Re: DS2 Optional rules: Jumpjets

Andrew wanted to see his mechs fly, With this handy system from
Kamakazie
International ANYTHING can fly!

When I compiled all the scraps of paper I had around my place for
optional
systems I wanted to keep all of the systems as generic as possible,  in
keeping with the spirit of DS2 vehicle design.

JumpJets
These are chemically fueled rockets, or in some cases pressurised fusion
exhaust, that propells a vehicle through the air using brute force,
there is
nothing elegant, or controlled, about tanks using this system. Jumpjets
will
allow a vehicle to move up to 3/4ths its base movement factor ignoring
all
intervening terrain. A Jumping vehicle may fire only if it moves 1/2 or
less
its BMF and even then at a 2 die type penalty due to the instability of
the
platform. Jumping vehicles have a D6 secondary die against opportunity
fire
as a pop up attack, but may take no cover benefits, and are considered
to be
within LOS of any element on the table. Lasers on opportunity fire may
target a jumping tank over the 60" horison limit as the tank has moved
decidedly above the horizon, still at close range. IAVR is considered to
be
out of range for a jumptank, unless the tank passes directly over the
firing
element.
    The tank is assumed to be in the air for the length of it's
activation,
not for the turn. If a tank lands in cover it gets the full benefits of
that
cover once it's activation is over.
    Active ADS may fire at a jumping tank, use RFAC 2 for range and
damage,
ADS quality for targeting computer quality. ADS does not incur any
penalties
to normal anti missile or anti aircraft operatinons for attacking a
jumping
tank, Missiles are much faster and smaller than any  jumptank. LAD may
not
attack a jumptank as the tank will never strafe the carrying element.

    The turn a vehicle jumps it may not use Active Aread Defence
Systems,
Counter Battery Radar, APSW, APFC, Artillery, Transport, or command
center
operations. The act of jumping is too unstable for accurate radar and
fire
soultion operations (Artillery, ADS, CBR), targets are too blurry to
even
make out a group of infantry, much less the fact that the lateral range
would be signifigantly reduced (APSW, APFCs are simply out of range
period.)
Transported cargo will be unavalable for the duration of the activation
as
the cargo grips will be safety interlocked (Freefalling artillery rounds
in
a jumptank is a very bad idea). Carried infantry and command crews will
be
too busy keeping down the morning's field rations to do anything other
than
hanging on to their seats and not flying around the cabin. All of these
systems will be totally unavalable for the duration of the activation.
Crews
will be too busy securing the vehicle for the bumpy ride, Infantry
putting
on harneses too bulky to wear while ready to disembark, ect. before the
jump, and after there are too many post jump checks that have to be made
("What fell off this time?" and "How many Airsick bags are left?").
***I said there is NOTHING elegant about the Jump Tank, If you want
elegant:
Get a V/TOL***
    Reactive armor and defensive APFC (Vs. IAVR fire) is unavalabe
during
the jump. The unpredictably explosive nature of these automatic defenses
may
throw the tank horribly out of control. They are avalable before and
after
the activation as the tank will be safely on the ground.

Immobilised dosen't effect jump rockets except for takeoffs and landigs
as
below, but systems down or damaged results will render the JumpJets
inoperable.

Takeoffs and landings on easy and normal terrain are automatic successes
unless the tank suffers from an immobilised. Jumps into more difficult
terrain are possible but require a roll against the unit's Quality Dice
on
the table below:

JUMP ROCKET TERRAIN TABLE:
Terrain type	Target number and effects:
Easy		    No roll needed unless immobilised
			    1-2 Vehicle Destroied
			    3-4 Vehicle damaged
			    5+ No damage
Normal		  No roll needed unless immobilised:
			    1-3 vehicle destroied
			    4-6 vehicle damaged
			    7+ no damage
Poor		    1 vehicle destroied
			2 vehicle damaged
			3+ no damage
			Vehicle immobilised: Automaticly destroied
Difficult	     1-2 vehicle destroied
			3-4 vehicle damaged
			5+ no damage
			vehicle immobilised: Automaticly destroied
Impassable    1-4 vehicle destroied
			5-8 vehicle damaged, may be used as a gun
emplacement, may not jump until repaired, if repaired see 9+ below
			9+ No damage, may be used as a gun emplacement.
The
vehicle may jump out of the terrain, but a quality die roll on
			the table below is necessary, before the tank
moves,
due to the possibly unstable terrain. Effects are immediate:
			    1-2 Vehicle destroied
			    3-6 vehicle damaged; jump aborted
			    7+ Successful launch
			    ____end of sub table_____
			Vehicle immobilised :Automaticly destroied

Jump rockets require capacity equal to the vehicles size class, and cost
20
times the vehicles size class.

Well this should keep the joint jumping. (GROAN) Can you tell it's late
when
I'm typing this.