Actinium - Div10 Compact (Elemental)

Type: Compact, Chassis: Xtra-Heavy, Suspension: Heavy, Engine: Medium Electric (PC & SC) (Pwr 1610, 8dp), Tires: 4 PR tires (9dp), Crew: Driver (no equip), Weaponry VFRP (30/reg) front (1Dx6 burst), Weighted Accessories: nil, Unwgt. Acces.: SWC, Dischargers: 10 total: 4 oil (FBRL) 6 foam (2T, 2U, 1R 1L),  Wheel Armor: 40 total = 2x10 pt WG rear, 2x10 pt WH front (or choose where), Component Armor 10 pts plastic for (a) PP (4 sp), Cargo: 0 sp, 1 lbs.; Vehicle Armor: 57 pts Composite (43 Metal/14 Plastic): F(8/2) B(8/2) R(11/2) L(11/2) T(2/3) U(3/3); HC: 3, Acc. 5,  Top Speed 95, DM: 1, Hit Mod: -1, Weight: 4439 lbs. Max 4440, Cost: $9,979.50

• #1 Div15 Option - Upgrade pretty much everything: Compact, Xhvy Ch. Hvy Sus, Med. PP (PC & SC), 4 Solid tires, driver, VFRP (30/reg) front, dischargers as above with smoke instead of foam, HRSWC, HD brakes, 4 bumper triggers (linked to oil dischargers & side weapons), HTM & Overdrive (linked), 9 pts FPLR CA around PP, same WG/WH, 56 pts Composite armor (39 Metal/17 plastic): F 8/2, B 7/2, R&L 10/2, T 2/3, U 2/6; HC 3, Acc. 5 (10), Top 95 (70/115), 4436.2 lbs, $14,938.50

Design Notes - After I made Protactinium, a Div20 sedan, I wanted to make the cheapest viable VFRP car that still could have OK targeting (7 to hit is cromulent) and most of my normal Styx Motors accessories (10 dischargers, full WG/WH, as much component armor as possible). As you can see, the price was the biggest difficulty & I needed to use every trick: (a) substitute metal for plastic armor (which resulted in a great 11 pts for the sides!) (b) unmodified CA instead of my standard LRFP, (c) nearly no accessories (no bumper triggers, HTM etc), (d) changing smoke dischargers to foam (which have the effect on lasers like paint)

The Div15 option allows an upgrade on tires & targeting at the expense of less vehicle armor.

Name Notes - Actinium is much more important an element than I realized when I randomly chose Protactinium a few days ago (mainly because I was just methodically going through the end of the alphabet elements). I'm not a chemist but as very young lad I loved the periodic table. The entire concept of a list of ordered ingredients that make up the universe was perfect for my personality and burgeoning worldview. It's part of the reason I love RPGs: the organization of a world into rules.

Actinium is the first of the row of actinides, which to my then (and now) untrained eyes was both an aberration in the symmetry of the Table and a sign of rigorous study in the accuracy of the chemical world. 

  

The element, as described in the Wiki: 

[This has] the symbol Ac and atomic number 89.... [and] gave the name to the actinide series, a group of 15 similar elements between actinium and lawrencium in the periodic table. It is also sometimes considered the first of the 7th-period transition metals, although lawrencium is less commonly given that position. Together with polonium, radium, and radon, actinium was one of the first non-primordial radioactive elements to be isolated.

A soft, silvery-white radioactive metal, actinium reacts rapidly with oxygen and moisture in air .... The name actinium originates from the Ancient Greek aktis, aktinos (ακτίς, ακτίνος), meaning beam or ray."

There is no thematic connection between the element and the car design except in the relationship to protactinium.

Image of a 1968 Ferrari Dino 206 GT from here. I chose to include the earliest covered Ferrari image available because, as stated above, this is meant to be a precursor to Protactinium.

Variable Fire Rocket Pod Cars

My latest design, Protactinium, was to flesh out the concept of having a Sedan with a VFRP & HRSWC to compete in Div20 (or if possible 15). Now, the Car Wars VFRP was introduced after my heyday (1987, when I was in junior-high), but in terms of 20th century weapons, it made sense. 

