This is part of the same essay Moving the Goods is from. The formulas are based on the fuel consumption formulas for support vehicles from when they were first introduced, long before the TechManual.
Fuel
Fuel can be, by mass, the single largest category of consumable an army requires, not only among its combat vehicle regiments, but also among BattleMech regiments, due to the large number of support vehicles modern warfare requires. Indeed, since the Amaris Civil War the number of fusion powered vehicles, combat and support, with their minimal fuel requirements, measured in milligrams per hundreds of thousands of kilometers, has plummeted, while the number of fuel burning vehicles has increased almost exponentially. Thus fuel remains among the biggest of concerns for logisticians.
Fuel, in most military services, is handle much like supply allotments; each unit is allocated so much to operate with. Each regiment usually has the lift capacity to carry three full days worth of fuel, where that fuel is controlled from however depends on the service. Most services provide a day’s worth of fuel within the company field train and hold the rest at the regiment level; some, however, prefer to spread it out evenly among the company, battalion and regiment field trains.
Calculating fuel requirements is an art as much as it is a science, logisticians spend consider time adding up fuel requirements for specific conditions, most military services have a volume or two of instructions on how to do it, but as with most military plans few survive contact with the enemy. In other words demand usually outstrips supply so commanders must be flexible, but they must also know their basic requirements, and that requires a lot on basic information and math. Essentially a command staff starts by adding up the basic fuel requirements for all of its fuel burning vehicles and equipment. This information usually comes from a reference table list fuel requirements for various periods of time and distances traveled.
Most units start calculating their fuel requirements by determining each vehicle’s hourly or per kilometer fuel consumption rate, while it is moving at its cruise speed. From there they multiply that consumption rate by the hours or kilometers the vehicle is expected to operate during a typical day, which is usually 12 hours out of every 24. Most units do not actually operate their vehicles’ engines at cruise speed for a full 12 hours a day, but experience has shown that on average a combat vehicle will burn about 12 hours worth of fuel in a day road marching, shifting position regularly, moving cross-country and fighting, when a driver is more concerned about power, rather than fuel economy. Support vehicles frequently spend more than 12 hours a day on the road to insure that the supplies keep flowing. Once each vehicle’s fuel consumption rate is known, they are all added up to get a grand total for the unit. This gives the commander and logisticians a good idea how much fuel they will require for planning purposes.
Table of Fuel Consumption Rates for known Combat Vehicles
Hover
APC, Hover, 10-ton 0.62kg/km 67.4kg/hr
Blizzard Hover Transport 1.28kg/km 110.2kg/hr
Centipede Scout Car 0.82kg/km 70.5kg/hr
Condor Heavy Hover Tank 2.04kg/km 176.3kg/hr
Gladius Medium Tank 1.63kg/km 141.0kg/hr
Harasser Missile Platform 1.50kg/km 162.0kg/hr
