Where is the place of the Bow in a Realistic GURPS Game.

In realistic conditions, Bows are still very advantageous despite their reduced comparative effectiveness to fantasy ranged combat. The opportunity expense of learning to use them (4cp) and acquiring them are still very favorable. Soldiers and freeman warriors would have the skill. It would be cost-effective that every party member get a 2cp on bow, 1cp on fastdraw, and 1cp on weapon bond (if your not following MA's perk limitations) if they have a DX of 12.

Characters can easily purchase a Longbow or if they have a patron to equip them, they can get a Composite Bow. Trained to proficiency a Kinestheticaly able Combatant would have a Bow-13 (Weapon Bond).

In most realistic scenarios where speed is limited to human norms, application of wilderness conditions, and considerations of visibility the “First Strike” advantage of a bow can mean death or survival.

If you consider realistic conditions, any terrain less stable than packed earth of worn roads will have movement penalties (giving time to archers). I would adjudicate Running+DX check if you want to move at full, without tripping. Penalty appropriate to the terrain, starting with +0 (challenging) at dirt pitted roads to -5 to inclined rocky or thickly rooted forest floor. Failure in such would reduce move to half, make it will allow for an arbitrary distance covered at full move (representing great footing). (critical is a trip) (I got the experience in soccer when playing in uncultivated fields; you cant run in grassy when you can't see the pitted areas, you'll easily break an ankle at full speed)

At 1d+1 imp (ST11 for Longbow) or 1d+2 (ST11 for composite bow) allowing for an engagement beginning at a distance as little 20yrs/m away (-6, and the visible engagement distance in fairly dense forest) and opponents are, at most, lightly encumbered. You will have a difficult scenario like below.

1 sec - (knocked arrow) Aim (skill-13+3)
2 sec - Aim (skill-13+3)
3 sec - AoA:D Fire (skill-13+3+1) (assume a the opponent covers 15yrd, -2; effective-14) and Fastdraw weapon (ideally reach-2 weapon).

A worse case scenario is when the opponents are better at ranged combat and have terrain advantage.

A similar effect can be achieved by using Bonded Balanced-Javelins ($200) at a charging opponent. As a GM, I would adjudicate javelins mounted behind shields easy to reach to be a DX check for fast draw).

This would be typical of Byzantine Soldiers (all were required to be proficient in around the Dark Ages, see Strategikon) and Chinese soldiers.

Scenario.

To prevent Imperial Soldiers from getting restless, they were set loose on the country side of “barbarian” territories to keep them busy. They tear up the place, and actually get carried away with their military exercise. They begin demanding tribute, as the exercise's costs go up. In a diffusely populated region that had not seen so many well armed and organized forces, these “barbarians” find themselves being plundered. Aid is called and, several of the Freemen assemble themselves to fight the Soldiers.

Terrain- Far from the empire's borders with few good roads. Diverse Terrain, the reason why growth in the region is slow and the population is diffuse.

6C Roman Soldiers. 110cp (75+35) 5cp left

ST11, DX12, IQ10, HT11

Move 4 (light encumbered); DR4/2 (body), DR4 head

Combat Reflex

Patron (roman army; minimal intervention, provides equipment, freq-6)*

Primary Skills:

• Broadsword-12 (broadsword 1d+1 imp/ 1d+2 cut; Parry-11)
• Bow-12 (composite bow, 1d+2 imp, Acc3)
• Fastdraw (arrows)-13
• Spear-12 (Longspear 1d+1 imp, Reach-2, Parry-11U)
• Shield-12 (Small Shield, DB+1; Block-11)
• Knife-12 (Long knife 1d-1imp/1d-1 cut)
• Wrestling-11
• Brawling-12
• Throwing spear-12 (Javelin 1d imp, Acc3, 11yrd/16yrds)

Secondary Skills:

• Soldier-12
• Hiking-12
• Packing-9
• Riding-12
• Running-10
• Survival (Temperate)-9
• Navigation-9
• Savoir-Faire (Soldier)-10
• Animal Handling (horses)-9
• Stealth-12

Background Skills:

• Theology (Orthodox Christianity)-8
• Literature (Folk lore)-8
• History (Local)-8
• Housekeeping-10
• Farming-12

*a patron that provides “equipment” (like an army).

