RHAV (Rapid Hover Assault Vehicle)

[Hawkslayer]

During an expeditionary raid on BD-OI'3500, Captain Prentiss "Hawkslayer" Folvåg found an an abandoned, Mu Arae scientific outpost, and was able to salvage some some experimental designs that were under development there. One principal find was for a "Hovership" which was intended as a high-altitude hover-transport vehicle, however upon Liveship Rhadiem's creation of this unit it was found to be significantly flawed, and completely unstable in high altitudes. Persistent in utilizing this newfound technology, Rhadiem engineers developed a new hovercraft using the ship's massive engine and unique airframe, but much closer to traditional hover heights. Thus the RHAV (Rapid Hover Assault Vehicle) is born.

Still considered experimental, the RHAV has been developed into two highly mobile vehicles. While the RHAV has considerable speed and acceleration, it's handling is unpredictable in uneven terrain and should be avoided when at all possible.

"Striker" RHAV-FS

The Striker is a "Fast Strike" vehicle designed to quickly enter enemy territory and establish a deep infantry assault. The Striker carries 2 squads and is equipped with impressive sensor jamming capabilities. While more heavily armored than the Razor, it is only "armed" with a Rapid Ranged Smoke Deployment system (R2SDS), requiring outside support during incursion.

Very high mobility with slightly higher hover (and less stable) characteristics.

2 squad Personnel Transport

Sensor Jamming

R2SDS for cover (Nebelwerfer-esque smoke mortar rounds, with limited ammo)

Relies on mobility, cover and jamming (and outside support) during advances towards the destination.

"Razor" RHAV-AC

Integrating newfound technology into a conventional autocannon, the Razor's 30mm burst-fire weapon is designed to quickly penetrate unsuspecting armored units where they are weak. While some disliked the long reload time in initial testing, many veteran gunners state that if a gunner is good, one burst can incapacitate even heavily armored units in one burst, given appropriate range and exposure. Considering the significant recoil, and limited reinforced mount points of the RHAV airframe, the autocannon is in a limited angle forward-fire position. Supplementing the Razor's defenses (and those of the RHAV strike team) is a rear-mounted automated anti-air defense system which has been directly adapted from the R1 IFV Hermes.

Very high mobility with slightly higher hover (and less stable) characteristics.

Potent AP burst-fire autocannon for armored assault, with forward-fire only, requiring "assault runs" at the target.

Hermes style anti-air support, complementing the Striker as a strong 2 unit (4 player) stealth assault force.

Entry update:

"Prowler" RHAV-ATGM

While this variant has never been confirmed, it is rumored that a third model of RHAV is under development. It's name and armament lend to easy speculation that it is designed for predatory attack of vulnerable areas, as well as ranged support of fast strike incursions.

[ December 15, 2006, 01:59 AM: Message edited by: Hawkslayer ]

[Hawkslayer]

Since it looks like a high-hover vehicle isn't a very feasable idea, I'm looking at converting the model into the RHAV, which I think would be a fun technology-oriented fast attack platform to add to the heavier units already in game.

I see a 4v4+ multiplayer game using a Razor and a Striker and 2 infantry units for a quick coordinated assault, which I think would be a lot of fun. Under the shroud of sensor jamming and anti-air support, this 2 unit team could fly over mines, avoid automated weapon fire, and push deep into enemy territory, and setup a defensive infantry position.

Optimistically considering future units like Infantry Engineers, this could be a great way to quickly take key structures, or simply push faster and deeper than would be expected from a heavier assault force.

Naturally all of these units are all relatively soft targets, and will find life difficult against a heavy assault force, but it's speed and technology could, when employed appropriately, deal a killing blow to an unsuspecting enemy.

[Hawkslayer]

I'd love to have an advanced sensor package available to put on a 20mm scout variant also. *nudge nudge*

[poesel]

I like the Striker idea (although you need a greek name... hmm maybe: 'Styx' - transporting people to hell ). I like even more that this can be modded with a Hurricane. Remove turret, add crew slots, sensor jammer and smoke launcher. I would add a single 14mm to keep nosy inf away. The Thors smoke launcher has a very limited range. You mentioned a smoke mortar. That can be done, too. Why not two smoke systems: one short range and one long range? I could add that to the MainlyInf mod.

