Random Thoughts 3.

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Rathorc Lemenger
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Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by Rathorc Lemenger »

I had watched a video tonight that mentioned the various vehicles of WW1 and it got me to thinking: Would any be useful as updated versions in Rifts?

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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

Pretty certain that a updated half track would be useful.
Same basic speed and maneuverability stats with MDC per location added in.

erp..PS: so that was WWII...*shrugs*

WWI.....Maybe an updated version of that monster Anti-Tank rifle the french had.
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by ShadowLogan »

Rathorc Lemenger wrote:I had watched a video tonight that mentioned the various vehicles of WW1 and it got me to thinking: Would any be useful as updated versions in Rifts?

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Certainly some of the actual designs could be useful in an updated form be it via Techno-Wizardry or normal technology (ala GAW). The results might not be as impressive in some areas (in performance or game statistics), but they still might be useful.
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by taalismn »

Motorized warfare was just getting started in WW1, so most of the vehicles used would really be not quite useful by modern standards.
Though, if you go over to Kitsune's Palladium Web Page, he has done a TW upgrade of a Whippet light tank, and I believe he's also done some British 'Male/Female' tanks.

Though really, the uber-upgrade of WW1 British tanks is WH40k's Landraiders.

Aircraft-wise, I think Kitsune's also created a TW Spad.
TW Zeppelins have been touched upon in an occasionally resurfacing Rifts Airships thread.
Your best results would come from TW'ing and modernizing WW1-vintage naval warships.
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by eliakon »

Rathorc Lemenger wrote:I had watched a video tonight that mentioned the various vehicles of WW1 and it got me to thinking: Would any be useful as updated versions in Rifts?

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Rathorc Lemenger.

I would say "yes"
The first use would be that it would be useful to have some stats for them as they were.
Since they are early mechanized warfare gear... they are really good for use in a transdimensional game. They allow you to bring in high-tech modern weapons like tanks to conquer the natives...
...with out the 'insta-gib' of 20th century or later tanks and jet fighters and cruise missiles.

The second use, as noted is that they would be good for TWs to play with. Which again, would be useful to have some 'base stats' to work from.

The third use is that they are simple enough to be 'mad maxxed' out of improvised materials like MDC lumber and salvaged engines...
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by TeeAychEeMarchHare »

The first question that comes to mind is, where would you get them in the first place? There aren't a lot of collectors of WWI vehicles (compared to WWII and later), and most of the ships from that time period are at the bottom of the sea or have been scrapped.

The answer to that question alone might make for an interesting adventure...
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by taalismn »

Artillery...big honking artillery...if you got nuclear power, you can move around the likes of 250mm+ howitzers that can throw garbage can-sized shells full of whatever nastiness you can come up with.
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"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by Shark_Force »

most of them are already useful as updated versions today. in fact, almost any role that is filled by a modern tank, the british alone had a tank intended for the same task (though they didn't necessarily always have the same understanding of what would be needed or how to design their tanks to do exactly what they wanted).

so... yes. so useful, in fact, that the real life militaries of basically every major military power today have updated versions of the various vehicles used in WWI. but i doubt anyone is going to take a mark V, stick some MDC plating on there, and call it a day. they'd want to revise the whole thing from start to finish; better engines, better suspension, better armour (in both design and materials), better steering (probably machine-assisted in some way), better targeting systems, maybe even different propulsion systems, most likely environmentally sealed and more comfortable... once iron heart went and started making inexpensive tanks instead of expensive robots, it frankly should have triggered an explosion of their competitors trying to come up with similar designs.
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by eliakon »

TeeAychEeMarchHare wrote:The first question that comes to mind is, where would you get them in the first place? There aren't a lot of collectors of WWI vehicles (compared to WWII and later), and most of the ships from that time period are at the bottom of the sea or have been scrapped.

The answer to that question alone might make for an interesting adventure...

There are a few sources I can think of
The first source is that WW I items are easier to 'scratch build'/kit bash than something later...after all, many of them were originally basically kitbashed out of stock parts and adapted into roles...

