Eris 2037 - Div 20 Luxury (Galaxy)

Luxury, Extra Heavy chassis, Heavy suspension, Super PP, 4 PR tires, driver & gunner RL (10/reg) in turret, 2 MG (20/reg) linked front, MD (10/reg) back, HR left, HR right, FE, TC (driver), SWC (gunner to RL), 203 pts Plastic Armor: F40, L40, R40, B35, T23, U25, Acc 5, HC 3, 6830 lbs., $19,760

• Legal design: remove 23 pts armor - F38 R40 L40 B35 T13 U15, 6600 lbs, $19,300

Design Notes - I have no idea why I made this; it's Div20 and completely underpowered. It's got the weapons-system of Div10!

Nov 14, 2013 Update
 
Name Notes -This was unnamed (and my original blog entry was "Unnamed Lux197") but I decided that not only should this have a name, but I'll use an important new planetoid, Eris: "[It] is the most massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the ninth most massive body known to orbit the Sun directly" - which makes this further away than Pluto, but bigger!  I'm a big Pluto fan, but this planetoid is serious.

Major Mover 2037 - Div30 (Obsolete)

Updated here.

Luxury, Extra Heavy chassis, Heavy suspension, Super power plant, 4 Solid tires, Driver, 2-space Turret Top w/Laser, ATG (10/reg) Back, FT (10/reg) Left, 2 linked MG (20/reg) Front, SD (10/reg) Back, 117 pts Plastic Armor: F30, L20, R20, B25, T10, U12, Acc 5, HC 3, 6895 lbs., $27,240

Design Notes - This, I believe, is the very first car I designed! Even though I wrote "This is Leagal" (sic) in the top corner, it most definitely is not. Even a quick glance will tell you that a car with a Laser, FT, and ATG can't have 117 pts of armor. Naturally, this car evinces the design ability of a young teen with the original boxset. All weapons are original 2030s equipment (almost every possible weapon too, heh), and it's been influenced by the dreaded deathtrap, Hotshot (see my comments about that car here, and my improvement here). This car is beautiful in its naivete and sheer unwieldy ugliness. I'm not even going to try to update it, that'd be like giving a newborn cosmetic surgery.

2013 Oct 4 - I rechecked the stats, and yes, the total weight is 6895 lbs, $26190, and only 18 spaces!  Who would imagine that this monstrosity, with that many weapons, can actually fit.  To make it "leagal", it would need to have 87 pts of armor, 6595 lbs, $25590.   For you historians, the Hotshot had only 80!  So why *shouldn't* I have made this for my first car!

Batterstorm - Div100 Camper

Camper (sloped/streamlined), Xhvy Ch., Hvy.-Active Sus., 6 SD-FP-radial Tires, Sport PP (PC/SC), Driver; ITL & VFRP (60/AP) in 3-space turret, LGL to 60 rockets, cyberlink to ITL, 10 oil/smoke dischargers, 4 bumper triggers, 4 laser-reactive webs, HTM, Overdrive, ABS-HD brakes, HD shocks, no paint windshield, 9 pts WG back, 5 pt WH front, 9 pts LR-FP CA around PP & driver, 145 pts sloped LRFP Armor: F30 B30 R30 L30 T15 U10; HC 4, Acc. 5(10/2.5 - HTM/Overdrive), Top 120 (90/140), 7799.6 lbs., $94,012.50

• Straight Cyberlink Option (Div80) - remove ITL & LGL, cyberlink directly to VFRP, add 3 pts armor, 7795.8 lbs, $79,710 


• Div35 Economy Option - Camper, Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 6 SD-radial Tires, Super PP, Driver; VFRP (60/AP) in 3-space turret, HRSCW to VFRP, ID (15/reg) back, 10 oil/smoke dischargers, 4 bumper triggers, 4 laser-reactive webs, 40 pts WG/WH, 9 pts LR-FP CA around PP & driver, 164 pts sloped plastic Armor: F30 B30 R38 L38 T16 U12; HC 3, Acc. 5, Top 90, 7799.4 lbs., $34,687


• Div50 Laser Economy Option - same as economy but add ITL in turret, LGL to 60 rockets, remove 2 pts from front WH, remove 3 pts reg armor, $48,993

Design Notes - I've been thinking more and more about how much I should like the VFRP. The expensive option uses the full complement of aiming, and depending on your desired division there are options. Even the cheapest, Div35, has a 7 to hit for a potential of 6d+6 damage - and 10 shots of that! It also adds the ID for defense (I usually go with a FOJ for 2-space defense, but not when I rely on a laser). Armor is still a bit light, but them's the breaks with campers. I think I'll try this with a pickup to see if I can make it work.

