I don't have my rulebook handy. But I'm wondering how you handle ADS and THADS
versus things like PA drop pods, etc.
That is to say, if an assault force paradrops or glider drops or orbitally
inserts on top of an air defence system (one represented off board as covering
a larger area, which I'll call THADS) or one constituted by on board ADS
systems (your poor unknowing parachutists start descending into a park where
the enemy has
parked a ZSU 23-4), how do you handle it?
Normally, can't you only shoot at things after they land?
I'm open to any suggestions, or directions to a rules section I don't recall.
I'm curious because I might just be cooking up a scenario where this could
happen....;)
Tomb
TomB asked:
> I don't have my rulebook handy. But I'm
For THADS I'd use the StarGrunt "aerospace environment" (or whatever it is
called) system, or at least something similar to it.
For ADS, I'd allow to engage any drop pods within range, with any damage
inflicted = destroyed - these pods can't abort their run if the defences
get too close... but drop the ADS one quality level per pod engaged in a
single activation. If you want a larger number of pods knocked out, drop
each pod-carried unit in a separate activation instead of dropping all
pods at once.
Later,
I assume you are not using the rules on page 10 for Interface Landings and
Drop troops?
Since these rules show that any number dropships and/or Assault Landers
can be brought in for one activation (and the Assault Landers unloaded that
turn) I am assuming that most units will have been landed (and unloaded from
Assault Landers) in the first attacker activation. If you
want somrething more detailled and/or complicated I have a rough draft.
So, for the first wave (which is what I think you are describing) I might use
something like this:
Item 1 - ADS.
On page 19 it says that a unit (ADS) can only be fired when an Active Sensors
marker is showing. Three possibilities:
1) No, there is no "Active Sensor" markers deployed because of total
strategic and/or tactical surprise - a factor determined by scenario
design or the table below. There is no "Active Sensors" markers on the ADS
when the drop occurs so they may not fire until the unit is activated which
probably will occur after the Attacker has used his activation to land the
first (or only) wave. If the Attacker delays landing the
Dropships/Landers after until the ADS is activated use the "Hot LZ"
mentioned below.
2) Yes, if the scenario is designed that way (pre-assault BDA was wrong
or Intel guys missed it) or the table below. Everybody is a target in the
former case because the ADS is "Sensors Active" until the Defender chooses to
go passive.
3) Maybe, because the player has an option prior to turn "1" (I'd call it Turn
'zero' is when the GM asks him "Do you want the ADS to be active or not?"
after setup but before the first activation occurs. Of course one can always
start the game with the "Sensors Active" marker on the ADS if one suspects an
airborne assault is imminent.)
Optional: If the Defender has active ADS then, if the attacker has Aerospace
units assigned as supporting the landing on turn 1, the Attacker can choose to
activate the aerospace units BEFORE Assault Landers, Dropships or Drop Troops
go on the board and attack the ADS.
The Table (first draft)
Defender starts with a D6:
Shift down one die for Inter-continental assault, up one die for
Inter-planet assault (takes time to maneuver ships into position for
deploying Ballistic Entry Capsules and etc..)
Shift die up 1 for Drop Troops in the assault (A la Heinlein's 'clutter' from
fragments of drop pods alerts the defenders that an attack is incoming.)
Shit up one die if the Defender has Superior ECM predominantly.
Shift Down one die if the Defender has Basic ECM predominantly.
Shift up one die for each ADS beyond one available to the defender when
the first Dropships, Assault Landers and/or Drop Troops are activated.
These are closed shifts (Maximum D12 and minimum D4.)
Attacker starts with a D8
Shift up one die if no Drop ships are used (since Assault Landers and
Drop Troops are smaller and/or more stealthy targets IMO.)
Shift up one die if the Attacker has Superior ECM predominantly.
Shift down one die if the Attacker has Basic ECM predominantly.
Shift down one die if Aerospace support is available on turn 1. (The presence
of in bound Aerospace units should alerts the ADS guys that something is
happening.)
If the Attacker beats the Defender then the ADS may not go active before the
Attacker brings in the first (or only) wave of his force.
If the Attcaker rolls under or ties the Defender (Attacker loses Strategic
surprise) than both roll their die for each unit involved in landing.
Results:
If the Defender __triples__ the Attacker, roll a D6 for each element of
the unit:
1 the unit is moved 6 inches directly away from the ADS (pilot attempts
evasive movement) and rolls for terrain results as if drop troops. - D6
if 5 or 6 in Woods, Swamp or mountains JIA; KIA if Urban Terrrain, all
non-PA/Walkers lost if in water, with addition of a 6 is KIA in _all_
other terrain (uncontrolled landing.)
2, 3, 4 each element suffers a 3 chit attack (Red and Yellow chits apply)
5 each element suffers a 5 chit attack (Red and Yellow Chits apply)
6 The entire unit is KIA.
If Defender __doubles__ Attacker then the ADS may attack it in a
separate attack at no penalty for the first element of the unit using the die
used in the table above or The quality die of the ADS as on page 42 for ADS
versus Aerospace units (D6 for Basic, D8 Enhanced, D10 for Superior) and a
drop of one die for each succeeding element targeted in the unit. Multiple
elements of a unit in a single dropship or assault lander suffer the results
corporately. A hit is a kill, Annie Oakley is running the ADS.
If the Defender beats but does not double the Attacker the ADS may fire at a
unit but the results are rolled for with a D8 with these results:
1, 2, 3 is superficial damage, the ship's cat now has eight lives;
4, 5, 6 is light damaged (units in assault landers must wait until next turn
to deploy from lander and drop ships lose one element (randomly determined)
aboard);
7 is heavy damage (all units aboard have chits drawn for damage as if hit by a
class 4 weapon for AFV (Red and Yellow chits apply) and as if hit by an APSW
(Red and Yellow chits apply) for infantry;
8 is a catastrophic hit remove the elements in the lander as KIA upon
crashing.
If the defender ties or rolls less than the attacker the ADS may not fire at
that unit. Thank your pilot as you exit the aircraft!
Successive waves will be at risk from coming into a "Hot LZ" situation, i.e.,
they may be shot at by active sensor marked ADS elements as if
aerospace units [the lander pilot may _not_ choose to abort the run] but
if the sensors are not active than the ADS may not fire at the
dropship/lander. If you don't want to mess with Command markers
(Green/Blue/Orange; 1/2/3) then Dropship pilots are D8 and Assault
Lander pilots are D10. ECM die is the predominant ECM of the attacking force.
The chits (page 42) apply to all elements in the DropShip/Lander
corporately. Don't draw a Boom!
Item 2 THADS
I honestly have no clue but strictly from a personal view at 60 inches for a
HEL shooting "to the horizon" I guess it could happen. I just wouldn't design
a scenario to include that thus avoiding that situation. <grin> But such would
be OTH fer sure.
Gracias, Glenn
On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 01:01:21 -0500 "Thomas Barclay" <kaladorn@magma.ca>
writes:
> I don't have my rulebook handy. But I'm