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[RFC] M-35 Mako
[RFC] M-35 Mako
#1
A little bit craziness I had to write down...

#########

»More wheels, more jumping... more fun! The M35 Mako. Order yours today!«
- Advertisement slogan at Motorcon

»You three are just insane!«
- Cathy hearing about the ‘Venus drop' project

»The M35 Mako... the REAL all-terrain wheeler!«
- Advertisement slogan after the ‘Venus drop' project


The M35 Mako is an infamous vehicle based on the Mass Effect Games and produced by the Catgirl Industries factory complex at Frigga 77. It is advertised and sold as the ultimate wheeled all terrain vehicle and sold to customers in the whole solar system.

The Mako is a six-wheeled vehicle for up to four persons and some equipment. It is known for being robust up to ridiculous levels and its jumpjet system. Unlike many Fen vehicles, the Mako cannot fly. It is favored by those Fen who prefer ‘real vehicles' over the flying variants that are common in Fenspace.

The Mako is built from a special waved armor that protect the vehicle against all kind of environmental dangers and incoming fire. The engine burns hydrogen and oxygen to move the Mako forward and power its internal systems. A small Eezo core allows the vehicle to increase or decrease its mass to supplement its abilities to work in low-g areas and climb slopes. The gas powered jumpjets allow it to make jumps of more than a hundred meters.

The first Mako prototype was built on Jenga even before the work on the Frigga factory started. It was presented to the public on the first Motorcon in 2023.

Venus Drop project

To demonstrate the toughness of the Mako and as an advertising stunt three catgirls from Frigga moved a Mako to Crystal Tokio in 2026 and then dropped with the vehicle into the atmosphere. Using the Eezo core and the jumpjets, they managed to touch down carefully on the surface of the hellish planet.

They drove around for more than 15 minutes, after which a sustained full powered Mass Effect field made the vehicle light enough to float in Venus atmosphere high enough to be captured by the Normandy class Serenity Valley.

Catgirl Industries suggested a very thorough maintenance of the vehicle before trying to replicate this stunt.

M35-M variant

After finishing the Frigga factory complex, Catgirl Industries began to sell a Mako with military updates to any Great Justice approved forces. The military variant has an improved Eezo core to create a kinetic barrier around the vehicle and a coil-gun equipped turret.

The engine of the M35-M has been replaced by a fusion powered Otto engine designed on Frigga 77 to increase its range and durability.

Quirks:
  • Which idiot designed this? - The Makos controls seem to be pretty common at the first look, but many drivers have trouble with them during the first few hours anyways.
  • Catch me if you can! - When trying to jump up to be grabbed by a flying vehicle, the jumpjets work at 250% normal level.
  • I am no bird. - even if the combination of jumpjets and Eezo core should allow it, the Mako cannot fly in low-gravity environments.

Trivia:
  • The M-35 Mako has a range of nearly 700 km with a full tank of hydrogen and oxygen.
  • The Mako is designed to be air-droppable and air-recoverable.
  • CI's Mako is ~30% shorter than the in-game model.
  • Top speed of the Mako is 220 km/h on road.
  • The Mako can easily float on water with active Mass Effect field.
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#2
Cute. I only have two issues.

1) First you say it doesn't fly, then it has enough of a Mass Effect field to go orbital from the surface of Venus.

2) Landing on Venus. Which even a BTech dropship can't do due to atmospheric corrosion, heat, and pressure, we've established. So you have better armor than a Battletech dropship? Why can't my Valkyries have this armor?
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.
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#3
ECSNorway Wrote:1) First you say it doesn't fly, then it has enough of a Mass Effect field to go orbital from the surface of Venus.
It can get light enough it will float in the dense atmosphere of Venus... not really flying, more "swimming" similar to the Venus Cities. It floated high enough again so that it could be caught by a ship again...

Quote:2) Landing on Venus. Which even a BTech dropship can't do due to atmospheric corrosion, heat, and pressure, we've established. So you have better armor than a Battletech dropship? Why can't my Valkyries have this armor?
I would say that the Mako is good at resisting continuous pressure, but not really good against weapon fire. Different kind of "damage".

Venus Surface is similar pressure to 1000 meter deep in the water. We can do this today... but spaceships are normally not build for 100 atmospheres of external pressure.

