GZGs Verse

Back in the late 90s (Gods has it been that long...lol) we would run a campaign using all three GZGs systems, we'd start out fighting for system control with Full Thrust, then do a pre-landing (Special Ops) mission with Stargrunt in 25s, then run the main planetary invasion/defense with Dirtside in 6mm, the advent of 15mm troops lets me cut out a step or two.....Thank you Jon (and others) for adding to the addiction ! This is what was used to run the campaign: This is the current Full Thrust/Stargrunt II astropolitical map, showing all the currently assigned empires, canonical and non-canonical. It is in *.gif format. This map will be subject to frequent updates, so be sure to check the "last modified" date at the top. It is based on Map 2. Note that it says "non-canonical" at the top.
http://www.projectrho.com/ft/ftmap2.html

B5Tech

This was the final version of B5Tech completed, prior to the site upgrade of April 2010. Following this, new information with revised data and statistics were posted, making this site obsolete. For historical purposes, the content of this page has been maintained.

B5Ttech.

GZG Final pre-SALUTE Update

UPDATE - FRIDAY 21st APRIL 2017:
Final pre-SALUTE update.....
Better late than never, I guess.... only one day now before SALUTE, I'm heading down to ExCel this afternoon to set up.... for those of you making your way there tomorrow, we will be in pretty much the same place as the last couple of years - stand TE02. If you turn left as you come in from the queueing area, we're at the end of the second row of tradestands. There are quite a few new releases, including 15mm ones for the Brethren, PAU, CDF, FSE, Xar, Islamics, Kra'Vak and more - PLUS some new FULL THRUST codes for the Crusties - some really lovely new fighters and strikeboats, all 3D designed by MMG!
Oh, and we now have a new stock of the FT STARTER GAME BOXES, so these will be on sale again at a SPECIAL SHOW PRICE but will also be available again to mailorder next week.
I will have SOME stock of all the new items at the show, but a few of them will be in very small quantities only, so if you want to get them before they are sold out then please make us one of your first stops when you get into the hall!
Hope to see lots of you tomorrow, safe travels to the show......

Thanks for reading.
Jon (GZG), 21st April 2017.

Full Thrust : Berserker Warmachine Conversion

This is a conversion from the Berserker novel series from Fred Saberhagen. It is very powerful and should be treated with extreme care

The machine was a vast self contained fortress, set countless millennia ago by its unknown makers to destroy a particular enemy wherever it found it. Together with its brothers the machine had gotten good at its job, and had dealt severe blows to the enemy, yet somehow its adversary always appeared somewhere else, sometimes even before the last purging was completely finished.

Forever fighting, there was never quite enough time for it to repair all the damage done in the last battle, and still its enemy grew more numerous. If the machine had been alive it might have despaired, but despite being intelligent and self aware it was not alive. All it knew was its job, that last great command, ordered by its makers:

DESTROY ALL LIFE.

It followed that command wherever it went, searching galaxies for any trace of its ancient enemy, life.

The first people in the three galaxies to meet it and live to tell the tale were a group of human mercenaries. The name they gave the machine and its brethren was so apt that this is the name adapted by all races. Men called it "Berserker".

Berserker machines are hundreds of thousands of years old war machines build to be last ditch weapons in some unknown interstellar war. Like so many of such weapons they did their job too well, destroying both their makers enemies, as well as their makers. Each berserker is a fully self-contained warship, bristling with weapons of mass destruction. They can range in size from fighters to moon sized, but the typical berserker is a rough spheroid 30 miles in diameter (May have any shape, but a sphere has the best ratio of volume to outer surface, and the berserkers are nothing if not efficient). This is the kind of machine described here. Even if it is a "normal" berserker, it has the firepower to annihilate entire fleets, and can pound the surface of a planet into a cloud of glowing dust and steam miles deep in a couple of days. It has the ability to repair itself, and learn from its encounters. It will never forget its ultimate target, the annihilation of all life. It is not fighting a war for territory or wealth, it is supremely indifferent to such matters. Any kind of life it encounters it will attempt to stamp out, be it Kreeghor, Humans, Splurgoth, plants, or bacteria.

It is unpredictable in its strategies: It can attack a group of six planets, only to leave the last one alone and attack a target hundreds of light-years away, and return years later to finish the job it had left (It is believed that the berserkers strategies are dictated by the patterns of dying atoms in a large block of radioactive material, making them truly random. Once it attacks a target it will seldom give up though).

For the main energy battery, the Berserker has thirty energy clusters. Each cluster consists of six heavy grasers, six medium graser mounts, and four heavy mass driver mounts. These are protected by the defensive shield over their sector, but also have six point defense lasers, six point defense rail guns, and four mini missile launchers. The Berserker has eighteen missile clusters as well. Each missile battery cluster has four cruise missile batteries and eight long range missile batteries. They have the identical point defense weaponry to the energy clusters. The Berserker also has the same number of point defense weaponry protecting each of the hanger bays. The point defense weaponry work in concert and are designed to protect the whole Machine from all attacks not just the individual cluster or bay that they are located at. As its most powerful weapons it has, in three of the energy clusters, huge Antimatter cannons. these weapons are mostly used against very large targets, and especially for planetary bombardment.

Because of the enormous volume of the Berserker, it has a huge amount of space available for use. Most of this space is taken up with power plants, drives, factories and stores for raw material and munitions. The Berserker is a maze of unprecedented proportions, and through its myriads of airless! corridors, thousands of drones and combat robots move. (GM, go for the wilder things that ARCHIE dreams up, and other weird looking machines. Whatever, they should be BAD news!) The remaining space is taken up by bays, twelve in total, contain between them more fighters than four CAF Packmaster class carriers have. (Treat various fighters as their CAF/Kreeghor equivalent, without a pilot, Piloted by a AI wich flies it at 98%, has full attacks and +3 to strike and +2 to dodge.) All of these machines are in constant contact with the Berserker though. They are almost parts of it. If the Berserkers AI is destroyed, the drones have no bonuses whatsoever, but they WILL keep on going!

It is not certain how a Berserker will react to a species as the Machine People. If they do not take a active affair in the fight against it, it might not see them as true life, and spare them. A Berserker will readily accept help from "Good life" e.g. persons or people who are willing to help it destroy all life. Various death cults may see the Berserker as their ultimate god, and decide to help it, in the form of information and supplies! Their reward is obvious off course, but welcome.

It should once again be stressed that a Berserker will see ANY life as something to be ultimately wiped out. The only way to stop one is to destroy it, it will NOT listen to reason.

As described before, this is a average berserker, in good working order. Some berserkers will be much larger, and/or different looking with different weapons altogether. Some may have terrible damage (All berserkers hulls will look as if it has been through incredible battles) and operate at less than 30 % of their original capabilities, perhaps even unable to repair themselves any more. Whatever the case, a Berserker will, even when debilitated, be a machine of death and destruction. If used at all in a campaign, it should be with a great deal of consideration, as they may be very unbalancing to gameplay. Usually one will do the trick, only seldom will one see more than one Berserker at the same place.

This design uses modified starship speed and ranges. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World for more details.

Weapon Clusters:
30 Energy Weapon Clusters each containing: 1 Antimatter cannon (in only three of the clusters)
6 120 cm Heavy Grasers
6 30 cm Medium Grasers
4 20 cm Heavy Mass Drivers
6 Point Defense Rail Guns
6 Point Defense Lasers
4 Point Defense Mini-Missile Launchers
18 Missile Weapon Clusters each containing: 4 Cruise Missile Batteries
8 Long-Range Missile Batteries
6 Point Defense Rail Guns
6 Point Defense Lasers
4 Point Defense Mini-Missile Launchers
12 Hanger Defense Clusters each containing: 6 Point Defense Rail Guns
6 Point Defense Lasers
4 Point Defense Mini-Missile Launchers

Model Type: Berserker War Machine (generic)
Vehicle Type: Anti Life War Machine
Crew: None!
Troops: None!

Autonomous Vehicles/Robots:
Robots: 18,000 Various robots (Treat as various Archie type combat robots(or Mechanoid, whatever)
Fighter Compliment: 1000 Light starfighters
280 Medium range Starfighters
60 Long-Range Interceptors
Assault Shuttles & Starships: 20 Assault Shuttles (use standard CAF design as template)

M.D.C By Location: Main Energy Clusters (30):
Antimatter Cannons(3 Total!): 12,000 each
Heavy Graser Cannons (6 each cluster, 180 Total): 3,500 each
Medium Graser Cannons (6 each cluster, 180 Total): 1,000 each
Heavy Mass Drivers (4 each cluster, 120 Total): 1,200 each
Main Missile Clusters (18):
Cruise Missile Batteries (4 each cluster, 72 total): 1,200 each
Long Range Missile Batteries (8 each cluster, 144 total): 750 each
Point Defense Rail Gun Turrets (360 total, 6 each cluster or bay): 200 each
Triple Barrel Defense Laser Turrets (360 total, 6 each cluster/bay): 200 each
Mini-Missile Launchers (240, 4 each cluster or vehicle bay): 150 each
[1] Protective Forcefields (6, One for each side. ): 400,000 each
[1] Protective Forcefields (60, One each cluster or vehicle bay): 5,000 each
Small Craft Hanger Bays (12): 55,000 each
[2] Control Center: 12 Million
[3] Main Body: 40 Million
[4] Main Drives(6): 1 Million each

Notes:
[1] Instead of having variable shields, the Berserker has six shields, one for each side. Each shield regenerates at the rate of 5% (20,000 MDC) per melee. Depleting the shield in that sector means that further strikes can hit the sector underneath. Gravity based weapons do only half damage to these shields. Each missile/energy cluster and bay also has a seperate smaller forcefield protecting it. These fiels switch on when the main field is destroyed. They do NOT regenerate, but must be completely depleted, upon which it takes 2D6 rounds to fully restore it.
[2] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done to hit the AI at the center of the berserker. If the AI is destroyed, the Berserker is no longer capable of spaceflight, and all weapons are at their local AI control (-2 to strike), and there is no sensor data flow and coordination any more (-20% to detect), and all weapons only have half attacks.
Damage repair is no longer carried out. If an attack is attempting to penetrate directly to the central AI, the damage is also applied on the main body of the Berserker.(The central AI is the thinking part of the Berserker, without it it becomes a mass of automated reflexes.)
[3] Depleting the MDC of the main body will completely destroy the Berserker.
[4] This is the damage needed to be done to actually hit one of the gravity drive generators throught he hull. There is one under each screen section of the Berserker. Destroying a drive means that sublight acceleration is reduced by 0.1 percent of light. The Gravitonic Drive system for FTL flight is dispersed through the entire Berserker, and for each 3 Million MDC done to the main body, treat as losing 1 lightyear per hour in speed.

