Infantry SPAs

[Daryk]

Inspired by a conversation with Weirdo up in Ground Combat (in this thread), I present the SPA below.  More may follow...

Sergeant in Motion (Infantry)
  "They say a sergeant in motion outranks a lieutenant that doesn't know what's going on..."
  Prerequisites: [Skills] Levels of Acrobatics/Free Fall and Acrobatics/Gymnastics totaling 8+, Leadership 5+; [Abilities] Foot Cavalry Ability
  XP Cost: 100
  The Sergeant in Motion Ability is only effective with foot or jump infantry squads being carried by a separate vehicle.  Sergeants in Motion have trained themselves how to fearlessly leap from moving vehicles and land in one piece, and have shared this specialized training with their troops.  Squads led by Sergeants in Motion may debark a carrying unit at any point in that unit's movement vice only the last hex.  Only jump infantry or paratroops may debark flying vehicles in this manner (zip lines require a unit to hover, i.e., in the last hex of their movement).  As only one squad may debark per hex, this ability only applies when Squad Deployment rules (Tactical Operations, page 27) are in effect.

[Blackhorse 6]

All my infantry teams are learning this SPA immediately!   

[Daryk]

Thanks, glad you like it!  Now that I look at it, I think I forgot to mention that it should work for BA too...

[DOC_Agren]

Damm crazy sergeants...
Now passing that knowledge on to their troopers

All my infantry teams are learning this SPA immediately!   

Great that what the Wild Geese need

[Blackhorse 6]

Damm crazy sergeants...
Now passing that knowledge on to their troopers
Great that what the Wild Geese need

I give credit when taking on good ideas, keeps me honest and with some creative adaptation will keep the BA troopers in tip top condition!  Besides, it's not as if the Clans or the Blakist will cut us any slack! }:)

[DOC_Agren]

I give credit when taking on good ideas, keeps me honest and with some creative adaptation will keep the BA troopers in tip top condition!  Besides, it's not as if the Clans or the Blakist will cut us any slack! }:)

You know I have a hard time seeing most of Battletech BA designs being acrobatic, without maybe some of the PAL suits.

[Daryk]

True, but the ones with jump jets at least should be able to pull this off without a hitch.  Perhaps I should scope it that way: PA(L), or Light or Medium suits with jump jets.  How does that sound?

[Daryk]

After dreaming up the Gun Kata skill, it struck me it could have use at the Squad Leader level too...

Fire as She Bears (Infantry)
"Fire as she bears, boys!"
Prerequisites: [Skills] Gun Kata Level 4+, Training 4+, Leadership 4+
XP Cost: 100
     Squad leaders with this ability are able to pass on enough of their Gun Kata training to allow weapon crews to bring unwieldy support weapons to bear at close range faster and more accurately than other troops.  A squad led by a squad leader with this ability ignores the +1 to hit at 0-hex range for support weapons with crew values of 1E or 2+ (Tech Manual, page 149 refers).

[Daryk]

And while I'm in that part of Tech Manual anyway...

Whites of Their Eyes (Infantry)
"Wait for it... Wait for it... NOW!"
Prerequisites: [Skills] Stealth 4+, Leadership 4+
XP Cost: 50 XP
     Officers or NCOs with this ability have nerves of steel, and an unparalleled ability to conceal their troops.  They may only be equipped with melee weapons, but they're deadly in ambush.  Platoons or Squads with leaders who have this ability ignore the +1 penalty for Point Blank Weapons when attacking (Tech Manual, page 148 refers).

[Daryk]

Discussion after our game last night inspired me for at least one more:

From the Hip (Infantry)
"Hit it!"
Prerequisites: [Skills] Leadership 5+, [Abilities] Foot Cavalry Ability
XP Cost: 100 XP
     Officers and NCOs with this ability are known for their élan, and have trained their units to shoot while they debark their infantry carriers.  Such units (squads or platoons) may fire the turn they debark from a vehicle, though platoons take a -1 penalty to fire (squads can sufficiently disperse to avoid this), and only weapons with a crew of 1 may be used (not 1E, nor 2 or more; Support Weapon crews are assumed to have personal weapons identical to the rest of their units for this purpose, and BA are prohibited from firing Squad Support Weapons in this way).

[EDIT] NOTE: If using the Gun Kata skill, 3 levels of it are also required.

[Daryk]

Thinking about this some more (admitedly a LONG time later), here's another one:

Pull it IN (Infantry)
"We are LEAVING!"
Prerequisites: Leadership +5. [Abiilities] Foot Cavalry Ability; if in play: Gun Kata skill 3 levels
XP Cost: 100 XP
     Officers and NCOs with this ability have trained their troops to make Parthian shots as they board their infantry carriers.  Such units (squads or platoons) may fire the turn they embark a vehicle, though platoons take a -1 penalty to fire (squads can sufficiently disperse to avoid this), and only weapons with a crew of 1 may be used (not 1E, nor 2 or more; Support Weapon crews are assumed to have personal weapons identical to the rest of their units for this purpose, and BA are prohibited from firing Squad Support Weapons in this way).

