Re: Infantry Walkers!

In a message dated 98-11-20 02:00:24 EST, you write:

<< 
 On Thu, 19 Nov 1998, Thomas Barclay wrote:
 
 > Personally, I think they are a bit unlikely. It is hard to make a 
 > mech walk. It wastes previous space for servos and delicate gyros and

 > control systems, so pound for pound they'd always be weaker than a 
 > vehicle without these glitzy componenets. They seem like a 
 > maintenance nightmare (imagine logistics if every squad had one). 
 > They seem like they'd have to be complex and expensive and prone to 
 > problems relative to simpler designs. 
 
	I have to agree with your points...  But I still love 'em. <g>
 For me, they are very SF.
 
 > OTOH, If you have PA, they make sense. And they could fill a useful 
 > tactical role. Mark me down as luke warm. 
 
	Our games are so hard on vehicles, it is hard for me to gauge
 walker's value.  I *think* they are keen in a tactical sense, given
 certain terrain and tactical perameters.  But I am still figuring them
 out.
 
 > Like most things, it is not the tool, but the deployment that 
 > determines the effectiveness.
 
	True!
 
 > In my big con scenario, one side had a wheeled TD with HKP and an 
 > ATST combat walker with HEL/2s. The other side had four aliens APCs 
 > with DFFG/1 and SAW and two aliens gunships with SLAM/3, RFAC/1 and 
 > GMS/H. By the end of the battle, 1 APC (with infantry inside), both 
 > VTOLs and the TD and the Walker were all slagged. 3 APCs were still 
 > standing. I think in an even battle, where people aggressively use 
 > their vehicles, they will be expended. If it is an unfair battle, he 
 > on the powerful side may take less casualties....
 
	My bet is on those gunships!  Ouch!
 
	Laterish!
 
 Ken
 
 
 I agree with both of you, yes they would be service/logistics
intensive, but
on the otherhand they are in part what attracted me to 20/25mm Sci-Fi.
In the
games we played when SGII first came out (moderate/large size game,
several
platoons,  1/2 dozen vehicals total) we used Kryomech Raven class
walkers
(mine were painted German WWII "Ambush pattern" for NSL) . In urban
environments with lots of rubble , obstacles and destroyed buildings,
walkers
were able to hunker down in defilade and pop up at just the right moment
let
loose with rockets and mini-guns and scoot. Kinda like helicopter
gunships
with legs. Walkers died quick though if they tried to slug it with MBT
tanks
heavily armed opponents.