Speed:
Driving on the ground: Not Possible
Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.6 percent of light per melee.
Atmospheric Propulsion:Not possible, if it enters a atmosphere it wil crash.
Star Drive: Gravitonic drive; maximum speed: 9 light years per hour.
Range: Unlimited.

Statistical Data:
Length: Approximately 30 miles (48.2 km)
Height: Approximately 30 miles (48.2 km)
Width: Approximately 30 miles (48.2 km)
Mass/Weight: Approximately 8.3 trillion tons (7.5 trillion Metric tons)
Power System: 12 large Anti matter reactors. nominal life span is 100 years, but can manufacture own fuel. (effectively unlimited therefore)
Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the Berserker that allow for the storage of up to 28 billion tons of Cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition.
Market Cost: Not for sale, never has been, never wil be.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

Antimatter cannons (3): Mounted on in the skinsurface of the berserker are thirty weapons clusters. In three of these clusters are huge Antimatter cannons. Each of these weapons works by accelerating a dense stream of frozen Antihydrogen to near light speed. These weapons are very cumbersome, and can only be used against targets that are cruiser sized or larger. They are relatively slow firing, but they do enormous damage to planetary targets due to the immense amount of radiation and the huge shockwaves that are created when the antimatter is converted into energy upon contact with the planet.
All of these weapons are located in the same hmisphere of the Berserker, so they can be targeted against one target. Each weapon has a arc of fire of 60 degrees.
Range: 50,000 miles (80,450 km)in space and 50 miles (80.5 km) in an atmosphere
Mega Damage: 3D6x100,000 to starships and stations. Planetary targets: 1D4x1,000,000 MDC at ground zero (1 mile, 1.6 km radius), 2D4x100.000 in a 9.3 mile (15 km) radius, 1D6x10,000 in a 18.6 mile (30 km) radius, 2D4x1,000 in a 37.3 mile (60km)radius, and 1D4x100 in a 55.9 mile (90 km) radius.
Rate of fire: Once per every three rounds.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Heavy Grazer mounts (180): six 120 cm grazer cannons are in each battery (180 guns total). Each battery can fire at six different targets or combine all attacks in a devastating blast that will take out most ships. By firing combined blasts, they can core a planetoid with a few shots. The weapon mounts have about a 25% increase in both range and damage over standard laser cannons of the same size. Each graser sits in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. They cannot be used faster than the speed of light. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets for a large gun.
Mega-Damage: 4D6x1,000 for a single blast, or 6D6x4,000 for a combined blast (all guns in the battery engaging the same target).
Effective Range: 160,000 miles (254,700 km) in space and 160 miles (255 km) in an atmosphere.
Rate of Fire: Each cannon can fire up to two times per melee round (Berserker has 180 cannons so ship can fire a total of 360 single shots or 60 combined blasts from the main Grasers)
Payload: Effectively unlimited.
30 cm Heavy Grazer Cannons (180): Grazer cannons use focused gamma radiation and are very powerful. The weapon mounts have about a 25% increase in both range and damage over standard laser cannons of the same size. These mounts are slightly less powerful than the main battery but are quite powerful and any ship caught in the cannons fire will regret the situation very quickly. Like the main battery, these cannons are capable of destroying frigates in one hit or quickly crippling heavier vessels. The Weapons can rotate 360 dgrees and has a arc of 180 degrees. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets for a large starship weaponry.
Range: 125,000 miles (201,000 km) in space and 125 miles (201 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 2D4x1000 MDC each and both can be combined for a total of 4D4x1000.
Rate of fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee per cannon.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
20 cm Heavy Mass Drivers(120): The cannons fire a single large bolt on high tensile strength MDC material at the target. The projectile is not explosive but has several tons of mass. Each mass driver is mounted in a special turrets that are partially recessed into the ships hull. The turrets have a limited firing. Each has a 120 degree arc of fire. The weapon has standard penalties to hit small targets like missiles and starfighters. These projectiles can be used against unmoving targets beyond the weapons normal range when used in space but suffers the same penalties that normal missiles do.
Range: 10,000 miles (16,100 km), range is 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere
Mega Damage: 2D6x100+200 MDC each (optional rule is that cannon gets a critical on a natural 18, 19, or 20 due to its high penetration).
Rate of fire: Maximum of four per melee.
Payload: 200 projectiles for each mass driver (24,000 total).
Point Defense Rail Guns (360): The Berserker has six point defense rail guns mounted in each weapon cluster and around each hanger bay. They are directed for defense of the whole Berserker, not just the cluster they are mounted in. Unlike most of the rail guns used on Phase World Starships, these are standard electromagnetic rail guns. They are used as an anti-Starfighter and missile weapon and against targets that are impervious to energy. Each Rail Gun is in a Turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. Projectiles come out of launchers at close to the speed of light. Cannon uses a 18 mm density enhanced Nickel/Iron projectiles.
Range: 16 miles (26 km) through atmosphere and 800 miles (1,290 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: 80 round burst does 2D6x10 M.D.
Rate of Fire: Automated, 4 bursts per round.
Payload: 16,000 Rounds (200 Bursts) each cannon.
Point Defense Lasers in Double Mounts (360): The Berserker has six point defense laser cannons mounted in each weapon cluster and around each hanger bay. They are directed for defense of the whole Berserker, not just the cluster they are mounted in. Used as an anti-Starfighter and missile weapon. Each laser turret can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire.
Range: 2.5 miles (4 km) miles through atmosphere and 250 miles (40.2 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: 2D6x10 M.D.
Rate of Fire: Automated, 4 shots per round.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited
Cruise Missile Batteries (72): The Fortress has four cruise missile batteries in each missile battery cluster. Missile has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship). Since star ships will no longer engage at rock throwing distances, whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launching starship, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will still cruise unless preset to self destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile when dead at -25% to detect.) See Modified starship rules for more details, Cruise missiles have minuses to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each. Batteries have a lower number of actual launchers than the standard phase world cruise missile batteries and each launcher is slightly larger in size.
Range: Missile range is 8000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space
Mega-Damage & Properties: See Phase World Missiles (See Phase World Missiles - Anti-Matter does 4D6x100 MDC).
Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 8, 16, or 24 per launcher, per melee round, for a maximum of 1728 missiles per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next
Payload: 1728 total, 24 cruise missiles per battery. Berserker has 20 reload of missiles (36,288 cruise missiles total) for each launcher.
Long Range Missile Batteries (144): The Fortress has eight long range missile launchers in each missile battery cluster. Missile has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship). Since star ships will no longer engage at rock throwing distances, whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will still cruise unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile when dead at -25% to detect.) Long range missiles do not have minuses to hit small targets unlike cruise missiles and are all considered smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each. Batteries have a lower number of actual launchers than the modern CAF long range missile batteries and each launcher is slightly larger in size.
Range: Missile range is 3400 miles (5470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,89700 km/9.7 light seconds) in space.
Mega-Damage & Properties: See Phase World Missiles (See Phase World Missiles - Fusion does 2D4x100 MDC).
Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of 2, 8, 16, or 24 per launcher, per melee attack.
Payload: 230,400 total, 1200 long range missiles per battery.
Mini-Missile launchers (264): The Asteroid fortress has four point defense mini missile launchers mounted in each weapon cluster and around each hanger bay. They are directed for defense of the whole fortress not just the cluster they are mounted in. These are missile turrets used for point defense against enemy fighters and missiles. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration).
Mega-Damage: varies with mini-missile type (See Phase World Missiles).
Range: Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space
Rate of fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of 4 or 8 missiles
Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 33,792 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 640 mini-missile for each launcher (168,960). Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.
Special Equipment:
The Berserker has, in order to be a fully self sufficient warmachine, some special equipment onboard:

Munitions and arms Factory: Using raw material and material scavenged from destroyed enemies, the Berserker can fabricate new munitions for its weapons. Treat as fabricating 720 cruise missiles per day, 1440 LRM`s per day, and 2560 minimissiles per day. It can also manufacture 1000 massdriver projectiles, and 80,000 railgun projectiles per day. Also it can repair or build anew, up to 200 fighters or warmachines of various sizes per day.
This is only possible when the berserker is not engaged in battle, and can scour a starsystem unhindered for supplies and raw materials.
Self repair System: The Berserker has tens of thousands of small repair drones, wich wil repair any damage done to the berserker, first by using raw material available on the berserker, and secondly by scavenging material from around the system. Treat as capable of repairing 30,000 MDC per hour when using available raw material, and repairing 6,000 MDC per hour when scavenging. When repairing complicated systems such as weapons or drives, there is a 1 % probability that the drones cannot repair the system. It is so far damaged that it is basically scrapped, and is lost forever.
Mining gear: The berserker has a large amount of mining gear available for replenishing it stocks of raw material. The berserker usually carries at least 500,000 MDC worth of raw armor plating with it. replenishment of stocks should be up to the GM. Remember, mining operations and self repair can cost a lot of time, time wich the Berserker often does not have!
Laboratoria Each berserker has several laboratoria aboard itself, where it is capable of analyzing pieces of captured equipment a enemy has used against it. In time, these technologies may become a part of the Berserker!
Sensors: The Berserker has all the normal sensors that Phase World battleships have, but it is +20 to detect any life in a system, and receives no penalties to detect it.
Antimatter plant: The Berserker can actually manufacture its own Antimatter for its drive system and weapons! In order to do so, it has to get close a star (1 light minute or less!) and then drains off part of the photosphere of the star directly. Most of this power is used to convert a small amount of the matter in the photosphere into antimatter, wich the Berserker then stores. The Berserker can replenish its ENTIRE supply of antimatter in 6 months in this way, but it does nothing else while it is doing so, and is very vulnerable to attack!
Sentient Computer: The Berserker should be considered a powerful artificial intelligence in terms of Rifts. It can pilot itself at 98%, has full attacks for all weapons, and has +5 to strike, and +3 to initiative. It can be considered to have a IQ of 30, and can learn any skill it needs at up to 95 % ability if it has to do with warfare, and any other.

Last Call GZG Christmas Offers

UPDATE - WEDNESDAY 21st DECEMBER 2016:

JUST TWO DAYS TO GO ON THE CHRISTMAS SPECIALS!

Well, we're counting down to Christmas now, as I write this there are two-and-a bit days left to run on the Christmas offers before I close up for the holidays on the 23rd - orders received up till MIDNIGHT UK TIME on the 23rd will be included in the offers (if they are over £30 in total value, of course), but obviously they won't be dispatched until after Christmas. I will continue to cast, pack and dispatch orders up to and including the 23rd, but things are now getting very busy and inevitably there will be some orders placed this week that won't go out this side of the break, especially ones containing items that I don't hold in ready stock such as the 25mm and 6mm ranges; right now I'm dispatching each day the orders that can be fulfilled quickly from shelf stock, and then seeing what else I can process in the time that is left.

Oh, and a HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE TO ALL!

Thanks for reading.

Jon (GZG), Wednesday 21st December 2016.

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As always, please feel free to repost this info anywhere (blogs, forums etc) that you think folks might be interested in it!

www.gzg.com

UPDATE : GZG CHRISTMAS SPECIALS!

UPDATE - MONDAY 12th DECEMBER 2016:

UNDER TWO WEEKS LEFT ON THE CHRISTMAS SPECIALS!

Things are going quite well at the moment, the pre-Christmas orders are coming in and (mostly) going out again pretty quickly - a few are taking an extra few days, especially where they involve casting items that I don't hold in stock (for example, most of the 25mm figure ranges), but most orders are being shipped out within a couple of working days of receipt. Hopefully I will be able to keep up with things right up to the Christmas close-down on the 23rd, but if things do slip by a few days I hope you will all understand!

Every year I have some regular customers who wait until the last minute to place their orders, just in case there is a surprise batch of new releases just before Christmas - well, I can definitely tell you that there will NOT be any more new items out this side of the New Year, BUT there will be a whole bunch of new stuff launched in early January (you didn't think I was going to REALLY take any time off over Christmas, did you?), including a completely NEW 15mm force to add to the huge selection already available! So, you can go ahead and place your pre-Christmas orders soon without fear of missing out on anything, and then you can redeem your New Year vouchers against some of the new stuff as soon as it is out!

For full details of the Christmas and New Year special offers which run until the 23rd December, please see the front page of the GZG webstore.

I hope that you are all well and that your preparations are coming along, and once again I wish all my customers old and new a very happy and safe Christmas Season!

Thanks for reading.

Jon (GZG), Monday 12th December 2016.

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As always, please feel free to repost this info anywhere (blogs, forums etc) that you think folks might be interested in it!

www.gzg.com

EXTERMINATOR : aka Berserker Warmachine?

Navy Technology Analysis Section - Technical Report

Hostile Super Battleship

Codename EXTERMINATOR

Background

Following the recent operations in Quadrant 7, combined with survivors' reports from Quadrants 5 and 6, it is clear that humanity is facing an entirely new military threat from a fleet of hostile super battleships. The Second Battle of 116AL provided the Earther Fleet with its first intact example of a component of one of these new threat vessels, codenamed exterminator.

General Structure

The unit captured at 116AL is a hyperspace-capable unmanned warship, controlled by a sophisticated alien AI unit at its core.  These individual units are code-named VIKING.

The diagram below was an initial scan, based on a first contact with Exterminators (much more is now know about them):

       
 The unit has 5 operational decks, plus two pacifier bays, each of which houses one of the hi-performance SHADOW class hostile pacifiers. Further analysis indicates that the unit has at least 4 access tubes that connect when the VIKING is connected with its companion units for form the full-sized Exterminator. The Viking unit has 4 PAD-equivalents, and 8 HELL- equivalents, and 16 lighter energy weapons for close-in defense. The internal deck structure is as follows:

       
 From the long range scans obtained in battle, together with an analysis obtained from the captured unit, it appears that these units are able to lock together to form a larger unit - the full-sized Exterminator. From our initial projections, 6 VIKING units fit together for form a full exterminator.  This makes the exterminator approximately 4 or 5 times the size of our largest interstellar-capable navy battleship.   We have come up with the following projected schematic for a full-sized exterminator:

       
 Each Viking supports 1 or 2 high performance pacifier class ships, codenamed SHADOW.  These consistently outperform our paicifers, being capable of over 10g manoevering.  They have limited types of armament, however, being equipped only with HELL.  The Exterminators don' seem to use missiles (or indeed vary their weapon options at all).  This means that the complete ESB will have 10 or 12 SHADOWS - quite a potent force, probably equivalent to the striking power of a Carrier.

SHADOW CLASS EXTERMINATOR PACIFIER

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ORIGINS

We have no clues as to the origin or mission profile for these hostiles.  So far, the Exterminators have sought out colonised planets, and destroyed all ships and installations, and as far as possible killed all inhabitants.  Death toll throughout human space is hundreds of  millions of men, women and children to date.   Initial evidence is that the VIKING unit is not designed for organic life to operate, although there was some evidence of some sort of disused briefing room on the captured VIKING unit (codenamed PATEL after the marine commander who captured it .  This may be part of an initial programming or setting up system.  There was a playback system built in, but we have not yet deciphered how to make it function.  There are indications from other captured units that the PATEL unit is not necessarily a typical unit. It may be that there are organic life forms on the main unit, and that it is their practice to use robots and automation extensively (like a number of human cultures).  Until a full-sized exterminator is captured, this cannot be confirmed.              Currently, we estimate that there are at least 10 of the full sized exterminator ships attacking human space at widely spaced points.

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STATISTICS

VIKING :
HSD.
Fusion power plant.  
4 PAD
8 HELL of which up to 8 can bear at once.
16 light energy weapons
2 x SHADOW class pacifiers
No crew.
approx 200 combat capable maintenance robots ('CLANKERS')
approx 20 weapon armed combat-capable robots (about the equivalent of our Combat Robots) EXTERMINATOR SUPER BATTLESHIP
6 x VIKING units interconnected.
estimated up to 72 heavy energy weapons, of which 40 can bear at once.
estimated up to 10 or 12 SHADOW class high performance pacifiers
estimated 1200 combat capable maintenance robots (CLANKERS)
estimated 120 weapon armed combat-capable robots.

