Welcome back to the PIT Crew!
This time around, I'd like to take some
time to talk about the various vehicles that have popped up in the
original Gaslands book as well as the Time Extendeds. There's a lot
of them, so I might not get too in depth with some of them. Let's get
started!
Five Point Fun:
Drag Racer -
This is a rolling bomb. Because it has
a infinite number of ammo tokens for the nitro, it WILL explode. So,
I use it for a guided missile. Don't invest too many points into
these things, maybe a ram so you can take something out that's bigger
than it.
Ice-Cream Truck -
I don't know how I feel about this one.
It doesn't cause Hazard Tokens when another vehicle collides with it,
but it is cheap and doesn't have bad stats. I just haven't found too
many of these around. I'll keep looking and might pick one up, if I
can find one for cheap.
Bike -
Finding a motorcycle that's the right
scale isn't easy. I haven't looked too hard, but many toy car
companies do make motorcycles, but those are going to be giant as
they're the same size as the cars. As a unit, they're not bad. Fast,
maneuverable, and cheap, they're not a bad thing to pick up to flesh
out fast lists. Again, don't put too many points into them, as
they're not going to be able to stand up in a straight fight.
Buggy -
Buggies as by and large the best unit
you can pick up for five points. They're also easy to find for cheap
and on scale. I bought six golf carts from Jurassic World for a
dollar each. Sure, they look a little weird, but they were cheap.
Since they avoid taking damage for wiping out, they're good for fast
lists.
A Little More Expensive and Hard To
Find:
Bike With Sidecar -
Orginally, this is what a Buggy was
suppose to be, but I always thought it was a dune buggy/sandrail.
Anyway, finding models for this one is hard, especially if you want
one that's to scale. As a unit, there's nothing really special about
it. It's got an extra crew, an extra build slot, and is otherwise the
exact same as a bike for a few more points.
Gyrocopter -
As of yet, I haven't found a model for
this one, either. I'm pretty sure they included it because of the
Road Warrior. Since I haven't used them, I don't know how they'd play
on the table. But, it looks like you could have some fun dropping
stuff on people and laughing.
Middleweight Mayhem:
Car -
The backbone of most lists is the ever
reliable car. Sedans, coupes, and whatever else you have laying
around. When you get down to it, the car is the basic unit. It's
cheaper than most of the good stuff, more durable than a Performance
Car, and has good Gear, Handling, Build Slots, and Crew. They're also
very easy to find. At the Dollar Tree, you can get three cars for a
buck. Pick up two or three packs, and you have enough to get started.
Jeep -
Originally, the jeep was the same as a
regular car above, but they decided to give it its own entry. And
it's actually pretty cool. It's half way between a Truck and a Car,
and is perfect for Rutherford teams. It's also good for Miyazaki
teams, as they can't get any other vehicles with three build slots.
Performance Car -
The Performance Car is going to be the
core of many fast lists. While faster than a regular Car, it isn't as
durable. It's the backbone of Miyazaki lists, Idris lists, and
anything where you need speed. Because of its special ability, it can
move several times in a single Gear Phase. If you're going to use
these, you need to keep them away from close combat, even if it
triggers your special ability, and out maneuver your enemies. Dropped
weapons can keep people off your tail. And many of them don't take
Build Slots.
Truck -
Durable but slow is the best way to
describe the truck (also vans, if you want to use them instead). I've
seen a lot of Rutherford lists with trucks, as well as some Mishkin
and Warden lists. With three Build Slots, the Truck is very popular
with heavy combat lists, usually loaded with Rockets and Mortars. Or
with Rams and Armor Plating. Trucks are versatile.
Ambulance -
Added in TX3, the Ambulance is fairly
new to the game. It's got a higher Gear than a Truck, as well as a
pair of special rules that trigger during a Smash Attack, but are
more expensive. In short, an expensive Truck with some extras. I
haven't used it yet but do have one I snagged in a pack of emergency
vehicles.
Motorhome -
When I saw this in TX3, I was a little
confused. I have no idea why they thought this was a good idea.
Looking over the rules, it looks like an interesting unit with an
interesting special rule. I was finally able to find one at the
Dollar Tree. As a unit, I don't know if it works the way they want it
to. I think the Hull Points are a little low for the cost.
Heavy Hitters:
Heavy Truck -
Exactly what the “Heavy Truck” is
suppose to be isn't quite defined. Personally, I view it as the truck
part of a truck and trailer. Or a heavy construction truck. Or a tow
truck. Thankfully, it works for any and all of them. I like using
them for other construction equipment, like bulldozers. Since they
have five Build Slots, you can put anything and almost everything you
could want on them. Wreck Lobbers, mortars, rockets, armor plating,
and so on.
Monster Truck -
I have to say, this is one of those
units that I saw and knew I had to pick up and use. It's a giant
truck that runs over over vehicles. How awesome is that? Very
awesome. As a unit, it's not fantastic, but its got a lot going for
it. If you put a Ram on it, you can really wreck anything smaller
that gets in your way.
Helicoper -
A brief complaint: Why can't the
Highway Patrol use these, too? Anyway. Helicopters are a really good
unit. The only thing it can't do is score in race scenarios. With a
decent amount of Build Slots and max Gear, it can do a lot of damage.
Sadly, it can only be taken by Rutherford. But, you can pick one up
and use it as a second list for a friend to play.
Bus -
The bus is another unit that I've had
trouble finding, at least ones that are on scale, but I did pick up a
couple in a “city pack” by Matchbox. I haven't used them yet. As
a unit, they seem to be designed for one thing: Crew. With eight crew
to start, you buy some more, and then a ton of grenades, molotovs,
and whatever else. With a lot of Hull Points, you can just drive
around and light everything on fire. I think they work best for
Scarlett lists, maybe backed up by some Buggies.
APC -
When I first saw this unit, I wasn't
sure what the special rule of “Battle Taxi” was suppose to do.
Then I looked at some of the stuff in TX2 and it kind of clicked.
What you do is buy the Specialist weapons in TX2 and put them in
here. A half dozen Crew with Submachineguns? That's 36 dice in medium
range. You're welcome.
Tank -
Another Rutherford only unit, Tanks are
monsters. They have the highest Hull Points (tied with War Rigs),
good Handling, poor Gear, but four Build Slots. So, you know what you
do, right? Slap a cannon on it and blow shit up. I can't figure out
what else to do with it. Seriously. What else would you do with it?
Well, I do have a list with a BFG...
War Rig -
This is one of the most important units
in the game. The first Time Extended was entirely focused on a three
scenario campaign involving one. However, they're really hard to get
into a 50 Can list and they have very complicated rules, making them
daunting for someone just getting into the game. However, I've found
several different models for them for cheap, made by Hot Wheels,
including one that looks perfect out of the box. Modifications will
happen, of course. Even if you don't plan on using one regularly, I'd
suggest picking one up, if nothing more than for that TX campaign.
They're also great for 100 Can lists. They're monsters in the game,
damn near impossible to take down.
