#Heavy Dropship/Support VTOL (updated)

51 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

subtle fjord
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This suggestion has been updated after a misunderstanding on the Tarantula's size and capabilities had been cleared up.

I initially suggested this in https://discord.com/channels/909034158205059082/1285252136132935801 but after further debate I realised the goals were not the same. So instead I'll make a fully fledged suggestion here.

So here is my suggestion, a DarkReach offshoot with VTOL capability (payload reduced to permit VTOL operation) as a "bagall" support heavy. Bigger bay than the Tarantula. Tack on the ability to have a Radome on top of it and you can even take it for multi mission.

With the discussions in the other thread and now with this thread I think it comes to this:
_Large (Darkreach sized)
_VTOL
_Cargo bay/Dropship capable
__Capable of moving SAMs/SPAAGs/MBTs in single or pairs depending on weight availability
_Radome
_Possibly laser;
__Possibly gimballed ?;
___Possibly more powerful gimballed laser to act as a weak chin gun ?;
____Or possibly a large chin gun
_No weapons bay (vehicle/cargo bay instead)
_Probably no or few pylons
_no jammer pods

The intent is for a pure support role that would be able to both be a dedicated AWACS and/or a heavy Dropship as the situation requires.
It would not be a direct upgrade to the Medusa due to a lack of eWar and ARADs (or a lack of pylons in general).
It would not be in competition with the Darkreach as it would lack any significant firepower to match it.
While the Tarantula would be able to provide QRF and beyond frontline operations, this aircraft's niche would be more geared towards preparing emplacements or reinforcements within the territory (Something it would do better than the Tarantula but which would also be accompanied by a stiffer cost) but rarely on the opposite side of the frontline.

Not knowing the Tarantula's price. I'd estimate this would cost just shy of a Darkreach.

My inspiration: the entirety of the Dropship:UPF game

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opaque halo
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we already have the tarantula...

bitter lava
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I wonder if this is currently in development

subtle fjord
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How big is the Tarantula ? How expensive is it ? What equipment can you take on it ?

I'm looking for a smaller, cheaper Tarantula and possibly AWACS platform

grizzled rivet
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a cargo aircraft smaller than the tarantula wont offer anything to NO imo

subtle fjord
grizzled rivet
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I mean itd need to be a bit bigger

subtle fjord
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How big is the Tarantula exactly ? I'm kind of missing that part

grizzled rivet
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its about the size your suggesting, but its too small for tanks and SPAAGs
theyre too heavy
maybe for a larger map a bigger jet powered logi would work

subtle fjord
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Oh, in that case the niche that needs filling is for a bigger VTOL dropship ?

I can also work with that

subtle fjord
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Alright, Im updating the post with the Tarantula's capabilities in mind

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Heavy Dropship/Support VTOL (updated)

subtle fjord
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Alright I checked, the current utility load on the Darkreach is about 52 tons. So considering it does need fuel (although as a dropship it wouldn't need the full 27 tons) I'm not too sure about that MBT plan

The TWR is also kinda shit at MTOW (obviously)

So unless it's a brand new airframe or heavily modified to have more powerful swivelling nacelles (see the Avatar movie shuttle for example) along an elongated central body. It can't be the Darkreach.

And also considering the near future tech on display might not jive too well with nacelles that powerful. It might need to be a dedicated frame like the Tarantula is.

That being said It's not inconceivable either for engines like that to be used. They would be very fuel hungry though considering you'd basically need to be on afterburner to compensate for the weight for a true VTOL

ocean hill
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ok that would be cool, but if we're doing an avatar inspired thing, how about that giant gunship quadcopter thing from that movie? Mega lynchpin pods, turret mounted 76mm, laser turrets maybe, a whole bunch of 20mm turrets...

sounds like it would steal the tarantula's thunder tbh, but an even more giant cargo vtol with gunship options would be pretty awesome

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Jets aren't as efficient for hovering. The avatar shuttles are supposed to be fusion powered I believe, which sort of explains it's ability to fly on nothing but jets for so long if they are electrically powered from the reactor. This thing has giant air intakes so maybe there's huge turbines in there.

a_avatarpandorapedia_dragongunship_16x9_1098_14_2dca4390.png
subtle fjord
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But again I wanted to lean into the stealthy heavy lifter aspect of things. With an option for a radome to make it a true big boy AWACS. Hell if we ever get huge maps we might even want some fuel boat

ocean hill
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I think a large AWACS should probably just take off from a runway and not be a VTOL, but I think a VTOL transport is pretty good.

