OBT Forum

"Cavalry" are traditionally fast-moving & hard-hitting formations, often used to screen friendly forces or flank enemy ones.  Many armies had armored (tank) formations inherit the traditions of their famous cavalry units -- but generally not until the tanks were fast enough to leave infantry behind. 

In this case, I think we can posit the "cavalry" formations as being fast light armor units -- especially hovercraft.  As the existing "armor" units in the LCT are specifically listed as Heavy & Assault units (and thus, no doubt, slow), it makes sense for the LCT to also include lighter armored units, but also for these light units to be faster.  The Scorpion, despite being a light tank, is no faster than a Manticore, and so would make a poor choice for inclusion in a "cavalry" unit (unless the Heavy & Assault units were overtaken with things like the Behemoth, which makes even a Scorpion seem "fast").  The Vedette & Galleon (among non-hover designs) would be good choices for a "cavalry" unit.

I agree with all of you so to make it clearer: VTOLs scout while Cavalry units screen to protect the main body of the LCT to be spotted/raided/...?

I agree with all of you so to make it clearer: VTOLs scout while Cavalry units screen to protect the main body of the LCT to be spotted/raided/...?

Also VTOLs are not always the best scouts. Sometimes you want eyes on the ground, or at least less obvious scouts.

Special Forces are fine on, say, an objective raid, or other mission where you know the location in advance and can thus attempt to insert them.  In a meeting engagement, where military forces are actively on the move and searching for each other, the VTOLs, with their ability to cover ground much, much more quickly, make better scouts.  From a classic force-on-force military perspective, I agree with the LCT writeup that VTOLs make sense for scouting.  From a raiding standpoint, special forces make more sense -- provided you don't intend to just do the whole op with SpecOps types anyway.

Quote from: Ice Hellion on May 16, 2012, 01:37:29 PM

I agree with all of you so to make it clearer: VTOLs scout while Cavalry units screen to protect the main body of the LCT to be spotted/raided/...?

Also VTOLs are not always the best scouts. Sometimes you want eyes on the ground, or at least less obvious scouts.

tell that to LAM-Heads

this is really where units like the Sprint Infantry and Cavalry Infantry carriers shine.  Combined with 1 or 2 ton capacity infantry platoons like the Battlefield infiltration unit, a these VTOLs can drop their people behind enemy lines, make several high speed recon passes with thier cameras running, and transmit information back to that platoon for them to examine further. (in a ATOW Situation)

Trying to remember right but SLDF organisation had armour attached to units not part of them

SLDF Brigades were 3 Mech 1 Infantry for a Mech unit and 3 Infantry 1 Mech for the Infantry IIRC

I never fully did get the SLDF Organisation then again with their massive forces you could go with mass units of the same type.

Personally I prefer the AFFS organisation to the SLDF more flexible

The LCT is a logical expansion of that I'm thinking of using it in my AU despite no downsizing of militarises and no jihad.  Instead in my AU I was thinking of using it for March units but increasing the Robinson Rangers and Syrtis Fusiliers to 5 units instead of 3 flexible mobile defences for marches

I was reading once more the description of a LCT and what hit me is that with a few changes I thought it could be suited to represent a bigger Militia unit with some punch.

What do you think?

Been thinking a lot of Planetary Militias and Coast (Orbital) Guards lately. One of the driving reasons behind the LCT is creating a more mobile unit. Militias which don't typically have a battalion of Mechs unless they are a large i.e. important world are by BattleTech definition static. They don't leave their world hence no reason for mobility.