Re: [GZG] New to the list, and 2 questions: lift/jump infantry rules, and 15mm alien 'natives'

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Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 10:46 PM, John Tailby <john_tailby@xtra.co.nz>
wrote:

>
> At the point where infantry don't need to touch the ground and can
hover
> all game you have created flight packs rather than jump packs or
boosted
> infantry.
>
>
Well, the terminology is variable across the various sources I've been
considering - if memory serves, Traveller grav belts do allow basically
unlimited loiter times, which as you both point out is in fact actually
flying infantry.  The source that's my primary reference for my current
project is Revolt on Antares though, and while it's such an abstracted
out
little wargame that the actual mechanics of their 'Jump Troops' are
obscured, they explicitly (in that ruleset) aren't allowed to end their
movement turns over water, so I tried to imply that in my house rule.  I
like your idea of treating them like motorcycles, but I can't find rules
for
that (or cavalry) in the SGII download - are they in there somewhere,
and
I'm just missing them?

On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 11:06 PM, John Lerchey <lerchey@gmail.com> wrote:

> The encumbrance of the jump packs is variable, based on your tech
levels
> and background.  Lower tech = bulkier equipment.  You would not only
have
> more weight and bulk to drag around, but also much shorter jump
duration.
> OTOH, if you have a significantly higher tech base, maybe using
anti-grav
> packs to boost natural jump capability and ease landings, it might be
no
> worse than carrying a canteen.
> <shrug>

This is sort of what I was trying to roll into the 'low-tech/high-tech'
distinction; obviously depending on what fictional/game/whatever setting
you're trying to emulate these propulsion systems could range from
big-ass
turbofans to Rocketeer-style jetpacks to Traveller's unobtrusive grav
belts.	From the art on the Jump Troop chits in Revolt, their jump/lift
units look pretty light and streamlined, not projecting terribly far
beyond
the shoulders of the trooper, who is himself fairly slender (at least
when
compared to the counterpart "Power Infantry" artwork).	For this
particular
setting at least, I don't feel like the jump units would be much harder
to
find cover in than their PA brethren.  I do figure that their weapons
load
and armor would be pretty light when compared to the PA guys, and
probably
lighter than normal footsloggers as well, but again this is sort of
setting-dependent.  I'd like to develop a decent set of semi-generic
house
rules for the broad category of grav/lift/jump infantry however, as
they're
a recurring concept in lots of the stuff that I'd like to emulate with
SGII!