Author Topic: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry  (Read 6684 times)

hive_angel

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1218
  • A, B, C, D, E, F, Guy ...
    • Send Three Squads To Help
3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« on: 17 October 2013, 08:24:14 »
I run a campagin in the 3028 era and so far battlemechs are the kings. I am wondering how to introduce combat vehicles as a different threat potential on the battlefield as well as infantry.

Would combat vehicles be considered much more available as far as rarity and cost compared to battlemechs? How do I use infantry in ATOW? Infantry combating a battlemech can be easily mowed down and I don't think it is good for characters to potentially commit battlefield atrocities. Usually in normal games infantry are cannon fodder, is it the same in ATOW as a person can be created and die in a single session.
Follow my blog for Battletech battle reports!

http://ststh.blogspot.com

Search for "Battle Report"

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #1 on: 17 October 2013, 13:47:57 »
Combat Vehicles are much more common than BattleMechs. One world can have Combat Vehicle regiment for every 'Mech company. Important worlds can have tens Combat Vehicle regiments. For militia forces Galleon, Scorpion, Hetzer, and Vedette tanks are very numerous. LTV-4 Hovertank (in XTRO Primitives 2) is also common place at the time all across the Inner Sphere. I recommend you to get and read TRO 3039. It tells you relatively clearly what state has what.

Total Warfare has made Poor Bloody Infantry (PBI) more resilient than ever before. In defense and urban warfare, PBI can shine. Use Hidden Units (in Total Warfare) and Field Guns/Artillery (in Tactical Operations) rules. Infantry Platoon with AC/10 packs respectable punch. Place one inside bunker (1 hex hardened building with Construction Factor 100 or so), and it''ll be tough nut to crack. With advanced buildings rules (in Tactical Operations) you can create creative and complex scenarios where engineer platoon needs to be escorted to some building to do something. Like take control of command center which remote controls automated heavy weapons (common place in Mech Commander serie). Once 'Mechs and Combat Vehicles have eliminated most of the enemy units in tactical (Total Warfare) scale and engineer platoon disembarks APC to enter the building (hint: ram APC through the wall inside the building and use its machine guns to eliminate occupying enemy infantry), then can be switch to personal ATOW scale combat where escorting troops need secure the building and keep the engineers alive.

Simple way to introduce vehicles and infantry to your players in tactical (Total Warfare) scale is to use flat maps without elevations. Open Terrain maps are the best. Bring in lance's worth of Scorpion tanks, each with different weapons, and infantry platoon or 3. If players have medium-assault 'Mechs and/or good gunners, use Hidden Units rule for vehicles and/or PBI. That's the start. I've designed some custom vehicles best suited for militia.
« Last Edit: 17 October 2013, 13:51:19 by Matti »
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

Coldwyn

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 740
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #2 on: 17 October 2013, 16:54:05 »
It depends on several factors, one of them what you want to depict.

Combined Vees and PBI can grind down a single Mech in no time. But that´s the thing to show: 1 Warrior vs. an army.
it´s not necessarily that i´m immoral of character, i just don´t take great stock in the morality of others, that´s all

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #3 on: 17 October 2013, 22:53:10 »
Combined Vees and PBI can grind down a single Mech in no time.
Depends on 'Mech and vees: lance of Bulldogs can take down Rifleman, but try them against Griffin...

Quote
But that´s the thing to show: 1 Warrior vs. an army.
45 rounds worth of AC/2 ammo. Solutions are other VTOLs of your own and/or fast(er) hovercrafts with LRMs. Harasser LRM variant serves here well.
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

Coldwyn

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 740
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #4 on: 18 October 2013, 05:06:54 »
Matti, me mate, we´re talking RPG here and that´s about scenario design and what you want to show/tell with it.
What stories can you tell?
- Valiant last stand of poorly equipped Militia against overly mighty Mech
- A Scorpion Pit like Scenario, where the mighty Mech gets ground to dust be sheer numbers
- Players outsmarting the defense by turning Vee/PBI weakness against them
And so on.

