Some GMS Thoughts [SG2]

Now, perhaps I'm walking in others footsteps here... I dimly recall 
seeing something about other GMS types, but can't for the life of me 
find it in either my own mail or the archives....

Most conventional GMS in the books are 'standard' GMS by which I 
assume a state of the art shaped charge or HEAT style of warhead. I 
assume the warhead is compact, fast, and guided by a whole range of 
sensors in the missile (hence why GMS systems can fire both normal 
and multi-role GMS from the same launcher). But that leaves a number 
of interesting options. 

Overhead-Attack (OA) GMS
This type of guided missile (either a Multi-role or Standard) GMS 
takes advantage of the fact that armour designers tend to armour the 
front and sides of most armoured vehicles more heavily than the top 
or rear (and in the case of most vehicles that don't fly, the 
bottom). This is usually sound design strategy as this helps to 
counter direct fire ordinance. But, it doesn't do much good against 
an OA GMS attack. The effect of an OA GMS is to strike the (usually) 
weaker top armour of a vehicle instead of the front or sides. If you 
track the armour values of different sides separately, just use the 
value for top armour. If not, use half (round down) of the armour 
value for the front armour. OA GMS is available in GMS/H, GMS/L, and 
GMS/P but should be (in a costed scenario) very expensive. 

Follow-On (FO) GMS
The Follow-On GMS is an especially dangeorus type of GMS system. When 
a Follow-On GMS is fired, two missiles are launched. The primary, and 
the "Follow-On". The primary missile rolls to strike the target as 
normal. The Follow-On also simultaneously (in game terms) attacks the 
target. It homes in using IR and other sensors on the exact MPI of 
the previous missile. If the original missile misses, so does the FO 
missile. If the primary hits, the FO must roll to hit 
(Guidance+Operator Quality vs. D4). The ECM of the defender having 
been overcome by the guided primary, the secondary has a relatively 
simple task to impact the same spot. If a partial success is scored, 
the second missile strike is resolved as a normal missile strike 
against full armour. If a major success is scored (fairly likely), 
the second missile attacks half (round down) the armour of the struck 
facing. Note that this type of weapon has special paired ammunition 
and must be fired from a special launcher although such launchers are 
available as GMS/L-FO, GMS/H-FO, and GMS/P-FO. They (like the OA 
missiles) are very expensive, much moreso because they require a 
special type of launcher. 

Laser Homing (LH) GMS
One important way of getting a GMS to its target is Laser target 
designation. A laser homing GMS differs from a conventional GMS in 
that its success is largely dependent on the success of the 
designator. Firing a laser designator is an action that an SG2 
designator team (1-2 men, specialists or trained members of regular 
formations) can undertake. The object, of course, it to hold the 
designator on-target until such time as the GMS can home in on it. 
Generally, the designating unit will conduct this fire as its second 
action, and on the next friendly activation, the GMS firing unit will 
activate and fire as its first action. Note that there exists one 
enemy activation between times. This reflects the chance that (if the 
designators have not picked their opportunity well) the target 
vehicle or one of its flankers or another unit entirely could engage 
and suppress or destroy the designating unit. 

To Hit with a Laser Designator: 24" Range bands. Unit 
Quality die of Designator Team + Designator Quality vs. Range die. 
(If untrained in designator, apply two negative die shifts to unit 
quality). The figure using the designator must be identified. 

To Hit with a LH-GMS: 

If Laser Designation unit has scored major success and the LOS 
between designator unit and target is not obscured, the 
designating figure has not been suppressed, rendered a casualty, or
forced to route or the like: 
Quality Die of GMS Team + Guidance of GMS vs. D4. 

If Laser Designation unit has scored minor success and the LOS 
between designator unit and target is not obscured, the 
designating figure has not been suppressed, rendered a casualty, or 
forced to route or the like: 
Quality Die of GMS Team + Guidance of GMS vs. D8. 

If Laser Designation unit has failed or has  been suppressed, or the 
designator has blocked LOS, the designating figure is rendered a 
casualty, or forced to route or the like: Quality Die of GMS Team + 
Guidance of GMS vs. (D8x2). 

Laser Homing GMS are available in GMS/L, GMS/H, and GMS/P. LH GMS 
missiles may be fired from a standard GMS launcher as the beam riding 
is a missile function. They are expensive however. 

The Laser designator is a man portable unit (although each team 
probably has two just in case one breaks, hence a two man team). 
Smaller designators with 12" range bands may be available. A 
vehiclular designator system could be considered to take up 2 spaces, 
have a 24" range band (but multiple by target class). Such a 
designator may be fired as the first action of a vehicle crew (by, 
for example the commander) and the GMS could be fired as the second 
action (by the gunner). This kind of designation is fast enough that 
it allows very little reaction on behalf of the target. 