Bowip 2057 - Div10 Compact (Updated)

Compact, Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 4 PR Tires, Large PP, Driver; VMG (15/reg) front, SD (10/reg) back, 10 oil/smoke dischargers; 40 pts plastic WG/WH; 15 pts Metal, 121 pts plastic Armor: F 5/20 B 4/25 R 3/25 L 3/25 T 0/11 U 0/15, HC 3, Top 110, Acc. 5, 4436 lbs. $9985.50

Design Notes - An update of this 2037 design. Even though I wanted to jettison the SD, I felt that to be a true 'update' I needed to retain the original weapon-systems and body type. Arbitrary, maybe, but the decision was colored by the realization that there must be thousands of Div10 compacts with a single VMG. Throw in a SD and it's not derivative (or plagiarism, heh) I was able to employ the principle that when you have more weight than cost available, go with metal armor.

Help 2037 - Div200 Transport Copter

Transport Helicopter, Super Copter PP, pilot, gunner; linked Lasers in 4 space UM turret (under, facing back), linked HL front, linked VMG (20/reg) back, AC (10/reg) left, AC (10/reg) right, 3 linked Cluster Bombs under, 2 HRTC, 455 pts plastic armor: F100 B80 R70 L70 T55 U80; HC 1, Acc 5, 19985 lbs., $194,125

Design Notes - There are some Car Wars vehicles which are underpowered and are nearly impossible to design well, the subcompact and the van come to mind. Then there are the models which the game-makers just let us ignore the rules, e.g. trucks, buses and transport helicopters. Look at this firepower and armor! In real life, there's no real equivalent. Other issues: why did I have the ACs on the sides and VMGs in the rear? I guess I was concerned with the side weaponry given the turret issues. Still, it feels off. Also, the cluster bombs (which, even at 15 I didn't understand but liked the sound of the name) are part of this "anti-personnel" RPG nonesense that the gamemakers kept pushing. If I understand the context of the CW world, I don't see the need to have special Anti-Pers weapons. As a friend explained to me, again when I was a teenager, about Agent Orange in Vietnam. He said that it was a defoliant that we used on our own people. I asked what was the defoliant used on the enemy and he replied "Napalm."

Name Notes - I think I called this "Help" after the policy of USAF to give H-letter code-names to enemy helicopters, like the "Hind." Yes, it was only for enemies, but as I've said in previous entries, I was terrible with names back then.

Bowip 2037 - Div10 Compact

Update here.

Compact, Xhvy Ch., Imp. Sus., 4 PR Tires, Large PP, Driver; VMG (20/reg) front, SD (10/reg) back, 227 pts Armor: F60 B50 R40 L40 T22 U15, HC 2, Acc. 5, 4437 lbs. $9951

Design Notes - Why would I 'save money' - especially in Div10 (this ain't 5!) - with an improved suspension?! That's $200, to get the highest possible HC. HC is more valuable than armor.

Name Notes - This was named because I randomly determined three consonants, B W P, and then I added vowels. Back as a teenager, this was my creativity. Sorry.

Aviatrix 2062 - RPG Luxury Grasshopper (Updated)

Luxury (C/A frame), Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 4 FP PR Tires, Small Copter PP, Mini-Copter PP, Grasshopper Equip., Driver; Laser in UM pop-up turret, HRSWC, Radar Detector & Jammer, 10 gas/chaff dischargers, 6 laser reactive webs (hooked to SmD), 10 pts FP CA around driver & PP, 10 pts WG/WH; 4 bumper triggers, 155 pts FP sloped plastic Armor: F25 B25 R30 L30 T15 U30; HC 3, Acc. 5, 6600 lbs., $65,385

Design Notes - Following the same basics as the updated Orthoclase, this is an update of this:

Luxury, Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 4 PR Tires, Mini-Copter PP, Grasshopper Equip., Driver;Laser in UM pop-up turret, HRTC, 110 pts plastic armor F25 B20 R20 L20 T5 U20; HC 3, Acc. 5, 6600 lbs., $46300 

The C/A frame got me another 45 points of armor, and Component Armor.

Aviatrix 2037 - RPG Luxury Grasshopper

Updated here.

