WIGE Vehicles.

[Like most vehicles in the Car Wars game, this article doesn't go into incredible detail with regards to types and styles. For purposes of this article, I'm only going to describe one type of WIGE vehicle, although there are about four main types with differing sections of wing and chassis'. Also, this is only to apply to true WIGE vehicles.]

Background:

During the 20th Century, a new phenomena was discovered that effected aircraft flying at a certain altitude across relatively flat terrain.

What happened (simply) was that at a relatively low altitude, a cushion of air builds up underneath the wings of the aircraft, much like that generated by a hovercraft. Unlike a hovercraft which has to generate it's own cushion via it's lift fans, the cushion under a plane or WIGE vehicle is generated 'free' provided the vessel is at a certain height and moving forward. This cushion creates lift, but it also decreases the drag on the vessel by a large percent.

This is known as ground effect and a vehicle that is designed to take advantage of this can achieve greater speeds at this altitude, but can also save on fuel and energy.

Because this effect can only be employed on flat-ish terrain, they are mainly used over water, and during the Cold War, the Soviet Union built many type WIGE vehicles, using them as amphibious landing craft, patrol craft, attack ships and so on. They then went on to build some of the largest vehicles of this type ever seen, such as the incomplete but infamous Caspian Sea Monster (which is probably still now rusting away in a hanger waiting for funds so it can be completed).

While the Russians sort of pioneered the WIGE, it was the Americans and Germans who sold it to the public. They went down the commercial route and built much smaller models, mainly on the boat hull, which were then sold to the public.

In modern times, WIGE vehicles can be seen as a relatively rare sort of vehicle, but one that has some advantages.
They can be used in similar situations as hovercraft, although flying higher than hovercraft, proximity mines won't affect them, and they are much faster.
Over the oceans they are faster than boats and aren't affected by torpedoes and as an aircraft, you have the choice of flying high, or low to gain the effects.

In all cases, when in ground effect, a large fuel saving can be seen, which is useful for commercial companies.

There are many terms that are used to describe these types of vehicles, and it can get confusing. So to help out, here are a list of terms that are used.

WIGE: Winged In Ground Effect - this is the term that is used here, and is used to describe all types of ground effect vehicle.
WIG: Winged in Ground effect
WISE: Winged in Surface Effect (used because most of these vessels fly over water)
WISES: Winged in Surface Effect Ship
Ekranoplan: Russian description, basically meaning screen plane
Wingship: American term
AGEC: Aerodynamic Ground Effect Craft, the common German term.

For some examples of what a WIGE vehicle looks like, please see here.

Construction:

There are many different types and styles of WIGE vehicle. Getting the most out of ground effect requires a large aircraft, similar to the huge fuel hogging giants of the 20th Century which no longer flies the skies today. As these vehicles no longer exist or are practical in the world of 2049, this article focuses on the smaller craft, which, while not being able to utilise ground effect to the extent of the larger vehicles, can still make a difference in the autoduelling world of the 21st century, especially when it comes to long range transport.

This section also only focuses on true WIGE vehicles, and thus while you might build a WIGE vehicle from an aircraft body, it won't be able to fly like an aircraft, and won't be able to reach the same sort of altitude at all.

As a result, WIGE vehicles aren't for everybody.

Any vessel that flies utilises ground effect to a limited extent, and this is mainly experienced by pilots when they come into land.
However to be able to use ground effect properly, a vessel has to be designed specifically for the job. For this, an aircraft body (most commonly a true seaplane) is used.

[Yes, I know that some WIGE vehicles are not actual aircraft but boats, but for simplicities sake the aircraft frame will be used to represent most of these. Boats that are made in WIGE vehicles have to be radically redesigned anyway, and most of the characteristics they end up with have more in common with a plane than a boat anyway.]

Microplanes and aircraft may be made into WIGE vehicles. Most are true seaplanes, and thus will have to be constructed as true seaplanes, but a relatively few WIGE aircraft are constructed to take advantage of ground effect on the ground, and a few are casual seaplanes.

In either case, the aircraft can be built normally, with the exception of the wings.

Most WIGE vehicles wings are short and wide when compared with ordinary aircraft, and they also have a slightly different wing section, which emphasises a more flat underneath than a normal wing. However there are some exceptions, and you can find some WIGE vehicles with long, thin aircraft like wings, but the wing section will always be different.