[five_corparty]

And while I'm in that part of Tech Manual anyway...

Whites of Their Eyes (Infantry)
"Wait for it... Wait for it... NOW!"
Prerequisites: [Skills] Stealth 4+, Leadership 4+
XP Cost: 50 XP
     Officers or NCOs with this ability have nerves of steel, and an unparalleled ability to conceal their troops.  They may only be equipped with melee weapons, but they're deadly in ambush.  Platoons or Squads with leaders who have this ability ignore the +1 penalty for Point Blank Weapons when attacking (Tech Manual, page 148 refers).

     Officers or NCOs with this ability have nerves of steel, and an unparalleled ability to conceal their troops.  They may only be equipped with melee weapons, but they're deadly in ambush.  Platoons or Squads with leaders who have this ability ignore the +1 penalty for Point Blank Weapons when attacking, but gain a -1 on their long-range attack rolls.

My only suggested tweaks (other than agreeing with the "BA must have JJ" tweak to the departing SPA) (I also didn't study the skills too much, but they looked ok in passing)

Otherwise, these are AWESOME and would be fun to see on the table!

[Daryk]

Thanks for the feedback!   

I think ignoring the point blank penalty is minor enough to not need a penalty at long range, but I see your point.

Gun Kata was inspired by maybe a little too much John Wick... 

[five_corparty]

Thanks for the feedback!   

I think ignoring the point blank penalty is minor enough to not need a penalty at long range, but I see your point.

Gun Kata was inspired by maybe a little too much John Wick... 

Ah, well, I think there's room for both, the short ranged one as listed and ALSO a melee-focused one... 

[Daryk]

Hmmm... I'll have to think about that one.  Thanks for the idea!   

It will probably be the weekend before I have enough bandwidth to figure that one out.  With a penalty at long range, it should logically be cheaper than the first one.  Maybe it should be an actual bonus (that stacks) instead of ignoring a penalty... hmmm...  "Fix Bayonets!" comes to mind for a name, but maybe "Follow Me!" could work...

[five_corparty]

oh, fix bayonets, for sure.  I'd go with, perhaps, athletics and leadership as skills, and units only equipped with melee weapons get some sort of outrageous (but not game breaking) damage bonus to unarmored units (standard against armored, 1/2 against heavy armor, nothing against BA and above) but also, maybe, enemies get some sort of modifier against morale checks, and they can't be attacked by non-infantry units if they're engaged (danger close)

I mean, if i was throwing ideas against the wall... ;-)

[Daryk]

It's going to be at least tomorrow before I can put enough brain cells toward this, unfortunately.  My nerves are a little jangled from spinning out on the freeway today.

[Daryk]

Ok, here's my take on "Fix Bayonets!"  I also discovered that there was a bayonet charge in 2011 (led by a British Corporal in Afghanistan; yes he got a medal for that).

Fix Bayonets! (Infantry)
"Did he just say...?"
Prerequisites: [Attributes] CHA 4+; [Skills] Leadership +5, Running +4, Melee Weapons +3; [Abiilities] Foot Cavalry Ability

XP Cost: 100 XP
     Officers and NCOs with this ability are widely considered to be batshit insane, both by their own troops and their superiors.  What no one can argue is the success these tactics have when properly employed.  Bayonet charges have been generally considered obsolete since at least the middle of the 20th century, but can be frigtheningly effective in the right circumstances.  In the wrong circumstances, of course, they result in a unit being wiped out in detail.  Against other infantry units, a foot infantry unit commanded by an officer or NCO with this ability adds +1d6 anti-infantry damage per squad involved in the attack and has +1 additional MP (above and beyond that granted by Foot Cavalry) to come to grips with their targets.  With bayonets fixed, infantry units suffer an additional +1TN penalty to hit at any range beyond 0.  It takes one turn of not firing to fix or unfix bayonets.

[Daryk]

Found the video clip that inspired "Pull it IN!": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dJy2mnl5y0

[Daemion]

Rolling dismount! 

True, but the ones with jump jets at least should be able to pull this off without a hitch.  Perhaps I should scope it that way: PA(L), or Light or Medium suits with jump jets.  How does that sound?

Yeah? But, BA are supposedly able to move faster than a regular guy, whether by the extra umph provided by myomer boost or that extra length in leg. So, you don't have to be doing shoulder rolls.  It's merely a matter of hopping out and hoofing it as fast as you can and stepping aside far enough, when on the ground.

[Daemion]

I know I'm coming to this party late.  I have to say that I like these.  I notice that there is an interesting mix of RPG stats and application to the TW level of play.

Aside:
A lot of these also make me call into question the standard mounting and dismounting rules in regards to the transport.  How much time should be spent in a 10-second turn and how would that cost?  As I see it, without some kind of specialized training, 1 MP for any transport faster than 5 mp seems right out.