Even pre-Combat interaction is important. Talk to a crew of tankers how they feel about an upcoming battle, experience the sheer fear of some groundpounders as a Mech approaches.
it´s not necessarily that i´m immoral of character, i just don´t take great stock in the morality of others, that´s all

Lissette Woo

  • Private
  • *
  • Posts: 45
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #5 on: 18 October 2013, 06:52:17 »
 For very basic intro about combat vehicles and infantry, try an basic and advanced training at some militia or academy facility.
  • A little driving scenario representing 2 weeks of driving school or for infantry an obstacle course for daily fun
  • Some firing range scenarios, one with still standing and one with moving dummies, respectivly some rounds on the rifle range
  • One or two lessons in the mechanic bay, crews shown here how they can change damaged tracks/wheels or fix there hovers skirt, change destroyed armor or fixing simple engine problems. While infantry do some weapons mantainence or martial art training
  • An short lesson in first aid also never wrong, for both classes
  • Finaly some mock up fight against there instructors, an line or prestige unit nearby or some mercenaries on cadre contract
  • Room for most and nearly all stuff of social and other skills is in that training time. Make good friend with some senior instructors, play some rounds of cards between lessons, go out on party for the weekend, or find a romance
  • Also some suprising events can happen : from an volunteered call to releaf duty during an snow storm on Tharkad while at the Nagelring, to an suddenly attacking band of pirates while at militia training  at a perphery border world. There is room for tons of Off-Track and On-Track stories
Kommandant Lissette "Warhammer" Woo - 180th Attack Wing "Blue Dragons" - LAAF
Captain Vanessa "Ratatöskr" Berg - Creedy Squirrel Salvage Company - Mercenary Command
Star Captain Scarlette - Vehicular Binary Alpha - 13th Wolf Regulars
Sergeant Major Jaqueline "Jacky" Novakowski - Callisto Squad - Blizzard One - Mercenary Command
Sergeant Kelly Bekker - Blackdale Lancers - Mercenary Command
Staff Sergeant Sandrine Harkon - 92nd Arcturan Force Recon Regiment - LAAF


hive_angel

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1218
  • A, B, C, D, E, F, Guy ...
    • Send Three Squads To Help
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #6 on: 18 October 2013, 08:10:15 »
@ Matti
Your thoughts were great. I recently did purchase RS: 3039 U and it is full of goodies and all the silly variants gives me some great ideas. I will have to look for the primitive stuff as it sounds interesting as well. Plus your reminders of TW and TO infantry rules upgrades gave my mind a serious boost.

@Coldwyn
I am not trying to take down the player's mech or his commanded lance (Only two players, player and GM=me). I am trying to bring challenges to the table. I can take a bit of advice from all and form some rather interesting vehicle lances and or mech/vehicle combinations.

@Lissette Woo
I think you are speaking on introducing combat vehicles to the player and his NPCs. Not exactly what I was looking for, but your thoughts provide great filler material so it appreciated.

Some more detail why I was asking. In my campaign, the player's lance has smashed a part a light company of pirate green piloted mechs. With consideration and orders from his command he has traveled to the next destination ahead to stop more pirate activity or ambush incoming pirate mechs. Seeing combat vehicles are cheaper and faster to obtain or have in numbers over battlemechs I think it would be a good thing to introduce and keep them in high numbers versus the player's lance.

He did pick up an enemy who pilots a firestarter and Matti's idea to check out RS:3039 U has a bunch of vehicles with flame weapons.  :D Flamers kind of scared the player somewhat because they can raise heat levels.

Follow my blog for Battletech battle reports!

http://ststh.blogspot.com

Search for "Battle Report"

Coldwyn

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 740
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #7 on: 18 October 2013, 10:45:40 »
3028 is a hard time to give advice on. At later eras and tech levels, Vees, PBI and Structures all have very distinctive advantages in their speciality roles, either movement type, movement, staying power or damage.
All the units we´re talking about are stuff from older editions and way less powerful under TW rules. Using TRO 3028 - TRO 3039 those units simply made no sense at all.