This effectively means that a WIGE will not be able to fly out of ground effect, and thus will not fly like a normal aircraft. WIGE vehicles may not be made VTOL.

WIGE wings cost 20% of the body cost, and weigh 10% of the body weight. This gives the vessel a 20% reduction in the crafts stall speed, and the top speed is reduced by 20%.

In game terms, it makes no difference if you're going to be using short, wide wings or 'normal' aircraft length wings.

They may be armoured and may mount additional wings as normal. The only other option allowed is that swept wings (delta wings) may be combined with the WIGE wings. This makes the stall speed normal, and the top speed increased by 25% (use instead of the WIGE wing decrease, not in addition to).

WIGE vehicles must have retractable undercarriages if they are to be equipped for ground operations.

Not all aircraft accessories can be used however: Dive brakes and wing tip mounts are not allowed.
Jet engines are also not allowable on a WIGE vehicle.

Other body styles:

While the aircraft body is the main frame that is used for WIGE vehicles, it is by no means the only one around.

Other fliers:
Other fliers (such as car planes, hover planes and sub planes), may be made into WIGE vehicles. This takes the same cost and weight as if the vehicle was going to be a flier, but only half the normal requirement for spaces (round up) need be paid. This is because the wings needed, being much wider, cannot be retracted and thus must stay out all the time.

After construction, all normal rules for performance applies according to the type of flier that the WIGE was constructed from, however as these are WIGE vehicles and use WIGE wings, they suffer 20% reduction in top speed, although stall speed will remain as normal.

Car planes may have their wings detachable as normal.

Boats:
Dinghies and Speed boats may be made directly into WIGE vehicles with the addition of some WIGE wings. These wings cost and weigh 12.5% of the boats body cost and weight, which includes the modifications for WIGE wings. They may not be made swept wings. These wings give no wing spaces, are damaged like microplane wings, and have 7 DP for the dinghy, and 10 DP for the speed boat. They are not retractable, and cannot be made so. The wings also have the additional effect of making the craft not being able to mount any side mounted EWPs at all.

A boat has a stall speed of 40 mph (WIGE reductions included), and functions like a true seaplane, and when in the air, as a microplane with an HC of 1. The boat must legally be lift off as a microplane, and when in the air has a top speed worked out as an aircraft, modified by WIGE wings.

Boat WIGEs may not have jet drives, or if they do, they must mount a microplane propeller in an EWP on top of the boat, and must switch from one system to the other before employing ground effect.

For a decidedly weird looking vessel, the boat WIGE may mount retractable landing gear as well.

Performance:

Until a vessel reaches ground effect, it will not have any differences in it's performance, although it might have some performance effects depending on how it was built, as detailed above.
WIGE vessels must taxi like an aircraft to be able to take off, and when they land, they land the same way.

Getting to ground effect:
Getting to ground effect is easy, just take off like an ordinary flying vessel (although remember that seaplanes will have a tougher time than normal). Ground effect will kick in at a certain height, which is as follows:

True WIGE vessels have a ground effect height starting around 5-15' and going up to around 45', which in games terms equates to around 1/2" to 3" of altitude.

These vehicles may not fly higher than this.

However, this does have some advantages. When at least 1/4" off the ground, proximity weapons that usually effect hovercraft will not affect the craft, and only airborne weapons or direct fire weapons will affect them properly. SAMs and AAMs will fire at an airborne WIGE vehicle as if it were an aircraft.

Ground effect:
However, once a vessel reaches ground effect, then the following will happen.

The craft suddenly gets very economical to run - PU or fuel gets consumed by only 50% the normal amounts. Note that this is for movement only - a laser requiring 2 PU will still need 2 PU to fire regardless of how cheaply the vehicle is running! For a long distance cargo haul, this can be a very important point when considering if a WIGE is for you.
At a height of 1.5 - 3" however, this is reduced to only 75% fuel consumption, still making it more economical to run, but just not as much.

Movement:
On the ground, or in the sea, the vessel behaviours as a normal vessel of it's type. For example, an aircraft based WIGE on the ground will act like a standard taxiing aircraft when ground based, a seaplane will function like a seaplane when sitting in the sea.

