OK, this is a small issue. There is a reason for this; namely most of us have had other, more pressing matters to deal with -little things like school, work, you know ....
    So, you get condensed issues for the nonce. Actually, it's for the best -- which leads me to the following ....
    Some have complained that CAR WARS is being "gadgeted" to death -- too much stuff being invented, causing excessive complication of the game. I used to think this was idle kvetching -- but after seeing some of the items submitted for "NOVA Works", I am less inclined to agree.
    If you have an idea for something, make sure it's not some "one-shot wonder" device -- something so limited in its application that it is unlikely to ever see any real use (the Catalog From Hell is overrun with this sort of thing). Also, make sure it isn't a "miracle" device -- something which will render most forms of attack ineffective; at best, it makes the game dull ("Gee, everyone's cars look identical -- again."), and at worst, it allows one person to win every event (if a person is going to win every event, for crying out loud, at least let it reflect dueling talent, not whoever has the best "Q" Branch).
    For the nonce, the Editor will be laying off the new gadgets; give everyone time to catch their breath. Instead, some much needed repair work on the rules as they stand will be presented herein. Besides, with a NOVA Works Catalog in the offing, all this new stuff will see daylight eventually.
    Meantime, as promised ....
 

Ask yourself -- when was the last time you used a van in an arena? For that matter, have you ever used a van in an arena? Moreover, have you ever seen a van used anywhere?!
    Now, perhaps some of our more senior members (sorry, Norm <grin>) remember seeing vans in the arena, maybe even remember using the things. But the sad truth is that vans are as useful in combat as teats on a bull. The van cannot carry anywhere near enough armor to survive, cannot effectively use its volume advantage over other vehicles, and if it tries to do either of the above, it cannot accomplish its designed task as effectively as other, smaller vehicles.
    Why? The answer is simple, and dates back to the first iteration of CAR WARS -- the van's maximum weight is too low. The van's maximum weight was limited by the power factors available at the time -- the highest was the Super plant's 2600 PF. 2600 multiplied by 3 (1/3 PF rule inversed) is 7800 -- which is the maximum weight of a Pickup with an Extra-Heavy Chassis, by the way (so now you know how these numbers were arrived at). The Van had to be the same, or lower; the designers picked lower.
    Time has passed, and technology has improved, however. Now, in theory, a car's maximum weight could reach 80,730 lbs. (700 CID engine, full upgrades, times 3)! However, for practical purposes, anything of 10,000 lbs. maximum weight will be classed a truck. With this in mind, looking at car power plants, one sees a practical limit being achieved at 9,000 lbs. maximum weight. (under 10,000 lbs., and within the reach of conventional car plants, specifically the unmodified Sport plant). Now, assuming this is the van's absolute maximum weight attainable, one wonders what its basic maximum weight (the number listed on the Vehicle Design Data sheet) will be. Easily figured -- a vehicle's absolute maximum weight is achieved by upgrading the chassis to Extra-Heavy, which ups its maximum weight by 20%; stated another way, the chassis's maximum weight is increased by [(basic wgt. + modification), or (1 + 0.2)=] 1.2. Thus, to figure basic maximum weight: 9,000 divided by 1.2 (9,000 / 1.2 =) 7,500. The Van has a new basic maximum weight of 7,500 lbs.
    Of course, to balance this, the Van's basic cost and weight have to be increased (no free lunches, folks). So, the improved Van's stats are as follows:
 

Cost	Weight	Max. Weight	Spaces	Armor Cost/Weight
$1,500	2,300 lbs.	7,500 lbs.	24 (+6)	30/14

The Van's new Maximum Weights are: Light: 6,750 lbs.; Standard: 7,500 lbs.; Heavy: 8,250 lbs; Extra-Heavy: 9,000 lbs.
    To move the Van at the new weights requires the following minimum plants: Light: Large w/ PC & SC; Standard: Super; Heavy: Super w/ SC; Extra-Heavy: Sport.
    OK. Let's take our van to the shop, and see what these upgrades do for it. The sample van is by Norman McMullen, called "Missile Command": Van; X-hvy. chassis; HVY. susp.; Super P.P.; 6 PR tires; driver. 10x RGM linked (F); 3x SD w/ Expl. ammo (1 ea. L, R, B); HRSWC (RGMs). Armor: F 38; B 38; L 37; R 37; T 13; U 10. Accel. 5; TS 92.5; HC 2; 7,197 lbs.; $57,290.
    Clearly, if this thing enters a Div. 60 event, it will die in a heartbeat due to low armor (probably a DKI design will do the honors). Now to show the upgrade: Van; X-hvy. chassis; HVY. susp.; Sport P.P.; 6 PR tires; driver. 10x RGM linked (F); 3x SD w/ Expl. ammo (1 ea. L, R, B); HRSWC (RGMs). Armor: F 66; B 66; L 66; R 66; T 13; U 10. Accel. 5; TS 90; HC 2; 8,993 lbs.; $65,460.
    More expensive? Yes, but also eminently more survivable; that DKI jockey will have a hard fight to kill this thing, for a couple of reasons. First, obviously, is the increase in armor; it is nearly doubled on the primary facings. Second, notice the weight; since this vehicle now weighs over 8,000 lbs., it does double damage in a ram! Suddenly, the van becomes a much more viable combat option.
Feel free to try this out on your old van designs, or create some new ones. Either way, you'll be sure to see a vast improvement in the combat survivability of your "rolling shoebox".
 

