--- On Sun, 7/10/11, Onno Meyer <[email protected]> wrote: > Brandon replied to me: > > In theory, yes. But I decided for game purposes I'd > like to have all suit > > types represented in a single platoon. > > in that case, how about a platoon with three line squads > (five > standard and two recon suits), one assault squad (three > assault > and three engineer suits), and the headquarters (two > command > and two flak suits, plus one standard for the medic)?
I'm not sure if I'd want that many recon suits in a platoon, but I like the idea of an assault squad. > Later in the game, the assault squad might swap the assault > > suits for more engineer suits, or standard with rocket > pods, More likely get the "old" flak suits while the HQ section got the newer ones. > > > To support each platoon of 30 suits, you need > perhaps 15 to > > > 20 > > > cargo trucks (two suits per truck, plus some > extras), a > > > couple > > > of workshop trucks, and perhaps a few jeeps for > command and > > > control. > > > > Originally, I thought about them being carried on > reinforced flatbed > > trailers, perhaps 3-5 a trailer. I ended up deciding > to just have them walk > > unless they really had to be moved quickly. > > Have you looked at the breakdown rules for legged > drivetrains? > Almost as bad as tracks. Yes, I am aware of the reliability problem. > On the other hand, you probably don't have to reinforce the > > trucks or trailers. Deuce-and-a-half means 2.5 tons > offroad > or 5 tons on the road, it could easily handle three suits. Any vehicle that can tow a 155mmm Long Tom cannon can probably tow a trailer with a squad worth of battlesuits ;) This would leave the cargo area of the truck itself free for sopport units and equipment. > > > So platoons are deployed independently? > > > > No, they are part of their battalion, but rather than > every battalion > > getting one, only one in three battalions got a > battlesuit platoon. > > Are the battlesuit platoons organic to their leg infantry > battalions, or temporary attachments with a battlesuit > parent > unit somewhere? Yes, they are organic. > > > Are the pods slowing them down significantly, or > why employ > > > suits without pods? > > > > Extra cost. A gun pod costs from $700 to $1200 each. > > You don't send out infantrymen without rifles, even if > they > are expensive, either. On the battlesuit scale, the arm > MGs > are sidearms, and the pod weapons are longarms. I don't consider the arm MGs sidearms, but standard weapons. Loading them with AP ammo would help solve the armor penetration problem, though would slightly reduce effectiveness against living targets. To be clear, the main opponent of a battlesuit is an enemy rifleman, not another battlesuit. > > I wanted symmetrical arms, which I only broke with the > engineering suit > > (and even then both arms are of equal volume). > > And can they change barrels without leaving their suit? > that would be another explanation for two guns. As air-cooled weapons on ground vehicles, the barrels will overheat quickly in sustained fire with long bursts. With two guns, the soldier doesn't have to think as much about firing a short burst of 3-4 rounds, pause a second, fire another short burst, pause a second ... (and yes, this is how the Browning M-1919A4 was supposed to be fired from a tripod) In a TL8 suit I would have placed an automatic grenade launcher in the "off" arm, but I don't plan to introduce AGLs to the campaign yet. Brandon Brandon _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
