Runway speed record (for KSP 1.1.3, stock and modded)

[Gaarst]

So, I've seen that there was no recent or updated thread in the Challenges section whose goal was just to go as fast as possible on the runway. Pretty easy challenge to attempt, so I figured I might put my own challenge here!

 

THE CHALLENGE:

Go as fast as possible on the runway. There will be several categories with different requirements: unmanned/manned, stopping before the end, keeping the craft intact... each can be attempted with mods but will be on a different leaderboard.

 

THE CATEGORIES:

• Ludicrous speed: get as fast as you can before the end of the runway. No other constraints.
• Chuck Kerman: get a manned vehicle going as fast as you can before the end of the runway. The Kerbal must survive. No other constraints.
• Ready for more: get a manned vehicle going as fast as you can before the end of the runway. The vehicle must stop before the end of the runway and not lose any part during the run (this means no decoupling). The Kerbal must survive.
• FIA Land Speed Record: get a manned vehicle going as fast as you can before the end of the runway, but, as for land speed records in real life, your craft must make two runs along the runway: do a first pass, turn around at the end of the runway (you may go off the runway to turn around), and do another one. Refueling is allowed, reverting is not. The record speed will be the average of the max speeds of the two passes. Decoupling or losing parts during any of the two passes is forbidden.

 

THE RULES: (These are valid for all categories)

1. The score is your maximum speed as shown on your screenshots or videos. If you have a screenshot where you're going 20m/s but say you've gone past Mach 10, I'll put 20m/s on the leaderboard.
2. No cheating, this means no infinite fuel, no unbreakable parts, no ignoring heat...
3. This challenge is made for 1.1.3. I will not accept entries before 1.1, and may not accept entries between 1.1.0 and 1.1.2.
4. Stock aero only, with 100% heating. I might add FAR later on, but that just doubles the leaderboards needed, if this is not popular enough, then it will be pointless.
5. No mods that change the runway. Mods that change its length, texture, properties... are not allowed.
6. Any change to the wheels behaviour must be explicitely stated, and will go in the modded category with a special mention.
7. The stock categories allow any type of mod that do not influence the run in any way. As long as a mod doesn't change the vehicle (part mods, offset limits mods), the wheels mechanics (various fixes and tweaks) or the aerodynamics, the entry will go into the stock leaderboards.
8. No leaving the ground at any point during the run. Flying away after the runway if you don't intend to stop is allowed.
9. Entries should show:
   • a screenshot of the craft at the beginning;
   • a screenshot of the craft at max speed (F3 menu is not always accurate, so this will give more credit to your entry);
   • for categories that do not allow losing parts or Kerbals, a screenshot of the F3 menu after the run;
   • if the challenge requires you to stop, a screenshot of the craft at the end of the runway;
   • if possible, a video is even better, but don't bother making one if you don't want to, screenshots are enough.
10. Runs have to be made on the runway only, all the grey part counts. Your rear wheels should not touch the grass at the beginning and your front wheels should not touch the grass at the end of the runway (if you need to stop).
11. All engines are allowed*, all fuels are allowed*, all sizes are allowed. TweakScale is allowed if you keep proportions the same (no reducing F1s to the size of an ant keeping the original thrust).
    • * I reserve the right to restrict some methods of propulsion that I consider unfair or too overpowered (looking at nuclear pulse propulsion here, but more may be forbidden as well). As a general rule, try to stick to realist-ish stuff and there should be no problem.
12. Some categories allow loss of some parts, but at the time of maximal speed, the vehicle must at least be made of one wheel and the root/controlling part still attached.
13. Please state all mods used in modded entries.

 

THE STOCK LEADERBOARDS:

Ludicrous speed:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

Chuck Kerman:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

Ready for more:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

FIA Land Speed Record:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

 

 

THE MODDED LEADERBOARDS

Ludicrous speed:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

Chuck Kerman:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

Ready for more:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

FIA Land Speed Record:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

 

 

All suggestions are welcome (including more rules, explanations, more categories and other things).

I hope you have fun attempting this and I wish you good luck!

Edited July 18, 2016 by Gaarst

[HazelPine]

Ooh! I was waiting for someone to make a challenge like this again! Expect an entry sometime soon-ish!

[qzgy]

If I use completely stock parts, but still have a modded install, does that go to the modded or stock leaderboard?

[Gaarst]

40 minutes ago, qzgy said:

If I use completely stock parts, but still have a modded install, does that go to the modded or stock leaderboard?

If the mods do not influence the behaviour of the crafts then it will be considered stock. For example, you can use informational mods and still be in stock, but use FAR and be modded (FAR's actually a bad example since I have not alowed it in the challenge but I hope you get the idea).

I will be adding this to the rules, thanks for the remark.

[herbal space program]

There was a challenge to do this back in 1.0.5, although not with so many categories. Remembering back to it, I've got one word for you all: Sepratrons.

[Gaarst]

2 minutes ago, herbal space program said:

There was a challenge to do this back in 1.0.5, although not with so many categories. Remembering back to it, I've got one word for you all: Sepratrons.

Sepratrons are pretty nice for very light crafts but to get a decent TWR on an heavier craft (manned for example), I've found that Vectors are a good alternative if you want to avoid sticking 50 of them on your craft.

[rocketengineer1982]

5 minutes ago, herbal space program said:

There was a challenge to do this back in 1.0.5, although not with so many categories. Remembering back to it, I've got one word for you all: Sepratrons.

Separatrons also would be impractical for the FIA Land Speed Record category as they can't be refueled.  While they could be used, it would be a one-way boost, and then you just have dead weight.

[herbal space program]

35 minutes ago, rocketengineer1982 said:

Separatrons also would be impractical for the FIA Land Speed Record category as they can't be refueled.  While they could be used, it would be a one-way boost, and then you just have dead weight.

Fair enough, the last category will not work with sepratrons. The previous challenge, which I think was won by @tewpie  at something north of 1100m.s  1200m/s, actually only had the first category of this one, but I think the sepratrons will find use in all of the first three categories. When all you've got to work with is the runway, their insane TWR just seems to trump everything else.  Anyway, we'll see what people come up with..

Edit: I went and found it:

Anyway, this challenge has got significantly more depth than that one so will no doubt yield some different solutions, but folks might find it worthwhile to see what they can learn there.

Edited July 18, 2016 by herbal space program