Buying Vehicles

[Sapper31]

Question for you all:

Reading the 2/2.2 edition rules, and really the 1.0 rules as well..

Do you let your characters purchase vehicles with their starting money? I know there is a dice roll that effectively nets them free vehicles, but are they allowed to buy vehicles as well? Other than confirming they are allowed to buy motorcycles, there is no explicit statement toward if they are/are not allowed to purchase other vehicles.

I am starting a game with 5 people, and collectively we have over 100,000$ to spend on starting equipment. By far the limiting factor is carry capacity of the starting vehicles (we got 2 HMMWVs). The amount of money you get seems excessive unless you are intended to buy vehicles, yet the challenge seems greater without.


What are your thoughts on this?

[Targan]

Hell yes... but it's definitely a case of "be careful what you wish for". If they purchase vehicles that the GM isn't happy with, well, the GM can make them suffer for their choices. Worn out parts, no ammo, limited POL, contaminated POL, the options are many.

[LT. Ox]

Originally Posted by Targan

Hell yes... but it's definitely a case of "be careful what you wish for". If they purchase vehicles that the GM isn't happy with, well, the GM can make them suffer for their choices. Worn out parts, no ammo, limited POL, contaminated POL, the options are many.

What he said smile

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by LT. Ox

What he said smile

There's a reason it's for sale and not being utilized.

[Olefin]

Where is your campaign starting - are you in the wreckage of the 5th division running for your lives or are you somewhere where you could buy vehicles - i.e. perhaps Krakow where anything is for sale for instance?

I would think that the difference between the starting rollup vehicles (which by game definition are supposed to be fully fueled and armed and in good condition) and buying them is that you would be buying a vehicle - not the ammo and fuel needed to operate it - meaning you need money to arm it and fuel it as well - and anything you buy as others have said may have issues with it that rolled vehicles wont

keep in mind with anything used that its always buyer beware - limited ammo available for it alone can make a vehicle nothign more than just basic transport no matter how big its gun is - or even more fun is a non-operational weapon - get a terrific buy on a tank and then find out that the cannon is non-functional and you have a fuel hog that looks impressive but all its armed with are machine guns

[raketenjagdpanzer]

I view starting cash not as actual physical dollars, but basically "buy points". The rules (at least the 1.0 rules) state that starting vehicles are to be considered in good working order, IIRC, so if (for example) the party wants to pool their dough and they have enough for an Abrams or whatever then that's also part of their starting unit. The most well-armored force I have run as a GM had a Bradley and an HEMTT and then later salvaged an abandoned M113; there were numerous characters, and had they had enough from the outset, yes, I'd have said "Okay you can purchase the Stingray," etc.

[General Pain]

Don't say NO...just determin difficulty.

- no ammo
- rare fuel
- rare parts
- someone else want the vehicle( side-adventure)...maybe it was use for smuggling
- maybe the vehicle is stored in a nuclear zone, enemy controlled area or in bombed parking structure etc

[Legbreaker]

Buying Equipment: Finally, each character can "buy" equipment at the beginning of the game. This is not meant to represent the actual purchase of equipment; instead, the money for buying equipment allocated to each player is a representation of the value of the equipment he has accumulated over time.
Players may buy equipment separately or may pool their resources to buy equipment, Note that motorcycles do not appear on the Vehicles Table and thus cannot be obtained with a vehicle die roll. They may, however, be purchased.

The answer is clearly written in the books.

[rcaf_777]

Here what I would do

Me: So you guys want a vehcile huh

Group: Yes

Me: Ok here is what you have available, enjoy or go with out

FSM Syrena 105
FSM Syrena R-20
Ford Pinto
Polski 126p
Polski Fiat 126p
Renault 4GTL (Jason Bourne’s Car)
Renault Le Car

[Jason]

I voted that I would not allow my players to do so, but actually there if they really wanted to buy one, I might allow it on the condition that the vehicle was not in their immediate possession. It would take an adventure to collect the stashed vehicle.

This is the same procedure I use for new PC's once the campaign is underway. The PC's may spend their starting cash as usual, but the gear is always hidden in an area that makes it tricky to regain.

[unkated]

Challenge accepted.

Polish civilian vehicles 1970s-90s.

Format is for DC; Travel Movement and Fuel Consumption are hourly.

[Bullet Magnet]

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

Here what I would do

Me: So you guys want a vehcile huh

Group: Yes

Me: Ok here is what you have available, enjoy or go with out

FSM Syrena 105
FSM Syrena R-20
Ford Pinto
Polski 126p
Polski Fiat 126p
Renault 4GTL (Jason Bourne’s Car)
Renault Le Car

Looks like you forgot the Trabant (Or did you leave that out intentionally, to prevent a revolt by your players?)

[aspqrz]

Originally Posted by Bullet Magnet

Looks like you forgot the Trabant (Or did you leave that out intentionally, to prevent a revolt by your players?)

Maybe he only allowed the 'Sports Car' version ... the one with the open top!

Phil