6C Freemen Warriors. 110cp (75+35)

ST11, DX12, IQ10, HT11

Move 4 (light encumbered); DR 3 (Torso), DR 4 (Head)

Combat Reflex

Wealth (Comfortable)

Primary Skills:

• Broadsword-12 (broadsword 1d+1 imp/ 1d+2 cut; Parry-11)
• Bow-12 (Composite Bow 1d+2 imp, Acc3)
• Fastdraw (arrows)-13
• Axe/Mace-12 (Axe 1d+3 cut; Parry-11U)
• Spear-12 (Longspear 1d+1 imp; reach-2, Parry-11U)
• Shield-12 (Small Shield, DB+1, Block-11)
• Knife-12 (Long knife 1d-1imp/1d-1 cut)
• Wrestling-12
• Brawling-12
• Throwing spear-12 (Javelin 1d imp, Acc3, 11yrd/16yrds)

Secondary Skills:

• Soldier-10
• Hiking-12
• Packing-9
• Running-10
• Riding-12
• Hands-free Riding (riding-2)-12
• Survival (Temperate)-9
• Navigation-9
• Savoir-Faire (warrior)-10
• Intimidation-10
• Animal Handling (horses)-9

Background Skills:

• Theology (Pagan)-8
• Literature (Folk lore)-8
• History (Local)-8
• Housekeeping-10
• Tracking-12
• Area Knowledge-10

Use The Legionary Eqiupment Load Out.

Basic Set Knight Template and a Short adventure

Another Basic Set compatible NPC, although you may want to get your hands on Dan Howard's article: "Chainmail -- Why bother?" for more details on the armor set up. Unless you want to wait till summer next year for GURPS 4E Low Tech. This is pretty accurate, up to the armor weights and historical load-out of the most common knight.

Simulating economic reach, plays very strongly in encounter generation. Most opponents will have low metal weapons that give them the most bang for buck - axes and spears. A

Quick Encounter. A knight, covered with the heraldry and fluff of a formidable house accosts the PCs while they are in transit. He demands them (if he is of a higher status) or beseeches them to talk, rest and exchange news.

He tells the PCs that he was traveling to one of his lord's villages to examine them for irregularities and to impress on the inhabitants his lord's generosity, justice, and care for them.

When night falls he offers and insists the PCs break bread and salt with him. He tells them all, they are all his guests. He proves great company, and offers some of his wine cooling by in a brook.

The night is uneventful, but on the break of dawn everyone stirs to find the Knights tent silent. On examination, the knight is found beneath his sheets with blood damping the tent's floor. His vallet, a tent opposite him, can be found purple with his tongue swollen sticking out of his mouth.

Further examination, stirs up:

• Remnants of parchments underneath the camp fire with their wax blackened.
• Several Wardrobes of foreign dress
• there is $1,000,000 in gold under the tent soaked in blood.
  

Then in the distance, the thundering gallop of hooves...

Red Herrings Everywhere? - Could someone have sneaked into the camp? Was it suicide? Who was he really? What does this look like to the wrong people?

Possible Scenario. They needed a scape goat, and one that can completely clear the lord of any doubt of wrong doing. The knight discovered his lord's plot of treason in time to save him. To do this, he finds some random travelers.

He had stolen the evidence that incriminated his lord, he then sent a message to the Duke he has found evidence and to come in greatest haste. He then lures a group of strangers at ease and proceeds to burn the evidence, incriminate them, poison his vallet, killing himself in the end.

This was a hashed up plan, improvised out of a mad impulse. The knight really intended to destroy the evidence but was sure that it was enough. He planed to take the blame himself, but that also was not enough. In the very last minute, he hit on to this idea.

Knight Opponents. The Duke's men are Knights, with 3 remounts (war trained ponies at ST21, move 4/8, $3600) each. There are 3 off them, and they are smart enough to know, that if the something happens to them, everyone will be left in the dark. They with the remounts they can ride almost 50-70 miles in a day if they have to (killing the horses).

The Man-at-Arms

150cp (10cp left)

Attributes [80]: ST11 [10]; DX12 [40]; IQ11 [20]; HT11 [10]

Secondary Characteristics [0]: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1 [0]; BL 24 ([0]; HP 11; FP 11 [0]; Per 12 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Spd 5.75 (note: combat reflex, tactics) [0]; Move 5 [0]; Dodge (no shield) 9.

