Freelance Traveller - In A Store Near You - The Showroom

TL1 Covered Wagon

This article originally appeared in the September 2011 issue of the downloadable magazine.

CraftID:  Wagon, TL1, Cr 212
Hull:     1/1, Disp=1, Conf=4USL Open,
          Armour=1W (Wagon), 0Z (Cover),
          Unload=0.356 tons, Load=11.856 tons
Power:    External=0.00298 Mw
Loco:     1/2, Simple Wheels×4, Outboard Suspension,
          P/W=0.25, Road=10 kph, Offroad=1.5 kph
Comm:     -
Sensors:  -
Off:      Hardpoints=1
Def:      -
Control:  Direct
Accom:    Crew=1 (Driver), Seat=Bench (takes 2 sophonts)
Other:    Cargo=11.5 klitres, ObjSize=Small, EmLevel=None

Author’s Note: Some of the rules used to design this vehicle were found in Challenge Magazine, issue #61, “Wood & Wind, Steel & Steam”. Not all of the rules in that article were applied to this design. The volume of the transmission includes the volume of the animals used to draw the vehicle.

This TL1 livestock-drawn wooden wagon with a hide or cloth cover can be found on almost any low tech planet. The bottom of the wagon is thick enough wood (10cm) to be able to take a considerable load, while 80% of the hull is a cloth or hide cover to offer some protection from the weather. This can be removed as necessary.

The wagon is drawn by four animals; in this case, the external power source was calculated using the standard Terran horse producing 4hp. The on and off road speed varies considerably depending on the cargo load. An unloaded wagon can reach speeds of up to 41kph although it is likely the wheel would disintegrate at this speed. The transmission for the wagon, or the harness, is external to the vehicle itself and attached to the animals that are positioned in a 2×2 formation. The suspension is similarly external to the vehicle. The harness can be removed from the wagon and broken down into its individual wooden and leather parts to a much smaller volume for storage as needed.

Controls are direct: reins to the animals and a foot brake consisting of a long piece of wood that can be applied directly to the on-side front wheel.