Vector Thrust Vehicle VTV
Although the VTV is similar in many respects to a hovercraft - it floats on a cushion of air - it is different in many others. Foremost among these is the fact the VTV can vary the distance between it and the ground below it. This makes it similar to an aircraft, but there is one important difference: a VTV cannot fly! Sure, it can hold itself above the ground, but it cannot continue to climb. Further, it needs to have solid ground below it if it is to move forward.
Basically, a VTV uses thrust to push it along the ground or to give it altitude. One important fact MUST be remembered when flying a VTV: a VTV has only a limited amount of power to supply to its thrust vector ports! This means that if you want to raise yourself off of the ground, the VTV must use a larger portion of its fusion reactor's power to raise it up, leaving less energy to push the craft forward and to turn it. The closer to the ground a VTV is, the faster it will travel and turn. This is because the VTV is spending only a little of its power to keep the craft off the ground and hence has more available to thrust it forward.
Remember: If you want to go faster, get closer to the ground. Always try to keep your VTV as close to the ground as is practical. This will result in higher top speeds, which in turn will lead to higher scores.
Important Note: The training VTV for Red Planet is the Armadillo. This VTV is quite different from all of the others, and was designed especially to make learning Red Planet easier for beginners. As such, it has different flight and handling characteristics that need to be discussed separately from the other VTVs and flight modes.
The primary difference between the Armadillo and all other VTVs is this: an Armadillo does not have any vertical lift capacity - its power plant provides only enough lift to keep it off of the ground. Additionally, it is more responsive to joystick commands than most of the other VTVs and because of this, can turn more tightly and quickly. The Armadillo is extremely tough and has the collision durability equal to that of most Bull Class VTVs. However, it is not well protected from weapons fire, and in this regard is about the same as the lightest Bug Class VTVs. These characteristics were given to the Armadillo to make learning the ins and outs of Red Planet that much easier.
Classes of VTVs
There are three different classes of VTV available to the pilot: Bug class, Mule class, and Bull class. Each of the classes of VTV was originally designed to perform different tasks in the canalways, and so all have different flight characteristics. Although the VTVs are now being used for something far different than their original purpose, these flight characteristics are still the same and will have a profound effect on the race itself.
Bug Class
The Bug Class VTVs are the smallest, lightest, yet fastest and most maneuverable VTVs in Red Planet. Designed to perform light welding and maintenance work in the canals, they needed to be nimble and able to get from job to job quickly.
Both of these traits help them in the race environment, but they come with a price. Bug Class VTVs are also the most fragile of the VTVs, and so need to be careful not to collide with objects in the canal at anything but the lowest speeds. Because of their light weight, Bug Class VTVs only have two thrust vector ports. If these VTVs are armed, it is generally with the lightest of the Laser Drills or Rivet Guns.
In the Red Planet racing environment, the high top speeds of the Bug Class VTVs make them the most desired. Also, because of their light weight, they get the most out of their on-board Boosters. The extreme light weight and fragility of the Bug class VTVs make them a little tricky for beginners, but once flying a VTV has been mastered, they offer the greatest odds of victory for most VTV pilots.
Mule Class
Designed as the workhorses of the Martian canals, the Mule Class VTVs are good all-around VTVs, having more armor and being larger than all Bug Class VTVs. Being a compromise between the speed and maneuverability of the Bug Class, and the heavy-duty toughness of the Bull Class, Mule Class VTVs have four thrust vector ports and this gives them a blend of speed and power.
Mule Class VTVs are rugged and can be banged about quite a bit. However, they are also a bit heavier and a bit slower than Bug Class VTVs. They are not as maneuverable as Bug Class VTVs, either. Mule Class VTVs that are armed carry weapons that are usually heavier than those used by Bug Class VTVs.
As racers, Mule Class VTVs don't offer the high speeds or the maneuverability of Bug Class VTVs, but they are more robust and allow a novice pilot to survive more mistakes than the Bugs do. The fastest of the Mule Class VTVs have about the same top speed as the slowest of the Bug class VTVs, plus they have the additional benefit of being able to collide with these same Bug Class VTVs and be the ones to drive away from the wreckage in one piece. Mule Class VTVs are ideal for beginners because of the above traits. They are also good VTVs to use when exploring new courses, as they are more forgiving of piloting mistakes.
Bull Class
Bull Class VTVs are the dump trucks and semi's of the Martian canals. They are designed to do the heaviest lifting and mining operations. As such, they are incredibly tough and well armored. As lifters, they have the most number of thrust vector ports (6) and have great vertical lift capability. However because of the extra armor they carry and the larger size of the frame, Bull Class VTVs are the slowest and least nimble of all the VTVs.
The armor that slows the Bull Class VTVs down is also a great boon for the pilot in that Bull Class VTVs can survive all but the heaviest impacts with the obstacles and vehicles it may encounter in the canals. When armed, Bull Class VTVs have the heaviest and most weapons of all VTV classes.
In a race, a Bull Class VTV certainly won't win any speed records, but its size and weight mean that any other VTV it encounters will have to get out of its way or be run down. The smart pilot will use this to best effect, making the other VTVs alter their path or slow down to avoid the Bull Class VTV and this will offset the differences in top speed. Bull Class VTVs are easy to fly as the pilot does not have to worry about collisions, but the low top speeds can make flying them seem a bit leisurely. VTVs of this class can be tricky to maneuver because of their great size, and some canals can be quite narrow for them. The upside of this is that they are that much harder to avoid! Good to use if you like to smash things.