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Fire Hovercraft
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StarRaven
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PostPosted: 20-Mar-2005 16:54    Post subject: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

Quote:

On 2005-03-20 16:16, Vagabond wrote:
there was a rash of these way back. i posted a fire truck, but it was pointed out to me that it was to slow to respond quickly.

this, like that, is to slow.


And so I thought "Hmmm.... How fast do fire trucks go?"

My apologies to Warhammer. I'm not really stealing your idea; just producing spinoffs.

Edit:
Added something to the fluff.

Edit 2:
My addition screwed up the thread's formatting. Fixed.
          BattleTech Vehicle Technical Readout
                   * CUSTOM WEAPON

Type/Model:    Fire Hovercraft 
Tech:          Inner Sphere / 2750
Config:        Hovercraft
Rules:         Level 3, Custom design

Mass:          25 tons
Power Plant:   70 Various I.C.E.
Cruise Speed:  86.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 129.6 km/h
Armor Type:    Various Standard
Armament:      
  1 Water Sprayer*
Manufacturer:  Various
  Location:    Various
Communications System:  Various
Targeting & Tracking System:  Various

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==Overview:==
This sort of fast response vehicle has been a part of fire departments in
large and wealthy cities since the days of the Star League. As they use little
in the way of advanced technology, the ravages of the Succession Wars did not
make them unbuildable; the hovercraft did, however, become less common as
economies declined.

==Capabilities:==
The general fire hovercraft has the expected abilities. In its hovertank-like
turret, the machine carries a heavy duty water sprayer, with which it fights
fires. While it can hook up to hydrants like any other firefighting vehicle,
the hovercraft carries a four ton water tank. This allows it to fight fires
where there are no hydrants, or where the pipes have been damaged. The
hovercraft's speed allows it to begin the process of controlling a fire before
more conventional wheeled trucks could arrive, saving lives and property.

The vehicle carries only a driver and a "gunner," who also commands the
vehicle. It has no real ability to rescue people; instead it suppresses the
fire until ladder trucks and other more conventional vehicles can arrive. The
hovercraft can also cross rough terrain and bodies of water which normal fire
vehicles must go around. This reduces travel time still further.

A common but unexpected feature of such vehicles is their toughness.
Reinforced internal structure and heavy steel plating increase the crew's
chances of survival in the not-unheard of case of a building collapsing on the
vehicle. This armor plating has also been useful in some cities during riots,
allowing the hovercraft to put out fires without fear of rocks and small arms
fire.

--------------------------------------------------------
Type/Model:    Fire Hovercraft 
Mass:          25 tons

Equipment:                                 Items    Mass
Int. Struct.:  15 pts Reinforced             0      5.00
Engine:        70 I.C.E.                     0      5.00
    Cruise MP:   8
     Flank MP:  12
Heat Sinks:      0 Single                    0       .00
Cockpit & Controls:                          0      1.50
Crew: 2 Members                              0       .00
Lift Equipment:                              0      2.50
Turret Equipment:                            0       .50
Armor Factor:   56 pts Standard              0      3.50

                          Internal    Armor
                          Structure   Value
   Front:                     3         13 
   Left / Right Sides:        3      11/11 
   Rear:                      3          8 
   Turret:                    3         13 

Weapons and Equipment    Loc  Heat  Ammo   Items    Mass
--------------------------------------------------------
1 Water Sprayer*         Turret   0          1      3.00
Water Tank               Body                1      4.00
--------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                           0          2     25.00
Items & Tons Left:                           8       .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        265,000 C-Bills
Battle Value:      60
Cost per BV:       4,416.67
Weapon Value:      0 / 0 (Ratio = .00 / .00)
Damage Factors:    SRDmg = 0;  MRDmg = 0;  LRDmg = 0
BattleForce2:      MP: 8H,  Armor/Structure: 0 / 2
                   Damage PB/M/L: -/-/-,  Overheat: 0
                   Class: GL;  Point Value: 1




[ This Message was edited by: StarRaven on 2005-03-20 17:00 ]
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PostPosted: 21-Mar-2005 03:56    Post subject: RE: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

A firetruck that goes 80 miles an hour would be a pretty good quick-response unit. The only problem I can forsee would be driving it. From what I've seen of real-world hovercraft, they have a distrubing habit of fish-tailing when you try to turn suddenly. Skidding around a street corner at 130 KPH sounds pretty dangerous, especially for a 25-ton vehicle.

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PostPosted: 21-Mar-2005 04:28    Post subject: RE: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

I imagine it would indeed be dangerous. I also imagine that it's not beyond the realm of possibility to slow down before turning, so as not to end up stuck inside random buildings. You thought a bull in the china ship was bad - imagine a 25 ton hovercraft.

And I also just thought of this. In the first MWDA book, it mentions specially reinforced streets reserved for WorkerMechs. If such exists, I imagine it wouldn't be hard for this to travel there, and so avoid any possible traffic. Honestly, that's the primary flaw in the way I envisioned this; I failed to account for traffic. I'll have to think about it some more.

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PostPosted: 21-Mar-2005 11:17    Post subject: RE: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

one very loud siren and lots of flashy blue lights


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PostPosted: 21-Mar-2005 16:26    Post subject: RE: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

A very tall air cushion, it'll allow you to go over vehicles that aren't too tall.

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PostPosted: 21-Mar-2005 16:35    Post subject: RE: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

You forget that a hovercraft's plenum skirt only rises about an inch off the ground. That's why they can't travel over rough terrain.

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PostPosted: 21-Mar-2005 16:38    Post subject: RE: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

I was refering to the thickness of the skirt, if the skirt is say, 6 feet high you can easily trraverse over most cars on the road today with minimal damage to said cars. Bent antennas and some paint damage. but then you should have gotten outta the way faster.

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PostPosted: 21-Mar-2005 16:41    Post subject: RE: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

Wow. That would require one helluva big hover engine.

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PostPosted: 21-Mar-2005 16:54    Post subject: RE: Fire Hovercraft Reply to topic Reply with quote

no, just multiple lift fans instead of one large one.

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