| APAGear II Archives | Volume 4, Number 1 | February, 2002 |
Campaign and locations described in here were aimed to create an environment suitable for light military drama, it can be game mastered with several different styles. But originally this was designed in anime flavour in mind, but it can be gamed in western or gritty style too. With anime, I refer to into more realistic sort of mecha/war animation like; Armour Hunter Mellowlink and AT Votoms are quite old but fairly good. Mobile Suit Gundam: 08th MS Team, one-year war from normal mecha using grunts point of view instead of newtype aces. Gasaraki, first DVD at least, for gorgeous desert combat scenes, and fairly gear-like mecha. And Venus Wars for quite realistic sci-fi war story.
Spurred by the interpolar war, Arthurian PAK finally decided to adopt heavy gears into its unit structure. The project was code-named as GSI (Gear Supported Infantry) and commissioned in TN1938, with purpose of creating an effective combined arms tactics for GRELs supported by heavy gears. In Summer-TN1943 the GSI will be fielded Driscoll County.
This is mini-campaign for two to four players. Characters could be individually created as per Adventurous rules. It is advisable to use Arthurian officer template in Life On Terra Nova (2nd edition)[page 149] spiced with additional abilities of a gear pilot, as model for Member of GSI. Characters in this campaign are probably well trained (and experienced officers although it is possible to use characters not trained in use of a gear beyond basics)
Overview of last five cycles effort of creating the GSI. When commissioned in TN1938 the first and foremost problem was finding the officers to do it. As the majority of the CEF veterans actively opposed the idea of adding gears into KORPS arsenal. Main argument was that gears were never intended into CEF-like blitzkrieg warfare. And that the old GRELs would never learn to work properly with their gear support. And on top that gears were fragile too, when compared to hovertanks. The main argument from Think-Tank was that gear is a viable weapon to be used with even hovertanks is it specifically built to keep up with them.
The project think-tank at Port Arthur officer's academy did not lose heart, but instead turned their eyes towards the young team and patrol leaders (with officer potential) that were sent from the field into Officers Academy. From these troopers some thirty were interviewed and asked if they wished to participate the GSI project. From thirty cadets thirteen volunteered to participate in the project. "The Thirteen" as they came to be known were placed under command Major Ricardo Symmons, a proverbial "old man" of the KORPS (and incidentally only officer to hold three War Badges for specialties Armor-250, Infantry-500 and Recon-250).
Despite massive opposition, the Think-Tank, "The Thirteen" and Major Symmons, were granted permission by Colonel Arthur to build a test-unit. By late Winter TN-1940 they began to look for troopers, soldiers, patrol and troop commanders to fill the holes in Table of Organization and Equipment. The most obsivious group to be recruited was the small batch of Minerva-C GRELs that were originally programmed to operate captured gears. After sifting through the KORPS databases they found only sixty-two Minerva-C's (in combat effective condition) from entire KORPS.
Figuring that these would have to do, they went on to acquire gears for the new unit. With Interpolar war raging across the badlands, they settled for a small gear-producing firm in Nineveh. Which manufactured the ill-fated Chasseur hover-gear. Promising to reveal some Earth technology in order to improve the Chasseurs design the Think-Tank managed to secure a deal of hundred new and improved Chasseur hover-gears with Nineveh Armoury inc.
Back on the drawing board the Think-Tank and "The Thirteen", begin to draw drafts about the future combined arm company. About half of the proposals were rejected at grounds of infeasibility. The rough other half of the proposals were run through countless simulations and small-scale field exercises. For example: Proposal #16 was rejected after field trials showed that number of infantry in proposal was insufficient for any kind urban combat, as it would either leave gears or APC inadequately protected while surrounding buildings were searched.
By the winter TN1940 the rough outline of the new unit was clear. The base unit would be five-vehicle patrol, consisting two APC's and three gears commanded by a Sergeant. Next unit would be a Troop commanded by Lieutenant, a troop would be formed of four patrols (total 12 gears, 8 APCs and 80-96 infantry). Five such troops would form a company commanded by a captain or in case of the prototype unit Major Symmons himself.
In final review by the Academy board some problems were still to be found / unsolved, also the board accepted that concept of GSI was viable.