The Razor I don't like that much. The hovers are simply too lightly armoured for close assault. Add to that the inability to go over heavy terrain and you will face your enemy on mostly open terrain. Not good - you assault will be stopped dead by 120mm AP which the PD cannot target.

Putting ATGM on a Tempest chassis sounds interesting, too. Especially on water and ice maps where the Shrikes mobility is limited.

[aittam]

why not use the nebelwhatisname to fire dumb rockets instead to have atgms?

[Imperial Grunt]

This is all good stuff. Some light hover-craft, aka GEVs, would add new dynamics to the game. I especially like the IFV GEV with a 14mm gun, and other GEV varients, such as a 20mm, 76mm, and ATGM.

Since the "OGER" version will probably not come to fruition, a couple of super-heavy tank designs would be cool too.

A heavy tank destroyer with super-heavy front armor at a cost of weak flank and rear armor would be great. Put dual 120's on it, or a high-velovity 50mm railgun/gauss cannon that only fires AP ammo with an extremely flat trajectory. It would need a 14mm gun for defense against infantry.

[Hawkslayer]

I'm not sure if I'd want to be in a vehicle called Styx poesel, considering where it's destination is Actually I take that back.. I *know* I wouldn't want to be in it.

And these vehicles are planned for my Air Units thread airframe, not the tempest, but I guess it could be used but I'd have to modify the backstory for it since it's totally not what I wrote about.

Is the 120mm cannon able to target jammed units? Not sure.. I picture these two working together. I also figured that since the transport can carry 2 squads, and be jammed, and be faster than anything in the game right now, it shouldn't be armed, which is why I put the smoke launcher on it. It would work like the "proof of concept" Nebelwerfer, but launch a battery of smoke grenades rather than something damage-dealing. It could also be used to help overwhelm PD stuff given a large amount of incoming quickly sent to it.

Anyways, I'm having to put modding on hold right now, but hopefully someday I'll work on it.

[poesel]

"So soldier, you don't like to board that transporter because of its name? Thats ok - maybe you like that one thats named 'airlock' better?" (lot of yelling snipped)...

I used the Hurricane as base because the Tempest seems too small to transpport two squads. I also did not put a jammer in becasue its a support unit that shouldn't operate alone so a jammer wouldn't make sense. Its rather fast because its lighter than the Hurri (no turret - I guessed 3 tons for that). The smoke launcher is an advnaced version of the Thors - longer range and more smoke. That works quite well to create a smoke wall.

What doesn't work unfortunatly is troop transport. Theres a small glitch in DT that prevents non wheeled units to transport. Spoke to Clay and that will be fixed in the next release.

You can target anything thats jammed - it just doesn't show up on the radar and has no blip.

One thing about smoke: smoke rises like that from a campfire. Thats ok for destroyed vehicles but for stopping LOS it would be more useful if it would stay lower and spread more.

[aittam]

you don't have time to lock on a target with atgms in a fast moving vehicle unless you stop making it very vulnerable, dumb rockets are much better

[poesel]

Christmas preparations are running well on liveship 'Hjemsted' and what better could you do for christmas than designing WOMDS and fulfilling wishes for people on small islands?

So the first candidate for putting dumbfire rockets on was obviously the shrike. Design created two versions of rocket artillery: 100mm rockets with roughly the power of light and 150mm with the power of medium mortars.

But then the whining of the shrike crews began: wheres the guidance system, we don't want to learn something new, we die soon anyway and so on.

Then they put those things on the paladin chassis and there the welcome was much heartier (paladin light mortar and ATGM crews are bored to death due to unemployment).

There are some issues with the flight path but that is in the works.

Ok, back from the Hjemsted. Heres the (usual) link:

RocketArtillery

Unpack in the Mod directory as usual.

There are two issues which I hope Clay can fix:

- the rockets don't fly like rockets but just like normal ballistic shells. Changing the trajectory to the ATGMs flat trajectory doesn't work because the rockets will always fall short because they are unguided. Making the shells lighter doesn't work either. A flight path like the old AT turrets would be nice.

- the smoke trail goes all the way until contact. A tag that limits the smoke effect to a certain time (until the rockets burn phase has ended) would be nice.

There are four new vehicle versions in this mod: 100/150mm for each Shrike/Paladin. I started with the Shrike but its currently so hard to drive and I also felt that this weapon fits better to a paladin I put those also on those too. Maybe there should be an even smaller faster firing version for the shrike. Dunno if there are any real world examples for that.