The second source is other worlds where the tech level is WW I era (this would, personally for me be the most useful. I have such a world as a game world and would use the gear for stuff like an invasion of PF, or as weapons in an TMNT/ATB game or a historical Heroes game)

A third source is "unit rifted in from the past because you only thought they were some of the millions of casualties".
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taalismn
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by taalismn »

Fourth Source: Interdimensional collector who just happens to like certain types of weapons(like the Sowki in Splynn who collects and sells handguns).
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
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Rathorc Lemenger
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by Rathorc Lemenger »

Although, if you want to go a bit further, then I'd say use some of the vehicles and weapons from World War 2 (before the bombing of Japan) that both the Axis and Allied Powers had developed. Now THOSE were some weird weapons. An example of this would me the massive Rail Gun that the Axis Powers (namely the Nazi's) had developed.

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Rathorc Lemenger.
I've created a monster.-Taalismn.
Believe in the unbelieveable, and you shall become known to the unknown-Rathorc Lemenger
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by taalismn »

Rathorc Lemenger wrote:Although, if you want to go a bit further, then I'd say use some of the vehicles and weapons from World War 2 (before the bombing of Japan) that both the Axis and Allied Powers had developed. Now THOSE were some weird weapons. An example of this would me the massive Rail Gun that the Axis Powers (namely the Nazi's) had developed.

Signed,
Rathorc Lemenger.


I've picked up a few books on the various Allied and Axis secret aircraft projects and speculative designs...the Japanese had quite a few, but were limited sorely by their lack of resources and isolation. Some of their flights of fancy were picked up by Western intelligence analysts who mistakenly believed that the hypothetical aircraft were actually projects in development, and so assigned warbook codes to many of them.
Perhaps the oddball years for the Allies were when they thought they might lose the war, and so engaged in all sorts of projects in event the Axis broke out and began hitting their homelands.

And...given the Nazis' interest in mysticism, you're more likely to see rifted Nazis than Rifted Great War Prussians.
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"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

In one of the recent TW articles in the rifter there was some text about a 'what if' Germany had TW weapons.
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by glitterboy2098 »

since many of the WW1 armored vehicles were basically Tractors, trucks, or 'touring cars' fitted with armor and guns, they would be a good inspiration for what the lower tech kingdoms might be building. more refined than a "technical", but still easy to build with early industrial tech.

vehicles like the Mk1 Bovington Armored card from 1920 or the Minerva armored car from 1914 could easily be built with a low tech industrial base.. the basic chassis at least, the armor= could be sourced from just about any MDC manufacturer.. or even salvaged MDC materials. while weapons could be machineguns (buildable with low tech industry) using ramjets.. or energy rifles fitted to the mounts.

very small tanks like the Renault FT are basically tracked tractors with some light armor, an unpowered turret, and a MG or a cannon that is basically a grenade launcher. they would be more complex to build, but could also give lower tech kingdoms some options. branching out to the interwar period, you have things like the T-26 which is only a little bit bigger and better.. mostly through using a better gun. but the 45mm guns would also be fairly simple to build.
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by taalismn »

glitterboy2098 wrote:since many of the WW1 armored vehicles were basically Tractors, trucks, or 'touring cars' fitted with armor and guns, they would be a good inspiration for what the lower tech kingdoms might be building. more refined than a "technical", but still easy to build with early industrial tech..



...and given how in Rifts Earth, farms can realistically trend towards armed and fortified plantations, home-brewed AFVs are very probable and attractive.
Heck, I can see companies like Chipwell issuing a new line of low-cost kits for converting agricultural equipment into AFvs.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"

--------Rudyard Kipling
------------
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Re: Random Thoughts 3.

Unread post by RockJock »

We have used WW1 "style" tanks, but not specific models. Basically we had a city state in our game that made WW1 style vehicles with slab armor and primitive motive systems using salvaged building material. Think of a tank built out of salvaged girders and even concrete slabs. More a WW1 flavor then direct conversion.
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