When in the air, then the WIGE functions pretty much as an aircraft, with the following modifiers:

The vehicle is not allowed to perform complex manoeuvres, viffing, or make rolls greater than 60 degrees.

Obviously, any flying WIGE vehicle may go over the sea without having to be a seaplane.

Skills:

A true WIGE isn't classified as an aircraft as it can't fly very high. If it were to be able to do a sustained flight at a higher altitude, then it would be an aircraft, requiring a pilots license and required permits.

But it's not, and as such it is defined as a boat. Thus the controls are mainly boat based, with only a few additional controls for when the WIGE takes off.

As a result, Boat skill can be used for when the WIGE is on the sea, but as such soon at it takes off, either Aircraft or Boat skill (both at -1) can be used instead.

Or, a new skill WIGE Pilot can be used, which combines elements of boating and aircraft. It allows the user to pilot boats, and aircraft, but at a -2 to the skill level.

If the WIGE vehicle is a ground based version, then substitute the relevant ground skill instead of WIGE when on the ground. WIGE pilot will not cover the ground based WIGE vehicles, but will cover the airborne aspects.

Sample craft:

Note: All designs give 200 lbs per crewmember for personal gear.

Wave Surfer:
Small microplane WIGE (true seaplane moulded body), medium plant (PC and SC),2 std cycle tyres, 1 propeller (in EWP, t, facing b), WIGE swept wings, pilot only, no cargo, pulse LL (f), retractable landing gear (wings). Armour: F60, B25, L40, R40, T25, U25 +5 points EWP armour, 5 points propeller armour, accel 5 mph, top speed 282.5 mph, stall speed 30 mph, HC 4, weight 2997 lbs, cost $15,572

Wave Surfer lite:
As the Wave Surfer, but remove the pulse LL and replace with an MG. $12,572

X-119:
Large microplane WIGE (true seaplane moulded body), sports plant, 1 propeller (in EWP, t, facing forward), WIGE wings, pilot, gunner, no cargo, 3 RRs (2 linked, 1 per wing, 1 f, all smart linked), HDSS (b), improved tail assembly, wing tip pontoons, LDR. Armour: F60, B30, L40, R40, T30, U30 + 10 points EWP armour, 10 points propeller armour, accel 5 mph, top speed 170 mph, stall speed 25 mph, HC 3 (2 in water), weight 6000 lbs, cost $27,515

Luscious Lucy:
Cargo aircraft WIGE, super helicopter plant (w/ extra power cells), 6 std truck tyres, 2 propellers (wings, b), WIGE wings, pilot, 2 gunners, 42 cargo (10,960 lbs), 4 VMGs (in two uni turrets, FT, BT. Both turret VMGs linked, both turrets smart linked), retractable landing gear, radar, LDR, extra driver controls. Armour: F40, B35, FL,FR,BL,BR25, FT,BT40, FU,BU30 + 20 points propeller armour each, 20 points wing armour each, accel 5 mph, top speed 230 mph (loaded), stall speed 80 mph, HC 0, weight 19,040 lbs, cost $114,800

WIGE Beater:
Standard hover WIGE, sports boat plant (SC), 4 standard skirts, driver only, no cargo, RL (w/extra magazine - uni turret), TL (turret), LGL (TL to RL), turbofans. Armour: F29, B25, L25, R25, T25, U15 + 3 ten point fan armour guards, 4 ten point skirt armour guards, hover mode: HC 2, accel 10 mph, top speed 142.5 mph, WIGE mode: HC 1, accel 10 mph, top speed 195 mph, stall speed 50 mph, weight 7592 lbs, cost $23,420

Hopper:
Speed boat WIGE, sports boat plant, propeller, WIGE wings, pilot only, no cargo, 2 RLs (f, link). Armour: F48, B25, L35, R35, U25 + 10 points propeller armour, boat mode: accel 10 mph, top speed 82.5 mph, HC 2, WIGE mode: accel 5 mph, top speed 200 mph, stall speed 40 mph, HC 1, weight 6998 lbs, cost $19,310

Some useful links:

The WIG Homepage
A very nice site, detailing ground effect, vehicles currently in operation, history and more!
The Russian Aviation Page
Detailing the Russian Ekranoplans, including the Caspian sea monster.

