| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16283
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 2:56 pm Post subject: Hammerverse Crossover |
 |
|
I've always been a fan of military science fiction, and the works of David Drake (specifically, the Hammer's Slammers series) are consistently one of my favorites to re-read. In addition to enjoyable story lines, the technology in the stories provides some useful information for tech crossovers.
-Powerguns-
For those of you who haven't read the series, the powergun is the primary military firearm of the Hammerverse. It functions by inducing an electrical charge into a precisely aligned field of copper atoms (encased in a disc-shaped plastic shell), converting the atoms into a high-energy linear plasma discharge. My thinking is that powerguns could be a blaster precursor, as their methods for containing and focusing the energy are material based (iridium barrels to protect the gunner from heat discharge, plastic shell to contain and align the copper atoms), while more modern blaster weapons would use energy fields for the same purpose (blaster gas contained in a magnetic field, and magnetic field rings in the barrel to keep the beam energy contained). Rules-wise, powerguns would have greater range and damage than blasters at the cost of ammo capacity and stun setting, as well as having a lower fire rate (after each shot, a powergun blows a charge of liquid nitrogen through the firing chamber and the barrel to clear the vaporized plastic casing and cool the barrel from the heat of the shot; fire multiple shots too quickly and the weapon jams).
-Hovertanks-
The Hoverscout in the ImpSB is one of the only air-cushion vehicles in the SWU, but air-cushion vehicles are the primary mode of locomotion for military vehicles in the Hammerverse. Hovertanks and combat cars from the Hammerverse could make useful counterparts to the Hoverscout in an air-cushion vehicle combined arms force...
This has been rattling around in my head for a bit. Just wanted to get it written down...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16283
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 8:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hammer's Slammers takes a novel approach to infantry mobility. Rather than APCs or hover trucks (although both are used by other units in-universe), the Slammers themselves mount their infantry on one-man skimmers that look like a cross between a hovercraft and a jet-ski, like so:
I think there is a place for a vehicle like this in the SWU. For instance, in the ImpSB, scout units are a mix of speeder bike scouts and dismounted line troopers on foot, which means the speeder bikes are limited to the mobility of troopers on foot. With something like this, with line troopers mounted on individual skimmers, the unit is a lot more mobile.
Anyway, here's my version, but based on repulsorlifts instead of air cushion.
Infantry Skimmer
Craft: Aratech's 85-M Military Skimmer
Type: Ultra-Light Personnel Skimmer
Scale: Swoop
Length: 2.1 meters
Skill: Swoop Operation: 85-M
Crew: 1
Crew Skill: Varies Widely
Passengers: 1 or 100 kilograms
Cargo Capacity: See Above
Cover: 1/4
Cost: 5,000 new; 1,500 used (Availability 2)
Maneuverability: 2D+2
Move: 90; 260 km/h
Altitude Range: 0-10 meters
Body: 3D
Sensors:
Passive 1 km / 1D
Weapons: None
Special:
Stealthy: The ultra-quiet, low observable design provides a +1D bonus to Sneak when moving at Cautious Speed.
Cover: The skimmer's design features a retractable control stalk and a platform large enough for the operator kneel or lay prone while still operating the skimmer. Kneeling increases the Cover to 1/2, and laying prone increases it to 3/4.
Dismount: Mounting and dismounting the skimmer's flat platform does not count as an action for MAP purposes.
Capsule:
The infantry skimmer is in common use with military units throughout the galaxy, greatly enhancing mobility for leg infantry units. Skimmers are in common use with light scouts alongside more standard biker scouts, or as outrider vehicles for infantry units on the move (either on foot or in transport vehicles). Normally manned by one trooper, they can carry a single passenger in emergencies, but it is more common for the trooper to carry his personal gear onboard. The design allows the trooper to operate the vehicle one-handed while aiming and firing his weapon with the other (standard MAP).
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MrNexx
Rear Admiral
Joined: 25 Mar 2016
Posts: 2248
Location: San Antonio
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 9:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
Reminds me of the STAP that the battle droids use in the prequel era.
