Vehicle construction clarification

[Whitehart]

Just for clarification, can you add higher TL customization to a vehicle?

For example, can I add a TL12 computer or sensors to a TL10 vehicle?

If so, would the vehicle still be TL10 or would it become TL12.

Asking mainly because of the TL10 limit of the personal vehicle benefit.

 

[mavikfelna]

It depends on who you ask. By a strict reading of the rules, You can't do it.
I would say, yes, you can do it and it still treats it as a TL 1o vehicle but with higher maintenance costs and you have to get the TL12 components fixed in a TL12 shop. Though a TL 10 shop could replace them with the full parts purchased separately.

 

[swordtart]

I normally treat the mustering out TL limits to be limits to any element (regardless of the final TL of the combination). I haven't had occasion to specifically look at the personal vehicle benefit yet.

The TLs in the CRB don't make a lot of sense. I am not sure what makes an ATV TL12 for example (or even what "improved" communications are. If you use the Vehicle Handbook, the Highspeed is a TL11+ requirement, and "improved" is defined but TL12 is still arbitrary and just makes repairs away from the star port on a TL 11- world more difficult.

The best electronics you can get from a benefit vehicle are Improved. I would allow you to spend cash benefits to get it upgrades up to TL12 (I presume that you are mustered out at a default star port) as part of your KCR10 initial equipment purchases, but as many of those upgrades are TL13 you'll need to acquire those in game (but that sounds like an ideal justification for travelling to that first adventure).

I strongly encourage customisation of mustering out gear (it needs to be cool and probably has a story. I also allow rare modifications (Deadly/Accurate/Long Range) plus whatever accessories you can afford and are within the TL as part of the same benefit (and story).

This means the Cr1000 Blade benefit might not be a Static Axe every time as a Deadly Rapier is far more stylish.