First of all, surface vehicles would come in classes 1, 2, 3, and 4. Planetary vehicle hangers could fit as many classes of vehicle as they can currently, but it wouldn't make a difference whether you have 4 class 1 vehicles or 1 class 4 vehicles.
Here are my suggestions for new vehicles and I have given them names in keeping with the bug theme of Scarab.
Surface Recon Skimmer (SRS Wasp): Class 1 vehicle similar to one of the skimmers you often encounter. Though it could fly, it could not exceed a certain altitude (200 meters is probably good).
Advantages: The Wasp would handle terrain better then the Scarab (which likes to spin out at high speeds), have a slightly higher top speed.
Disadvantages: The Wasp would have less armor, shields, weapon damage, and cargo space then the Scarab.
Surface Salvage Vehicle (SSV Ant): Class 1 vehicle a lot like the Scarab but better suited to scavenging.
Advantages: The Ant would have larger cargo space then the Scarab.
Disadvantages: The Ant would have lower armor and shields then the Scarab.
Surface Assault Vehicle (SAVTarantula Scorpion): Class 2 vehicle built for direct combat. (This is basically the one that FDev has mentioned.)
Advantages: The Tarantula would have much greater armor, shields, and weapon damage then the Scarab.
Disadvantages: The Tarantula would be larger and less maneuverable then the Scarab.
Surface Salvage Vehicle (SSV Beetle): Class 2 vehicle, built as a bigger better version of the Ant.
Advantages: The Beetle would have larger cargo space then the Ant. The Beetle would also have a hydraulic arm or two for the purpose of collecting salvage from anywhere nearby, rather then having to scoop it.
Disadvantages: The Beetle would be larger then the Ant.
Surface Assault Vehicle (SAV Mantis): Class 3 vehicle built for stealth combat and infiltration.
Advantages: The Mantis have greater speed and longer range data scanner then the Scarab, a silent running option, and missiles for taking out surface defenses from a safe distance.
Disadvantages: The Mantis would be larger then the Scarab. Some systems might also make the mantis illegal.
Surface Assault Skimmer (SAS Dragonfly): Class 3 vehicle that is essentially be a ship launched fighter but built for use near the surface of a planet rather then in null gravity. The dragonfly could not be used in space. (2km would probably be a good limit.)
Advantages: The Dragonfly would fly, be very maneuverable, very fast, and have fairly high armor, shields, and weapon damage.
Disadvantages: The Dragonfly would be larger then the Scarab.
Guardian Surface Recon Skimmer (Guardian SRS): Class 2 vehicle based on Guardian Sentinels.
Advantages: Like a Wasp but out performs the Wasp in almost every way, especially combat.
Disadvantages: Requires a Guardian Starship Blueprint Fragment as well some other Guardian components to unlock, and then can only be bought at a station with a Guardian tech broker.
All non-flying surface vehicles would scoop any materials they ran over with the cargo scoop deployed, regardless of whether or not the material was targeted. Only materials for which there was no room would be ignored.
Some of the larger vehicles could carry multiple CMDRs, and a CMDR crewmember would be able to enter a one-man vehicle and drive off, allowing the ship owner to get in another vehicle or take off in the ship.
I have not thought of any class 4 vehicles, except better versions of SRV, SAV, and SSV.
Should true surface mining be added, presumably there would be at least one surface vehicle to facilitate that.
Here are my suggestions for new vehicles and I have given them names in keeping with the bug theme of Scarab.
Surface Recon Skimmer (SRS Wasp): Class 1 vehicle similar to one of the skimmers you often encounter. Though it could fly, it could not exceed a certain altitude (200 meters is probably good).
Advantages: The Wasp would handle terrain better then the Scarab (which likes to spin out at high speeds), have a slightly higher top speed.
Disadvantages: The Wasp would have less armor, shields, weapon damage, and cargo space then the Scarab.
Surface Salvage Vehicle (SSV Ant): Class 1 vehicle a lot like the Scarab but better suited to scavenging.
Advantages: The Ant would have larger cargo space then the Scarab.
Disadvantages: The Ant would have lower armor and shields then the Scarab.
Surface Assault Vehicle (SAV
Advantages: The Tarantula would have much greater armor, shields, and weapon damage then the Scarab.
Disadvantages: The Tarantula would be larger and less maneuverable then the Scarab.
Surface Salvage Vehicle (SSV Beetle): Class 2 vehicle, built as a bigger better version of the Ant.
Advantages: The Beetle would have larger cargo space then the Ant. The Beetle would also have a hydraulic arm or two for the purpose of collecting salvage from anywhere nearby, rather then having to scoop it.
Disadvantages: The Beetle would be larger then the Ant.
Surface Assault Vehicle (SAV Mantis): Class 3 vehicle built for stealth combat and infiltration.
Advantages: The Mantis have greater speed and longer range data scanner then the Scarab, a silent running option, and missiles for taking out surface defenses from a safe distance.
Disadvantages: The Mantis would be larger then the Scarab. Some systems might also make the mantis illegal.
Surface Assault Skimmer (SAS Dragonfly): Class 3 vehicle that is essentially be a ship launched fighter but built for use near the surface of a planet rather then in null gravity. The dragonfly could not be used in space. (2km would probably be a good limit.)
Advantages: The Dragonfly would fly, be very maneuverable, very fast, and have fairly high armor, shields, and weapon damage.
Disadvantages: The Dragonfly would be larger then the Scarab.
Guardian Surface Recon Skimmer (Guardian SRS): Class 2 vehicle based on Guardian Sentinels.
Advantages: Like a Wasp but out performs the Wasp in almost every way, especially combat.
Disadvantages: Requires a Guardian Starship Blueprint Fragment as well some other Guardian components to unlock, and then can only be bought at a station with a Guardian tech broker.
All non-flying surface vehicles would scoop any materials they ran over with the cargo scoop deployed, regardless of whether or not the material was targeted. Only materials for which there was no room would be ignored.
Some of the larger vehicles could carry multiple CMDRs, and a CMDR crewmember would be able to enter a one-man vehicle and drive off, allowing the ship owner to get in another vehicle or take off in the ship.
I have not thought of any class 4 vehicles, except better versions of SRV, SAV, and SSV.
Should true surface mining be added, presumably there would be at least one surface vehicle to facilitate that.
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