Re: DS2 Another armour\mobility idea

At 1:12 PM -0400 4/10/02, Indy wrote:
>
>Right! I thought there might have been more than simply changing out
>the transmission, but my brain wasn't fully engaged (obviously!). My
>mind just isn't "geared" to thinking about the mechanics of engines
>and stuff (the pun...sorry; it just spilled out). But this just goes
>to show simply changing out the armor amounts isn't going to allow
>dramatic increases from "slow" to "fast" mobility levels. I'm pre-
>suming the whole difference between "slow" and "fast" takes into
>account all these little details too small for the game to worry about.

The thing to realize is that tanks are meant to be able to climb 
obstacles, obstructions and grades that would stop most vehicles. 
That component in mind means that your gear ratios down low are going 
to be amazingly low. Even some wheeled vehicles are like this. My 
ferret which has a 4.25 litre engine and weighs 4.5 tons when combat 
loaded, has a max speed of 50 mph in a straight line. 5 gears with 
the 1st one so low you usually start out in 2nd. So really you've got 
4 relatively close spaced gears for moving around. Tanks are similar 
in their requirements (more so due to the need for additional torque 
what with a tracked drive train), but have additional sizing issues 
in the transmissions or final drives for the ability to neutral steer 
as well as brake steer.

If you ever have a chance, sit down and read through some books that 
discuss the design of tanks and the various changes over the course 
of said design. You get some amazing insights into the difficulties 
one encounters.
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