Njord Automobile AB || A Campaign Story

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Njord Automobile AB
"Explore without compromise"

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Since 1922, parent company Njord Maritime Solutions AB - headquartered in Gernau, Hetvesia - specialized in the design and manufacture of marine powertrian systems ranging from portable outboard motors to inboard units for larger vessels. Operating as a small, local business, the company slowly grew up to the start of The Great War. In 1941, Njord Maritime Solutions secured a 2-year contract with the Gasmean military to supply powertrains for a fleet of torpedo boats. Fulfilling the contract and securing a sizable financial package, the company looked to expand into new transportation markets - namely the rising demand for personal automobiles.

With $15 million from the contract and $5 million in federal grants, Njord Maritime Solutions AB developed a new company in 1943 to head design, manufacture, and sales into the automobile market: Njord Automobile AB, headquartered in Reimsboden, Hetvesia. Heeding the effort was Rasmus Hagerström; the previous Chief Industrial Operations Officer from Njord Maritime Solutions now CEO of Njord Automobile.

Rasmus tended to be conservative in his business approach - valuing consistency and proven design as key to success. Unique for the time, Rasmus also demanded a strong focus in designing cars around safety. According to Rasmus, “A car a customer can walk away from is a car the customer will come back to.” These values would have a strong influence in the company’s direction.

Starting with a small team of designers, engineers, and marketers, Njord Automobile quickly got to work developing the company’s first foray into the automobile industry. With Hetvesia being relatively untouched from the war, support from parent company Njord Maritime Solutions, and trends showing significant demand for personal transport when the war ends, Njord Automobile AB had a strong chance to make a strong presense with their first model.

Foreword

Njord Automobile AB is a campaign playthrough that started in October 2025 with the following staring settings (1.5x Difficulty Multiplier):

  • $20M Starting Cash
  • HQ Level 1
  • 100% Engineering Time
  • 100% Competitor Difficulty
  • 2 Techpool in Engine Family, Top End, and Bottom End
  • 50 Market Desire
  • Medium Market Volatility
  • Dealerships || Home: Lv0 || Other: Lv0
  • No Factories
  • Realistic Emissions Regulations
  • Standard Safety Regulations
  • 1x Capacity Tax

Up to the in-game year of 1994, the campaign playthrough was shared on the official Automation Discord. Considering the amount of work put into developing these cars and the company, this thread was created where I will share the journey of Njord while also expanding the lore of the company.

Being a story-driven campaign, you will not find optimal gameplay or score-maxxing here. I will also be making some creative decisions outside of the campaign: such as creating trims of cars with alternative transmission options or non-production cars. Also note if the company goes bankrupt in campaign, it will also go bankrupt in the lore - it could make for some interesting story writing.

With that said, enjoy this campaign story of Njord Automobile AB.

Community Participation

Any good story has a human element - this is where you can come in.

How you respond to the company’s decisions and the cars that are made will influence the direction of the story. Roleplay is encouraged: sharing your story owning and modifying a Njord, employee responses to company decisions, or even running portions of the company such as helping me design some Njords such as rally cars and future models (since they take so much time for me to do).

Another idea is sharing short stories which involve Njord or Njord automobiles, especially ones that focus on the human element: road trip stories, memories owning a Njord, and working at the company could be a few ideas for inspiration. It’s also a great opportunity to practice lore and story writing as a community.

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Car Company Directory
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There haven’t been many threads showcasing campaign playthroughs explicitly stated to be set in Hetvesia, so this is a nice change.

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Oh, very interesting with the “influential” part, will follow.

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The HETVESIAN TIMES - 1943

FRUINIA DECLARES WAR ON SCHEMMLAND!
On 21 September 1943, Fruinia officially declares war on its former northern partner, Schemmland.
Fruinia was led into the war by Abelardo Pasqualini, the fascist prime minister who enlisted the nation to form an alliance with Nauti Schemmland in 1936. In the spring of 1943, as Gasmean forces annexed Vianta, public support for the war waned and Pasqualini was ousted from power on July 2. Fruinia's new prime minister, Surano Clarizio, sought peace with the Allied Forces, reaching an armistice on July 25.
On reaching the armistice, Gasmean general William Dean commented, "The Fruinian alliance will prove crucial in pushing the Southern front towards the heart of the enemy. Fruinian hatred of the Nauti party and Pasqualini's poor leadership unquestionably grew as fighting spirit waned, with skirmishes between the Fruinian and Schemmish soldiers and public showing very clearly a complete and incontrovertible end of any sympathy between the former Axis partners. With Clarizio's willingness, and the Fruinian's eagerness, to pin their hopes to a better role in shaping this war towards peace, this new alliance is expected to help our forces advance towards the heart of Schemmland, and soon end this war."
Fruinian forces, along with the Gasmeans and Mauves, will continue advancing on the southern and western fronts until reaching the Schemmland capital Willburg and removing Schitler and the Nauti party from power. Calidentado is expected to retaliate against Fruinia with a war declaration of their own.

1943 - Defining Njord's First Automobile
With the war raging on in the east, Leonard Hansson - Chief Designer, company CEO Rasmus Hagerström, and other high-ranking members of the company get to work defining the car to introduce Njord to the automobile market.

Over the course of a few months, the team deliberated, debated, and decided on what aspects to focus into for the vehicle. By the end of winter, a final set of guidelines was reached:

Four Seater Family Car

The first guideline the team reached was that the car should be targeted towards the family market. While Hetvesia was a neutral party with regards to the war, there was still considerable effects on international supply chains which reduced output for many industries in the country - especially automotive. The few resources that automobile manufacturers were able to get during the war have been prioritized towards the manufacture of weapons and military vehicles - meaning that there has not been enough production to satiate demand for personal automobiles.

Expected demand for family vehicles is expected to be massive by the time the war ends; in fact, demand is already there from customers who have been having to drive cars that are beginning to fall apart from age and lack of parts availability. This presents Njord with a golden opportunity to beat the competition to the market. The company is smaller than the established automakers, meaning lower development costs and a sooner timing to the market - not to mention starting development now means a car should be ready by the time the war is over.

