Re: [DL] Dawg clarifications

[Marguerite Frey <natasha_corey@yahoo.com>]

--- Jeff Shoffner <shoffner@esper.com> wrote:
> Good, so maybe between the two of us, we'll make
> some good Dawgs in the future! :-)  (Oh, and sorry 
> about that copryright infringement suit; Here I
> am, just trying to build a better 'pede & your boss
> Robards gets all uppity about it.....)

<character>

From:  Captain S. Mallory, The Consortium, Gloom
To:    David Harlequin, Harlequin Velocipedes, Gloom
Date:  August 25, 1877

Dear Sir,

     Your innovative velocipede designs have recently
come to my attention.  As the inventor of the original
design, now owned and sold by Smith & Robards of
Gloom, I would like to introduce myself to you. 
Perhaps our mutual love of the speed and durability of
this vehicle can benefit us both.  My organization is
itself in the process of developing a divergent
velocipede design, although I hurry to point out our
two designs as of yet do not overlap.  While your
models appear to me geared towards the sale to those
adventuring types who flock to our fair city in search
of scientific solutions to their many and sundried
problems, my newest model addresses the specific
weight and shock absorption needs of our resident
augmented residents.  

     I have heard of your unfortunate copyright suit
troubles with the purchaser of my original design, and
wish to assure you I have no such intents.  My
organization develops their range of products
independant of Smith & Robards, although we do
occasionally sell to them.  Perhaps we can meet to
compare designs at some mutually available time.  I
look forward to a response at your earliest
convenience.

Sincerely,

S. Mallory

</character>

> For the Turn TN, I based it on the Turn of the S&R
> 'pede which is 3 (pg. 57 S&R).  I had initially saw 
> the Big Dawg as having a Turn TN of 7, but a steam 
> wagon has one of 5, & I couldn't see this big
> three wheeler having that much trouble turning 
> compared to a wagon.

I can see it either way - after all, the steam wagon
does have four wheels to work with, whereas the Big
Dawg's three wheel design could make three-point turns
difficult, especially at the high speeds TN's are used
for.  Like the book says, if you've got all afternoon
you'll eventually get the vehicle where you want,
without any rolls.

> The Fuel rates were taken in consideration with 
> someone chiming in that the S&R 'pede consumed 1 lb 
> of ghost rock for every 100 miles. (I just now got 
> the other responses.)

That would be *ahem* me, and the response was from my
Marshall.  The standard design has a fuel rate of 1/2,
meaning 200 miles per core.

> As for the Big Dawg's fuel consumption of only 1.5,
> that only accounts for one rider.  As stated before,

> these consumption rates are gross approximations &
> the marshal should factor in other elements.  That,
> and I see steam power as being fairly efficient (ie:

> the fuel just heats water; the steam that drives
> the wheels can be great or small.)

*sigh*  Don't get me started on the limitations of
steam power for fast and effecient vehicle power...

> Yep.  If you need to see an actual demonstration of
> a 360 roll, the one that pops to mind is the biker 
> gang in Mad Max; their "tag" for where they'd been
> was to peel out a doughnut (rotating around the
> front wheel), then peel out a straight line in the 
> direction they took off.  

Ah, thanks for the visual.  I just wanted to confirm
the turning 90+ degrees, because it's one of my
biggest problems with the vehicle rules as they stand.
 Thanks for the clarification.

Do you use that rule, by the way, or do you waive it
and just keep piling on the +2's for each additional
45 degrees to the turn?

> Hmmmm, maybe a new trick:  The "Lie Down"  'pede
> rider leans the vehicle on one side, & kicks the 
> back wheel towards the front, bringing the whole 
> thing sliding to a dead stop perpendicular to the
> direction it was travelling.

Sounds good; how many actions, target number, ...?

Marguerite of EMGB, otherwise known as Captain Sydney Mallory

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