Air Mobile Artillery

[snewsom2997]

How was this used by the Star League, would it have been just tubes carried by VTOL's, Would it have been VTOL's armed with Arrow Missiles, or something like the support version of the Planetlifter, or a combination.

[Demos]

ASF with air-launched Arrows.
Or an orbital bombardment!  ;)

[Fireangel]

50-ton LAM with a Thumper.  [rockon]

[Dread Moores]

WarShip of your choice.  ;)

[Fireangel]

WarShip of your choice.  ;)

That would be Space-mobile artillery.  8) :D

How was this used by the Star League, would it have been just tubes carried by VTOL's, Would it have been VTOL's armed with Arrow Missiles, or something like the support version of the Planetlifter, or a combination.

Seriously, I would say that in all likelihood we are talking about field artillery (as described in TacOps) carried by VTOLs either internally (as cargo) or externally (as external cargo).

[Dread Moores]

It can still fire when it's falling through atmosphere. Just think of it like really expensive one-shot heavy artillery.

[Fireangel]

It can still fire when it's falling through atmosphere. Just think of it like really expensive one-shot heavy artillery.

I don't know. It might be able to get off a few shots on the way down before it fails its Adama roll.  #P

[Dread Moores]

Plus there's that really awesome boom when it "lands." Let's just call it the "Bellyflop Artillery Cannon."

[Moonsword]

How was this used by the Star League, would it have been just tubes carried by VTOL's, Would it have been VTOL's armed with Arrow Missiles, or something like the support version of the Planetlifter, or a combination.

DropShips or possibly small craft moving artillery around or fighters rippling off Arrows unless they're willing to reach for orbital fire support.  Despite the stereotypes, that's actually not something the SLDF did casually judging from their actions in the Reunification War.  It was certainly on the table but it was not the only thing they thought about.

Looking at non-canon design options, SLDF usage of VTOLs seems to have focused on high speed units aside from the Cobra transport.  LAMs are probably not a very viable solution given the size of artillery pieces and the apparent construction limitations they face.  If you have to do a lot of flying, landing, and taking off, that increases the size you need because you need more gas.  For that matter, I'm not sure they'd be allowed to split weapons between locations and artillery pretty much has to.  The SLDF could have modified a Hammerhead to carry an Arrow IV launcher fairly readily, though, in addition to the 3 missiles it can stash under the wings.

[snewsom2997]

So basically sling an artillery piece under a Cobra VTOL, or in a small craft or dropship and move from hilltop to hilltop, or standard Air to Ground Fire Support missions, with ASF's, dropships, and warships.

Maybe a Leopard or Confederate version of a Fortress, Remove some cubicles and mount some Long Toms or Arrow IVs. As much as warships vary from one another today I would assume that there are many variants of dropships we don't even know about.

[Moonsword]

If you're going to try moving the larger artillery pieces, you may want to try hanging them under a Cyrano, not a Cobra.  Thumpers and Arrows are small enough that the internal cargo capacity on a Cobra keeps things moving at 5/8 and you still have room for some ammo.  The others reduce it to 4/6.  Cyranos can haul any of them and still move at 6/9.

[I am Belch II]

Aerospace fighters with a Arrow missle system works better I think.

[Fireangel]

Aerospace fighters with a Arrow missle system works better I think.

Only underwing missiles can be used by fighters, meaning that you'd need either large numbers of fighters or large fighters... both with air superiority.

[Moonsword]

Only underwing missiles can be used by fighters, meaning that you'd need either large numbers of fighters or large fighters... both with air superiority.

Actually, ASFs can use Arrow IV launchers and the Hammerhead or the Rapier would make a conveniently easy starting point for modifications to that effect depending on what you're trying to get on the other side.

[Fallen_Raven]

Fortress drophips are probably a good place to look.

[Jackmc]

Actually, ASFs can use Arrow IV launchers

Yes, but unless the rules have been changed, they can only fire them on the gorund.

-Jackmc

[Moonsword]

Yes, but unless the rules have been changed, they can only fire them on the gorund.

-Jackmc

Yes, they've changed.  TacOps page 180: "A unit mounting an Arrow IV (no other artillery weapons may be used to make an airborne attack) may make an artillery attack against ground hexes while airborne; direct-fire airborne artillery attacks cannot be made."

[Hellraiser]

Seriously, I would say that in all likelihood we are talking about field artillery (as described in TacOps) carried by VTOLs either internally (as cargo) or externally (as external cargo).

That or Tanks loaded in Planet Lifters.

[Colt Ward]

Planet Lifters are not VTOL . . . so really VTOLs are the way to go for tactically air mobile artillery.

[Moonsword]

They can't move Long Toms, either, nor can they move Snipers with ammo the way large VTOLs can.  Fighters, unlike 'Mechs and vehicles, can't sling cargo externally.

[Fireangel]

Yes, they've changed.  TacOps page 180: "A unit mounting an Arrow IV (no other artillery weapons may be used to make an airborne attack) may make an artillery attack against ground hexes while airborne; direct-fire airborne artillery attacks cannot be made."

Oh, my.

[Moonsword]

Hence my suggestion of modifying some Hammerheads in my original response.

[Fireangel]

Hence my suggestion of modifying some Hammerheads in my original response.

I'm not so sure about the Hammerhead; you'd have to take a ton from somewhere (more likely than not from ammo capacity), leaving you with a 10-shot artillery piece and absolutely no other means of defending itself if air superiority is not attained. Of course, external missiles might be used for defense, but at the expense of precious speed, which might serve it better than weapons.

A better airborne artillery platform might be the F-100 Riever (or a similar design, given that the Riever was designed after the fall of the League); Additional fuel (for longer loiter time), ammo (for a variety of ammo types) and a few defensive weapons (some facing aft) would make it ideal for the application.

[Devens]

Hence my suggestion of modifying some Hammerheads in my original response.

I would modify a Mechbuster to strip out the AC20 and put an Arrow IV in.

[Moonsword]

I would modify a Mechbuster to strip out the AC20 and put an Arrow IV in.

We're talking Star League Defense Force here.  'MechBusters weren't even built until the Succession Wars.

[Fireangel]

We're talking Star League Defense Force here.  'MechBusters weren't even built until the Succession Wars.

But it makes for a great mod. Cutting armour for 5 missiles, plus ten underwing pylons...

Shades of a One-O-Wonder... 8)

[Hellraiser]

Fighters, unlike 'Mechs and vehicles, can't sling cargo externally.

They can overload the internal bays to represent that can't they ?
That is what the Planetlifter is fluffed as doing IIRC.
They move Warhammers per the fluff.

[Fireangel]

They can overload the internal bays to represent that can't they ?
That is what the Planetlifter is fluffed as doing IIRC.
They move Warhammers per the fluff.

That fluff has been superceded by the rules. Aero units cannot carry external cargo. Period.

[Moonsword]

You'll also note that this fluff is deleted from TRO3039.  It mentions light 'Mechs and a Planetlifter can move certain lights, but it doesn't mention that 50 ton "external bay".  Checking AT2R, I don't think it's been legal for a while now.

[truetanker]

Meteor conventional ASF, replace everything with Arrow IV and 5 tons ammo. Plus it can carry more on it's 9 hardpoints. Cluster and FASCAM A4 rounds anyone?

TT