Luxury, Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 4 PR Tires, Mini-Copter PP, Grasshopper Equip., Driver; Laser in UM pop-up turret, HRTC, 110 pts plastic armor F25 B20 R20 L20 T5 U20; HC 3, Acc. 5, 6600 lbs., $46,300

Design Notes - I guess I was fascinated by grasshoppers back then. And I guess I found out soon that they really suck.

Doonbuggi 2037 - Div20 OR Compact (Obsolete)

Updated here.

Compact, Xhvy Ch., OR-Active Sus., 4 OR Solid Tires, Large PP, Driver; VMG (20/reg) in UM turret, Roll Cage, SWC, 120 pts. plastic Armor: F20 B20 R20 L20 T20 U20; HC 2 (3 OR), Acc. 5, 4400 lbs., $19,460 [2015: this is missing something; there's 120 lbs missing, possibly from the original roll-cage rules]

Design Notes - I may actually have used this in combat somewhere along the way. Next time I'd probably take out the active suspension so to get more armor.

Name Notes - I hate this name, but that was the extent of my creativity back in the day. Yugh.

Triton 2037 - Div35 Pickup (obsolete)

Updated here.

Pickup, Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 4 SD Tires back + 2 PR-Radials front, Super PP, Driver; Heavy Laser front, VMG (20/reg) in turret, Hi-Res Comp., 20 pts WG/WH, 209 pts Plastic Armor: F50 B40 R40 L40 T20 U19; HC 3, Acc. 5. 7799 lbs. $34,148

• Ram Option- add Ramplate, FP armor, replace HR with TC, Armor: F40(ram), B40 L35 R35 U19 T20, $37,706

Combat Record - Both versions!

• Original: 1 shot from HL, 3 hits to front left wheel.
• Ram Option: 18 hits to front, 13 to right, hard to see the rest of hits/shots.

Design Notes - This is obsolete because of the old rule that allowed different tires for front and back with no loss of HC, in fact it was the chosen way to use the *only* radial that was allowed, PR-R. I suspect it should be improved... the attraction to make this a camper and use a 3 space turret is high, but it should probably be avoided.

Name Notes - Triton is a moon of Neptune.

Orthoclase 2062 - RPG Luxury Grasshopper (Updated)

Luxury (C/A frame), Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 4 FP PR-Radial Tires, Small Copter PP, Driver; Grasshopper Equip, Laser front, HRSWC, Radar Detector & Jammer, 10 gas/chaff dischargers, 6 laser reactive webs (hooked to SmD), 10 pts FP CA around driver & PP, 10 pts WG/WH; 4 bumper triggers, 136 pts FP plastic Armor: F23 B23 R25 L25 T15 U25; HC 4, Acc. 5, 6600 lbs., $68,435.80

Design Notes - This is an update of this 2037 car. The biggest changes are to use a C/A frame, which significantly added armor. It was possible to augment the weapons - missiles are always nice - but I felt I couldn't spare the weight. I used the space by sloping the armor.

Orthoclase 2037 - RPG Luxury Grasshopper

Luxury, Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 4 HD Tires, Small Copter PP, Driver; Grasshopper Equip, Laser front, OJ (25/reg) back, SS (10/back), Hi-Res Computer, Long Distance Radio, Radar, 84 pts plastic Armor: F20 B15 R15 L15 T0 U19; HC 3, Acc. 5, 6600 lbs., $50,880

Design Notes - Wow, what the heck was I thinking?? An OJ & SS in a helicopter?! I guess my teenage cheekiness, thinking I was so clever, that I'd fool people into thinking that it wasn't a grasshopper with those weapons. This was before decent fake weapons rules, maybe. Also when weapons needed to have full ammo loads?

Name Notes - This is the original name. It shows that I was deep into my Earth Science studies then.

