Re: [DS] Calling all used tank salesmen

On Mon, 24 May 1999, Ndege Diamond wrote:

> It's been kinda quiet on the list lately.

i guess everyone's wandering around remembering what sunshine looks
like.

> To provoke some discussion I was
> wondering if any of you Dirtside players out there had some design
> philosophies that you have found to be effective. 

tanks, mr diamond sir, thousands of 'em!

> I am wondering if anyone knows of
> a similar showcase or just wants to share their best designs.  If it
helps
> I have a Grav/GEV heavy force.

if not constrained by tech, i go for the biggest massdriver i can get my
hands on, put it in a turret, and mount a good pds. if i think my enemy
will have lots of gms, good ecm and reactive armour too. i don't field
ADVs, as i reckon the points are better spent making individual tanks
more
gms-proof: it cuts down on vulnerability.

if the enemy is going to field lots of infantry, field lots of infantry
right back at him. alternatively, take plenty of off-table artillery
(it's
always worth taking a CBR if you do, in case he tries to counterbattery
you himself) or stock up on israeli-style porcupine vehicles: size 1 or
2,
perhaps a lightweight RFAC/MDC or SLAM, and a load of APSW. maybe APFC
too. the point is, they're cheap, fast, and deadly to infantry. as long
as
you can keep the enemy cavalry off them (which is where your armour
comes
in), you're ok. the biggest threat is infantry with gms; unless you can
fit a pds on each one (making them quite a bit more expensive), you
either
rely on ADS or resign yourself to massive casualties in that department.

i've played about with designs for a heavy gev/grav force: size 5,
superior pds, huuge massdriver for the mbt, two teams of power armour
for
the ifv, etc. i think they're so expensive you'd only get a tiny force,
which would be a pain.

soo, middle of the road:

mbt
	size 4 (+20 cp)
	armour 4, maybe reactive
	slow gev, maybe fast gev
	ecm/enh, maybe sup
	fcs/sup
	maybe stealth-1
	mdc/5 in turret (-15 cp) providing you allow that
	pds/sup (-4 cp?)
	apfc or apsw (-1 cp)

ifv
	size 3 (+15 cp)
	armour 3, maybe reactive
	slow gev, maybe fast gev
	ecm/enh, maybe sup
	cargo 8 (-8 cp)
	gms/l (-2 cp)
	pds/sup (-4 cp?)
	apfc or apsw (-1 cp)
	maybe drop pds to enh, drop apfc/apsw, upgrade gms to gms/h

spg
	size 4 (+20 cp)
	armour 4, maybe reactive
	slow gev
	ecm/enh, maybe sup
	fcs/sup
	(the biggest artillery weapon you can fit)
	(pds + apfc/apsw for whatever's left)

aav
	size 2 (+10 cp)
	armour 2R
	fast gev
	ecm/enh, maybe sup
	fcs/sup
	mdc/2 in turret (-6 cp)
	3 apsw (-3 cp)
	apfc (-1 cp)

laav
	size 1 (+5 cp)
	armour 1R
	fast gev
	ecm/enh, maybe sup
	4 apsw (-4 cp)
	apfc (-1 cp)

but these are really the most basic designs imaginable.

> Of course, I am always interested in tactics.  Especially those that
deal
> with taking on a larger, cheaper force of tracked vehicles and powered
> infantry.

generally, concentrate. take out the most dangerous parts of the enemy
force first. if you have objectives other than "smash kill maim
destroy",
consider those first. if you are using gms, whack the enemy ads with
guns.
if facing infantry, keep the range open. if facing heavy tanks, close.
all
pretty basic stuff, but then i'm an ft guy first and foremost.

> Senior Lurker,

what? last i heard, you were lurker first class. you'll be running the
whole list in a few weeks!

tom