Re: Drop Troop support vehicles - size 1

On Sun, 20 Aug 2000 20:03:07 -0700 (PDT) Brian Burger
<yh728@victoria.tc.ca> writes:
>My favorite Size 1 vehicles are Infantry Walkers. My PA battalion 
>assault
>team has 1 plt of these per PA company, plus some more in the Batt.
>support company. They can orbitally insert right alongside the powered
>armour troops (the only vehicles that can, in stock DS2/SG2).
>

FWIW (and I am quoting from page 43 - the Bible page for Drop
Troop/Interface Landing) :

"...Certain specially equipped elements (known as DROP TROOPS) may be
"directly inserted" to the battle area by either parachute/parajet from
high flying transports, or in ballistic entry capsules from an orbiting
ships..."

NOTE:Elements implies vehicles or foot troops (page 4, right column
first
bold face sentence(s).)

And the next line specifically says :

"...If dropped from  within atmosphere, Line or powered Infantry may be
used; only Powered troops may drop directly from orbit.Only infantry and
Very Light (class 1) vehicles and equipment may be paradropped and the
only type of non-infantry element that may be ORBITALLY DROPPED (my
emphasis) is the Infantry Walker..."

So on Orbital drops leg and PA only.  Hence the example in the scenarios
on page 49 either assumes a intra-planet drop (NOT space to surface) as
in a balkanized colony planet (my norm setting) or use of heavier
Dropships (as opposed to Interface Landers) for the 2 troops of light
AFV's, and the small APC's mentioned (1 fireteam per vehicle - possibly
class 1) for the line infantry in the scenario.  Since the defender has
an ZAD troop any vehicle landing (or troops dropping) within the >12"
(page 43) and the </= range of 36" (page 42) are subject to AD vehicle
attack.  

So you need a airfield for paradropping class 1 size vehicles unless you
have managed to work out space ships capapble of atmospheric entry with
room to launch (and recover!) the large aircraft  to drop these tinly
AFV's.	Hence at least two colonies on the planet.  How about a space to
air capable 'droop troop/Interface landing ship carrier?  Boy, now I may
have to get FT to even see if such a design is possible!  Aaargh!

>I call them the 'Ursus' (latin for bear) class. Standard is Size 1, 
>Inf.
>Walker Mob, FGP, Armour 1, DFFG/2 TU, 1x APSW, APFC, ENH ECM, Stealth 
>1,
>Sig 1. (cant' recall the points cost. 80-90pts, I think.)
>

Like it.  Like the name too,

>Ursus-M (Missle): as above, but with 1x GMS/H SUP instead of the DFFG.
>

Too bad SLAM's don't come is size1!

>One Standard & two Ms make up a line Ursus plt.
>

Interesting ratio, I expected the reverse.

>Ursus-S (Sniper): as Standard, but w/ 1x HEL/2 TU. Only found in the
>battalion support coy, along with the Ursus-AA w/ LAD systems.
>
>(Note that Walker turretted weapons aren't actually TU - they're 
>spaced
>like fixed mount, but have 180 degree front arcs & can fire after
>movement. This is why I can fit Class 2 TU wpns on a Size 1 
>vehicle...)
>

Well, page 12 firsr paragraph DOES say "...RECOMMENDED..." so if you
want
to get hairy with the agreement of the other palyers...

>They're fairly effective vehicles, providing vital heavy firepower to 
>my
>PA interface-assualt formations. They do tend to draw fire, though, 
>for
>two reasons: 1, my usual opponents have a fair amount of respect for 
>them,
>and 2, they're often my only vehicles on-table, so they're something 
>for
>enemy armour to shoot at when the PA's out of range...
>
>Now that I play FT too, I need to design the fighting transports that 
>cart
>the Interface Assualt Battalion around...
>
>Brian - yh728@victoria.tc.ca -
>- http://warbard.iwarp.com/games.html -
>

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