---

UPDATE 3200: Exterminator Modus Operandi - Frequently Asked Questions How fast do the Exterminators travel from the system M25 to the colony? Hence, how much warning do we get? As far as you are aware, the main units have never exceeded 1g, although you know their Shadows can do 10g.  It may be that this limit is somehow hard-wired into their systems because as far a analysis of captured equipment indicates, they are physically capable of higher accelerations. This means between 2-10 days warning depending on the size of the M25 and the quality of in-system detection systems. At the end of 3200, a number of Exterminators exhibited the capability to accelerate at up to 2g - but it is believed that these ships were destroyed at the Battle of Tuskan. Do they engage defending ships and the system HSTS immediately; or try to go directly to the colony avoiding combat? There is evidence of both tactics.  The most common tactic is to find and destroy the HSTS first, then close in destroying ships and orbital installations before starting on the colony itself. What do they do at the colony: invade it, bombard it, or what? Bombard with high energy weapons from orbit - sometimes landing 'clanker' forces and giant 'super tanks' to winkle out deeply dug in defenders. Having destroyed a colony, what does the Exterminator do next? Do they loot it, or just leave? As far as we can see there is nothing left to loot after the bombardment.  It seems they just leave once satisfied that the colony has been destroyed. ADDITIONAL:  Further evidence shows that they tend to destroy all intelligent life - that is humans - or any other creatures they think might be capable of evolving intelligence.  This has, in the case of the destruction of Dyme, involved the extermination of a species of small aquatic mammals. I get the impression that the Exterminators usually operate in pairs of 'super battleships'. Is that correct? The indications are that currently the majority of ESB encounters have been pairs - but they have also been encountered singly and even in threes. ADDITIONAL:  Further analysis indicates that they seem to have operated in pairs until one of the pair is destroyed or disabled, when they sometimes link up with an existing pair. ADDIITONAL 2:  Later research indicates that ESBs have been operating singly as well - though most initial contacts were of pairs. ADDITIONAL 3:  Latest reports indicate a Second Wave composed of small groups of VIKING units. ADDITIONAL 4: Recent combat reports from RED SPOT indicate a single fleet of 10 (ten) or more ESBs. (subsequently mostly destroyed at Tuskan).  Is it possible to tell when a planet was destroyed by an ESB? It might be.  The database has yet to be established, but scientists in a Survey Ship or specially commissioned research vessel might be able to work it out, given some time to study the problem. Ordinary warships or merchant ships would not be able to do this.  (Note:  The Earthers are currently conducting just such an investigation under Operation POST MORTEM - see below) ADDITIONAL:  The Earther Government in Q7 developed the Gratermass protocol, which can calculate the date of destruction of a system.
Welcome to The Universe
EXTERMINATOR

Ground Zero Games Full Thrust Scandinavian Starter Fleet and fighters

Scandinavian Federation (ScanFed)

1 Battlecruiser (BC) Peder Skram  class
1 Heavy Cruiser (CH) Hardrada    class
2 Light Cruiser (CL) Trondhiem class
2 Destroyer (DD) Freja class
2 Frigate (FF) Hiafin class
6 Draken class Light Fighters
6 Viggen class Heavy Fighters

A nice ebay pick up.....)

FULL THRUST BOXED GAME

THE FULL THRUST BOXED GAME IS AVAILABLE NOW!

 

 

The ENGLISH version of the FT game box, which we were selling at SALUTE last weekend, is now up on the store - click the link in the main menu at the left of the store homepage!

At the moment we only have a VERY LIMITED NUMBER of the sets - once these are gone there may be a bit of a delay before we have more available, so if you want one then get it now!

 

Full Thrust Boxed Game

 

SALUTE went off very well, especially considering the problems of getting ready for it while still being ill.... despite feeling rough I had a great day, and since getting back I've managed to get the mailorder situation under control and almost completely up to date, so most new orders should now start going out much faster than over the last couple of months. After everything that has happened since the New Year, I'm pretty much starting 2016 again from here on, with things being back to normal!

The new figure releases we had out for SALUTE (the long-awaited Moongrunt packs and Xar heavy weapons) will go up on the store in the next few days, so watch out for them finally being available to mail-order.

More news soon, please check back here regularly for more updates!

Thanks for reading.

Jon (GZG, Monday 25th April 2016.

Scratch Built Fleet

My Scratch Built Fleet:

These were inspired by the  Kilrathi ships from the Wing Commander movie.

Monday Starships

The Capellan Raiders from the old Terran Trade Authority
books can take many forms!These were kit bashed from all
sorts of odds and ends over ten years ago. The last photo is a
size comparison shot with a Super Galactic Dreadnought.

Super Galactic Dreadnought: Some closeups of my Sathar frigate, painted in the...

Super Galactic Dreadnought: Some closeups of my Sathar frigate, painted in the...: Some closeups of my Sathar frigate, painted in the tiger stripes of the Capellan Raiders from the old Terran Trade Authority books. The in...

Full Thrust German Style

Indy saw this posted to Facebook earlier this week. The station is
rather...intricate. I particularly like the spacedock shots (#7 and 10).

http://www.hamburger-tactica.de/tactica/img/fotos_2011/fullthrust/fullthrust.html

New Threat?

More to follow..................

Super Galactic Dreadnought: Terran armored pursuit ships

Super Galactic Dreadnought: Terran armored pursuit ships: "Here's a closer look at the pair of Dauntless -class star armored pursuit ships (SAPS) for Starfleet Wars / Galactic Knights that I painted ..."

Super Galactic Dreadnought: Thoughts on a starship campaign

Super Galactic Dreadnought: Thoughts on a starship campaign: "While one-off battles are fun (especially if there is some sort of in-game backgroud to justify the fight beyond the usual line-'em-up-and-k..."

Campaign Ideas

My friend over on Super Galactic Dreadnought

had a few questions

about doing a star ship campaign,

http://supergalacticdreadnought.blogspot.com/2011/04/campaign-wishes.html

here are my answers:
*******************************************************

Had a few ideas how to go about this that I wanted to run by you.

I must admit up front to being a big Firefly fan, so here goes.

Place the planetary system in-between two rival powers with
a civil war ongoing backed covertly by the two powers. This is
where your players come in.You give your players each a
Corvette classed ship (second line)and they have to be the
gun runners one of the sides in the conflict. They would have
to pick up the weapons transport them back to the planet, moon,

space station or faction ship. All the while avoiding both the small
planetary defense forces of the other faction and patrol ships of
the other major power.

*******************************************************
This campaign can be run by you separately and then folded into
my bigger campaign this summer...more on that to follow.

Federation SSD 2

These were also created by David W.Griffin

As I told the owner of Super Galactic Dreadnought

http://supergalacticdreadnought.blogspot.com/
consider the gauntlet officially thrown!

Federation SSD 1

These were created by David W.Griffin

US Colonial Marine Corps

Top Secret: Eyes Only

US Colonial Marine Corps. 1

FULL THRUST 1

The 'Aliens' Universe in Full Thrust (Addendum For Gaming In the 'Aliens' Universe )... 1

'Aliens' Universe Sensors.. 1

The USCMC Starlift Arm Conestoga Class Battle Cruiser.. 2

Conestoga Battle Cruiser in Full Thrust: 2

Jamestown Class Assault Cruiser.. 3

The Jamestown Class in FT:..... 3

Cleveland Escort Frigate 3

STARGRUNT, THE USCMC (In Miniature !).... 3

Web page addresses:... 3

Organization 3

A Typical USCMC Platoon: 4

A Typical Marine Squad:... 4

Consequences In SG II........ 4

Equipment:.. 4

Small Arms................ 4

Support Weapons 5

M42A Scope Rifle With PARGET System 5

UA571-C Remote Auto Sentry Unit.... 5

M5 RPG........... 5

M78 PIG........... 5

M83A2 SADAR 5

M112 HIMAT 5

Equipment... 5

Sensor Net (LIDAR, Motion Tracker) 5

Vehicles....... 6

Caterpillar P300 Powered Work Loader... 6

M577 APC................ 6

M577 APC in SG II:. 6

UG-2L Arapaho Gunship 6

UG-2L Arapaho in SG II: 6

New Rules....... 6

Smart Weapons In Stargrunt II. 7

Smart Systems: 7

Targeting with a smart weapon: 7

Firing as a Smart Weapon: 7

1) Individual orders. 7

2) Squad Support 7

Operator Quality.. 8

ECM/counter measures................ 8

EW Against 'Smart' Systems.. 9

Gyro Mounted 'Smart' Gun................ 9

Remote Smart Weapons 9

Synthetics... 9

Primary/Secondary Synthetic Skills... 10

Synthetic Quality 10

Illegal Synthetics............. 10

An Example Of A Marine Synthetic: Carter 11

Experimental Weaponry/Equipment..... 11

Class 6 Spider-Silk HardSuit 11

C6 HardSuit in SG II:......... 11

Caterpillar P900-M Personal Powered Armour 11

The P900-M Suit in SG II: 12

XENOMORPHS........................ 12

Or, As We Know Them Better - ALIENS !... 12

SPECIAL RULES/ADD-ONS FOR STARGRUNT.................... 12

ACTIONS............. 12

MOVEMENT........... 13

PSYCHOLOGY..... 13

CONFIDENCE AND REACTIONS........... 14

THREAT LEVEL FOR REACTION TEST.... 14

ACTIONS AVAILABLE WHEN:............. 14

ELECTRONIC WARFARE............. 15

CLOSE ASSAULT............. 15

RESOLUTION 15

MODIFIERS in CA:.. 15

ORGANIZATION.............. 15

Queen.. 15

Immobilized Queen: 16

Mobile Queen: 16

Royal Guard.. 16

Drone.. 16

Facehugger/egg.... 17

GENERAL GUIDELINES.................... 17

The USCMC In Dirtside II..... 17

Marine Infantry..... 17

M577 APC 18

M577A Armored Personnel Carrier 18

M577A2 Armored Personnel Carrier 18

M577A3 Armored Personnel Carrier 18

MBTs/Arty. 18

M22A3 Jackson Medium Tank.... 19

M40 Ridgeway Heavy Tank.... 19

Aerospace 19

UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship............. 19

An Alternative View (Mike Miserendino I think): 20

UG-2L Arapaho Gunship 20

FULL THRUST

The 'Aliens' Universe in Full Thrust (Addendum For Gaming In the 'Aliens' Universe )

In FT One important aspect of the aliens universe is sensor technology. Star ship warfare is likened to modern submarine warfare, in this respect a modification of the sensor rules are required to more accurately model this. Weapons technology in the Aliens universe also differs from the standard human technology of FT, however, there is provision for railguns in More Thrust. Many people feel that railguns are too powerful, I agree than on Kra'Vak ships they ARE too powerful, however, this is balanced in this universe because no ships have either shields or armour plus ships maneuver as standard human ships thus removing many of the seemingly disproportionate advantages the Kra'Vak enjoy. The final aspect of weapons technology that cannot be ignored is that in the Aliens universe railguns can be mounted in turrets, I have no fudge, PSB or otherwise to explain/account for this in relation to the 'official' GZG ships except for the general idea that FT is truly generic and I can do what I want with it, however, this means that the Aliens universe ships may not cross over so well with the standard FT ships.