Yet the VFRP cost/weight/space ratio is offset by the low to-hit. To make rockets valuable, they either need to be in low-price cars (because everything is hard), ramming designs (+4 to hit), or laser guidance (which is insanely pricey for 30 rockets)

I also have a weakness for putting things in turrets, which means vans or campers, both which have their major vulnerabilities.

Anyway, before I add to the VFRP pile, I should catalog - just for my own benefit - my previous designs.

The existing cars

1. Protactinium, Div20 Sedan, front facing VFRP with HRSWC
2. Corps, Unlimited Van: smartlinked VFRP in 3sp turret & front, ITL & LGL with Hires targeting computer, gas engine
3. Battlestorm, Unlimited Camper, VFRP with mag in 3sp turret, ITL & LGL with cyberlink
4. Palladium, Unlimited Van, C/A frame, 3 space pop-up cupola with HR & ITL & LGL smartlinked to VFRP front, HRTC
5. Armydillo, RPG Van (because this has passengers), VFRP in 3sp turret, SWC
6. Blowout, Div70 Van, VFRP in 3sp turret, 4 RL (2 front, 2 back), all TL & LGL, smartlinks, HRTC
7. Osmium, Div70 Camper, VFRP in 3sp turret, LGL & HRSWC {Div30 option removes LGL}
8. Atlas, Div60 Van, VFRP in 3sp turret, ITL & LGL, HRSWC
9. Fenrir, Div50 Luxury, RL with mag in turret, VFRP front & back, TL & LGL for all 3, all smartlinked (BTW, this is a mess!)

Six of nine designs (4 vans & 2 campers) have the VFRP in a 3sp turret, 1 van that's a concept car with a pop-up cupola, but nearly all of them have a smartlink between targeting lasers. My most recent, Protactinium, is the only real low-price entry. Which is where I need to go.

Also, I think I can update my 3 MML designs to at least have the VFRP variant (as that was the whole point of introducing the weapon, no?)

Images: The above gif is a real world VFRP in a tank-killer helicopter. The below image is somehow SJG idea of the future weapon which is both bad art and implausible substitute for the real thing.

Protactinium - Div20 Sedan (Elemental)

Type: Sedan, Chassis: Xtra-Heavy, Suspension: Heavy, Engine: Large Electric (PC) (Pwr 2100, 10dp), Tires: 4 Solids(12dp), Crew: Driver (no equip), Weaponry VFRP (30/reg) front (1D each rocket, max 6x1D), Weighted Accessories: IFE, spoiler & airdam, Unwgt. Acces.: HRSWC, HTM & Overdrive (linked), [1 total links], Dischargers: 10 total: 4 oil (FBRL) 6 smoke (2T, 2U, 1R 1L), Wheel Armor: 60 total = 2x10 pt WG rear, 4x10 pt WH on all wheels, Component Armor 9 pts LRFP for (a) PP (5 sp), (b) Driver (2 sp), (c) VFRP (3 sp) Cargo: 0 sp, 4 lbs.; Vehicle Armor: 163 pts sloped Composite (11 Metal/152 Plastic): F(2/32) B(2/32) R(2/36) L(2/36) T(1/6) U(2/10); HC: 3 (4 over 60), Acc. 5 (HTM 10/Overdrive 2.5),  Top Speed 90 (67.5/110), DM: 1, Hit Mod: -1, Weight: 6116 lbs. Max 6120, Cost: $19,979.10

• #1 Div25 TL Option 1 - Remove HRSWC, add TG & LGL to all 30 rockets, remove 1 pt Metal & Plastic armor, 6112 lbs, $24,959.80.


• #2 Div20 Midsize Option - Type: Midsize, Chassis: Xtra-Heavy, Suspension: Heavy, Engine: Large Electric (Pwr 2000, 10dp), Tires: 4 Solids (12dp), Crew: Driver (no equip), Weaponry VFRP (30/reg) front (1D each rocket, max 6x1D), Weighted Accessories: IFE, spoiler & airdam, Unwgt. Acces.: HRSWC, HTM & Overdrive (linked), [1 total links], Dischargers: 10 total: 4 oil (FBRL) 6 smoke (2T, 2U, 1R 1L), Wheel Armor: 60 total = 2x10 pt WG rear, 4x10 pt WH on all wheels, Component Armor 9 pts LRFP for (a) PP (5 sp), (b) Driver (2 sp), Cargo: 0 sp, 4.4 lbs.; Vehicle Armor: 163 pts Composite (11 Metal/154 Plastic): F(2/33) B(2/33) R(2/36) L(2/36) T(1/6) U(2/10); HC: 3 (4 over 60), Acc. 5 (HTM 10/Overdrive 2.5),  Top Speed 90 (67.5/110), DM: 1, Hit Mod: 0, Weight: 5755.6 lbs. Max 5760, Cost: $18,191.50 

