Ground Forces Equipment
- Graham Kennedy
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Ground Forces Equipment
Okay, a new thread to group this together. There's a few bits and pieces from other threads I will move here, along with some new stuff.]]First off, this is a work in progress but I've been designing a range of ground vehicles. The idea is to have a common vehicle adapted for various functions, much as is done today. Here are the first two variants...
First, the troop carrier :
Next, a fire support unit with a plasma cannon :
Main features :
There's a rear loading ramp, though no rear view as yet.
The big green boxes the wheels are attached to are antigrav units. However, using antigravs powerful enough to lift an armoured vehicle lights you up on every sensor within about ten miles, so there are a lot of circumstances in which you don't want to use them. Besides, in many ways wheels are just fundamentally better than the ubiquitous sci-fi floating vehicle. What happens when battle damage blows your hover unit? You can tow a wheeled vehicle. Plus it's not expending energy all the time.
There's various fiddly details I've yet to do - towing points, etc.
The armour is modular plates, and is available in different types; exotic materials of a couple of different thicknesses, and forcefield reinforced.
The things on the side plates are firing slits. Troops can fire from inside.
The APC version has a remote controlled plasma cannon on the roof.
I'm not sure yet if it carries six troops or if I can squeeze another two in at the door. If so I'll add another couple of firing ports.
Yes, the APC version has hatches on the roof of the troop compartment too.
Versions to come - command vehicle, ambulance, anti personnel missile launcher (using the same missiles the Aazat gunship carries); possibly an SAM carrier, or Anti aircraft gun carrier, or maybe a dual air warfare version; and area forcefield generator; mortar vehicle. Maybe others as and when I think of them.
First, the troop carrier :
Next, a fire support unit with a plasma cannon :
Main features :
There's a rear loading ramp, though no rear view as yet.
The big green boxes the wheels are attached to are antigrav units. However, using antigravs powerful enough to lift an armoured vehicle lights you up on every sensor within about ten miles, so there are a lot of circumstances in which you don't want to use them. Besides, in many ways wheels are just fundamentally better than the ubiquitous sci-fi floating vehicle. What happens when battle damage blows your hover unit? You can tow a wheeled vehicle. Plus it's not expending energy all the time.
There's various fiddly details I've yet to do - towing points, etc.
The armour is modular plates, and is available in different types; exotic materials of a couple of different thicknesses, and forcefield reinforced.
The things on the side plates are firing slits. Troops can fire from inside.
The APC version has a remote controlled plasma cannon on the roof.
I'm not sure yet if it carries six troops or if I can squeeze another two in at the door. If so I'll add another couple of firing ports.
Yes, the APC version has hatches on the roof of the troop compartment too.
Versions to come - command vehicle, ambulance, anti personnel missile launcher (using the same missiles the Aazat gunship carries); possibly an SAM carrier, or Anti aircraft gun carrier, or maybe a dual air warfare version; and area forcefield generator; mortar vehicle. Maybe others as and when I think of them.
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
Sweet.
So, the anti-grav units would be used if the vehicle became stuck, or met some terrain it couldn't handle with just wheels, right?
So, the anti-grav units would be used if the vehicle became stuck, or met some terrain it couldn't handle with just wheels, right?
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
Looks to me like you could squeeze another two in the left side of the hull forward of the turret as well ala the BMP-3.
I'd have gone with tracks myself but that aside you might want to add a strut to the front end of those wheel assemblies. It would add a little more intergrity to them as well as make it a smother ride for the troopies.
Edit: oops, was looking at the wrong model. I mean to the left of the MG mount but behind what I assume is the engine.
I'd have gone with tracks myself but that aside you might want to add a strut to the front end of those wheel assemblies. It would add a little more intergrity to them as well as make it a smother ride for the troopies.
Edit: oops, was looking at the wrong model. I mean to the left of the MG mount but behind what I assume is the engine.
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
I think each of those wheel mounts are meant to be individually suspended. Is each wheel driven, or just the rear pairs?
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
Better hope that they can all be powered, otherwise the thing is just going to dig it's ass into the ground like crazy. Seen it happen a couple times.Mikey wrote:I think each of those wheel mounts are meant to be individually suspended. Is each wheel driven, or just the rear pairs?
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
I would hope so, too, but it ain't my design.
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- Deepcrush
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
Nothing beats having your ride get stuck in the ground. Though, in the USMC's case that normally means a ship got stuck on a big ass rock.
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
Just a thought, but the wheels and the struts that hold them in place seem rather exposed.
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- Graham Kennedy
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
The antigrav would be used to get over obstacles or rough terrain that wheels couldn't handle - bad swamp, very rough ground, forest, etc. Or it would be used when stealth just isn't an issue.
Yes, each wheel is independently powered and has its own active suspension.
I haven't detailed the interior yet, so no word on layout but the front left seems to be where the powerplant would go.
Yes, each wheel is independently powered and has its own active suspension.
I haven't detailed the interior yet, so no word on layout but the front left seems to be where the powerplant would go.
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
True. But then they use a lot of LAV's and those things get stuck all the bloody time.Deepcrush wrote:Nothing beats having your ride get stuck in the ground. Though, in the USMC's case that normally means a ship got stuck on a big ass rock.
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
Not much to do about that, though. Any protection you give those assemblies will necessarily limit the traverse of the suspension.Rochey wrote:Just a thought, but the wheels and the struts that hold them in place seem rather exposed.
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
You could put skirts over them though that won't do much for the assemblies ability to survive a mine strike.Mikey wrote:
Not much to do about that, though. Any protection you give those assemblies will necessarily limit the traverse of the suspension.
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
Right - that wouldn't help them from an attack from underneath, and depedning on how those skirts are placed could limit the upward travel of those struts.
Is it just me, or is this chassis like a weird love child of a BMP-2 and a Stryker?
Is it just me, or is this chassis like a weird love child of a BMP-2 and a Stryker?
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
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I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
Looks kinda like it doesn't it. If he moved the wheels and assemblies into a recess on the hull ala a present wheeled AFV then you could easily put skirts over them. And honestly, there looks to be more play than would be required for the wheels.Mikey wrote:Right - that wouldn't help them from an attack from underneath, and depedning on how those skirts are placed could limit the upward travel of those struts.
Is it just me, or is this chassis like a weird love child of a BMP-2 and a Stryker?
I assume that this thing has solid tires though, or at least run flats. Playing with the angle of the hull and wheel recess could buy him a bunch of mine protection but I'm not sure how much work Graham wants to put into this sort of thing. Unless he gets tired of my endless nitpicking.
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Re: Ground Forces Equipment
An angled undercarriage would certainly help, and also provide better mine protection for the occupants (assuming that his AV weapons are anything at all like ours.) And I think he does use all that play in the suspension - remember, he said his anti-grav system is only for emergencies, as it emits a huge signature.
I can't stand nothing dull
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer
I got the high gloss luster
I'll massacre your ass as fast
as Bull offed Custer