'Aliens' Universe Sensors

In FT In general sensors operate just as in More Thrust, however, here are a couple of add-ons that try to increase the importance of sensors without making the game too clumsy or into a sensor duel. There are two types of sensors, PASSIVE and ACTIVE. PASSIVE sensors are enough to locate an enemy ship, however, they are NOT enough to achieve a firing resolution/lock on with directed weapons (beams, railguns etc). PASSIVE sensors ARE enough to achieve a firing resolution for launching missiles as the missile's on-board AI is sufficient to achieve firing lock-on. Firing missiles does NOT reveal the ship to the opposing player, the bogey marker remains in play. To fire directed weapons or to scan another ship a ship MUST engage ACTIVE sensors. Note, to defend itself against incoming missiles the ship must also go to active sensor status thus illuminating itself. However, these are local active sensors rather than the main fire con-linked active sensors. The only difference between these active statuses will become apparent. Beam weapons may be used in more than one type of mode, either offensively, or defensively. All beam weapons have the capability to be fired at a much lower power setting at up to three times their range. When firing defensively in this mode the beams are slaved to the ships sensor apparatus, thus they can only fire in one arc and they may only be fired at as many targets as the firing ship has fire cons. NOTE firing in this mode requires a fire con, it cannot be used for any other firing (including missile launch) in the same turn. When firing at reduced power the beams cannot also be used offensively. When a target is fired upon in this manner the target suffers no damage, however, if hit the target's sensor array is 'blinded' and thus the target CANNOT use active sensors, including ADAF, however, the target can still fire local PD. In addition, a 'blinded' target cannot achieve enough sensor resolution to either launch missiles, OR scan another ship. Beam weapons are tied into the sensor array to fire defensively, thus the quality of the ships sensors will dictate the range of effective fire as much as the class of beam weapon. Basic sensors have a range of 54", Enhanced 81" and Superior 108" (note that the maximum range for MT type scanning is still 54"). Thus a ship with basic sensors and B batt (f) can only blind out to 54" rather than 72" (three times range of a B batt), however, a ship with Enh sensors and a B batt (f) can 'blind' out to 72", the extra range is lost as the beam cannot fire that far.

So an example of all of this may be: Ship X mounts twin A batts both in Fore mounts, it has a magazine of six missiles and Enh sensors. Ship Y has a turret mount C3 railgun and a single B batt (f) and basic sensors. On PASSIVE sensors both ships locate each other on the table, they are currently 67" apart roughly facing each other. At this stage they are both bogeys. Ship X gets the initiative, it fires its A's in defensive mode at Y and hits, Y is 'blinded'. X also launches a three missile salvo. Next turn X again gets the initiative, it again fires A's at Y in defensive mode, hit again Y is still 'blind', missiles close in. Next turn Y gets the advantage, both ships have closed to 46" range, the missiles which were fired at Y are too close for comfort so Y goes active, the ship is placed on the table, Y fires defensively on X, hits and 'blinds', Y also fires PDS on the missiles, hits two but takes a kicking from the third. Next turn ships have closed considerably to 35" range, Y gets the advantage....and so on

So as you can see it in single ship engagements it is important to get the initiative, however, this is less important in multi-ship engagements. These sensor rules are an attempt to simulate tactical decision making over long-distance engagements, possibly using missiles. The closer the ships get the less the defensive firing is really useful since the captain will want to balance defensive priorities with all out offence to damage the target as much as possible at optimum range. It is hoped that these simple add-ons add another dimension to sensors/scanners and stuff without slowing play too much

The USCMC Starlift Arm Conestoga Class Battle Cruiser

Using the Tech. manual I came up with this for a Conestoga Cruiser, I'll test it out in FT to see how well it shapes up. It may well change after a few games. As far as model availability goes, Galoob's Micromachine version of the Sulaco is perfectly acceptable within several limits.

The mini is cast in plastic rather than metal, therefore some detail is poorer than would be seen in metal. The forward sensor array is fused as one unit, individual sensors can be separated which greatly improves the visual appeal, the twin particle beams are fused to the hull rather than separated, which, although not ideal, does not look too bad. The final problem is the lack of the ventral railgun turret as the stand hole is in this position. Despite these small problems this mini is worth picking up. A scale comparison with the FT line of ships does not go too badly either. Alongside the NSL ships the Sulaco is around the size of a heavy cruiser, although this is on the small size for a GZG battle cruiser, it is not too far out.

Conestoga Battle Cruiser in Full Thrust:

Mass: 60, Type: Capital Class, Battlecruiser, NS Drive: 4, FTL: Std, Tech: Human, Hull: Military, Cost: 469, Damage: 30 8 8 7 7, Syst: FCS, FCS, AA batt F, AA batt F, PDAF, PDAF, Ortilery System, Class 1 Railgun F, Class 1 Railgun P, Class 1 Railgun S, Class 1 Railgun F, Class 1 Railgun P, Class 1 Railgun S, Enhanced Sensors, 4 Missiles, Normal

The rules for Missiles, Enhanced Sensors, AA Batteries, Ortillery and Railguns are found in the More Thrust supplement to Full Thrust.

Jamestown Class Assault Cruiser

In a radical departure for the USCMC Starlift arm the Jamestown Cruiser was introduced into service. Before the introduction of the Jamestown class the primary armaments of many star ships were either ASAT missiles, or neutral particle beams. However, with increasing technological advancement in both targeting and power systems it became possible to outfit ships with more powerful railguns. The Jamestown assault cruiser epitomizes this concept as its main armament is an incredibly powerful triple railgun system mounted in a dorsal turret.

The Jamestown Class in FT:

Mass: 32,Type: Cruiser Class, Assault,NS Drive: 6,FTL: St Tech: Human,Hull: Military Cost: 259, Damage: 4 4 4 4, Syst: FCS, FCS, PDAF, PDAF, Class 3 Railgun F, P, S, B batt, F, B batt, F, Enhanced Sensors

Cleveland Escort Frigate

A heavy anti-missile/light engagement ship for military/civilian escort duties. Mini: possibly a NSL destroyer from the FT line, unless I can get my hands on some of Adrian Bruce's Project Helios Destroyers.,

Mass: 18, Type: Escort Class, Frigate, NS Drive: 4, FTL: Std, Tech: Human, Hull: Military, Cost: 117, Damage: 9 5 4, Syst:, FCS, PDAF ,PDAF, Class 1 Railgun F, Class 1 Railgun P, Class 1 Railgun S, Class 1 Railgun F, Class 1 Railgun P, Class 1 Railgun S, Enhanced Sensors

STARGRUNT, THE USCMC (In Miniature !)

Organization

The TO&E of a colonial marine platoon provides for a VERY flexible organization. This is balanced by the comparatively small size of a USCMC platoon. What the platoon lacks in manpower it more than makes up for in firepower.

A Typical USCMC Platoon:

Lieutenant (ranking officer)

Master Sergeant, Sniper, Artificial Person [Optional]

First marine squad

Second marine squad

A Typical Marine Squad:

Marine squads are formed from nine man units. A unit is: Sergeant, squad one comprising: rifle team 1 (two marines), Gun team 1 (one marine one M56 gunner) and squad two comprising: rifle team 2 and Gun team 2.

Consequences In SG II

I have been playing the USCMC as a very flexible unit. I treat the squads of four marines (3 M41A, 1 M56) as a single squad led by a corporal (M41A), thus a single marine unit in SG II consists of: the Sergeant (as an individual figure) and two squads of marines. A single platoon of marines, therefore, has multiple levels of command. From the bottom up: a marine, corporal, sergeant the master sergeant then the officer. In practical terms a single (four marine) squad could take their two actions then be reactivated twice by the sergeant, who could then be reactivated by the senior officer he could then reactivate the same squad for a total of fourteen actions. This is a little ridiculous really, rather than rule against it common sense should prevail. If this level of activation is too much then combine the Sergeant with one of the sub-squads.

Equipment:

Small Arms

M41A Pulse rifle Standard Small Arms FP 3 I D10

M56 Smart Gun Fire Support FP D10 I D12 Smart System D10

M240 Incinerator Close Assault Two shifts up in melee

A typical marine would be equipped with a M41A pulse rifle and a M4A3 heavy handgun (FP 1 I D8) for melee/close defence (one die shift up). Typical alternative armaments are to substitute the M41A for the M240 Incinerator, or in a 'police action' rely upon M4A3 hand guns only. All small arms equipped marines are expected to carry a M83A2 SADAR. All Marines are all equipped with M3 armour over ballistic fatigues. The M3 armour provides partial (D6) protection.

Support Weapons

Two marines per squad are equipped with heavy support weapons, typically the M56 Smart Gun. Heavy anti-armour weapons are generally carried in the APC and are used as the tactical situation demands. NOTE, the use of heavy weapons would be in ADDITION to the smart guns, the smart gun operator does not replace the gun with a heavy weapon.