WIGE Vehicles
[Like most vehicles in the Car Wars game, this article doesn't go into incredible detail with regards to types and styles. For purposes of this article, I'm only going to describe one type of WIGE vehicle, although there are about four main types with differing sections of wing and chassis'. Also, this is only to apply to true WIGE vehicles.] Background: During the 20th Century, a new phenomena was discovered that effected aircraft flying at a certain altitude across relatively flat terrain. What happened (simply) was that at a relatively low altitude, a cushion of air builds up underneath the wings of the aircraft, much like that generated by a hovercraft. Unlike a hovercraft which has to generate it's own cushion via it's lift fans, the cushion under a plane or WIGE vehicle is generated 'free' provided the vessel is at a certain height and moving forward. This cushion creates lift, but it also decreases the drag on the vessel by a large percent. This is known as ground effect and a vehicle that is designed to take advantage of this can achieve greater speeds at this altitude, but can also save on fuel and energy. Because this effect can only be employed on flat-ish terrain, they are mainly used over water, and during the Cold War, the Soviet Union built many type WIGE vehicles, using them as amphibious landing craft, patrol craft, attack ships and so on. They then went on to build some of the largest vehicles of this type ever seen, such as the incomplete but infamous Caspian Sea Monster (which is probably still now rusting away in a hanger waiting for funds so it can be completed). While the Russians sort of pioneered the WIGE, it was the Americans and Germans who sold it to the public. They went down the commercial route and built much smaller models, mainly on the boat hull, which were then sold to the public. In modern times, WIGE vehicles can be seen as a relatively rare sort of vehicle, but one that has some advantages. They can be used in similar situations as hovercraft, although flying higher than hovercraft, proximity mines won't affect them, and they are much faster. Over the oceans they are faster than boats and aren't affected by torpedoes and as an aircraft, you have the choice of flying high, or low to gain the effects. In all cases, when in ground effect, a large fuel saving can be seen, which is useful for commercial companies. There are many terms that are used to describe these types of vehicles, and it can get confusing. So to help out, here are a list of terms that are used. WIGE: Winged In Ground Effect - this is the term that is used here, and is used to describe all types of ground effect vehicle. WIG: Winged in Ground effect WISE: Winged in Surface Effect (used because most of these vessels fly over water) WISES: Winged in Surface Effect Ship Ekranoplan: Russian description, basically meaning screen plane Wingship: American term AGEC: Aerodynamic Ground Effect Craft, the common German term. For some examples of what a WIGE vehicle looks like, please see here. Construction: There are many different types and styles of WIGE vehicle. Getting the most out of ground effect requires a large aircraft, similar to the huge fuel hogging giants of the 20th Century which no longer flies the skies today. As these vehicles no longer exist or are practical in the world of 2049, this article focuses on the smaller craft, which, while not being able to utilise ground effect to the extent of the larger vehicles, can still make a difference in the autoduelling world of the 21st century, especially when it comes to long range transport. This section also only focuses on true WIGE vehicles, and thus while you might build a WIGE vehicle from an aircraft body, it won't be able to fly like an aircraft, and won't be able to reach the same sort of altitude at all. As a result, WIGE vehicles aren't for everybody. Any vessel that flies utilises ground effect to a limited extent, and this is mainly experienced by pilots when they come into land. However to be able to use ground effect properly, a vessel has to be designed specifically for the job. For this, an aircraft body (most commonly a true seaplane) is used. [Yes, I know that some WIGE vehicles are not actual aircraft but boats, but for simplicities sake the aircraft frame will be used to represent most of these. Boats that are made in WIGE vehicles have to be radically redesigned anyway, and most of the characteristics they end up with have more in common with a plane than a boat anyway.] Microplanes and aircraft may be made into WIGE vehicles. Most are true seaplanes, and thus will have to be constructed