Social Background [5]: Cultural Familiarity (Norman) (Native) [0]; Language (French) (Speak and Read) (Native) [0]; Language (same alphabet) (English) (Accented) [2]; Language (same alphabet) (Latin) (Broken) [1]; Language (Speak and Read) (Greek) (Broken) [2].

Advantages [65]: Combat Reflex [15]; Status 2 (Warrior Class) [5]; Wealth (Wealthy) [20]; Patron (Liege Lord) (9) (Provides Equipment +50%) [15] ^[1].

Disadvantages [-75]: Duty, Hazardous (to Liege Lord) (12) [-10] Sense of Duty (Family) [-5].Choose -60 points from among the following: Callous (12) [-5]; Compulsive Behavior (12) [-5 to -15];; Discipline of Faith (Christian) [-5]; Code of Honor (Soldier) [-10]; Debt [-1 to -10]; Delusion (Mild) [-5]' Intolerance (Non-Christians) [-5]; Incurious (12) [-5]; Curious (12) [-5]; Insomniac [-10 to -15]; Enemies [-5 to -15]; Gregarious [-10]; Hidebound [-5]; Intolerance (Non-Nobles) [-5]; Impulsive (12) [-10]; Overconfident (12) [-5]; Honest (12) [-10]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Greedy (12) [-15]; Lecherous (12) [-15]; Berserk (12) [-10]; Blood Lust (12) [-10]; Bad Temper (12) [-10]; Gluttonous (12) [-10]; Selfish (12) [-5]; Fanaticism (Religion or Person) [-15]; Obsession (Long-Term goal) (12) [-10]: Truthful (12) [-5].

Skill Total [65]

Primary Skills [32]:

Knightly Arms [14]:. Broadsword (A) DX [2]-12; Axe/Mace (A) DX [2]-12; Spear (A) DX [2]-12; Fastdraw (Sword) (E) DX [1]-13; Shield (E) DX+2 [4]-14; Knife (E) DX [1]-12; Wrestling (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Brawling (E) DX [1]-12.

Horseman [18]: Soldier (A) IQ+2 [8]-13; Riding (A) DX [2]-12; Hands-free Riding (H) Riding+0 [4]-12; Animal handling (Horses) (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Packing (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Savoir-Faire (Warrior) (E) IQ [1]-11; Tactics (Land) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9.

Secondary Skills [18]:

Commander [9]: Administration (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Strategy (Land) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; Intelligence Analysis (Military) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; Leadership (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Public Speaking (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; History (War) (H) IQ-1 [2]-10; Psychology (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; Hiking (A) HT-1 [1]-10.

Hunting [9]: Tracking (A) Per-1 [1]-10; Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Survival (Woodland) (A) Per-1 [1]-10; Animal Handling (Dogs or Falconry) (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Bow (A) DX+1 [2]-12 or Crossbow (E) DX+1 [2]-12; Running (A) HT-1 [1]-11; Climbing (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Swimming (E) HT [1]-12; .

Background Skills [15]:

Noble Background [9]: Literature (Folk Lore, Legends, Myths or Heroic Epics) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; Theology (Latin Church of Rome) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; History (Family) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; History (Local) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; Writing (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Dancing (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Games (E) IQ [1]-11; Math (Applied) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; ; Area Knowledge (Neighboring or Capital Region) (E) IQ [1]-11;

Social Skills [6]: Carousing (A) HT-1 [1]-11; Heraldry (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Artist (Poetry, Drawing, or Composition) (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; Current Affairs (Politics) (E) IQ [1]-11; Diplomacy (H) IQ-2 [1]-9; Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ [1]-11.

