Convoy 4 - Div15 Compact

Compact, Xtra-Heavy Chassis, Heavy Suspension, Large PP (PC & SC) (10dp), 4 Solid Tires (12dp), Driver (no equip); LFT with mag (20/HT) in 1 sp. turret, SWC, spoiler & airdam, HD-antilock brakes, HDHTM, safety seat, 9 foam/sand dischargers (B 2R 2L 2T 2U) 52 pts total for Wheelguards/Wheelhubs (10 pt WG rear, 10 pt WH front, 6 pts WH rear) 9 pts LRFP Component Armor around driver [2 sp.], no cargo space, 143 pts Composite Armor (2 Metal/140 Plastic): F 0/30 B 0/30 R 0/30 L 0/30 T 0/16 U 2/5; HC: 3 (4 over 60), Acc. 10 (HDHTM 20), Top Speed 120 (80), Pwr 2300, 4438.6 lbs. (max 4440), $15,793.00

• IFE Option - Compact, Xtra-Heavy Chassis, Heavy Suspension, Large PP (PC & SC) (10dp), 4 Solid Tires (12dp), Driver (no equip); LFT with mag (20/HT) in 1 sp. turret, SWC, IFE, spoiler & airdam, HD-antilock brakes, HDHTM, safety seat, 40 pts total for Wheelguards/Wheelhubs (10 pt WG rear, 10 pt WH front), no cargo space, 132 pts Composite Armor (2 Metal/130 Plastic): F 0/28 B 0/28 R 0/28 L 0/28 T 0/13 U 2/5; HC: 3, Acc. 10 (HDHTM 20), Top Speed 120 (80), Pwr 2300, 4440 lbs. (max 4440), $15,580.00

Design Notes - This is part of the Convoy project, see here for the lead post.  Convoy 1 is a lead vehicle while Convoy 2 is the "tail end charlie," and Convoy 3 is for salvage, and this one was conceived as an interceptor.  I wanted a fast car with a flamethrower that would zip in between the other convoy vehicles and harrass threats, especially bikes (who can't enjoy getting roasted).  The 15K tag was limiting, but I felt I could get it done with a compact.  Without data in front of me, I thought a compact with a large engine could handle this; FTs are cheap, cause fires, great accuracy, and provide smokescreens.   And I thought with an LFT with HT ammo the damage would be decent while also fitting inside a compact's turret.

I got basically everything I wanted given the cost constraints - except the small size meant that for convoy duty, I felt I needed an extra mag for the LFT - and that meant sacrificing either an IFE or component armor (hence the options above).  The large engine took up space as well, but for this to be a true "interceptor" it needed to have the high acceleration (HDHTM give this a zero to 60 in 3 seconds, and a top speed of 80, which was perfectly fine in its role in a convoy - when most cars will be at cruising speed to sustain power factors, and all cars need to be together around the truck, which won't be too fast given the low HC).

I wanted the convoy cars to all have solid tires (this just makes sense given the debris on a highway), safety seats, and fire extinguishers if at all possible.  This has most of that, but not perfectly so. 


Convoy Notes - This makes a convoy of 4 cars.  Convoy 1 is $24,983, leaving $55,017; Convoy 2 is $17,489.00, leaving $37,528, Convoy 3 is $21,731 leaving $15,797, and now Convoy 4 is either $15,793 (leaving 4 bucks for bubble-gum) or $15,580 which leaves $217 for more substantial equipment.

Possibly I should use more of the same type of car so I could haul consistent spare tires.  Either all Convoy 3s (salvage pickups, maybe 2 of them with no cargo expectation and full armor) or convoy 3 and all midsized etc.  OK, maybe I'll try that next.