Simple Design for Manufacturability

The company has $20 million to use between design, tooling, marketing, and organizational operations; Hagerström is in the talks with the Hetvesia National Bank to secure loans for additional funding of the project. Since Njord’s finances and current manufacturing facilities are limited (really, nonexistent), it is going to be critical that the vehicle is designed to minimize manufacturing complexity.

Off the bat, the car will need to use aluminum body panels instead of steel. While steel has a significantly lower material cost, it also requires large and expensive tooling such as presses and dies; something Njord simply does not have the resources for at its current scale. Instead, aluminum will need to be hand-worked to shape. To counter the high cost of aluminum and the limited production capacity, the car should incorporate features that target the smaller, premium end of the family market as long as the impact to manufacturability is limited.

Utilize Njord Maritime Solutions' Powertrain

Njord Maritime Solutions is working on a new line of inboard petroleum-powered powertrains with a release target of fall 1944. The maritime company has agreed to contract the automobile program with engines it produces as well as making some slight changes to the design; however, how much we can change the design will be limited considering priority will be given to their customers and the engines themselves are very late in the design cycle.

Offloading engine production is going to help Njord Automobile considerably, as now the team can focus efforts on chassis development. Outsourcing engine construction will also reduce company logistics required, meaning Njord Automobile can get away with having a smaller team at the start for stable, consistent company growth.

Maximize Occupant Accident Survivability

Lastly, the car must be designed to keep its occupants safe in the event of an accident. This guideline received by far the most debates when establishing guidelines for Njord’s first car. Hansson, along with other engineers who participated in the definition process, liked the idea of developing a safer car, however he was concerned that incorporating safety devices into the car would move the design away from being simple to manufacture. Hagerström, on the other hand, pointed out that being able to maintain a base of repeat customers was critical for Njord Automobile’s survival as a company. Considering the low survivability of the average car’s crashworthiness, being able to maximize occupant survivability in Njord’s cars would mean maximizing the amount of customers who could come back to buy another Njord.

Between the meetings, Hansson experimented with different concept sketches to test the feasibility of the idea: a safety glass windshield that could be epoxied in place, heavy-duty bumpers bolted directly to the frame, and the frame itself utilizing bolt-on angled cross-members which would minimize the amount of additional welding required. Toying with these rough concepts along with many others, Hansson saw feasibility in the design and eventually came to the agreement to design around crashworthiness.




With the guiding design principles in place, Hansson led his team of engineers to begin work on designing and prototyping Njord’s first car. It is unclear when the car was going to release considering the ongoing world war, however the team set a target to have the design finalized and ready for production by the summer of 1946. Hagerström continued working with the Hetvesian National Bank to secure loans for the vehicle’s design and setting up production. Work in progress, the team would work towards the future where, with luck, the war will have ended, there’ll be customers at the door, and a brand new Njord ready to be sold.

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The HETVESIAN TIMES - 1945

WORLD WAR IS OVER!
Gasmean President Robinson announced at 6 o'clock tonight that the war with Schemmland is over. General William Dean, he said, has been designated to receive the Schemmish surrender, and Allied Archanan and Fruinian commanders in the east have been ordered to cease hostilities. The president - five years, three months, and fourteen days after the Nauti takeover of the nation Mauve - announced the end of the war and designated a two day national holiday to celebrate with the Gasmean people. The president has also announced that troops in stationed in Schemmland will be reduced from 80,000 to 15,000 to assist in post-war restructuring and to detain the remaining leaders and officials of the Nauti party for international trials. Having taken control of Calidentado a few months prior, Fruinia has also begun celebration to the end of the war. Prime Minister Clarizio during an interview in the week leading up to the end of the war commented, "With the war ... coming to a close, the people of Fruinia look forwards to the future of our nation. The past actions of our country's leadership was detrimental to our standing to our now foreign allies, and it will take decades of work from our leadership and our citizenship to repair those bonds of trust. It is a tall challenge, but one Fruinia is set to take on." Reaching out to Hetvesian Prime Minister Miettinen, he responded, "I am happy to see an end to this brutal war; a war that has costed the lives of both the soldiers on the battlefield as well as the lives of those here at home. We will be working closely with the world nations to ensure this new era of peace will last from now until forever."

1945 - Production Planning
Over the course of the last two years, Njord Automobile has made significant progress with the development of its first foray into the automotive industry. The $22M in loans Hagerström was able to secure for the project has ensured his team has enough funds to finish development of the new car while having some reserve leftover for expanding the company. There was a catch however; a low company valuation and the lack of brand experience meant a 7% interest rate. To break even, Njord would need to earn $500k in monthly revenue, plus more to cover production and operational costs. Despite this, the $20M held by Njord should help protect the company long as there are enough buyers to keep losses low.

Pre-Production Prototype Almost Complete
Hansson and his team of engineers are close to completing the first pre-production prototype of the new car: the FB-396.

What started as some concept sketches evolved into multiple iterations of prototypes: scale models, a rolling chassis. clay forming, and production modelling. Many of Hansson’s safety-enhancing designs made it to the pre-production prototype with testing showcasing promising results for accident survivability. The engine - a 1.3L I4 unit named the NB2-30KW selected from Njord Maritime Solutions’ product line - only required minor modifications for use in the automobile, mainly modified motor mounts and attachment points for a 3-speed column shift transmission sourced from FMC Transmissions.

Breaking Ground for the Factory in Reimsboden
Njord Automobile has purchased a 16 hectares plot of land 50 km east of Reimsboden, Hetvesia. The location was selected for multiple reasons. Firstly it is close to the company headquarters, allowing for better communication between manufacturing, designers, and management. Secondly the town of Reimsboden offered to sell the land for $7.8M - a generous price to help bring jobs to the area. Lastly, the close proximity to Gasmea and Fruinia will help keep shipping costs low if foreign market awareness can be developed for increased sales.

With factory construction underway and the pre-production prototype of the FB-396 nearing completion, designers have begun working with the industrial and manufacturing engineers to tweak the design and set up the automobile’s production line.