Finally first lot of Chasseur II's arrive and the GSI is fielded for field test around Port Arthur. Minerva-C's showed their real edge in mock combat between half-strength company of GSI and GREL Infantry Company. Having decade worth of frustration (to vent) about not having real gears under them. While their tactics were still fairly crude and GREL infantry did not quite synch-in with their command and support gears. But still, results were satisfactory and Colonel Arthur scheduled field deployment of GSI for the Spring-TN1943 in troubled homesteading county at the edge PA Security Zone. Some senior members of officer's cabinet did crack jokes about "Children's Crusade", and state that these "kids" need some real combat experience if they are ever to become real officers.
The GSI is finally fielded under command of Major Symmons to relieve 78th Infantry Company from Driscoll County. The Thirteen are now Junior Lieutenants. The county of Driscoll is located at southern edge of Security Zone. And is protected by a small firebase, which was originally built during war to protect a small airfield nearby. Which nowadays serves as KORPS spare airstrip (it is open for civilian air traffic, but PA government operates it.)
The Driscoll County is somewhat atypical representative of a farming/ranching county. As it is home for some fifty small homesteads, an oil field and an oasis tower. Not to mention the KORPS firebase. The homesteads are sort of divided between old and new blood, the so-called old blood consists of the original rancher and homesteader families, which have been here long before the oil was found at the edge of the county. The so-called new blood consists of people that moved in here after the oil was found or those who were assigned homesteads by Arthurian government during nineteen twenties (Mostly collaborators, ask any old-timer). Unlike in most homesteading counties there is no real clan or tribal structure in the area.
In TN1933 oil was found at the western edge of the Driscoll County, by TN1935 there were dozen independent oil companies in the area and hopeful prospectors were looking for more. This resulted a boomtown effect. A small town was formed around the oil field, as all kinds of people move in with hopes of quick money legitimate or otherwise. The law enforcement problems that followed prompted an expansion of the KORPS firebase, this time fire-based was expanded to accommodate and infantry company, and a squad KORPS Marshals. Most of the KORPS Marshals are former KORPS (CEF) Military Police and the regime can be straightforward, and tend to arrest troublemakers (real or imagined) quite easily. Ever since the firebases expansion, it has not been uncommon sight to see Marshall on patrol with few GRELs. Undoubtedly this has become a fairly good deterrent for random violence. Of course once in while base commander receives a complaints from local oil companies, usually after pacification of the barroom fight, has put some workers into hospital condition.
Beyond normal rowdiness and restlessness of a boomtown there is another layer of conflict to be noted is the competition between oil companies. When money or contracts are at stake they are above little monkey wrenching the competition.
Gladon tower as it is called by the locals is a fairly standard oasis tower, which has seen better days, but is in good condition. Being called home by its thousand permanent resident, it provides services unavailable elsewhere in the county, ranging from mechanic to restaurants to "escort services". It also serves a neutral ground for oil companies to negotiate with each other or with potential clients. The oasis also features an Arthurian officers club and two fairly good nightclubs. The KORPS Marshals offices are located in Gladon tower.
Just as the name implies, R&R Facility is a government sponsored Rest and Recreation facility for KORPS (human) personnel. The restaurant and other facilities can comfortably cater for some twenty off-duty KORPS personnel. Other facilities included are library with reading room, bar with stage, two cabinets for holding conferences etc. and a small chapel with paraphernalia for all major religions.
The Dig is big nightclub that has been dug into bedrock and is connected to main oasis tower with tunnel. The club itself is cavernous hall three stories high, with raised stage at the centre the first floor is mostly dance floor with few tables along the walls, while the second floor which is nothing more than five meter wide catwalk (running along walls) made of semitransparent plastic. The decoration in the Dig is the bare minimum, and lighting consists of only stage lighting and small spotlights that provide suitable ambient lighting for the tables. The Dig is owned by Ryu Koshino (middle-aged MD expatriate), who also runs the place and prides it to be the best Shock club within thousand kilometres. The Dig is very popular with local youths, and it has a clean reputation among adults (and KORPS Marshals).