I think the Mega Quadcopter would probably be very vulnerable to guns too, not just radar missiles. It would be an easy target for pretty much all the ground vehicles, even with laser PD to help stop missile threats, it would probably get torn up by AA guns if you weren't careful.

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The cargo capacity would have to be massive too, since this is also a cargo plane. I imagine something like this being capable of moving tanks around, maybe two tanks at most. Also, side note, fans or rotors or ducted fans are the most efficient vertical propulsion schemes, not jets. I think a jet transport slightly smaller than the tarantula could fill a spec-ops stealth transport role, which would be really fun.

subtle fjord
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Yeah no, I don't think tank is feasible at that scale, considering those MBTs are 62 tons and the Darkreach itself has 52 tons utility weight (so no fuel)

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I'll be honest man, I really like dropships. I would love for a Darkreach looking one but I'd grab any bone thrown my way. If I can drop a recon truck with a sapper team up the road from a radar installation I'm IN

ocean hill
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Oh, maybe I muddled it a bit. I was saying the gigacopter could carry tanks inside, but I was sort of off topic there. I think a jet VTOL transport might be better suited as a stealth spec ops transport. You could sneak a air defense vehicle into enemy territory, or if they were added, drop off a squad of spec ops troops or something. A bigger transport would be pretty cool though, so I agree with you there.

Also, I think that an AWACS at this scale should probably be a fully specialized plane like they are in real life.

The gigacopter was me getting off on a bit of a tangent.

brisk tree
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Hi. I think about same role of aircraft, but that wasnt dropship or VTOL.
Imagine, we get that. Which gameplay we get?
Same like tarantula, but bigger. Could that aircraft make tactical maneuvers like droping many vehicle ahead main enemy base? Nope. We have already enough amount of vehicle depot for operative geting out from there? Yes.
Ok. That looks bad for current map.
VTOL technology need have veeery huge sizes to get that amount of units. And same HUGE VTOL, couldnt have big chances to land at airstrips, where is have really big sense from same utility vehicle.
Why make VTOL if that couldnt have enough sense for logistics? IDK. Usual aircraft, not VTOL could make all that logistics mission make better. But it will be still so huge for airstrips.
Okay. Same absolutely utility aircraft must be very good for same huge maps, with sizes... 130-200KM/140-200KM(or smth like that), That problem not only your VTOL, becaouse that problem of ALL HUGE aircraft at that map

subtle fjord
iron radish
grizzled rivet
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Eeeh vtol C17 but yeah

subtle fjord
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Yeah I don't think you could realistically do a C-5 VTOL. STOL would already be a big ask 😄

snow elk
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Silly,but honestly this has got my vote

ocean hill
# snow elk https://tenor.com/view/coffee-i-like-this-avatar-gif-13291446

honestly, I think a mega VTOL would be pretty fun as a heavy transport and gunship. Do you think I should make a separate suggestion for it? I would make it somewhat different from the VTOL from avatar, with wings and tilting ducted fans so it could do conventional style flight. Maybe we can name it after an even bigger spider.

snow elk
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Not sure about vtol,with the Tarantula coming,and the other light vtol aircraft it feels like the vehicle choices are already very saturated.A regular fixed wing heavy transport though...

ocean hill
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yeah that would be interesting as well, but it would only be able to drop stuff off at runways, right?

snow elk
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Probably.Maybe it could airdrop some aswell?

ocean hill
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that would also be fun. such a big plane could also be made modular, with an AWACS dish and refuelling boom options.

snow elk
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True

ocean hill
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I think mitch was working on a ducted fan transport plane earlier, but it had the fans in the front behind the cockpit and in the tail #development-blog message

iron radish
# grizzled rivet Eeeh vtol C17 but yeah

Jokes aside, the Tarantula/Quad TiltRotor like VTOL conversion of C-390 that will increase the useful lift to 50,000 kg is the limit. Anything heavier and larger will be a suitcase without handles (imo)

subtle fjord
subtle fjord
ocean hill
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Yeah, mine is really just an alternate form of yours, more focused on hovering and having firepower though.

subtle fjord
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Oh so a Tarantula gunship ?

ocean hill
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yeah just supersized. I was really talking about a giant vtol cargo plane with ducted fans, and then I sort of got carried away imagining a gunship variant.

subtle fjord
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Then yes a new suggestion could work

ocean hill
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we love VTOLS VeryGood

snow elk
ocean hill
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I was just bringing it up to show that some big cargo plane has been considered before. Although I have a hunch that that one turned into the tarantula eventually.

iron radish
snow elk
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Yeah

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If anything the Tarantula will be the actual vehicle that would fill that role

lyric bobcat
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damn, someone else knows about the game dropship!, high five bro