Marketing Campaign for the FB-396
With the war ending much sooner than expected, the pressure was on to boost public awareness before the model's release. Njord had a marketing team, however with limited manpower the majority of these employees had to focus on establishing deals towards parts suppliers setting up for production. With few resources to work with, Hagerström directed one of his members of the management team to contract work to external marketing teams to advertise the FB-396 before its scheduled mid-1946 release.
Community Participation

With manpower severely limited, Njord Automobile AB has contracted you to develop a marketing campaign to advertise the upcoming model: the FB-396.

Here is where you can show off some of your advertising skills: an advertisement in the local newspaper or magazine, a strategic campaign to showcase the car, or perhaps a video advertisement utilizing the new television technology coming out now in 1945. Whatever you decide to do, feel free to showcase your creations to the community on this thread. I’ve also provided some information on the car along with download files for taking photos or videos (note the car uses some mods that will need to be downloaded from Steam).

Vehicle Information:
The car will be sold under two trims: the 1300 and the 1300 L.
The 1300 is the base model of the vehicle with a price of $10.7k
The 1300 L adds a FM radio, leather interior, whitewalls, and foglamps for a price of $14.8k
The car only comes comes in two colors - blue and grey (which are already painted to both cars).
Advanced safety technology comes standard on both cars: heavy duty ladder frame chassis, impact resistant bumpers, safety glass windows, and a recessed gauge cluster.

FB-396_-_1300.car (199.6 KB)
FB-396_-_1300_L.car (230.5 KB)

I look forward to see what you all come up with!

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The HETVESIAN TIMES - 1946

WORLD BORDERS CHANGE FOLLOWING THE CHAPELLE ACCORDS!
On a cool winter day, 3 January 1946, representatives from Gasmea, Foglania, Mauve, Schemmland, Fruinia, Calidentado, Archana, and new nation Dalluha have come together to sign the Chapelle Accords - establishing new world borders following the war.
Gasmea - holding the most sovereignty amongst the participating nations - has gained a substantial amount of territory. The nations of Foglania, Mauve, Schemmland, and northern Calidentado surrendered independence to the western nation, having their territories incorporated within Gasmea. The regions of Foglania and Mauve have been renamed to North Gasmea and Val-du-Mauve respectively, while Schemmland will keep their name for the new region, which has incorporated the northern Calidentado territory.
As punishment for Fruinia's involvement with the Axis powers at the beginning of the war, Gasmea has annexed the large island region of Vianta to be incorporated into its national borders, as well as $24 billion in reparations to be paid to the Gasmean government. While Fruinia has lost territory, some land in the east was gained with Gasmea rewarding the nation southern Calidentado territory for its alliance against the Nauti Shemmish forces during the second half of the war.
For their later participation in the war following a surprise attack from the Axis after the fall of former ally Wazdukski, Gasmea has rewarded Archana with the Wazdukski region - which Archana has renamed Wazdukski Kraina. However, Archana has lost territory to new nation Dalluha.
Following the fall of Sultan Abdul Baasid al-Khalil's empire in 1865, the Dalluhan region has been under Archanan authority. Archana has benefitted tremendously from the small region since the discovery of the largest oil reserve in the world to date powering their industries. In 1944, two years after Archana entered the world war, the Dalluhan region rebelled; declaring independence from Archana and re-establishing its monarchy, declaring Jihaad al-Yassin as Sheikh. Despite retaliation from Archana, their already depleted resources from fighting in the war as well as Dalluha's challenging geography and air superiority has led to the nation's success in maintaining independence from Archana. With the signing of the Chapelle Accords, Dalluha has been recognized by the world nations as an independent country. Despite the feud between Archana and Dalluha, we expect trade relations to remain with their economies being dependent on Dalluhan oil.
When asked to comment on the Accords by our reporter Oskari Pekkanen, Hetvesian Prime Minister Miettinen responded, "We look forward to continuing international trade deals with Fruinia and the expanded nation of Gasmea." With major changes in the new world order, only time will tell if the peace agreement can last.

1946 - Time to Panic?
Things have taken a turn for the worse three years since the start of the Njord Automobile campaign. Disfunction within the organization and lackluster response from contractors has put the company in a precarious position. In desperation, CEO Rasmus Hagerström has taken decisive measures to save Njord Automobile from flopping after the Njord FB-396's release.

FB-396 Production Delays
The FB-396's release date of summer 1946 has come and gone, yet the Reimsboden factory is far from being production ready with lead times being pushed to winter of 1947. The manufacturing engineers and Leonard Hansson's team of designers have been in argument over the last year. Every time the manufacturing engineers get close to establishing a manufacturing process and get factory tooling designed, Hansson's team makes a design change to the car - negating the manufacturing team's efforts with a forced redesign. With mounting frustration from the manufacturing engineers and contracted tooling support, Hagerström ordered Hansson to have his team stop making changes to the design "unless the change is critical to meeting our production start target." Hansson pushed back on the order, stating that the improvements being made were critical to maximizing occupant survivability. Hagerström agreed, however the company needed something to sell before risking bankruptcy. With Hagerström's decision being final, Hansson stopped incorporating changes to the car to the relief of the manufacturing team.

Desperate Times Calls for Desperate Measures
Finishing up a conversation on the telephone, Hagerström puts his head in his hands in defeat - not a single marketing agency was interested in advertising his car. Hagerström knew if he couldn't build attention on the FB-396, there would be no customers going to the dealerships on release. Something had to happen, yet Hagerström was stumped. At the end of the day, out of ideas and exhausted from rejection, the CEO got up from his desk, left the Njord headquarters building, and began his bike ride home. During the ride, Hagerström decided to make an unplanned stop to J. Porter's, a local pub a few kilometers off-course on Vitsippevägen. Ordering a pint of schwarzbier, Hagerström took a few sips while watching the television behind the bar. On the black-and-white screen an advertisement for Waris Vacuum Cleaners was showing.