And no, I don´t mean wiping out you players mechs, I mean posing a proper challenge. For many things, the paragons of what that means don´t exist in 3028 (Like the Yellow Jacket Gunship for Sniper VTOL).
Best you can do right now, is adding stuff like a lance of Strikers or a lance of LRM Carriers to the lot, to show that Vees are there and can´t be underestimated.

Sure, as said, you know the Scorpion Pit scenario? The Scorpion is an light Tank, easy to obtain and easy to replace, throw them against mechs and the numbers count. Matti also mentioned field Guns and hidden unit rules. Try taking an objective defended by 2x AK20 and 4xAk5.
it´s not necessarily that i´m immoral of character, i just don´t take great stock in the morality of others, that´s all

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #8 on: 18 October 2013, 12:28:28 »
Sure, as said, you know the Scorpion Pit scenario? The Scorpion is an light Tank, easy to obtain and easy to replace, throw them against mechs and the numbers count.
Scorpions Nest in Technical Readout: 3039. I quote you page 34:
Quote
Because the Kurita 'Mechs were outnumbered more than three to one and there was nowhere to retreat, the Combine troops went into hand-to-hand (or more accurately, foot-to-turret) combat against the tanks.
...
This battle became known as the "Scorpions Nest," and it is now a popular training exercise for new Kurita MechWarriors, teaching them how to deal with swarms of small vehicles and remain cool in combat.

Quote
Matti also mentioned field Guns and hidden unit rules. Try taking an objective defended by 2x AK20 and 4xAk5.
AK = Auto Kannon?
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

Coldwyn

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 740
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #9 on: 18 October 2013, 12:52:04 »
Lol, yes AK = AC. When you´ve played more than 20 years with a local translation, it´s hard to remember to translate those acronyms, too. (see also PPK. German composite Words are the reason the Dracs will never win. Try putting Partikelprojektorkanone in a Haikyu)).
« Last Edit: 18 October 2013, 13:52:18 by Coldwyn »
it´s not necessarily that i´m immoral of character, i just don´t take great stock in the morality of others, that´s all

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #10 on: 18 October 2013, 14:31:11 »
He did pick up an enemy who pilots a firestarter and Matti's idea to check out RS:3039 U has a bunch of vehicles with flame weapons.  :D Flamers kind of scared the player somewhat because they can raise heat levels.
Indeed: 3 points for shooter, 2 points for target 'Mech. Flamers are best used for setting up fires (see Tactical Operations) and killing PBI (4d6 >:D)
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

Coldwyn

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 740
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #11 on: 18 October 2013, 14:35:57 »
Then check out the Ignis from TRO75. Quad Vee-Flamer. It´s an urban nightmare. (and as a vintage Vee, should be availlable vor an 3028 game)
it´s not necessarily that i´m immoral of character, i just don´t take great stock in the morality of others, that´s all

nerd

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2314
  • Nunc Partus-Ready Now
    • Traveller Adventures
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #12 on: 22 October 2013, 00:01:32 »
Then check out the Ignis from TRO75. Quad Vee-Flamer. It´s an urban nightmare. (and as a vintage Vee, should be availlable vor an 3028 game)
Not really. Those were among the major tools of terror used by the Usurper. Aleks K and his boys might have went out of their way to destroy them, and few probably survived the 1st Succession War.
M. T. Thompson
Don of the Starslayer Mafia
Member of the AFFS High Command

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #13 on: 22 October 2013, 11:40:46 »
LTV-4 in Experimental Technical Readout: Primitives, Volume 2 is the classic Hovertank that has been around since second edition of the game. Little changes were made to make it compatible with newest rules (SRM6 down to SRM4, cruise speed from 6 up to 7, maybe some changes to armor). And unlike what we could expect from PDF (only) title, it is standard Combat Vehicle within rules of TechManual: nothing primitive in this beast.
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

hive_angel

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1218
  • A, B, C, D, E, F, Guy ...
    • Send Three Squads To Help
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #14 on: 22 October 2013, 12:13:54 »
LTV-4 in Experimental Technical Readout: Primitives, Volume 2 is the classic Hovertank that has been around since second edition of the game. Little changes were made to make it compatible with newest rules (SRM6 down to SRM4, cruise speed from 6 up to 7, maybe some changes to armor). And unlike what we could expect from PDF (only) title, it is standard Combat Vehicle within rules of TechManual: nothing primitive in this beast.

