Special ammo for DropShip mounted artillery

[BezimusPrime]

Hi

I know that the general rule is that aerospace units can't use alternative ammo (as per Total Warfare p238).  Does this also apply to DropShip mounted artillery? I couldn't find any exemption to the rule in Tactical Operations: Advanced Rules or Advanced Units & Equipment when discussing artillery, but there are examples in the fiction of DropShip artillery using alternative ammo, such as in Redemption Rites where the Trutzburg's use Copperhead and FASCAM.

Thanks

[Weirdo]

You are correct, there is no exception that allows a DropShip to use such alternate ammunition types. They're stuck with basic HE only.

[BezimusPrime]

You are correct, there is no exception that allows a DropShip to use such alternate ammunition types. They're stuck with basic HE only.

Thanks.  That does remove the temptation to put super expensive artillery my Dropships. 

[cray]

You are correct, there is no exception that allows a DropShip to use such alternate ammunition types. They're stuck with basic HE only.

Wow, there's a home rule waiting to happen. ;)

[Daryk]

I thought that only applied when flying... a grounded artillery piece really shouldn't be restricted.

[PuppyLikesLaserPointers]

I thought that only applied when flying... a grounded artillery piece really shouldn't be restricted.

While it is true but the rule restricts aerospace units to use an alternative armmunition, thus it also affects dropships as well despite it can only shoot those non-Arrow IV artillery while grounded. I doubt that anyone will gonna bothers you to make a houserule to allows to use that, though, for obvious reason. Even if the Arrow IV on a dropship could spamming the alternative ammunition on the air I don't care either. But for the basic rules it is not allowed.

Also note that not allows to use the alternative unit is just because it is the aerospace unit, not because it didn't grounded. Non-aerospace unit can use the alternative ammunitions as well as making artillery attacks while airborne, such as Karnov artillery variant.

[cray]

The rule exists to simplify aerospace combat, which already mashes weapons together into bays and fighters into squadrons. An LRM bay firing mixed inferno, Thunder, smoke, and standard missiles is just a rules headache waiting to happen.

But artillery, which is pretty useless in flight, should reasonably be able to switch ammo.

[PuppyLikesLaserPointers]

The rule exists to simplify aerospace combat, which already mashes weapons together into bays and fighters into squadrons. An LRM bay firing mixed inferno, Thunder, smoke, and standard missiles is just a rules headache waiting to happen.

But artillery, which is pretty useless in flight, should reasonably be able to switch ammo.

Yeah I do think so, and that's why it seems not so problematic to allows that by a houserule.

[BezimusPrime]

Yeah I do think so, and that's why it seems not so problematic to allows that by a houserule.

... and it is supported by at least one novel.

I originally asked because I was trying to work out if it was viable to use Air-Defense Arrow missiles to protect against bombing runs while the DropShip was landed.  Yes, I could add a vehicle bay and carry around a vehicle with an Arrow IV, but once you add up the bay, cargo for supplies for the crew and escape pod space for the crew, it starts adding up, and I am trying to keep the overall tonnage down far enough that making a 'Mech-scale model of the DropShip doesn't take up a whole table.