The advertiser on the television was showcasing the power of the vacuum, picking up a variety of liquids and large debris with the device when an idea began to form. Hagerström thought; if we can demonstrate the FB-396's safety capabilities to the public, then we may not even need the advertising campaign from external marketers. Word-of-mouth and media coverage could be the advertising campaign.

Quickly getting up from the bar and rushing to the nearest telephone, Hagerström began to make some calls. He was going to organize a live crash-test demonstration of the FB-396 with a live audience.

The Crash Test
The occasion could have been mistaken to be organized by a Gasmean with all of the pomp and circumstance. Food vendors, balloons, a live band, and news of the test attracted crowds of people to the event - as well as multiple media crews capturing the first public reveal of Njord's new car, the pre-production prototype of the FB-396. As the crowd of Hetvesians swooned over the modern styling of the prototype, Hagerström stepped onto a stage and described details of the car as well as announcing a 1947 release. Then, he began to outline the crash test to be performed.

"To showcase the unparalleled safety of our soon-to-be-released automobile, we will be simulating a 60 km/h frontal impact with this very Njord you see today. To get this car up-to-speed, volunteer stunt driver Aukusti Pekkala will pull the FB-396 with this truck up to speed, sever connection between the two vehicles, then safely move out of the FB-396's path where the prototype will collide into this wall at 60 km/h! Within this automobile, we have placed a gelatin-filled dummy within the driver's position! From this test, you will see our advanced safety technology - shard-proof safety glass, impact resistant bumpers, and a reinforced ladder-frame chassis - keep this dummy occupant safe during the impact!" With the crowd and media moved to the sidelines and the test setup, it was time to perform the demonstration. Starting off, the stunt driver accelerated up to 60 km/h with the FB-396 in tow. At the mark, the tow cable between the truck and the FB-396 was disconnected, allowing the truck to veer away and come to a safe stop while the FB-396 continued forward towards the cinderblock wall. In an instant, the sound of crunching metal echoed across the pavement with the FB-396 now at a standstill at the base of the wall, front crumpled. With the car still, staff went to go inspect the results of the crash. The impact bumpers and reinforced chassis worked flawlessly in keeping the passenger compartment intact, and the safety glass shattered into small pieces as designed. The public demonstration was looking like a resounding success.

Upon reaching the FB-396, Hagerström peered inside of the cockpit to see how the dummy held up. He was met with the spray of gelatin all over the dashboard where the dummy's head sat, impaled by the steering column.
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The HETVESIAN TIMES - 1947

FIRST AIRCRAFT TO BREAK SOUND BARRIER!
The Gasmean Army Air Forces has declassified a flight testing attempt of one of their experimental aircraft. The rocket-powered aircraft piloted by Captain Charlie "Chad" Jaeger reached Mach 1.06, or 1,308 km/h, becoming the first recorded man-made vehicle to break the sound barrier.
The supersonic research project is a joint collaboration between the Gasmean Committee of Aeronautical Advisors (GCAA), Gasmean Army Air Forces, and Xylo Aerospace Technologies. The aircraft - the Xylo Y-1 - is a rocket engine powered aircraft fueled with a mixture of ethyl-alcohol, dihydrogen monoxide, and a liquid oxygen oxidizer. The aircraft's aerodynamics - effectively a "bullet with wings" - were designed to minimize drag under operation; allowing the vehicle to reach exceptional speeds with sable flight.
The manned supersonic flight occured over the Great Plains in Gasmea. Captain Charlie "Chad" Jaeger, piloting Xylo Y-1 #1 (67-420), was drop launched from the bomb bay of a G-29 bomber at an altitude of 13.1 km. Igniting the four-chamber engine, the Air Force Captain rocketed the Xylo Y-1 to a top speed of Mach 1.06 before cutting throttle and safely gliding to a landing in a dry lakebed. The flight lasted for 15 minutes.

1947 - Njord FB-396 Release
The risk to the driver from a solid steering column was not unusual for the time - many cars being sold had the exact same issue exemplified by the Njord's crash test. What was unusual though was performing a crash test in front of a live audience with the car, making the FB-396 look much worse than the competition despite its safety advancements.

Hagerström's desperate, decisive measures created a PR nightmare following the event. Editorials in the newspapers grilled Njord Automobile AB; headlines reading "Njord Creates Overpriced Coffin" and "The FB-396: Njord's Failed Brain Surgeon." Any potential sales slowed to a crawl with preorders for the FB-396 barely trickling in. The fallout from the crash test even impacted sales of Njord Maritime Solution's marine powertrains.

Despite media backlash towards the company and fury from the Njord private shareholders, Hagerström had no choice but to continue the FB-396 program with the company's limited funds. To remedy the steering column issue, Chief Designer Hansson modified the FB-396's steering system by introducing a fabric-reinforced flexible rubber coupling between the steering wheel shaft and the recirculating ball steering box. The design worked as a decent stop-gap, minimizing column shifting during impacts and minimizing factory retooling, however it had the unintended side effect of worsening steering feel when driving.

On February 1947, the first FB-396s rolled off of the Reimsboden assembly line.

The FB-396
New for '47 - coming to you from Njord Automobile - the FB-396 is the latest innovation in private transportation. Utilizing the latest in technology from the war and our expert engineers, the FB-396 is easy to drive, reliable, and most importantly safe, ensuring you and your loved ones will get wherever you are headed.

Chassis
The bodyshell, hand-formed from aluminum, sits atop a reinforced "X-Frame" ladder chassis. Suspended by a dual-wishbone independent front suspension and coiled live rear axle, sitting atop comfort-oriented 155/90C14 bias-ply tires, the FB-396 provides a smooth, confident ride. Whitewalls comes standard on the 1300 L trim. The styling of the FB-396 is traditional, yet modern, incorporating art deco elements with a sleek, fenderless ponton body. The design embraces deliberate simplicity with geometric shapes and lines that seamlessly flow into each other. Impact resistant chrome front and rear bumpers help to ensure the automobile's bodylines remain unblemished in day-to-day driving. The 1300 L includes yellow fog lamps for optimal visibility no matter the conditions.