Design Notes - I'm still in my sedan phase, and after a few of them I'm starting to think of the body type as viable, but that could be a false positive. The major question is whether a sedan is markedly better at the same design concept than an equivalent Midsize. 

I had in my head "OK, a sedan with a VFRP, using a HRSWC instead of LGL, possibly to be Div20 or if possible Div15" The HRSWC because I surmised (correctly, see option 1) that it'd be significantly cheaper to just use the (game-breaking, for this reason) +2, 0 weight, targeting computer than to use laser-guidance (which carries laser penalties & the other weird 'broken link' worries). The metal armor was a way to fireproof the armor on the cheap (and to keep costs low). 

Option 2 proves to me that there's a good place for Sedans, given that the VFRP-HRSWC idea works best as a sedan not a midsized. The original had full component armor (great for fire issues & adding sneaky armor, don't @me) & sloped armor. While the Mid had 2 pts more plastic armor (muted applause) I couldn't keep the main design intact and make it div15.

I feel good about this 'road test' - after all these years, I see that for a high-concept design (meaning: let's have this configuration of weapons/internals), a sedan can allow more accessory variation while still keeping costs manageable. 

Name Notes - Just a random element name. From the Wiki: 

"...symbol Pa and atomic number 91. It is a dense, silvery-gray actinide metal which readily reacts with oxygen, water vapor and inorganic acids.... Because of its scarcity, high radioactivity and high toxicity, there are currently no uses for protactinium outside scientific research, and for this purpose, protactinium is mostly extracted from spent nuclear fuel."

It's Pro-Actinium because it was seen to be a precursor to Element #89, Actinium. I was about to name the Midsize option that (for symmetry's sake) but after reading about the element, it needs it's own car. It's pretty cool. So I think I'll try to design a really good VFRP car to earn that name.

Counter pic is of a Ferrari 488 GTB (2015-2019) from here. 

Technetium - Div25 Sedan (Elemental)

Type: Sedan, Chassis: Xtra-Heavy, Suspension: Heavy, Engine: Large Electric (PC) (Pwr 2100, 10dp), Tires: 4 Solids (12dp), Crew: Driver (no equip), Weaponry RL (10/incen.) front (2D+2, fire mod: 3/2), TL (front) LGL to 10 rounds, Weighted Accessories: rollcage, IFE, safety seat, HD shocks, spoiler & airdam, Unwgt. Acces.: SWC (to TL), HD-antilock brakes, HTM & Overdrive (linked), [6 total links], Dischargers: 10 total: 4 oil (FBRL) 6 smoke (2T, 2U, 1R 1L), Defenses: Styx Defensive System*; Wheel Armor: 60 total = 2x10 pt WG rear, 4x10 pt WH front, Component Armor 9 pts LRFP for (a) PP (5 sp), (b) Driver (2 sp), & (c) RL (2 sp) Cargo: 0 sp, 7.8 lbs.; Vehicle Armor: 153 pts sloped Composite (7 Metal/146 Plastic): F(1/30) B(1/30) R(1/35) L(1/35) T(1/6) U(2/10); HC: 3 (4 over 60), Acc. 5 (HTM 10/Overdrive 2.5),  Top Speed 90 (67.5/110), DM: 1, Hit Mod: -1, Weight: 6112.2 lbs. Max 6120, Cost: $24,699.80

• Turret Option - Add turret, put RL & TL in the turret; remove HD-shocks, remove 5 pts metal vehicle armor & 1 pt WH, add 6 pts plastic vehicle armor; $24,461.10, 6117.2 lbs (2.8lbs extra).

