Factory Size And Defenses

[SCC]

Given how big a part of the universe raids are I thought I'd share my thoughts on how big, how well protected, and the level of 'Mech attack those defenses are design to repeal so that people have something to use next time their players want to raid a factory. Based upon what they produce factories will be more or less well defended, this post will list suggested factory sizes in hexes and level of defenses from least well protected to most protected. Factory defenses consist of a given number of turrets and a unit of vehicles equal in size to the 'Mech force the defense are supposed to be able to repeal along with a number of infantry platoons no greater then the number of tanks. Turret placement around the factory should be in one or more symmetrical patterns, with all turrets in a given pattern having identical weapons. Tanks should be cheaper, slower and mount heavy weapons, mobility isn't highly important for them. Skill level for defenders is generally Green or Regular, and should only go higher for critical factories or large multi-factory complexes.

Terrain around any factory should be flat and clear out to at least 9 hexes, with at least a single road leading up to it and possibly a railway line. Walls might surround the factory itself, with the turrets either outside the walls, or on tall towers either built into the walls or inside the walls. Mines, if used, should be command detonated, but more likely are bollards. A hex filled with bollards cost +1MP to move through, a +1 to any piloting skill rolls a 'Mech is inside one when it makes one and units moving through them can not move any faster then walk or cruise.

Multiple factories may be co-located to form factory complexes, with all defenses surrounding the whole complex and the amount of defenses be equal to the sum of what the individual factories would have. If the factory or complex is located such that terrain reduces the number of approaches, defenses will only be positioned in directions that attackers could approach from and may be reduced to compensate, in extreme cases there may be no mobile component to the defenses.

Intro-tech armor and munitions.
Attacker size: Lance
Turrets: 2
Building size: 7

Advanced armor and munitions.
Attacker size: Demi-Company
Turrets: 3
Building size: 9-12

Intro-tech Structure and weapons
Attacker size: Company
Turrets: 6
Building size: 12-16

Advanced Structure and weapons, military support vehicles
Attacker size: Short battalion (2 companies)
Turrets: 12
Building size: 18-24

Unit assembly
Attacker size: Battalion
Turrets: 24
Building size: 24-32

[Colt Ward]

Terrain around any factory should be flat and clear out to at least 9 hexes, with at least a single road leading up to it and possibly a railway line. Walls might surround the factory itself, with the turrets either outside the walls, or on tall towers either built into the walls or inside the walls. Mines, if used, should be command detonated, but more likely are bollards. A hex filled with bollards cost +1MP to move through, a +1 to any piloting skill rolls a 'Mech is inside one when it makes one and units moving through them can not move any faster then walk or cruise.

The only thing historically- and I include the BTU past in this- that has a cleared area around it, and is built out in the boonies, is ammo plants.  Operation Audacity has Archer popping a binary of Falcon battlemechs outside a ammo plant that went up behind them, I do not recall if it was stray fire.  Coincidentally, ammo plants would be very difficult to wreck b/c they are built for 'just in case' things start going off.  You can look up overhead images of Kansas Ammo Plant and McAlester Ammo plant to get ideas.

Refineries will also have some open terrain around, but they more often have cofferdams/dikes/levees to deal with spills.

But I can think of 5 different factories not DefHes that appeared in BTU fiction off the top of my head- Coventry from when the Falcons did their training run, Menke's factory that started a fight between a St Ives unit and a bunch of Leaguers, St Ives itself where Aris Sung led a raid, the Tematagi's Nimakachi plant the Chaos Irregulars defended from a Faithful probe, and a Michaelson Industries factory that produced SRMs or VTOLs I do not recall.  Coventry, Menke, and St Ives had walls but were also near urban areas IIRC though they were attacked from a undeveloped side.  The Nimakachi plant was built on the edge of a urban area (caldera of a volcano IIRC) though the whole area had not been planned.  Michaelson's had a small wall and seemed to have a city that had grown around it since none of the Crimson Hawks or militia axis of advance could avoid going through some urban terrain.

I think in 3025 if its mechs, tanks or SFE it should be a defensive plan that can repulse a company of mechs on the raid.  By 3055, its going to need to be able to repulse a battalion of mechs.  Your comment also left out a company to battalion worth of on duty security guards- manning checkpoints, foot patrols, roving motor patrols (Ibex from TP Irian for example) . . which adds another example in a SB.  The original Objective Raids SB also had Blackwell laid out . . . sort of, with all the typical Obj Raids CYA.

[Daryk]

One thing to consider about ammo factories: the walls will be "blow out" capable.  I used to work in a (converted) building that had them, which was fine until one day after a bad storm, one of them fell off it's mounts and sagged.  So much for that security perimeter!  ::)

[Colt Ward]

Well, the buildings would be berm'd to channel the explosion up and they would have other protections against secondary explosions from debris.  Then if you looked up the two places I mentioned you will the the bunkers out in the woods where they stored ammo until it was shipped to a destination.  You can see the very regular pattern written somewhere in a manual.

[Kojak]

I assume you're already aware of the extensive guidelines on this exact thing found in the Objectives PDF series?

[mbear]

Also, StoneRhino asked about TRO:Fortifications in general discussion which led to a list of existing buildings and what products had them. That might help you out too.

[Col Toda]

Large factory units have to be defended traditionally . Small has many more options . Say shove a small factory in a Rose dropship . It lands pickes up the materials and componants and assembles them enroute in jumpspace . This set up is more vulnerable to ECM or other advanced tech choke points and aerospace interception but it is a moving target requiring a lot of intelligence just to find it . The combinations are endless . Decentralized manufacture becomes more important in the Jihad and after.

[Hellraiser]

Depends on the factory & era.

The original SLSB had some notes about how there were basically 2 types of factory construction, before or after some event/date.

One was open in a populated urban area for ease of access for workers & could be destroyed.

The other was built inside a mountain or under the seafloor so it was safe from orbital fire.

I forget the specifics of what that event/date are right now.