Building an effective turret in Plane Crazy requires understanding how Motor 2 components track inputs, how to eliminate rotational friction against the hull, and how to balance armor with operational weight. Whether you are constructing a standard mouse-aimed tank cupola, an anti-aircraft elevation mount, or a magnetic projectile cannon, your build relies on specific motor configurations and clearance techniques.
Motor 2 Configuration and Core Settings
The foundation of any aimable turret in Plane Crazy is the Motor 2 block from the Mechanical tab. Unlike standard motors that rely on continuous rotational keys, Motor 2 can track player mouse cursors or snap to specific angles using keyboard binds.
| Motor 2 Setting | Standard Mouse Turret | Keyboard-Controlled Turret | Purpose in Build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | 15 to 50 | Configurable | Controls tracking speed; setting to around 15 tracks cursor smoothly, while values above 15 show diminishing returns |
| Max Torque | 1,000 or Default (Moderate) | Default | Supplies turning power; setting torque too high can cause severe physics glitches or flinging |
| Servo | False (Disabled) | True (Enabled) | Disabling allows mouse cursor aiming; enabling switches control to assigned keybinds |
| Toggle | Optional (Enabled) | Disabled | Paired with disabled Servo, lets you toggle mouse tracking on or off using a assigned key |
| Max Angle | Disabled / 360° | Custom (e.g., 20°) | Limits rotational sweep when Servo is active |
Community builder Turbo Rover notes that Motor 2 torque has historically been prone to being overpowered by heavy loads. Keeping the turret structure within reasonable weight limits prevents the motor from sagging or failing to turn.
Step-by-Step Mouse-Aimed Tank Turret Build
In a demonstrated mini-tank build, the base horizontal turret and a secondary vertical elevation gun can be assembled using the following sequence:
- Prepare the Hull Base: Lay out your vehicle roof with half blocks, leaving a 1x1 open space directly above or in front of the main pilot seat for the motor placement.
- Mount the Horizontal Motor 2: Place a Motor 2 into the gap with the lighter end pointing upward and the darker tan base facing downward into the hull. Configure the settings to Speed 50 (or 15 for standard cursor tracking) and Max Torque to 1,000.
- Build the Turret Mantlet: Place a solid block on top of the Motor 2 peg. Extend the frame using PVP guns on the sides and back, enclosing the perimeter with solid blocks and downward half wedges to form the armor casing. Decorative cutter blocks can be added to the front and rear faces.
- Assemble the Main Barrel: Stack roughly five cylinder blocks outward from the front block to form the gun tube. If you own the Firework weapon, place it at the barrel tip with launch height set to 20 for active firing effects.
- Install an Elevation Gun: Mount a second Motor 2 on the upper side of the turret with the darker base facing inward toward the turret center and the yellow peg pointing outward. Set Speed to 50 and Max Torque to 1,000, then mount a PVP gun to the peg. This secondary gun tracks vertical angles for anti-aircraft targeting.
- Separate Moving Joints: Place disconnectors set to disconnect on movement (such as the "W" key) across surrounding blocks where separation is required, leaving the mounted weapons clear to pivot without catching on the hull.
When spawned, the turret automatically swivels horizontally to track your cursor, while the pilot controls hull driving via standard WASD bindings.
Sizing Rules, Clearance, and Turret Armor
Turrets that rub against the chassis will lock up or flip the vehicle. Builder guides recommend adhering to strict proportional limits and spacing rules to maintain combat effectiveness.
Dimensional Proportions
- Length: Keep turret length to roughly half the total length of the vehicle body.
- Width: Never exceed the width of the main hull. A narrower turret presents a smaller target and prevents lateral overhang.
- Height: Avoid building the turret taller than the main hull structure.
Preventing Rotational Friction
To prevent the turret from jamming against hull blocks, you must create a clearance gap:
- Compressor Offset: Place a compressor block alongside the base Motor 2 on your mounting tower and adjust the offset distance upward to lift the entire turret slightly off the deck.
- Piston Locking: Set a piston with the lock setting enabled to elevate the turret base by a fraction of a block (such as 1.25 for a half-block gap). Once fully extended in-game, the locked piston holds the turret clear of hull collisions, allowing frictionless rotation.
- Air Gaps: Always leave a one-block air gap directly beneath custom angle blocks and compression assemblies so moving pieces do not weld to the chassis.
Armor Selection for Turrets
Turret protection relies on three primary blocks depending on incoming threats:
- TNT Blocks: Completely immune to fireworks, cutters, and standard explosions. However, TNT blocks do not physically stop bullets or rockets from passing through. They are ideal for housing internal joints and motor pedestals.
- 1x7 Beams: Highly effective against incoming rockets and fireworks without being destroyed, though vulnerable to concentrated machine gun fire.
- Paint Blocks: Contain three distinct penetration layers (front plate, middle block, back plate) that absorb gun projectiles. Because paint blocks contain multiple sub-parts that impact frame rates when destroyed, use them sparingly around weapon mounts.
Magnet-Powered Railgun Turrets
For high-velocity kinetic firepower without standard projectile drop, players use magnet acceleration setups mounted on a standard Motor 2 base or a gyro core.
Chamber and Barrel Layout
A standard railgun turret utilizes magnetic repel forces to fire unguided munitions:
- Turret Foundation: Place two or three Motor 2 blocks configured for horizontal traverse and elevation, or attach the mount directly to a gyro core for omnidirectional aiming.
- Chamber Construction: Build a 1x1 hollow chamber to seat your ammunition.
- Magnet Placement: Arrange magnets in a T-shape surrounding the 1x1 firing chamber—placing one magnet above, one below, one to each side, and an additional booster magnet directly behind the breach.
- Magnet Configuration: Set all propulsion magnets to maximum strength and bind their activation key to "Repel".
- Projectile Tuning: Place an explosive TNT ball inside the chamber. Assign the ball to an unused keybind so it does not trigger prematurely, and set the impact speed to roughly 20. Do not enable "Explode on Impact," as the violent acceleration inside the magnetic barrel can detonate the shell before it leaves the muzzle.
Projectile Choices
- Explosive Balls: Travel flat trajectories at high velocity and can penetrate up to 6 blocks of structural material, dealing concentrated localized damage.
- Cutter Blocks: Launch opposing vehicles away on impact and never self-combust inside the barrel. However, their physical hitboxes require using fewer magnets to prevent accidental welding, resulting in lower muzzle velocity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my turret freeze or shake violently when I spawn?
Violent shaking or locking usually occurs when the turret base welds directly to surrounding hull blocks, or when Motor 2 Max Torque is set too high. Ensure that a compressor or locked piston lifts the turret base clear of the hull, and reduce torque values to prevent physics glitching.
Can I control my turret using keyboard keys instead of the mouse?
Yes. Open the Motor 2 configuration menu using the screwdriver tool, enable the Servo toggle, and assign your desired rotation keys (such as Left and Right arrow keys or A and D). You can also set a Max Angle to restrict how far the motor turns.
How do I stop my mouse turret from aiming when I am looking around my cockpit?
Disable Servo and enable the Toggle setting on your base Motor 2. Assign a specific keybind to the toggle. Pressing this key locks the turret in place and releases your cursor, allowing you to freely look around without shifting your weapons.
