A load based pressure and flow control system including a variable displacement hydraulic motor and a flow control valve coupled with a motor inlet. A motor inlet pressure sensor is interposed between the variable displacement hydraulic motor and the flow control valve, the motor inlet pressure sensor configured to measure a motor inlet pressure at the motor inlet. An output sensor is coupled with a motor output of the variable displacement hydraulic motor and configured to measure an output characteristic of the variable displacement hydraulic motor. A displacement and flow controller of the system is configured to change displacement of the variable displacement hydraulic motor according to a pressure difference across the flow control valve between the measured motor inlet pressure and a hydraulic system pressure, and change a flow rate of hydraulic fluid through the flow control valve according to the measured output characteristic of the hydraulic motor.