as true seaplanes, but a relatively few WIGE aircraft are constructed to take advantage of ground effect on the ground, and a few are casual seaplanes. In either case, the aircraft can be built normally, with the exception of the wings. Most WIGE vehicles wings are short and wide when compared with ordinary aircraft, and they also have a slightly different wing section, which emphasises a more flat underneath than a normal wing. However there are some exceptions, and you can find some WIGE vehicles with long, thin aircraft like wings, but the wing section will always be different. This effectively means that a WIGE will not be able to fly out of ground effect, and thus will not fly like a normal aircraft. WIGE vehicles may not be made VTOL. WIGE wings cost 20% of the body cost, and weigh 10% of the body weight. This gives the vessel a 20% reduction in the crafts stall speed, and the top speed is reduced by 20%. In game terms, it makes no difference if you're going to be using short, wide wings or 'normal' aircraft length wings. They may be armoured and may mount additional wings as normal. The only other option allowed is that swept wings (delta wings) may be combined with the WIGE wings. This makes the stall speed normal, and the top speed increased by 25% (use instead of the WIGE wing decrease, not in addition to). WIGE vehicles must have retractable undercarriages if they are to be equipped for ground operations. Not all aircraft accessories can be used however: Dive brakes and wing tip mounts are not allowed. Jet engines are also not allowable on a WIGE vehicle. Other body styles: While the aircraft body is the main frame that is used for WIGE vehicles, it is by no means the only one around. Other fliers: Other fliers (such as car planes, hover planes and sub planes), may be made into WIGE vehicles. This takes the same cost and weight as if the vehicle was going to be a flier, but only half the normal requirement for spaces (round up) need be paid. This is because the wings needed, being much wider, cannot be retracted and thus must stay out all the time. After construction, all normal rules for performance applies according to the type of flier that the WIGE was constructed from, however as these are WIGE vehicles and use WIGE wings, they suffer 20% reduction in top speed, although stall speed will remain as normal. Car planes may have their wings detachable as normal. Boats: Dinghies and Speed boats may be made directly into WIGE vehicles with the addition of some WIGE wings. These wings cost and weigh 12.5% of the boats body cost and weight, which includes the modifications for WIGE wings. They may not be made swept wings. These wings give no wing spaces, are damaged like microplane wings, and have 7 DP for the dinghy, and 10 DP for the speed boat. They are not retractable, and cannot be made so. The wings also have the additional effect of making the craft not being able to mount any side mounted EWPs at all. A boat has a stall speed of 40 mph (WIGE reductions included), and functions like a true seaplane, and when in the air, as a microplane with an HC of 1. The boat must legally be lift off as a microplane, and when in the air has a top speed worked out as an aircraft, modified by WIGE wings. Boat WIGEs may not have jet drives, or if they do, they must mount a microplane propeller in an EWP on top of the boat, and must switch from one system to the other before employing ground effect. For a decidedly weird looking vessel, the boat WIGE may mount retractable landing gear as well. Performance: Until a vessel reaches ground effect, it will not have any differences in it's performance, although it might have some performance effects depending on how it was built, as detailed above. WIGE vessels must taxi like an aircraft to be able to take off, and when they land, they land the same way. Getting to ground effect: Getting to ground effect is easy, just take off like an ordinary flying vessel (although remember that seaplanes will have a tougher time than normal). Ground effect will kick in at a certain height, which is as follows: True WIGE vessels have a ground effect height starting around 5-15' and going up to around 45', which in games terms equates to around 1/2" to 3" of altitude. These vehicles may not fly higher than this. However, this does have some advantages. When at least 1/4" off the ground, proximity weapons that usually effect hovercraft will not affect the craft, and only airborne weapons or direct fire weapons will affect them properly. SAMs and AAMs will fire at an airborne WIGE vehicle as if it were an aircraft. Ground effect: However, once a vessel