_________________
"I've Seen Your Daily Routine. You Are Not Busy!"
“We're going to win this war, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”
http://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16283
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 10:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
| MrNexx wrote: | | Reminds me of the STAP that the battle droids use in the prequel era. |
This is a lot more user friendly than the STAP, though. I recall the point being made a while back that an organic riding a STAP would be in very close proximity to the exhaust vents from its thrusters, plus they would have fallen off if they lost their grip. STAPs may look cool and work fine for droids, but this design is a lot more practical.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
Last edited by CRMcNeill on Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MrNexx
Rear Admiral
Joined: 25 Mar 2016
Posts: 2248
Location: San Antonio
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 12:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Fair enough. Why do I want this instead of another speeder bike, though? If we're bringing back mounted infantry and all.
_________________
"I've Seen Your Daily Routine. You Are Not Busy!"
“We're going to win this war, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”
http://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16283
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 1:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| MrNexx wrote: | | Fair enough. Why do I want this instead of another speeder bike, though? If we're bringing back mounted infantry and all. |
Ease of operation, especially when mounting and dismounting, but also the variable cover options. In-universe, biker scouts are specialists who are generally picked from cultures with a mounted combatant tradition who, among other things, are trained to repair their own mounts. This is more for line infantry who can step on and drive the thing with minimal training.
There is also the stealth aspect, which speeder bikes lack (the Imperial ones, at least).
The biggest advantages, though, are hard to quantify in a game stat. An infantryman on one of these can move stealthily, traverse rough terrain, and do so with much less physical effort. With all of that, he can just as easily take a step or two to either side and have both feet on the ground. In essence, it serves as a mobility and stamina multiplier for leg infantry, without requiring the specialist training needed to operate a scout bike for extended periods.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
Last edited by CRMcNeill on Tue Apr 16, 2019 12:48 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MrNexx
Rear Admiral
Joined: 25 Mar 2016
Posts: 2248
Location: San Antonio
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 1:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Good arguments; I was mostly putting myself in the head of a military procurer, tasked with figuring out why to buy Bioroid sleds. 
_________________
"I've Seen Your Daily Routine. You Are Not Busy!"
“We're going to win this war, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”
http://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16283
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| MrNexx wrote: | | Good arguments; I was mostly putting myself in the head of a military procurer, tasked with figuring out why to buy Bioroid sleds. |
I'd forgotten about the Bioroid sled, but the resemblance is definitely there. This thing is a lot slower and less maneuverable, though. I figured I wanted the speeder bikes to still be superior performance-wise.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RedKnight
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 01 Feb 2016
Posts: 103
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2016 11:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
looks kind of like something the rebels could *cough* borrow *cough* from sector ranger armories....because this kind of thing would be -great- for a Sector Ranger Response team sneaking up on a smuggler meet up or something similar.
though....does any one have stats for something like the green goblin or a Dark Eldar Hellion's hover board ? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16283
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2016 3:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
| RedKnight wrote: | | looks kind of like something the rebels could *cough* borrow *cough* from sector ranger armories....because this kind of thing would be -great- for a Sector Ranger Response team sneaking up on a smuggler meet up or something similar. |
That would be up to individual GMs. My goal here was to use the concept from Hammer's Slammers to introduce a mobility enhancing vehicle for infantry without making it better than the scout speeder bike. The stats are sedate enough for it to be used for personal conveyance in a civilian or law enforcement capacity, and the price is certainly a bargain. I could see these also being very useful for police in an urban environment; who needs foot pursuit when you can just chase the suspect on your skimmer until he gets tired...
| Quote: | | though....does any one have stats for something like the green goblin or a Dark Eldar Hellion's hover board ? |
See the Sky Slicer on pg. 52 of Galladinium's Fantastic Technology.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zarn
Force Spirit
Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 698
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CRMcNeill
Director of Engineering
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
Posts: 16283
Location: Redding System, California Sector, on the I-5 Hyperspace Route.
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 3:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
Very cool. I can only assume the backpack he has on is the battery pack that runs the thing.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.
The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
