Created: 2000.04.10
Updated: n/a

Intro
The story of Ground Effect Vehicless (GEVs) start in the late 1800's when men such as John Thornycroft sought to reduce drag on (aquatic) ships by forcing air through the skin of the hulls. The Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) took a large leap through the experiments of Christopher Cockerell who deduced the benifits of adding a "curtain" to trap the air under the vehicle. In the late 20th century and early 21st century, Hovercraft or ACVs were beginning to be used for commercial and military purpose.

Power
GEVs really begin to take hold with the introduction of the Ambrose Power Cell in 2031. This fuel cell provided an enormous amout of energy for its weight and size. Furthermore, it was non-poluting. It became the defacto standard for many military and large commercial vehicles. The House of Saud takes the greatest advantage of the improved ACVs, as they are perfect for desert warfare. The ACV is credited as being one of the factors that contributed to the House of Saud "consolidating" its neighbors into the Islamic Federation of 2043.

Concept Change
In 2046, the Brazilian firm Indústrias Do Armor De Aztec advanced the GEV to its present form. They combined the HydroMagnetic Turbine (HMT) power cell with a powerful set of inine ducted fans (similar to a jet engine) to product what some have called the Ground Effect VTOL. The GEV used ducted fans to redirect the output of this powerful system in much the same way that the Harrier Jump Jet did in the late 20th century. The GEVs often would still employ skirts to gain the efficiency of Ground Effect, but they were no longer necessary to keep the craft aloft. The GEV had now overcome its biggest drawback, that of climbing steep hills. While the GEV could probably raise itself in the same fashion as a true VTOL, it lacks the belly armor and weapon arcs to be effective in that role.

Quiet
In 2062, advanced materials technology and design combine to make the GEVs one of the quietest vehicles on the battlefield. Only the Grav units, introduced 50 years later, would be more quiet.

More Power
In 2101, the introduction of the portable Fusion Generation Plant (FGP) allowed both an increase both in size of the vehicle and size of the weapons that the GEV could carry. Today, GEVs carry loads equal to the largest tracked vehicles.

Saftey
In 2103, the introduction of the inertia sink, based on the artificial gravity technology used in spaceships, provided the last development of GEVs. Not nearly as powerful or energy hungry as the Grav propulsion systems that were later introduced, these automated systems cut in if the vehicle is impacted by a kinetic force beyond a certain threshold. This keeps the GEV from bouncing around the battlefield like a ball in a pinball machine.

Summary
In the 22nd century, the GEV performs a specialized role in the ranks of the armed services. It is quicker and more agile than treaded or wheeled vehicles. They can carry as heavy a load as tracked vehicles. And they are less expensive to both construct and maintain than the Grav vehicles. You will find GEVs in almost every environment, fulfilling a variety of rolls.

This article brought to you by Indústrias Do Armor De Aztec