OBT Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Welcome to OurBattleTech.com - A BattleTech Fan Site

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Looking for ideas for a concept  (Read 6879 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Ice Hellion

  • Protector of the Taurian Concordat
  • KU Player
  • General
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4,473
  • Beware of the all-seeing eye: Ice Hellion
Looking for ideas for a concept
« on: May 07, 2022, 12:57:01 AM »

I was thinking about Starship Troopers (the book not the movie) and how soldiers were dropped on planet in pods that exploded in the Sky allowing them thanks to their battle armours to land.
This got me thinking if paratroopers or jump units could use something like that for more discret landings (from what I get, battle armours with jump jets can be dropped from upper atmosphere like 'Mechs or some vehicles).

Any thoughts on that?
Logged


"In turn they tested each Clan namesake
in trial against the Ice Hellion's mettle.
Each chased the Ice Hellion, hunting it down.
All failed to match the predator's speed and grace.
Khan Cage smiled and said, "And that is how we shall be."

The Remembrance (Clan Ice Hellion) Passage 5, Verse 3, Lines 1 - 5

drakensis

  • Duke of Avalon
  • KU Player
  • General
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,299
Re: Looking for ideas for a concept
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2022, 02:10:53 AM »

The dropping of 'Mechs and Battle Armour from orbit basically works just like that, doesn't it?
Logged

Takiro

  • General
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10,148
  • For the Last Cameron!
Re: Looking for ideas for a concept
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2022, 08:37:09 AM »

I'd have to agree with drakensis. See the link for current orbital insertion equipment.

https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Drop_Pod

Other than that, there is two existing ways I can think of.

One, the original Kyushu fluff from TRO3057 stated in the fluff (page 124 final paragraph, see below) that specially modified small craft could individually transit Mechs from warship to ground (it does not say they can reverse the process) but I've never seen this application put into practice. I believe the same fluff also indicated that this process was a long one and hence not efficient in a combat setting.

Quote
The Kyushu’s 108 BattleMech cubicles are perhaps its most unusual feature. These cubicles are located in the vessel’s large cargo section and can accommodate a full regiment of war machines. The Kyushu’s design enables its ’Mech cargo to descend to a planet's surface in one of three ways. The first and most common is via DropShips, which can dock at one of the four hardpoints situated along the Kyushu’s spine. The second option is one of the Kyushu’s twelve specially modified cargo shuttles. These craft are lightly armed and armored and can transport two ’Mechs at a time. Finally, if the frigate is in low orbit, ’Mechs can be dropped directly from the Kyushu's bay doors.

Two, the widespread deployment of a LAM force (i.e. the Marik Guard) which could theoretically enter and exit a planetary atmosphere without the need of 'dropships' is possible but to my knowledge never before tactically applied at a regimental level. The Marik Guard was by the time of the 4th Succession War so over protective of its rare equipment that it dare not even attempt rapid insertion and departure. The SLDF could have utilized battalion sized contingents in this fashion but again I don't believe this was ever detailed. Not to say it hasn't happened but I've never heard of it. Long ago in my home campaigns a large created baddy faction named the Imperium did indeed do this but in a stand up fight versus BattleMechs the LAMs (which had an 80 ton max) were poorly matched as their conversion equipment and faster nature (large engines) occupies enough design space to make them lighter armed. However, as a rapid deployment force using movement they made superior raiders and terrifying harassers.

My undeveloped 'Mech Marine' concept that was originally destined for Shattered Dawn would also utilize LAM forces and rapid insertion/extraction methods to specialize certain forces in this fashion. Securing initial planetary beach heads and engaging in paradrop operations would be their calling cards in endoatmospheric operations as well as engaging in aquatic combat from their origins. Exoatmospheric (zero-G operations, warship hull defense, etc.) and exoticatmospheric (other planetary environments not Terran standard) operations would also be within their scope. These three AtmoEs would make them your friendly non-standard Mech operating warfare practitioners of House 'X'. Far beyond your militia force that has never seen any terrain outside its homeworld and even your standard Mech regiment that does journey from system to system operating.

Finally, another quick retrieval system I've thought about is a 'skyhook' for Mechs but in practice not sure how that could work.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton_surface-to-air_recovery_system
Logged

Ice Hellion

  • Protector of the Taurian Concordat
  • KU Player
  • General
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4,473
  • Beware of the all-seeing eye: Ice Hellion
Re: Looking for ideas for a concept
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2022, 12:55:26 PM »

Thanks for your answers. What I want is to know how infantry could make combat drops from thé atmosphere.

And Takiro, your Marine thing is what I want to do (with all kinds of units).
Logged


"In turn they tested each Clan namesake
in trial against the Ice Hellion's mettle.
Each chased the Ice Hellion, hunting it down.
All failed to match the predator's speed and grace.
Khan Cage smiled and said, "And that is how we shall be."

The Remembrance (Clan Ice Hellion) Passage 5, Verse 3, Lines 1 - 5

Takiro

  • General
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10,148
  • For the Last Cameron!
Re: Looking for ideas for a concept
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2022, 10:23:37 PM »

The HALO drop is pretty much a known commodity these days.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_military_parachuting

Obviously, the BattleTech universe provides certain technological innovations that are not available today such as aerospace fighters and small craft which could transit infantry.

Exact applications of this are harder to say. I wonder if a helicopter full of infantry could be deployed from a small craft in flight? Do Jump Infantry have a deployment advantage because of their special equipment packs? Do Battlearmor?
Logged

Dragon Cat

  • KU Player
  • General
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,252
  • Not Dead Until I Say So
Re: Looking for ideas for a concept
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2022, 10:29:13 AM »

You could always have a WiGE carrying infantry drop out of the side of a DropShip and the infantry parachute from there?

If I'm an infantry trooper I wouldn't want to parachute from a DropShip they stay airborne on their engines the infantry would probably be pulled into their engine thrust.
Logged
My stuff, and my AU timeline follow link and enjoy

http://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/dragon-cat-collection/

The original CBT thread
Dragon Cat on CBT


Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

DOC_Agren

  • Menig
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 47
Re: Looking for ideas for a concept
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2022, 11:37:48 PM »

I was thinking about Starship Troopers (the book not the movie) and how soldiers were dropped on planet in pods that exploded in the Sky allowing them thanks to their battle armours to land.
This got me thinking if paratroopers or jump units could use something like that for more discret landings (from what I get, battle armours with jump jets can be dropped from upper atmosphere like 'Mechs or some vehicles).

Any thoughts on that?
Use Aerospace Fighter (a custom model with VSTOL ability, that looks like the DropShips and JumpShips 100ton Mark VII Landing Craft) and deploy them via HALO operations or land and offload.
Logged
"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed:And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!"
Pages: [1]   Go Up