Cavalry Load-Out:

Worn:

• Arming Dress (Body) DR1 $30 4lbs
• Clothes (Status 2) ($600) 2lbs
• Leather Gloves $30, negligible weight.
• Boots $80 3lbs
• Total $140, 9lbs

Armored Worn:

• Mail armor ("Chainmail -- Why bother?")
  • DR: 4 vs cutting, 2 vs crushing, 3 vs Impaling and Piercing
  • Hauberk (body, partial legs) $600, 15lbs
    • attacks at the legs ignore mail armor on 4-6 on 1d.
  • Sleeve (primary arm) $50 2.5lb
  • Total $650, 17.5lbs
• Legionary Helm $150, 6lbs
• Total $800, 23.5lbs

Carried:

• Small Shield $40 8lbs
  • Skill-12, Block-11 (DB1, DR6, HP30, OP13)
  • Dmg thr 1d-1 cr
• Cheap Broadsword $360 3lbs
  • Skill-12, Parry-11
  • Dmg thr 1d+1 imp / sw 1d+2 cut
• Large Knife $40 1lb
  • Skill-12, Parry-10
  • Dmg thr 1d imp/ sw 1d-1 cut
• Bottle, Ceramic (1L) 3lbs $3
• Trail Ration $2 0.5
• Total $445 15.5lbs

Total: $1,385 48lbs

Cavalry Loadout:

• Fine Longspear $180 5lbs
  • Skill-12 (one handed), Parry-10U, Skill-10 on Ride by
  • Dmg thr 1d+2 imp, Reach 1,2,3
  • Dmg thr 2d-1 imp, Reach 1,2,3 on Ride by
• Cavalry horse (ST22) $4000
  • Rider and Equipment 198lbs
  • Equestrian Gear and Load
    • Bit and Bridle $35 3lbs
    • Horseshoes $50 4lbs
    • Saddle and Tack $150 15lbs
    • Stirrups $125 20lbs
    • Total $360 42lbs
  • Total Load 240lbs
  • Move 4.8 on a trot, Move 9 run.
• Total $4,360

Group Travel Load Out:

• a Squire or Vallet
• 3 Saddle Horses $3500
• 2 Small Mules $2000
  • 4 Saddle bags $400 12lbs
  • Tent, 4-Man $150 30lbs
  • Group Basics $50 20lbs
  • Portable Toolkit (Armoury) $300 20lbs
  • 2 Wine Skin (8 Liters)$20 18lbs
  • 2 Blanket $40 8lbs
  • Sleeping Furs $50 8lbs
  • Wardrobe ($1200) 20lbs
  • Tent, 1-Man $50 5lbs
  • 5 days Rations for 2 people $60 15lbs
  • Total $3120 156lbs
• Total $6,620

[1] Patrons(B73) Typically a Knights Patron buys the services of the Knight with “gifts” of equipment roughly equal to his starting wealth. The “Powerful Individual” Patron (defaults a 10cp) is at Status 5 (Multimillionaire).

GURPS Quick Adventure

Another GURPS NPC template.

Instant Encounter. A bad harvest has forced several freemen to leave their homes to look for supplies to pillage. These warriors are skilled, but not as disciplined as professional soldiers of the empire, still they are formidable and versatile.

PCs encounter faint clues of these would-be marauders passing.

It is a climate of panic, as a bad harvest, has landholders scrambling to buy supplies from better off neighbours. Tension is growing as abuses mount regarding the unfair trade of supplies. It has come to a tipping point when the first news of violence and pillaging has every community pointing the blame at each other.

The PCs are caught in the middle, and might be forced to confront the angry parties. If they investigate, they later learn about the barbarians, but what they don't realize until later is that a Landholding knight has used the pretense to hide his campaign against an old rival.

Freeman Warrior

50cp

Use this template to represent warriors who do not have a large body of history, culture, discipline and organization to draw on for their martial tradition.

Attributes [20]: ST11 [10]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].

Secondary Characteristics [0]: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 [0]; HP 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Per 10 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Spd 5.25 [0]; Move 5 [0]; Dodge (light + DB1) 9 [0].

Advantages [15]: Combat Reflex [15];

Disadvantages [-25]: Duty, Hazardous (12) [-10]; Discipline of Faith [-5]; Sense of Duty (Family, Friends, and Comrades) [-5]; Code of Honor (Warrior) [-5].

Total Skills [40]:

Primary Skills [17]:

Combat Skills [17]: Axe/Mace (A) DX+2 [8]-12; Bow (A) DX [2]-10; Shield (E) DX [1]-10; Throwing Axe/Mace (E) DX [1]-10; Fast Draw (Axe/Mace) [1]-11; Riding (A) DX-1 [1]-9; Wrestling (A) DX-1 [1]-9; Brawling (E) DX [1]-10; Knife (E) DX [1]-10.

