DLD's latest conniving plan....

... to separate me from my paycheck.....

Okay David, here's what I'd like to see, while 
we're wishlisting:

1) Engineering vehicles. You might have a chat 
offline with Mr. Atkinson. He and I talked about 
a number of interesting futuristic engineering 
vehicle options and he had some very informed 
(to my mind) thoughts on the matter. He 
contributed greatly to my understanding of the 
varied roles such vehicles might need to handle 
and hence how they should be put together. PS 
- I'm still hoping someone takes up the idea of 
moulding some PAE (Powered Armour, 
Engineering). Like standard PA, but with some 
additional fittings/fixtures. I'd like to see 
something with a demolition gun, a mine 
plow/flail, and maybe some sort of CLC 
launcher. I'd also love to see some sort of 
hover or ground truck and trailer with a bunch 
of configurable modules - mine flingers, wire 
spoolers, systems to lay wire and stake it, etc. 

2) Comms/EW version of the Kamodo based off 
the TOC frame. All you need do is create a new 
top plate and a retractile jammer/interceptor 
mast. 

3) A _nice_looking_ conventional howitzer. 
Some sort of long barreled gun mounted either 
turreted or fixed on various chassis types. I do 
NOT like the look of any howitzer carriers I have 
yet seen. 

4) MRLS - GZG does a passable one for the 
Hover and Wheeled worlds. This wouldn't be at 
the top of my list, on account of I already have 
some and they'll do for how often they show up.

5) ADA - Both a large tracked/hover/grav 
chassis with a multi-chaingun turret (maybe 
which also has a missile system on it or as an 
alternate turret) and a smaller hover 
jeep/conventional jeep version that models off 
the Stinger POST. Maybe even a mod of "new 
not-yet-released mystery vehicle" where the 
rear section becomes an AAGMS system, that 
would capitalize on existing parts. Light ADA like 
the Stinger POST and similar are probably as 
likely to be deployed with airmobile forces as 
anything. 

6) Grav MICV to match the Civet and a 
Couger/Bison/LAV like wheeled MICV (an ARV in 
this type would also work). The Kamodo has a 
French VAB or German Luchs feel to it, but 
something with a sharply angled nose and a 
turret packing a chaingun and GMS would be a 
great piece too. You could probably use some 
of the parts (wheels etc) that you already have, 
though the hull would have to change. Actually, 
if you moulded carefully, you could make the 
turret ring on this LAV/Bison like vehicle the 
same size as the HFS, then you suddenly have a 
drop-on conversion to the Kamodo line. (This is 
very similar to how M113s and other vehicles 
can be upgunned by drop in turrets, even some 
from other vehicles!).

7) M901 or similar raised mast GMS based TD. 

8) An unarmoured (mostly) 3 man FAV wheeled 
like that used by Spec Forces - 2 down in front, 
one up on a turret in the back. LMG and HMG 
or AC. 

9) A good tracked MICF/AIFV. No-one makes a 
good 25mm Bradley type vehicle that I've 
found. 

10) A VTOL - the new Osprey successor QTR. 
(Quad Tilt-Rotor - two sets of wings, front and 
back, four motors). I've seen the concept 
vehicle design - very cool looking. Don't know if 
it can keep from falling out of the air, but it 
makes a great SF looking troop transport and 
support gunship (esp if you made one with 
weapons add ons). 

11) Some Rigid Hull boats with Inflatable Collars 
(the new navy fast picket boats and harbour 
control). With a Kevlar collar, these things are 
fast, good for small unit games, and could 
easily show up in SG games where the game 
has a coastal or brownwater (river) component. 
Stuart Murray used 15mm Vietnam era PBRs 
and Monitors to great effect in Cinegrunt, and 
I'm convinced that one of these with an AGL or 
an AC and an MG or two and a place to stand a 
few figures would be an awesome add on.

12) This is an odd one but: Tents! I got some 
reasonable vacc-form pup tents from KR, but 
they're fragile. I'd rather have 2-4 piece resin 
puptents, and I'd like to see a model of the 
larger style military tents. It's hard to build a 
proper firebase/encampment without them (I 
have all the armourcast bunkers/sandbag 
emplacements I need thanks). It'd be easy to 
make sectional, so they could be made out of a 
few quick sections and have the same thickness 
as the top or bottom of the Kamodo. Then a 
couple of seams, and presto, sturdy tents! Pup 
tents are fine, but I'd like to have tents that 
could be setup as a MASH unit, as a BN HQ, 
etc. 

That ought to keep you busy. :) 

Tomb

PS - Richard Bell, in your discussion of remote 
control fighters, you forgot to account for short 
range quantum-comms - FTL, but on a short 
range basis. This kind of tech (which seems not 
unlikely given current developments) would let 
you fly a fighter by remote in real-time. (Now, 
I'm not even sure I understand this enough to 
know if it can be jammed, so that is one 
counterargument). 
---------------------------------------------
Thomas Barclay
Co-Creator of http://www.stargrunt.ca 
Stargrunt II and Dirtside II game site

No Battle Plan Survives Contact With Dice.
-- Mark 'Indy' Kochte