Re: Recoilless Rifle vs. IAVR vs. GMS

Rob Hofrichter replied to Tom Barclay: 

>>In SG2 terms:
>>
>>GMS: unlimited range, uses guidance, spoofable by ECM, impact >>D12*.

For GMS/P, yes.

>>Ammo: Typically 1-4 shots.
>>Example: Javelin
>>
>>IAVR: quality based range bands, uses FP D8 or D10, unspoofable,
>>impact D12*.
>>Ammo: Typically 1 shot. Some multi-shot variants have been
>>suggested.

...though in most armies, every rifleman in the squad is supposed to
carry one IAVR, so giving the squad one IAVR per non-specialist member
is quite reasonable.

>>Example: LAW-80, RPG-18, M-72, Armburst, Panzerfaust
>
>Armbrust, right?  I keep calling it "Armburst" also, but I think it's
>actually the other spelling.

Yes, Armbrust (means "crossbow"). "Armburst" sounds rather painful for
the shooter <g>

The WW2 Panzerfaust fits into this category; the modern Panzerfaust 3
is more a specialist support weapon like the CG. In its tactical use, I
mean - technically it's quite different from the CG.
 
>>RR: ?
>>Example: Bazooka, Carl Gustav, Panzershreck

The Panzerfaust 3 and RPG-7 fit in here as well. OK, technically none
of Bazooka, Panzerschreck or Panzerfaust 3 is a "recoilless rifle" -
the first two are smoothbore rocket launchers, the latter a Davis Gun
(also smoothbore IIRC), rather than rifled recoilless guns. Not sure
about the RPG-7 - it's a recoilless gun like the CG, but IIRC it's a
smoothbore as well. The CG is a rifled recoilless gun, thus "recoilless
rifle".

I guess only an interior ballistics person would care about these
differences though <g> - it's similar calling an Airbus "a Jumbojet"
when you really mean "big airliner", or calling diesel "gas" when you
mean "car fuel". It's probably my own fault anyway, due to being sloppy
with the terms earlier :-/

All of the above weapons are reusable* shoulder-launched
anti-tank/support weapons with little or no recoil (regardless of the
physical principle which negates the recoil) which can fire many
different types of ammo - HEAT, HE, bunker-busters, smoke, illum. and
so on.

Unfortunately I don't think there's any spiffy acronym covering these
weapons without also covering a lot of disposable (IAVR-style) ones :-(

* OK, only the sight and trigger mechanism of the Panzerfaust 3 are
reusable; the barrel is part of the cartridge :-/

>>Ammo: Typically ? - How many Carl G rounds would a two man det
>>carry? Maybe	8?

For today's CG, no more than 9 rounds. The loader can carry 4 in his
backpack and 2 in each hand, and the gunner can have one in the weapon.
Not that running around with a loaded CG is *allowed* (except possibly
in Brazil), but in a real fight soldiers are likely to do it anyway :-/

I'd be surprised if a Panzerfaust 3 team could carry that much ammo
though (the rounds are *big*); an RPG-7 team might be able to carry
more than this.

>>I was wondering how people handled MAWs in SG2.

Hm? Working mostly with infantry weapons I read the acronym "MAW" as
"Multipurpose Assault Weapon", ie. something designed primarily to take
out bunkers and buildings but with at least some effect against (light)
armoured vehicles. From your suggested stats I guess that you're
thinking of something else, though?

>>I thought perhaps use the 12" range ands of vehicle mounted >>weapons
(or a doubled range bands like a sniper if using quality >>rangebands)?
Impact 2D8* (if you don't mind throwing in non->>standard impact,
otherwise D12*). FP D10 (better sights than most >>IAVRs).

Um... at the moment all IAVRs have FP D10 already, so FP D10 can't be
"better sights than most IAVRs".

>I go with range based upon crew quality.  I don't use it as a guided
>system (though a future version certainly could be) and the sighting
>mechanism I assume being closer to those on IAVR-type weapons >than
vehicle-mounted systems or GMS launchers.  Though some of >the
MAW-category weapons do have spotting rifles, while none of the
>IAVR=types do, IIRC.

Um. Tom explicitly included the LAW-80 in his IAVR category, and it
certainly has a spotting rifle... not that I'd equate a spotting rifle
with vehicle-quality FC, of course :-/

Later,

Oerjan Ohlson
oerjan.ohlson@telia.com

"Life is like a sewer.
  What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
- Hen3ry