M42A Scope Rifle With PARGET System

Treat as Gauss sniper rifle. PARGET system is described in the section covering smart weapons. Sniper scope is multi-spectral scope with IFF decoder, Sup (D10) sensors represent this.

UA571-C Remote Auto Sentry Unit

Described in section covering smart weapons. I D10.

M5 RPG

As IVAR. FP D10 I D12*

M78 PIG

As plasma weapon. FP D6 I D12*

M83A2 SADAR

The M83A2 SADAR is a single shot shoulder fired disposable anti-armour rocket. The rocket has infrared homing to acquire and maintain a lock on the intended target. The IR homing may also be over-ridden and the rocket fired over open sights. In SG II use as either GMS/P (basic guidance D6) or IVAR, the player chooses the firing mode before rolling dice.

M112 HIMAT

As GMS/L. Fire Con Enh (D8) I D12

Equipment

Sensor Net (LIDAR, Motion Tracker)

Individual marine squads are equipped with microwave motion trackers, the smart guns are also fitted with motion trackers and IR sensors. The additive effect of this in game terms is that the CMC is equipped with Enh (D8) sensors. Platoons deployed in STATIC positions with the APCs gain the benefit of battle field lidar combined with the enhanced processing power of the APC's tactical computer. The result is that emplaced marines are considered to have Sup (D10) sensors, however, as soon as the marines leave the emplacement that sensors revert back to Enh.

This is optional. Most marines wear combat helmets with built in cameras. If the ranking officer is riding in the APC (hey lets all lead from the rear !) then a the officer can patch into the helmet cams following a successful com roll. This can happen at any time, and does not take up an action. Using helmet cams the officer can thus monitor the battle and efficiently redirect the marines using an action to communicate as normal. Note an attempt to patch into helmet cameras can be challenged by EW troops.

Vehicles

Caterpillar P300 Powered Work Loader

Not generally seen in the front line, regularly used in rear echelon areas and for specific engineering/logistic tasks.

M577 APC

The M577 APC is the main transport for CMC squads. A platoon usually consists of two M APCs. The Lt./ sniper ride with one squad, while the Master Sgnt/AP ride with the second squad. The ranking officer usually acts as commander, while either a marine or sniper can act as driver, if present the AP usually acts as a driver.

M577 APC in SG II:

S3(med), ECM Enh (D8), Armour 3, Crew 2, Capacity 9 infantry, decoys, smoke launchers. Twin rotary SAW in front mount, DFFG/2 in main turret.

UG-2L Arapaho Gunship

The Arapaho was developed from an original USCMC requirement for a lighter more agile utility VTOL gunship than the UD-4L Cheyenne. The UG-2L Arapaho was developed using essentially a scaled down airframe of the Cheyenne, the airfoil surfaces were increased as was the power plant output ratio, the result was a fast gunship which could also act as a light load carrier. The primary role of the Arapaho is gunship support of ground actions, however, the Arapaho can also function as an air superiority fighter against less technically advanced fighters. The Arapaho is capable of transporting six fully equipped marines and their equipment. This transport role added to the considerable ground support firepower has led to the Arapaho being widely adopted in a variety of roles from dedicated ground support to Casevac transport.

UG-2L Arapaho in SG II:

S3 (med), Mobility VTOL, ECM Sup (D10), Armour 2 (all round, as Dirtside II), Crew 2, Capacity 6 infantry (no PA), Decoys, FC Sup (D10) Weapons, Rotary SAW chin turret, Two Multi-Launcher Packs, GMS/H. The MLPs fire (together) as Arty (range as GMS), 3 in diam burst D8* impact (* double major hit on point target) The GMS represents two racks of both air to air AND air to ground missiles

New Rules

Smart Weapons In Stargrunt II

Smart Systems:

Smart systems integrated into squad support weapons are rare on the modern infantry battle field. Although few armies use smart weapons routinely, there is growing evidence that smart weapons are much more effective than there predecessor 'dumb' SAWs.

Smart systems may be of any quality: Basic (D8), Enhanced (D10) or Superior (D12). If you are into alien tech, hyper advanced (D20) could be used.

Targeting with a smart weapon:

Smart weapons may fire both in support of squad fire and as separate actions. Smart weapons fire over the same range as small arms fire. For example, a regular marine could fire a smart weapon 40 inches while a green could only manage 30 inches. This range is not modified by cover.

Note a smart weapon can be used as EITHER a smart weapon OR a 'dumb' weapon The player announces before the weapon is fired which mode he is using for targeting. If firing as a 'dumb' weapon use FP and Q vs. range as SG II.

Firing as a Smart Weapon:

1) Individual orders

The gunner uses their quality die and a Smart system die versus the target's ECM/counter measures die. If the Smart sys. roll is higher than the target's ECM/counter measures roll then resolve as normal. If the Smart sys. roll is lower the targeting was ineffective and the weapon will not fire.

Example: A regular marine is firing at a bunch of bugs 32" away. The marine throws a D8 (quality) and a D10 (smart), the bugs would normally get a D4 (no ECM/counter measures) but as they are 'invisible' by IR, I would suggest a ECM/counter measures die of D6. So, Marine throws D8+D10, bugs throw D6. Resolve as SG II.

2) Squad Support

Essentially two sets of dice are thrown simultaneously. The squad rolls Q and FP as normal against the target's Range die, however, the Q die result is noted (I use either a different colored die or I separate it slightly). Simultaneously, the gunner rolls the Smart sys. die against the target's ECM/counter measures die. If the Smart sys. roll is higher than the target's ECM/counter measures roll the outcome depends upon the effectiveness of the squad's fire. If the squad gained a major success the Smart sys. gains an additional major success, total the result from the Q die plus the result from the Smart sys. die, determine number of hits using the target's ECM/counter measures die type. All hits from both squad and Smart gun are resolved together using the small arms I value. If the squad only gained a minor success then the smart sys. gains a major success, resolve as above. If the squad failed to beat the target's range die then the Smart sys. gains a minor success only (suppression). If the Smart sys. fails to beat the ECM/counter measures die the target lock fails so no firing occurs.

Example: Them pesky bugs refused to die, they scuttled forwards 12" (now 20" range). The whole squad decides to shoot. Three regular marines fire M41As while the gunner fires the M56. The marines roll a D8 and a D10 (three FP 3, a D10) vs. a D8 (range), the smart gunner rolls a D10 vs D6. The marines roll a 6 and a 3 respectively, the bugs roll a 4, bummer for the marines, minor success only. The M56 rolled a 7 while the bugs rolled a 5, as the marines gained a minor success the M56 fire is a major success (if the marines had totally missed then this would be a minor success, suppression). This fire is resolved as SG II: the Q result was 6 the Smart sys. was 7, total 13, target die D6, two hits, the extra roll succeeds, total two hits resolved as small arms Impact vs. bug armour.

Operator Quality

The quality of the operator should have some influence on how effectively the weapon fires. A modifier can be used according to the quality of the trooper.

Quality Effect

Untrained Cannot target through smoke/soft cover,

shift target two ECM/counter measures die

type up, can only fire under individual

orders.

Green Cannot target through smoke, target one

ECM/counter measures die shift up, target

gets one ECM/counter measures shifts up

when firing combined with squad.

Regular Target one ECM/counter measures shift up

to target through smoke.

Veteran Ignores smoke.

Elite As Veteran

ECM/counter measures

Smart weapons acquire targets via a number of different techniques for example IR, IFF transponder response, UV, and/or motion sensors/mass detectors. The modern military has begun to recognize the importance of smart weapon in infantry actions. Modern fatigues/military equipment has a degree of IR/sensor/IFF disruption woven into their fabrics/built into their systems. This can be taken as basic ECM/counter measures (D6) for technologically advance infantry troops. Civilian clothing/equipment or obsolete military clothing/equipment found in technologically backwards or third world armies do not contain ECM/counter measures (D4). The only troops which regularly use dedicated individual ECM/counter measures are troops equipped with power armour as the suits are able to provide the power for Enhanced ECM/counter measures (D8), or Superior ECM/counter measures (D10).

Troops in cover gain a degree of protection from smart weapons, shift ECM/counter measures die up one for troops in soft cover, or two shifts for troops in hard cover. Troops in position do not gain any benefit.

EW Against 'Smart' Systems

EW troopers cannot spoof smart systems across the table. The only counter measures possible are personal ECM/counter measures.

Gyro Mounted 'Smart' Gun

Gyro mount infantry support weapon (I don't need to describe it you've probably all seen the film !). I'm using it as a Gauss machine gun (FP D10 I D12). Smart system: Advanced (D10).

Remote Smart Weapons

Fire just as the personal weapon, except:

A remote system will target the nearest non-IFF identified target (there is no choosing targets now !). When firing on ECM equipped targets if the system roll fails then the weapon will not fire (it has no operator).

A sniper (as Colonial Marines Handbook) using the PARGET system may direct smart remote weapons. The sniper makes a communication roll with the weapons system (the sniper must roll over a 2 on a quality die), ECM may spoof this roll as usual. If the sniper is successful then the auto weapons may begin targeting at the sniper's discretion. NOTE the sniper may only direct the weapons to targets the sniper can see, if targets cannot be seen the sniper can allow the weapon to auto-fire as normal. Each turn the sniper wishes to control the weapons the sniper must roll for control, it is not automatic from turn to turn. Note the sniper CANNOT shoot while controlling remote weapons, the sniper is using the scope on the weapon to direct the guns.