----

if that doesn't make sense, I can remove the "Venus drop" insanity. ^^
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#4
(removed)

decided to drop the whole Venus thing...
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#5
HRogge Wrote:I would say that the Mako is good at resisting continuous pressure, but not really good against weapon fire. Different kind of "damage".
Allow me to re-phrase: How does this vehicle have better armour than Crystal Osaka did?

Edit: Ninja'ed!
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
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#6
I'm pretty sure you could build a "Venus Diver" using the tech in Fenspace. That is even without using forcefields, so the atmosphere doesn't get to your hull. If you sealed-up the "Gnarlycurl", for example, I suspect its hull could take it.

If nothing else a bathesphere made of waved ultra-materials and with a reaction-less drive could probably make the dive. There are almost certainly researchers working on the problem.

A Battletech Dropship is a general purpose craft - I'd be very surprised if you can't wave-up a special purpose vehicle to do the job.
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind
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#7
robkelk Wrote:
Quote:I would say that the Mako is good at resisting continuous pressure, but not really good against weapon fire. Different kind of "damage".
Allow me to re-phrase: How does this vehicle have better armour than Crystal Osaka did?

Edit: Ninja'ed!

100 atmospheres of pressure can be blocked indefinitely with Earth 2012 tech... without handwavium. But it depends on the structure of the "vehicle".

I would assume that Crystal Osaka had too large hollow areas and not enough structural stability.

but lets drop the Venus idea.

(edit)

Any opinion about the vehicle itself? Wink

(edit2)

Maybe there can be a specialized "pressure resistance optimized" Mako later as a one-of-a-kind. Still, the heat will prevent it to stay down there longer.
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#8
Vehicle looks good, though I'm not a vehicle expert.

If I was using it I'd want to know about its life support capabilities, whether it had waste recycling as standard, and what it comes as standard in term of things like headlights or spotlights, communications systems, navigation systems, etc. Emergency beacon? I'd also want to know if there was an airlock, an (emergency) atmosphere retention force field, protection from micro meteorites - basically anything you'd ask about a spacecraft, as it might be used on airless surfaces.

It certainly doesn't look like a cargo hauler, and you might want to compare it to something like a Land Rover, in terms of external cargo carrying capability. I'm guessing that "four persons and some equipment" might be something like 150-250kg total per person, so 600-1000kg. Maybe carry an additional 500kg if properly held in external racks/carrying cases?

Could there be a companion (say, four-wheel) trailer?

Or, is that going into too much detail?
Edit: As a general-purpose vehicle, I'd doubt it could take Venus surface.
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind
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#9
Let me think about this.

Because it was built for worlds with hostile or no atmosphere too, the Mako will have a Life support and communication system (no Interwave of course) similar to a small spacecraft. It also has some vehicle sensors (the military variant more than the civil one). Civil variant use its armor to keep micrometeorites out, the military one has the additional forcefield.

It has no full navigation system like a spaceship, just something to navigate 2d maps (similar to a car navigation system today). The civil variant use the passenger compartment as an airlock, the military one can use its Mass Effect field to keep the air inside.

500 kg sounds okay for the internal storage, enough mass/space for 4 persons equipment, but not for power armor.

Trailer would be easy, unless you are in a place where you need the Mass Effect field to climb a slope (or keep on the ground because of missing gravity).
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#10
M-35 Mako

»More wheels, more jumping... more fun! The M35 Mako. Order yours today!«
- Advertisement slogan at Motorcon

»You three are just insane!«
- Cathy hearing about the ‘Venus drop’ project

The M35 Mako is an infamous vehicle based on the Mass Effect Games and produced by the Catgirl Industries factory complex at Frigga 77. It is advertised and sold as the ‘ultimate’ wheeled all terrain vehicle and sold to customers in the whole solar system.

The Mako is a six-wheeled vehicle for up to four persons and some equipment. It is known for being robust up to ridiculous levels and its jumpjet system. Unlike many Fen vehicles, the Mako cannot fly. It is favored by those Fen who prefer ‘real vehicles’ over the flying variants that are common in Fenspace.

The Mako is built from a special waved armor that protect the vehicle against all kind of environmental dangers and incoming fire. The engine burns hydrogen and oxygen to move the Mako forward and power its internal systems. A small Eezo core allows the vehicle to increase or decrease its mass to supplement its abilities to work in low-g areas and climb slopes. The gas powered jumpjets allow it to make jumps of more than a hundred meters.

