Monday, August 22, 2011

The GM Helps Players Buy Stuff Thread

Consider this a general bit of tactical advice from your various NPCs or something.

CA-1 Heavy
This old-style Coalition suit still sports 80 MDC, but isn't energy-resistant. The only way to get it is salvaged; 50k is kind of expensive, though! The penalty is 20%, not 5% (wtf)

Homemade Medium
60 MDC non-EBA, only 12k. Also 20% penalty. This can be homemade from MDC materials, but takes quite a bit of time.

Plastic-Man EBA
18k for a basic EBA, only 35 MDC. Still, cheapest environmental on the market. -10%.

DPM-D0
18k for 50 MDC with no penalties. Not EBA.

Bandito Wild Weasel SAMAS
4.8 million, but it's also a mobile, hands-free ECM suite in a powered armor suit.

CAI-50 Challenger
90k, 120 MDC exoskeleton. No propulsion! How does Cheapwell make these things for so cheap?

FT-005 Flying Titan
Cheapest fully airborne RPA on the US weapons market at 1 million.

NG-X9 Samson
At 850k, it's the most effective combat machine you can get for under a mil.

NG-E12
80k for a 10d6 energy weapon. Ideal for feed into a vehicle power supply. The ammo supply is 12 for a canister. I haven't decided how to work NG energy packs yet.

Bandit BB Shotgun
18k, only 300 foot range, but deals 27-33 MD of knockback magnitude with every shot, basically forcing normal characters hit by it to roll with punch.

Bandit 5000 BB Railgun
50k, fully automatic KB machine.

C-12 Heavy Laser Rifle
20k. The highest damage laser assault rifle with 20 rounds. A 4D6 automatic rifle is nothing to sneeze at, ever. No laser targeting bonus (wtf).

Neural Mace
8k. Affects people in any non-EBA.

M2HB .50 Cal Machinegun
1D6 MD fully automatic weapon, although too large to be hand-wielded by RPA. 5k! The rounds cost about twice as much as railgun rounds, though.

Gargoyle Body Armor
40k (plus import costs), 150 MDC. 10% penalty.

JA-11/JA-12
40/50k, 10 shot 4D6 laser with 4000 foot range.

NE-75H
80k for a 6000ft sniper. When it does as much as the 75H, it's hard to beat, period.

NE-10
40k for a fully automatic plasma cartridge rifle. 1200ft range, but terrifying damage.

NG-57
8k for one of the highest damage sidearms in the game. 3D6, 10 shots.

NG-LC6
20k for an assault rifle + grenade launcher. Basically a C-14, but cheaper.

NG-P7
22k. Really goes without saying.

Wilk's 457
40k. No strike bonus. 3D6+2, 30 rounds! 2000 foot range. Expensive, but one of the best assault rifles in the game, possibly even better than the C-12. Nowhere near as cheap as the C-12, though.

**Modern Vehicles Available from GAW**

So RL vehicles could be picked up from GAW, but what can be picked up? Well, GAW vehicles must be American (no Hind helicopters ;.;), and most things like tanks are not very useful compared to jump troops with Chipwell combat suits and rocket launchers.

Motor T type transport trucks can be picked up for 55k each. Light pickup trucks and SUVs can be picked up for 24k, which have 60 MDC. Cars and jeeps are even cheaper, 16k for 45 MDC.

Helicopters and jets are getting repriced. Jets are getting more expensive, helos are keeping the same lower end but are getting a higher upper end. None will be as expensive as in Merc Ops (where helos are ~1 mil).

A low-cost airstrike option comes in the form of the Bell H-13 Sioux, the cheapest helicopter ever. At 70 MDC and 80k, they represent the cheapest possible air combat option. 3 seats, no weapons, but can be fit with automated laser, ion, or TW weapons with no problem.

