Hover vehicles on small craft ?

[Butterer]

Is it possible? I have seen the docking thing for hover craft docking to capital vessels, but that it.

Id like to make a small craft to bring my hovercraft to the surface of planets for exploration and combat.

[mirasstone]

Yep, it is.

[seven]

Yes, it's possible. There is an SV in the blueprints specifically designed for this called the Forge Refuge. The stock one has some problems that can be fixed, or there are some versions in the workshop. I use this to haul around my HVs.

[SGMueller]

It is possible. What doesn't work is "Matrjoschka - docking" (Vehicle+docked vehicle -> another vehicle)

[Balthazaar]

Interesting. So, if I dock a HV to a SV, then fly my SV with docked HV to my CV, I cant dock the SV with a docked HV to my CV?

Thanks for any kind sole who can confirm how this works!

Edit: spelling

[seven]

Correct, the SV won't dock. You'll need to unload the HV and then dock the SV.

[Balthazaar]

Originally posted by seven:

Correct, the SV won't dock. You'll need to unload the HV and then dock the SV.

Intriguing. Thank you for the information and the solution!

[seven]

When you leave is also an issue. You need to lift off with the SV so it's no longer docked, then move the HV onto the SV or it won't dock. It's good to have an SV with a low platform for this to work.

[Midas]

Originally posted by Balthazaar:

Interesting. So, if I dock a HV to a SV, then fly my SV with docked HV to my CV, I cant dock the SV with a docked HV to my CV?

Thanks for any kind sole who can confirm how this works!

Edit: spelling

You can't chain multiple docks together, so if you have a vessel that has something docked on it, it can't also dock to something else. This can make HVs a little harder to work with in space, since they have to be loaded onto the SVs before the SV can launch, but it's not a massive problem, and having CV/SV design with these considerations in mind can make it very easy.

[Balthazaar]

Thanks for the tips seven and Midas! Cheers!

[kevin398_727]

made a sv for myself just for this, basically a flat surface with a small cockpit on one corner. it can haul hvs to the surface and since I built a carrier to begin with. its about 18 feet from the ground to the deck, so no HV can get there without help. so I use it to drop the hv onto the ground and park the sv there while I run around. then come back dock and shuttle them both to the carrier deck, where the hv gets unloaded with the sv just a foot or so above the deck, then dock it a second later.

[Code Brown]

yep sure is....slap on the docking pads and away you go.

[Butterer]

got it to work, woo hoo