I do like your way of recommending a vehicle.

The primitive vehicles always make me wonder if they would be cannon enough to include in the 3028 era. The obsolete quirk kind of helps this a bit so if the vehicle were to be damaged or a part broken it might be tough to ever get it back in combat condition.
Follow my blog for Battletech battle reports!

http://ststh.blogspot.com

Search for "Battle Report"

False Son

  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 6461
  • Kot Blini
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #15 on: 22 October 2013, 13:16:59 »
Your basic Hunter tank is a great pairing for infantry.  LRMs have the range infantry lack, and if need be, the infantry can spot for indirect LRM fire.  Partisans and Harassers are good, as well at disrupting the pace of the game.  Infantry will play bodyguard and clean up crew while the tanks and hovercraft try to make your mechs uncomfortable.  Maybe include a Hetzer and keep it in reserve as a nasty surprise to any mechs trying to finish off the infantry with MGs or hunt down your long ranged tanks.
TOYNBEE IDEA
IN MOViE `2001
RESURRECT DEAD
ON PLANET JUPITER


Destroy what destroys you

Jackmc

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2681
    • How I pay the bills
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #16 on: 22 October 2013, 13:43:42 »
3028 is a hard time to give advice on. At later eras and tech levels, Vees, PBI and Structures all have very distinctive advantages in their speciality roles, either movement type, movement, staying power or damage.
All the units we´re talking about are stuff from older editions and way less powerful under TW rules. Using TRO 3028 - TRO 3039 those units simply made no sense at all.

???????   TRO 39 has some of the best vehicles of any of the TRO'.  Things like the Schrek, Demolisher, Hetzer, Hunter and Saracen.  In 3028 when no one has any significant LosTech, these are some scary creatures.


-Jackmc


False Son

  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 6461
  • Kot Blini
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #17 on: 22 October 2013, 13:54:24 »
This is also the era of single heat sinks.  Flamer and inferno infantry are a legitimate danger.  Harassers with double SRM6 racks even moreso.
TOYNBEE IDEA
IN MOViE `2001
RESURRECT DEAD
ON PLANET JUPITER


Destroy what destroys you

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #18 on: 23 October 2013, 13:43:26 »
Your basic Hunter tank is a great pairing for infantry.  LRMs have the range infantry lack, and if need be, the infantry can spot for indirect LRM fire.
I like the way of your thinking. It also makes good fire support unit for any tank from Scorpion and Galleon all the way up to Manticore, Demolisher, and Schrek. Best tank to pair it up with is Vedette becouse those have equal speed. Armored cavalry company: 4 Hunters and 8 Vedettes.

Note: Hunter is Lyran made vehicle. In 3028 Federated Suns could have got some through trade.
BattleDroids (original game edition) rulebook has extremely simple rules for vehicles. There Hunter is described as assault gun armed with Autocannon 5.

Quote
Maybe include a Hetzer and keep it in reserve as a nasty surprise to any mechs trying to finish off the infantry with MGs or hunt down your long ranged tanks.
Keep in mind that Hetzers come with wide variety of different weapons. Hetzer battalion (mentioned in some TRO) isn't as stupid as you'd think when some of the Hetzers are LRM and AC/10 variants.

Don't forget APCs: take 10 ton wheeled APC from TRO/RS 3039, remove infantry compartment, MG, and half ton MG ammo, add SRM 2 and full ton of SRM ammo. There we have armored car. Remove MGs entirely and we've got enough tonnage for SRM 4 or LRM 5. Comparable APC refits exist in reality too. RS3039 Unabridged has missile variants too, but those remove MGs and maybe some armor while keeping the infantry compartment.