Note for the daring, infantry laser beacons are available. If one of 
these is successfully attached to a target vehicle, it is considered 
designated by a major success. To Attach Infantry Laser Beacon: 
Troops must move into contact with enemy vehicle. Placement is a 
single action, which risks one member of the squad (owner must 
designate). 
Chance of successful placement: 
Infantry Troop Quality vs. Vehicle Crew Troop Quality. 
This represents the fact that vehicle crew will try to make it hard 
for swarming infantry to place such a beacon. (And they'll probably, 
on their action, hose the infantry with SAWS). If the vehicle moved 
during the turn the infantry are trying to attach the beacon, apply a 
one die negative shift on the attacking infantry's quality. If the 
vehicle moved twice, two die shifts negative on the attacking 
infantry's quality. If any hit is scored, consider the beacon 
attacked. IF THE INFANTRY TROOP QUALITY ROLL IS A 2, the infantry-man 
placing the mine is injured by the vehicle. IF THE INFANTRY TROOP 
QUALITY ROLL IS A 1, the infantry-man placing the mine is killed. 
Note, it is possible to place the beacon and still have a trooper 
injured. Removing a beacon would involve an action by either 
friendly infantry in contact with the vehicle or an already 
dismounted vehicle crew. 

Note that the above rolls could also be used for Limpet Mine (D12* 
Impact attack) placement. If major success is acheived, D12x2 is the 
Impact. (as per standard rules for weapons with an asterisk). 

Vehicular Point Defense System (VPDS)

The VPDS system involves several components, any combination of which 
can be installed. They are available in all standard quality levels. 

APFC Belts - Charges designed to kill infantry that get too close to 
the vehicle. When any infantry unit enters 6" of the vehicle with 
active APFC Belts, the APFCs fire. This includes if the vehicle 
drives past such units. The APFC attacks the target as a standard 
CDM.  If the vehicle with APFC is hit by a kinetic energy weapon 
(HKP, RFAC, SLAM, etc), the APFC may be set off involuntarily (bad 
for friendlies too). Roll a quality die for the VPDS system. If the 
roll is a one, the APFC detonates, attacking EVERYTHING within 6" of 
the vehicle as a CDM. The APFC belt is then considered destroyed. If 
ANY heavy weapon hits an APFC equipped vehicle, roll the VPDS system 
quality die (actually this can be combined with the explosion roll) 
and on a 1-2, the APFC belt is destroyed with no explosion (if 
combining the rolls, 2 destroys the system, 1 sets it off -thus also 
destroying it). 

Laser Obscuring Aerosol Dispensers (LOADs)
The vehicle with LOADs has a laser sensing net as part of its design 
and an array of LOAD cannisters to dispense laser blocking smoke 
(also blocks normal LOS) when the target is designated with a laser 
(but not with an infantry beacon!). When the LOAD equipped vehicle is 
designated, roll VPDS quality die vs. D8. If the LOAD die is higher, 
the LOAD system activates and (in a direct line between the 
designator and target) a 2" wide, 3" long smoke cloud will be placed. 
This effectively blocks LOS betweem the center of the vehicle and the 
designator. Any laser guided missiles using this designator are 
considered designated by a blocked designator.	This aerosol will 
also block normal fire resolution or hamper it severely (+1 range 
band for every 0.5" of aerosol).  (check me here... this may not be 
consistent with smoke penalties....) Multiple LOAD deployments in a 
turn are possible. 

Anti-Missile Kinetic Defence System (AMKDS)
An AMKDS is a high precision, short range, high accuracy radar suite 
coupled to a direct fire, high rate weapon. The vehicle designer can 
hook the system to a designated missile defence only weapon, or to 
another more general purppose weapon. The advantage of designating a 
weapon system for this is that its use WON'T stop you firing during a 
round and that your normal engagement WON'T stop your missile defence 
from working. The weapon must be a modified HEL (capable of short, 
rapid pulses) or an RFAC. (I don't think any other types are 
appropriate). 
WIth a designated AMKDS weapon: 
When a GMS is launch targetted on the vehicle occurs, before it is 
resolved, the AMKDS system attempts to intercept. Roll VPDS quality 
die versus missile guidance (represents the quality of missile 
electronics and its ability to dodge as it comes in). If VPDS wins, 
missile is destroyed. If missile wins, missile then gets to attack 
normally. 
With a general use weapon fitted for dual role AMKDS:
When a GMS is launch targetted on the vehicle occurs, before it is
resolved, the AMKDS system attempts to intercept. If the weapon 
system has already fired this turn, the system may not attempt an 
intercept (the gun is engaging other targets). If the weapon has 
not fired this turn, AMKDS engages and THE GUN MAY NOT FIRE THIS 
TURN except for further AMKDS engagements. Roll VPDS quality die with 
a one die negative shift (non designated weapon)  versus missile 
guidance (represents the quality of missile electronics and its 
ability to dodge as it comes in). If VPDS wins, missile is destroyed. 
If missile wins, missile then gets to attack normally. 

LOAD systems and APFC belts are reasonably inexpensive. AMKDS systems 
are fairly expensive for the radar system, but are more expensive 
(and effective) if a seperate turreted weapon is designed into the 
vehicle specifically for AMKDS use. 

Now, how's that for some GMS ideas? Comments welcome. When these are 
cleaned up, I'll post them to Jed's Unofficial Stargunt WWW Page. 

Tom. 

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Thomas Barclay		     
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