Thallium - Div20 Midsized

Midsized, Hvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., 4 PR Tires, Large PP, Driver; Laser front, HRSWC, 10 oil/smoke dischargers, 4 bumper triggers, 38 pts WG/WH, 10 pts CA around PP & driver, 197 pts sloped Armor: F35 B35 R45 L45 T20 U17; HC 3, Acc. 5, Top 97.5, 5268 lbs., $19997.20

• Turret Option - Midsized, Std. Ch., Hvy Sus., Large PP, 4 PR tires, driver; Laser in Turret, HRSWC, 4 bumper triggers, 4 oil/smoke dischargers, 20 pts WG rear, 10 pts WH front, 10 pts CA around PP & driver, 121 pts sloped armor: F24 B20 R25 L25 T15 U12; HC 3, Acc. 5, Top 105, 4798 lbs., $19479.60
  
  
• Div25 Option - Midsized, Xhvy. Ch., Hvy Sus., Large PP (PC&SC), 4 Solid-Radial tires, driver; Laser in Turret, SWC, 4 bumper triggers, 8 oil/smoke dischargers, 38 pts LR-WG/WH, 9 pts FPLR-CA around PP & driver, 216 pts sloped LR plastic armor: F40 B40 R45 L45 T26 U20; HC 4, Acc. 5, Top 100, 5756.6 lbs., $24987.26

Design Notes - This started as flash of wonder: what about a div20 laser car with a HRSWC? That could be nearly unstoppable! Or whatever. Turns out, you need to tone down a lot to get the price under 20 - including losing a turret! As you can see, a Div20 turret option is ugly. The Div25 version removed the HRSWC for improvements everywhere else, but then it may be underpowered for that division. All told, the Div20 non-turret version has very solid armor, decent HC, and a thoroughly lethal weapon. Because even after all the passed years when so much has been done to reduce the laser's effectiveness, but I still get a cold chill when facing an enemy with even a stock laser.

Name Notes - According to the Wiki: "Thallium is a chemical element with symbol Tl and atomic number 81. This soft gray poor metal is not found free in nature. When isolated, it resembles tin, but discolors when exposed to air." I just like the name (based on this, maybe?)

Old Counter:

[Oct 27, 2015: Updated the style of the page]

Cataract 2057 - Div15 Compact (updated)

Compact, Xhvy Ch., Hvy. Sus., Large PP (PC & SC), 4 PR-radial tires, driver; RL (10/incen.) front, ramplate, 70 lbs rocket boosters (16 acc), SWC, spoiler/airdam, HD-brakes, HDHTM, 7 oil/smoke dischargers, 4 bumper triggers, 38 pts WH/WG; 178 pts. plastic armor: F50(ram), B35 RL32 T12 U17; HC 4 (5 over 60), Acc. 10 (20 with HDHTM), Top 120 (80 with HDHTM), 4435 lbs, $14,994

Design Notes - This is the update of this 2037 design. The original was div10, but in updating I just found myself adding "necessary" after necessary component, and the price just wouldn't get below 10.

Here's an example of a simple update, made with the "Car Wars Designer" (which looks new to me, but it's very nice! Still not as totally versatile as the MADHAT Excel file, but it did help me with the rocket boosters):

Compact, Extra Heavy chassis, Heavy suspension, Large power plant w/PC & SC, 4 Puncture-Resistant tires, Driver w/SWC, Rocket Launcher Front w/10 Incendiary Rockets, 15.0mph of Rocket Boosters, Plastic Armor: F50 (Ramplate), L40, R40, B40, T12, U18, 2 10-pt Wheelguards Back, 2 10-pt Wheelhubs Front, Max tow 2460 lbs., Acceleration 10, Top Speed 122.5, HC 3, 4440 lbs., $12,025 

So once I couldn't get below 12K or so, I felt I should add some good ramcar necessities, like HD brakes, spoilers, and HTM. The main weapon is underpowered for div15, but I guess the speed help should make it a good rammer (but, as I've said many times, that's not the way I play even though I love concept, and did so especially in 1987).

Cataract 2037 - Div10 Compact

Updated here.

Compact, Xhvy Ch., Hvy Sus., Large PP, 4 PR Tires, driver; RL (20/incen) front, ramplate; 210 pts Plastic armor: F50 (ram) RLB40 T15 U25; HC 3, Acc. 5, 4439 lbs., $9660

Design Notes - Surely this could be improved; it's not crazy to make this a better ram vehicle, maybe take out the useless extra magazine and install rocket engines.

Name Notes -  This was originally unnamed.

Machismo 2057 - Div15 Midsized (Updated)

Midsized, Xhvy Ch., Hvy Sus., Large PP, driver, 4 PR-Radial tires; ATG (10/APFSDS) front with BTC, SS (10/reg) back, fake turret (rocket launcher) top, 9 oil/smoke dischargers, SWC, 4 bumper triggers; 40 pts WG/WH, 10 pts CA around PP & driver; 200 pts plastic armor: F40 B40 R45 L45 T12 U18; HC 4, Acc 5, Top 92.5, 5740 lbs (20 to spare), $15,000 even

Design Notes - Update of this. Is this survivable in Div15? I think it needs more to it, but I'm kinda at a ceiling in price. PR to Solids? Fake ramplate? HTM?

