What house rules do people use for Grav vehicles being dropped?
I see three possibilities (there may be more) depending on the PSB used for
grav:
1) Grav units may be inserted from orbit (as size 1 vehicles are). Grav drive
allows the unit to slow and maneuver as it flies to the ground. Using this
PSB, grav vehicles should operate as VTOLS or even aerospace craft as desired.
2) Grav units any size may be paradropped. The unit's Grav drive becomes more
efficient as it gets closer to the ground
and uses it to cushion/slow the fall, but cannot "fly".
Using this PSB, a grav vehicle should be able to make a
pop-up attack (ala Stargrunt).
3) Grav units are as restricted as any other vehicle in drops. PSB: same as
#2, but with a far greater diminishing returns curve.
Hi, Brian.
> "Bell, Brian K" wrote:
> 3) Grav units are as restricted as any other vehicle in drops.
This is how I've always thought of grav units. I consider them to be repulsor
technology, like the land speeders or speeder bike in the Star Wars films. In
DS2, there are no rules for high mode grav vehicles. The description of grav
vehicles in the movement section,
p25, identifies grav vehicles as "Grav" or "Mag-Rep" and "travelling a
few metres off the surface." From that description, we can assume that 5
meters would be the
absolute maximum altitude at which a grav vehicle may operate. Pop-up
attacks seem unlikely with that low altitude, especially when the scale of DS2
is considered. It also seems unlikely that a grav vehicle would be able to
drop from orbit. Does anyone else see the image of a Colonel Carlson saying,
"As God is my witness, I thought grav tanks could be dropped from orbit." <g>
-Mike
> 1) Grav units may be inserted from orbit (as size 1 vehicles are).
This is the old Traveller rationale. However, I would think that any grav
vehicle moving slow enough to not need special heat sheilding would be a
sitting
duck for standard anti-air or air interception assets.
> drive becomes more efficient as it gets closer to the ground
If I'm following, this would allow essentially dead drops (requiring ablative
shielding of some sort) with the grav kicking in at a few miles up to slow the
landing to a livable jolt?
> 3) Grav units are as restricted as any other vehicle in drops.
Doubtless the best choice from a playability/minimizing arguments point
of view. However, I'd personally favor #2, as I've always seen grav more in
the Traveller light, but the idea of flying tanks as a bit much.... or at
least upsetting to the "traditional combined arms warfare with bigger guns"
style that the rules are trying to simulate.
> Brian Bell wrote:
Interesting idea...kinda like Centurian - Renegade Legion. I would
expect
such a feat only to be capable with more advanced mobility / flight
control. Perhaps add some additional cost as per aerospace vehicle to account
for additional performance, control, environmental protection, etc.
> 2) Grav units any size may be paradropped. The unit's Grav
That's something I miss from Centurian as well...varying flying heights for
grav vehicles. Of course, it would just become a restricted mobility VTOL with
lots of firepower and improved defenses.
> 3) Grav units are as restricted as any other vehicle in drops.
In order to make them balanced, I would see high costs for this advantage such
as an advanced grav drive type that allows limited VTOL capability. Here's
some ideas:
Advanced Grav Mobility * Cost: 750% of BVP (somewhere between VTOL and
aerospace)?
* Gound Hover Mode (normal) to / from NOE / Low Mode (tree top) costs
half movement. * Cannot perform high mode as VTOLs. (though this would be a
good
limitation - maybe allow orbit drop only as a controlled deceleration
means, not intended for full flight capability) * Maximum movement is the same
as grav. * Travel mode may be performed in NOE with the same restrictions.
Other thoughts...
* Gun depression angle from dorsal mounts - what can I see when looking
down?
* Ventral weapon mounts - full bottom coverage.
* Improved ventral armor - same as side armor?
> jfoster@kansas.net wrote:
The Renegade Legion universe has grav dropped vehicles from orbit. Some of the
cover art work on those products has a scene of heavy grav tanks heating
up during a reentry.
> [quoted text omitted]
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 14:44:14 -0400
From: "Bell, Brian K" <Brian_Bell@dscc.dla.mil>
Subject: [DS2] Grav dropped vehicles...
What house rules do people use for Grav vehicles being dropped?
I see three possibilities (there may be more) depending on the PSB used for
grav:
[snip]
3) Grav units are as restricted as any other vehicle in drops. PSB: same as
#2, but with a far greater diminishing returns curve.
<<<<<<<<<<
i always thought of grav units as option 3. power plants and grav "emitters"
being only large
enough to handle a few meters for ground-effect (PSB).
dave