reaches ground effect, then the following will happen. The craft suddenly gets very economical to run - PU or fuel gets consumed by only 50% the normal amounts. Note that this is for movement only - a laser requiring 2 PU will still need 2 PU to fire regardless of how cheaply the vehicle is running! For a long distance cargo haul, this can be a very important point when considering if a WIGE is for you. At a height of 1.5 - 3" however, this is reduced to only 75% fuel consumption, still making it more economical to run, but just not as much. Movement: On the ground, or in the sea, the vessel behaviours as a normal vessel of it's type. For example, an aircraft based WIGE on the ground will act like a standard taxiing aircraft when ground based, a seaplane will function like a seaplane when sitting in the sea. When in the air, then the WIGE functions pretty much as an aircraft, with the following modifiers: The vehicle is not allowed to perform complex manoeuvres, viffing, or make rolls greater than 60 degrees. Obviously, any flying WIGE vehicle may go over the sea without having to be a seaplane. Skills: A true WIGE isn't classified as an aircraft as it can't fly very high. If it were to be able to do a sustained flight at a higher altitude, then it would be an aircraft, requiring a pilots license and required permits. But it's not, and as such it is defined as a boat. Thus the controls are mainly boat based, with only a few additional controls for when the WIGE takes off. As a result, Boat skill can be used for when the WIGE is on the sea, but as such soon at it takes off, either Aircraft or Boat skill (both at -1) can be used instead. Or, a new skill WIGE Pilot can be used, which combines elements of boating and aircraft. It allows the user to pilot boats, and aircraft, but at a -2 to the skill level. If the WIGE vehicle is a ground based version, then substitute the relevant ground skill instead of WIGE when on the ground. WIGE pilot will not cover the ground based WIGE vehicles, but will cover the airborne aspects. Sample craft: Note: All designs give 200 lbs per crewmember for personal gear. Wave Surfer: Small microplane WIGE (true seaplane moulded body), medium plant (PC and SC),2 std cycle tyres, 1 propeller (in EWP, t, facing b), WIGE swept wings, pilot only, no cargo, pulse LL (f), retractable landing gear (wings). Armour: F60, B25, L40, R40, T25, U25 +5 points EWP armour, 5 points propeller armour, accel 5 mph, top speed 282.5 mph, stall speed 30 mph, HC 4, weight 2997 lbs, cost $15,572 Wave Surfer lite: As the Wave Surfer, but remove the pulse LL and replace with an MG. $12,572 X-119: Large microplane WIGE (true seaplane moulded body), sports plant, 1 propeller (in EWP, t, facing forward), WIGE wings, pilot, gunner, no cargo, 3 RRs (2 linked, 1 per wing, 1 f, all smart linked), HDSS (b), improved tail assembly, wing tip pontoons, LDR. Armour: F60, B30, L40, R40, T30, U30 + 10 points EWP armour, 10 points propeller armour, accel 5 mph, top speed 170 mph, stall speed 25 mph, HC 3 (2 in water), weight 6000 lbs, cost $27,515 Luscious Lucy: Cargo aircraft WIGE, super helicopter plant (w/ extra power cells), 6 std truck tyres, 2 propellers (wings, b), WIGE wings, pilot, 2 gunners, 42 cargo (10,960 lbs), 4 VMGs (in two uni turrets, FT, BT. Both turret VMGs linked, both turrets smart linked), retractable landing gear, radar, LDR, extra driver controls. Armour: F40, B35, FL,FR,BL,BR25, FT,BT40, FU,BU30 + 20 points propeller armour each, 20 points wing armour each, accel 5 mph, top speed 230 mph (loaded), stall speed 80 mph, HC 0, weight 19,040 lbs, cost $114,800 WIGE Beater: Standard hover WIGE, sports boat plant (SC), 4 standard skirts, driver only, no cargo, RL (w/extra magazine - uni turret), TL (turret), LGL (TL to RL), turbofans. Armour: F29, B25, L25, R25, T25, U15 + 3 ten point fan armour guards, 4 ten point skirt armour guards, hover mode: HC 2, accel 10 mph, top speed 142.5 mph, WIGE mode: HC 1, accel 10 mph, top speed 195 mph, stall speed 50 mph, weight 7592 lbs, cost $23,420 Hopper: Speed boat WIGE, sports boat plant, propeller, WIGE wings, pilot only, no cargo, 2 RLs (f, link). Armour: F48, B25, L35, R35, U25 + 10 points propeller armour, boat mode: accel 10 mph, top speed 82.5 mph, HC 2, WIGE mode: accel 5 mph, top speed 200 mph, stall speed 40 mph, HC 1, weight 6998 lbs, cost $19,310 Some useful links: The WIG Homepage A very nice site, detailing ground effect, vehicles currently in operation, history and more! The Russian Aviation Page Detailing the Russian Ekranoplans, including the Caspian sea monster.

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