Heavy APC, Hover 0.82kg/km 70.5kg/hr
Maultier Hover APC 0.77kg/km 74.4kg/hr
Maxim Heavy Hover Transport 2.04kg/km 176.3kg/hr
Musketeer Hovertank 1.59kg/km 120.2kg/hr
Pegasus Light Hovertank 1.43kg/km 123.1kg/hr
Plainsman Medium Hovertank 1.79kg/km 173.5kg/hr
Scaracen/Scaracen/Scimitar 1.43kg/km 123.1kg/hr
Tracked
APC, Tracked, 10-ton 0.78kg/km 50.5kg/hr
Behemoth Heavy Tank 1.56kg/km 33.8kg/hr
Bulldog Medium Tank 2.34kg/km 101.1kg/hr
Demolisher Heavy Tank 2.03kg/km 65.6kg/hr
Engineering Vehicle 3.12kg/km 202.2kg/hr
Goblin Medium Tank 1.75kg/km 75.8kg/hr
Heavy APC, Tracked 1.13kg/km 61.1kg/hr
Heavy LRM Carrier 1.25kg/km 26.9kg/hr
J-27 Ordnance Transport 0.57kg/km 30.5kg/hr
LRM Carrier(TRO3058) 0.94kg/km 20.2kg/hr
LRM/SRM Carrier 1.52kg/km 49.1kg/hr
LT-MOB-25 Long Tom Artillery 1.56kg/km 33.7kg/hr
Hi-Scout Drone Carrier 2.34kg/km 101.1kg/hr
Pathtrack (TRKD) Drone 0.18kg/km 15.9kg/hr
Napfind (HOV) Drone 0.47kg/km 127.4kg/hr
Huitzilopochtli Assault Tank 1.33kg/km 28.6kg/hr
(Clan)
Ontos Heavy Tank 2.42kg/km 78.3kg/hr
Partisan Heavy Tank 2.02kg/km 65.6kg/hr
Pike Support Vehicle 1.52kg/km 49.3kg/hr
Po Heavy Tank 2.34kg/km 101.1kg/hr
Scorpion Light Tank 0.98kg/km 42.2kg/hr
Sturmfuer Heavy Tank 2.16kg/km 70.1kg/hr
Vedette Medium Tank 2.85kg/km 152.7kg/hr
Zhukov Heavy Tank 1.90kg/km 61.6kg/hr
Zorya Light Tank (Clan) 1.37kg/km 59.0kg/hr
Wheeled
APC, Wheeled, 10-ton 0.45kg/km 29.2kg/hr
BattleMech Recovery Vehicle 2.25kg/km 145.8kg/hr
Coolant Truck (Class 135-K) 0.68kg/km 29.2kg/hr
Darter Scout Car 0.78kg/km 58.7kg/hr
Flatbed Truck 0.33kg/km 17.6kg/hr
Heavy APC, Wheeled 0.90kg/km 58.3kg/hr
Heavy 'Mech Recovery Vehicle 1.58kg/km 68.0kg/hr
Hetzer Wheeled Assault Gun 0.90kg/km 38.9kg/hr
Light SRM Carrier 0.90kg/km 38.9kg/hr
Skulker Wheeled Scout Tank 1.20kg/km 90.8kg/hr
Striker Light Tank 1.14kg/km 61.7kg/hr
VTOL
Cavalry Attack Helicopter 0.98kg/km 105.3kg/hr
Ferret Light Scout VTOL 0.44kg/km 69.5kg/hr
Hawk Moth Gunship 0.64kg/km 55.0kg/hr
Karnov UR Transport(TRO3026) 1.41kg/km 167.5kg/hr
Karnov UR Transport(TRO3058) 1.17kg/km 126.4kg/hr
Kestrel VTOL 1.39kg/km 179.8kg/hr
Marten Scout VTOL 0.98kg/km 136.7kg/hr
Warrior Attack VTOL 0.83kg/km 89.1kg/hr
Yellow Jacket Gunboat 0.45kg/km 29.2kg/hr
Naval
Monitor Naval Vessel 1.02kg/km 33.2kg/hr
Neptune Submarine 1.37kg/km 44.2kg/hr
Sea Skimmer 2.24kg/km 217.2kg/hr
Note: these fuel consumption rates for canon combat vehicles are based on the Support Vehicle Construction Rules in Combat Equipment. All ICE powered vehicles from Technical Readouts 3025, 3026, 3058, 3060 & 3067 are included and assumed to have Tech Level 1/D ICE engines for the purposes of these calculations.
Calculating Fuel Consumption
Fuel consumption or efficiency can be calculated for any fuel-burning CBT vehicle using the formulas listed below, all the information that is required is the vehicle’s Cruise MP, Mass and Technology Level. To determine the vehicle’s fuel efficiency or fuel consumption rate you must first determine its K factor, which is a multiplier to adjust for unit conversions and technology level. You can select the K factor from the charts below or you can calculate it yourself using the K factor formula. Once you have the appropriate K factor simply plug the various numbers into the FE or FC formula. The result comes out in either kilometers per kilogram or kilogram per kilometer units, depending on the formula used.
