RE: Infantry Walkers

> Of course, current technology is able to work on walker vehicles, but
grav
> vehicles are something no one has ever been able to demonstrate, so
who can
> say which is more *efficient*?

I suppose you have a point. I'm assuming a certain amount of grav 
tech efficiency based on vehicle minis, and rules present in the 
various FMA systems. If you didn't have at least a decent efficiency, 
then they'd not field grav vehicles. But you are right in the sense 
that there is some speculation here. 
 
> Anyway, Heavy Gear does *not* make Gears the end-all, be-all of
weapons
> systems, unlike (saaay) Battletech.  *In certain conditions* (fairly
rough
> terrain, heavy jungle, swamp, etc.) where tanks and other
wheeled/tracked
> vehicles have trouble operating, Gears allow heavier weapons than just
> infantry can carry around.  

I question this somewhat. Let's take swamp. I'm assuming an armoured 
walker with heavy weapons would weigh quite a few hundred kilos 
anyway.... I'd think that would be problematic in many swamps. Heavy 
jungle - I've been in bush way to dense for any walker to pass here 
in Canada - and that isn't jungle! There are places that give MEN 
problems. I'm assuming in light forest, you might have more mobility 
than a tank, but in really tough forest, you'd be SOL just like the 
tanks. And as for the 'rough terrain' component - if it is craggy or 
boulder strewn or the equivalent, I think your simple act of moving 
about becomes far more problematic in a walker. So, whereas I see 
your point about heavier weapons for infantry, I don't think a walker 
has the same range of operations as infantry alone. I think it could 
be good as light airdropped support - giving heavier firepower and 
exploitation capability - but only if the power supply lasts a long 
long time without refueling. I guess the niche these things could 
occupy would not be terribly huge, but their could be places they'd 
be very useful. I can see them being deployed for things like base 
security (extra firepower, maintenance readily at hand), exploitation 
manoevres and raids, and in support of regular infantry who also have 
tank and air support (just another combined arm). But I really don't 
think they want to try operating in a swamp (lots of moving parts, a 
fair amount of weight/surface pressure) or in thickest jungle. 

I recall hearing of one
> super-hovertank that, in the end, lost to an infantry horde because it
> didn't have enough anti-infantry ammo... anyway.

And apparently the infantry weren't using morale rules either.....

 
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Thomas Barclay		     
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