Good flying vehicle for a PC group (4-5 PCs plus 2 NPCs)

[Shorty Lickens]

Vortrekker

https://palladiumbooks.com/forums/viewt ... r#p2226811

Might need several hoverpads, but is otherwise a good option for modifying.

[Shorty Lickens]

Morgen

https://palladiumbooks.com/forums/viewt ... s#p2374974

Also needs hover pads but is dirt cheap and already has amphibious capabilities.

[Shorty Lickens]

Dancat

https://palladiumbooks.com/forums/viewt ... d#p2428410

Same deal, cheap and needs mods.

[Shorty Lickens]

This is the last one I offer up.

https://palladiumbooks.com/forums/viewt ... n#p1802890

I think any decent vehicle you can find in one of the official books can be a good choice for the hover upgrades.

[glitterboy2098]

Shorty, i feel those last 22 posts could easily have been just one post, with stuff you found later on being added using the 'edit post' feature?

[taalismn]

Wow, you chose a lot of mine I wouldn't have considered on the basis of operating altitude and cost...then you remembered hover pads and GMR conversions.
And I -totally- spaced on the Osprey II.

[Shorty Lickens]

Wow, you chose a lot of mine I wouldn't have considered on the basis of operating altitude and cost...then you remembered hover pads and GMR conversions.
And I -totally- spaced on the Osprey II.

OP said he wanted flying and VTOL and around 7 person capacity and not overpriced. That's good specificity but also narrows the results a lot. So I had to do some digging. Took me a while but I got a bunch. And I am glad you made them, cuz in the core books there isn't enough. I am surprised Naruni didn't have a bunch more. In-universe they specialize in capturing diverse markets and lord knows there's tons of small groups running around the galaxies getting into adventures. Also they cater to many different space-faring and planetary nations. Their needs are diverse. Small flying transports would be in high demand.

[Rifter11]

Thanks for all the input! Lots of choices now!

[Devjannz]

This suggestion is not in the RIFTS book but in either the Robotech 1st edition main book or the Macross book for the Shadow Chronicles line:

The VC-33 Mom's Kitchen VTOL air transport.

Add a few Mounted MD weapons to it and it could be an easy to maintain air transport.

[Mlp7029]

A hovercraft would be good. Given how common hovercraft are i do not think helicopters would be very popular. They are quite finicky to fly and require a lot of specialized maintenance. Either NG or Naruni had a hover exploration model that would be good.

[Mersharr]

Given how common hovercraft are i do not think helicopters would be very popular. They are quite finicky to fly and require a lot of specialized maintenance.

As someone who has Pilot (Airplane) and Pilot (Hovercraft) but not Pilot (Helicopter), I agree with that.
Think it would be feasible to upgrade a traditional fixed-wing aircraft with a GMR or TW hover module to give it VTOL-capabilities without giving pilots without helicopter certification too much trouble (looking at you, Osprey)?

--

Shorty: "Have fun searching. Maybe Killer Cyborg will help you if you ask. I sure aint diggin thru all that."
Also Shorty: *proceeds to dig thru all that*

But seriously, a huge thank you in the name of all small groups looking for a defensible mobile home on a continent without usable roads.

[Mersharr]

The XM-180 Dragonfly (Triax & NGR p124)
It seats 4 Crew + 4 Passengers, making it ideal for the party size. Its low price and top speed make it a perfect candidate, only lacking the sleeping space. However, it does have cargo capacity for bots/power armor, and I don't see why it couldn't be refitted to carry a large armored cargo container instead, which could house sleeping arrangements and even a small bathroom. With some more remodelling, it might even be possible to make a direct connection from the cockpit.

Based on the size and weight of fully loaded Jägers and Super Jägers, we can estimate its cargo capacity to be at least 35 tons, 18 ft height, 9 ft wide, 30 ft long, which gives us the equivalent of a decently sized RV, for which we don't even need to account for the engine, fuel tank, etc.

Now I only need to convince my GM that this or an equivalent is available in America...

[taalismn]

The XM-180 Dragonfly (Triax & NGR p124)
Now I only need to convince my GM that this or an equivalent is available in America...

