looking at those qualities and discounts you must have/be a very permissive GM. : )

[The Jopp]

Also looking at those qualities and discounts you must have/be a very permissive GM. : )

Or one who thinks about the consequences for the player. A stolen vehicle, used in a crime under investigation.

What is to say that the character OR the player knows about WHAT crime or WHO it was stolen from.

Those two things can become runs into themselves.

Not to mention that everything about the character revolves around that ONE tricked out item.

It's like Han Solo and the Millenium Falcon.

[KarmaInferno]

Technically, Signature Masking is a part of the package.

See if your GM would allow it to fall under the umbrella of the vehicle's Restricted Gear.

Restricted Gear is for an "item" - Sig Masking is not really an "item" by itself.




-k

[ProfGast]

It's like Han Solo and the Millenium Falcon.

Where's the "won it in a card game" quality? Or maybe that's "restricted gear" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rotfl.gif)

[The Jopp]

Technically, Signature Masking is a part of the package.

See if your GM would allow it to fall under the umbrella of the vehicle's Restricted Gear.

Restricted Gear is for an "item" - Sig Masking is not really an "item" by itself.

I disagree.

Restricted Gear is ONLY to be able to get an item upå to availability 20.

Signature masking 3 would be 18 and the plane would be 16 (12+4).

You would need two qualities since the sig masking is a modification after buying the vehicle.

[KarmaInferno]

Depends.

Are you getting the vehicle and then modifying it?

Or are you ordering the vehicle from a custom shop with all the mods already installed?

The rules don't restrict HOW you obtained the items during character creation.

That's why I said, "ask your GM", as he is the only one who can say that.

Since you appear to be the GM, well, I suppose you can in fact say that they had to buy the vehicle first and them modify it.

But that's not the only way items can be obtained.



-k