[edit]
To get better understanding what factions have what vehicles (book has also 'Mechs and aircrafts), it is best to buy Techincal Readout 3039 and read from there. Statistics for only one model of each unit, but since you already have got Unabridged Record Sheets... Oh yes, that book and RS don't have all the vehicles that are available at the time. Other vehicles in 3028 I remember from top of my head:
Brutus (heavy tank in Capellan Confederation)
Flatbed Truck (armored cargo truck)
Heavy APC serie (20 ton APCs, can fit up to two foot platoons OR one foot platoon and some heavy weaponry)
LTV-4 Hovertank (already mentioned this, in XTRO Primitives 2, widely available at all times)

Some more that come between 3028-3039:
Po (heavy tank, Capellan Confederation)
Zhukov (heavy or assault tank, Capellan Confederation)

Consult Master Unit List what is available when. You still need TRO to find out who have access to that unit. To get you started with vehicles

[edit2]
When your players encounter faction specific units, it gives them better immersion where they are.
Lyran Commonwealth: Savannah Master, Hunter, Drillson, Sturmfeur
Draconis Combine: Saracen, Scimitar, Saladins
FedSuns: Striker, Goblin
Capellan Confederation: Brutus
Free Worlds League: Harasser, Ontos

Most other (ground) vehicles are available for more than one faction. FWL makes Galleons, but apparently it sells those to others. Pike is made in Magistracy of Canopus, but those are sold pretty much to everybody. Quikscell's vehicles (Hetzer, 60 ton tracked missile/weapon carriers, some others) are made pretty much everywhere. Bulldog tank is made at least in Capellan Confederation and Draconis Combine, but FedSuns had acquired those in significant numbers just before collapse of the Star League and has got more through raids and conquests. Everything Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Suns make can have exchanged ownership through trade ever since (and before) first signing of Federated Commonwealth alliance in 3023 (if I recall correctly). And so on and so forth.
« Last Edit: 23 October 2013, 14:17:32 by Matti »
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

hive_angel

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1218
  • A, B, C, D, E, F, Guy ...
    • Send Three Squads To Help
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #19 on: 23 October 2013, 14:35:48 »
@ Matti

You mentioned the primitive designs. I see some come with basic or advanced fire control systems. What do those do? Can you give a rulebook page reference? I found something from Sarna which references page 206 in TW, however it specifies support vehicles and not combat vehicles.
Follow my blog for Battletech battle reports!

http://ststh.blogspot.com

Search for "Battle Report"

PurpleDragon

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 1667
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #20 on: 23 October 2013, 14:46:18 »
Here's what got my imagination going on the infantry vs battlemech question...

I read Decision at Thunder Rift.  One of the first novels put out about the battletech universe.  Now it was, in some instances, a little too anime mecha like with the fast movement descriptions in a duel or two that the main character was in.  However, overall, I think it gets the "feel" of the battletech universe and how things work right.  And it describes how a deposed mercenary heir went from alone on foot to helping the legal government stay in place by teaching some of their infantry how to take down a 'mech. 
give a man a fire, keep him warm for a night. 
Set him on fire, keep him warm for the rest of his life!

The secret to winning the land/air battle is that you must always remain rigidly flexible.

I like tabletop more anyway, computer games are for nerds!  -  Knallogfall

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #21 on: 23 October 2013, 23:16:24 »
You mentioned the primitive designs.
Did I? Where?

Quote
I see some come with basic or advanced fire control systems. What do those do?
"Primitive" vehicles in XTRO Primitives serie have been designed with Support Vehicle construction rules. Basic/Advanced Fire Control are equipment for Support Vehicles. We can think that without either of those, weapons are aimed by hand like in armored vehicles of the Second World War. Basic/Advanced Fire Control adds some mechanical/computer assistance, and epitome of that is Targeting Computer. In short:
Support Vehicle without Fire Control = +2 modifier for weapon attacks
Basic Fire Control = +1 modifier for weapon attacks
Advanced Fire Control (integral part of Combat Vehicles and BattleMechs) = 0 modifier for weapon attacks
Targeting Computer = -1 modifier for weapon attacks

However LTV-4 Hovertank is Combat Vehicle designed with the same rules as most vehicles in TRO/RS 3039.
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

Coldwyn

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 740
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #22 on: 31 October 2013, 11:23:54 »
???????   TRO 39 has some of the best vehicles of any of the TRO'.  Things like the Schrek, Demolisher, Hetzer, Hunter and Saracen.  In 3028 when no one has any significant LosTech, these are some scary creatures.