Secondary Skills [15]:

Warrior Skills [15]: Warrior (A) IQ [2]-10; Hiking (A) HT+1 [4]-12; Running (A) HT-1 [1]-10; Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-9; Survival (Wooded) (A) Per [2]-10; Tracking (A) Per [2]-10; Navigation (Land) (A) IQ-1 [1]-9; Packing (A) IQ-1 [1]-9; Savoir-Faire (Warrior) (E) IQ [1]-10.

Background Skills [8]:

Freeman Background [8]: Housekeeping (E) IQ [1]-10; Scrounging (E) Per [1]-10; Farming (A) IQ+1 [4]-11; Leadership (A) IQ [2]-10.

Worn:

• Leather armor DR2 (Torso, Groin) $100 10lbs
• Pot Helm DR6 $100 5lbs
• Clothes (Status -1) ($60) 2lbs
• Shoes $40 2lbs
• Cloak, Heavy (Fur) $50 5lbs
• Total $290 24 lbs

Carried:

• Cheap Small Shield $24 8lbs
  • Skill-10, Block-10 (DB1, DR6, HP30, OP13)
  • Dmg thr 1d-1 cr
  • Holds 2 Hatchets
• Cheap Axe $30 4lbs
  • Skill-12, Parry-11U
  • Dmg sw 2d-1 cut
• Cheap Large Knife $24 1lb
  • Skill-10, Parry-7 (no shield)
  • Dmg thr 1d-1 imp/ 1d+2 cut
• 2 Cheap Hatchets $48 4lbs
  • Throwing Skill-10, Melee Skill-12, Parry-11
  • Acc 0, Dmg thr 1d cut, Range 16/27
  • AoA:D + 3 sec Aim (behind shield cover) = Skill-11 at 5 yrds
• Long Bow $200 3lbs
  • Cheap bodkin arrows and hip quiver $39 3lbs
  • Skill-10
  • Acc 3, Dmg thr+1 imp, Range 160/270,
  • AoA:D + 3 seconds Aim = Skill-10 at 20 yrds
• Bottle, Ceramic (1L) $3 3lbs
• Total $126 20lbs

Travel-Load:

• Backpack $60 3lbs
• Blankets $20 4lbs
• 2 Sets of Clothes ($120) 4lbs
• Wine Skiin (4L) $10 9lbs
• Travel Rations, 2-days $12 3lbs

• Personals $5 1lb

• Total $102 24lbs

Total $518 71lbs.

Another Short Adventure can be found in my Byzantine Blog: The Slavers of the Horde.

Military Sci-fi Encounter

Mission: hold out long enough on the ground until Space forces can cut down enemy escape window. Enemies will have Orbital superiority, so the PCs side have to draw enemy ground forces in to very difficult terrain, like sensor scrambling magnetic polar region which have perpetual poor visibility (which also happens to be the best place to hide anti-orbital artillery).

Military Operation Scale. An enemy Task Force are bent in occupying a system. It is a very large force and this is a great opportunity to draw the fleet into a decisive fight. Basically, keep them there long enough until the cavalry can sneak in and close all the exits.

Enemy Task Force should be rather large, but the fast screening elements should be supposedly guarding Jump Entry points to the system. While Allied forces are well behind the system ort cloud and plan to micro jump to the 100Dlimit of all key strategic sections once enemies are all in positions.

Adventurer Scale. An occupying force will be attempting to raid a facility on a small dense satelite (1.1G) dangerously close to its malevolent gass giant (giving many sensor problems). The bounty hunter squadron will need to sneak up and position themselves on all escape vectors, before revealing their hand. The ground forces need to put on a retreating harassment long enough to give the allied small fighters to be in position.

