Re: DS2 Another armour\mobility idea

John Lambshead wrote:

> A further limitation come into play. You can make the AFV go fast over
> rough terrain but the crew inside get exhausted to the point of
military
> ineffectiveness by being banged around. Formula 1 drivers are
supremely fit
> athletes and Mansell still had to be lifted out of the car sometimes
at the
> end of a race. The heavier the vehicle the more it smooths this out,
so I
> have read that oddly heavier AFVs can often maintain higher cross
country
> speeds than light ones.

Really massive vehicles (relative to the mass of the running gear) have
a much
smoother ride because the roadwheels can follow the undulations, but the
inertia of the vehicle keeps it steady.  A larger travel of the
suspension also
makes for a smoother ride, as the springs can be softer.  Load levelling
suspensions that softly push up the whole vehicle to prevent a harsh
shove at
one corner will also improve comfort.  Within the travel limits of the
suspension, these not only improve comfort, but also allow for a higher
speed,
or why the mid seventies cadillac is a better desert racer than any
porsche
sports car [assuming zero mods], and APC's cannot keep up with tanks,