-Jackmc

Sorry for the delayed answer, been busy these days.

These are nice Vees for their time period, but they are still far away from what I meant, namely the point when a vee can outshine everything else in its given speciality.
it´s not necessarily that i´m immoral of character, i just don´t take great stock in the morality of others, that´s all

False Son

  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 6461
  • Kot Blini
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #23 on: 31 October 2013, 11:30:53 »
There are very, very few examples of that in canon.  LRM Carriers pack tons of LRMs and ignore everything else, while ignoring the heat generated.  GR Alacorns and ERPPC DI Morgans are fairly close to superior to mechs in what they do.

But in 3028?  Hard to say.  Maybe the Savannah Master.  Thumper and Long Tom artillery vehicles are the only real viable artillery platforms in that era.  Oh, and anything that carries infantry.  That's a trick mechs haven't mastered at that point.
TOYNBEE IDEA
IN MOViE `2001
RESURRECT DEAD
ON PLANET JUPITER


Destroy what destroys you

Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #24 on: 31 October 2013, 13:23:25 »
But in 3028?  Hard to say.  Maybe the Savannah Master.
J. Edgars Hovertank does same jobs better. For higher cost. And can pack Inferno missiles. Neptune submarine owns underwater combat. Warrior H-7 helicopter is excellent choice for wearing down slow vehicle force: aim for the side and immobilize vehicles through motive crits at longest direct-fire range of the era. Counter that with faster aircrafts or hovercrafts or AC/2 packing vehicles like Pike with Flak type ammo. Hovercrafts can cross lakes, rivers, and swamps with ease. Saladin is fastest AC/20 on the ground of the era.
« Last Edit: 31 October 2013, 13:28:28 by Matti »
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

Jackmc

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2681
    • How I pay the bills
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #25 on: 31 October 2013, 13:27:49 »
These are nice Vees for their time period, but they are still far away from what I meant, namely the point when a vee can outshine everything else in its given speciality.

I don't know about that.  Until the introduction of the UAC-20, the Demolisher (and the SRM Carrier to a lesser extent) did ambush tactics better than any unit in the game.  In a similar vein, there's multiple hovers that were better at scouting than any of the Bug mechs or the P-Hawk.


-Jackmc


Matti

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 5085
  • In Rory we trust
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #26 on: 31 October 2013, 13:29:23 »
In a similar vein, there's multiple hovers that were better at scouting than any of the Bug mechs or the P-Hawk.
Good luck with that on Heavy Woods maps :P
You know what they say, don't you? About how us MechWarriors are the modern knights errant, how warfare has become civilized now that we have to abide by conventions and rules of war. Don't believe it.

False Son

  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 6461
  • Kot Blini
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #27 on: 31 October 2013, 13:36:16 »
IF you need recon vehicles, in an age where LBX ACs are almost non existant, Boomerangs or a cheap VTOL.  Doesn't even need to be a military grade.
TOYNBEE IDEA
IN MOViE `2001
RESURRECT DEAD
ON PLANET JUPITER


Destroy what destroys you

Grognard

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 1407
  • BTU.org & LotB.com Member
Re: 3028 Adding combat vehicles and infantry
« Reply #28 on: 31 October 2013, 14:12:24 »
oddly enough, my HMPro-Vee lists the LTV-4 as 472 BV, instead of the 452 BV listed on Sarna.net
it also lists "0.30 tons of Misc. Obsolete equipment" as cargo.

I luv to add infantry to a scenario. Heavy APCs are great for moving masses of troops quickly.

GROGNARD:  An old, grumpy soldier, a long term campaigner (Fr); Someone who enjoys playing tactics and strategy based board wargames;  a game fan who will buy every game released in a certain genre of computer game (RTS, or computer role-playing game, etc.)

 

Register