Use the traveler Vehicular Adventure template modifications and the various templates and load outs. The variable role 6Dton fighters will be useful for setting up a cat's paw against a much larger and formidable opponent. Probably a sooped up 400Dton Frontier Merchant or Fast Courier. Or maybe a menacing baddie

Tech Level: 10 Crude Modified Subsidized Merchant
Hull: 400-dton Cylinder Streamlined hull* (28.9ksf, 28.9tons, $28M), dDR 10 armor (144.5tons, $1.7M ), Stealth (7.2tons, $2.2M) Total 180.6tons
Systems: 12 Maneuver Drive (12dtons, 48tons, $12M, ), 12 Jump Drive (12dtons, 48tons, $48M), 80 Fuel Tanks (80Dtons, 2tons, $1.6M), Fuel Processor (3.2 dtons/hour) (1dton, 4tons), Standard Bridge (2.5Dtons, 12tons, $1M, Mainframe-C9), Model-3 Sensors (Scan-18) (2dtons, 24tons, $8M, -8MW), 5 Heavy Turrets (7.5tons, $1M) (10 Pulse Lasers, 20 Missile Racks) (50tons, $20M, -50MW), Hangar (5x20-dton capacity; 205 Dtons, 7.5tons) (5 Assault crafts; 750 tons), 4 Launch Tube (8Dtons, 80tons, $0.8M, -2MW), 15 Fusion Plants (15dtons, 60tons, $45M), 3 Staterooms (12Dtons, 3tons, $0.15M), 7 Bunks (14Dtons, 3.5ton, $0.14M), Galley (4dtons, 2ton, $0.02), Recreational (8dtons, 2ton, $0.15), Administrative(2dtons, 0.5ton, $0.01), Armoury (2dtons, 0.5tons, $0.01), Brig-Bunk (2dtons, 1ton, $0.02), Workshop (2.5Dtons, 15tons, $0.6M), Sickbay (1dton, 1ton, $0.2M), 5 Cargo.
Statistics: EMass 820 tons (545 original, x1.5 for cheap), LMass 1,810 tons (36tons ammo, 25tons cargo, 7.5+10 tons personnel, 835tons small craft, 80tons fuel ), Cost M$303M ($171M, +$465M, all crude!), SM +9, ASig +3, Hull dHP 40, Life Support 86 (+100 from Assault Craft), sAccel 1.3G (w/o attack ships 2.5G) , Jump-2 (2 parsec range), Top Air Speed 740 mph.
Crew: (not Ready made) Command Section (3 officers), Engineering Section (3 officer, 10 crewmen), Cargo/Passenger Service Section (1 officer), Medical Section (1 petty officer), Flight Section (5 technicians, 1 flight technicians, 5 pilots, 5 small craft crew), Fire Section (60). Total ???

* a beveled Long box, with a menacing wedged front

crude pirate assault crafts Accel 4, LWT240tons, $46.5M each.

Considering to Bridge UT, HT and ISW

Couldn't ship costs follow the UT/HT x2 cost options? The escalating cost of +2 HT for x4 is a too big. Considering warship or frontier merchants who are required to operating far from possible proper support services, costs of X4 for a +2 HT seems to me inconsistent. Considering the huge cost jump, couldn't there be better examples of why it is such a valuable advantage that it justifies x4 cost? Because if its not that justifiable and from how I've noticed how my group looks at it then that rule should be reconisidered.

In my examination and tinkering, the Cheap Option in UT/HT is much better. Since Cheap can increase the mass, it will make a ship certainly slower. Example: Cheap Hero Class will have an Accel of 1.2 vs 1.5. Since Cheap also has the fragile option (-2 HT) the option for reliable trade off for price is still available.

Separating the x2 cost categories to Rugged and Expensive is also viable. The Rugged modifier will slow a ship down (+20% mass; Ex. Rugged Hero Class Accel 1.4), probably not doubling the DR (or just giving a +10% DR instead), increasing the HT by 2. Mixing Rugged but Cheap (heavy and not the fragile) option creates a can have x1.8 Mass and makes for a slow but affordable Frontier Operating Ship (Hero Class at Accel 1.2).

The expensive option, which really isn't that ideal for ships that are supposed to work in rugged conditions, would be great with a yacht (Accel 2.0 to 2.5), interplanetary shuttle (accel 1.3 to 1.5).

On Accel, isnt a difference between two accel, ex. Accel 1 and 6, merit a bonus far greater than half the difference? In the duration of a combat round, i just find the bonus disproportionate to my experience in flight simulations and how TDMs are scaled.