Machismo 2037 - Div15 Midsized

Updated here.

Midsized, Xhy Ch., Hvy Sus., Large PP, 4 PR tires, driver; ATG (10/reg) front, RL (10/reg) in turret, SS (10/reg) back, ramplate, bumper trigger front; 191 pts plastic armor: F 50 (ram), B 40 R40 L 40 T 11 U 10; HC 3, Acc 5, 5753 lbs., $14,856

Design Notes - Overkill, as usual (note the name!) And, as you've probably noticed, I was on a ramplate kick. Yet given the inaccuracy of the weaponry, that may not be a bad thing. I've updated it (see next entry).

Comeback - Div10 Compact (Obs.)

Update here.

Compact, Xhvy Ch., Hvy Sus., Large PP, 4 PR tires, Driver; 2 space Rocket Platform with MFR, RL (10/incen.) front, SD (10/reg) back, ramplate; 182 pts plastic armor: F50 (ram) B30 RL 40 T9 U15; HC 3, Acc 5, 4439 lbs, $9,991

Design Notes - This is obsolete because we can no longer put 2 space turrets (and the like) on compacts. I guess that was a game balance issue because compacts can carry a lot of weight per space and this design, for example, makes a *sick* div 10 car. BTW: here's the date on the loose-leaf paper, for you doubters:

Parvenu - Div15 Station Wagon (RPG, Update)

Station Wagon (Sloped/Streamlined), Xhy Ch., Hvy Sus., Large PP (PC & SC), 4 PR Tires, driver; MG (20/reg) front, SS (10/hot) back, 40 pts WG/WH, SWC, 4 bumper triggers, 10 Oil/Smoke Dischargers, 10 pts FP CA around PP & driver; 150 pts plastic armor: F,R,L,B 30, T12, U18; 11 cargo spaces - 1425 lbs, HC 3, Acc 5, 5175 lbs, Top 120 unloaded, 100 loaded, $14900
Option 1 - remove streamlining, 1 discharger, replace MG with RR (10/HEAT or HESH), 5320 lbs., 1280 lbs cargo capacity; unloaded top speed 107.5, loaded 92.5, $14975

Design Notes - An update of this. I guess it's OK, the option version is better due to the heavier firepower.

Parvenu - Div10 Luxury (RPG)

Luxury, Xhvy Ch., Imp. Sus., Super PP, Driver, 4 PR tires; MML (10/reg) front, SS (10/reg) back; 9 spaces cargo capacity; 100 pts plastic armor: F,R,L,B: 20, T,U:10; HC: 2, Acc: 10, 2150 lbs cargo capacity; 4450 lbs unloaded, $9,420

Design Notes - Why didn't I make this a station wagon? Why did I make this at all? In the past years, I've learned to have as high a HC as possible, so I should have cut back on the engine and gotten better suspension and a SWC. I'm slapping together a modified version now.

Hellion 2037 - Div18 Midsize

Midsize, Xhvy Ch., Hvy Sus, Large PP, 4 Solid tires, Driver, RL (10/incen.) in turret, SD (10/expl) back, FCE (10/reg) back, IFE, HD-brakes, 60 pt Ramplate; SWC, back weapons linked; 253 pts plastic armor: F60, B50 R50 L 50 T23, U21; HC 3, Acc. 5, 5757 lbs, $17804

Design Notes - As a fun extra, in lieu or in addition to the counter picture, I've scanned in the original drawing I made for combat (note the loose-leaf paper, ah memories). Naturally this needs improvements; I've become convinced that I'm not a ram-plate-player. But if I want one, I need to get the speed and handling up etc., maybe move the weapons to bumper trigger.

[Updated Nov 8, 2013]

More Old Designs Coming

Recently I moved to a new state and it's been a slow process to get my footing. One good aspect of the move is that my house is now much bigger and so I've been moving in things from storage. As such, I found a whole new batch of my 2037 (1987) designs. There may be some repeats, and it will take me time to determine if they're arena-legal (to quote Fletch: "there've been a lot of changes in the law!") but I thought it would be best, and most fun, to just upload them first and ask questions later.