[DS2] Heavy Gears, redux . . .

Greetings, folks!

Thanks for all of the comments and feedback on my "how to convert"
question
re the Heavy Gear walkers.  One of the reasons I was trying to fit them
into the current design rules is to make them "legal" for pick-up type
games.	However, it just isn't going to work out that way <g>, so I
figured
I'd try and come up with the "closest approximation" that stayed true to
the technology.

Here's some response to the feedback I've received.

1) Size.  Someone suggested that Gears are more properly Size 2 vehicle
instead of Size 1.  On further thought, I will have to agree with this.
Looking back over the VCS - Heavy Gear's vehicle construction system, a
Gear is roughly equivalent to an ACP/IFV in armor strength, and is
firmly
in the "over 4m" height range.

This also solves the size / number of weapons limit problem for at least
the basic Hunter & Jaeger, since they have 2 main anti-armor weapons and
1
anti-infantry weapon.

2) Rocket Packs as Multiple Launcher Packs.  Sorry, but this just
doesn't
fit <g>.  The LRP/MRP/HRP in Heavy Gear is primarily an anti-armor /
anti-gear weapon, and actually does more damage than the cannons do. 
They
are not infantry support weapons, so trying to fit them into the MLP or
APSW role doesn't work.  I think that I've come up with an interesting
solution, which I'll outline below.

3) Power plants.  Gears are run by CFEs.  In fact, one of their
attractions
is their low cost, and their V-engine CFE is a significant part of this.
Saying that they need an FGP and then costing them out as such removes
this
advantage.

OK, here's some of the conversion rules I've come up with.  I'll be
interested in seeing how they playtest out. :-)

==================================================================
Heavy Gears for DS2

Gears are small combat walkers with a single pilot.  They have a very
sophisticated processing unit that handles most of the balancing and
targeting requirements, allowing the pilot to handle the Gear as if it
were
a large, oversized suit of Power Armor.  Gears range in size from 4 to 5
meters in height.

Movement: Gears have two different movement rates.  The slower rate uses
the Combat Walker movement rules, while the higher rate uses the High
Mobility Wheeled movement rules.  This reflects the Primary/Secondary
movement systems used in the original HG game.	Cost for the dual
movement
system is 120%.

Movement Rates:
   Cheetahs:		   12/16
   Iguanas:		   10/14
   Hunters & Jaegers:	    8/12
   Jaguars & Black Mambas: 10/14
   Grizzlys & Cobras:	    6/10

Movement Damage: Gears must specify which movement system they are using
for the turn, and must use that system for the whole turn.  Movement
damage
chits affect the currently active system only.

Power Plants:  Most Gears are run by highly efficient V-Engines, which
equate to CFEs in DS2 but cost out at 25%.  Stealth Gears use
superconducting battery packs, which are equivalent to HMTs.

Size: Most Gears are on the small size of Size 2.  Grizzlys and Cobras
are
a small Size 3, while striders are either Size 3 (Nagas) or 4
(Mammoths).

Armor: Armor on a Gear is the same strength on all sides, and is
considered
to be equal to the size rating.  The exception to this is the Black
Mamba,
which has a -1 armor rating in its direct Rear arc only.

Weapon Mounts: Gears are allowed one hand-held weapon.	This weapon is
treated as Fixed Mount for design purposes, but has a 180 degree arc of
fire as per the normal Combat walker rules.  All other major weapons are
also Fixed Mount, but only have a 90 degree fire arc.  This represents
the
fact that they are torso mounted, and you have to turn the entire torso
to
aim them.  Anti-infantry weapons are Fixed Mount / 180 degree arc per
the
normal Combat Walker rules.

Weapon Conversions:  Here is a partial list of weapon equivalencies.

  Auto-Cannons (disposable/light/medium/heavy)
    DPG: RFAC size 2, treat all "3" chits as "0", cost 7
    LAC: RFAC size 2, treat all "3" chits as "1", cost 8
    MAC: RFAC size 2, treat all "3" chits as "2", cost 9
    HAC: RFAC size 2

  Rocket Packs (light/medium/heavy)
    LRP: SLAM size 2, treat all "3" chits as "2", Range 8"/16"/24", cost
16
    MRP: SLAM size 2, Range 8"/16"/24", cost 20
    HRP: SLAM size 3

  Anti-Personel Grenade Launchers (APGL)
    Same as APSW, except that Jaguars and Black Mambas 
    have a 360 degree arc of fire, while all others have 
    only a 180 degree front arc.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Standard Configurations: There are 4 basic types of Heavy Gears from
each
faction.  The standard Northern Gears are the Cheetah (scout), Hunter
(GP
trooper), Jaguar (advanced tech trooper), and Grizzly (fire support).
Their Southern equivalents are the Iguana, Jaeger, Black Mamba, and
(Spitting) Cobra.  With the exception of the Cheetah and Iguana scout
gears, the equivalent gears from both sides are almost identical in
function as far as DS2 mechanics are concerned and are listed as such.

Cheetah Heavy Gear - Northern scout gear
----------------------------------------
Size Class:  2
Signature:   3 (d8)
Stealth:     level 1 (reduces signature to 2)
Mobility:    Combat Walker / High Mobility wheeled
Basic Move:  12 / 16
Point Value: 100
Firecon:     advanced (d8)
ECM:	     none
Armor:	     2 (*see note)
Weapons:  DPG, LRP, APGL

*Armor Note: Opponents hitting a Cheetah with a weapon of Size 2 or
greater
draw +1 damage chit.

Iguana Heavy Gear - Southern scout/light trooper gear
-----------------------------------------------------
Size Class:  2
Signature:   3 (d8)
Stealth:     level 1 (reduces signature to 2)
Mobility:    Combat Walker / High Mobility wheeled
Basic Move:  10 / 14
Point Value: 100
Firecon:     advanced (d8)
ECM:	     none
Armor:	     2
Weapons:  DPG, LRP, APGL

Hunter/Jaeger Heavy Gear - GP trooper gear
------------------------------------------
Size Class:  2
Signature:   3 (d8)
Stealth:     none
Mobility:    Combat Walker / High Mobility wheeled
Basic Move:  8 / 12
Point Value: 61
Firecon:     advanced (d8)
ECM:	     none
Armor:	     2
Weapons:  LAC, LRP, APGL

Jaguar/Black Mamba Heavy Gear - advanced tech trooper gear
----------------------------------------------------------
Size Class:  2
Signature:   3 (d8)
Stealth:     level 1  (reduces signature to 2)
Mobility:    Combat Walker / High Mobility wheeled
Basic Move:  10 / 14
Point Value: 125
Firecon:     superior (d10)
ECM:	     basic (d6)
Armor:	     2 (*see note)
Weapons:  MAC, MRP, APGL

*Armor note: The Black Mamba has Class 1 armor in the direct rear (60
degree) arc only.  

Grizzly/Cobra Heavy Gear - fire support gear
--------------------------------------------
Size Class:  3
Signature:   4 (d8)
Stealth:     none
Mobility:    Combat Walker / High Mobility wheeled
Basic Move:  6 / 10
Point Value: 134
Firecon:     advanced (d8)
ECM:	     none
Armor:	     3
Weapons:  HAC, MRP, HRP, APGL

Please note that all of the Point Value costs are extreme SWAGs. :-)

============================================================
Mark "Hauptmann" Shurtleff
 email: hauptman@sfcmd.com
 StarFighter Command Homepage: http://www.sfcmd.com/
============================================================