It's one thing to see a Huey or a Republic Assault Gunship (LAAT/i) touch down and everyone step or hop off inside a second.  It's another to see some of the smaller, more heavily armored troop transports I see in modern militaries, where it looks like your troops literally have to spill out in sequence.

Now, granted, 100 feet is a fair distance for a tank to slow down a bit and let said troops hit the ground rolling. 

In either case, that means the doors are open for far longer than a second or two, leaving the bay exposed to incoming fire.  If the cost to the transport isn't to MP, then it should be to exposed internals or some sort of risk.

But, I digress.

I have a suggestion for the Whites of Their eyes.  It makes sense that they should be able to target long range normally under normal circumstances.  Considering that concealment is mentioned in the SPA, maybe this should be a bonus they receive when firing from concealed positions.  (Deployed under hidden units rules.)

In fact, you might want to consider allowing a unit with this kind of leader to deploy hidden, or apply that to yet another SPA. 

And, if you feel a drawback is necessary, maybe put in some roll-play priorities where this kind of squad prioritizes closer targets.

[Daemion]

[humor] Infantry Special Pilot Abilities?

Well, I guess a Sergeant or Lieutenant would be piloting the squad or platoon, wouldn't they?   



[Do you remember _X_ ?]
Back when GI Joe was in its prime as a toy, they had a mail-away to get a personally customized grunt trooper for either Cobra or GI Joe.  The figure was identical for each order, a faceless trooper of some sort. (I think the Joe was an Iron Grenadier.)  Came with a patch and a document that stated the trooper's name, call-sign, details and specialties.  It was the information that was customizable.  (I'd sent away for two while it was available.)

Where am I going with this?

While I know that soldiers learn a lot more than two things, the GI Joe only allowed for two 'Specialties', a primary and secondary, where they were, well, specialized.

I wonder if you'd be willing to look at Squad Specializations where you don't need to assign more than one or two extra skills.  I'm still fond of using infantry more like objective pieces that add something to the gameplay.  Spotting units that can remain hidden would be OP, but that's an easy go-to example.  But, how about demolition squads?  How about urban combat specialists?  What about ship-board security if you decide to play out a Q&D Dungeon crawl boarding operation?

For example, you deliver a squad to a building that specializes in clearing buildings.  They get some sort of bonus while moving through buildings or while in firefights inside buildings against other infantry.  The building has a security detail that gets the same bonuses.  The ultimate goal is to open the way for an escort detail along with a specialist to deploy in that building and roll to find whatever it is that search specialist is supposed to find.  And, all this happening while the battle rages on the rest of the map.

The biggest thing would be having turrets, or other building assets like gates in a wall that need infiltration to be taken control of by one side or the other, turning the guns against the original owners, or clearing an entry for friendly forces, broadcasting a signal for reinforcements, etc, so-on, and so-forth.

Since I don't have TacOps, I wouldn't know if they've done this already, and I apologize for bringing it up if they have.  But, if they haven't, how would you go about tackling it?




 

[Daryk]

0:18 of this clip: is what inspired the rolling dismount. 

As for heavier BA pulling that trick, I think it's more of an agility thing, really.  I don't quads doing it at all.

Glad you enjoy them overall! 

With regard to faster vehicles, they also have higher acceleration and deceleration, so I think 1MP still works for that.  That's probably a debate for another thread, though...

I think what you described for the Whites of Their Eyes would probably be better as a separate SPA.  I don't have a monopoly on good ideas, so propose away! 

Infantry SPAs are "Miscellaneous", and PCs can have six total (AToW p.219, under "Ability Classes and Maximums"), so I don't think there's anything to worry about there... 

[Daemion]

0:18 of this clip: is what inspired the rolling dismount. 

As for heavier BA pulling that trick, I think it's more of an agility thing, really.  I don't quads doing it at all.

Maybe the Sloth, sure.  And, I have my questions regarding the Kanazuchi, which could be counted on the lower end of protomechs.  But, what about the Fenrir?  It's a giant friggin' dog.  It looks like it can pull a rolling dismount the same way the KITT from Knight Rider rolls off the semi. (Do you think that was the inspiration for the MW:DA Tank Drop?)

[Daemion]

Infantry SPAs are "Miscellaneous", and PCs can have six total (AToW p.219, under "Ability Classes and Maximums"), so I don't think there's anything to worry about there... 

That's the limit?  Huh, some of my groups have been far more restrictive.  We've been doing 4 per in many cases, with Edge having to fill one of those in one group's case.  Not much more than that, with Edge being a trait for a hero character in another.  That group, however, we only have three people, and we let each person run a whole team, with the odd wheel running opfor or NPC style reinforcements.


As for Ideas, I'll propose them as I come up with them, then.  I'll leave other folks to figure out the RPG stat requirements, though.