====== Baserunners ====== ===== Brief ===== These long-range reconnaissance and support vehicles were initially designed for wide open desert planets by [[lore:Black Bird Industries]]. The rolling grasslands and prairie of Big Sky is light work for these transports. Their bodies measure about 15 meters tall and 45 meters long. They have 9 meters of ground clearance fully loaded on six, 8-meter-tall wheels. ===== Technology ===== The development of colossal, high-mobility machinery was initially not possible until two major breakthroughs - micro fusion power plants and atomic printing. Micro-fusion power plants are defined as weighing less than 10 tonnes while capable of generating at least 7.5 megawatts continuously with a duty cycle of one standard year. Their weight to power ratio was required as using battery storage or ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) quickly exceeded the yield curve of available structural/chassis materials for even short range use. Their negligible fuel stock requirements and sustained power delivery made MFP ideal for exploratory/expeditionary work. Atomic printing (3D printing at the atomic scale) was required to develop the base stock of near-uniform, novel-lattice materials used by multi-axis (3D print head) molecular printers and molecular extrusion (2D print head). By engineering structural steel and aluminum alloys at the atomic level, materials delivered the type of yield curves required for rigorous usage. AP technology, even sparked a renaissance of electrical energy storage and ICE development, which were used for some specialized models. Internal Combustion Engines using basic AP stock material are cheaper to build and can be printed by general purpose printers. Servicing by humans does not require advanced training or specialized tools. They are particularly useful in environments where hydro-carbons and water are readily available and duty shifts are moderate. Battery weight characteristics and heat management made significant improvements because of AP. Almost all baserunners have significant solid state battery reserve stores (for emergencies/hazardous environments), few however do operate solely on battery cells, as AP ICE still outperforms them in general duties. That said, AP SSBs are vastly cheaper than MFP and truly zero-maintenance. Battery-only baserunners are used by military forces which must operate without material support but have access to reliable fusion power generation. Synthetic Electrically Actuated Muscular Fiber SEAMF (commonly referred to as Myomer because it functions similarly to a popular ancient fictional technology) consists of fibers which uses electrical voltage to constrict themselves down to a small percentage of their resting length. Capable of bearing heavy loads and constricting at extreme speeds due to high strength to weight ratios, SEAMF is commonly used in power armor or robotic armatures. In baserunners, SEAMF is rarely used but is known to replace hydraulics, cams assemblies, cables and suspension systems. SEAMF is expensive due to it's manufacturing process - it can only be printed by specialized print heads and requires regular specialized maintenance. Damage, manufacturing imperfections or improper/contaminated lubrication often result in fibers binding or knotting up - good for short term usage say, in power armor assaulting a position or long-term low-impact controlled conditions like an assembly line; bad for long range, extended expeditions through the wilds. SEAMF is most often used in baserunners by racing teams. ===== Racing ===== Baserunner racing or Baseracing began when retired military personnel purchased end of service life units, mothballed/obsolete parts and abandoned battlefield salvage. OEMs and the Aftermarket got onboard and sponsored factory units to promote their product lines to industry and moneyed enthusiasts. Most races involve open, off road endurance courses, the largest, most extreme race event takes place on the desert planet of Dakar (namesake of the Paris-Dakar rallies of the 20th & 21st centuries), categorized by engine type (MFP, ICE, SSB) and sub-categorized by output (C Class 19.5 MW - 24 MW, B Class 12 MW - 13.5 MW & A Class 7.5MW - 10.5 MW) Main Categories tend to feature common traits: *MFP: low DNF (Did Not Finish), low speed *ICE: moderate DNF, moderate speed *SSB: high DNF, high speed Winning Teams from Last Season: MFP *Class A: Cryton Military Industries, Black Bird Industries, Local Motors *Class B: Local Motors, BBI, CMI *Class C: BBI, Bombardier, CMI ICE *Class A: Suzuki, GM, BMW *Class B: Suzuki, BMW, Honda Motors *Class C: Suzuki, CMI, Bombardier SSB *Class A: Samsung, Zero, Bombardier *Class B: Zero, Samsung, Honda Motors *Class C: General Motors, CMI, Zero ===== General Purpose Military Armament ===== Armed with a light rotary auto cannon, most baserunners carry a magazine of fixed-wing-high-altitude and rotary/VTOL reconnaissance drones, dozens of sensor posts, communication relays as well as numerous ground defense cannons and anti-air missile platforms. ===== General Purpose Military Features ===== Their cockpits are designed for 6 personnel: 1 pilot, 1 navigator/communications operator, 1 drone operator/weapons system operator, 1 engineer, and 1 commander. The cabin features 1 full bathroom, 6 bunks and a small galley. ===== Usage on BigSky ===== The farmhands and homesteaders rarely fully crew baserunners, as they are used on Big Sky for repair/recovery operations (they have enough room in their cargo hold to store 2 VTOL or 2 combines. ===== Baserunners of Note ===== {{ :tech:vehicles:baserunner_b13.png?direct&400|}} B13 (VIN# 2BCFBRDKFG0193**B13**) was used by [[characters:Mitch Freeman]] and [[characters:Juan Rico]] to recover a hijacked combine and cart that went missing. Built by [[lore:Black Bird Industries]], more than 200 years prior, B13 saw extensive military action before being stripped and sold as a mining support vehicle. When the mining concern went bankrupt, B13 was sold at auction and eventually funneled to BigSky where it was further modified as a general purpose service platform. Only the chassis, fusion power plant and drive train are original parts. One mechanic suspects it was used in Baseracing at some point but the paperwork is incomplete.