Brandon replied to me: > I'll note that the G:WWII line introduced bilges, which is as easy way to > increase a ship's weight. It's mostly for surface ships, but can be useful > for subs too.
Hello Brandon, since Vehicles didn't spell out just how large the diving tanks were -- that's just implicit in the body volume rule -- a bilge could be interpreted as adding extra volume to the diving tanks as well. The cost/weight of the submersible structure pays for the diving tanks, pumps, and pressurized air to blow them, but extra tank volume should be relatively cheap. OTOH, enough bilges to submerge a prop fighter like those in Sky Captain are really going to hurt my available volume. > > Imagine a tiny submarine, with HP gas engines instead of > > diesel. Instead of a screw propeller in the rear, it has > > an aerial propeller in front. Add free-flooding wings. > > > > Why shouldn't that work just as well as any other small > > submarine? > > Do the rules allow for an aerial propeller to provide hydrodynamic > thrust? Yes, but not underwater. > I think you'll need a prop for the air and a screw or hydrojet for the > water. Agreed. The point I was trying to make was that if a small diesel sub with a screw propeller shaft in the rear can be sealed well enough to dive, why not a small sub-plane with a gasoline engine and an aerial propeller shaft in front? > Not sure I'd want to flood the wings, since that's where fuel tanks > usually go. In a sub-fighter, I'd probably want them in the pressure hull. Anything else gets too messy. > > The submersible option doubles the weight and cost of the > > hull. You ought to get something for that ... > > On the Soviet sub, I'd only require the pontoons to use the submarine > option, the body and wings would merely be sealed. The cost and weight of the submarine option represent all the changes necessary to turn a vehicle into a sub, from diving tanks to diving planes. For that reason, I'd apply the option to the entire vehicle. > I'm not certain the amphibious planes from Sky Captain can be done without > house rules. I'm afraid you're right. Perhaps something could be done at TL(6+2) or TL(6+3), since enough trust allows even bricks to fly, but for TL6 it looks bleak. Regards, Onno _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