Because it was designed for hostile worlds, the Mako has life support and sublight communication systems similar to a small spacecraft. It is also equipped with multiple passive sensors like cameras and microphones to make handling the large vehicle easier. It has a typical “car navigation” system and carry 4 persons and up to 500 kg of additional cargo. There is also a small airlock in the back of the vehicle if the main hatch cannot be opened because of a hostile atmosphere.

The first Mako prototype was built on Jenga even before the work on the Frigga factory started. It was presented to the public on the first Motorcon in 2023.

M35-M variant

After finishing the Frigga factory complex, Catgirl Industries began to sell a Mako with military updates to any Great Justice approved forces. The military variant has an improved Eezo core to create a kinetic barrier around the vehicle and a coil-gun equipped turret. The kinetic barrier can also reconfigured to hold the atmosphere inside the vehicle when opening the main hatch.

The engine of the M35-M has been replaced by a fusion powered Otto engine designed on Frigga 77 to increase its range and durability. In addition to the civil features it also has a laser scanner, Handwavium detectors and a small radar system.

Quirks:
  • What idiot designed this? - The Makos controls seem to be pretty common at the first look, but many drivers have trouble with them during the first few hours anyways.
  • Catch me if you can! - When trying to jump up to be grabbed by a flying vehicle, the jumpjets work at 250% normal level.
  • I am no bird. - even if the combination of jumpjets and Eezo core should allow it, the Mako cannot fly in low-gravity environments.

Trivia:
  • The civil M-35 Mako has a range of nearly 700 km with a full tank of hydrogen and oxygen.
  • The Mako is designed to be air-droppable and air-recoverable.
  • Top speed of the Mako is 160 km/h on road, it can climb slopes up to 80°. It can handle temperatures up to 220°C and up to 5 atmospheres of pressure.
  • The Mako can easily float in water with active Mass Effect field.
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#11
Sounds good...

No sub-aqua capability, then? [grin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercar_%28TV_series%29

I'd also wonder, how many spare tyres it carried, and, how many wheels it could loose and still keep going (assuming drive goes to all six wheels).
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind
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#12
Ace Dreamer Wrote:Sounds good...

No sub-aqua capability, then?
5 atmospheres pressure means it can drive on the ground of a lake/river up to 50 meters deep.

Quote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercar_%28TV_series%29

I'd also wonder, how many spare tyres it carried, and, how many wheels it could loose and still keep going (assuming drive goes to all six wheels).

A single tyre is ~ 2 meter diameter, so you cannot take spare ones with you. But the tyres are waved to be more robust and you can buy some repair kits. Wink
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#13
I know this is more detail, but, I'd guess this is using high efficiency fuel cell technology (at least two sets of cells, for redundancy), and that, baring the jump jets, this is basically an electrical vehicle, with direct drive of all six wheels (i.e. they all have their own electric motor, or equivalent).

It might be worth noting that loosing even two wheels, as long as they are not adjacent ones, means that it can keep going, though at reduced power, and it is possible (with some field engineering work) to move wheels around in an emergency. Might it even be possible to limp along with only three powered wheels, as long as there is a functioning fourth non-powered one left?

Looking at partial failure modes for vehicles can be useful, particularly for those writing stories using them. [grin]
--
"It is the business of the future to be dangerous" - Hawkwind
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#14
Ace Dreamer Wrote:I know this is more detail, but, I'd guess this is using high efficiency fuel cell technology (at least two sets of cells, for redundancy)
No fuel cells for the Mako, it use a motor with directly attached generator to produce the electricity. Very robust technology and easy to get the necessary energy output.

With some modification the Mako might also run with methan or even gasoline.

Quote:and that, baring the jump jets, this is basically an electrical vehicle, with direct drive of all six wheels (i.e. they all have their own electric motor, or equivalent).
Yes.

Quote:It might be worth noting that loosing even two wheels, as long as they are not adjacent ones, means that it can keep going, though at reduced power, and it is possible (with some field engineering work) to move wheels around in an emergency. Might it even be possible to limp along with only three powered wheels, as long as there is a functioning fourth non-powered one left?
In theory one or two powered wheels (and a total of 3-4 wheels) would be enough if the rest is not locked by a gear.

Quote:Looking at partial failure modes for vehicles can be useful, particularly for those writing stories using them. [grin]
It will come late (because its one of the two "mass produced" things CI build at Frigga). Expect it in 2025...
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