The Hangover is aptly named nightclub for its position. As it literally hangs above the central plaza. The Hangover is a relatively recent addition to Gladon oasis structure. The Club itself is built to be accessible from hanging gardens (which is a common rendezvous point), and from central tower, that includes many businesses (another common customer group).
Camp #18 is small firebase built next to Driscoll county airstrip. Designed accommodate an infantry company, but which recently been modified to accommodate the GSI and its equipment. Outside The base looks like series low Ferrocrete buildings half buried in ground and several anti-aircraft / anti-armour turrets, surrounded by electrified perimeter fence. All ten buildings and six-defence turret are accessible from underground via series of tunnels.
The base also serves as refuelling depot rest stop for hovertank patrols between firebase Xenon and firebase Spirit. As a result of this #18's cafeteria is always well stocked.
Additionally the base has two G-52 helos, which are located at the airfield hangars.
Major Symmons formed the GSIs chain of command from mixture of experienced officers & GRELs and a bunch of junior lieutenants (fresh out of Arthurian Officer Academy) whom were assigned as patrol leaders. He reasoned that assigning these "kids" as patrol leaders would give them more hands-on experience on practical leadership than any course on Academy. Also he put a veteran infantry Lieutenant in charge of each Troop.
Major Ricardo Symmons is the proverbial old man of the KORPS. Major Symmons was among the first to be dropped on Terra Nova, and he has participated nearly every major battle on Terra Nova. Being nearly seventy years old (or almost hundred cycles) he feels that his age is really becoming an issue among his colleques. Although he has no plans for the retirement yet, but some members of the Officer Cabinet would rather see him retired and out of their way.
Doctor of Pedagogic Psychology by his civilian profession he has developed a distinct style of being a PolOff. Through he never was much into party ideology or politics; during the war his goal was simple, keep his unit mates sane. But as a Political Officer he has never been that successful, until he requested a transfer into newly formed Port Arthur Officers Academy as an instructor in Summer-TN1930. His expertise in teaching sciences and psychology of learning made him a liked instructor and sort of a mentor figure. Also he is original member of the "think-tank" commissioned by the Colonel Arthur to form the GSI.
A GREL in place where you would least expect it. Roy-5592 is a rare Jan with specialized logistics programming while he is Jan, his programming has been geared towards smooth operation of the base rather than leading a troop. He has gone bit more "native" than most GRELs by adopting a field dataglove and HUI monocle combination to work more efficiently. Nobody really knows for sure, but he seems bit more human than most GRELs (probably a modification to make life of human colleagues and civilian suppliers more bearable). It is his job to keep base supplies up to date and acquire needed supplies by whatever means necessary and he does with near perfect efficency and with pride.
Unlike most CEF officers Mira is not Earth born. She is Martian, while being as tall as the Morgana GRELs she commands, she lacks the strong muscles characterized by over one-gravity inhabitants. Even through using various metabolic effectors drugs and regular excersises, her musculature is not on par with CEFs standard for trooper fitness. Only reason why she has been allowed to advance into rank of Senior Lieutenant is her tactical genius, which allowed her to survive battle of Baja nearly unscathed. Her personality is almost as cold and hard as the Morganas she commands.
Unlike other officers Lewi is Terra Novian. He was one of the disillusioned Badlanders who fought in Southern army, he was kicked out of SRA right after the WoTA because he was not born southerner, and worse he was Ex-Rover. He wound up in Port Arthur in TN1922, and signed in to the fledging KORPS. While serving in the KORPS he slowly learned to appreciate the relative safety that Colonel Arthur's regime has brought to the area. By the time he became a patrol leader (in TN1930), he had married were planning to settle down by retiring when disaster struck this time in the form of 19th SRA HG regiment. The badlands town where he was stationed (along with half company of GRELs) at the southern-western edge of the PA security zone was reduced to rubble by them. Over eight hundred dead, mostly civilians and Lewi himself barely survived that day himself, with crippling injuries.
As Lewi says it himself: "On that day I decided, that I'd go career... On that other day I saw too many people to lose their lives to the people that I once proudly served, against people that I serve now. Ironic isn't it? Once they were conquerors. Now they are best bet for Badlands independence. Never forget that you're Badlander."
