BigDog

I haven't built anything really big in a while. In older versions I got around 3200 but that wanted to stuff up in the VAB. Most I have launched was probably right below that, at around 3000. This screen is from a few versions back but it shows 2548.

I never have messed with the planes much in KSP, so I went in a different direction. This is my Test ship for contracts, hauls them straight up, knocks out test, and then lands right back at KSP. So far 98% instead of 100% from the runway has not been an issue, but I may build a version in the SPH as that would avoid having to steer the landing on test that result in a high altitude, or long hang time. Kerbin,s rotation will have you coming down on buildings in these, and it is hard to judge just where you will land as the chutes get in the way visually.

I am getting this as well.

That was just to demonstrate the max stock VAB height, although it is B9 parts. I am glad I didn't waste my time building a launcher for it as I am going to have to decommission it due to the "bucking". As far as the Tug I have launched 3 of them with grav on, I turned it off to lagggggg over to Map view to get the part count. I just checked the maximum stack like I did for that B9 monstrosity and 10 is the most the VAB would allow without going into the floor.

An entire space station. A pusher tug, I have a puller that might come in larger but I don't think I have pics of it. Gravity is off so I could get this pic on the pad. Stuff like this either has to launch IMMEDIATELY when the physics kicks in or gravity has to be hacked to prevent the sudden application of Kerbin's rotational force from ripping them apart. The payload is the tug that is at the bottom, docked here with a failed (The Kraken ripped a stack off in translation) Eve lander. This is the tallest, it is as high as the VAB would let me stack parts. It has to launch with gravity hacked since it has a less than 1 TWR. It also bucks severely. This bucking seems to start at 4 orange tanks high. It is manageable at that height, much higher though and forget it. I have built an over 3500 part monster, but KSP died when I hit stage. Since then it has been bugged in the VAB.

Try 2497 parts!

Build the launcher off of the docking port in the rear, run all the struts from the launcher to the ship. Doing it this way will not leave stubs of the struts on the main ship.

I have seen this with my own designs, it seems to be tied to part count, but I cant put my finger on the exact number. What I have found is that after a certain point in the "tree" of the rocket the struts are not connecting. Finding this point in the tree and disconnecting and reconnecting causes the struts to connect again properly. Also note there may be more than one point in the "tree" where this behavior is present.

A tip for this. Hack Gravity as the rocket loads. Let the Physics Engine engage and things settle down and then turn gravity back on.

In my case it was as stated, docking some components that had the Infernal Robotics discs behind their docking ports. I could warp immediately after docking and everything is fine. if I waited a few seconds the Kraken would strike and they would RUD. Bugs in modded games are not supported so I doubt much will get done. It does seem to be repeatable though when encountered. The Hell Kraken on the other hand, appears to be random. I have reloaded from a quicksave and done exactly the same thing, and no Hell Kraken.

I didn't check the actual frame rate, maybe 1/2 a frame a second if I had to guess. Parts count in the VAB is 2497 with 48 of that launch clamps. I did pause a couple of times but it took 3 hours real time to fly to orbit. It also has to be hand flown, no Jeb, no SAS. It is probably over strutted, but as long as it takes to load things in this part count range, I prefer to go for the "no surprises" approach.

The closest I have come to that is docking some stuff that had the Infernal Robotics discs behind the docking ports to a mothership in .20. I could dock and immediately warp and everything was ok. If I waited a few seconds the docked component would spontaneously completely explode like that. The component would not be wobbling, and the mothership seemed to be undamaged. It is like the component *poofed*itself out of existence like the Kerbals do when you kill one.

Nope this has been around for a bit. To salvage exit, restart, go to a ship, F-9.

I got a little carried away and stacked up parts as high as the VAB would go. It has a "control and power" section in the center batteries, reaction wheels, and generators. it has some nice DV so I hacked grav and infinite fueled and flew it out to edge of Kerbin's SOI. I figure I will see if I can get a grand tour of fly-bys out of it.

Cue up the Johnny Cash: Ring of Fire