Design Notes -  I'm still in my Sedan phase and the design concept is to start with my favorite group of standards: solid tires, IFE, safety seat, roll-cage etc. After a while, I started running out of weight while still having space. And, as many designers know, that means I needed to resort to a RL w/LGL (and not even in a turret!). That's the first option. 

Name Notes - Got to admit, while I'm pretty familiar with the elements, I knew nothing about this element, which is in the middle of the periodic table, yet radioactive & synthetic. That surprised me.

From the Wiki: "It is the lightest element whose isotopes are all radioactive, none of which is stable other than the fully ionized state of 97Tc. Nearly all available technetium is produced as a synthetic element. Naturally occurring technetium is a spontaneous fission product in uranium ore and thorium ore, the most common source, or the product of neutron capture in molybdenum ores. The silvery gray, crystalline transition metal lies between manganese and rhenium in group 7 of the periodic table,... "

Picture is of a 1949 Mercury 6-Passenger Coupe from here.

* Styx Defensive System = 6 Smoke Dischargers linked to 5 laser reactive webs (F, B, R, L, T; covering tires of those sides as well) & 4 bumper triggers (to oil & also linked to that side's weapons) Defenses: Styx Defensive System*;

Seaborgium - Div15 Sedan (Elemental)

Type: Sedan, Chassis: Xtra-Heavy, Suspension: Heavy, Engine: Large Electric (PC) (Pwr 2100, 10dp), Tires: 4 PR (9dp), Crew: Driver (no equip), Gunner (no equip) Weaponry RR (10/reg) front (2D burst), OJ (25/reg) back, SS (10/reg) back, Weighted Accessories: nil, Unwgt. Acces.: HRSWC, linked SS & OJ [1 total links], Dischargers: 10 total: 4 oil (FBRL) 6 smoke (2T, 2U, 1R 1L), Defenses: Wheel Armor: 60 total = 4x10 pt WG, 2x10 pt WH front, Component Armor 9 pts LRFP for (a) PP (5 sp), (b) Driver (2 sp), Cargo: 0 sp, 3.4 lbs.; Vehicle Armor: 142 pts Composite (45 Metal/7 Plastic): F(9/0) B(9/0) R(11/0) L(11/0) T(2/3) U(3/4); HC: 3, Acc. 5,  Top Speed 90, DM: 1, Hit Mod: 0, Weight: 6116.6 lbs. Max 6120, Cost: $14,938.50

• Option 1 - Remove gunner, slope armor, add 3 pts Metal & 2 pts plastic vehicle armor, reduce HRSWC to SWC, add anti-lock brakes, $14,741.70, 6119.6 lbs.


• Option 2 - Like Option 1, but remove Anti-lock brakes, convert SS to PS (25/reg) under as part of the Styx Laser Paint Array & Styx Defensive System* (i.e. 5 laser reactive webs & 4 bumper triggers, add 5 links = 6 total links),  $14,991.70, 6119.6 lbs.

Design Notes - I had hoped originally to get this below 10K but it was hanging around 11 and I didn't want to immediately strip the accessories or drop the RR to RL, so I pumped it up to Div15 with the HRSWC. Not sure why I wanted a crew of 2 (and I guess I rushed a draft to publication because, TBH, I wanted to make sure I had at least one entry in 2020). 

But the 2 options even out the Div15 decision: sloped armor is always a plus (and worth a gunner, especially when there's only one offensive weapon); and the Styx Defense System works for staving off RL-LGL (or feisty actual lasers) that can be found in Div15.

Name Notes - Element #106, info from the Wiki: "a d-block transactinide element.... [it's] named after the American nuclear chemist Glenn T. Seaborg. As a synthetic element, it can be created in a laboratory but is not found in nature. It is also radioactive; the most stable known isotope." Why this element? Because it's a passive-aggressive way of showing that I'm not super happy with the design. It's obvious that it's a Div10 artificially inflated to Div15. One day I'll figure out the purpose of sedans; I'm still stuck in the Midsized/Luxury mindset I had back in the mid-1980s.

(Counter from here of the 1989 Ferrari 348 TS)

* Styx Defensive System = 6 Smoke Dischargers linked to 5 laser reactive webs (F, B, R, L, T; covering tires of those sides as well) & 4 bumper triggers (to oil & also linked to that side's weapons)