At age of 51 cycles. Lewi is still impressive looking fellow, despite his numerous scars cyberspine implant that was installed after everything else had been tried in order to repair the spinal damage caused by numerous fragments from 44mm anti-personel grenade, that left him half dead.
Lewi is a commander of the 5th troop, a gear supported GREL troop, and incidentally the troop that PCs have been assigned into. As a superior Lewi can be quite demanding, as he would like to be more on field and less in office. So there is a decent possibility he will be around whenever there is at least one patrol assigned into some job. Being an old infantryman he knows dangerous weapon a gear can be. In battle he habitually wears Heavy Flak armour and carries Battlefield Infantry Laser (use stats for sniper laser). He tend to treat fresh officers like rookies straight out of boot camp, until they manage to impress him or do something else to gain his respect.
| Age: 51 cycles | Height: 1.81 meters | Weight: 93 kg |
| Hair Colour: Grey-green | Eye Colour: Brown | Handedness: Ambidextrous |
| AGI: +1 | APP: 0 (-1*) | BLD: 0 (+1*) | CRE: +1 | FIT: +1 (+2*) |
| INF: +1 | KNO: -1 | PER: +1 | PSY: -1 | WIL: +1 |
| STR: +1 | HEA: 0 | STA: 30 | AD: 6 | UD: 7 |
(*) Modified by Cyber spine
| Athletics: 1/+2 | Dodge: 2/+1 | Small Arms: 2/+1 |
| Bureaucracy: 1/0 | Intimidate: 2/+1 | Leadership: 2/+1 |
| Combat Sense: 2/+1 | Hand-to-hand: 2/+1 | Notice: 2/+1 |
| Tactics: 2/0 | Drive: 2/+1 | Human Perception: 2/-1 |
| Melee: 1/+1 | Sniper: 1/+1 | Stealth: 2/+1 |
Bandits!: Driscoll county while being at the edge of the PA Security Zone, its far enough from any major KORPS firebase. So once in a while some rovers gangs try to raid the homesteaders. Especially now as it looks like that Camp #18 has been trimmed down to half strength (well, true for infantry. However gears and stuff will make it up easily)
Touch of nature: This might something as simple as surviving a sandstorm, preferably finding shelter before storm hits. Or witnessing the beauty of the badlands.
Monkeys with wrenches: Sometimes the competition between oil companies goes bit too far. While they are not above sabotage and harassment, luckily they all seem to draw line on violence. What happens when a new CEO of some oil company decides to eliminate competition, literally? Situation like this can only escalate.
Strangers in the strange land: Surely the appearance of the new kind of the hovergear will draw attention of the polar intelligence agencies and Westphalia cabinet's security and intelligence arms. Knowing the Colonel Gerti's (Westphalia Cabinets chief of security) anti-CEF sentiments, and willingness to use any available excuse to deal with any threat to cabinet real or imagined. GSI might forced to fight Black Talons or some other force, who wants them dead. Polar BlackOps units like SRID's "Les Estrangers" come readily into mind.
A Night Out: Characters are on leave at Gladon Oasis, which is a lively place. Mostly because the petroleum workers come here to spend their hard earned money (if they are not satisfied with recreational possibilities available in Boomtown.). Events for the night can include anything from attending Shock concert at The Dig, or friendly game of cards at the R&R facility, having a date, getting into barroom fight (a bad idea), et cetera.
Challenge: A Southern regimental duellist has heard about these weird new gears that Arthurian have and has manipulated his Commandant to issue a challenge to Major Symmons over some very old case. Now usually this would not happen, because the duellist ignores KORPS because they don't use gears, now that has changed. The case is kind of problematic; If they don't react to the challenge, the newly formed GSI will be inviting a skirmishes with Southies. If they'll accept the challenge, then someone has to take a mantle of the "regimental" duellist (along with a crash course on gear duelling).
"When you look at it, It's kinda hard to believe that it was originally developed from Jäger. It packs so much punch that it can put most Terra Novan designs in shame and as an added bonus it can almost fly. And the bad stuff? Lemme see, it hogs fuel like jet, it has a sensor profile size of a house. Yet, it requires lots of tender loving care (bless those Isaacs). In essence, I love this critter!"