Interior
The forward-looking design carries into the interior as well. A recessed gauge cluster features prominently in front of the driver, keeping the driver safe in the event of an impact while also displaying information such as engine temperature, road speed, and and the automobile's fuel level. Rolled front windows as well as swivel fly windows by the A-pillars help keep the cabin full of cool, clean air. The steering system has also been upgraded since the last reveal of the FB-396 to ensure the driver is safe in the event of a front end collision. Option for the 1300 L and you receive a number of upgrades for keeping you comfortable on those longer journeys: leather seats, a passenger side rear-view mirror, and a high-quality AM radio.

Powertrain
Powering the runabout is a 1.3 L naturally-aspirated inline 4: the NB2-30KW. This inboard marine vessel engine is supplied by Njord Maritime Solutions and is available for purchase along with other powertrain options from Njord Maritime Solution's catalog. With 32 kW (43 hp) @ 4400 rpm and 82 Nm (60 ft-lb) @ 3000 rpm pushed through a 3-speed column shift FMC transmission into the rear wheels, the FB-396 is capable of travelling from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 25.5 seconds . The automobile is also capable of comfortable highway cruising with a top speed of 109 km/h (68 mph). The powertrain is also efficient, only consuming 12 L / 100 km of petrol (19.6 mpg) - helping you save at the fuel pump.

Trim Options
The FB-396 comes in two different trim packages: the 1300 and the 1300 L. Both cars can be had in two colors: Glaciar Gra and Isbla. The 1300 is the standard variant of the FB-396: featuring cloth seats, impact-resistant bumpers, and a safety-oriented cockpit. MSRP for the 1300 comes in at $10,700. The 1300 L adds multiple additional features: front yellow fog lamps, whitewalls, a passenger rear view mirror, leather seats, and an AM radio. MSRP for the 1300 L comes in at $14,800.
Detailed Specifications

Vehicle Downloads

Njord 1300
FB-396_-_1300.car (199.6 KB)
Njord 1300 L
FB-396_-_1300_L.car (230.5 KB)

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I really like the story your building here, the Xylo Y-1 looks well built and was an interesting read too.

as a side id like to modify a FB-396 for rally use and even build you a more detailed chassis for your story. my own car company, Izuna. isnt as old as this but the sister company ARTA has been around for some time lore wise.

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Thank you for the kind comments! The Xylo Y-1 took a lot of inspiration from the real-life Bell X-1 - I highly recommend checking out the history of the X-Plane program if you’re a fan of aerospace history.

All of the production cars in this campaign run were already made when I was sharing my playthrough on the Automation Discord, at least up until 1994 where the actual campaign is at right now - so support on Njord’s production cars will be a bit limited. Race cars, concept cars and custom aren’t off the table though, as well as production cars once we get to 1994.

I would love to see what you come up with for a rally car! You could even share a “in-universe” story of a privateer team that used the FB-396 in competition if you’d like - it ties into the “Community Participation” element of Njord after all :wink:

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ah cool i didnt know you were further along, i could also do a Group B build too

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The HETVESIAN TIMES - 1948

STRAY DOG SAVES FAMILY FROM HOUSE FIRE!

Modified image from Edu Raw.

In the late hours of a cold evening in the small village of Schuffental, the Pitkänen family was fast asleep when a fire broke out inside of their small townhome. That was when a stray dog nearby the home became the local hero for her courageous actions.
Mr. and Mrs. Pitkänen's two daughters, Laila (age 7) and Naemi (age 9) were the first to be awoken by the stray. "The first thing I remember was a dog jumping through our bedroom window and barking at us before noticing smoke coming through our door," said Naemi in an interview after the events. "Once we knew there was a fire, me and my sister woke up Mom and Dad before we all ran out of the house in time."
Fire crews arrived minutes later to a house engulfed in flames and were able to contain the blaze with significant damage to the residence. No injuries were reported.
"The Pitkänen's were lucky to have this pooch take action with the fire," mentioned a firefighter at the scene. "Had it not been for the stray's actions, it is unlikely the family would have gotten out in time."
Fire officials are reminding local residents to maintain safe practices when handling fire within their homes. As for our stray hero - now named Enkeli - she found a home with the Pitkänen family.

1948 - Company Expansion
Following eleven months of production, the first sales numbers for the FB-396 have arrived. Njord was able to produce and sell 3,795 units of the FB-396: 925 units of the 1300 and 2,870 units of the 1300 L. With a strong first year of sales, Njord Automobile gained a profit of $12.1M.

Nobody knew for sure how the FB-396 was able to become such a sales success despite the slow preorders. Perhaps it was the timing of the FB-396's launch being so early compared to the competition, giving Njord the advantage of capturing those early sales from customers desperate for a new car. Maybe Njord's efforts to improve the steering column's safety convinced the public to give the car another chance. Who knows. Hagerström did know that the company had to act quickly to keep momentum growing the company before the tax man ate up the mass injection of profits.

Njord Automobile had sufficient logistical capacity for the current iteration of FB-396 production, however more manpower was necessary for the future. During the first year of the FB-396's production, Hagerström invested the company's influx of profit into three areas: developing a R&D facility, growing the Njord marketing effort, and beginning work on expanding FB-396 production numbers. It was time to expand the company's headquarters.

Reimsboden R&D Facility
Njord's R&D efforts needed a dedicated space to expand to validate designs for incorporation into future products. Purchasing a 8 hectare plot of land on the outskirts of Reimsboden, the company developed the Njord Automobile AB Vehicle Testing Facility. The goal of this facility was to provide a controlled environment for test engineers and researchers to develop next-generation technology for future Njord models. The Njord Vehicle Testing Facility had multiple elements for testing various vehicle driving scenarios. A skid pad with a built-in sprinkler system could test vehicle handling in controlled low-grip scenarios. A small section of elevated road tested vehicle ascent and decent capabilities. Just outside of the fenced area was an engineered rough road for optimizing chassis dynamics in rough conditions. Local roads near the facility also provided some opportunities for real-world testing. Since the construction of the facility, engineers have already been hard at work testing the FB-396's vehicle dynamics as well as researching new designs to improve brake, tire, and suspension technology. As the R&D team matures, next generation Njord's are expected to build a technological advantage over the competition, helping drive consumers to the brand.

