DS2 Optional rules: Jumpjets

Andrew wanted to see his mechs fly, With this handy system from Kamakazie
International ANYTHING can fly!

When I compiled all the scraps of paper I had around my place for optional
systems I wanted to keep all of the systems as generic as possible, in keeping
with the spirit of DS2 vehicle design.

JumpJets These are chemically fueled rockets, or in some cases pressurised
fusion exhaust, that propells a vehicle through the air using brute force,
there is nothing elegant, or controlled, about tanks using this system.
Jumpjets will
allow a vehicle to move up to 3/4ths its base movement factor ignoring
all
intervening terrain. A Jumping vehicle may fire only if it moves 1/2 or
less its BMF and even then at a 2 die type penalty due to the instability of
the platform. Jumping vehicles have a D6 secondary die against opportunity
fire as a pop up attack, but may take no cover benefits, and are considered to
be within LOS of any element on the table. Lasers on opportunity fire may
target a jumping tank over the 60" horison limit as the tank has moved
decidedly above the horizon, still at close range. IAVR is considered to be
out of range for a jumptank, unless the tank passes directly over the firing
element. The tank is assumed to be in the air for the length of it's
activation, not for the turn. If a tank lands in cover it gets the full
benefits of that cover once it's activation is over. Active ADS may fire at a
jumping tank, use RFAC 2 for range and damage, ADS quality for targeting
computer quality. ADS does not incur any penalties to normal anti missile or
anti aircraft operatinons for attacking a jumping tank, Missiles are much
faster and smaller than any jumptank. LAD may not attack a jumptank as the
tank will never strafe the carrying element.

The turn a vehicle jumps it may not use Active Aread Defence Systems, Counter
Battery Radar, APSW, APFC, Artillery, Transport, or command center operations.
The act of jumping is too unstable for accurate radar and fire soultion
operations (Artillery, ADS, CBR), targets are too blurry to even make out a
group of infantry, much less the fact that the lateral range would be
signifigantly reduced (APSW, APFCs are simply out of range period.)
Transported cargo will be unavalable for the duration of the activation as the
cargo grips will be safety interlocked (Freefalling artillery rounds in a
jumptank is a very bad idea). Carried infantry and command crews will be too
busy keeping down the morning's field rations to do anything other than
hanging on to their seats and not flying around the cabin. All of these
systems will be totally unavalable for the duration of the activation. Crews
will be too busy securing the vehicle for the bumpy ride, Infantry putting on
harneses too bulky to wear while ready to disembark, ect. before the jump, and
after there are too many post jump checks that have to be made ("What fell off
this time?" and "How many Airsick bags are left?"). ***I said there is NOTHING
elegant about the Jump Tank, If you want elegant:
Get a V/TOL***
Reactive armor and defensive APFC (Vs. IAVR fire) is unavalabe during the
jump. The unpredictably explosive nature of these automatic defenses may throw
the tank horribly out of control. They are avalable before and after the
activation as the tank will be safely on the ground.

Immobilised dosen't effect jump rockets except for takeoffs and landigs as
below, but systems down or damaged results will render the JumpJets
inoperable.

Takeoffs and landings on easy and normal terrain are automatic successes
unless the tank suffers from an immobilised. Jumps into more difficult terrain
are possible but require a roll against the unit's Quality Dice on the table
below:

JUMP ROCKET TERRAIN TABLE: Terrain type Target number and effects: Easy No
roll needed unless immobilised
                            1-2 Vehicle Destroied
                            3-4 Vehicle damaged
                            5+ No damage
Normal No roll needed unless immobilised:
                            1-3 vehicle destroied
                            4-6 vehicle damaged
                            7+ no damage
Poor 1 vehicle destroied 2 vehicle damaged
                        3+ no damage
Vehicle immobilised: Automaticly destroied
Difficult            1-2 vehicle destroied
                        3-4 vehicle damaged
                        5+ no damage
vehicle immobilised: Automaticly destroied
Impassable    1-4 vehicle destroied
                        5-8 vehicle damaged, may be used as a gun
emplacement, may not jump until repaired, if repaired see 9+ below
                        9+ No damage, may be used as a gun emplacement.
The vehicle may jump out of the terrain, but a quality die roll on the table
below is necessary, before the tank moves, due to the possibly unstable
terrain. Effects are immediate:
                            1-2 Vehicle destroied
                            3-6 vehicle damaged; jump aborted
                            7+ Successful launch
                            ____end of sub table_____
Vehicle immobilised:Automaticly destroied

Jump rockets require capacity equal to the vehicles size class, and cost 20
times the vehicles size class.

Well this should keep the joint jumping. (GROAN) Can you tell it's late when
I'm typing this.