Synthetics

Usually one to two artificial persons accompany a USCMC platoon. The Synthetics serve as backup drivers, medics or in an advisory capacity. Synthetics who are introduced into military service are programmed with basic infantry skills in addition to a number of common tasks, such as driving light vehicles/APCs, operating comms equipment etc. All other programmed skills are chosen prior to inception of the synthetic.

Synthetics used for other lines of work are not programmed as military synthetics, their skills will be specific to the task in hand.

A synthetic in SG II would react very much like a competent human, synthetics are programmed to act like an average human, however, the synthetics skills are generally greater than an average human in its specialist field.

Before the game (ideally when a TO&E is drawn up for the troops but prior to determining the mission (unless a specific synthetic is attached for a single mission) determine the skills of the synthetic.

Primary/Secondary Synthetic Skills

Choose two skills, a primary and a secondary from:

Pilot -Aerospace, Pilot - Space, Field Medic, Advanced Infantry, Heavy/Support Weapons, Demolition, Electronic warfare/Computing, Driver - Armour, Mechanic- Light, Mechanic - Heavy, Combat engineer, Science, Diplomacy. (add specific skills as necessary)

These two skills form the programming the synthetic received prior to joining the unit. If the Synthetic uses primary or secondary skill it will do so using an unmodified skill level. When the synthetic uses any other it does so at a die shift down. For example, Gill a synthetic has as a primary EW/Computing and as pilot -Aerospace. His role in the USCMC is as a co-pilot in a Cheyenne. Gill is a Regular 1. If is in a Cheyenne he uses a D8, however, if he were on the ground with a M41 pulse rifle he would use a D6.

Synthetic Quality

All synthetics are programmed to act as average humans, however, in their specific skill they generally perform than an average human.

All synthetics are (at players discretion) either Regular 1 or 2, or Vet 2 or 3.

Synthetics in Marine service wear body armour as a marine. the tougher nature of the synthetic frame gives the an added bonus, offering partial (D8) protection. If a synthetic is wounded it does not become completely non-functional, they can take an extra-ordinary amount of damage, wounds which would kill a do not destroy a synthetic. to represent this the first time a synthetic is wounded it is not dead, it two die shift down in quality. If a damaged synthetic is damaged again it is destroyed.

Asimov's robotics laws apply to legal synthetics. they cannot by direct action, or inaction, harm a human intentionally. In SGII this means that although a synthetic may be armed the MAY NOT shoot at human, they may not charge into close assault, however, if charged they will defend themselves. If a human is defeated in close assault by a synthetic do not roll for casualties, the opponent is ALWAYS alive and immobilized.

Illegal Synthetics

Occasionally companies and governments require missions performed which have almost negligibly chance of survival, or no witnesses are required after the mission. Even though synthetics are incredibly expensive they are seen as a valuable tool for these type of missions. Illegal synthetics are generally toward the higher end of the skill envelope, plus they do not have behavior modifiers, therefore they will shoot and kill human targets.

Example: Yakino Black-Ops Synthetic Model YKB-0357

Primary Skill: Urban Infiltration, Secondary Skill: Interrogation.

YKB-0357 model synthetics have been recovered at several scenes of industrial espionage.

An Example Of A Marine Synthetic: Carter

Carter has been in USCMC service since activation. His initial programming was in driving - light vehicles/APCs, basic infantry - small arms. Carter's Primary Skill is Field Medicine, and his Secondary is Advanced Infantry. In SGII he is a Regular 1. In a game he generally rolls a D8 for quality, however, he would only uses a D6 when called upon to perform a non-primary/secondary skill task like piloting a Cheyenne. Note that although he drops a die level to perform such a task this is still considerably better than a regular marine who is incapable of piloting a Cheyenne.

Experimental Weaponry/Equipment

Class 6 Spider-Silk HardSuit

The Class 6 spider-silk/laminate HardSuit was developed specifically to provide greater protection for individual marines during hazardous missions (they are not bug hunts !) and for special forces personnel during covert assaults in urban terrain where the casualty ratio is generally unacceptably high. The HardSuit is unpowered, thus it is tiring to wear for extended periods, for extended periods during hazardous missions the unit wearing HardSuits would be transported in a M577 APC. Although the suit is un-powered there is a small power cell enough to supply the suit with power for environmental isolation either during EVA, or NBC challenge in addition to communications and sensors. Thus far the C6 HardSuit has performed reasonably in trials, the next stage of testing will be hazardous environment trials, which if the suits are successful will be followed by battlefield trials.

C6 HardSuit in SG II:

Un-powered Full Armour (D10), Enh sensors (including Multi-spectral and Lo-Light Visor) (D8), Basic ECM (D6), NBC Protection (Filters/Sealed), Can be vacuum sealed (12 hours). Movement Normal (D6, D6x2).

Caterpillar P900-M Personal Powered Armour

The Caterpillar P300 series was used by Caterpillar as a test-bed for development of personal powered armour. The P300 was already considered to be a reliable frame that could carry large loads (weapons normally considered too heavy for light infantry use) over rough terrain. The engineers at Caterpillar built ground up a new version of the P300 frame (the P900 series) with modern composite materials resulting in a, more expensive albeit but, lighter frame which could lift as much as the P300 series. The P900 series frame was militarized (P900-M) by creating armored sections (Spidersilk/laminates/scintered gels) which enclose individual 'limbs' of the P900 frame. A load lift manipulators was replaced with a heavy Waldo glove giving the P900-M frame a degree of anthropomorphic dexterity (to clear jammed weapons, or to reload). Weapons configurations for the P900-M are still in the testing stages. To date three variants of the P900-M have been produced, the P900-MP, P900-MG, and P900-ML, corresponding to main armament fits of PIG, Gattling cannon, and heavy Laser. In addition, each P900-M has a heavy assault shotgun built into the Waldo glove for melee combat. The P900-M has additional features in accordance with its militarisation, all electronics are EMP hardened, and the suit has a dedicated ECM package in addition to 'hot' smoke launchers fitted as standard. As a final measure the P900-M has an experimental medical package built into the suit.

Currently there are few P900-M suits on evaluation with the 2/2 Marines (six suits: three P900-MG and three P900-MP), they are organized into two ad hoc squads comprising a NCO (P900-MP), and a fire team of one P900-MG and one P900-MP. To-date the P900-M suits have had mixed results in trials, as yet there has been no confirmation of future orders for these suits.

The P900-M Suit in SG II:

Armour: Heavy PA (D12), smoke launchers, Enh ECM (D8), NBC sealed, Vacuum sealed (12 hours), Enh (D8) sensors, Move 8" (D8x2), assault shotgun built into suit (2 die shifts up). Main weapons one of: rotary SAW, PIG or Heavy Laser (FP D12 I D10).

XENOMORPHS

Or, As We Know Them Better - ALIENS !

SPECIAL RULES/ADD-ONS FOR STARGRUNT

ACTIONS

Xenos go 'In Position' much easier than human troops. If in cover the Xeno may go IP automatically if desired, if in the open test at LV+1. The Xeno must remove the IP counter prior to movement, if not reaction test at LV+1

Xenos excel at hiding. Individual Xenos may go into concealed positions during the game. Test exactly as snipers, if passes place one counter plus two dummies. The Xeno may NOT exchange positions like a sniper.

A Xeno IN POSITION may elect to go dormant. The Xeno shuts down, it is invisible unless in base contact. No test is required for dormancy, the player announces it and the Xeno takes 2 actions to go dormant.

A dormant Xeno will only re-activate under three conditions:

i. An order from the Queen is received

ii. A threat to the hive/eggs is perceived within 2 inches

iii. The Xenos hibernation reserves are depleted and it needs to feed (unlikely to occur in the game other than specific scenarios)

MOVEMENT

Xenos are FAST !

If a Xeno is moving through cluttered terrain (anything other than open) treat the Xeno as one range band further away as they dart from cover to cover.

PSYCHOLOGY

A solo Xeno will react differently to a group as the survival imperative is strongest in a solo Xeno.

A SOLO Xeno Will:

ALWAYS attack the nearest threat, it will ignore a non-combatant in favour of a combatant.

approach its objective with maximum stealth

protect eggs/queen above itself

retire off board if witness to destruction of eggs/queen (in this way it will perpetuate the species)

A GROUP of Xenos Will:

assault a position in force regardless of losses

not necessarily use stealth in an approach to a position

protect eggs/queen above all else

not test for unit losses

enter into a killing frenzy if witness to destruction of eggs/queen

detach elements at will, takes one action (same Q/Co as main unit)

not have a group leader, nominate a group leader as reference for measuring etc.

ALL Xenos will:

be highly motivated

always advance to the nearest threat

ALWAYS obey the Queen

CONFIDENCE AND REACTIONS

Xenos are ALWAYS CO at the start of the game. They are ALWAYS highly motivated, everything is seen as a life or death struggle to them

THREAT MODIFIER

First time suppressed NTR

unit takes casualties +0

unit takes more casualties than survivors 1

unit under artillery/aerospace attack +0

untreated casualties in unit NTR

unit abandons wounded NTR

Queen killed +4

Eggs damaged (Egg Guard only) +1

Eggs destroyed (Egg Guard only) +2

THREAT LEVEL FOR REACTION TEST

Go IP in OPEN +1

Go IP in cover NTR

Move without removing IP marker +1

Shaken attempting to leave cover to advance +1

ACTIONS AVAILABLE WHEN:

CO Any

ST Any

SH Reaction test to leave cover

BR move to cover, will attempt to withdraw if possible. Will not initiate close assault

RO must withdraw to hive if possible. If close assaulted will defend but not kill. If withdrawal not possible, remove fig as it goes into a hidden dormant position.