Okay, a little better is the UH-1 Huey Vietnam-era helicopter (70 MDC). At 100k, it can be mounted with dual rocket pods (I'll work on that) or dual 3-shot wire-guided missiles. It can also mount dual 7.62 NATO miniguns, which means that while hypervelocity railguns are out, almost any other gun mount is probably okay. It also has a crew of 4 and a cargo capacity for up to 14 people or up to 3.8k lbs of cargo. Weapon options are below:
  • 2x M29 IRHS mini-missile (3 rounds). 500k for both.
  • 2x M157 rocket launcher (7 rounds). 200k for both. Dumbfire rockets only.
  • M2HB .50cal machinegun (500 rounds) + M129 40mm automatic grenade launcher (150 rounds). 185k for the whole system.
  • Any 2 small turret weapons can be mounted (size 2), except guided missile launchers and anything with heavy recoil.
The refitted attack version of the UH-1 is the AH-1 SuperCobra (90 MDC). It dumps the cargo compartment in favor of faster speed (218mph) and four weapon hardpoints. It can mount 4 short range missiles in each hardpoint, in addition to the other hardpoint options for the UH-1. The helicopter's more advanced combat computers give it a highly competitive pricetag at 220k. Hardpoints can be switched with Weapons Engineer checks (but you guys knew that). GAW will not sell this chopper unless it is fitted.
  • 2x SRM racks (air-to-ground, SALH, 4 shots). 500k for 2. Fired singly or in pairs.
  • 2x SRM racks (air-to-air, IRHS, 4 shots). 500k for 2. Fired singly or in pairs.
  • 2x M157 rocket launchers, as above. 200k.
  • 2x M2HB .50cal machineguns, as above. 110k.
  • 2x M129 40mm grenade launchers, as above. 240k.
  • Mounting and fire control systems cost about 40k per hardpoint.
The Chinook helicopter and similar heavy cargo choppers are probably going up in price to 120k, not a big deal. The Chinook is probably the cheapest, along with the Blackhawk (more a troop transport chopper though). Other, rarer choppers are a little more expensive, up to about 180-200k at the most.

The best airstrike option for close air support is the AH-64 Apache. This helicopter is so advanced by modern standards that unlike the Cobra and other choppers, Apache equivalents were manufactured for US and NEMA air combat units up until the Great Cataclysm (more advanced avionics and computers). An unarmed Apache frame with its advanced computer package costs 800k. It has 130 MDC.

The Apache comes standard with an AWACS-type radar unit with a massive 200 mile range (airborne targets) and fire control linking with other attack units. This means that an Apache can fire on enemies target locked by someone else even when its line of sight is obstructed. The target lock generally needs to be radar locked, although it can fire SALH missiles on a painted target without LOS as well. This information can link directly into the feed of a Multi-Optics Helmet or a headjack. Also, the Apache has an onboard optics system with the same features as a MOH as well as auto rangefinding and laser designation equipment.

The Apache comes standard with a powerful onboard computer suite and can transmit other wireless data signals to and from targets within radio range, which is a powerful 300 miles.

The Apache's superior avionics also allows it to soak -10% penalty from any piloting check made to stabilize the vehicle or crash land. It also reduces its crash speed by 30mph with respect to crew damage.

The Apache has two options for its chin gun. This weapon system is operated by the pilot, not the gunner.
  • The first is a NG heavy railgun, dealing 2d4 damage per round with a hefty 4000 round drum (range 4000ft). If the extra fuel tank option is installed, it directly occludes the ammo drum for the chin gun, reducing the payload to 1000 rounds. This option costs 120k.
  • The second is the original armament, the M200 30mm gatling gun. Range is 3000ft. The ammo payload for this weapon is 1200 rounds, or 300 if an extra fuel tank is installed. The cost of this weapon system is 200k.
The Apache also has 4 weapon hardpoints operated by the gunner, much like the Cobra. The gunner pretty much only fires missiles, as the hardpoints don't have the mobility of the UH-1's. The superior electronics of the Apache let it use pretty much any SRM launcher OR large volumes of guided MIMs.
  • 2x M157 rocket launchers, same as UH-1
  • 2x IRHS air-to-air SRM launchers, same as AH-1
  • 2x SALH air-to-ground SRM launchers, same as AH-1
  • 2x SARH multipurpose SRM launchers, 4 shots, 800k
  • 2x ARH multipurpose SRM launchers, 4 shots, 500k
  • 2x IRHS air-to-air MIM launchers, 6 shots, 500k
  • As usual, mounting costs about 40k per hardpoint.
Lastly, GAW will provide a fusion reactor fitted Apache for an additional 1 mil. The reason for this is because they have Golden Age-era Apaches with prefit reactors.