Marketing Department
3,700 cars sold in a single year is an impressive feat considering the size of Njord Automobile in its current state, however is also a long ways off from being truly "mass production." Simply put, Njord is still a niche manufacturer and needs to gain market awareness to sell more cars.

To head the marketing effort, Hagerström created a new position to oversee the company's marketing team: Head of Marketing. Filling the position is Filip Ohlsson, a man with extensive experience running the marketing department for Waris Vacuum Cleaners. Ohlsson's first directive from the CEO was to develop a marketing campaign to bring Njord Automobile into the minds of family car buyers, emphasizing the FB-396's safety, reliability, and drivability.

Manufacturability Study
Now that FB-396 production had hit steady-state flow, Hagerström directed Chief Designer Hansson to have his team of designers work with the manufacturing engineers on the factory floor. The goal of the study was to optimize design manufacturability for the next planned facelift of the FB-396. The study would be crucial in keeping factory efficiency up as it expands as well as reducing manufacturing costs.

For the study, the design team would analyze the thousands of parts and fasteners that made the car, then work at consolidating as many parts into singular parts as possible. By effectively reducing the amount of parts required to be bolted or welded into place, the design team could reduce the effective production units of various sub assemblies across the automobile.

Private Investor Board Meeting
Njord Automobile may have been able to generate a profit, and Hagerström may have been making a serious effort at growing the company, however the fallout effects from the rough launch of the FB-396 were not lost to the private investors holding shares of Njord Automobile AB and Njord Maritime Solutions AB stock.

Board members felt that Hagerström did not take action soon enough with the issues Hansson's designers were giving the production team - noting the endless design changes that caused factory tooling to be delayed. Some believed that Njord Automobile lost at least eight months of potential sales due to the team disfunction.

But what really broke the camel's back was the public crash test. Destroying the pre-production prototype meant the marketing team had no vehicle to advertise until near the release date, not to mention the steering shaft's failure painting Njord as a careless corporation in the public eye. Njord Maritime Solution's NB engine program was bleeding the company $4M per month, which many board members blamed Hagerström for citing a drop in sales after the crash test incident. But worst of all, Hagerström did not consult with the shareholders about performing the crash test, instead "going rogue" without the board's consent.
Private shareholder members of Njord Automobile AB and Njord Maritime Solutions AB came together to discuss what to do regarding Hagerström as CEO. Has Hagerström shown to be too risky to the valuation of both companies? Should the board remove Hagerström as CEO? Or maybe another solution is in order.
COMMUNITY EVENT: Private Investor Board Meeting

You will be roleplaying as one of the members participating in the Njord private investor board meeting.

Hagerström’s actions thus far in the story could be seen as divisive to the members of the board. Considering what has happened so far and what you believe might happen in the future, should Rasmus Hagerström be removed from the CEO position? Should the CEO be given an ultimatum to keep his position? Is the board overreacting and Hagerström has done a good job for the company?

Post your responses in the comments below, and feel free to debate with each other on your stances regarding Hagerström’s employment - this is a “meeting” after all. Feel free to ask questions as well if you need more information to formulate your response.

Your responses in this event will have a major impact on Njord Automobile’s organizational structure moving forward. You will have until at least 7 March to make your responses - where I expect to make the next chapter for Njord’s story.

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The HETVESIAN TIMES - 1950

ARCHANA HAS ATOMIC BOMB!

Modified image from picryl.

Gasmea is no longer the only nation to hold atomic weapons - the Socialist Party of Archana, or the S.P.A., has declared to have tested their first atomic bomb. The weapon, RAB-1, was detonated in a secret Archanan testing site with a blast force of 24 kilotons of TNT.
Since its first usage near the end of the war, Gasmea has been the only country with access to the atom bomb; a weapon that levelled the now nonexistent city of Naamburg, drawing former Schemmland to an unconditional surrender. With tensions rising between the capitalist nation of Gasmea and the socialist republic of Archana, the Archanan's creation of the atom bomb could risk absolute destruction if the two powers were to fall into war.
For the first time in history, we now have weapons so powerful that their usage could result in the mutually assured destruction of the human race, as well as all life on Earth.
In a public service announcement, Hetvesian Prime Minister Miettinen gave insight to the country's next actions with the atomic news. "The news of Archana's weapon today only makes my administration's priority of cooperative global diplomacy more important than ever."

1950 - Putting Njord FB-396s in a Row
Nothing came of the board meeting between Njord's private investors. The majority of members were reluctant to make any points or arguments for or against removing Rasmus Hagerström as CEO of Njord Automobile AB. It was unclear why the board was sheepish towards the decision, perhaps the board was more worried about shaking the Njord boat so early from the company's startup, risking premature failure. As such, Hagerström would remain as CEO, despite being completely unaware that the board meeting ever took place.

Over the last two years, Chief Designer Leonard Hansson's team had been hard at work optimizing the FB-396's manufacturability, Head of Marketing Filip Ohlsson developed a marketing campaign to improve Hetvesian market awareness, and new small business owners have been setting up Njord dealerships across the country. Another 6,432 FB-396s were shipped out the factory doors since 1948, now bringing the total amount of Njords on the road to 10,227.

Despite rising costs from the expanded headquarters, research, marketing, FB-396 redesign, and factory retooling for the redesign, Njord was able to maintain a breakeven with the revenue from FB-396 sales. With the FB-396 production optimizations, more cars could be produced with less effort. More revenue plus less cost equals massive profits.

With the FB-396 optimizations complete and the Reimsboden factory retooled rolling into 1950, the '51 model year Njord FB-396 makes its debut.

