Sneak Previews
The new Movement Chart, Crash Tables and Control Table appear here. These will be in the Car Wars Compendium, Second Edition and will be in use at the 2040 World Championships. This material is also included in the new Car Wars Vehicle Design Sheets, which should already be in stores near you.
All of the changes made in these rules have been the result of comments made by players from all over the world. See -- you can make a difference!
The Movement Chart allows for mid-turn acceleration and braking! The rules for this will be in the Car Wars Compendium, Second Edition, as well as the next AADA Newsletter. The chart also eliminates the possibility of moving fnrther by braking. Consider, for example, what could happen to a car traveling at 35 mph which lost control in phase 4, under the old system. The driver rolls a 4 for a Minor Skid. He loses 5 mph and then skids 1/4" and moves forward Ya". The result is that the car has moved 4.5", as if it were traveling 10 mph faster than it was when it lost 5 mph.
The Control Table has been changed to a more fluid form. The differences are not so drastic between 5 mph of speed as they used to be.
The Crash Table was changed to remove the continuous skid problem. It was a good idea, just far too nasty for play. So it has been reduced to make it more playable.
-- David N. Searle
Crash Table 1
Skids & Rolls
2 or less -- Trivial skid. The vehicle keeps the same orientation, but moves 2/4" in the direction it was going before the maneuver in which it lost control. Therefore, it may Skid in a direction other than the one it is pointing -- see Figure 5, p. 8. *
3, 4 -- Minor skid. As above, but the vehicle skids 1/2". Speed is reduced by -5 mph. **
5, 6 -- Moderate skid. As above, but the vehicle skids 3/4", and each tire takes 1 point of damage. Speed is reduced by 10 mph. It then performs a trivial skid on its next move. **
7, 8 -- Severe skid. As above, but car skids 1" and each tire takes 2 points damage. Speed is reduced by 20 naph. On its next move, it performs a minor skid. ***
9, 10 -- Spinout. Vehicle spins, rotating 90" and moving 1" in the direction it was previously traveling (before the maneuver or hazard which caused the spinout) per phase of movement required. All rotations must be in the same direction. If the vehicle fishtailed into the spinout, the rotations are in the same direction the fishtail took; otherwise, roll randomlv. Each tire takes Id of damage at the start of the spinout. The vehicle decelerates 20 mph/turn, and the spin stops when the vehicle comes to a halt. A driver may try to recover from a spinwt. To do so, roll for control at HC-6. If the roll is successful the spinout stops. If the roll is missed the spinout continues normally. If control is regained, and the vehicle is facing the direction it is moving, movement continues on as usual. If the car is facing sideways it must perform an immediate T-stop. It may discontinue a T-stop by turning "into" the direction of the skid and then continue the turn. If the vehicle is facing backwards and is traveling faster than its reverse top speed, it must slow down by at least 5 mph per turn until it is under its normal top speed for reverse.
11, 12 -- Car turns sideways (as in a T-stop; see Figure 7, p. 9) and rolls. The driver is no longer in control. The car decelerates at 20 mph per turn. Each phase it moves, it goes 1" in the direction it was traveling and rolls 1/4 of a complete roll -- i.e., in the first phase it moves 1", turns sideways, and rolls onto its side; the next phase it moves, it goes 1" and rolls onto its top, etc. It takes Id damaoe to the side (top, etc.) rolled onto each phase. When the bottom hits, each tire takes Id damage. After all tires are gone, the bottom takes damage when it hits. Occupants may jump out at any time, or stay inside and hope that no damage reaches the interior. The car may be driven after it stops rolling if it is right side up and has tires on at least three corners, A cycle won't be drivable after a roll. ***
13, 14 -- As above, but vehicle is burning on a roll of 4, 5, or 6 on 1 die. (For more information on burning vehicles, see Fire and Explosion.)
15 or more -- The vehicle vaults into the air by the side (or front) tires, the tires doing the vaulting taking 3d of damage. The vehicle will then fly through the air for 1 to 6 inches (roll 1 die) in the direction the vehicle was traveling before the crash result, revolving two sides for every inch traveled. When it lands, the side that hits takes collision damage at the vehicle's initial speed. If the attempted maneuver was a tight bend or a hard swerve, the vehicle will flip end over end. Upon landing, the vehicle will continue to roll as per result 11 on this table. All occupants take 1 point of damase automatically. Body armor does not protect against this damage.
Cash Table 2
Fishtails
1-4 -- Minor fishtail. Roll randomly to see if fishtail will be left or right. If, for instance, it is left, keep vehicle's right front corner in the same square, and move the left rear corner 1 square left. Reverse for a right fishtail. *
5-8 -- Major fishtail. As above, but rear corner moves 2 squares. **
9, 10 -- Execute a minor fishtail and roll again on Crash Table1. ***
11-14 -- Execute a major fishtail and roll again on Crash Table 1. ***
15 or more -- Execute a major and a minor fishtail (for a total of 3 squares movement in one direction) and roll again on Crash Table 1. ***
A vehicle that loses control will suffer a penalty on any aimed weapon fire for the rest of the turn, as shown by the asterisks on the Crash Table entries:
* Any further aimed weapon fire from this vehicle on this turn will be at a -3 to hit.
**Any further aimed weapon fire from this vehicle on this turn will be -6 to hit.
*** No further aimed weapon fire permitted from this vehicle this turn.
Issue 8/1 Index
