Re: Infantry Walkers! and More Grav Bikes

On Thu, 19 Nov 1998, Thomas Barclay wrote:

> Brian spake thusly upon matters weighty: 
>   
> > In DS2, I use Size 1 Walkers as heavy weapons support for my Powered
> > Armour. They can drop in from orbit with the PA, and provide GMS/H &
MDC/2
> > support than is much appreciated at times.
> 
> What I think of as an "infantry" walker would be too small to be a 
> GMS/H carrier. I think of them (similar to grav bikes) as 0.5 size 
> vehicles.

difference in terminology here, is all. I usually refer to Size 1
walkers
as 'infantry walkers'. Most of the point of running them is to have
GMS/Hs
available to support my PA assaults.

> A size 1 walker would be a bit larger and I consider size 
> 1-3 walkers combat walkers (size 2 ATST) , and size 4 and 5 are 
> transport walkers (I'm looking at using an ATAT model - huge- for 
> SG2).  
> 

My God...in 25mm, I take it? You'll have to invent rules for
VTOLs/Aerospace craft to wrap cables around their knees...What size are
you going to make the ATAT?

> To me, a size 0.5 infantry walker is a platform on which MLPs, SAWs, 
> GMS/Ps (maybe GMS/L), HMGs, GAC/1 or RFAC/1, autoGLs, and a few other 
> such things might be mounted (but obviously not altogether). I give 
> them 3 spaces. Not big enough for a GMS/H.  
> 

In SG2, PA can mount most of the stuff you mentioned, including the
GAC/1
or RFAC/1. The NAC has a GAC/1 (the L23A2 HVAT), the ESU has an RFAC/1
, both on PA. The only exception is the GMS/L.

> SImilarly, a grav bike is size 0.5. With 3 spaces, It could mount a 
> centerline RFAC/1. But I charge a space for the crewman in this case 
> as the bike is short on interior space. And if the bike has room for 
> an extra passenger, there goes another space. Leaving 1 for a SAW. 
> 
> But it occurs to me you might (as bike crew) want that space for a 
> medkit, ammo, water, bike tools, etc. Since you are a mounted 
> cavalry unit.... so it may be that only the occaisional bike (1 per 
> squad) as suggested carries a SAW or other HW as fire support. Maybe 
> some of his buddies carries some ammo for it. 
> 
> Another interesting Grav Bike idea. Three or four bike hunter/killer 
> formations.  one or two unarmed scouts (perhaps using the extra space 
> to justify enhanced or even superior sensors to hunt for targets 
> during pop ups and such) and two gun bikes with a centreline GMS/L, 
> RFAC/1, twin SAW, DFFG/1 or HEL/1 and fire control.  Used similar to 
> Kiowa/Cayeuse and Cobra/Appache combos. (On a smaller scale). Good 
> for hit and runs against light armour and against infantry or PA. 
> (Not for protracted battles - assault gun tactics - hit, then run). 
> Can also call arty from the scout bikes. 
> 

This would be nasty on the SG2 battlefield. Attack bikes like this I'd
run
as Size 1 vehicles, however, to differentiate between them and the ones
that are only transport for their troops.

> > Low armour values? They have (AFAIK) the same armour rules as any
vehicle
> > - so any light vehicle would be as vulnerable, or nearly. I run a
light
> > tank in SG2, Size/Armour 2...it tends to die as well. Sg2 is rough
on
> > vehicles.
> 
> Especially things with low armour. Put an MBT up against infantry 
> without specialist anti-armour (Armour 3-5 versus penetrations at 
> most D12x2) the MBts look pretty darn tough and surivable. Especially 
> if they have good ECM or PDS to foil missiles. And put decoys aboard 
> and that adds more protection.  
> 
> > In DS2, my Walker arm tends to take ridiculous casualties in every
> > operation. I generally figure that 3/4 of them will die everytime
they
> > drop in...but while they're alive, they provide valuable fire
support, and
> > diversions for the PA to get down to the real work.
> 
> Of course, where do you crew your IWs from? 75% is high casualties...
>  

My rational is that the IW arm is the 'glamour' arm of the infantry.
Sort
of like air forces in WW1. Lots of pilots get killed, but lots of
people still want to become pilots...Seriously, I need to work on IW
tactics, maybe cut down on those casualty figures...

> > >	On an ancillary note; how do you all find vehicles in SGII?  Do
> > > they have a high survival rate on table?
> > 
> > Depends. My Size 4 IFVs either die horribly or cut infantry to bits,
in
> > about equal proportions. Killing the GMS/L trooper in your target
squad
> > with the first firing action certainly helps...Having an entire PA
squad
> > volley IAVRs at you really hurts...
> 
> I picture GMS/P as the max that normal guys can carry and it hits no 
> harder than an IAVR (yes volley fire of IAVRs sucks... don't get so 
> close... use your infantry in front of you to deter this). GMS/L I 
> view as TOW like small launchers (Considering doubling the Harlequin 
> SAM launcher at a GMS/L Team for my OU until someone makes tripod 
> GMS/L). 

sorry, I meant GMS/P trooper. Typo, plus I haven't played SG2 in a bit,
but lots of DS2 recently...

> GMS/H I see as equivalent ot Hellfire or the like - a nasty 
> nasty missile, but not particulary portable - maybe on a small 
> wheeled chassis like my GMS/H Air.  Or in a dedicated AA battery. 
> 

True. I can't see having GMS/H as a man-portable system. Too big. On
size
1 vehicles, though, it can be very nasty.

> If I let the infantry carry GMS/L, that would sure cut down the 
> lifespan of even heavy AFVs. I think infantry with GMS/L (TOW type) 
> would be encumbered.... good for static defense, but not carried 
> normally. 
> 

They'd count as crewed weapons, yes. I have a GAC/1 /RFAC/1 I field in
SG2, and when it's being carried, the three-person crew all count as
encumbered. Ditto for GMS/L, when I get around to building a model of
one
and modifying some figs.

> > Orbital drop troop support. Only vehicles that can do orbital drops
along
> > with PA.
> 
> And some infantry backup in woods and other tough terrain. 

Exactly. in DS2, the only vehicles that can go full movement through
most
woods. That's given a few of my opponents nasty shocks from time to
time.

>Not too hot in swamps. 

Nothing is. Even infantry slows down, and in DS2 it's virtually the only
terrain that does slow infantry down.

Brian (burger00@camosun.bc.ca)
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