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Originally Posted by Matt W
After re-reading "Bullets and Bluegrass", it is my impression that the KFS uses multifuel rotary engines for all its vehicles (including the V300, the Bradley and both M60 and M1 tanks. I assume that these "rotary engines" are based on a version of the Wankel engine
(Bullets & Bluegrass page. 9 "All Army and Air Force vehicles use multifuel rotary engines capable of running on virtually any flammable fuel)
However, the powerplant used by the P47 "Thunderbolt" is unspecified. It may simply be a copy of the Pratt & Whitney R-2800. As far as I know, nobody has built a wankel engine with enough power to replace the R-2800, but it may be possible.
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At the time the adventures were originally written John Deere was working on this motor. It was all the rage in the technical journals. I just searched for it. It was a complete no go for all the reasons Mazda spent years and billions getting a OK version of the Wankel into cars. Major hurdles to overcome and a company with deep pockets like JD gave up. Part of the concept was for aircraft use. I can't find power but it was supposed to be tank engine power levels which would have made it suitable for P-47 use.
Just another batch of unobtanium. Unless your project relies heavily on fantasy this is a no go. Also why P-47s? Yeah the game designer had a fetish is the obvious but there are so many more reasonable choices. Easier and cheaper to produce, etc....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt W
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Hovercraft are HELLISHLY LOUD. If forces are expecting it they can hide or set up suitable defenses long before the hovercraft arrives. In 'Nam they only used about a half dozen and called it a day. They could get around the Delta fast and bring troops and reinforcements OVER OPEN CALM WATER. Yes they can go over muskeg or swamps UNLESS they are trees in them thar swamps. Anything which can damage the skirts ends the ride. Armour the skirts they become less flexible and less useful over anything above glass smooth water.
Use them in swamps guided by locals VERY aware of the conditions (think ship pilots used when freighters enter harbours or traverse rivers). Use them on sea shores or vary large lakes like the great lakes and yes they work. Middle of the Eastern US where can they operate for any great area? Frankly other than "I gotta have me on" your swamp boats (whatever they are called, flat bottom car motor spinning an aircraft prop in a cage) would be cheaper, as fast and can be sized around for similar capabilities.
I am sorry but I think so much of this post war technology is BS. We only have the ability to do almost all but very basic manufacturing because of the global supply system. It has less to do with left hand widgets are now only made in this town in China (although any game set after 2000 to 2010 would be there) than it is supplies of raw resources would not be flowing, and those that would, would be so limited in quantities almost nothing would be produced. I really think this is one area all MP people like to ignore.
Immediately post war there will be stockpiles of resources in any minor city. You could get things made for the first 10 or 20 years. Then either the stockpiles will be depleted or more likely they will be lost as just getting food for tomorrow takes all your effort and attention. Buildings collapse, mother earth overgrows almost all that remains, etc..
Even the lowest tech like vacuum tubes takes resources that won't be there. Transistors, forget it. Too much stuff is needed. Over the years anything working will be used up. That surviving Radio Shack you been picking over for SCRs for a whatever will be empty and overgrown in 25 years. You are not getting that unobtanium from Walla Walla land anymore. None, nada, period!
So if you really come out 150 years on and WORLD WIDE commerce is NOT back to where is was at the start of the 20th century AT LEAST you will be lucky to have basic iron and steel making, plows, steam, waterwheels and muscle. Cars, forget it. Horse and buggies. Tanks, APCs, planes, fantasy. I don't care how high tech you are you ain't got the stuff to make it, mine it or refine it. At best deposits are in North America of exploitable minerals. Provided they were not where the big glowy parts were. Look into the processes needed to explore (less of an issue), obtain (in viable quantities), process and manufacture any raw resource.
Sorry to rain on everyone's parade but nobody seems to want to face this. TMP comes out of its bolt holes they can be gods. KFC or whatever they are called are riding horses using 50 year old worn out guns with lots of ammo they are not allowed to fire through because the guns gotta last another 100 years so you are only allowed to fire 10 shots per year. OK brass, lead, iron gunpowder can be made. Where is the USEABLE quantities of manganese, niobium, chrome, boron etc. needed to produce the steel for the guns or the machine tools needed to produce the guns coming from?