Drive train question

[Apparition]

Hello all, ive been reading this forum for a few weeks in preparation for a game im about to run, but this is my first post.

My question is:
Is it legal to create a vehicle with two separate drive trains? For example, I want to create a suit of battledress that has both the legs drive train and the grav drive train so that it can both walk and fly. The reason I am confused about this is because some drivetrains say you cannot have multiples, but it is not very clear on multiples of what. Thanks for the help

 

[Rover]

I don't have my my T20 rulebook handy, but I think that jegs and grav drive trains can exist together. I know the T20 book has battledress speced out so you may be reinventing the wheel.

It would seem to me that the rules on multiple drive trains are multiple similar drive trains ie two sets of legs, two sets wheels or two sets tracks. There are many real world examples of vehicals with dual drive trains, like military landing craft, duckboats, I live near a railyard and seen pickup trucks with a second set of wheels to drive on the railway tracks.

 

[hunter]

Yes you can have more than one type of drive train installed (see the Submersible in the THB pg 310 as an example). The 'multiples' you are referring to are talking about multiple units of the same drive train.

 

[Apparition]

thats kinda what i was figuring, which brings me to my next question....what would be a good rule to switch between the two different drive trains, my thoughts would be a full round action at least, but im not sure.

 

[hunter]

Hmm good question! I'd say it would depend on what you were switching too. Switching to grav might be instantaneous, but a full round or two for other trains would work.

 

[atpollard]

If I had a vehicle with wheels and a propeller operated by two separate power plants, they could run at the same time. If one "engine/motor" operated both systems through a gear box (like the one used for 4 wheel drive) then switching from one to another would be the same as switching from 2 to 4 wheel drive - just pull the lever down or push it up.

In either case, it sounds like it should take very little time.

 

[aramis]

Many 4WD vehicles are not that simple, AT...

Pull over, stop. put drive train in neutral, shift transfer case to 4WD, get out, lock hubs to front drive-axle (they freewheel on it when unlocked), then get in and continue.

It has only been the last 10 years that autolocking hubs have really become common, and you STILL need to stop to switch between 2WD and 4WD.

 

[atpollard]

Many 4WD vehicles are not that simple, AT...

But some are:

Haldex is a Swedish company manufacturing for example the Haldex limited slip coupling used in vehicles with automatic all wheel drive systems to engage and disengage a secondary axle when needed.

Among European car fans "Haldex" refers to the aforementioned differential system: its most prominent use is in all transverse engine 4x4 models of the VWAG group: (Audi A3 and TT, Volkswagen Golf and Passat), making them non-permanent 4x4s, unlike longitudinal engine models (Audi A4, A6, A8) which use a Torsen-like differential. However, its short reaction time (only a seventh of a wheel spin) amply makes up for its non-permanent AWD (like Torsen) setup.

[from HERE]

The system detects the need and engages by itself in 1/7 of a wheel spin. I would expect even better systems in 100 to 4000 years from now.

If you wanted to get picky, perhaps:
TL 5 = 10 minutes**
TL 6 = 1 minute
TL 7 = 10 seconds
TL 8+ = 1 second


**(it takes that long to start a WW1 car and warm up the engine)

 

[Smeelbo]

Applying more than one EP to a single DTU?

According to a strict reading of the rules as printed, the TH given for a specific DTU is for each EP applied to it. However, all the examples given use multiple grav DTUs, despite the fact that the table says you may not have multiple grav DTUs.

So is it must be the case that each DTU produces exactly the TH listed when one and only one EP is applied. More TH therefore requires more DTU, and multiple DTUs are really allowed for almost all types.

Smeelbo