Re: GEV Physics and GEVs for engineers

Thomas Barclay schrieb:
> On tracks, it has even 
> more area to divide its pressure across, giving 
> a lower ground pressure (assuming drive 
> systems are roughly comparable, thus allowing 
> mass X to stay about the same). Now, is this 
> taken to an even greater extreme with GEV? 

Yes, the ground pressure would be even lower 
(Weight of Vehicle divided by the Area under the skirt)

> I'm a little unaware of the physics of a plenum 
> chamber. Is pressure concentrated around the 
> skirts, where air is contained? Is it greatest 
> under the fans? Is it equally distributed?

The lifting medium is a gas, so as a first approximation the pressure 
would be equally distributed. There may be some minor pressure 
variation and heavy turbulence. I think the pressure would be 
marginally higher under the fans. 

> Given that a GEV is higher off the ground than a 
> conventional tank, given that a GEV may have 
> significantly lower ground pressure, is it 
> possible that GEVs will have better luck 
> penetrating minefields?

Conventional (present-day) minefields could be more easily crossed, 
yes. 
If GEV vehicles ever become a significant part of a nation's arsenal, I 
have no doubt that Oerjan and his colleagues would have little trouble 
in coming up with mine designs that explode when a GEV (or even a Grav 
vehicle ;-) passes over them. Ideas for mechanisms would be trip-wires, 
barometers that react to a sudden change in air pressure, optical 
sensors that note the shadow of a vehicle, small radar systems, etc. 
For game purposes, you can define minefields either way - though your 
opponent may prefer to have minefields that work against GEV :-) 

> Just thinking of scratchbuilding some 
> engineering vehicles for SG2 and trying to figure 
> out if GEVs are at all practical for engineering 
> vehicles. I have GEV-mobile forces, and having 
> their engineering elements capable of 
> manouvre at the same speeds seems vital, but 
> some options (ie the mine plow) seem a little 
> unlikely. Other options may present themselves 
> (autonimous robot minesweepers, penetrating 
> sensors combined with precision mine 
> detonation systems, tractor/pressor beams (if 
> you buy AG, why not?), etc). 

GEV vehicles slide easily over the ground. Thus they are easily moved 
and pushed aside and they cannot exert much sideways pressure. Also 
they are not very stable and could be unbalanced by asymmetric loads. 
For any tasks that include lifting heavy loads, pushing earth or strong 
recoils, the GEV would have to rest on the ground or, perhaps, on 
hydraulic rams - think of modern crane trucks. If the task involves 
moving as well, auxiliary wheels or tracks would be needed. 

For a highly mobile force, it might make sense to have engineering 
vehicles that use Ground-effect mobility for fast movement. But they 
would need auxiliary tracks/wheels for actual work - complex and likely 
to be expensive. 

Greetings