Knock-off copy, or maybe a collaborative marketing deal with Northern Gun(with its MASSIVE stable of power armors). Likely the deal fell through eventually(NG was developing its own dropship concepts and didn't like Triax horning in on its power armor market using the Dragonfly as an opening wedge), but not before a number of stripped-down 'market-safe' Dragonflies were sold.

[glitterboy2098]

The XM-180 Dragonfly (Triax & NGR p124)
It seats 4 Crew + 4 Passengers, making it ideal for the party size. Its low price and top speed make it a perfect candidate, only lacking the sleeping space. However, it does have cargo capacity for bots/power armor, and I don't see why it couldn't be refitted to carry a large armored cargo container instead, which could house sleeping arrangements and even a small bathroom. With some more remodelling, it might even be possible to make a direct connection from the cockpit.

Based on the size and weight of fully loaded Jägers and Super Jägers, we can estimate its cargo capacity to be at least 35 tons, 18 ft height, 9 ft wide, 30 ft long, which gives us the equivalent of a decently sized RV, for which we don't even need to account for the engine, fuel tank, etc.

Now I only need to convince my GM that this or an equivalent is available in America...

you could always argue that Triax manufactured a 'civilianized' version with a more conventional cargo bay in place of the drop harnesses. maybe some slight reductions in MDC and speed, and the removal of some of the missiles. and sold it under their "wilderness" line of products (the WR-prefix stuff). which IMO would likely have been exported to North America as much if not more than the official Triax TX-series stuff.

[taalismn]

you could always argue that Triax manufactured a 'civilianized' version with a more conventional cargo bay in place of the drop harnesses. maybe some slight reductions in MDC and speed, and the removal of some of the missiles. and sold it under their "wilderness" line of products (the WR-prefix stuff). which IMO would likely have been exported to North America as much if not more than the official Triax TX-series stuff.

Maybe call it the 'Libelle'(German for 'dragonfly') which would be mangled into nicknames like 'Libby' or 'Belly'.
Or call it the 'Damselfly' for marketing in North America.

[Hotrod]

I've looked at Titan Robotics, Northern Gun 2, MercOps and Triax 2 and everything is either overkill (such as the Hercules or Chinook) or to small (like attack helicopters and jet fighters). Also, long range and VTOL are highly desirable. Did I miss anything in those books or are there some in other books?

This is impossible to know without knowing more about the PC group. If no-one likes to use any other vehicles, power armors, or robot combat vehicles, and you don't like to scavenge battlefields or haul stuff, and no-one is significantly larger than a normal human being, then you could get away with something the size of a van. A Blackhawk helicopter would work. Change any of those assumptions, and you'll have your limiting factors for selecting your party wagon, and something like a Hercules or Chinook might not be overkill at all.

[Aermas]

There are a few flying trains & transports, but I would suggest a skyboat modeled off of a barge. You could then build whatever you'd like on it for cargo or crew needs. The NG Behemoth with a TW flight modification would be fun too.

[taalismn]

There are a few flying trains & transports, but I would suggest a skyboat modeled off of a barge. You could then build whatever you'd like on it for cargo or crew needs. The NG Behemoth with a TW flight modification would be fun too.

You'd also have big arms for picking up things/people from the ground too...the 'fly-by snatch' for instance.

[Aermas]

Now I need to see a flying TW Behemoth wrestle with a dragon...

[taalismn]

Now I need to see a flying TW Behemoth wrestle with a dragon...

Get on top of the dragon, cut the flight systems(or accelerate straight down)...cushion the sudden stop with the dragon as your airbag.

[rem1093]

There are a few flying trains & transports, but I would suggest a skyboat modeled off of a barge. You could then build whatever you'd like on it for cargo or crew needs. The NG Behemoth with a TW flight modification would be fun too.

I did that with tech. The leg and arm mounts are already there for mounting lifter thrusters. Then I added a bunch of other mods.
Also there are to 2 large hover craft ing the TRax book. A hospital and repair barg. Did anyone mention the hover Rig in the Northern Gun book.