Acceleration home rule

[Hawk258]

This discussion on speed has made me realize there was a very important mechanism missing.

So here is a "optional rule"

Acceleration, the way the rules are written there is no consideration for "getting" to full speed.

So here is what I suggest.

If armor has a Penalty to PP subtract it from your spd attribute.

For acceleration from as standing position
Human subtract 33% from your spd for the first 15 seconds (accounting for and penalty for armor)

Robots over 500 lb,
1/3 your speed attribute for the first 15 second

Robots over 1000 lb
1/6 for the first 15 seconds
1/3 for the second 15 seconds


2000 lb
1/10th first
1/5th second
1/2 third
Full fourth.

No penalties if already in motion.

[Blue_Lion]

This discussion on speed has made me realize there was a very important mechanism missing.

Acceleration, the way the rules are written there is no consideration for "getting" to full speed.

So here is what I suggest.

If armor has a Penalty to PP subtract it from your spd attribute.

For acceleration from as standing position
Human subtract 33% from your spd for the first 15 seconds (accounting for and penalty for armor)

Robots over 500 lb,
1/3 your speed attribute for the first 15 second

Robots over 1000 lb
1/6 for the first 15 seconds
1/3 for the second 15 seconds


2000 lb
1/10th first
1/5th second
1/2 third
Full fourth.

No penalties if already in motion.

My experience is that heaver vehicles do not always accelerate slower than lighter ones. Tracked assault vehicles can accelerate faster than wheeled vehicles. (traction, drag and torque are key factors to acceleration.)


Instead of weight I would recomend setting acceleration by propulsion type.(After all any vheicle should have sufficient horse power to over come its mass.) Terrain also would play a factor for most ground vehicles. Muddy terrain it is harder to reach top speed than on a hard ball. Trees and brush would slow you down by increasing drag. (but that would lead to overly complex rules.)


Walkers tend to accelerate the fast for ground propulsion. Unless the foot slips movement starts in the traveling thing. But they have poor energy conservation at high speeds.
Wheeled would have the highest chance to slip- but a greater conservation of energy.
Tracked vehicles have greater traction than almost anything else and really impressive acceleration the limiting factor is more about the vehicles torque. (but can be higher maintenance than wheels)

Hover/jet propesion are not limited by need to get traction and may accelerate faster than ground propulsion.

[Hawk258]

Again optional rule

[Blue_Lion]

Again optional rule

House rule, not optional as it is not from PB.

My posts take that into account and are more about providing feedback on logic related to it.


I am saying it is more logical in my experince to tie acceleration to type of propulsion than mass. Cars if you gun it to fast will have their tires spin in place and acceleate slower. While a tracked combat vehcile has greater mass and reaches top speed faster. A tank can reach top speed faster than a humve. The horse power will increase with mass, and torque from gearing will give the acceleration.

[Hawk258]

Again optional rule

House rule, not optional as it is not from PB.

My posts take that into account and are more about providing feedback on logic related to it.


I am saying it is more logical in my experince to tie acceleration to type of propulsion than mass. Cars if you gun it to fast will have their tires spin in place and acceleate slower. While a tracked combat vehcile has greater mass and reaches top speed faster. A tank can reach top speed faster than a humve. The horse power will increase with mass, and torque from gearing will give the acceleration.

Even the PB rules are optional