Hello, I've been reading the discussion regarding when and how often and for
how long Powered Armour could be used for combat. In the StarShip Troopers
universe we are shown only a small portion of the armed forces. We know
about the neo-dog forces, but we don't know if they were Armoured or
not. I suspect that there were a number of other ground forces that may have
not been armoured. There was a desire to put armoured forces against the bugs,
because they had a better chance, but we don't know for certain what
happened when non-Armoured forces met with the bugs.
We do know that they had a limited supply of air, water and power. In fact
Ricco's superior was an operational casualty because he was not able to get
resupplied when the bugs attacked. So in that universe we know of certain
limits on PA units. Powered Armour is not usable everywhere such as in a Bog
or Marsh or Swamp. You won't be able to get out and eventually the air will
run
out...
Powered Armour would be usefull in a SWAT situation but not as city patrolls.
No matter how well designed the data elements are there will be a situation
awareness loss of a Powered Armour guy versus a grunt. Powered Armour is great
in assault and as a reserve force but it takes time to power it up and bring
it into play. If you experiencing a suprise attack, your front line rifle
squads may have to hold the fort until your powered armour guys can show up.
In DirtSide II I would suggest a 1D2 turn delay upon a successfull
communications roll from the front line units to the headquarters element
before the PA squads are dispathed. In StarGrunt this would be a 1D8 turn
delay. It would be interesting to run a StarGrunt Scenario where a commando
unit is making an attack on a tank park or a PA locker, etc. The Defender uses
his MPs and normal troops to guard the place and has the tankers/PAs in
a barracks. The commando's goal is to destroy the vehicles or operators.
The tank/PA crews make a run for their vehicles/Armour and can use them
1D4 turns later. The obvious use for the PA is to do an orbital drop and
secure a landing area for follow on forces. It would be advisable to keep PA
as a reserve force with vehicles or not. One use may be to load out a VTOL or
Areospace Vehicle to drop these guys into the breach in your lines or your
enemies. I like to use them to capture the enemies command post as soon as I
have hole in my enemies lines.
Gort, Klaatu barada nikto!
On Wed, 16 Sep 1998 13:56:03 -0700, "Phillip E. Pournelle"
> <pepourne@nps.navy.mil> wrote:
> It would be interesting to run a StarGrunt Scenario where a commando
Good Lord, Phil!!!! I'm designing just such a scenario, for use with some 15mm
figures!! The scenario is a NAC commando squad against a NSL tank laager. The
tanks are kitbashed Rocco mini-tanks and/or three original Traveller
grav tanks.
I've been debating whether the commandos should be veterans or elites. Any
ideas?
> The Defender uses
That was my idea, but without the PA!
[quoted original message omitted]
On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 10:31:51 +1000, "Glover, Owen"
<oglover@mov.vic.gov.au> wrote:
> May I be so bold as to suggest more than jsut one squad?
*L* Oops! Sorry about that, meant to say "platoon", not squad!
> All Veterans for the Commandos; after all most Commandos are not quite
That's a good idea. I'll make them veterans. They aren't the equivalent of
SAS, so giving them elite status would be a bit much. They will be up against
mostly regular troops, with maybe the occasional green guard unit.
Allan spake thusly upon matters weighty:
> I've been debating whether the commandos should be veterans or elites.
Any
> ideas?
If they are the descendants of SAS, Canadian SSF, US SF or US SEALS
then probably it would be fair to make them about a 50/50 mix of vets
and elites (representing the fact that, although the unit is elite, even elite
units have people in training or slotting in from other units thus affecting
the overall squad).
You'll also need rules for 'waking up' guys who are presumably sleeping and
'warming up' combat vehicles. My rule I'm planning to use in scenario is roll
squad quality for each sleeping squad to beat
ldr+2. Roll when the squad is activated. If you make it squad can act
in that activation as it has 'got itself together'. You could give +1
per turn elapsed to the roll if you wanted.
Once the crew has boarded a vehicle in a deactivated state, they must take an
'Activate' action to attempt to get the systems powered
up. Roll crew quality to beat ldr+1 (unit needs to start up, run at
least minimal pre-action checks, get fusion plant and weapons online,
etc). If this isn't done, any weapons fire is on manual firecontrol (D4) and
even this is only allowed for cartridge firing weapons like SAW, RFAC, HMG.
HELs, DFFGs, etc. and guided missiles may not fire until power plant spooled
up.
Now, if vehicles were kept in 'hot standy', then the power plants and such
might be running at some low level and firecons and such might not be totally
depowered. So perhaps giving the crew a one or two die shift modifier to their
roll (allowing them a higher probablity of bringing the vehicle online in the
first Activate action.
Just some basic thoughts.:)
/************************************************