[SG] Travel Mode/Vehicle movement rates

Sitting here enjoying the joys of dial up (waiting 
for something someone sent me to DL at 
26400 bps and it is obviously monsterous... 
we're up to about 15 mins now).... I got to 
thinking about the "how fast do vehicles move".

Let's posit I'm in a convoy. Or in a rescue force 
trying to "get somewhere". Let us assume for 
the moment that the normal pause, wait, watch, 
dart out routine isn't in place. As someone 
pointed out, 2-5 minute turns suggest that a 
vehicle should be able to move further than 
480m. 

Now, I'd suggest a modified version of Travel 
Mode for vehicles only. Travel Mode movement 
rates would depend on Ground Surface. 

On average to poor terrain, 2 x normal 
movement is probably fine. In really poor 
terrain, this might even be really too fast. But in 
good terrain (dirt road), one might get a 3 x 
multiplier, and on a modern good quality 
highway, as much as a 4x multiplier. Is this fast? 
Oh yes. But then, if you're moving on a 
highway, oughtn't it to be, if you aren't worried 
about the risks of executing a travel move? 

My thinking is also coloured by the belief that 
some units ought to be able to move quicker to 
begin with. A Grav Bike or FAV should dart 
around faster than an APC. (Yes, over 5 
minutes, they both might argue to cover the 
same space, but since the darting tends to 
leave you pinned between two bits of cover, I 
think the speed differentiation could be argued 
for). 

Also, I do find it interesting that all powered 
armour is made either 6" or 12" variety. No 
one produced a set that moves 10" or 8". And 
all vehicles are analogous in speeds. Hmmm. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I understand the 
game design and simplicity reasons for this. I'm 
just trying to see what happens if you alter 
some of these things to reflect different 
valuations. Will the system breakdown totally? 
Dunno yet. Worth a look-by to my mind. 

So, some basic ideas:
Very Slow PA - 4"
Slow PA - 6"
Average PA - 8"
Fast PA - 10"
Very Fast PA - 12" 

(This also works for infantry walkers, though 
most will tend to be in the Average to Very Fast 
ranges). 

Perhaps motorcycles and FAVs go 16" base 
move. And grav bikes do 20" base move (note, 
I have both d16 and d20, so the combat 
moves are easy). 

Perhaps slow tracked vehicles only move 8" or 
10" base. Fast tracked can still be 12" as can 
slow GEV. Fast GEV might be 16" as might Grav.

Is this a big difference? probably not. Just a bit 
of flavour. Is it creeping elegance? Definitely, 
though for some the discussion may be of 
interest. Would I suggest these kinds of things 
for everyone? Nope. 

Just some musings while the bitpipe is flowing 
s....l....o....w....l....y.....

We're up to about half an hour now. If someone 
has sent me something stupid, I'm going to be 
going futuristic (as in Aliens Nuke Em From 
Orbit which beats medeival) on their keister....

---------------------------------------------
Thomas Barclay
Co-Creator of http://www.stargrunt.ca 
Stargrunt II and Dirtside II game site

No Battle Plan Survives Contact With Dice.
-- Mark 'Indy' Kochte