Acceleration
How quickly a vehicle reaches speed from a standstill, which matters far more in practice than its top speed.
Also known as pick-up, responsiveness.
Most driving in a battle is short: out of cover, across a gap, back behind a rock. All of it is acceleration, and a vehicle that reaches 40 kilometres per hour in three seconds beats one that reaches 55 in twelve.
It comes from power-to-weight divided by terrain resistance, and it is the reason the first position of a battle is contested by mediums and lights rather than by whichever vehicle has the highest number on its speedometer.
Related terms
Power-to-weightEngine horsepower divided by the vehicle's weight in tonnes, the single best predictor of acceleration.Terrain resistanceHow much each ground type slows a vehicle down, quoted for hard, medium and soft terrain, where lower is better.Top speedThe highest speed a vehicle is allowed to reach, which it only attains with enough engine power and forgiving ground.