The 100/150mm sizes are just arbitrary. Are those roughly 'realistic'?

[poesel]

Forgot ranges: 100mm ~ 2.5km, 150mm ~ 4.2km.

And a screenshot:

[Imperial Grunt]

Very nice, unguided rockets would be a good addition to the game. I think that the smoke trails from the ATGMs and the rockets should be toned down a bit though. A backblast and an initial "swoosh" of the rocket motor firing for both would suffice.

[aittam]

let me disagree, the rockets at least in the present form are a mighty saturation area weapon, let them give away easly the position for artillery counterbattery fire

[poesel]

I agree with aittam here. The smoke trail gives away the shooters position which balances the weapon against the non-smoking artillery with which its harder to hit.

The smoke does not need to go all the way to the target however. Thats why I asked Clay fo that additional tag.

Did anyone actually play with those vehicles?

[Imperial Grunt]

Regarding the rockets, I think the ranges need to be increased a but. A 1967 era BM-21 122mm rocket had a range of over 15K. Currently the Chinese have a 122mm rocket that will range 30K. I don't think they can hit the broad side of a barn with a single rocket, but if you fire enough rockets, then one will eventually land close enough.

Anyways a rocket barrage would be effective against bases and enemy units that are lingering in one spot for too long. A heavy 220mm or 300mm rocket launcher would be cool too.

[poesel]

Problem is game balance. Even with only a 10k range a rocket can hit everything even on large maps. Inreasing the reload times will make it very boring for the player. Decrease ammo and people will just redeploy. Thats why I chose the rather short ranges - you still need eye contact.

You can always argue with DTs backgroundstory: the liveships just don't know better anymore.

[poesel]

Ok, last mod for this year.

This is the description:

"

Add three Shrike/Paladin variants with dumbfire rockets:~

- Shrike: 30 ammo, triple shot, 100mm missile (equivalent to light mortar)~

- Paladin: 70 ammo, 7 shot, 150mm missiles (equivalent to medium mortar)~

- Paladin: 20 ammo, single shot, 200mm missile (equivalent to heavy mortar)(aka: 'Nebelwerfer')~

~

The Shrike has a modified suspension. The Nebelwerfer has Hermes speed and can only shoot STRAIGHT ahead - no turret turning.~

All variants use the normal models. There should be at least new turrets for the first two and a complete new model for the Nebelwerfer.

"

I've played several scenarios against bots. IMHO its a nice addition to the game. Not very deadly overall to my surprise (driving an Apollo gives you way more kills) but surely annoying as hell for the enemy and very good support vehicles.

On the downside its sometimes a bit too much smoke. Reminds me of the days of artillery frenzy...

The shrike is a close assault vehicle. Avoid Thors - the light mortar shell won't scratch them. Useful against everything else but you need to get close (limited range). Very high shock value.

The Nebelwerfer is mainly a suppression vehicle. Lots of explosions and smoke. Won't hurt Thor much but good chance of damaging everything else (medium mortar). And I have to say its just fun to shoot at lumps of enemy vehicles and leaving a cratered landscape!

But beware: one shot and everyone knows who you are and where you are...

Oh - and to make things more fair the Nebelwerfer can only shoot straight ahead and its slow as a hermes!

The Paladin is the most reasonable of the three: big bang (heavy mortar) on a fast vehicle with comparable short flight times. Downside: the Thor mortar has more armour, more range and more ammo and doesn't leave a smoke trail when shooting.

Where to get:

RocketArtillery

Its the same as above but the content is updated.

Have fun!

[Imperial Grunt]

Poesel, here is a HMMWV built just for you!

Bombs Away

They are SAMs and not SSMs, but close enough!

[Imperial Grunt]

Poesel, here is a HMMWV built just for you!

Bombs Away

They are SAMs and not SSMs, but close enough!

[poesel]

Yes, thats how the SSM Shrike should look like. Nice music btw

[Kurtz]

Check some LOSAT videos for inspiration. No explosives in the rocket, just lots of kinetic energy.

Youtube 1

Youtube 2

[poesel]

If Clay would disclose the dependencies between (BasePenetration and projectile speed) and resulting armour penetration then I could make an AP equivalent missile.

Is this LOSAT a dumbfire or guided missile?

[Kurtz]

Apparently it was guided (the program was terminated in 2004). But I can't imagine any big course corrections at 1500 m/s.