- jLtn. Neil, Seen (Interview excerpt from Kavalry Magazine)
Anthromorphic Hover Combat System Model 2 or Chasseur II. A derivative design ill-fated Territorial Arms Chasseur hover gear. Although there seems to be very little left of the curved aesthetics of the Jäger, which have been replaced by the hard angles that are more characteristic northern designs.
In order to avoid manoeuvrability problems that plagued the original Chasseur hovergear the design team took an alternative path to provide stability for the secondary movement system. They implemented a set attitude jets, which could be used to balance the nearly frictionless secondary movement system without significant loss of manoeuvrability. Or they could be used to counter recoil from firing weapons.
Some more interesting changes from the run-of-the-mill are Chasseur Mk.II's electronics, which have gone thru a total overhaul, increasing both power and fidelity on both sensors and communications systems. Also the weapon systems have been changed to fit the bill and KORPS requirements. Light Autocannon was switched Kadellie Weapon Systems 10mW Gatling Laser, a rocket pod was dropped from payload due aerodynamics, the high-explosive hand grenades were replaced by equally powerful fuel-air explosive charges and last but not least a pair of heavy panzerfausts to round out the armaments. The most exotic piece of equipment in the Chasseur Mk.II are the Emergency Power Surge (EPS for short) capacitators, which allow pilot to momentarily boost the capabilities of the vehicle at slight risk.
Even with this superior performance the system is not without problems. First and worst problem is the sensor signature and thermal profile, which result that the Chasseur II has sensor profile comparable a HT-72 hovertank or strider. Second problem is the trendomous fuel consumption that this vehicle has, limiting its practical deployment radius down to approximately 80 kilometres (from base) at combat speed... And system as complex as this is difficult maintain and surprisingly fragile. And the last but definitely not a least of the problems is instability of the vehicle at top speed, as the NNet cannot keep up with all the variables, and starts to lag few milliseconds behind.
In essence the Chasseur MK.II is pretty much what KORPS asked, a powerful but sort of flawed vehicle.
Name: AHCS-2 "Chasseur Mk.II"
Vehicle Type: Heavy Gear
Production Type: Limited Production
Cost: 586 666,67 Lith (2 933 333,35 Marks/Dinars)
Manufacturer: Nineveh Armoury Inc. & KORPS Technical Division
Use: Strike
Height: 4.4 meters
Width: 3.0 meters
Avg. Armour Thickness: 40mm
Armour Material: Advanced Composite (Classified)
Standard Op. Weight: 6278 kg
Primary Move Mode: Walker (42 kph)
Secondary Move Mode: Hover (115 kph)
Deployment Range: 300 km
Sensor Range: 3 km
Communication Range: 12 km
Power plant: Multi-fuel Gas Turbine
Engine Output: 500 hp
Threat Value: 440
Offensive Value: 646
Defensive Value: 313
Miscellaneous Value: 359
Size: 6
Original Default Size: 8
Indv. Lemon Dice: 3
Crew: 1
Bonus Actions: 0
Primary Move Mode: Walker
Combat Speed: 4
Top Speed: 7
Secondary Move Mode: Hover
Combat Speed: 10
Top Speed: 19
Manoeuvre: 0
Sensors: +1
Communications: +1
Fire Control: 0
Light Damage: 13
Heavy Damage: 26
Overkill: 39
Qty Name Code Arc Ammo 1 Gatling Laser Cannon HGLC F 90 1 FAE Charges HG F 6 2 Heavy Panzerfaust HPZ F 0 1 Rollcage CR F 0
Name Rating Airdroppable - EPS 5 HEP: Desert - Jump Jets 1 Manipulator Arm x2 6 Reinforced Armor 2
Name Rating Annoyance - Difficult to Modify - Exposed Movement Sys - Exposed Auxiliary Sys - Fuel Inefficient 1 Large Sensor Profile 2 Overheating - Unstable - Man. Flaw -1
None
There are no variants.
This Gear has been designed in cinematic action in mind. The EPS if properly used will allow some pretty powerful stunts to be pulled out in game.
| APAGear II Archives | Volume 4, Number 1 | February, 2002 |
Heavy Gear is © 2001, Dream Pod 9, Inc. All rights reserved. APAGear is not affiliated with Dream Pod 9 in any way. Submitted material remains the property of the creator.