Conventional Aircraft in a CM Kurita Aerospace Wing?

[Hayden.]

I'm working on putting together/painting a 1st Amphigean LAG force for Alpha Strike and want to include at least part of the Starwalkers (their medium Aerospace fighter wing).  I've got a couple spare Mechbuster conventional fighters sitting around, and I wondered if it would be suitable to include these units in the Starwalkers?  Or would their status as conventional aircraft preclude their use?

Tangentially, would other airborne support vehicles (looking at you, VTOLs and Karnovs) be allowed?

Thanks!

[Tai Dai Cultist]

The force composition on pg 54 clearly precludes conventional fighters.  IMO anyway, because Alpha Stike makes an explicit distinction between AFs and CFs.

OTOH, there's nothing stopping you from bringing some CFs along as auxiliaries.  Added bonus: by not being part of the Starwalkers, they're not subject to the rules about rolling 8+.

[nckestrel]

p76 mentions conventional fighters are used in aerospace organizations by "some desperate DCMS commands," if you want to pull that card.   Or auxiliaries are Tai Dai Cultist suggested.  Armor organizations can be up to one-third conventional fighters, but the ALAG doens't have any armor in its force composition.

[Hayden.]

The force composition on pg 54 clearly precludes conventional fighters.  IMO anyway, because Alpha Stike makes an explicit distinction between AFs and CFs.

OTOH, there's nothing stopping you from bringing some CFs along as auxiliaries.  Added bonus: by not being part of the Starwalkers, they're not subject to the rules about rolling 8+.

Yeah, my chief point of confusion was the chart on page 27, which lists Combat Vehicles and Aerospace Fighters, but not Conventional Fighters.  Anyway, that's a really good point about using auxiliary forces to mitigate the Starwalkers' lack of reliability!

p76 mentions conventional fighters are used in aerospace organizations by "some desperate DCMS commands," if you want to pull that card.   Or auxiliaries are Tai Dai Cultist suggested.  Armor organizations can be up to one-third conventional fighters, but the ALAG doens't have any armor in its force composition.

Thanks very much to both of you!  I figured something like this would be the case, but I appreciate the confirmation. I had planned on doing some generic armored forces in camo with DC and Benjamin Regulars brigade markings (old style, naturally), so I'll plan on going that route and lumping the mechbusters in with the generic conventional forces.  Thanks again!

[nckestrel]

Yeah, my chief point of confusion was the chart on page 27, which lists Combat Vehicles and Aerospace Fighters, but not Conventional Fighters.  Anyway, that's a really good point about using auxiliary forces to mitigate the Starwalkers' lack of reliability!

Ah, yeah, that's a little odd.  We should have used the organization names, not the unit types, there.  That was a late change.  Originally only the "featured" commands would have force composition, but I really wanted the non-featured commands to be buildable/playable, so I listed their force compositions and special command abilities to the list of names tables they had.  Ray managed to fit them by creating the shorthand force compositions, but we didn't have a lot of time to go over them.    The BM would be 'Mech organization, AF - aerospace organization, CV - armor organization, the CI, MI and BA would be infantry organizations of those types.  Aviation Organizations are almost always not listed, if any exist they are part of the larger aerospace, armor, or infantry organizations.  Or are militia.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Also check out the rules for Supplemental Mercenaries. Pg 82 in CM:HK.

If you're going to use auxiliaries, you can call them supplemental mercs and even get those forces at a PV discount ;)

[Hayden.]

Ah, yeah, that's a little odd.  We should have used the organization names, not the unit types, there.  That was a late change.  Originally only the "featured" commands would have force composition, but I really wanted the non-featured commands to be buildable/playable, so I listed their force compositions and special command abilities to the list of names tables they had.  Ray managed to fit them by creating the shorthand force compositions, but we didn't have a lot of time to go over them.    The BM would be 'Mech organization, AF - aerospace organization, CV - armor organization, the CI, MI and BA would be infantry organizations of those types.  Aviation Organizations are almost always not listed, if any exist they are part of the larger aerospace, armor, or infantry organizations.  Or are militia.

I for one really appreciate the attempt to "flesh out" the non-featured commands.  Even though the information isn't terribly in-depth, I love having as much info as possible.  Thanks for your in-depth answer.

Also check out the rules for Supplemental Mercenaries. Pg 82 in CM:HK.

If you're going to use auxiliaries, you can call them supplemental mercs and even get those forces at a PV discount ;)

Tricky, tricky... ;)

[mbear]

There's even a justification for making them mercs in universe.

Specialized aerospace commands seem to be in demand by Combine corporate interests as well, since there are no spare squadrons or wings to protect the rapid growth of various DropShip and JumpShip yards and repair facilities. Units such as McFadden’s Sky Riders and Summer’s Storm have been locked down to long-term contracts through corporate interests, though there are clauses in place to slip the mercenaries under DCMS command, should the need arise.

Emphasis mine. Each of those units is two wings in size. Sky Riders are at 60% of listed strength and Summer's Storm are at 105% of listed strength. Assuming the mercs start their recruits in conventional fighters, you could have a group of mercs coming along on a training mission.