Availability of helicopters: GAW only has a certain number of inventory, but helicopters sell poorly compared to tanks, trucks, and combat robots. Cheap helos like the Bell H-13 (or similar civillian refits) are probably a dime a dozen. Civillian remodeled cargo choppers like the Chinook and Sea Knight are probably also in heavy surplus. The UH-1 equivalents, which are essentially medium transport choppers with weapons, are probably a quick sell, especially if they're fitted with weapons. Attack helicopters of any kind are of limited availability. Being able to pay the ~1 mil to fit an AH-1 with full weapons makes GAW a lot more interested in selling.

NOTE: GAW will not fit a fusion reactor to any helicopter, period; replacing twin turboshaft engines with a fusion reactor is just not something that someone should do. It's probably a good thing Jackie was in a mood when she was doing it -- it's probably a total pain in the ass to do.

As for land vehicles, I have a few that will appear later outside of GAW. These are just some options:


M113 APC
An all-purpose armored vehicle for troop transport and police duty. It can carry up to 11 passengers in addition to its 2 crew members. A wide range of possible weapon refit options can be made, including adding guided MIM or even SRM launchers. Other options include 20mm autocannons or even M61 Vulcan gatling guns, 60 or 105mm mortars. Other modifications can include field armor repair vehicles or field hospitals.
  • Weight: 12.3 tonnes
  • Speed: 67.6 km/h (42mph)
  • Armor: 50 MDC (heavy armor)
  • Range: 480km
Weapons:
Browning M2HB 12.7mm machinegun (1200 rounds)

Unit cost: 150,000 credits unarmed; the M2 costs 25k, plus ammo (1c per round or 3c per API round)
Up-armor options for the M113 include an upgrade to MDC steel, but this will slow it down by about 25%. It increases the armor to an impressive 300 MDC. The MDC can be raised to 200 MDC with aluminum/CNT alloy (no speed reduction) but this will be much more costly. Up-armoring to MD steel costs 50,000 credits, plus labor (typically 40k). Composite plates and ERA can be added; these have the same speed penalty as steel (it's included) but grant a massive 600 MDC and energy resistance. Composite armor costs a cool million credits; ERA adds another 300k. It comes with a standard 5 mile radio, but no other systems. The maximum radio that can be installed is a backpack radio or AN/MRQ-138.

M60A3 Patton MBT
The Patton is a first-generation MBT, but was upgraded many times over its life to last into the early 21st century. Since then, most Pattons were used in OPFOR as adversary tanks, but a few surplus tanks survived in reserve bunkers elsewhere. The M60A3 comes standard with a pretty advanced electronics suite, onboard thermal imaging, laser rangefinding and a 100 mile radio.
  • Weight: 50.7 tons (46 tonnes)
  • Speed: 48 km/h (30mph)
  • Armor: 240 MDC
  • Range: 500km (300mi)
Weapons:
105mm L7A3 rifled cannon (50 rounds)
Coaxial Browning M2HB .50 caliber machinegun (800 rounds)
Commander's FN MAG 7.62mm machinegun (2000 rounds)

Unit cost: 250,000 credits
The Patton can be heavily up-armored; conversion to MDC steel gives it a massive 1300 MDC with no loss in speed. Composite armor is easily replaced (the Patton A3's armor is very modular), doubling the MDC of this massive tank. Unfortunately, fitting composite armor to a MBT is expensive, costing tens of millions. Upgrading to MDC steel is a reasonable 430k plus 40k installation fee.

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