ELECTRONIC WARFARE

Xenos are difficult to spot. Treat as one range band further away for spotting by EW elements.

The queen must still roll COMMS rolls to send orders out to the drones.

Xenos have excellent sensors, count as Sup (D10).

It is not currently possible to disrupt Xeno comms with EW countermeasures.

CLOSE ASSAULT

Attack as SG II, causes TERROR

Defending:

Ignores Power Armour bonus

Ignores terror effects

RESOLUTION

Before dice are rolled the Xeno player announces the TYPE of attack the Xeno makes, either I. Capture or II Kill.

If the Xeno wins I. the opponent is immobilized ready to be carried off to the nest to become egg incubator. the Xeno in contact with the figure is retired to the hive, it can eventually re-enter play at GM's discretion. II. The opponent is DEAD. There are few wounded in fighting Xenos, there is either the quick or the dead.

If the opponent wins: roll Quality +2, if successful then they avoided the acid splash, if not they are splashed by acid as they killed the Xeno (again, no wounded !). If splashed roll D6: 1 - DEAD, a huge amount of acid caught the player in an exposed spot; 2-4 - Wounded, mild splash on armour plating which can be treated; 5-6 - OK, caught by caustic fumes only, a lucky escape.

MODIFIERS in CA:

If an opponent uses a shotgun they must check for acid splash at Q+4.

If using a flamer test at +0.

ORGANIZATION

Queen

Top Xeno in a hive. A queen in an established hive will be immobilized as an egg-layer.

Immobilized Queen:

Quality: Veteran/Elite

Move: N/A

Armour: Body D10, Egg-sac D4

Close assault: N/A

Sensors: Enh (D8)

Causes Terror

Takes 4 consecutive action plus reaction test to separate from egg-sac

Mobile Queen:

Quality: Veteran/Elite

Move: 6" (D6x2)

Armour: Body D12

Close assault: 2 Attacks, 2x D10x2 (choose highest), opponent ONE shift down

Sensors: Enh (D8)

Causes Terror

Royal Guard

The biggest and meanest Xenos.

Quality: Elite

Move: 10" (D10x2)

Armour: Body D10

Close assault: 3 Attacks, 3x D10x2 (choose highest), opponent TWO shifts down

Sensors: Sup (D10)

Causes Terror

Drone

Your average every-day Xeno.

Quality: Regular/Veteran

Move: 8" (D8x2)

Armour: Body D6

Close assault: 2 Attacks, 2x D8x2 (choose highest), opponent ONE shift down

Sensors: Sup (D10)

Causes Terror

Facehugger/egg

Only present in a mature hive.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Xenos should be played as close to their cinematic representation as possible. If a situation arises in conflict with any of the above SG II suggestions then feel free to improvise as necessary.

The USCMC In Dirtside II

From: the GZG mailing list, Charles Thumann's idea how to represent the 'Aliens' world in Dirtside. As I don't currently play this I'm just putting this info up. It may change as I play more DS II.

Marine Infantry

This is where DSII doesn't really model the Corps very well, in SGII there are too many sub-units to be accurately modeled in DSII. To fudge round this I propose that a marine squad should comprise three stands, two stands of four for the marines and a stand of two for the Sgt./driver. This means that in DS II the stand of two would actually remain in the APC until required, then it may debus from the APC and fight, however, this does mean the APC becomes immobile until crewed again. Another fudge which becomes necessary is to include an additional vehicle in the TOE for the platoon commander. This is necessary because I can't really design the M577 correctly to carry three stands, therefore instead of a two vehicle platoon (correct) we have a three vehicle platoon.

Platoon in DS II

LT (command stand) two figs

Specialist stand (any DS II specialists)

M577A

Sgt./Driver stand (2 figs) Sgt./Driver stand (2 figs)

Squad stand (4 figs) Squad stand (4 figs)

Squad stand (4 figs) Squad stand (4 figs)

M577A M577A

Company In DS II

Capt. (command stand) two figs

Specialist stand (any DS II specialists)

M577A (Command Variant)

Platoon 1 Platoon 2

That's about it for now, expect more soon....

M577 APC

"We came outta that APC spitting sweat and blood. Up ahead we heard screaming as the twenty-mike-mike chopped the bugboys into salad. Sarge screamed Split Orange, an we broke into a four-by-four formation, charging the hill with the smarts in support and the APC on overwatch. The bugboys saw us coming and launched a buzz-bomb. They’d have had us cold if it weren't for the Loot in the APC - he caught their launch flash and iced the suckers with the peebees before their bomb had even left the tube! S'damndest thing I ever saw!"

There are currently three common variants of the M577, the standard A version, an airdef A2 version, and an A3 version which substitutes the plasma turret for a DEW turret

M577A Armored Personnel Carrier

MEDIUM vehicle (class 3), HI-MOB WHEELED mobility, CFE power, Armour 3A 1 x HKP/1 in Turret with ENHANCED FireCon, 1 x APSW, ENHANCED ECM, STEALTH-1, capacity for 3 Infantry Teams. Basic Signature 3, Effective Signature 2 (D10) POINTS: 142.

M577A2 Armored Personnel Carrier

MEDIUM vehicle (class 3), HI-MOB. WHEELED mobility, CFE power, Armour 3A 1 x Enhanced ADS, 1 x APSW ENHANCED ECM, STEALTH-1, Basic Signature 3, Effective Signature 2 (D10) POINTS: 428.

M577A3 Armored Personnel Carrier

MEDIUM vehicle (class 3), HI-MOB. WHEELED mobility, HMT Power, Armour 3A 1 x HEL/2 in Turret with ENHANCED FireCon, 1 x APSW, ENHANCED ECM, STEALTH-1, capacity for 2 Infantry Teams. Basic Signature 3, Effective Signature 2 (D10) COST: 158.

MBTs/Arty.

M22A3 Jackson Medium Tank

MEDIUM vehicle (class 3), FAST TRACKED MOBILITY, CFE power, Armour 3A 1 x HKP/4 in Turret with ENHANCED FireCon, 1 x APSW, ENHACED ECM, STEALTH-1, ENHANCED PDS Basic Signature 3, Effective Signature 2 (D10) POINTS:232.

M40 Ridgeway Heavy Tank

LARGE vehicle (class 4), FAST TRACKED mobility, CFE power, Armour 4A 1 x HVC/4 in Turret with SUPERIOR FireCon, 1 x RAM Mortar (Light Artillery), 1 x APSW SUPERIOR ECM, STEALTH-2, LAD Basic Signature 4, Effective Signature 2 (D10) POINTS: 461 plus cost of Mortar ammunition.

Aerospace

UD-4L Cheyenne Dropship

"Fact: the Cheyenne handles like a cow. If its carrying a load, make that a drunken cow. Listen up kiddies; these are righteous words I speak.

Do no, I repeat do NOT get into a dogfight with one of these babies, cuz you will BURN! You are not Cool Jo or Panda from No Guts, No Glory and unlike the teevee shows you watched as little boys and girls, popping the airbrakes and throwing the nozzles forward NEVER EVER causes the enemy fighter to overshoot into your guns!

If an enemy air threat appears, there are two sensible reactions: Run, which is good; or Hide, which is almost as good. Anyone who tries to fight back is a dumb conehead who will burn in Marine Hell for wasting a perfectly good dropship.

Any questions?"

OVERSIZED vehicle (class 6), VTOL mobility, FGP power, Armour 2 1 x SLAM/3 in Fixed-Mount with SUPERIOR FireCon, 1 x GMS/L w/ SUPERIOR Guidance SUPERIOR ECM, 2 x FireCon, STEALTH-1, capacity for 1 Size 3 Vehicle or 6 Infantry Fire Teams. Basic Signature 6, Effective Signature 5 (D4) POINTS: 554.

An Alternative View (Mike Miserendino I think):

Size 5 Aero Space, FGP Powered, 3 Armour, 1 Size 2 Vehicle, 1 Level of Stealth, Sup ECM, Enh Fire Con, SLAM 3, GMS/L Sup, APSW x2, Cost 701 points

Now the Drop Ship from Aliens looked to have some pretty heavy weaponry, but we can't add any more weapons with out making it an oversize 6.

Remember that carrying a vehicle is the size class x 8. So getting a size 3 vehicle would take 24 VSP. The largest thing we can possible carry is a size 4 and that’s with a size 7 Aerospace. Basically a flying Box Car with 3 vsp for defensive systems. Larger vehicles require special landers that don't go near combat zones.

UG-2L Arapaho Gunship

The Arapaho was developed from an original USCMC requirement for a lighter more agile utility VTOL gunship than the UD-4L Cheyenne. The primary role of the Arapaho is gunship support of ground actions, however, the Arapaho can also function as an air superiority fighter against less technically advanced fighters.

The Arapaho is capable of transporting six fully equipped marines and their equipment. This transport role added to the considerable ground support firepower has led to the Arapaho being widely adopted in a variety of roles from dedicated ground support to Casevac transport.

Vehicle, class 3, Armor class 2, Fusion Generation Plant, VTOL/Helicopter/Jetcopter, Sup Fire Con, class 3 SLAM in Fixed mount, GMS/H with Superior guidance, APSW, Superior ECM, Space for 1 unit of normal infantry, Cost 298 points.