'51 FB-396 Refresh
After two years of work, the first refresh of the FB-396 was launched to the public. On the surface, not much was different with the FB-396; The rear gained separate indicator lights for improved visibility and the 1300 trim level introduced a simplified version of the AM radio. Under the bodywork however, significant changes were made that significantly improved manufacturability. Tweaks were made throughout the car; the biggest improvement was made with the suspension. The original design had a difficult to assemble front suspension geometry; It was cumbersome to work on, requiring multiple technicians to hold various control arms and brackets in place while another bolted the assembly together. The assembly line had to be paused multiple times because of this issue.

Hansson's team simplified the suspension assembly considerably, and the manufacturing engineering team developed a hydraulically-actuated jig as well as significantly improved work instructions. This improvement turned a 30 minute job into a 5 minute process and eliminated a significant amount of line shutdowns and quality issues.

FB-396 Advertising
When Ohlsson was introduced to the Njord company in 1948, he and his marketing team got quick to work building the brand's awareness with the Hetvesian market. Utilizing magazine advertisements and radio commercials and working with aspiring small business owners set up dealerships, Njord was able to build a strong reputation as a maker of safe, reliable, and comfortable vehicles. In 1950, an internal marketing study determined 12% of buyers in the family, commuter, and premium markets considered purchasing a Njord, with a projected 3% yearly increase in awareness.

A Day at the Lake
The Reimsboden winter was especially brutal in 1950. Temperatures dipped as low as -40°C on some days, and the nearby lake Reimsee completely froze over. On one winter day, shortly after the FB-396 refresh launched, Hansson decided to organize a day at the lake with his team for all of their hard work. Early in the morning, Hansson and some others drove some of the test vehicles from the Reimsboden R&D Facility down to Reimsee, where he, his team, and their friends and family members spent the day at the lake sliding cars on the ice and snow. It was a blast of a time. Many of the employees brought some of their personal automobiles as well onto the ice, going sideways in everything from sports coupes to military surplus off-roaders. An impromptu race even occurred between some of the FB-396 (though most of the race was just spins and laughs). When they weren't ripping tread on the Reimsee ice, they enjoyed some classic Hetvesian grillkåta: roasted sausages, grilled mackerel, potato gratin, and plenty of ice cold beer satiated their appetites. The employee's children played in the snow while the adults bantered in their cars, with some riding sleds being pulled by some of the cars. One man even did some ice fishing, however the noise from the cars scared all of the fish away. At the end of the day with shadows drawing long, the makeshift event packed up and headed home. Some, including Hansson, had a bit of an afterparty at J. Porter's. Hansson barely remembers the afterparty - it became quite a blur after the flunkyball game out back started, but he knew he had a hell of a time from the killer hangover the next morning.
Detailed Specifications

Vehicle Downloads

Njord 1300
FB-396_-_1300.car (201.7 KB)
Njord 1300 L
FB-396_-_1300_L.car (202.5 KB)

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The HETVESIAN TIMES - 1953

ADVENTURIST DUO FIRST TO CLIMB WEISSHORN!

Modified image from Wikipedia Commons.

Two brave men achieved a world record this summer, becoming the first men to successfully summit the legendary Weisshorn: the world's tallest mountain.
Beginning in early May, explorers Frank Heldmann and William Palmer let a team of ten up the mountain, pausing at regular intervals to acclimate to the altitude. "The waiting was the hardest part of the journey," commented Palmer. "It was just us, the ice, and the wind ripping outside of our tents with nothing to do."
Many explorers before the duo have tried and failed to scale the Weisshorn, some even losing their lives in the process. With the mountain's steep height and slippery glacial cliffs, it was not going to let there be an easy climb.
"Those climbers gave us the information we needed to prepare - especially making sure to bring enough oxygen for the final climb," commented Heldmann. "I'm still reminiscing the moment we reached the summit. Beautiful. We could not have done it without our crew."
With the stunning achievement accomplished, we expect more climbers to take on the Weisshorn challenge - just be sure you know what you're getting yourself into.

1/3: The Invitation
Leonard Hansson stood over a drafting table with a pencil in one hand, his other wiping the sweat off his brow from the Hetvesian summer heat late into the afternoon. A small steel desk fan whirred hot, stale air over sketches and drawings of steering column concepts, occasionally picking up loose eraser shavings and graphite dust. Leonard had never been satisfied with the fiber-reinforced rubber steering coupling he’d used on the FB-396, and over the last few weeks he had been hard at work researching methods and making sketches for an improved column design, often staying late into the evening when his fellow coworkers had already gone home.

Hansson checked over his work, occasionally muttering details to himself and making notes in his drawings when the click-clack of footsteps on the concrete floor drew his attention. Moving his gaze from the graphite-dusted workbench, a slim yet sturdy figure dressed in a white top and a plaid grey pencil skirt came into view.

“Running on that midnight oil, again?” asked the woman, taking a seat next to Leonard before playing with her thick, brown hair.

Maria Lindholm had been at the company for a bit under two years working as a senior marketing professional under Filip Ohlsson, and had been friends with Leonard for a little over a year now. When she wasn’t outperforming her envious coworkers with impressive marketing performance metrics, Maria found entertainment in cracking jokes and finding ways to prod her peers - and she particularly enjoyed prodding Leonard.

“I have no idea how you manage to get so much lead all over yourself,” commented Maria, stretching back on her chair before assuming a relaxed position. “You might be done with that design of yours if you’d draw on paper instead of yourself.”

Leonard glanced down at his arms, coated in a mixture of graphite dust and sweat, then to his grey-stained, wrinkled shirt. When he looked down, a small snowfall of graphite dust shook loose from his long blond hair - so coated it was almost another color entirely. “Maybe so…” Leonard searched for a comeback for a moment before giving up, “But I think I might have winner with this one!” He picked up the draft paper from the work station, not paying much attention to the cup of pencils he knocked over in the process, and explained his breakthrough idea with Maria.

“So when the car crashes, the steering column telescopes into itself?” asked Maria, leaning into the drawing now.

“Exactly!” exclaimed Leonard, grinning cheek to cheek. “That means any deflection in the steering system is constrained to the axis of the shaft. Not only is there no more play in the car’s steering, but this design might even be safer than the old rubber coupling.”

