Vehicles that make sense for mechanized infantry platoons

[BATTLEMASTER]

This was inspired by a VotW thread for small support vehicles where myself and others expressed disappointment that the existing small support vehicles had movement profiles that weren't consistent with those allowed in the construction rules for mechanized infantry platoons.  Here I present a few light combat vehicle designs that can give those of us concerned some continuity between vehicle units and infantry units on the game board.

A couple things I considered while designing these:

- These vehicles may not be moving at flank speed as part of an infantry platoon, so I tried my best to match the cruise speed to the existing mechanized infantry platoon construction rules.

- I envision at least two or three of these vehicles assigned to a mechanized infantry platoon to match the platoon's weight.  Therefore they have tonnage/space for mounted infantry and more stuff.

- I tried to somewhat make the armor for each vehicle make sense for the abstraction accounted for in the mechanized infantry platoon construction rules.

- These vehicles have no weapons mounted as they assume that infantry are able to fire their primary and support weapons from the vehicle.  I don't recall that being possible for vehicles represented individually on tabletop, so houserule as you see fit in that case!

Code: [Select]

Generic Mechanized Infantry Hovercraft GMI-H

Mass: 10 tons
Movement Type: Hover
Power Plant: 10 ICE
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 2470
Tech Rating/Availability: E/C-C-C-C
Cost: 62,240 C-bills

Type: Generic Mechanized Infantry Hovercraft
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Introductory)
Movement Type: Hover
Tonnage: 10
Battle Value: 67

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                    1
Engine                        10 ICE                  2
Cruising MP: 5
Flank MP: 8
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  0.5
Lift Equipment:                                     1.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Armor Factor                  24                    1.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   1         8     
     R/L Side               1/1       6/6   
     Rear                    1         4     


Weapons
and Ammo              Location    Tonnage   
2 Extra Crew Seats      Body        1.0     
Infantry                Body        3.0     



Code: [Select]

Generic Mechanized Infantry Tracked Vehicle GMI-TV

Mass: 10 tons
Movement Type: Tracked
Power Plant: 30 ICE
Cruising Speed: 32.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 54 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 2470
Tech Rating/Availability: E/C-C-C-C
Cost: 38,720 C-bills

Type: Generic Mechanized Infantry Tracked Vehicle
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Introductory)
Movement Type: Tracked
Tonnage: 10
Battle Value: 76

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                    1
Engine                        30 ICE                  2
Cruising MP: 3
Flank MP: 5
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  0.5
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Armor Factor                  24                    1.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   1         8     
     R/L Side               1/1       6/6   
     Rear                    1         4     


Weapons
and Ammo              Location    Tonnage   
2 Extra Crew Seats      Body        1.0     
Infantry                Body        4.0     



Code: [Select]

Generic Mechanized Infantry Wheeled Vehicle GMI-WV

Mass: 8 tons
Movement Type: Wheeled
Power Plant: 15 ICE
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 2470
Tech Rating/Availability: E/C-C-C-C
Cost: 33,488 C-bills

Type: Generic Mechanized Infantry Wheeled Vehicle
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Introductory)
Movement Type: Wheeled
Tonnage: 8
Battle Value: 68

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                    1
Engine                        15 ICE                  1
Cruising MP: 4
Flank MP: 6
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  0.5
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Armor Factor                  24                    1.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   1         8     
     R/L Side               1/1       6/6   
     Rear                    1         4     


Weapons
and Ammo              Location    Tonnage   
2 Extra Crew Seats      Body        1.0     
Infantry                Body        3.0     



[Daryk]

I think you're making explicit the reasons I always "mechanize" infantry by embarking Foot in actual combat vehicles.

[BATTLEMASTER]

I think you're making explicit the reasons I always "mechanize" infantry by embarking Foot in actual combat vehicles.

That works too.  I think it depends on how many units players want to track.  Though maybe it's worth sticking the fleshlings in Goblins?   

[Daryk]

Goblins (various variants) are one of my favorites! 

[kaliban]

mechanized infantry is extremely heavy (20 to 28tons each platoon). I normally favor motorized infantry (6tons) that have similar mobility and are much lighter to transport.

[Richard S.]

I'm with Daryk on using embarked foot platoons for "mechanized" units instead of generic mechanized infantry. As I understand it, that's also how they're generally classified in our world; BT's mechanized infantry should really just be motorized units.

[Daryk]

Thanks for the back up! 

In general, you're going to get more speed, armor, and "support" weapons from a "real" combat vehicle than any mechanized formation build can give you.

[Lanceman]

I'm with Daryk on using embarked foot platoons for "mechanized" units instead of generic mechanized infantry. As I understand it, that's also how they're generally classified in our world; BT's mechanized infantry should really just be motorized units.

The point of the mechanized platoons was to essentially give players an option of having infantry in armored vehicles (that being the key difference here between them and those classified motorized who are in thinned skinned trucks or other vehicles) or VTOLs without having to track the vehicle. It's a tradeoff between the extra utility of a full flesh vehicle vs convenience and abstraction. 

So in this instance, while I applaud the effort BATTLEMASTER and think you've done a good job in de-abastracting the platoons, *if* I was going to bother with actually tracking the individual vehicles, I think I'd join the other folks in choosing something with a little more oomph like a Goblin or the myriad of Dark Age IFVs.

[Daryk]

That might have been the point, but I think it missed... that option just gives up too much for the convenience of not tracking the vehicle(s).

[Ramblefire]

Honestly, while it's a fun exercise building out little things that the game doesn't track, of I was going to use an unarmed vehicle, I'd make it as fast and protected as possible to increase the chances for my infantry to get in close and go to work.

If I want anything slower, I'll want something carrying a platoon or at least a mech scale weapon like an SRM2.

I did an IFV conversion for the heavy APC a while back.