Fuel Efficiency Formula
1
FE = ______________ Units: Kilometers/kilogram
(k(4+(C*C))*V
Fuel Consumption Formula
FC = (k(4+(C*C))*V Units: Kilograms/Kilometer
Where: K = K factor, see below
C = Cruise Movement Points
V = Vehicle Mass (tons)
K Factor Formula
K = 0.001*X*Y*Z
Where: X = Base Engine & Transmission Factor, from the
Support Vehicle Chassis Table p88 in Combat Equipment
Y = Engine & Transmission Weight Multiplier, from the
Power Source Modifier Table p103 in Combat Equipment
Z = Fuel % of Engine & Transmission Weight per 100km, from the
Power Source Modifier Table p103 in Combat Equipment
Vehicle K Factors
Small Wheeled (100-4999kg)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.00075 0.0005 0.000375 0.000325 0.00025
Electric (Battery) - 0.001875 0.0015 0.00125 0.001
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00045 0.000375 0.000338 0.000263
Medium Wheeled (5-80tons)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.00225 0.0015 0.001125 0.000975 0.00075
Electric (Battery) - 0.005625 0.0045 0.00375 0.002625
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00135 0.001125 0.001013 0.000788
Large Wheeled (80.5-160tons)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.0045 0.003 0.00225 0.00195 0.0015
Electric (Battery) - 0.01125 0.009 0.0075 0.006
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.0027 0.00225 0.002025 0.001575
Small Tracked (100-4999kg)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.0018 0.0012 0.0009 0.00078 0.0006
Electric (Battery) - 0.0045 0.0036 0.003 0.0024
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00108 0.0009 0.00081 0.00063
Medium Tracked (5-100tons)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.0039 0.0026 0.00195 0.00169 0.0013
Electric (Battery) - 0.00975 0.0078 0.0065 0.0052
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00234 0.00195 0.001755 0.001365
Large Tracked (100.5-200tons)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.0075 0.005 0.00375 0.00325 0.0025
Electric (Battery) - 0.01875 0.015 0.0125 0.01
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.0045 0.00375 0.003375 0.02625
Small Hover (100-4999kg)*
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.00075 0.0005 0.000375 0.000325 0.00025
Electric (Battery) - 0.001875 0.0015 0.00125 0.001
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00045 0.000375 0.000338 0.000263
Medium Hover (5-50tons)*
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.0012 0.0008 0.0006 0.00052 0.0004
Electric (Battery) - 0.003 0.0024 0.002 0.0016
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00072 0.0006 0.00054 0.00042
Large Hover (50.5-100tons)*
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.0024 0.0016 0.0012 0.00104 0.0008
Electric (Battery) - 0.006 0.0048 0.004 0.0032
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00144 0.0012 0.00108 0.0084
Small VTOL (100-4999tons)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.0006 0.0004 0.0003 0.00026 0.0002
Electric (Battery) - 0.0015 0.0012 0.001 0.0008
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00036 0.0003 0.00027 0.00021
Medium VTOL (5-30tons)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.00075 0.0005 0.000375 0.000325 0.00025
Electric (Battery) - 0.001875 0.0015 0.00125 0.001
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00045 0.000375 0.000338 0.000263
Large VTOL (30.5-60tons)
Engine Type/ Tech Level: B C D E F
ICE 0.0012 0.0008 0.0006 0.00052 0.0004
Electric (Battery) - 0.003 0.0024 0.002 0.0016
Electric (Fuel Cell) - 0.00072 0.0006 0.00054 0.00042
*Note: hover vehicles must allocate a minimum of 20% of their overall mass to their engine and transmission as per the Support Vehicle Construction Rules.
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