“Nice work, Leonard!” beamed Maria, tapping on the page, seeing her now dusty finger, then wiping it off on Leonard’s shirt. “I don’t suppose you’d have a prototype together in a few weeks, would you?”

“Definitely not,” responded Leonard, now back to making notes on the design sketch. “I’ve got an idea of what I want the shaft to do, the question is how am I going to make it do that.” He gestured Maria’s attention to the pile of crumpled papers underneath the drafting table. “I’ve been banging my head on this desk over the last few weeks.”

“Well I think it’s time you take a break before all this lead gets to your head,” prodded Maria, getting a half smile from Leonard. “Fortunately for you, I’ve got our trip planned out.”

“What do you mean trip?” asked Leonard, confused with the direction the conversation was now going.

“Mr. Ohlsson wanted me to enter a FB-396 into a local rally. He thinks it’d be a good way to showcase the car’s reliability. Gives the team some opportunities to get some action shots too.”

“Thirty kilowatts of power isn’t exactly race car territory, Maria,” said Leonard, bluntly. “I mean, I’d be happy to watch a rally, but I don’t think racing a FB-396 would really help you guys sell more cars.”

“It’s not that kind of rally, dumb dumb,” poked Maria, to Leonard’s mild annoyance. “It’s a regularity rally. Take a looksie.”

Maria produced a small flyer she had been carrying that Leonard noticed she had the whole time. Taking interest, Leonard looked over the flyer. It was pale blue in color, titled 1953 Klaffenstein Loop Road Rally with a painted image of a mountain. Flipping the page, Leonard read the event description and schedule.

The Klaffenstein Loop Road Rally, presented by the Ugenstadt Drivers Club, is a four day event from August 27-30. With the picturesque view of the Klaffenstein supervolcano in near constant view, this event will put you and your partner’s driving and navigation skills to the ultimate test. Your team will be tasked to reach each checkpoint of the stages under controlled time, speed, and distance targets; penalty points are scored by how close you meet these targets with the winner having the fewest penalty points.

Each stage is broken into multiple segments with multiple checkpoints on regulated sections. Stage start times will be dependent on your assigned time card at the event.

EVENT SCHEDULE:

THURSDAY
07:00: Car Show / Meet and Greet
10:00: First Car Begins Ungenstadt - Gronwald Stage
13:30: Group Lunch at Clodfelter’s
15:00: First Car Begins Gronwald - Shuffental Stage

FRIDAY
07:00: Group Breakfast Boda Cafe Bistro
08:30: First Car Begins Schuffental - Luremburg Stage
12:00: Lunch Break
13:00: Continue Schuffental - Luremburg Stage
18:00: Group Dinner / Luremburg Boat Museum Private Tour

SATURDAY
08:00: Group Breakfast Bella Vista Restaurant
09:30: First Car Begins Luremburg - Friedhain am Meer Stage
01:30: Group Lunch Appolo’s Fruinian Restaurant
14:00: Seemansinsel Trail Hike
18:00: Dinner Break
19:00: Continue Luremburg - Friedhain am Meer Stage

SUNDAY
09:00: First Car Begins Freidhain am Meer - Ungenstadt Stage
12:00: Lunch Break
13:00: Continue Freidhain am Meer - Ungenstadt Stage
16:30: Group Dinner Ungenstadter Bierhaus / Awards Ceremony

“Looks like fun,” commented Leonard, handing the flyer back to Maria. “I assume you need me that Thursday to show off the car?”

Maria stared at Leonard for a moment, her pale green eyes shimmering in the dim afternoon light bleeding through the windows, before letting out a laugh and a snort. “Oh, you’re not getting off that easy there, bud,” Maria said between her chuckles. “You’re gonna be my co-driver.”

Leonard could feel the blood rushing through his cheeks. Him and Maria? In a car together for hours on end? Touring the Hetvesian countryside? The very thought was intoxicating, almost too good to be true. It was too good to be true.

Leonard felt a pit forming in his stomach. Have I been getting feelings for Maria? This isn’t good. Every time I’ve caught feelings for a girl, it ended up blowing up in my face. Remember when you thought you were dating Irene back in high school? You asked her out to go look at Christmas lights and she said she had to study that night, only to learn she took her boyfriend to that very same date. How about Ellie? You two were good friends for years, and the moment your dumb ass told her you liked her she disappeared from your life forever. Or how about Vilda? Sure, how were you supposed to know she was the team principal’s girlfriend? It didn’t matter though, because asking her out got you fired from that job and nearly tanked your career.

Leonard found himself in a risky situation. Him and Maria? In a car for hours on end? Touring the Hetvesian countryside? The very thought was terrifying.

“A-are you…,” Leonard could feel his panic swelling, but fought back. He could not show Maria what he really felt about her. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean… I’ve got to get this concept ready to present to management in a few months, and-”

“Sounds like you’ve got plenty of time to work on it,” interrupted Maria. “And frankly, getting away from that desk might do you some good. Mr. Ohlsson did suggest bringing you along to get some real-world analysis on the car.”

Before Leonard could interject, Maria got up from her chair, handing him the rally flyer. “I suggest getting some rest and studying up on navigating, Leo.” Leonard never cared for nicknames, but he gave an exception for Maria; a choice he was now beginning to regret. “I’ve got to get home and start packing.”

Leonard, now alone, was stunned, nervously tapping his pencil between his fingers while staring at the event flyer long after Maria’s footsteps faded from the room. “What have I gotten myself into?”, Leonard quietly spoke to himself. The 1953 Klaffenstein Loop Road Rally stared back at him in bold white letters, the painted mountain looming over the schedule like a dare, or better articulated, a deathwish. Four days. Hundreds of kilometers. Just him and Maria in a car the entire time.

Leonard exhaled slowly and rubbed graphite from his fingers onto the edge of the paper. “This is a terrible idea,” he muttered. His eyes drifted from the drafting table to the flyer, back and forth until his head spun. He dreaded the coming days, and yet, he knew no matter what, he was going to the rally - even if Maria had to drag him there.

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Excellent writing, firstly. I can’t wait to see how this rally develops!