Ramrod I: Mid-size; X-hvy. chassis; Hvy. susp.; Large P.P. w/ PC & SC; 4 PR Radial tires; driver. Roll cage; safety seat; HD shocks; CA -- driver (10 pts.); CA -- P.P. (10 pts.). Sloped Armor: F 100 (ram plate); B 55; L 40; R 40; T 10; U 10. Accel. 5; TS 102.5; HC 3; 5,755 lbs.; $17,978.
    Driver's Equipment: Impact Armor: $2,000.

Ramrod I-B: Mid-size; X-hvy chassis; Hvy. susp.; 250 CID engine w/ BP, TH, VPT; 5-gallon dueling tank; 4 PR Radial tires; driver. Roll cage; safety seat; HD shocks; FPCA -- driver (10 pts.); FPCA -- engine (10 pts.); FP insulator (gas tank). Sloped Armor: F 100 (ram plate); B 60; L 55; R 55; T 15; U 10. Accel. 15; TS 90; HC 4; MPG 28; 5,755 lbs.; $36,733.
    Driver's Equipment: Impact Armor; FP suit. $2,500 ($1,586 for hand weapons).

Obviously, the above are designed for long-range combat .... <grin>
 

Not much happening these days. DKI is still mopping up from the terrorist attack that destroyed its New Omaha offices; for all that, most of the other Industrial park businesses are trying to recover from that as well. One wonders if DKI can recover from this. Commissioner Smith has managed to vanish, once again; one wonders what he is up to. Still, it is rather quiet ....

July 7, 2046: Psycho announced his plan to bungee-jump a tank off the 1-80 bridge. When asked why, he replied, "It's never been done before." Commissioner Smith has made it known that this first will not take place inside his jurisdiction.

July 11, 2046: Psycho displayed the tank he intends to bungee jump off the 1-80 Bridge in Council Bluffs today. He pointed out the "Extra-Extra-Super-Ultra-Heavy Hitch" that would connect his tank to the cord. Las Vegas oddsmakers place his chance of success at 150-1 against.

July 16, 2046: Psycho displayed the bungee cord he would be using in his great stunt at his Council Bluffs base today. Las Vegas oddsmakers now rate his chance of success at 550-1 against.

July 20, 2046: Psycho selected the spot for the bungee jump today; a point just inside the Iowa border.

July 22, 2046: Psycho announced today the date of his great stunt: August 1, 2046.

July 31, 2046: Psycho's great stunt was indefinitely postponed today. Evidently, a squadron of Donnerschlags from the 1st Nebraska Armored Division on a live-ammo training mission mistook Psycho's base for their intended target. The base was unoccupied at the time, fortunately; unfortunately, all of Psycho's equipment was "Shredded like a frog in a blender set on frappe." Psycho wasn't sure when he'd be able to make up the event.

August 10, 2046: Mike Garrity won his second Midwest Racing Championship title, barely beating out James Quantrell, who skidded slightly in one corner, allowing Garrity to inch ahead.

August 11, 2046: Daniel Sloan won his third AADA Racing World Championship by half a car-length over David Kopf.

August 14, 2046: A Florida duelist known as "The Paladin" vanished while testing his new high-performance car. Authorities report finding no trace of the car; however, the search is being expanded.

August 20, 2046: The land where DKI's New Omaha branch once stood has been sold to an anonymous buyer for an undisclosed sum.

September 1, 2046: The buyers of DKI's New Omaha plot, a multi-national concern called Golden Crescent Industries, moved in today, and began work on their new facility.

September 16, 2046: Golden Crescent finished cleaning out the debris from their new site. They announced that their construction teams would be arriving shortly.

September 22, 2046: GCI construction teams began work on the new facility today. They expect it to be finished and ready for opening by December.
 

"Don't smile at me like that! That's not even a real smile! That's just a bunch of teeth playing with my mind!" -- Lt. Templeton Peck to Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, The A-Team

Well, that's it for this issue. Again, apologies for the lack of stuff; but some is better than none -- just ask a virgin. <grin>
 

Drive Offensively!
 
 

Norman McMullen	Chris French
NOVA President	NOVA Vice-President

Opening Fire, Closing Fire, Nuts & Bolts, Quotes, and 10 O'Clock News: Chris French
Showroom Vehicles: Michael Garrity 10 O'Clock News: Norman McMullen Typesetter: Chris French
Editor: Chris French
 

Nightmessenger is published quarterly by the New Omaha Vehicular Association, 2524 Madison St., Bellevue, NE 68005. All material is copyright June 1996 by New Omaha vehicular Association. all rights reserved.
    Car Wars, Dueltrack, Boat Wars, Car Warriors, Crash City, Truck Stop, Convoy, Uncle Albert's Catalog From Hell, Autoduel and AADA are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or are used under license. The above trademarks, and the characters and situations of the Car Wars background are the exclusive property of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated and are used by Nightmessenger under permission.
    Reproduction of any material published in the Nightmessenger without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Any reproduction of Car Wars stories published in Nightmessenger, or any other unauthorized publication of fiction using the Car Wars background, without the express written permission of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated is strictly prohibited.
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